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RECOMMENDATION
BY GEORGE WASHINGTON.
REV. SIR, Mount-Vermn> July, 3^, 1799.
Tor your kind compliment-" The IMMORTAL MENTOR,'*
I beg you to accept my beft thanks. I have perufed it
with firguiar fatisfa&ion ; ar d hefitate not to fay that it
IS, in my opinion at leaft* an invaluable Compilation* I cannot
but hope that a book whofe contents do fuch credit to its title,
will meet a very generous patronage.
Should that patronage equal my v iilies, you will have no
reaibn to regret that you ever printed the Immortal Men
tor.
With rcfpe& I am Rev. Sir,
Your mod obedient
The Rev. MR. WEEMS. Humble Servant,
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
THE
IMMORTAL MENTOR:
O R,
MJN's UNERRING GUIDE
T O A
HEALTHY, WEALTHY, AND
HAPPY LIFE.
31 n tijree
BY
LEWIS CORNARO, DR. FRANKLIN, ANU
DR. SCOTT.
" Reafon's whole pleafure, all the joys of fenfe,
** Lie in three words health, peace, and competence.
" Bleft health confifts with temperance alone,
" And peace, O virtue ! peace is all thy own."
POPE.
P HI LA DELP HI A :
PRINTED FOR THE REV. MASON L. WE^MS,
BY FRANCIS AND ROBERT BAJLEY^
NO. Il6, HIGH-STREET.
THE GREAT ADDISON, BESTOWS THE
FOLLOWING EULOGIUM ON THE Au-
THOR OF THE FIRST PART' OF THIS
WORK.
" CORNARO was of an infirm con-
ftitution till about forty ^ when, by obfti-
nately perji/ting in the Rules recommended
in this Book, he recovered a perfeft ftate of
health^ infomuch^ that at four-fcore he
publijhed this Treatife. He lived to give
a fourth edition of it^ and after having
pa [Jed his hundredth year, died without
pain or agony ^ like one who falls afleep.
This Book is highly extolled by many emi
nent authors^ and is written with fuch a
fpirit of cheerfulnefs and good fenfe, as
are the natural concomitants of temperance
and virtue"
CONTENTS.
PART L
PAGE.
CHAP. L MAWs unerring Guide
to a Long and Healthy
Life i
II. The Method of Corre fling
a Bad Conjlitution . .41
III. A Letter from Sig. Lewis
Cornaro, to the Right
Rev. Barbara, Patri
arch of Aquileia . -52
IV. Of the Birth and Death of
Man . 6z
APPENDIX.
IV CONTENTS.
PAGE,
APPENDIX. Golden Rules of Health ,
feleEled from Hippocra
tes, Plutarch, and f eve -
ral other eminent Phyfi-
cians and Philofophers . 8 1
PART II.
INTRODUCTION 97
The Way to Wealth . . 107
Advice to a Toung Tradefman . .126
PART III.
CHAP. I. A fure Guide to Happi-
nefs . 133
IT, On Social Love . . 234
IMMORTAL MENTOR, &c.
IT is an unhappinefs into which the
people of this age are fallen, that
luxury is become fafhonable and too ge
nerally preferred to frugality. Prodi
gality is now-a-days tricked up in the
pompous titles of generofity and gran
deur ; whilft bleft frugality is too often
branded as the badge of an avaricious
and fordid fpirit.
THIS error has fo far feduced us, as to
prevail on many to renounce a frugal
way of living, though taught by nature,
and to indulge thofe excefles which ferve
B only
2 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR*
only to abridge the number of our days.
We are grown old before we have been
able to tafte the pleafures of being young.
And the time which ought to be the
fummer of our lives is often the begin
ning of their winter.
OH unhappy Italy ! Doeft thou not
fee, that gluttony and excefs rob thee,
every year, of more inhabitants than
peftilence, war, and famine could have
done ? Thy true plagues, are thy nu
merous luxuries in which thy deluded ci
tizens indulge themfelves to an excefs
unworthy of the rational character, and
utterly ruinous to their health. Put a
flop to this fatal abufe, for God's fake,
for there is not, I am certain of it, a
vice more abominable in the eyes of the
divine Ivlajefty, nor any more deflruc-
tive. How many have I feen cut off, in
the flower of their days by this unhappy
cuftom of high feeding ! How many ex
cellent friends has gluttony deprived me
of,
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 3
of, who, but for this accurfed vice, might
have been an ornament to the world, an
honour to their country, and have af
forded me as much joy in their lives, as
I now feel concern at their deaths.
IN order, therefore, to put a flop to
fo great an evil, I have undertaken this lit
tle book, and I attempt it the more readi
ly, as many young gentlemen have re-
queflecl it of me, moved thereto by fee
ing their fathers drop off in the flower
of their youth, and me fo found and
hearty at the age of eighty-one. They
begged me to let thenf know by what
means I attained to fuch excellent health
and fpirits at my time of life. I could
not but think their curiofity very laud
able, and was willing to gratify them,
and at the fame time do fome fervice to
my countrymen, by declaring, in the firfl
place, what led me to renounce intem
perance and lead a temperate life ; fe-
condly, by fhewing the rules I obferved ;
and
4 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
and thirdly, what unfpeakable fatisfac-
tion and advantage I derived from it ;
whence it may be very clearly feen how
eafy a thing it is for a wife man to efcape
all the curfes of intemperance, and fecure
to himfelf the ineflimable felicities of
vigorous health and chearful age.
THE firft thing that led me to em
brace a temperate life, was, the many
and fore evils which I fuffered from
the contrary courfe of living ; my
conftitution was naturally weakly and
delicate, which ought in reafon to have
made me more regular and prudent, but
being like moil young men, too fond of
what is ufually called good eating and
drinking, I gave the rein to my appetites.
In a little time I began to feel the ill ef-
fefts of fuch intemperance ; for I had
fcarce attained to my thirty-fifth year, be
fore I was attacked with a complication
of diforders, fuch as, head-achs, a fick
ftomach, cholicky uneafinefles, the gout,
rheumatic
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 5
rheumatic pains, lingering fevers, and
continual thirft ; and though I was then
but in the middle of my days, my con-
ftitution feemed fo entirely ruined that I
could hardly hope for any other termi
nation to my fufferings but death.
THE beft phyficians in Italy employed
all their fkill in my behalf, but to no ef-
fed. At lafl they told me, very candidly,
that there was but one thing that could
afford me a fmgle ray of hope, but one
medicine that could give a radical cure,
impojjlble to pafs a day or an hour, in the
company of men without feeing hvw much
poverty is expofed to neglefl and infult ;
and In its lowefl Jiate^ to hunger and
K nakednefs ;
98 INTRODUCTION.
nakednefs ; to injuries , again/I which,
every pajfion is in arms ; and to wants,
"which nature, without the aids of religi
on^ cannot fujtain.
OF thefe calamities, mankind in general
feem to be fenfible. We hear on every fide
the noife of trade ; and fee the ftreets
thronged with number lefs multitudes, whofe
faces are clouded with anxiety, and whofe
Jieps are hurried by precipitation, from no
other motive than the hope of gain. The
'whole world is put in motion by the defire
of that wealth, which is chiefly to be va
lued as it fecures us from poverty and its
miferies. But there are always fome
whofe pajjlons or follies lead them to a con-
dul widely different from the general prac
tice of mankind. I mean the thoughtlefs
and the negligent, who, from an excefs of
careleffnefs, or the feduElions of company,
indulge habits of pie a fare and ex pence
above their fortunes ; and thus mijpend
their time, or wajle the inheritance of
their
INTRODUCTION. 99
their fathers , without ever fesming to re-
fleft on the great facrifice they are making,
or the gulph to which they approach, till
poverty, like an unexpected winter, comes
upon them with all its chilling calamities,
and aivakens them to a pungent fenfe of
their folly and wreichednefs. The young,
and thofe of the mofl generous and unfuf-
petting tempers, often fall into this evil
net, out of which they feldom efcape with
out fitffering injuries, which they painfully
feel and ferioujty lament through life. No
man had a heart more difpofed to pity, nor
a head more able to counfel thefe unfortu
nates, than the fageQr. FRANKLIN, the
friend of man, and the great economift
of AMERICA. His little work, entitled,
" THE WAY TO WEALTH," is uni-
verfally confidered as a majier -piece, on
the art of making and preferring a for-
tune. But before we give the Reader a
fight of this, we will exhibit to his view
fome of the many felicities of wealth, that
on
lOO INTRODUCTION.
on feeing how much happinefs he may de
rive from it to himfelf^ and how many fer-
'vices he may therewith confer on others^
he may apply with vigor and perfeverance
to the means conducive to fo dejireable an
end.
IN the firft place WEALTH always
commands refpefl, unlefs its owner be an
infamous wretch indeed ; and even in that
deplorable cafe? it has the magic powers of
charity ^ to cover and hide a multitude of
fins. It gives a man an air of confequence?
and like true beauty r , without any exertion
of its own? wins the favour of all behold
ers. When the rich man goes into compa
ny ^ every body rife up to falute him : no
features too hard to aflame a fmile ; no
back fo ftiff but can afford him a bow.
He is placed in the upper moji feat at the
table? and men covet to direct their con-
verfation to him. The poor man fpeak-
eth, but no one regardeth : the rich
openeth
INTRODUCTION. IOI
openeth his mouth, and lo ! filence is
kept.
WHAT: can be more plea/ing to a man
than to fee himfelf thus honoured by his
friends ? But befides this fatisfaftion^
which to the good, is very exquifite ; it
has a very happy moral effeft on the mind.
In a mind poffeffed of common fenftbility, it
muft kindle thefoft jire of good humour ', and
good humour naturally infpires benevolence
and affeftion. Whence ive infer^ that a
rich man^ who is prudent '; Jiands a much
fairer chance to be good humoured than the
poor, whofe poverty expofes them to fuch
frequent j lights and negleds.
IN the fecond place WEALTH places
a man in ajiaie which all mufi covet ; a
Jlaie of INDEPENDENCE. To ov/e no
man any thing ; to be able io. go wither-
focver ive pleafe ; and to face any ^cc?jipany
without dread cf 'dunning^ is a luxury too
divine^ even to be conceived by a >y who
have net been haunted and hag ride ^i- by
K 2 creditors.
102 INTRODUCTION.
creditors. Say, ye debtors, ye pooreji of
mankind, fay, ye who cannot look at a
creditor without confujion, nor hear the
name of juflice without a pang; who
Jiartle at the found of a fliaken leaf, as
though the feet of the Jheriff were at the
door, and fly as the murderer flies from
the avenger of blood, whofe forrowful days
are wafted in meditating fruitlefs plans of
payment, while your midnight Jlumbers are
frightened by dreams of bankruptcy, and
apparitions ofmercilefs creditors, fales, and
houfelefs children : fay, wherein is the life
of a debtor better than the life of a dog.
Are not the profpefls of independence as
reviving to your hearts, as the profpeds of
paradife to fouls that have long pined in
purgatory ?
BUT, on the other hand, never to go in
debt ; or, if accident Jhould render a trifl
ing debt necejfary ; to have at home more
than enough to defray it ; to receive a cre
ditor with a fouling countenance ; to de
light
INTRODUCTION. 103
light his eyes with the promifed gold, and
to difmifs him charmed 'with our punftu-
ality and honour : Muft not this^ to a good
man, afford a feries of fatisfaflions, too
complicated for detail, and too exquifite for
defcription ?
IN the third place WEALTH enables
us to enjoy the pur eft and fublimeji pleafures
that are to be found on earth the plea
fures of doing good.
