it. Upon the whole, I have determined in the negative, and facrificed my inclinations to my pru- · dence, upon this reafoning; that few men can deferve fuch high honour, by their merits; but almoft any man may appear not unworthy of it, by his modefty. One particular thing, which tempted me to write, was, the occurring of fome farther thoughts upon that comfortable fubject of the mercy of God; which was part of my letter to her; and which I did not carry as far as I might, with a little reflection, at that time, left it fhould look like a premeditated effay, what was, in reality, but an occafional occurrence; though, after what manner hinted to me, from any part of my letter, I cannot, at prefent, recollect.

The only objection which divines make to the unbounded mercy of God, is his infinite juftice; for, fay they, Juftice is concerned about punishing the wicked, as well as rewarding the virtuous: and the only scope they will allow to mercy, is remiffion upon repentance.

Now let us confider the matter impartially, amongourfelves; for obferve, there is nobody by, but you and I.

In the first place, it is high prefumption to pre-tend to reason about the attributes of God; and all definitions of this kind may be confidered "like "the eye in profpect, whofe ftrength can find no

end; but weakness makes one." The qualities and faculties of the human mind, from whence they vainly argue, may have (and it is more than probable) fo little relation to the divine mind, that there may not be even any analogy between them; and may, perhaps, to a fpirit capable of conceiving both, be as different ideas, as found and colour.

But let us dispute with them, upon their own terms, and speak of God as man; and let us agree, for

for the fake of argument, that, though the qualities of a human creature certainly bear no proportion to the attributes, they may, however, have fuch a relation to them as time has to eternity; and thus we may come to a clear method of reafoning upon this fubject.

Human juftice then, as blended with human paffions and human policies, may be defined a retribution of rewards and punishments; but, to confider it in the abftract, I do not think that even human juftice comprehends the latter part of this definition; for punishments are inflicted either to revenge or to deter. Now, with regard to the firft, a legislature is difpaffionate; and, with regard to the latter, I am fure, that if a man could commit any crime, which it was impoffible for him, or any body elfe ever to commit again, it would be a cruelty to allot any penalty for it; because, in this cafe, the benefit of the example could never operate. In this ftate, then, I look upon our fouls in the next world; as having committed offences, which we can no longer repeat, and the punishment of which can then no more avail us, or ferve as a wholesome example, to deter others; nor is God a man, that he fhould be angry,

I thall not add any thing farther upon this head, but just to obferve to you, that the definition of mercy, as it is given in the beginning of this difcourfe, abfolutely annihilates the virtue, by making it only part of another; for forgiveness, upon repentance, is not a diftinct operation, according to that fenfe; but merely a piece of justice. If I forgive my debtor, he is obliged to my generofity: but, if he pays the debt, he releafes himfelf; and I but perform common equity, by giving up his obligation, upon conditions performed. Adieu !

HENRY.

LETTER CLXXVIII.

FRANCES to HENRY.

HE unfettled, and, of courfe, uncomfortable fituation I have been in, thefe three months, makes me feel a very fincere fatisfaction at being able to date this letter from my own apartment, or, rather, your's; for I cannot, will not call it mine, 'till you have bleft it with your prefence. Hafte, then, my deareft life, my kindeft love, my all, my being, hafte, and restore your Fanny to the enjoyment of herself in you! bring to her wifhes, to her transports bring, all that can make mortality endured, and render immortality ftill more defirable!

The impatience of my fond defire to see you, has hurried my imagination into a kind of rhapfody; but I own I fhould think it a crime to love you after the common, fober, infipid manner; and, if excefs of love be pardonable in any woman, I may stand excufed. My conftitution is naturally cold; nor could it be warmed into love by an object lefs worthy, than my heart's dear Harry. This declaration, which is, indeed, a true one, may well fecure you from any fear of change in my heart: I wish, both for your fake and my own, that I had merits fufficient to furnish me with the fame fecurity. But, as your love and conftancy outweigh even your other merits to me, I will reft fatisfied, from my dependence on them, though confcious of my want of worth to deferve them, in any other way, but by returning them an hundredfold.

I cannot help faying, I am forry the correspondence, between Lady and you, is at an end; though, I am certain, you judged it right.

4

Though

Though we can have no perfect knowledge of the attributes of God, I cannot think it prefumption to form an idea, according to our finite capacity, that he is just and merciful. If we believe the Bible to be a work of infpiration, we must affent to this opinion. If we confider it as the work of mere man, unaffifted, uninfpired, it ap pears, that the refult of natural reafon, as far as finite can comprehend infinite, has given us an idea both of the Almighty and his attributes; and fure it cannot be criminal to employ that reafon, which he hath beftowed upon us, in contemplation of his excellence. The fault, which I think the generality of men, and particularly divines, run into, is not the reafoning on the divine attributes, but daring to fet bounds to what their poor finite capacities cannot comprehend. I cannot, by any means, agree with you, that it is probable there fhould be no analogy between the divine and human mind. We believe God to be all-wife, allgood. We muft change the idea of these attributes into folly and cruelty, if we fuppofe he did not form the faculties of our fouls by the moft perfect model-by himself; though he confined their operation within a narrower sphere. But when we fhall put off this frail mortality, that now clogs and inclofes the faculties of our fouls, I do believe they will be enlarged; and of what use could they be, had they no analogy to the divine Being; in the contemplation of whose endless glory and perfec tion our chief happiness will, I prefume, confift?

I am quite charmed with your argument for unbounded mercy. I think it is carried as far as finite wisdom can go; and, to make ufe of your own expreffion, has fhewn, that "God is not "made up of parts, but is one perfect being,'

* In fome other place.

whofe

whofe attributes co-operate and correfpond toge

ther.

In compliance with your oft-repeated defire, you fee I have ventured to touch upon a fubject infinitely beyond my capacity; but it is in fuch a manner, as boys firft learn to fwim; confcious I am out of my depth, and afraid of drowning every inftant: But my dear teacher will, I am fure, reach out his hand to fave his little trembling pupil. Adieu !

FRANCES.

LETTER

My dearest FANNY,

CLXXIX.

Mufæum.

TOMORROW is to be a very bufy day with

me, both at home and abroad; therefore I fhall dedicate this pleafant, tranquil Sunday evening to you, left I fhould mifs a poft. I am in hafte too, to finish Pliny, that I may fend it up along with the reft of your books.

at

In a note upon the twenty feventh epistle of the feventh book, we are informed of the name of that philofopher, who gave the famous advice to Auguftus, to repeat the twenty four letters, whenever he found his paffion rifing. I wish I had feen this paffage before the laft evening we spent The advice, indeed, I have often heard of; but never knew the author's name before, or I should have honoured it. I have very feldom known the charm put in practice; but always imagined, when I faw a man in a paffion, that either he had never heard of it, or had never learnt his alphabet: Upon which hint, I am tempted fometimes to treat fuch perfons like children, and hang a horn-book about their necks, faying, with Brutus,

"I will