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SELFISHNESS AND MEANNESS.

NHAT there is felfifhnefs and meannefs enough

THAT

in the fouls of one part of the world, to hurt the credit of the other part of it, is what I shall not difpute against; but to judge of the whole from this bad fample, and becaufe one man is plotting, and artful in his nature;-or, a second openly makes his pleasure or his profit the whole centre of all his defigns; or, because a third ftrait-hearted wretch fits confined within himself,-feels no misfortunes, but thofe which touch himfelf; to involve the whole race without mercy under fuch detefted characters, is a conclufion as falfe as it is pernicious; and were it in general to gain credit, could ferve no end, but the rooting out of our nature all that is generous, and planting in the ftead of it fuch an averfion to each other, as must untie the bands of fociety, and rob us of one of the greatest pleasures of it, the mutual communications of kind offices; and by poisoning the fountain, rendering every thing fufpected that flows, through it.

SERM. VII. P. 137.

VICE NOT WITHOUT USE.

THE lives of bad men are not without ufe,-

THE

and whenever fuch a one is drawn, not with a corrupt view to be admired,-but on purpose to be

detefted-it muft excite fuch a horror against vice, as will strike indirectly the fame good impreffion. And though it is painful to the laft degree to paint a man in the fhades which his vices have caft upon him, yet when it ferves this end, it carries its own excufe with it.

SERM. IX. P. 173.

1 YORICK'S OPINION OF GRAVITY.

OMETIMES, in his wild way of talking, he would fay, that gravity was an arrant fcoundrel'; and he would add, of the moft dangerous kind too,-because a fly one; and that he verily believed, more honest, well-meaning people were bubbled out of their goods and money by it in one twelvemonth, than by pocket-picking and fhop-lifting in feven, In the naked temper which a merry heart difcovered, he would fay, there was no danger,-but to itfelf:whereas the very effence of gravity was defign, and confequently deceit ;--'twas a taught trick to gain credit of the world for more fenfe and knowledge than a man was worth; and that, with all its pretenfions, it was no better, but often worse, than what a French wit had long ago defined it, viz.-A my fterious carriage of the body to cover the defects of

the mind..

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T. SHANDY, VOL. I. c. 2.

W

THE INTERRUPTION.

THEN my father received the letter which brought him the melancholy account of my brother Bobby's death, he was bufy calculating the expence of his riding post from Calais to Paris, and so on to Lyons.

'Twas a moft inaufpicious journey; my father having had every foot of it to travel over again, and his calculation to begin afreth, when He had almost got to the end of it, by Obadiah's opening the door, to acquaint him the family was out of yeaft and to ask whether he might not take the great coach-horfe early in the morning and ride in fearch of fome. With all my heart, Obadiah, faid my father, (pursuing his journey) take the coach-horfe, and welcome.-But, he wants a fhoe, poor creature! faid Obadiah.-Poor. creature! faid my uncle Toby, vibrating the note back again, like a ftring in unifon. Then ride the Scotch horfe, quoth my father haftily.-He cannot bear a faddle upon his back, quoth Obadiah, for the whole world. The devil's in, that horfe; then take PA

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TRIOT, cried my father; and fhut the door.-PATRIOT is fold, faid Obadiah. Here's for you! cried my father, making a pause, and looking in my uncle Toby's face, as if the thing had not been a matter of fact. Your worship ordered me to fell him last April, faid Obadiab. Then go on foot for your pains, cried

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What Plaques! cried my

tion

Father going on with his Calculabut the Waters are out said "Obadiah,

the Foor again?

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