To a tender parent, the interefts of his
children are dear, as the blood which feeds
the fountain of life. When he looks at
them, his bowels are moved within him,
becaufe he remembers the evils which await
them ; He confiders that ignorance leaves
them an eafy prey to the crafty and cruel ;
and that want betrays them to difhoncfty
and falfehood. Happy the parent who pof-
fejfes wealth ; he places before his children
the lamp of knowledge, and they perceive
the fnares of the artful ; he furrounds ,
them with the blejfings of competence., and
they
104 INTRODUCTION.
they defpife the gains of Iniquity. He has
flfters and brother S) perhaps ) poor in world
ly goods i but whom he loves as his own
foul ; and young relatives 5 whofe little
flrong embraces, kindle all the parent
within him. Is there on earth a happi-
nefs equal to that which he feels in fupply-
ing their wants ; giving them education,
and thus leading them^ as by the hand^ to
ufefulnefs and honour ?
To welcome the weeping widow ; to
provide for her a place of reft ; to dry up
her tears ; to feed and educate her little
orphans , and to put them in a way to gain
an honeft livelihood.
To take by the hand poor young tradef-
men ; to lend them money ; to fet them up^
and thus to enable them to be very ufcful
to the community^ and to make comfort
able livings for thcmf elves.
To build in the neighbourhoods of the
poor, places of public worfoip^ where the
people
INTRODUCTION. 105
people may learn the knowledge of Goz> 3
and the happinefs of a good life.
To ajftft in providing houfes where the
Jick and aged poor, who are not able to
work for themfdveS) may be taken in, and
have medicines and phyficiam to cure their
ficknejfeS) and food and cloathing to make
the remainder of their days happy.
To feel for a tenant's misfortunes^ and to
abate fomething of his rent in a bad feafon.
To Jilence the excufes of a poor debtor
with a " well, well ; don't be uneafy
on account of this trifle ; I know you
are an honeft man, and I am willing to
wait till you can make it convenient to
pay me."
THESE arefome of the numberlefs luxuries
of beneficence which wealth enables a good
man to enjoy. If you would enjoy them?
liften to the injirudions of Dr. FRANKLIN,
and let the words of his mouth fink deep
into your heart. Defpife them not for their
fimplicity ; for fimple and unlearned is the
multitude to which they are addrcffcd.
THE
WAY TO WEALTH.
COURTEOUS READER,
I HAVE heard, that nothing gives an
author fo great pleafure, as to find
his works refpe&fully quoted by others.
Judge, then, how much I mufl have
been gratified by an incident I am go
ing to relate to you. I flopped my
horfe, lately, where a great number of
people were collected at an auftion of
merchant's goods. The hour of the fale
not being come, they were converfing
on the badnefs of the times ; and one
of the company called to a plain, clean
old
108 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
old man 5 with white locks, " Pray,
father, Abraham, what think you of
the times ? Will not thefe heavy taxes
quite ruin the country? How fhall we
be ever able to pay them ? What would
you advife us to ?" Father Abraham,
flood up, and replied, " If you would
have my advice, I will give it you in
fhort ; " for a word to the wife is e-
nough," as Poor Richard fays." They
joined in defiring him to fpeak his mind,
and gathering round him, he proceeded
as follows :
" FRIENDS, fays he, the taxes are,
indeed, very heavy ; and, if thofe laid
on by the government, were the only
ones we had to pay, we might more
eafily difcharge them ; but we have
many others, and much more grievous
to fome of us. We are taxed twice as
much by our idlenefs, three times as
much by our pride, and four times as
much by our folly ; and from thefc
taxes
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
taxes the commiffioners cannot eafe or
deliver us, by allowing an abatement.
However, let us hearken to good ad
vice, and fomething may be done for
us ; God helps them that help them-
felves," as Poor Richard fays.
I. " IT would be thought a hard go
vernment that fliould tax its people one-
tenth part of their time, to be employ
ed in its fervice : but idlenefs taxes
many of us much more ; floth, by
bringing on difeafes, abfolutely fliortens
life. " Sloth, like ruft, confumes faf-
ter than labour wears, while the ufed
key is always bright," as Poor Richard
fays. " But doft thou love life, then
do not fquander time, for that is the
fluff life is made of," as Poor Richard
fays. How much more than is necefla-.
ry do we fpend in fleep ? forgetting that
" The fleeping fox catches no poultry,
and that there will be fleeping enough
in the grave," as Poor Richard fays.
L, IF
110 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
" IF time be of all things the mofi
precious, wafting time muft be/' as
Poor Richard fays, " the greateft pro
digality ;" fince, as he elfewhere tells
us, " Loft time is never found again;
and what we call time enough always
proves little enough :" Let us -then up
and be doing, and doing to the pur-
pofe ; fo by diligence fhall we do more
with lefs perplexity. " Sloth makes
all things difficult, but induftry all eafy;
and, he that rifeth late, niuft trot all
day, and fnall fcarce overtake his bu-
finefs at night ; while lazinefs travels fo
ilowly, that poverty foon overtakes
him. Drive thy bufmefs, let not that
drive thee ; and early to bed and early
to rife, makes a man healthy, wealthy,
and wife," as Poor Richard fays.
" So what fignifies wifhing and hop
ing for better times? We may make
thefe times better, if we beftir ourfelves.
cc Induftry need not wifh, and he that
lives
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. Ill
lives upon hope will $ie fafting. There
are no gains without pains ; then, help
hands for I have no lands/ 5 or if I have
they are fmartly taxed. " He that
hath a trade, hath an eftate ; and he
that hath a calling, hath an office of
profit and honour," as Poor Richard
fays ; but then the trade muft be work
ed at, and the calling well followed,
or neither the eftate nor the office will
enable us to pay our taxes. If we arc
induflrious, we will never ftarve ; for
at the working man's houfe, hunger
looks in, but dares not enter." Nor
will the bailiff or the conftable enter,
for " Induftry pays debts, while de-
fpair increafeth them." What, though
you have found no treafure, nor has
any rich relation left you a legacy, " Di
ligence is the mother of good luck, and
God gives all things to induftry. Then
plough deep, while fluggards fleep, and
you fhall have corn to fell and to keep."
Work
112 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
Work while it is called to-day, for you
know not how much you may be hin
dered to-morrow. " One to-day is
worth two to-morrows, 55 as Poor Rich
ard fays ; and farther, " Never leave
that till to-morrow, which you can do
to-day/ 5 If you were a fervant, would
you not be afharned that a good mafter
fhould catch you idle ? Are you then
your own mafter ? be afhamed to catch
yourfelf idle, when there is fo much to
be done for yourfelf, your family, your
relations, and your country. Handle
your tools without mittens : remember,
that cs The cat in gloves catches no
mice, 55 as Poor Richard fays. It is true,
there is much to be done, and, perhaps,
you are weak-handed ; but ftick to it
fleadily, and you will fee great eflefts ;
for " Conftant dropping wears away
ftones ; and by diligence and patience
the rnoufe ate in two the cable; and
little ftrokes fell great oaks. 55
" METHINKS
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 113
" METHINKS I hear fome of you fay,
" Mufl a man afford himfelf no lei-
fure ?" I will tell thee my friend what
Poor Richard fays ; " Employ thy time
well, if thou meaneft to gain leifure;
and, fince thou art not fure of a minute,
throw not away an hour." Leifure is
time for doing fomething ufeful j this
leifure the diligent man will obtain, but
the lazy man never ; for, " A life of
leifure and a life of lazinefs are two
things. Many, without labour would
live by their wits only, but they break
for want of ftock ;" whereas induftry
. gives comfort, and plenty, and refped.
" Fly pleafures, and they will follow
you. The diligent fpinner has a large
fhift ; and now I have a fheep and a
cow, every body bids me good-mor
row."
II. " BUT with our induftry, we
muft like wife be fteady, fettled, and
Careful, and overfee our own affairs
L 2 with
114 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
with our own eyes, and not truft too
much to others ; for, as Poor Richard
fays,
" I never faw an oft-removed tree,
Nor yet an oft-removed family,
That throve fo well as thofe that fettled be."
cc And again, " Three removes is as
bad as a fire ;" and again, " Keep thy
jfhop, and thy fhop will keep thee ;"
and again, " If you would have your
bufmefs done, go ; if not, fend, 55 And
again,
" He that by the plough would thrive,
Himfelf muft cither hold or drive."
" And again, " The eye of a matter
will do more work than both his hands ; "
and again, " Want of care does us
more damage than want of knowledge;"
and again, " Not to overfee workmen,
is to leave them your purfe open."
Trufting too much to others care is the
ruin of many ; for, " In the affairs of
this world, men are faved, not by faith,
but by the want of it ;" but a man's
own
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 115
own care is profitable ; for, " If you
would have a faithful fervant, and one
that you like, ferve yourfelf. A little
negleft may breed great mifchief ; for
want of a nail the fhoe was loft ; for
want of a fhoe the horfe was loft ; and
for want of a horfe the rider was loft,"
being overtaken and flain by the enemy $
all for want of a little care about a
horfe-lhoe nail.
III. " So much for induftry my
friends, and attention to one's own bu-
finefs ; but to thefe we muft add fruga
lity, if we would make our induftry
more certainly fuccefsful. A man may 5
if he knows not how to fave as he gets,
cc keep his nofe all his life to the grind-
ftone, and die not worth a groat at lafL
A fat kitchen makes a lean will ;" and
" Many eftates are fpent in the getting,
Since women for tea forfook fpinning & knitting,
And men for punch forfook hewing and fplitting.'*
" If you would be wealthy, think of
faving, as well as of getting. The In- '
dies
Il6 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR*
dies have not made Spain rich, be-
caufe her outgoes are greater than her
incomes.' 5
" AWAY, then, with your expenfive
follies, and you will not then have fo
much caufe to complain of hard times,
heavy taxes, and chargeable families ; for
" Women and wine, game and deceit,
Make the wealth fmall, and the want great/*
And farther, " What maintains one
vice, would bring up two children. 5 '
You may think, perhaps, that a little
tea, or a little punch now and then,
diet a little more coftly, cloaths a little
finer, and a little entertainment now
and then, can be no great matter ; but
remember many a little makes a mickle."
Beware of little expences ; " A fmall
leak will fink a great fhip," as Poor
Richard fays ; and again, " Who dain
ties love, (hall beggars prove ?" and
moreover, " Fools make feafts, and
wife men eat them. 3 ' Here you are all
got together to this fale of fineries and
nick-
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. Hj
nick-nacks. You call them goods ; but
if you do not take care, they will prove
evils to fome of you. You expeft they
will be fold cheap, and, perhaps, they
may for lefs than they coft ; but, if you
have no occafion for them, they muft
be dear to you. Remember what Poor
Richard fays, " Buy what thou haft
no need of, and ere long thou flialt fell
thy neceflaries." And again, " At a
great pennyworth paufe a while :" he
means, that perhaps the cheapnefs is
apparent only, and not real ; or the
bargain, by ftraitening thee in thy bufi-
nefs, may do the more harm than good.
For in another place he fays, " Many
have been ruined by buying good pen
nyworths/* Again, " It is foolifh to
lay out money in a purchafe of repent
ance ;" and yet this folly is praQifed
every day at auctions, for want of mind
ing the Almanack. Many a one, for
the fake of finery on the back, have
gone
Il8 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
gone with a hungry belly, and half
ftarved their families ; " Silks and fat-
tins, fcarlet and velvets, put out the
kitchen fire," as Poor Richard fays.
Thefe are not the neceffaries of life ,
they can fcarcely be called the conve-
niencies : and yet only becaufe they
look pretty, how many want to have
them ? By thefe and other extravagan
cies, the genteel are reduced to poverty,
and forced to borrow of thofe whom
they formerly defpifed, but who, thro 5
induftry and frugality, have maintained
their {landing ; in which cafe it appears
plainly, that a ploughman on his legs
is higher than a gentleman on his
knees," as Poor Richard fays. Perhaps
they have had a fmall eftate left them,
which they knew not the getting of:
they think " It is day, and will never
be night :" that a little to be fpent out
of fo much is not worth minding ; but
always taking out of the meal-tub, and
never
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR,
never putting in, foon comes to the
bottom," as Poor Richard fays ; and
then, " When the well is dry, they
know the worth of water." But this
they might have known before, if they
had taken his advice. " If you would
know the value of money, go and try
to borrow fome ; for he that goes a
borrowing goes a forrowing," as Poor
Richard fays ; and, indeed, fo does he
that lends to fuch people, when he goes
to get in again. Poor Dick farther ad-
vifes, and fays,
" Fond pride of drefs is fure a very curfc;
Ere fancy you confult, confult yourpurfe."
