TRUE happiness Consists not in a multitude of friends, But in their worth and choice. BEN JONSON. A FALSE friend is like the shadow of a sun-dial, which appears while the sun shines, but vanishes at the approach of the smallest cloud. OUR life is one continued toil for fame; MARTYN. EVERY day and hour a great mind encounters objects of scorn. To see the vile adulation paid to wealth, even when it has been notoriously acquired by the basest means,-is not this a fit object of it? To see how ancient, illustrious, and virtuous families are trod in the dust by new, obtrusive, and reckless ambition, is not this a fit object of it? To see the insolent abuse of power, and impertinence of office, D or the licentiousness that disguises itself in the mantle of sacred liberty,-are not these the same? To see artifice, manoeuvre, corruption, prevail everywhere, instead of worth and strength; to see words overcome deeds, and hypocrisy supplant virtue; to see frankness always sacrificed, and deception uniformly successful, are not these fit objects of scorn? EGERTON BRYDGES. O REPUTATION! dearer far than life, Thou precious balsam, lovely, sweet of smell, To its first purity and native sweetness. SEWELL. WHO fights With passions and o'ercomes, that man is arm'd WEBSTER. THE scales of some minds are too fine, too nicely adjusted for common purposes;-diamond scales will not do for weighing wool. Very refined, very ingenious, very philosophical minds, are all too scrupulous weighers: their scales turn with the millionth of a grain, and are all from some cause, subject to the defect of indecision. They see too well how much can be said on both sides of a question. There is a sort of philosophical doubt, arising from enlargement of the understanding, quite different from the irresolution of character which is caused by infirmity of will; and when once some of these over scrupulous weighers come to a balance, that instant they become most wilful. After excessive indecision they perhaps start suddenly to a rash action. MISS EDGEWORTH. AMBITION, like a torrent, ne'er looks back; BEN JONSON. He who traces the surrounding phenomena up to their great first cause,-who studies nature with a reference to its author, possesses the basis of religion within himself, enjoys the true sublime, and demonstrates the being and beneficence of the Deity in every part of the creation. CONSCIENCE, what art thou? thou tremendous power! YOUNG. THE fundamental qualities of true friendship are, constancy and fidelity. Without these material ingredients it is of no value. An inconstant man is not capable of friendship. He may perhaps have affections which occasionally glow in his heart, which excite fondness for amiable qualities, or connect him with seeming attachment to one whom he esteems, or by whom he has been obliged. But after these feelings have lasted for a little, either fancied interests alienate him, or some new object attracts him; and he is no longer the same person to those whom he once loved. A man of this inconstant mind cannot be said to have any mind at all. For where there is no fixedness of moral principle, occasional feelings are of no value; mind is of no effect; and with such persons it is never desirable to have any connexion. BLAIR. GENIUS! thou gift of Heav'n! thou light divine! CRABBE. THERE is a selfishness even in gratitude, when it is too profuse; to be over thankful for one favour, is in effect to lay out for another. CUMBERLAND. THE mind condemn'd, without reprieve, to go Hope, strength, and courage, social suffering brings, WORDSWORTH. |