which there is fo general a propenfity. throughout the whole race.

This had led fome fatirical pens to write, That all mankind at the bottom were proud alike;--that one man differed from another, not fo much in the different portions which he poffeffed of it, as in the different art and addrefs by which he excels in the management and difguife of it to the world: we trample, no doubt, too often, upon the pride of Plato's mantle, with as great a pride of our own; yet on the whole the remark has more fpleen than truth in it; there being thousands, (if any evidence is to be allowed) of the most unaffected humility, and trueft poverty of spirit, which actions can give proof of. Not

withstanding this, fo much may be al lowed to the observation, That Pride is a vice which grows up in fociety fo infenfibly;-steals in unobferved upon the heart upon fo many occafions;-forms itself upon fuch ftrange pretenfions, and when it has done, veils itself under fuch a variety of unfufpected appearances,-fometimes even under that of Humility itself;—in all which cafes, Self-love, like a falfe friend, inftead of checking, moft treacherously feeds this humour,—— points out fome excellence in every foul to make him vain, and think more highly of himself, than he ought to think; that, upon the whole, there is no one weakness into which the heart of man is more eafily betray'd

I

--or which requires greater helps of good fenfe and good principles to guard against.

And first, the root from which it fprings, is no inconfiderable difcredit to the fruit.

If you look into the best moral writers, who have taken pains to fearch into the grounds of this paffion,they will tell you, that Pride is the vice of little and contracted fouls;that whatever affectation of greatness it generally wears and carries in the looks, there is always meannefs in the heart of it:a haughty and an abject temper, I believe, are much nearer a-kin than they will acknowledge;-like poor relations, they look a little fhy at one another at first

fight, but trace back their pedigree, they are but collateral branches from the fame ftem; and there is fcarce any one who has not feen many fuch inftances of it, as one of our poets al ludes to, in that admirable ftroke he. has given of this affinity, in his defcription of a Pride which licks the dust.

As it has meanness at the bottom of it,-fo it is juftly charged with having weakness there too, of which it gives the strongest proof, in regard to the chief end it has in view, and the abfurd means it takes to bring it about.

Confider a moment,What is it the proud man aims at?-- -Why, -fuch a measure of refpect and deference, as is due to his fuperior merit, &c. &c.

Now, good fenfe and a knowledge of the world fhew us, that how much foever of thefe are due to a man, allowing he has made a right calculation, they are till dues of fuch a nature, that they are not to be infifted upon: Honour and Refpect must be a Free will offering: treat them otherwife, and claim them from the world as a tax, they are fure to be withheld; the first difcovery of fuch an expectation difappoints it, and prejudices your title to it for ever.

To this fpeculative argument of its weakness, it has generally the ill fate to add another of a more fubftantial nature, which is matter of fact; that little exalta

to turn giddy upon every

tion, is experienced to be no lefs a