And again, " Pride is as loud a beggar
as Want, and a great deal more faucy."
When you have bought one fine thing,
you mufl buy ten more, that your ap
pearance may be all of a piece ; but
Poor Dick fays, " It is eafier to fup-
prefs the firft defire, than to fatisfy all
that follow it :" And it is as truly folly
for
120 .THE IMMORTAL MENTOR,
for the poor to ape the rich, as for the
frog to fwell, in order to equal the ox.
" VcfTels large may venture more,
But little boats Ihould keep near ftiore."
It is, however, a folly foon punifhed ;
for, as Poor Richard fays, " Pride that
dines on vanity, fups on contempt ;
Pride breakfafted with Plenty, dined
with Poverty, and fupped with Infamy." 1
And, after all, of what ufe is this pride
of appearance for which fo much is rifk-
ed, fo much is fuSered ? It cannot pro
mote health, nor eafe pain; it makes
no increafe of merit in the perfon, it
creates envy, it haftens misfortune.
" But what madnefs muft it be to
run in debt for thefe fuperfluities ? We
are offered, by the terms of this fale,
fix months credit ; and that, .perhaps^
has induced fome of us to attend it,
becaufe we cannot fpare the ready mo
ney, and hope now to be fine without
it* But, ah ! think what you do when,
you run in debt j you give to another
power
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 121
power over your liberty. If you can
not pay at the time, you will be afham-
ed to fee your creditor ; you will be in
fear when you fpeak to him ; you will
make poor pitiful fneaking excufes, and
by degrees, come to lofe your veracity,
and fink into bafe downright lying ; for,
" The fecond vice is lying, the firft is
running in debt/' as Poor Richard fays ;
and again, to the fame purpofe, " Ly
ing rides upon Debt's back :" whereas
a free American ought noj: to be afham-
ed, nor afraid to fee or fpeak to any
man living. But poverty often deprives
a man of all fpirit and virtue. " It is
hard for an empty bag to fland up
right." What would you think of that
nation, or of that government, wh
fhould iflue an edid, forbidding you to
drefs like a gentleman or gentlewoman,
on pain of imprifonment or fervitude ?
Would you not fay, that you were free,
have a right to drefs as you pleafe, and
M that
122 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
that fuch an edift would be a breach of
your privileges, and fuch a government
tyrannical? And yet you are about to
put yourfelf under that tyranny when
you run in debt for fuch drefs ! Your
creditor has authority, at his pleafure,
to deprive you of your liberty, by con
fining you in gaol for life, or by felling
you for a fervant, if you fhould not be
able to pay him : when you have got
your bargain, you may perhaps think
little of payment ; but as Poor Richard
fays, " Creditors have better memories
than debtors, creditors are a fuperftiti-
ous feft, great obfervers of fet days and
times. " The day comes round before
you are aware, and the demand is made
before you are prepared to fatisfy it ; or,
if you bear your debt in mind, the
term, which at firft feemed fo long, will,
as it leffens, appear extremely fliort :
Time will feem to have added wings to
his heels as well as his ihoulders. " Thofe
have
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 123
have a fhort Lent, who owe money to
be paid at Eafter." At prefent, per
haps, you may think yourfelves in thriv
ing circumftances, and that you can
bear a little extravagance without in
jury ; but
" For age and want fave while you may,
No morning-fun lafts a whole day/ 7
GAIN may be temporary and uncer
tain, but ever, while you live, expence is
conflant and .certain; and, " It is ea-
fier to build two chimneys, than to keep
one in fuel," as Poor Richard fays : So,
" Rather go to bed fupperlefs, than rife
in debt.
" Get what you can, and what you get hold,
*Tis tlic fluuc thai tvlil turn all your lead into gold."
AND when you have got the philofo-
pher's ftone, fure you will no longer
complain of bad times, or the difficulty
of paying taxes.
IV. " THIS dodrine, my friends, is
reafon and wifdom: but, after all, do
tiot depend too much upon your own
induftry
124 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
induftry and frugality, and prudence,
though excellent things ; for they may
all be blafted, without the bleffing of
Heaven ; and therefore, afk that blef
fing humbly, and be not uncharitable to
thofe that at prefent feem to want it,
but comfort and help them. Remem
ber, Job fuffered, and was afterwards
profperous.
" AND now to conclude, " Experi
ence keeps a dear fchool, but fools will
learn in no other," as Poor Richard
fays, and fcarce in that ; for, it is true,
" We may give advice, but we cannot
give conduft :" However remember this,
" They that will not be counfelled can
not be helped ;" and farther, that " If
you will not hear Reafon, fhe will fure-
ly rap your knuckles," as Poor Richard
fays.
THUS the old gentleman ended his
harangue. The people heard it, and
approved the doftrine, and immediately
pra&ifed
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 125
praftifed the contrary, juft as if it had
been a common fermon ; for the auc
tion opened, and they began to buy
extravagantly. I found the good man
had thoroughly ftudied my Almanacks,
and digefted all I had dropt on thofe
topics during the courfe of twenty-five
years. The frequent mention he made
of me muft have tired any one elfe ;
but my vanity was wonderfully delight
ed with it, though I was confcious, that
not a tenth part of the wifdom was my
own, which he afcribed to me ; but ra
ther the gleanings that I had made of
the fenfe of all ages and nations. How
ever, I refolved to be the better for
the echo of it ; and, though I had at
firft determined to buy fluff for a new
coat, I went away, refolved to wear rny
old one a little longer. Reader, if thou
wilt do the fame, thy profit will be as
great as mine. I am, as ever, thine to
fcrve thee.
RICHARD SAUND.ERS,
M Z
126 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
ADVICE
TO A
TOUNG TRADESMAN.
REMEMBER that time is money. He
that can earn ten fhillings a day
by his labour, and goes abroad, or fits
idle one half of that day, though he
fpends but fixpence during his diverfion
or idlenefs, ought not to reckon that
the only expence ; he has really fpent,
or rather thrown away, five fhillings
befides.
REMEMBER that credit is money. If
a man lets his money lie in my hands
after it is due, he gives me the intereft,
or fo much as I can make of it during
that
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
that time. This amounts to a confider-
able fum when a man has good and
large credit, and makes good ufe of it.
REMEMBER that money is of a pro
lific generating nature. Money can be
get money, and its offspring can beget
more, and fo on. Five {hillings turned
is fix ; turned again, it is feven and three
pence ; and fo on till it becomes an hun
dred pounds. The more there is of it,
the more it produces, every turning, fo
that the profits rife quicker and quicker.
He that kills a breeding fow, deftroys all
her offspring to the thoufandth genera
tion. He that murders a crown, de
ftroys all that it might have produced,
even fcores of pounds.
REMEMBER that fix pounds a year is
but a groat a day. For this little fum,
which may be daily wafted either in time
or expence, unperceived, a man of cre
dit may, on his own fecurity, have the
conftant pofleffion and ufe of an hun
dred
128 TH IMMORTAL MENTOR.
dred pounds. So much in ftock, brilk-
ly turned by an induftrious man, produ
ces great advantage.
REMEMBER this faying, " The good
paymafter is lord of another man's
purfe." He that is known to pay punc
tually and exactly to the time he pro-
mifes, may at any time, and on any oc-
cafion, raife all the money his friends
can fpare. This is fometimes of great
ufe. After induftry and frugality, no
thing contributes more to the raifing of
a young man in the world, than punctu
ality and juftice in all his dealings: there
fore never keep borrowed money an
hour beyond the time you promifed,
left a difappointment fhut up your
friend's purfe for ever.
THE rnoft trifling actions that affeft a
man's credit are to be regarded. The
found of your hammer at five in the
morning, or nine at night, heard by a
creditor, makes him eafy fix months
longer;
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 129
longer ; but if he fees you at a billiard
table, or hears your voice at a tavern,
when you fhould be at work, he fends
for his money the next day ; demands
it before he can receive it in a lump.
IT {hews, befides, that you are mind
ful of what you owe ; it makes you ap
pear a careful, as well as honeft man,
and that ftill increafes your credit.
BEWARE of thinking all your own
that you poflefs, and of living accord
ingly. It is a miftake that many people
who have credit fall into. To prevent
this, keep an exaft account, for fome
time, both of your expences and your
income. If you take the pains at firft
to mention particulars, it will have this
good effet ; you will difcover how
wonderfully fmall trifling expences mount
up to large fums, and will difcern what
might have been, and may for the fu
ture be faved, without occafioning any
great inconvenience.
IN
130 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
IN fhort, the way to wealth, if you
defire it, is as plain as the way to mar
ket. It depends chiefly on two words,
induftry and frugality ; that is, wafte nei
ther time nor money ', but make the befl
ufe of both. Without induftry and
frugality nothing will do, and with them
every thing. He that gets all he can
honeftly, and faves all he gets, (necef-
fary expences excepted) will certainly
become rich ; if that Being who' go
verns the world, to whom all fliould
look for a bleffing on their honeft en
deavours, doth not, in his wife provi
dence, otherwife determine.
AN OLD Tp.ADESMANt
PART III.
A
SURE GUIDE
T O
HAPPINESS,
B Y
DOCTOR SCOTT,
A
SURE GUIDE
T
H A P P I N E S S.
** Oh Happinefx ! our beings end and air*,
" Good, plcafure, eafc, content ; whatever thy nams,
44 That fometbtHg fill which prompts tU eternal figk,
'** For which we hear to live, or dare to die.
" Plant of celeflialfeed, if draft below,
" Say in what favour 'd foil thou deign ft to grow."
POPE.
IF there be any truth fully ascertain-
ed by reafon and revelation, it is
this. That " Man is not but to be happy"
Surely the mighty author of our being
can have no felfilh view in our creation.
His happinefs is too immenfe and too
fecure to receive increafe, or to fuffer
diminution from any thing that we can
do. " Can a man profit his Maker ; or
what need hath the Almighty of our fer-
how few ever attain
thofe pleafures to which thou ftupidly
oonfinefl the happinefs of man ; how
fewer ftill ever enjoy them, and how
foon death will fnatch them out of the
hands of thofe who are fo fortunate !
Reflect what unnumbered millions are
born to no better inheritance than po
verty and bondage, and who, inftead
of being careflfed in the foft lap of eafe
and pleafure, are driven through lifs
by the fcourge of cruel tyrants, or
more cruel wants ! hard put to it to
get a little bread, and fometimes never
get *"/, at leaft not comfortably ; but
from various caufes, eat it all their lives
long in bitternefs of foul ! And of
thofe feemingly happy ones who poffefs
all the goods of the body, How few
enjoy them without alloy ? How many,
by abufmg thefe bleffings^ contract dif-
eafes which render fleeting life one con-
o tinned
146 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
tinued fcene of forrow and fuffering ?
And in thofe apparently fortunate cafes,
where the greateft abundance of fenfu-
al goods is accompanied with health and
power of enjoyment ; yet, alas ! how
foon does enjoyment confume the little
good which they contained, and leave
the wealthy glutton to languifh under
indifference, to fret through difappoint-
ment, and to figh for fomething elfe ?
CAST your eyes on that pale bloated
figure. It is the Emperor Heliogabalus,
corrupted by the brutalizing fophiftry
of Epicurus, /. e. that the pleafures of
the body conftitute man's only happi-
nefs, he refolved to be happy to fome
purpofe. All Italy was taxed ; all Afia
robbed to fupport his luxury ; every
region of the earth was explored ; every
element ranfacked to furnifli his table.
