yond the region which he inhabits, he will find himself as much unknown as the most obfcure perfon around him. I fhall not defire him to confider, that in the gulph of oblivion, where all human memorials are swallowed up, his name and fame muft foon be inevitably loft. He may imagine that ample honours remain to gratify ambi tion, though his reputation extend not over the whole globe, nor laft till the end of time. But let him calmly reflect, that within the narrow boundaries of that country to which he belongs, and during that fmall portion of time which his life fills up, his reputation, great as he may fancy it to be, occupies no more than an inconfiderable corner. Let him think what multitudes of thofe among whom He dwells are totally ignorant of his name and character; how many imagine themfelves too important to regard him; how many are too much occupied with their own wants and purfuits to pay him the leaf attention; and where his reputation is in any degree fpread, how often it has been attacked, and how many rivals are daily rifing to abate it: Having attended to thefe circumftances, he will find fufficient materials for humiliation in the midst of the higheft applaufe,

From all these confiderations it clearly appears, that though the efteem of our fellow-creatures be pleafing, and the pursuit of it, in a moderate degree, be fair and lawful, yet that it affords no fuch object to defire as entitles it to be a ruling principle.'

We fhall now lay before our Readers, part of what our Author advances on the fubject of candour, from the words-Charity-thinketh no evil.

It is neceffary to observe, that true candour is altogether different from that guarded, inoffenfive language, and that ftudied openness of behaviour, which we fo frequently meet with among men of the world. Smiling, very often, is the afpect, and fmooth are the words of those who inwardly are the most ready to think evil of others. That candour which is a Christian virtue, confifts not in fairness of fpeech, but in fairness of heart. It may want the blandishment of external courtefy, but fupplies its place with humane and generous liberality of fentiment. Its manners are unaffected, and its profef fions cordial. Exempt, on one hand, from the dark jealoufy of a fufpicious mind; it is no lefs removed, on the other, from that easy credulity which is impofed on by every fpecious pretence. It is perfectly confiftent with extenfive knowledge of the world, and with due attention to our own fafety. In that various intercourfe which we are obliged to carry on with perfons of every different character, fufpicion, to a certain degree, is a neceffary guard. It is only when it exceeds the bounds of prudent caution, that it degenerates into vice. There is a proper mean between undiftinguishing credulity, and univerfal jealoufy, which a found understanding difcerns, and which the man of candour ftudies to preserve.

He makes allowance for the mixture of evil with good, which is to be found in every human character. He expects none to be faultlefs; and he is unwilling to believe that there is any without fome commendable quality. In the midst of many defects, he can discover a virtue. In the midst of perfonal refentment, he can be just to the merit of an enemy. He never lends an open ear to thofe defamatory reports and dark fuggeftions, which, among the tribes of the cenfo

rious, circulate with so much rapidity, and meet with fuch ready acceptance. He is not hafty to judge; and he requires full evidence before he will condemn. As long as an action can be afcribed to different motives, he holds it as no mark of fagacity to impute it always to the worst. Where there is juft ground for doubt, he keeps his judgment undecided; and during the period of fufpence, leans to the most charitable conftru&ion which an action can bear. When he must condemn, he condemns with regret; and without thofe aggravations which the severity of others adds to the crime. He liftens calmly to the apology of the offender, and readily admits every extenuating circumftance which equity can fuggeft. How much foever he may blame the principles of any fect or party, he never confounds under one general cenfure all who belong to that party or fect. He charges them not with fuch confequences of their tenets, as they refuse and difavow. From one wrong opinion, he does not infer the fubverfion of all found principles; nor from one bad action, conclude that all regard to conscience is overthrown. When he beholds the mote in his He commiferates brother's eye, he remembers the beam in his own.

human frailty; and judges of others according to the principles by which he would think it reasonable that they should judge of him. In a word, he views men and actions in the clear funshine of charity and good-nature; and not in that dark and fullen fhade which jealousy and party spirit throw over all characters.'

Such being, in general, the spirit of that charity which thinketh no evil, the Doctor proceeds to recommend, by various arguments, this important branch of Chriftian virtue.

