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CHAP. XIV.

The three following chapters are Maxims for the Conduct of Life.

Temperance.

Max'-im, s. a general principle or rule.

1. Tem'-pe-rance, s. moderation in eating and drinking; restraint of affection or passions.

2. Con'-quest, s. the act of conquering or subduing.

4. Al-lure'-ment, s. that which has the power of enticing by its charms, temptation.

Vo-lup'-tu-ous-ness, s. the state of being given up to excess of sensual pleasures.

5. Ad-ver-sa-ry, s. opponent or enemy. Figuratively in the piece, a personification relative to voluptuousness.

8. Jol'-li-ty, s. merriment, noisy mirth.

Vo'-ta ries, s. pl. persons devoted to any particular person or opinion.

Con-sti-tu-ti on, s. law, order. (The frame of body or mind.) 9. Faith, s. the act of believing that the things revealed be not contrary to natural reason, though they may be above it. Belief of the truth of revealed religion.

Di-vi"-ni-ty, s. the science conversant about God, and of the duties we owe to him.

Phi-lo"-so-phy, s. the knowledge of nature and morality, founded on reason and experience.

Con'-sci-ence, s. real sentiments, private thoughts; the determination of the mind with respect to the quality of any action. Ho"-nes-ty, s. goodness, that which makes a person prefer his promise or duty to his passion or interest. Po"-li-cy, s. art of government, prudence. Phy"-sic, s. the science or art of healing.

1. THE richest endowments of the mind, are temperance, prudence, and fortitude.

2. Self-denial is the most exalted pleasure; and the conquest of evil habits is the most glorious triumph.

3. The nearest approach thou canst make to happiness, on this side the grave, is to enjoy understanding and health.

4. These blessings, if thou possessest, and wouldst preserve to old age, avoid the allurements of voluptuousness, and fly from her temptations.*

*

5. When she spreadeth her delicacies on the table, when her wine sparkleth in the cup, when she snrileth upon thee, and persuadeth thee to be joyful and happy! then is the hour of danger, and let reason stand firmly on her guard: for, if thou harkenest unto the words of her adversary, thou art deceived and betrayed.

6. The joy which she promiseth changeth to madness; and her enjoyments lead on to diseases and death.

7. Cast thine eyes upon her guests, who have listened to her temptations. Are they not sickly? Are they not spiritless ?

8. Their short hours of jollity are followed by tedious days of pain and dejection; her votaries are become her victims; the just and natural consequences, which God hath ordained in the constitution of things for the punishment of those who abuse his gifts.

9. A firm faith is the best divinity; a good life is the best philosophy; a clear conscience the best law; honesty the best policy; and temperance the best physic.

Here it is to be observed, that voluptuousness is personified, as life and action are attributed to an abstract idea.

CHAP. XV.

Prudence.

Pru'-dence, s. the art of suiting our actions according to the circumstance of things, or rules of right reason.

1. Judgment, s. the quality or power of discerning the propriety or impropriety of things. A sentence.

Throne, s. seat. A chair or seat richly adorned, with a superb covering, for emperors, kings, &c. to sit on at all times of public ceremonies.

Sanc'-tu a-ry, s. a place of refuge or protection.

3. Vir'-tue, s. moral goodness, opposed to vice.

De-cli'ne, v. not to do a thing, to shun. To lean, to decay. 4. Cou"-rage, s. a manly braveness of mind, which enables a person to run any risk, and undergo any difficulties.

Sail, s. a piece of canvas which gathers the wind, and by that means moves a vessel on the water..

Bal'-last, s. a quantity of stones or sand laid in a ship's hold to

keep it steady and upright, in order to prevent its oversetting.

6. Con-tempt', s. the state of being despised.

De-ri'de, v. to laugh at, mock, or to scorn with great contempt. 7. Re-strain', v. to withhold or keep in. To keep in awe.

8. Pro"-vi-dence, s. frugality or a regard to futurity. (The care or interposition of the Deity, by which all things are preserved.) 9. Cir-cum-spec'-tion, s. a cautious conduct, wherein a person weighs the dangers and difficulties with which his actions are attended, and endeavours to guard against them.

Fru-ga"-li-ty, s. good management, the art of keeping due bounds in expenses.

11. Cha'-ri-ty, s. a good principle, exerting itself in acts of kindness and affection to all persons.

13. Mer'-ce-na-ry, a. mean, selfish. Acting only for hire.

1. JUDGMENT is the throne of prudence; and silence is its sanctuary.

2. It is a maxim of prudence to leave things before they leave us.

3. The true way to advance another's virtue is to follow it; and the best means to cry down another's - vice is to decline it.

4. A warm heart requires a cool head. Courage, without conduet, is like fancy without judgment; all sail and no ballast.

5. Put a bridle on thy tongue; set a guard before thy lips, lest the words of thine own mouth destroy thy peace.

6. Boast not of thyself, for it shall bring contempt upon thee: neither deride another, for it is dangerous.

7. A bitter jest is the poison of friendship; and he that cannot restrain his tongue, shall have trouble.

8. Furnish thyself with the proper accommodations belonging to thy condition: but spend not the utmost of what thou canst afford, that the providence of thy youth may be a comfort to thy old age.

9. Let not prosperity put out the eyes of circumspection, nor abundance cut off the hands of frugahity; he that too much indulges in the superfluities of life, shall live to lament the want of its necessaries.

10. From the experience of others, do thou learn wisdom; and from their feelings, correct thine own faults.

11. Charity obliges us not to mistrust a man; prudence, not to trust him before we know him.

12. When thou hast proved a man to be honest, lock him up in thine heart as a treasure; regard him as a jewel of inestimable value.

13. Refuse the favours of a mercenary man, they will be a snare unto thee, thou shalt never be quit of the obligation.

14. Use not to-day what to-morrow may want ; neither leave that to hazard, which foresight may provide for, or care prevent.

T. 15. Yet expect not, even from prudence, infallible success: for the day knoweth not what the night may bring forth.

16. The fool is not always unfortunate, nor the wise man always successful.

CHAP. XVI.
Fortitude.

For-ti-tude, s. the act of undertaking dangerous enterprizes with calmness and serenity, and pursuing virtuous designs unshaken by menaces, or unmoved by discouragement or temptations.

2. Hu-man, s. belonging to or like man.

Ex-emp-ti-on, s. freedom from any service or obligation.

3. Im-print', v. to impress, to fix deep.

Mor-tal, a. subject to death.

4. Hu-ma"-ni-ty, s. the nature of man.

Benevolence.

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6. Al-le-vi-ate, v. to lessen, mitigate, or diminish the enormity of a

fault.

7. Ca"-su-al, a. accidental, not certain.

E-vent', s. any thing that happens either good or bad.
Con-sum'-mate, a. perfect, complete.

Fe-li"-ci-ty, s. happiness, a state wherein a person has no wants
to satisfy, no wishes to fulfil, no evils to remove; but is easy
without pain, and joyful without any mixture of sorrow.

8. Es-ti-ma'-ti-on, s. esteem, honour.

Court-e-sy, s. an act of kindness, or civility, or respect. (The

method in which women shew their respect of ceremony, by bending the knees and sinking the body;) (pro. kurt-sy.) Li-be-ral-i-ty, s. a generous disposition of mind, exerting itself in giving largely.

Af-fec'-ti-on, s. love, fondness.

10. I-ma"-gi-na-ry, s. existing only in the imagination or fancy.

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1. PERILS, misfortunes, pain, and injury, aré, more or less, the lot of every man that cometh into the world.

2. In human life, there is a constant change of fortune; and it is unreasonable to expect an ex

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