All that bounteous nature beftows of
rare and delicious among her birds,
beafts, fiflies, fruits and fpices; and
all
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 147
all thefe prepared by the niccft hand of
cookery, were ferved up to feaft and
delight his appetites. Surely, if luxu
rious eafe and delicious fare were hap-
pinefs, Heliogabalus mufl have been
bleft indeed. The difcontent vifible in
his countenance proves the reverfe.
Could you aik him, he would tell you
that his pleafures are at bed but vain,
and too frequently vexatious. Some
times he was mortified, becaufe, through
defeft of appetite, he could not enjoy
his delicious morfels. At other times,
tempted by their lufcious flavour, he fed
to an excefs, which brought on him a
variety of painful and loathfome difeafes.
And at atl times it was matter of grief
to him, that the pleafures of eating and
drinking fliould fo foon be over. This
circumftance caufed one of the Roman
Emperors to quarrel with his own con-
ftitution, and to wifh, in all the rage of
disappointed pleafure, that he had the
ftomach
148 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
ftomach of a horfe, that he might en
joy the fatisfa&ion of eating ten times
as much as its prefent fcanty capacities
would allow. And another Emperor,
for the fame fwinifh reafon, preferred
his petition to the Gods, that they
would grant him a neck as long as that
of a crane, vainly hoping, that he
fliould thereby the longer enjoy the
dear pleafure of fwallowing.
BUT granting the fenfuality an utter
exemption from all the ills and vexa
tions of gluttony ; that his coveted dain
ties are all ferved up in the mod invit
ing ftyle of perfection ; that his fruits
are lucioufly ripe and frefh ; his meats
tender and delicioufly flavoured ; his
cookery the mofl exquifite in the
world, and his wines equal to the neftar
of Jove. And granting too that he
has an appetite to feafon, and health to
enjoy all thefe dainties, yet, alas ! how
foon muft the feafon of enjoyment be
over
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 149
over with him forever ! Old age will
prefently fteal on him ; his nerves muft
foon grow hard and dull, and lofe their
delicate edge and fenfibility, and then,
though he may fit down, yet can he not
enjoy his dainty morfels.
BEHOLD, I am now (faid the rich old
Barzillai) fourfcore years old, and can I
difcern what is favour y ? Can I tajle what
I eat or what I drink ; or can 1 hear the
'voice of Jlnging men and Jinging women ?
After this humiliating period, what fad
difhonours will ficknefs and death foon
bring upon the body, the gluttons pam
pered pride ! His cheeks once fo plump
and rofy, are now pale and emaciated.
His Ikin, formerly fo fmooth and po*
lifted, is now deformed with wrinkles.
His body once ftraight and eret, rs now
crooked and bent with years. His limbs,
late fo nimble and aftive, are now ftiff
and fcarcely able to move. And he
who forty years ago poflefled all the
o 2 bloom
150 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
bloom and vigour of full formed man
hood, is now fhrunk away to mere Ikin'
and bone, and experiences all the help-
leflhefs of a fecond childhood.
SUPPORTED on his crutches or cane,
he attempts to move, but it is with dif
ficulty and pain. His knees knock a-
gainft each other through weaknefs.
His hands tremble, and his whole body
fhakes as with an ague. In a little time
his infirmities prevail ; his body, though
but the fhadow of his former felf, is
now too heavy for his exhaufted ftrength.
In a low faultering voice, he begs to be
led to his bed, and there lies down
never more to rife. Nature now finks
apace; his heart labours; his breaft hea
ves ; his breathing becomes fhort and
quick ; his eyes are hollow and funk ;
his voice grows hoarfe; he rattles in
the throat ; his limbs wax cold ; his
teeth turn black ; he foams at the mouth ;
a feeble convulfion fhakes his frame,
and.
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
and, with a deep groan, his unwilling
fpirit takes her leave. Immediately pu-
trefaftion and worms begin their loath-
fome office ; and in a little time, this
pampered, Idolized flefli, returns to the
duft of which it was formed.
WHO can contemplate this picture,
and not bewail with tears of blood, the
madnefs of thofe who expeft their only
happinefs from fuch a 'vile body ! O
how infinitely fuperior to thefe mifer-
able delufions is the Heaven defcended
philofophy of Jefus Chrift ! In that di
vine religion,, the body, inflead of be
ing exalted as the feat of owr happinefs 9
is depreciated as the principal caufe of
our mifery, being, as the poet exprefles
it, not only a nefl of pain and bag of
corruption, but the moft fruitful fource
of our fins and forrows. Chrift feldom
mentions the body, except to expofe
its comparative worthleflhefs, and to,
caution us againft its defiling lufts. In
every
152 TH IMMORTAL MENTOR.
every part of the facred volume, you
hear his voice exclaiming with all the
earneftnefs of parental affeftion : " Woe
be to him who trufteth in the body, and
maketh flefh his hope, for 'wherein is it to
be relied on? Its origin is but duft, its
beauty but a flower, its life but a vapour,
and its duration but a moment. Pain and
wearinefs accompany it while living, cor*
ruption and worms feize on it when dead.
let not thine heart decline to its lufts,
and yeild not to its enticements, for they
have cq/i down many wounded ; yea, many
ftrong men have beenjlain by them ; their
way is the way to hell, going down by the
chambers of death. But though in the
body thou canft jind no true content, yet
think of thy foul and rejoice, for Jhe is
?nore precious than filver, yea much jine
gold is not to be compared unto her. Her
beginning is from the breath of the Almighty,
and her duration is as the days of eternity.
She was made but a little lower than the
angels,
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 153
angels, and heaven was prepared of old
for the place of her habitation. Wouldjl
thou be happy, deck her with the jewels
of piety, and cloath her with virtue as
with a garment ; then Jhall the lamp of
the Almighty Jhine into thy heart, and joy
Jhall be thy conjiant companion. When
thou walkeji by the way, thy foot Jhall
not Jlumble ; and when thou llejl down,
thy Jleep Jhall befweet. In the day offtck-
nefs thou Jhalt not be afraid, and when
death cometh upon thee, thou JJoalt laugh
him to f corn ; for the Lord of hojls is thy
friend, and underneath thee are the ever-
lajiing arms. He Jhall fc*j unto thee, fear
not, thou worm "Jacob, for lam with thee ;
be not difmayed for I am thy God. Then
Jhall hejlrip off thee the vile rags of mor
tality, and cloath thee with the garments
of falvation. He Jhatl wipe from thine
eyes the tear of forrow, and anoint thy
face with the oil of gladnefs. He JJjall
condutt thee Into his own city, the city of
the
154 TH E IMMORTAL MENTOR.
the living God, and unto the general affem*
bly of angels , and fplrlts of juft men made
ferfed. Hejhallgive thee to drink with
them of his rivers of pleafure^ and to feajl
on joys at his right hand forever more."
THUS fplendid are the honours and
felicities of which the foul of man is
capable. Thefe are the eternal goods
to which Chrifl intreats us to afpire, and
for the fake of which, he bids us defpife
the low unfatisfa&ory pleafures of a
dying body.
WHAT divine goodnefs, what per-
feft wifdom, are blended in that philofo.
phy, which enjcms us to feek our happi-
nefs in the mind and not in the body.
In that part of our nature which exalts
us to God, and not in that which de-
prefles us to the brute. In that part
of us which will live forever, and not
in that which is daily in danger of
dropping into the grave. In that part
of us which can enjoy the noble plea
fures
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 155
fures of the glorious ones in Heaven,
and not in that whofe few pleafures are
in common with the creatures of the
flails and ftyes.
BUT our divine Philofopher places
the fupreme happinefs of man, not only
in the mind, as we have juft feen, but
II. IN the affedions of the mind.
THIS alfo will appear to many as a
ftrange faying. It muft expeft to com
bat, not only the prejudices of coarfe
Epicures, but the more ferious doubts
of many who feem to be more refined
and rational in their fchemes of happi
nefs. Many, even of thofe, who dif-
daining a vile body, funk their happi
nefs in the immortal mind, have never
yet dreamed that it confifls in the af-
fe&ions, but have fought it rather in
the improvements of the under/land-
ing. Obferving the great refpeft that
is paid to men of learning, and remem
bering the high entertainment which
they
156 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
they themfelves have derived from the
converfation of fuch men, they con
clude, that learning muft be the bright-
eft ornament and higheft happinefs of
human nature. In their eftimation, the
man whofe comprehenfive rrjind takes
a wide furvey of the works of God,
and of the inventions of men ; who
foars into the Heavens, and calls the
ftars by name ; calculates eclipfes, and
fortells comets ; who thence goes down
into the depths of the fea, and ex
plains the caufes of its ceafelefs mo
tions ; who traverfes the boundlds re
gions of the earth, knows all their king-
doms, 'with the glory of them; who fpeaks
various languages, fathoms the depths
of arts and fciences, underftands the
hiftory of nations, the laws and go
vernment of all people. This, in their
eftimation, is the truly happy man. In
a mind thus richly furnilhed, he pof-
fefles (as they fuppofe) the materials of
an
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 157
an enjoyment, of which nothing can
ever deprive him.
FAR be it from me to fpeak difre*
fpe&fully of learning, for certainly learn
ing or \vifdom is the pia mater, or firfl
attribute of God himfelf, and the vaft
circumference within which lies all the
happinefs that human or angelic minds
can enjoy. But this I fay, that all the
learning in the world, if feparated from
the affections, can never make us truly
happy : And that thefe fplendid attain
ments in fcience were never intended to
form the fupreme happinefs of man, is
evident, becaufe the bulk of mankind
are not capable of becoming great fcho-
lars and philofophers. Alas ! What
numbers, after all the pains that have
been taken with them, never learn even
to read their mother tongue with pro
priety ! How many, who after a feven
years apprenticefhip, and a whole life's
employment, never learn to fit on a
p handfouie
158 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
handfome boot or fhoe ! Many born
with genius equal to the attainment of
learning, are conftrained to live and die
in ignorance, for want of means to de
fray the expence of education ; while
others are obliged to flop in the middle
of their career, and to give up the fond
hopes of knowledge, becaufe of a con-
flitution too delicate to bear the fatigues
of ftudy. But granting to the lover of
learning, every advantage of genius,
conftitution and fortune, that ever fell
to the lot of the mod favoured of man
kind, what mighty acquifitions can be
made by him whofe genius is, at beft,
but dulnefs, and whofe days are but a
moment ! When he confiders the fe-
crets of art, fo multiplied and myfteri-
ous, he fits down in defpair. When he
contemplates the works of God, fo in
finite and unfearchable, the fpirit faints
within him, and he feems to himfelf,
but as a feather floating on the furface
of
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 159
of a mighty ocean, whofe wonders he
can never explore. And were he aik-
ed for the fum of his learning, he
would, if honeft, take up the lamenta
tion of the old philofopher, and reply,
that after the vain toils of threefcore
years, he has learned to know that he
knows nothing.
BUT admitting that he has acquired
that flock of learning on which vain
mortals are fo adventurous as to fet up
for mafters and doctors. Admitting that
he has learned languages, ftudied arts
and fciences, &c. &c. What is there,
in all this to make him happy, or to
fatisfy the defires of an immortal mind ?
As to languages, what folly to dream
as fome do, of great wifdom and ho
nour to be found in learning them !
For, What is language but words or
founds by which we communicate our
thoughts to one another? If thefe
words or founds had the power like
charms^
l6o THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
charms^ to brighten our wits, or to bet
ter our hearts, this language-mongery
would be a noble fpeculation ; but,
alas ! inftead of making us wifer, thefe
learned languages often make us greater
fools. For, allowing, that after an ex-
pence of five years, and of at leaft as
many hundred pounds, a young man
has learned enough to give his horfe a
Latin or Greek name ; What mighty
advantages does he derive from this
pretty art of nick-naming God's crea
tures ? Does it teach him any new ideas
relative to the nature and qualities of a
horfe ? Or can it furnifh him one ufe-
ful receipt in farriery, or a fingle rule
for the better management and choice
of that noble animal ?