Let us begin. fays he, with obferving what a neceffary requifite it is to the proper difcharge of all the focial duties. I need not fpend time in fhowing that thefe hold a very high rank in the Chriftian fyftem. The encomium which the Apoftle in this chapter beftows upon charity, is alone fufficient to prove it. He places this grace at the head of all the gifts, and endowments, which can be poffeffed by man; and affures us that though we had all faith fo that we could remove mountains, yet if we be deftitute of charity, it will profit us nothing. Accordingly, love, gentleness, meekness and long suffering, are enumerated as diftinguishing fruits of the Spirit of Chrift. But it is impoffible for fuch virtues as thefe to find place in a breat, where the propensity to think evil of others is predominant. Charitable and candid thoughts of men are the neceffary introduction to all good-will and kindness. They form, if we may fpeak fo, the only A fufpicious temclimate in which love can grow up, and flourish. per checks in the bud every kind affection. It hardens the heart, and estranges man from man. What friendship or gratitude can you expect from him, who views all your conduct with diftruftful eyes, and afcribes every benefit you confer to artifice and ftratagem? The utmoft which you can hope from one of this character, is juftice in his dealings; nor even that can you be affured of; as the fufpicions to which he is a prey will afford him frequent pretexts for departing from truth, and for defending himself with the fame arms which he conceives to be employed against him. Unhappy will they be who

Galat. v. 22, 23.

are

are joined with him by any close connexion; expofed to every malignant fufpicion which arifes in his own mind, and to every unjoft fug, gestion which the malice of others may infinuate against them. That itore of poifon which is collected within him frequently throws out its venom on all who are within its reach. As a companion, he will be fevere and fatirical; as a friend, captious and dangerous; in his domeftic fphere, harsh, jealous and irafcible; in his civil capacity, feditious and turbulent, prone to impute the conduct of his fuperiours to improper motives, and upon loofe information to condemn their conduct.

The contrary of all this may be expected from a candid temper. Whatever is amiable in manners, or useful in fociety, naturally and eafily ingrafts itfelf upon it. Gentleness, humanity and companion flow from it, as their native fpring. Open and cheerful in itself, it diffufes cheerfulness and good humour over all who are under its influence. It is the chief ground of mutual confidence and union among men. It prevents thofe animofities from arifing which are the offspring of groundless prejudice; or, by its benign interpofition, allays them when arifen. In the magiftrate, it tempers justice with lenity. Among fubjects, it promotes good order and fubmiffion. It connects humanity with piety. For he who is not given to think evil of his fellow-creatures, will not be ready to cenfure the difpenfations of his Creator. Whereas the fame turn of mind which renders one jealous and unjuft towards men, will incline him to be querulous and impious towards God.

In the fecond place, as a fufpicious, uncharitable spirit is inconfiftent with all focial virtue and happiness, so, in itself, it is unreafonable and unjuft. In order to form found opinions concerning characters and actions, two things are especially requifite, information and impartiality. But fuch as are most forward to decide unfavourably, are commonly deftitute of both. Instead of poffeffing, or even requiring, full information, the grounds on which they proceed are frequently the most flight and frivolous. A tale, perhaps, which the idle have invented, the inquifitive have liftened to, and the credulous have propagated; or a real incident which rumour, in carrying it along, has exaggerated and difguifed, fupplies them with materials of confident affertion, and decifive judgment. From an action they prefently look into the heart, and infer the motive. This fuppofed motive, they conclude to be the ruling principle; and pronounce at once concerning the whole character.

Nothing can be more contrary both to equity and to found reafon, than fuch precipitate judgments. Any man who attends to what paffes within himfelf, may easily difcern what a complicated fyftem the human character is, and what a variety of circumstances must be taken into the account, in order to estimate it truly. No fingle inftance of conduct whatever, is fufficient to determine it. As from one worthy action, it were credulity, not charity, to conclude a person to be free from all vice; fo from one which is cenfurable, it is perfectly unjust to infer that the author of it is without confcience, and without merit. Did you know all the attending cir cumitances, it might appear in an excufable light; nay, perhaps, under a commendable form. The motives of the actor may have

been

been entirely different from thofe which you afcribe to him; and where you fuppofe him impelled by bad defign, he may have been prompted by confcience and mistaken principle. Admitting the action to have been in every view criminal, he may have been hurried into it through inadvertency and furprife. He may have fincerely repented; and the virtuous principle may have now regained its full vigour. Perhaps this was the corner of frailty; the quarter on which he lay open to the incurfions of temptation; while the other avenues of his heart were firmly guarded by confcience.

