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CHAP. V.
SECT. V.

too ferious a nature, find fome other intereft or paffion to com- PART II. mand their attention; and are in fact the more entertained, that their faculties are intenfely employed, and their affections warmly engaged.

life;

The gamefter hazards his fortune, or the hunter expofes his and both, in order to be amufed, require the highest measures of exertion, of eagernefs, and agitation of mind. When familiarity with an object has leffened the ardour it brings, they feek for occafions to renew their interest, and to awaken their passion: They strive to do for themselves what nature has fufficiently done for the whole of the human race; they create a neceffity of labour, and an occafion for the exertion of their powers. Of this fort, the huntsman may obferve that nature has stored human life with abundance of game; and the gamefter may obferve, that fhe has proffered to mankind in every fituation, a stake for which they may play; and if they are pleased to join the fatis. faction of promoting the welfare of others with that of preferving and accommodating themfelves, they will find little occafion to rack their invention for pastime or concerted amusements; nor will they be led to imagine any thing more pleasant to be done, than that which they are in the prefent moment, and by the proprieties of their station called upon to do.

This were the genuine refult of temperance; a well directed activity of mind, exempted from the dreams of the voluptuary, or the diffipation of the idle. It would confift in a proper use of what is prepared for the purposes of animal life, and in the habit of applying to what are the proper engagements or occupations of a rational nature.

In

PART. II.
CHAP. V.

In youth, we are for the most part unwilling to apply to any SECT. V. thing that does not promise immediate gratification or pleasure : And this difpofition, if indulged, leads to a habit of diffipation for life: It lays the foundation of a frivolous manhood, and a wretched old age, about to depart from the paths of this mortal fcene without leaving any honourable track behind. It were happy, if in youth we could be perfuaded, that the care of parents and tutors to give proper habits of application, though at first difagreeable, is in the way to future fatisfaction and pleasure; or if we could be made fenfible at this time of life, that we are not more interested to acquire knowledge, or receive information, than we are to form habits of diligence, and a just direction of the mind to the purfuit of those pleasures, which are at once honourable, permanent, and just.

SECTION

SECTION VI.

Of the Characteristics of Fortitude.

To the requifites of an active character, which we have been PART II. CHAP. V. confidering, it is neceffary to fubjoin that of a forcible or refolute SECT. VI. mind: Under this title, Fortitude is required to fill up the fum of the virtues.

In mere body, there is a force conftituted by resistance to change; in animal life, it is courage and muscular strength; in free agents, it is a determinate choice of conduct unaltered by difficulty, fuffering, or danger.

It is not required that the refolute mind fhould be infenfible to the warnings which, in the form of pain, nature has given of the ills to which the animal nature is expofed, nor does it require the neglect of such warnings, or of the means that may be employed for fafety in confequence of them; but as the duties of human life frequently call upon the virtuous to pafs throughi nconvenien

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PART II. SECT. VI.

CHAP. V.

cies, and to incur danger or pain in the conduct of fome worthy purfuit, the quality of a mind poffeffed of itself, and undisturbed in the exercise of its faculties is required to complete the character of virtue.

In this fcene of difficulty and danger, the actor cannot proceed with a mind that is deficient in fortitude, any more than the archer can fhoot with a bow that wants clafticity or strength.

Among the principal characteristics of this virtue may be reckoned Refolution, Intrepidity, Patience, and Conftancy.

In all these instances, no doubt, force of mind, like strength of body, may be employed to an ill, as well as to a good purpofe; but as mere abftinence from animal pleasure, without a proper application of mind to better pursuits, does not conftitute temperance, fo neither does exemption from fear or impatience conftitute the virtue of fortitude.

The ignorant are fometimes fearlefs, because they know not their danger. The criminal is daring, from the force of fome vicious paffion; but fortitude is the ftrength of integrity that is fostered by a confcience void of offence, and is as far removed from the audacity or impudence of the profligate, as it is from the baseness of the coward.

Refolution is the courage with which the virtuous proceeds in his courfe of beneficence towards his friend, his country, or his fellow creature, in any circumftances that require his aid. It was nobly expreffed by the three Ifraelites, in answer to the king of Babylon who threatened to caft them into the midst of a burn

ing fiery furnace, if they did not worship the golden image which PART II. he had fet up: And who is that God, he faid, "that fhall deliver CHAP. V.

you out of my hands?" "We are not careful, they said, Ne"buchadnezar to answer thee in this matter: If it be fo, the God "whom we ferve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace,

and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O King; but if not, be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not ferve thy Gods nor

worship the golden image which thou haft fet up". Here was a refolution expreffed not in the confidence of efcape or fafety, but in the sentiment of a daring integrity which no menace could fhake. And the benevolent is refolute when a friend or an innocent fufferer requires his aid, because affection or commiferation is more powerful than interest or even felf-preservation. And the fame virtue of fortitude may be known, though with lefs evidence and on flighter occafions, by the voluntary hazard of fuffering, or inconvenience in the discharge of any duty what

ever.

Intrepidity is tranquillity and presence of mind in the midst of danger. It is opposed to that perturbation of fear or terror by which the weak minded are difqualified to acquit themselves properly or to extricate themselves from the dangers in which they are involved. Without intrepidity, enterprise is rafhness, and ferves only to lead the feeble minded into fituations in which they are not qualified to act.

As the intrepid continue to poffefs themselves or to have the ufe of their faculties in the midst of danger, intrepidity is not only an exemption from the sufferings of fear or terror, but is the best fecurity also against the evils with which any danger is fuppofed to threaten. It enables the perfon alarmed to take the best Ddd

VOL. II.

measures

SECT. VI.

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