EVIDENTLY, therefore, the fummum
bonum, or chief good of man does not
confift in dead languages.
AND as to fyftems of human learning,
from which fome fondly expeft unfail
ing
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. l6l
ing pleafure and eternal honour, what
are they, frequently ', but fyflems of hu
man error, monuments of the pride of
man, who, impatient to be thought ig
norant of any thing, boldly feizes fan
cy for fad, and conje&ure for evidence,
and with thefe fairy workmen, prefent-
ly runs up vaft Babels of philofophy, vain
ly fo called. A w^hole lifetime is hardly
fufficient to underfland thefe pompous
errors ; and fcarcely are they under-
flood, before they are exploded to make
room for fome other fet of notions^
equally vain and perifliable.
BUT, admitting that we have turned
our ftudies to the nobleft of human
fciences, fciences founded on truth, and
promifmg much entertainment and ufeful
knowledge ; yet, alas ! full foon fhall ex
perience prove the truth of the remark
made by Solomon, that " In much learn
ing is much trouble ; and he who increaf*
es knowledge, increafes forrwu" See !
p Q, how
l62 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
how envioujly, {harp thorns and briars
fhoot up among the fweet flowers which
we expected to gather. To make any
confiderable progrefs in fciences, we
muft renounce fome of the freedom and
amufements of life ; this is mortifying ;
confinement is wearifome ; hard ftudy
fatigues the brain ; intenfe thinking
fours the temper ; flow progrefs is dif-
heartening ; doubts are vexatious ; and
prefently darknefs and thick clouds ga
ther over the path of fcience, and for
bid us to proceed any farther. Sure
ly man walketh in a vain Jhadow, and dif~
quleteth himfelf in vain.
BUT fuppofmg that we could under-
Hand all human fciences in the mofl
perfect degree, how very fliort lived
would be the pleafures arifmg from
them ! When firft made, and frefh on
the mind, the difcoveries of truth are
highly gratifying to curiofity, but in a
fliort time they become familiar, and
thence
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 163
thence almoft infipid. Hence we often
fee learned men as difcontented and pee-
vifh as others ; a plain proof that hu
man learning opens no fpring of lading
happinefs in the mind. Indeed, fo far
from producing this very defireable ef-
feft, it frequently nurfes paffions the
moft unfriendly to his happinefs, both
in this world and the next. The bright
er talents and fuperior fame of a rival
wit, often pierce his heart with the
keeneft pangs of envy ; fuccefs puffs
him up with pride, and renders him
infufferably difagreeable ; difappointment
fires him with rage, or links him into
defpondency : While the flafh of an
unguarded witticifm often lofes him a
valuable friend, or creates a mortal
enemy. But allowing that he were the
greateft fcholar and orator of the age,
and could harangue on any fubjeft, with
all the force of argument and charms
of eloquence; that whenever he appear
ed
164 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
ed, the impatient crowds repaired to
hear the magic of his enchanting tongue :
that princes were his patrons, and
the great ones of the earth his admir
ers; yet how vain and treacherous a
good would all this be ! How utterly
unworthy to be coveted as the chief
good of man ! For yet but a few fleet
ing years, and the cold hand of age will
be on him, and then, alas ! all thefe
fine talents and blooming honours, fliall
perifh as the lovely flower perifhes when
touched by the killing frofts of winter.
His wit fhall fparkle no more ; no more
fhall his fancy charm us with the fplen-
dor of its images, nor his mind afto-
nifh us with the vaftnefs of her con
ceptions ; his memory muft then give
up all her precious treafures ; and dumb
forever will be that tongue whofe elo
quence, like fweeteft mufic, foothed
each liftening ear, and led in triumph
all the obedient paffions.
AND
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 165
AND are fuch fading accomplifhments
as thefe, fit food for an immortal foul
that was born for heaven ?
BUT although this acknowledged va
nity and vexation of human learning,
fufficiently proves the fad miftake of
thofe who make an idol of it ; yet let
us not, on the other hand, run into
the equal error of fuch as trample it
under their feet as vain and worthlefs
altogether. Along with its drofs, it
contains much ufeful metal, for the
fake of which we may well afford to
toil.
EVEN the languages, though the leqft
neceffary of all human learning, are
not entirely without their ufes. We
may chance to fall in with a poor for
eigner who has not broken Englilh
enough to tell us his wants. We may
get honeft bread by interpreting, tranf-
lating, or teaching languages. Or fhould
it be our fortune to (land behind a coun
ter,
l66 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
ter, we may, with the help of a little
bad French, fell a great deal of good
merchandize. We may likewife find
much pleafure in reading the enchant
ing works of foreign poets, hiftorians,
&c. and this effeft may lead to one ftill
more valuable ; it may infpire us with
fentimejits of friendfhip for the nation
to which thefe excellent men belong,
and thus happily moderate that refent-
ment, which, under certain circum-
ftances we might feel againft them.
Thefe effefts, in a very comfortable de
gree, I have myfelf experienced. I
have found, that my paflions, kindling
into pain from the blows (truck our un
offending country, by the Britifh, have
been confiderably calmed by recolleft-
ing, that thefe our injurers, are the
children of the fame once glorious ijland
which gave to us and to all mankind,
a Milton, a Newton, a Locke, a Bar
row, and other UNEQUALLED EIGHTS
of
TH IMMORTAL MENTOR. 167
of philofophy and divinity, whofe friend
ly fplendors have contributed fo happi
ly to repel the coming clouds of " chaos
and old night" and to eftablifh the em
pire of reafon and pure religion.
HITHERTO we have endeavoured to
point out the miftake of thcfe, (a nu
merous race) who look for happinefs
among fenfual pleafures, and in human
learning. Two other orders of candi
dates, equally numerous, and, as I
think, equally miftaken, prefent them*
felves 5 I mean the hardy fons of ava
rice and ambition. The firft of thefe,
the mifer, blefles God ; wonders how
people can be fo weak as to throw away
their time and money on book learning
and filly pleafures. He has jufler no
tions of things. Gold is with him the
one thing needful. He rifes early, early, late
takes reft, and eats the bread of careful-
nefs and toil, in order to join houfe to houfe,
0_ ond
l68 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
and field to field^ and thus to remove
himfelf far from all dread of want.
BUT of wealth it may be faid, happi*
nefs is not here. Gold, it is true, is the
quinteflence of lands, houfes, foft cloath-
ing, fumptuous fare, and of every other
pleafure that flelh and blood is heir to.
But evident it is to reafon^ that all the
treafures on earth can never fatisfy an
immortal foul : And Scripture afTerts,
that " A man's life conjifteth not in the
abundance of the things which he po/feffeth. 9 '
And whofe experience doth not witnefs
it ? We call the rich happy ! Alas !
could we but fee their anxious cares*
their, inward reftlefihefs, the miferies of
defires delayed or difappointed, which
fometimes attend even the moil fortu
nate ; could we know their conftant
fears of lofing, and their third for more,
which fuffers them not to enjoy their
prefent gains ; could we follow one who
is " making hajte to be rich" through
al!
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 169
all his toils and labours, his weary days
and fleeplefs nights, and all his various
vexations, we fhould be fully convinced
of the truth of this, that he who increaf-
ctb riches, increafeth forrow.
I MAY appeal to every man's heart
who has fought happinefs from this
quarter,, if this has not been his con-
ftant experience. You prpmifed. your-
felf that you fhould be perfectly happy
when the other thoufand was added to
your flock, or the next purchafe enlarg
ed you eftate : You had your wifh, and
yet you ftill wanted: Something was
lacking. You propofed new additions,
and waited for your happinefs again ;
but a new thirft urged you again to new
cares and to new toils. And if the
time fhould ever come, that you fhall
think that you have enough, and like the
rich man in the gofpel, " begin to pull
down your barns and build greater ; and
to fay to your foui, Soul, ihou haft much
goods
170 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
goods laid up for many years ^ take thine
eafe, eat, drink , and be merry:" Then
expeft the final difappointment in that
alarming mefiage, " Thou foe!, this nighi
jhall thy foul be required of thee ; then
whofe Jhall all thofe things be which thou
haft Jo laboriGuJly laid up?" Such is
the happinefs of thofe who trufc in un
certain riches.
THE ambitious feeks his happinefs in
the attainment of honour : And indeed
to be diftinguifhed in the world, treated
with refped, fpoken of with admira
tion, carefled and courted by all around
us, is highly pleafing to the heart of
man, and, in the eyes of many, poflef-
fes charms far fuperior to the vanities of
pleafure, or the fordidnefs of gain ; yet
doth the defire of wordly efteem re
move the foul as far from true happi
nefs as the former. The enjoyment
arifing from the honour which cometh
from man, ftand continually on a pre
carious
THE IMMORTAI. MENTOR. IJl
carious foundation ; it totters before
every blaft of difrefpeft, and every ru
mour of malevolence. Like grafs on
the houfe top, it often withereth before it
is plucked up ; For what can (land be
fore envy? The hopes of men, like
bubbles in the air, ufually burft as they
expand. The labours of ambition are
difappointed, the pride of honor mor
tified, the idol of reputation broken to
pieces, and the friendlhips of the world
generally faithlefs.
ALAS ! That man, born for heaven?
Ihould wafte his fliort day of grace in
torturing himfelf to conform to the hu
mours of a vain world ; feeking a phan
tom of fame lighter than air ; grafping
at diftinftions vain and insignificant ;
flaking his happinefs on the beck or
breath of worms like hirnfelf ; and after
all, too frequently obliged to take up
the lamentation of the once great Car
dinal Woolfey : " Had I butferved Cod
as
172 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
as faithfully as I have ferved the world i
he would not thus have forfaken me in
my grey hairs"
BUT the vanity of feeking happinefs
from riches, honors and pleafures, is
yet more convincingly felt when death
comes to put a final clofe to this mortal
fcene. Ah ! rny friends, this is the aw
ful hour that (trips off the tinfel cover-
ings of folly, (lamps vanity on all be
neath the fun, and (hews that
" Too low they build, who build beneath the ftars."
IN that day of terror and defpair, what
can a vain world offer its poor deluded
followers ? Will a party of pleafure fuit
the chamber of ficknefs ? Or the fongs
of folly delight the ear that liftens with
trembling to the (Iriking hour ? What
mufic will found in concert with dying
groans ? Or what joy can jewels and
brocades afford when the (hroud is ready
to fupplant them ? Will the fparkling
bowl revive any longer, when the par
ched
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
ched tongue begins to faulter ? Or beau-,
ty kindle the unhallowed fire when death
fits on the fixed eye balls, and fpreads
his chilling damps over the heart? Alas !
my brother, vanity of vanities, all is va
nity, is now feen in chara&ers too legible
to be overlooked. The remembrance
of a life mifpent in vain or in guilty
pleafures, will fill the foul with pangs
of remorfe, with agonies of horror, of
which none but the wretched fufferers
can form any idea. " Ah pleafure, flea-
fure, Thou vile forcer efs ! Thou curfed de-
Jiroyer of my foul I Thou once fmiled/l as
with the charms of innocence^ now I feel
thee Jling as a viper. Where are thy pro-
mifes of delight ? Fool that I was to believe
thee! For thy fake I have en/laved my
foul to the lufts of a brute, and cherijhed
the pajjions of a demon ! I have neglected
God) and fold my birth-right to heave-n !
Me. referable! Whether am I going?
My golden fands are all run out ! The
fun
1/4 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
fun of my life is about to fet, and, utterly
unprepared, i am going to appear before
God. Oh ! that I had but my precious
days to go over again ! Eternal God, if
thy mercy be infinite, exert it now to favc
fuch afelf-ruined wretch as I am /"
BUT will riches better ftand the tefi
of that day's trial ? Alas ! they who
have put their confidence in jlne gold, 'will
find that it profits not in the day of wrath.
