humanity, and benevolence; and they may afford a very pleafing fource of reflection to others, who, in trying fituations, have maintained their virtue and their character untainted,

0

N° 29.

TUESDAY, May 4, 1779.

CIC. DE OFF.

Conciliat animos comitas affabilitafque fermonis.

POLIT

OLITENESS, or the external fhew of humanity, has been ftrongly recommended by fome, and has been treated with exceffive ridicule by others. It has fometimes been represented, very improperly, as conftituting the fum of merit and thus affectation and grimace have been fubftituted in place of virtue. There are, on the other hand, perfons who cover their own rudeness, and juftify grofs rufticity, by calling their conduct honeft bluntness, and by defaming complacent manners, as fawning or hypocritical. Shakespeare, in his King Lear, fketches this character with his fual ability.

This is fome fellow

Who having been prais'd for bluntnefs, doth affe&t

A faucy roughness, and constrains the garb Quite from his nature. He can't flatter, he, An honeft mind and plain, he must speak truth, And they will take it so; if not, he's plain.

To

To extol polifhed external manners as conftituting the whole duty of man, or to declaim against them as utterly inconfiftent with truth, and the refpect we owe to ourselves, are extremes equally to be avoided. Let no one believe that the fhew of humanity is equal to the reality nor let any one, from the defire of pleafing, depart from the line of truth, or ftoop to mean condefcenfion. But to prefume favourably of all men; to confider them as worthy of our regard till we have evidence of the contrary; to be inclined to render them fervices; and to entertain confidence in their inclinations to follow a fimilar conduct; conftitute a temper, which every man, for his own peace, and for the peace of fociety, ought to improve and exhibit. Now, this is the temper effential to polished manners; and the external fhew of civilities is a banner held forth, announcing to all men, that we hold them in due refpect, and are dif pofed to oblige them. Befides, it will often occur, that we may have the ftrongest conviction of worth in another perfon; that we may be difpofed, from gratitude or esteem, to ren der him fuitable fervices; and yet may have

no opportunity of teftifying, by those actions which are their genuine expreffions, either that conviction, or that difpofition. Hence external courtefies and civilities are fubftituted, with great propriety, as figns and reprefentatives of those actions which we are defirous, and have not the power of performing. They are to be held as pledges of our efteem and affection.

"But the man of courtly manners often

puts on a placid and fmiling femblance, "while his heart rankles with malignant paf"fion."-Whẹn this is done with an intention to deceive or enfnare mankind, the conduct is perfidious, and ought to be branded with infamy. In that cafe, the law of courtesy is

C

more honoured in the breach than in the "obfervance." But there may be another fituation, when the fhew of courtesy affumed, while the heart is ill at eafe, moved by difagreeable unkindly feelings, would be unjuftly cenfured.From a feeble conftitution of body, bad health, or fome untoward accident or disappointment, you lofe your wonted ferenity. Influenced by your present humour, even to those who have no concern in the accident that hath befallen you, and who would. really be inclined to relieve you from your

uneafiness,

uneafiness, you become referved and fplenetic. You know the impropriety of fuch a demeanour, and endeavour to beget in your bofom a very different difpofition. Your paffions, howe ever, are stubborn; images of wrong and of disappointment have taken strong hold of your fancy; and your prefent difagreeable and painful ftate of mind cannot eafily be removed. Meanwhile, however, you difguife the appearance; you are careful to let no fretful expreffion be uttered, nor any malignant thought lour in your afpect; you perform external acts of civility, and affume the tones and the language of the most perfect compofure. You thus war with your own fpirit; and, by force of commanding the external symptoms, you will gain a complete victory. You will actually establish in your mind that good humour and humanity, which, a little before, were only yours in appearance. Now, in this difcipline, there is nothing criminal.-In this difcipline, there is a great, deal of merit. It will not only correct and alter our present humours, but may influence our habits and difpofitions.

A contrary practice may be attended, if: not with dangerous, at least with disagreeable confequences.Sir Gregory Blunt was the eldeft

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