Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n
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A28927
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Characters of the virtues & vices of the age, or, Moral reflections, maxims, and thoughts upon men and manners translated from the most refined French wits ... and extracted from the most celebrated English writers ... : digested alphabetically under proper titles / by A. Boyer, Gent.
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Boyer, Abel, 1667-1729.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing B3912; ESTC R19552
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97,677
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222
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period but content themselves with a Mediocrity of Success Therefore it is good to compound Employments of both foâ— that will be good for the Present because the Virtues of either Age may correct the Defects of both and good for Succession that Young Men may be Learners while Old Men are Actors Devotion Religion Hypocrisy I. THE Devotion of some Ladies on the turning of their Years is no better than a kind of Decency taken up to shelter themselves from the Shame and the Jest of an antiquate Beauty and to secure in every Change something that may stiâ—l recommend them to the World II. The Professors of strict Devotion who without absolute Necessity engage themselves in the Business and Commerce of the World give us great cause to suspect the reality of their Devotion III. All Devotion which is not grounded upon Christian Humility and the Love of one's Neighbour is no better than Form and Pretence 'T is generally the Pride and Pievishness of Philosophy which thinks by despising the World to revenge it self upon all the Contempt and Dissatisâ—action Men have met with from it IV. True Devotion is a Temper of Mind purely Spiritual and deâ—ives it self from God consequently it is a very nice Thing and ought to be observed very narrowly and with exceeding Caution by those that would keep themselves from being deceived in it V. The Doctrines of Christianity which ought to be derived from the Tâ—uths contain'd in the Gospel are generally deliver'd to us according to the Temper and Complexion of our Teacherâ— Some out of an exceeding Tendeâ—ness and Good-Nature and others from a sowre and rugged Disposition form and employ differently the Mercy and Justice of God VI. There is always under the greatest Devotion a Proportion of Self-Love great enough to set Bounds to our Charity VII To consider purely the Repose of this Life it would be well if Religion had more or less influence upon Mankind It compels and does not subject enough like some Politicks that take away the Sweetness of Liberty without bringing the Advantages of Subjection VIII Nothing can be more fickle than the Judgment of Men as to the Religion of others they treat as impious Persons those who forsake the World for God's sake and those as weak and decay'd in their Understanding that sacrifice Fortune to Religion IX I question a little the Perswasion of those Preachers who offering us the Kingdom of Heaven in Publick Sollicit in particular a small Benefice with the utmost importunity * X. There 's no such Masque for the greatest of Impieties as a Veil of Religion * XI Most People Clergy as well as Laity accommodate their Religion to their Profit and reckon that to be the best Church there 's most to be got by * XII Men talk as if they believ'd in God but they Live as if they thought there were none For their very Prayers are often downright Mockeries and their Vows and Promises are no more than Words of Course which they â—ever intend to make good * XIII 'T is a fault which is very incident to Men of Devotion to strive to make themselves and their own Opinions ador'd while they only seem zealous for the Honour of God For wheâ— they have once form'd in themselves a perfect Model of the Will of God and have long confirm'd their Minds by continual thinking upon it they are apt to contemn all others that agree not with them in some Particulars * XIV Presumption leads People to Infidelity in a Trice and so by insensible degrees to Atheism For when Men have once cast off a Reverence for Religion they are come within one step of laughing at it * XV. There never was an Hypocrite so disguis'd but he had some Mark or other yet to be known by * XVI A Religious Hypocrite is only a Devil dress'd up with a Ray about him and transform'd into an Angel of Light Take him in the very Raptures of his Devotions and do but throw a parcel of Church-Lands in his way he shall leap at the Sacrilege from the very Throne of his Glory and Pick your Pocket as a French Poet says of a Iesuit in the middle of his Paternoster * XVII A Man that reposes and assures himself upon Divine Protection and Favour gathers a Force and Faith which Humane Nature in it self could not obtain Therefore as Atheism is in all respects hateful so in this that it deprives Humane Nature of the means to exalt it self above Humane Frailty * XVIII It were better to have no Opinion of God at all than such an one as is unworthy of him For the one is Unbelief and the other Contumely Education I. THE Bâ—eeding we give Young People is oftentimes but an additional Self-Love by which we make them have a better Conceit of themselves * II. Lessons and Precepts ought to be gilt and sweetned as we do Pills and Potions so as to take off the disgust of the Remedy for it holds both in Vâ—rtue and in Health that we love to be instructed as well as Phyâ—sick'd with Pleasure * III. Nothing makes a deeper Impression upon the Minds of Children or comes more lively to their Understanding than those instructive Notices that are convey'd to them by Glances Insinuations and Surpize and under the Cover of some Allegory and Riddle naked Lessons and Precepts have nothing the force that Images and Parables have upon our Minds and Affections Besiâ—e that the very study to unriddle a Mystery fuâ—nishes the Memory with more Tokens to remember it by * IV. The â—oundations of Knowledge and Virtue are laid in our Childhood and without an eaâ—ly Care and Attention we are as good as lost in our very Cradles for the Principles that we imbibe in our Youth we carry commonly to our Graves and it is the the Education that makes the Man To speak all in a few words Children are but Blank Paper ready indifferently for any Impression good or bad for they take all upon credit and it is much in the power of the first comer to write Saint or Devil upon 't which of the two he pleases so that one step out of the way in the Iâ—stitution is enough to poyson the Peace and the Reputation of a whole Life * V. All the Extravagances of the lewdest Life are nothing else but the more consummated Follies and Disorders of either a Misâ—taught or a neglected Youth Nay all the publick Outrages of a destroying Tyranny and Oppression are but Childish Appetites let alone till they are ungovernable Wherefore Children should be moulded while their Tempers are yet pliant and ductile for it is infinitely easier to prevent ill Habits than to Master them as the choaking of the Fountain is the surest way to cut off the Course of the River It should be consider'd too that we have the Seeds of Virtue in us as well as of Vice and whenever we take a wrong Biass 't is not out of a moral Incapacity to do