When death lifts his arm, and fwift as
lightening, difeafe and pain enter the
heart, vain is the hoarded treafure. See
that generally efteemed happy man who
trufted in riches, ftretched upon the bed
of languifning ; his body is panting for
breath ; his throat is parched ; his heart
flutters ; his eyes grow dim ; and life^
filver cord is loofrng : What joy now
can riches bring ? Surround his dying
bed with bags of gold, will they allevi
ate the pains of the body, purchafe a
moment's refpite from death, or filerice
the
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 175
the agonizing remonftrances of eon-
fcience ? Alas ! a golden God is but a
dumb idol, neither able to kill nor make
alive,
THEN, when earth, and only earth,
hath been the purfuit, what wretched-
nefs to be torn from all that was count
ed happinefs ; to leave this dear world
behind them forever, to go Ah !
Whither ? Not to treafures laid up for
them in heaven ; not to the place where
they have made themfehes friends of the
mammon of unrighteoufnefs ; but where
that rich man went who lift up his eyes
in torment, becaufe^ though rich in this
world) he was not rich towards God.
Now, this is the boafted happinefs of
numbers. This is the unutterable plea-
fure of dying worth fo many thoufand
pounds.
" Guilt's blunder, and the loudeft laugh of hell/*
YOVNG.
Nor
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
Nor will HONOR and FAME render our
departure at all more comfortable.
SEND forth your imagination to view
the laft fcene of the greateft and proud-
eft man who ever awed and governed
the world. See a poor, infirm, mifer-
able, fhort-lived creature, that paffes
aw r ay like a fhadow, and is haftening
off the ftage where the theatrical titles
and diftinctions, and the whole mafk of
pride which he has worn for a day,
will fall off and leave him naked as a
negle&ed Have. Behold the empty va
pour difappearing ! One of the arrows
of mortality this moment flicks faft
within him : See, it forces out his life,
and freezes his blood and fpirits.
APPROACH his bed of Jiate y draw
afide the curtain, regard a moment
with filence.
ARE thefe cold hands and pale lips
all that are left of him who was canon
ized
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 177
ized by his own pride, or made a god
of by his flatterers ?
GOD f What is man ? Even a thing of
nought.
ALAS ! That a being whofe exiflence
on earth is but for a moment, and whofe
future manfion is heaven ; a being whofe
immortal foul carries its hopes far be
yond time, and extends them even to
eternity, fhould fet his mind on objefts
which time deftroys ! What is this but
to mi-flake the changeable colours of
the dew-drop for the luflre of the ruby,
or the radiance of the diamond ?
fweeter than mufic to his longing ear ;
it is the fignal to return to his native
*
country, and t& refign the din and dan
gers of war for the fweets and fafety of
long coveted peace;
EVEN
2T4 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR,
EVEN fo, to the good Chriftian this
world is the field of hard, though glo
rious warfare. In the fervice, and un
der the eye of God, he is now fight
ing againft the armies of his own flefh-
ly lufts, and of his own malignant paf-
fions. Ever and anon, he hears the
voice of his great Captain Perfevere
and thou jhalt conquer ; endure unto the
end and thou Jhalt be crowned. To him
therefore the day of death is welcome as
the loft day of his toils and dangers. He
vs now going to exchange a long conflift-
ing war for the bleffings of everlafling
peace : having fought the good fight , he
is about to receive his wages, even eter
nal life, and to put on a Crown of glory
that fhall never fade away. Sure that
ferene look, beaming all the fweetnefs
of love and hope* befpeaks the already
half-formed feraph ; and the heaven,
almoft opened on his placid counte
nance, gives glorious evidence of his
intended
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 215
intended journey. Soon bidding fare
well forever to thefe realms of woe,
and haunts of malignant beings, he
fhall join the bleffed fociety of angels and
fpirits of juji men made perfect. There
he ihall fee health blooming eternal on
each immortal face, friendfhip fmiling
on every glorified countenance, and a
perfection of love forming a paradife of
happinefs, unknown and unconceived
by us who have dwelt in the tents of
hatred.
BUT, above all, the fweeteft motives
to refignation in death, he is now go
ing to fee him, whom oftentimes with
trembling joy, he has longed to fee,
even his God, his firft, his laft, his
only friend, the author of his being and
of all his mercies. Shortly fhall he fee
his glorious face unclouded with a frown,
and hear from his ambrofial lips the lan* v
guage of approbation and affeftion
*' Welt done good and faithful fcrvant"
u PRAISING
2l6 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
PRAISING God for advancing him to
fuch an height of honor, and for fetting
before him fuch an eternity of happi-
nefs : Praifmg God for all the loving
kindneffes that have accompanied him
through life, and efpecially for that
greateft of all, the grace that brought
him to repentance and a good life :
earneftly exhorting his friends to that
love of God, which now not only fup-
ports, but enables him even to triumph
in this dying hour, an hour fo alarm
ing to the fears of nature : rejoicing in
a fenfe of the pardon of his fins, and
exulting in the hopes of the glory to
he revealed, he breathes out his foul
with thefe victorious words, " into thy
hands , God, I commend ?nyfpirit."
WELL may his friends, edified by
fuch an example, cry out with weeping
joy, cc Who can count the rewards of
ivifdwij or number tlye fourth part of the
ffiHZs of virtue ? Let us die the death of
j O J w.
tie
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
the righteous, and let our latter end be like
BUT divine love not only renders life
pleafant, and death peaceful, but it ac
companies us into heaven, and there
gives us to enjoy the moft exquifite plea-
fures, that God himfelf can confer on
happy fouls : For there we (hall always
live in the prefence of God, the great
fountain of all lovelinefs and glory, and
fhall love him with ten thoufand times
more ardour than we now do, or even
can imagine ; for the longer we behold,
the more we fhall know him, and the
more we know, the better we fhall love
him ; and fo through everlafting ages,
our love fhall be extending and enrap
turing itfelf with his infinite beauty and
lovelinefs. Now love is the fweeteft and
happieft of all paffions, and it is merely
by accident that it is accompanied with
any difquieting or painful feelings.
Either the perfon beloved is abfent,
which
J2 1 8 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
which corrodes it with unquiet defire,
or he is unhappy, or unkind, which im-
bitters it with grief; or he is fickle and
inconflant, which inflames it with rage
and jealoufy ; but, feparated from all
thefe difagreeable accidents, and it is all
pure delight and joy.
BUT in heaven, our love of God will
have none of thefe difquieting circum-
flances attending it j for there he will
never be abfent from us, but will be
continually entertaining our amorous
minds with the profped of his infinite
beauties. There we (hall always feel
his love to us in the moft fenfible and
endearing effects, even in the glory of
that crown which he will fet upon our
heads, and in the ravifhing fweetnefs
of thofe joys which he will infufe into
our hearts. There we fliall experience
the continuation of his love in the con^
tinued fruition of all that an eyerlaft-
ing heaven means, and be convinced,
as
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 219
as well by the perpetuity of his good-
nefs to .us, as well as by the immutabi
lity of his nature, that he is an uft*<
changeable lover. And there we fliall
find him a moft happy being, happy be
yond the vaftefl wiflies of our love ; fo
that we fhall not only delight in him, as
he is infinitely lovely, but rejoice and
triumph in him too as he is infinitely
happy. For love unites the interefts,
as well as the hearts of lovers, and
gives to each, the joys and felicities of
the other. So that in that blefled ftate
we fliall fhare in the felicity of God
proportionably to the degree of our
love to him : For the more we love him,
the more we fliall ftill efpoufe his hap
py intereft ; and the more we are inte-
refterl in his happinefs, the happier we
niufh be, and the more we muft enjoy
of it. Thus love gives us a real poflef-
fion and enjoyment of God ; it makes
us co-partners with him in himfelf, de-
220 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
rives his happinefs upon us, and makes
it as really ours as his. So that God's
happinefs is, as it were, the common
bank and treafury of all divine lovers,
in which they have every one a {hare,
and of which, proportionally to the
degrees of their love to him, they do
all draw and participate to all eterni
ty. And could they but love him as
much as he deferves, that is infinitely^
they would be as infinitely blefled and
happy as he is ; For then all his happi
nefs would be theirs, and they would
have the fame delightful fenfe and feel
ing of it, as if it were all tranfplanted
into their own bofoms. God, there
fore being an infinitely lovely, infinite
ly loving, and infinitely happy being,
when we come to dwell forever in his
blefled prefence, our love to him can
be productive of none but fweet and
ravifhing emotions ; for the immenfe
perfections it will then find in its objeft,
muft
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
muft neceflarily refine it from all thofe
fears and jealoufies, thofe griefs and
difpleafures that are mingled with our
earthly loves, and render it a moft pure
delight and complacency. So that when
thus refined and grown up to the per-
feftion of the heavenly ftate, it will be
all heaven, it will be an eternal paradife
of delights within us, a living fpring
whence rivers of pleafures will flow for
evermore.
THESE, O man, are fome of the gold
en fruits that grow upon the tree of di
vine love. Happy, therefore, is the
man, beyond all expreffion of words,
beyond all conception of fancy, happy
is he who obtaineth this angelic virtue !
" FOR the merchandife of it is better
than the merchandife of Jtlver, and the '
gain thereof than fine gold. She is more
precious than rubies-, and all the things that
thou canft defire are not to be compared
unto her. She is a tree of life to them
that
222 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR'.
that lay hold upon her, and happy is every
one that retalneth her."
SINCE a fupreme love of God is the
only true wealth of an immortal mind,
O ! with what diligence fhould we apply
ourfelves to obtain it ! We are all ready
enough to acknowledge our obligations
to God, and to own that it is our duty
to love him, but flill complain of the
difficulty that attends it. But let us re
member that this difficulty is chargeable
upon ourfelves, and is the effeQ: of our
own fhameful inconfi deration. Taken
up with the little cares of life, we ne-
gleft and forget God ; hence, it is not
furprifmg that we do not love him.
Would we but often think of him, what
he is in hhnfelf, and contemplate him
in the full blaze of his wonderful and
amiable perfections, we fhould be over
whelmed with delightful admiration of
him, and eafily take up the mofl exalt
ed eileem and friendfhip for him. And
were
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 223
were we but frequently to confider him,
what he is to us, how infinitely condef-
cending, generous and good, we fliould
foon feel our hearts melting into all the
tendernefs of love and gratitude. We,
none of us think it hard to love the
tender mother who brought us into the
world, the fond father who fupplies our
wants, or the attentive teacher who in-
ftruftg us in ufeful and ornamental
knowledge; ah! why then fliould we
think it hard to love our God ? Did we
but refleft, we fhould foon perceive that
he is really and truly our mother, our
father and our teacher ; and that thofe
whom we honor as fuch, are, properly
fpeaking, only the inftruments of his
goodnefs to us.
SYLVIA arrived to years of maturity,
receives the addrefl^s of a young and
accornplifhed lover. .Sylvia blufhes and
likes him. Youthful modefty caufes
her to hefitate. a while, yet, unable to
refift
224 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
refifl fo much merit. Hie at length yields
to the impulfe of a virtuous paffion and
marries. In due feafon flie becomes a
mother. Now, what has Sylvia hither
to done for her child ? The whole is the
Work of God. When he laid the foun
dations of the heavens and the earth,
he had this child in view, and difpofed,
from fo remote a period, a long chain
of events, which were to terminate in
his nativity. The time being come for
the opening of this bud, he was pleafed
to place it in Sylvia's womb, and took
care himfelf to cherifh and unfold it.
THAT this child fhould love and ho
nor his mother is what he certainly
ought to do, for fhe has fuffered, if not
for his fake, at leaft through him, the
inconveniencies of pregnancy, and the
pains of child-birth. But let him carry
his grateful acknowledgments ftill high
er, and not imitate thofe fuperftitious
idolaters, who, feeing the earth yearly
covered
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR, 225
covered with corn, fruits and paftures,
ftupicQ.y worshipped this blind inftru-
ment of the bounties of their Sovereign
Lord, without ever thinking to praife
the powerful arm from whence it de
rives its fruitfulnefs.
