our defence.-Superior beings of all ranks are bound by it no less than ourselves. It has the fame authority in all worlds that it has in this. The further any being is advanced in excellence and perfection, the greater is his attachment to it, and the more is he under its influence.To fay no more? 'Tis the LAW of the whole universe ; it stands first in the estimation of the Deity; its orginal is his nature; and it is the very object that makes him lovely.

SUCH is the importance of Virtue.-Of what confequence, therefore, is it that we practise it !-There is no argument or motive which is at all fitted to influence a reasonable mind, which does not call us to this. One virtuous difpofition of foul is preferable to the greatest natural accomplishments and abilities, and of more value than all the treasures of the world.-If you are wife, then, study virtue, and contemn every thing that can come in competition with it. Remember, that nothing else deferves one anxious thought or wish. Remember, that this alone is honour, glory, wealth and happiness. Secure this, and you fecure every thing. Lofe this, and all is loft.

PRICE.

CHA P. IV.

THE SPEECH OF BRUTUS ON THE DEATH OF CESAR.

OMANS, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my caufe; and be filent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe. Centure me in your wifdom, and awake your fenfes, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this affembly, any dear friend of Cæfar's, to h'm I say, that Brutuss'

K 2

Brutus's love to Cæfar was no lefs than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rofe against Cæfar, this is my anfwer: Not that I loved Cæfar lefs, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæfar were living, and die all flaves; than that Cæfar were dead, to live all freemen? As Cæfar loved me, I weep for him ; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but as he was ambitious, I flew him. There are tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for his ambition. Who's here fo base, that would be a bond-man ? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who's here fo rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who's here fo vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended—I paufe for a replyNONE? - then none have I offended.I have done no more to Cæfar than you should do to Brutus. The queftion of his death is inrolled in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences inforced, for which he suffered death.

HERE comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony ; who though be had no hand in his death, fhall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth ; as which of you shall not? With this I depart, that as I flew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the fame dagger for myself, when it fhall please my country to need my death.

SHAKSPEARE.

CHA P.

XIV.

B

GLOCESTER's SPEECH TO THE NOBLES.

RAVE Peers of England, pillars of the state,

To you Duke Humphry muft unload his grief,

Your

Your grief, the common grief of all the land.
What! did my brother Henry spend his youth,
His valour, coin, and people in the wars;
Did he fo often lodge in open field,

In winter's cold, and fummer's parching heat,
To conquer France, his true inheritance!
And did my brother Bedford toil his wits
To keep by policy what Henry got?
Have you yourselves, Somerfet, Buckingham,
Brave York, and Salisbury, victorious Warwick,
Receiv'd deep scars in France and Normandy?
Or hath mine uncle Beaufort, and myself,
With all the learned council of the realm,
Studied fo long, fat in the council-house
Early and late, debating to and fro,

How France and Frenchmen might be kept in awe ?
And was his Highness in his infancy
Crowned in Paris, in defpite of foes?

And fhall thefe labour and thefe honours die?
Shall Henry's conqueft, Bedford's vigilance,
Your deeds of war, and all our counsel, die?
O Peers of England, fhameful is this league,
Fatal this marriage; cancelling your fame,
Blotting your names from books of memory;
Razing the characters of your renown,
Defacing monuments of conquer'd France,
Undoing all, as all had never been.

воок VI.

DIALOGUES.

IT

CHA P. I.

ON HAPPINESS.

I was at a time, when a certain friend, whom I highly value, was my gueft. We had been fitting together, entertaining ourselves with Shakspeare. Among many of his characters, we had looked into that of Wolfey. How foon, fays my friend, does the Cardinal in disgrace abjure that happinefs which he was lately fo fond of! Scarcely out of office,. but he begins to exclaim.

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Vain pomp and glory of the world! I hate ye. So true is it, that our sentiments ever vary with the season and that in adversity we are of one mind, in profperity of another. As for his mean opinion, faid I, of human happiness, it is a truth, which small reflection might have taught him long before. There feems little need of distress to inform us of this. I rather commend the seeming wisdom of that eastern monarch, who in the affluence of prosperity, when he was proving every pleasure, was yet fo fenfible of their empti

nefs,

nefs, their infufficiency to make him happy, that he proclaimed a reward to the man, who should invent a new delight. The reward indeed was proclaimed, but the delight was not to be found. If by delight, faid he, you mean fome good; fomething conducing to real happiness; it might have been found perhaps, and yet not hitthe monarch's fancy. Is that, faid I, poffible? It is poffible, replied he, though it had been that fovereign good itfelf. And indeed what wonder? Is it probable that such a mortal as an eastern monarch; fuch a pampered, flattered, idle mortal, fhould have attention or capacity for a fubject fo delicate? A fubject, enough to exercise the fubtleft and most acute ?

WHAT then is it you efteem, faid I, the fovereign good to be? It should feem, by your reprefentation, to be fomething very uncommon. Ask me not the question, faid he, you know not where it will carry us. Its general idea indeed is easy and plain; but the detail of particulars is perplexed and long; paffions and opinions for ever thwart us; a paradox appears in almoft every advance. Befides, did our inquiries fucceed ever so happily, the very subject itself is always enough to give me pain. That, replied I, feems he, from any prejudice,

a paradox indeed. It is not, faid which I have conceived against it; for to man I esteem it the nobleft in the world. Nor is it for being a fubject, to which my genius does not lead me; for no fubject at all times has more employed my attention. But the truth is, I can scarce ever think of it, but an unlucky ftory ftill occurs mind. "A certain ftar-gazer with his telescope was once viewing the moon; and describing her feas, her moun"tains, and her territories. Says a clown to his companion, "Let him fpy what he pleases; we are as near to the moon, as he and all his brethren." So fares it, alas!

to my

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