respects extraordinary I can yield them their Choice Dishes their Rich Furniture their â—ine Liveries their Dogs Horses Jesters and Flatterers but I cannot but envy their Happiness of having in their Service those that are equal nay sometimes Superiour to them in Wit and noble Inclinations XXII It costs the Great Ones so little to be generous in Words and their Quality so much dispenses with them for not performing what they Promise that I look upon it as a great piece of Modesty their not being more free of their Promises XXIII We get a great deal more by forsaking the great Ones than by complaining of them XXIV A Coldness in those that are above us a neglect in not returning a Civility makes us perfectly hate them but a Salute or a Smile brings 'em back to our Reconciliation XXV There are a sort of haughty proud Men that are humbl'd and tam'd If I may use the Expression by the Preferment of their Competitors This Misfortune sometimes prevails upon them so far as to make them return you a Salute But Time the great Waster of all Things insensibly softens their Grief and puts them at last into their natural byass XXVI 'T is mere Hypocrisy for a Man in an Eminent Station not to take at first the place which is due to his Quality and which no body disputes with him It is an easie matter for him to be Modest for if he throws himself into a Crowd every body presently shrinks back to make way for him or if he sits below his Rank all the râ—st of the Company presently forces him to sit higher Modesty is of much harder digestion to Men of an inferiour Condition for if they chance to be in a Crowd they run the hazard of being squeez'd to death or if they chuse to sit in an uneasie Place they are sure to be left to the free Enjoyment of it XXVII The Great Ones have no reason to love the First Times they are not favourable to them in the least 'T is a kind of Mortification for them to see that we all come from Brothers and Sisters and that all Men compose but one Family whose several Members only differ as to the degrees of Kindred XXVIII If the Great Ones have the Opportunities of doing us good they have seldom the good will to do it and if they have a mind to do us harm they do not always â—ind the Occasions so that a Man may be extreamly mistaken in the kind and degree of Worship he pays them upon the account of the good or ill he expects from them We ought to honour and respect them because they are great and we are little and because there are others less than we that respect us XXIX We ought to be very much reserv'd upon the Great Ones There is generally a great deal of Flattery in the Praises we give them and it is as dangerous to speak ill of them when they are alive as 't is base when they are out of the way * XXX It is a common thing for Men to hate the Authors of their Preferments as the Witnesses of their mean Original * XXXI A Man that enters the World must be Industrious but not affected in disclosing his Abilities The best way is to observe a Gradati on for the lowest steps to Greatness are the most secure but swift Rises are often attended with precipitate Falls and what is soonest got is generally short in the Possession * XXXII A Man rais'd to Grandeurs that makes others find their Fortunes in his joins a great Merit to a great Happiness He is not the more happy by the Wealth which he enjoys than by that which he knows how to give * XXXIII 'T is a Consolation for Inferiour Persons to find their Infirmities in those that have the Authority to govern them and a great delight to those that are distinguished by Power to be made like others for Pleasures * XXXIV He that is asham'd of a mean Condition would be proud of a Splendid one * XXXV Great Men had need borrow other Mens Opinions to think themselves happy for if they judge by their own Feeâ—ing they cannot find it * XXXVI In Place there is License to do Good and Evil whereof the latter is a Curâ—e for in Evil the best Condition is not to Will the second not to Can but power to do good is the true and lawful end of Aspiring for good Thoughts tho God accept them yet towards Men are little better than good Dreams except they be put in use and that cannot be without Power and Place * XXXVII A Place shews the Man some for the better and some for the worse * XXXVIII It is an assured sign of a worthy and generous Spirit whom Honour mends for Honour is or should be the place of Virtue And as in Nature things move violently to their Place and calmly in their Place So Virtue in Ambition is violent in Authority settled and calm * XXXIX Ostentation and Pride upon the account of Honours and Preferments is much more offensive than upon any personal Qualifications It argues Men do not deserve great Places when they can value themselves upon them if a Man would be truly valued the way to it is to be illustriously Good For even the greatest Men are more respected for the Eminence of their Parts and Virtue than for that of their Fortune * XL. Great Offices and great Honours are most truly said to be great Burdens the slavery of them is but so much the greater because it concerns the Service of the Publick who of all Masters is the hardest to be pleas'd XLI 'T is no small Misfortune for Great Men to have but few things to with or hope for and to have thousands to lose Envy I. MEN are often so foolish as to boast and value themselves upon their Passions even those that are most vicious But Envy is so ungenerous and shameful a Passion that no body ever had the Confidence to own it II. There is something to be said for Iealousie because it only designs the Preservation of some good which we either have or think we have a right to But Envy is a raging Madness that cannot be satisfied with the good of any body III. The Applause we give to Men that are just setting up for Reputation in the World is often from a Spirit of Envy and a secret way of detracting from others that have established a good Reputation to themselves already IV. Our Envy out lives generally the Prosperity of those we Envy V. There are fewer Men free from Eâ—vy than void of Interest VI. If we look nicely into the several Effects of Envy it will be found to carry a Man farther from his Duty than Interest does VII The surest sign of a great and noble Soul is to be free from Envy VIII Envy is less capable of Reconciliation than Hatred IX That Man that complains of being born to Misfortunes and Crosses might in a