No error is more palpable than to look for uniformity from human nature; though it is commonly on this fuppofition that our general conclufions concerning character are formed. Mankind are confiftent neither in good, nor in evil. In the prefent ftate of frailty, all is mixed and blended. The ftrongest contrarieties of piety and hypocrify, of generofity and avarice, of truth and duplicity, often meet in one character. The pureft human virtue is confiftent with fome vice; and in the midst of much vice and diforder, amiable, nay refpectable, qualities may be found. There are few cafes in which we have ground to conclude that all goodness is loft. At the bottom of the character there may lie fome sparks of piety and virtue, fuppreffed, but not extinguished; which kept alive by the breath of heaven, and gathering ftrength in fecret from reflection, may, on the first favourable opening which is afforded them, be ready to break forth with fplendour and force.-Placed, then, in a fituation of fo much uncertainty and darkness, where our knowledge of the hearts and characters of men is fo limited, and our judgments concerning them are fo apt to err, what a continual call do we receive either to fufpend our judgment, or to give it on the favourable fide? efpecially when we confider that, as through imperfect information we are unqualified for deciding foundly, fo through want of impartiality we are often tempted to decide wrong.'

We could with pleasure extend this article to a much greaterlength, and prefent our readers with many beautiful and striking paffages from this volume of Dr. Blair's Sermons; but the extracts here given, are fufficient, we are perfuaded, to justify our character of the difcourfes contained in it.

The subjects of the fermons not yet mentioned are, the proper Eftimate of Human Life-the Happiness of a Future State Death-the Character of Jofeph-the Character of Hazaelthe Benefits to be derived from the Houfe of Mourning-the Divine Government of the Paffions of Men-and the Importance of religious Knowledge to Mankind.

R

ART. VI. The Hiftory of the Town of Thetford, in the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, from the earliest Accounts to the prefent Time. By the late Mr. Thomas Martin, of Palgrave, Suffolk, F. A. S. 40. 11. 45. fewed. Payne. 1779.

H

TONEST Tom Martin, of Palgrave"-by which denomination he was diftinguished by his friends, as well as in the lift of fubfcribers to Grey's Hudibras in 1744-did

not

not owe that appellation merely to his love of good fellowship, and contempt of money; but likewife to his moral conduct, as an honest attorney:-a profeffion to which he was reluctantly brought up, under the care of an elder brother. Some of his objections to this employment, contained in a paper written when he was about the age of nineteen, are worth tranfcribing, as marking his character at that early period of his life.

OBJECTIONS.

1. First, my mind and inclinations are wholly to Cambridge, having already found by experience, that I can never fettle to my prefent employment.

3. I always wished that I might lead a private retired life, which can never happen if I be an attorney. I must have the care and concern of feveral people's bufinefs befides mine own, &c.

5. It was always counted ruination for young perfons to be brought up at home, and I am fure there's no worse town under the fun for breeding or converfation than this.

6. Though I should ferve my time out with my brother, I fhould never fancy the ftudy of the law; having got a taste of a more noble and pleasant study.-I have ftaid thus long, thinking continual ufe might have made it easy to me; but the longer I ftay, the worse I like it.'

The more noble and pleasant study,' to which he alludes above, was undoubtedly that of antiquities, to which he fhewed an early predilection; appearing among the contributors to Mr. Le Neve's Monumenta Anglicana, when he was only twenty-two years of age. His tafte for ancient lore must have been increased as well as gratified by the confequences following the death of Peter le Neve, Norroy king at arms; whofe widow, as well as his valuable collection of British topogra phical antiquities, came into his poffeffion.

We are forry to close this short account of his life and character by adding, that his diftreffes obliged him to difpofe of many of his books a fhort time before his death; and that his very large collection of antiquities, as well as fcarce books, deeds, drawings, prints, and other curiofities, appears, from a relation here given, to have been in a regular courfe of difperfion, by various fales that have taken place, from the time of his death in 1771, to that of the fale of Mr. Ives's collec tion in 1777; who had been a principal purchafer at all the preceding fales.

Few of our readers would be gratified by a tranfcript of any paffages that we could felect from this hiftory of a particular town; -though a fenced and royal city, from the unfortunate overthrow of Boadicea, till the establishment of the heptarchy;'

and