CHARLES loves his father Eugenis.
Charles does well ; but what has Eu
genis done for Charles ? Eugenis has
not, it is true, refembled that proud pa
rent who beggars the reft of his child
ren in order to fwell the fortune of an
elder brother. Nor is he like that ftern
tyrannical father who never looks at his
children but with fury, never fpeaks to
them but in paffion, never inftrufts them
but by threats, and correfts them like
a butcher and a murderer. Nor yet
does he aft like Florimond, that unna
tural father, who lives like a ftranger
in his own houfe ; goes in and out,
drinks, games, and faunters ; mean
while his neglefted children grow up
to
226 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
to the years of maturity ; happy indeed
if of themfelves inclinable to virtue,
they ' make any attainments in ufeful
knowledge and accomplifhments, or
think of fettling in the world ; for as
to his part, he never troubles his head
about them. No, far unlike thefe, Eu-
genis is the beft of parents ; he fpares
no pains nor expence to render his fon
Charles an ornament and a bleffing to
his country. He accuftoms him by
times to a temperate diet, furnifhes him
with decent apparel, and charges the
ableft mafters with his inftru&ion ; he
carefully teaches him his relation to
God, and his obligations to that beft
of beings ; and, at the fame time, by
precept and example, endeavours to in-
fpire him with the love of juftice, ho
nor and induftry. Thefe are, to be
fure, the deareft expreffions of a fa
ther's love, and hard and deteftable in
deed would be Charles' bofom, if he
could
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 227
could refufe to love fuch a parent ; but
let him remember, that all this comes
ultimately from God ; for we fhould
always afcend to this original of blef-
fings. When Eugenis watched for his
fon's prefervation ; it was God who pre-
ferved him ; when he took care to in-
ftrut him, it was God who opened his
underftanding ; and when he entertain
ed him with the charms of virtue, it
was God who excited him to love it.
" THE labourer digs the mine ; the phi-
lofopher directs the work ; but neither of
them fur nifo the gold which it contains."
BUT what heart fo hard as to refift
the golden fliafts of love, efpecially when
coming from a friend that is fcr fupe-
rior to us ? If fome good and mighty
prince were to invite us to his court,
and to treat us with all the tendernefs
of parental affeftion, fhould we not find
it a very eafy thing to love him ? Now,
has not this been the condud of God
x our
228 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR,
our Maker ? When we lay in all the ob-
fcurity of duft, he fent a meflage of
love, and called us into life, not the
life of fluttering infefts, but of infant
immortals. For us, and for our fakes,
he built this vaft world ; he covered it
with the canopy of the heavens, and
ftored it with good ^things innumer
able. At his command the fun rifes
to gladden us with the golden day ;
and the moon with filver beams to
cheer the darknefs of the night. He
waters the hills from his fecret cham
bers, and bids the clouds pour down
their fattening fliowers upon the earth.
Thus he covers our tables with bread
to renew our ftrength, and with wine
that makes glad our hearts,
BUT he has not only compaffed us
round, like fo many fortunate iflands,
with a vaft ocean of good things for
our bodies ; but he has likewife infpir-
ed us with immortal minds, and has
induced
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
induced them with the high capacities
of knowledge and love, whereby, as on
golden ladders, we may afcend to the
perfection and happinefs of celeftial be
ings. And to gratify thefe our noble
capacities, he has prepared for us a
glorious heaven, and has furnilhed it
with all the pleafures and delights that
heavenly fpirits can defire or enjoy*
Befides all this, he has fent his own
foil from heaven to reveal to us the
way thither, and to encourage us to
return into it by dying for our fins,
and thereby obtaining for us a public
grant and charter of mercy and par
don, on condition of our return : and,
as if all this were too little, he hath
fent his fpirit to us in the room of his
fon, to refide axnongfl us, and, as his
vicegerent, to carry on this vaft defign
of his love to us, to excite and perfuade
us to return into the foay leading to
heaven, and to affifl us all along in
our
23 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
our good travels thither. Such won
derful care has he taken not to be de
feated of this his kind intention to make
us everlaftingly happy. " that men
would therefore love the Lord for his g&od-
nefs, and declare the wonders that he
doth for the children of men"
THAT thefe dear pledges of God's
love may infpire our hearts with fuit-
able returns of gratitude, we fhould
often refiefl on them, and fpread them
before our minds in all their endearing
circumftances. We fhould frequently
fet our cold and frozen affections before
thefe melting flames of his love, and
never ceafe fanning the fmoking flax
until we feel the heavenly fire begin
ning to kindle in our bofoms.
AND, while we are feeking this Ifrael
of great price., let us, as we hope for
fuccefs, guard our innocence^ as the trem
bling mifer guards his hoarded gold.
The bofom that burns with impure de-
fires,
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 23!
fires, or that is corroded with malig
nant paffions, finds no delight in God.
No, that is a happinefs referved only
for the pure in heart, and for him who
knows how to pity an offending bro
ther.
AND, together with our own exer
tions, we fhould often implore the aid
of all affifting heaven. To him, who
alone knows its ineftimable worth, let
our fervent prayers be conftantly afcend-
ing.
46 FATHER of life and love, thou God
fupreme^ teach our hearts to love thee :
For to whom, Lord, fhall we give our
hearts but to thee ? Thou alone hq/l gene-
roufly created them ; thou alone haji infi
nitely deferred them ; and thou alone canft
completely and eternally fatisfy them."
THESE prefcriptions, faithfully obferv-
d, will foon produce in our hearts that
love, whofe joy paffeth all under/land
ing, that love, poffeffed of which, the
x. 2 poorcil
232 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
pooreft flave is paffing rich ; while with
out it, the fceptered monarch walks but
in fplendid poverty.
HE who loves God is the alone wife,
dignified and happy man. For he loves
the only good that is worthy the af-
feftions of an immortal mind. He lovds
a friend who alone poffeffes almighty
power to protect him, unerring wifdom
to counfel him, and infinite love to
blefs him. He loves an immortal friend
who can never die and forfake him, and
an unchangeable friend who will never
requite his love with negleft.
His love of God fweetens every duty,
and makes the yoke of obedience to fit
light. It heightens the fmile of profpe-
rity, and cheers the gloom of adverfity.
Bleffings are doubly dear coming from
fuch a friend ; and afflidions not un
welcome, when looked on as tokens
of his no lefs tender love. Under the
languors of fieknefs he remembers, not
without
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
without facred comfort, that the end of
his fufferings is at hand ; and even
when this earthly tabernacle of his flefh
is pulling down, he is not difconfolate ;
he rejoices in the hope of that glori
ous houfe not made with hands, eter
nal in the heavens. There, far remov
ed from all the miferies of this mortal
life, advanced into the prefence of him.
who made him, and accompanied by
millions of loving and bleiTed fpirits, he
(hall enjoy a happinefs as far exceed
ing his expectations as his deferts :
" A happinefs which eye hath notfeen nor
ear heard^ nor hath entered into the heart
of man to conceive."
CHAP,
234 THE IMMORTAL
CHAP. II.
ON SOCIAL LOVE.
** This only can the blefs, bejtotv^
ft Immortal fouls Jhould prove ^
" Oh, fo much
" the
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR*
" the worfe, my good miftrefs : when
" people cannot afford to give credit*
u they fhould never pretend to fell.
" As to the reft of you, my good
" friends," fays Mifochriftis, addreffing
himfelf to thofe creditors who had not
as yet received audience : " I fancy I
" don't owe you any great matters.
You fee I am endeavouring to regu^
" late my affairs. Give me a little more
" time ; and if I can do no better at
" prefent, I will at lead look over and
" fettle your accounts."
As foon as Mifochriftis had finifhed
thefe words, he flew from them like
lightening, leaving his creditors fo afto^
niflied at his impudence, that he was
quite out of their hearing before they
had recollected themfelves fufficiently to
make him a reply.
BUT if men of honor have been bad
pay-mafters, becaufe punctuality was un-
fafliionable, they have been found equal-
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 263
ly fo in thofe happy play-times, when
their good old mafter, the LAW, fell
drowfy, and took no notice of his pu
pils actions.
YOUNG Adraflus, hard run for mo
ney, determines to try his friends. He
goes to Agathocles, and in the bated
breath and whifpering humblenefs of
a borrower, begs the loan of a thou-
fand guineas. A good round fum ! But
the benevolent Agathocles, a ftranger
to fufpicion, grants the loan. Adraflus
pockets the money and rides off, the
happiefl man in the world. For three
years the good Agathocles got nothing
from Adraflus but empty promifes and
forrowful details of difappointments and
lofes. At length a war breaks out, and
the country wanting money, the prefs
is converted into a mint, and paper
dollars are (truck off by the ream.
Thefe the legiflator pronounces to be
of equal value with gold and filver,
A a and
264 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
and threatens trouble to the tory that
ftall refufe them as fuch. " Hurra for
us debtors" is now the cry. Blefled
times ! Whole caravans of honeft men
are now in motion to pay their debts.
Adraftus joins the happy throng ; and
taking a witnefs with him, waits on
the good old Agathocles, whofe gene
rous loan of a thoufand guineas , he pays
off with half a quire of paper cur
rency worth about . 40.
ALAS ! poor honor ! when fevered
from the love of God, and of man,
Avhat art thou but an empty name! Had
Adraflus loved his God, could he thus
have defpifed that golden precept which
enjoins him to do unto others as he would
that others Jhould do unto him ? Had
Adraflus loved the generous Agatho-
cles, could he have thus requited him
evil for good could he have thus re-
payed the nobleft friendfnip with the
bafeft
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 265
bafeft ingratitude? Let the following
true ftory reply.
A YOUNG gentleman, whom we {hall
call Leander, had the good fortune to
be born of parents, who well knew that
happinefs confifts rather in the good
qualities of the heart, than in the rich
contents of the ftrong box. He was
therefore early taught to look on the
love of God and of his neighbour, as
the beft wealth that man or angel can
poflefs. His progrefs in virtue was
equal to the fondeft expectations of his
parents. Truth, honor and goodnefs,
(hone fo confpicuoufly in all his con
duit, that to love him, one needed but
to know him. At the age of three and
twenty he lofl his father; and pofleffing
but a very fmall fortune, he refolved
to go into trade. Leander had five or
fix mercantile friends, each of whom
throwing in a couple of hundred pounds
worth of goods, made him up a pretty
aflbrtment.
2-66 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
affortment. With great alacrity he en
tered upon this new employment ; but,
as it would feem, merely to evince the
error of thofe parents, who think that
religion alone is fufficient to make their
children happy. His father had taken
great pains to fit him for heaven ; but
had not fufficiently inftrufted him to
make his way good here on earth* He
had fcarcely ever told Leander, that
though it be happinefs to love, it is
ftill virtue to be prudent ; and, that to
mingle the harmleffnefs of the dove with
the wifdom of the ferpent, and to take
head of men^ even while he loves them,
are commandments of the Great Tea
cher himfelf. He had hardly ever men
tioned to Leander, the importance of
receipts, vouchers, and written con-
trafts ; nor related to him the many
fad inftances of unfufpe&ing goodnefs
fnared and ruined by infidious villainy ;
and how often, for want of receipts,
the
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 267
the bed men have been compelled to a
fecond payment of debts that have kept
their nofes to the grindftone half then-
lives after. No ; but to confider all
men as the children of God, and co
heirs of glory ; to love them as him-
felf, and to think evil of no man thefe
were the only fentiments which Lean-
der was taught : Thefe he carried with
him behind the counter. Leander was
foon found out to be -&jine young man !
every body admired his goods, and
wifhed to buy if they could but have
a little credit. Leander anticipated every
wifh, and credited every body.
IN a very Ihort time, out of a thou-
fand pounds worth of goods, he had
not a remnant left. His rivals were
fit to burft with fpleen and envy at fuch
prodigious fales ; while his friends af-
cribed fuch fingular fuccefs to divine
interpofition. At the appointed time
his creditors demanded their money.
A a 2 The
268 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
The too credulous Leander was not
prepared to pay. Unable to wait longer,
they feized on his little patrimony, and
threw him into prifon. Cruel parents,
who thus expofe your children uncover
ed by the ihield of prudence, to the
Jiery darts of fraud and villainy ! O re
member that the want of prudence, is
too often, even in the belt men, fuc-
ceeded by the want of virtue ; and that,
in many inftances, the devil himfelf afks
not an abler advocate for vice than po
verty. Happily for Leander, his vir
tue was full grown, and of a good con-
ftitution. He did not., as thoufands
have done, curfe that eafmefs t>f na
ture, that benevolence of fentirnent,
which had duped and betrayed him ;
he did not vow eternal war againft his
fpecies, and refolve to praftife in future
the fame arts which had wrought hh
ruin. No ! fraud and injuftice now ap
peared to turn hateful as the hags of hell.
While,
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 269
While, by contrail, his love of virtue
was exalted to adoration. To have de
ceived, though unintentionally, and
thence to have injured his patrons, cau-
fed Leander much grief; but it was
grief unimbittered by the gall of guilt.
To have difcovered fuch a want of vir
tue and humanity among men, excited
emotions, but they were the emotions
of compaffion, not of refentment. Still
his prayers and his benevolence went up
before God. After fifty days confine
ment, the ftill virtuous Leander was
difcharged from prifon, and from all
legal obligation to pay his former debts.
He then went round again among hi#
debtors ; many of whom affefted by
his pathetic remonftrances, difcharged
their accounts. With this money > pur-
chafing a finall aflbrtment of goods, he
entered a fecond time into trade, and
with becoming caution. At the expi
ration of five years, having faved enough
for
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
for that purpofe, he haftened up to
town to pay off his former debts, and
to evince the divinity of that love,
which cannot be happy while it owes
any man any thing. He called toge
ther his former creditors to a tavern,
where, by his orders, a handioine in
ner was prepared for them* He receiv
ed them with the utmoft cordiality, and,
without having as yet gratified their
curiofity as to the occafion of the meet
ing, he politely prefled them to fit
down to dine. On turning up their
plates, every man beheld in a heap of
ihining gold, the full amount, princi
pal and inter eft, of his former claim
againft Leander.
** Lord, who's the happy man that may
" To thy bleft courts repair ?
" Not ftranger like to vifit them,
14 But to inhabit there.
*' 'Tis he who to his vows and truft,
" Has ever firmly flood ;
" And tho' he promife to his lofs,
41 He makes his promife good."
WE
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 271
WE have been copious on this part
of our fubjeft, for a very plain reafon :
the payment of our debts is a duty
that occurs fo frequently, that whatever
tends to make it a pleafure, mufl con-
fequently add greatly to our happinefs ;
and have abundantly fhewn it is love e
and love alone that can make honefty
at all times a pleafure.
BUT there are many other duties, of
equal importance to our own, and to
the happinefs of fociety, to the cheer
ful performance of which, love is as
indifpenfibly neceflary. This man's ava
rice may claim a part of our eftate ; or
that man's unprovoked rage may infult
our perfon, or flander our name ; now,
to bear all this with temper, and to ne-
gociate fo difcreetly with thefe our un
generous neighbours, as to difarm their
paffions, and to make an honorable and
lading peace, is certainly a moll de-
fireable event ; but it is an event which
nothing
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
nothing but almighty love can accom-
plifo. And through defeft of this love,
how frequently have we feen the flight-
eft incroachments, or provocations t&
ftir up fuch horrid paffions, in the bo-
foms of neighbours, and to hurry them
into fuch (hameful exceflfes of injury
and revenge, as have ended in the de-
ftruction of each others fouls, bodies,
and eftates !
LET the real hiftory of goodman
Gruff and his neighbour Grub, eluci
date this melancholy truth.
THESE two men, whofe fortunes were
ample, lived near neighbours to each
other ; fo near, that their lands, un
moved by the paflion of their owners,
lay and flept together in the mod friend
ly embraces. That good being who
had thus appointed their lots together
in the fame pleafant places, had un-
queftionably intended, that they fliould
learn from their owu experience, how
happy
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 2/3
happy a thing it is for brethren to dwell
together in unity. But alas ! the ways
of peace they knew not, for they were
both ftrangers to love ; and, by natu
ral confequence, both proud, felfifh,
irafcible and vindictive. On a refurvey
of his plantation, goodman Gruff found
that his neighbour Grub had about
two acres and a quarter of his ground
in pofleffion.
No fooner had he made this impor
tant difcovery, than he fent orders to
Mr Grub, and not in the mofl gentle
terms, inftantly to remove his fences,
from that fpot of ground, or he fhould
kdopt meafures to compel him. From
no friend on earth, would Mr. Grub
have brooked fuch a meffage ; but from
Gruff, it was altogether infupportable.
A reply, fuch as pride and hatred could
dictate, was immediately made. A law
fuit, of courfe, commenced.
THIS
274 TH IMMORTAL MENTOR.
THIS produced the effeft that ufually
attends law-fuits, " a death unto friend-
fhip, and a new birth unto hatred."
Every expence incurred in the courfc
of the fuit inflamed their mutual hat
red ; for they never failed to fet down
thefe expences to the account of each
others roguery : They never deigned to
falute, or to exchange a word ; and,
if accident at any time threw them into
the fame company, they caft fuch eyes
of death on one another, and were fo
pointedly brutal in their manners, as to
fhock all who were not loft to humanity.
To be threatened with the lofs of two
acres of land, or to have that much with
held, though each poffefled many more
than they could cultivate, was enough
in fuch fordid fouls, to awaken the
moft deadly paflions. Thefe were fopn
communicated to the reft of their fa
milies. The wives and daughters, could
not, even at church, trept each other
with
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 275
with common civility ; and the fons
often difgraced themfelves in bloody
battles. Nor was this all, for then-
poor unoffending cattle, their hogs and
horfes, who, poor things ! knew not the
right leg from the left, were made to
feel the fad effefts of this unnatural
flrife : For, if carelefsly wandering in
queft of grafs or roots, their homely
fare, they happened in lucklefs hour,
to ftray within the hoftile lines, ftraight
a troop of angry flaves, with worrying
dogs and furious flones, attacked them:
or flily taking and loading them with
yokes, doomed them to wafte full many
a day in woe and pain.
" CURSED be their anger ^ for it was
fierce ', and their wrath ^ for it was cruel.
my foul! come not thou into their fecret^
unto their aj/embly ; mine honor, be not
thou united!" JACOB,
B b THUS
276 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
THUS we fee men, though born to
\valk with angels high in falvation,
and the dims of blifs, afting, becaufe
deflitute of love, jufb as if they were
candidates for the fociety of infernal
fpirits !
A STRANGER to the origin of this
(hameful conteft, would reasonably have
luppofed, from the fury with which it
was conducted, that the aftors in it ?
expected forne fignal advantages from
it. " Surely," would he have faid,
4i vaft fields of fertile earth, with migh-
" ty forefts, and flocks and herds, with
" heaps of golden treafure, mufl de-
a pend on this important fuit." But
what would have been his aftonifhment,
on finding, that the dear bought pur-
chafe of two acres of po-:r land, was
the whole extent of their hopes !
C Verily, man without love is as the
wild afs's colt, andftupid as the beqji that
pcrijhetb"
BUT
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 277
BUT to return to our litigious far
mers, whom we left juft engaged in a
fuit, Gruff againfl Grub, for two acres
and a quarter of land, held and culti
vated by the latter, but found by a re-
furvey to belong to the former. The
cafe feemed fufficiently fimple, and, as
was generally thought, would foon be
knocked off the doquet, and with but
fmall damages. But being found, as
generally happens, much more compli
cated than it had at firft appeared j it
was kept fo long in the different courts
in which it had the fortune to be tried,
that goodman Gruff was often heard
to fay, that cc though he had gained
" his fuit, yet, through lofs of time,
" negledt of bufmefs, tavern charges,
4C and extra fees to lawyers, he had
c - expended at lead one hundred half-
6C joes." While poor Grub, obliged
to carry on fo long a fuit with monies
borrowed on an exorbitant premium,
incurred
27 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
incurred a debt which coft him the
* whole traft, together with the two acres
and a quarter which he had fo obfti-
nately defended.
" BLESSED are the meek, for they foal!
inherit the earth"
HAD thefe unfortunate men but loved,
they might have lived happy. Like
good Job's children, " they would haw
gone and feaftcd in their houfes each man
his day^ and feni and called for his neigh
bour to eat and to drink with him*' .And
then having his heart warmed and ex~
panded with generous love, had good-
man Gruff difcovered that his neigh-
bour held unknowingly an acre or two
of his land, he would' have fcorned to
notice it.
ASK the benevolent old Ralph, whe*
ther he would thus have threatened and
perfecuted his neighbour Paul for a
couple of acres ? Obferve how he fhakes
his venerable locks, and, with a coun
tenance
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
tenance ftrongly marking his abhorrence
of fuch a thought, thus replies :
" No, my friend, two acres of land
" fliould never have fet me and my
" neighbour Paul at variance. Forty
" years have we lived near each other,
" and, thank God, it has been forty
" years of peace and friendfhip. Paul
" appears to me now like a brother ;
" and the affe&ion that I have for him,
* c gives me a double enjoyment of what
" I have, becaufe of the pleafure I find
cc in communicating of it to him. If I
" take a hive, he is fure to receive a
" plate of the choicefl comb. If I kill
" a fat mutton, the beft quarter is fent
" to him. His company heightens my
" joys, his counfel and affiftance leffen
" the weight of niy forrows. Toge-
cc ther we enjoy the good things of
" this life, and together we often con-
'" verfe about the happinefs of that bet-
" ter life to come. Now, lhall I mar
B b 2 " all
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
'* all this fweet heavenly peace, and
" plunge myfelf into hellifli hatred and
" ftrife, by quarrelling with my good
" friend Paul on account of two acres of
" ground ? No, no, no ; fooner than fee
4C that hated day, let thefe eyes be clofed
" for ever ; and let my grey hairs go
" down with joy to the grave ! Take
" two acres of land from Paul ? O how
* 4 gladly would I give him a thoufand V 9
BUT fuppofing, Father Ralph, that
inftead of the gentle Paul, it had
been your deftiny to dwell in the
neighbourhood of the churlifh Mr.
Gruff, how would you have relifhed
his orders to relinquifli two acres of
your land ?
" WHY, I would have endeavoured
" an accommodation, by propofing a
" reference of our matter to fome
u of our well informed and impartial
" neighbours. 3>
BUT,
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 28l
BUT, what if he had replied, that fince
by the late variation of the compafs,
the limits of his traft were fo en
larged as to take in thofe two acres
of yours, he claimed them by virtue
of the law, and would have nothing
to do with arbitrators ?
" WHAT would I have done ? Why,
" I would have pitied him from the
" bottom of my heart would I have
" pitied him for fuch a fentiment.
" And on taking my leave, would
" have addrefled him in fuch words
" as thefe: Neighbour Gruff, the good
" for which you feem fo ready to
" contend, deferves not to be put in
" the fcale againfl the numerous evils
" of a law-fuit. Let famifhed fea-
" men quarrel and fight for a mor-
" fel of bread, or draw lots for each
" others lives, but for us who live
" in a land fo thickly ftrewed with
" the bleflings of heaven, that we
need
282 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
" need but flretch forth the hand of
" induflry and we fhall gather abun-
" dance for us to go to law for a
66 flip of ground, were a reproach to
" us, both as men and as chriftians.
" I feel, neighbour Gruff, that love
" and peace are the greateft bleffings
" of life, and, well knowing that law-
" fuits are no friend to thofe, but,
" on the contrary, their moil mortal
" enemies, I wifh never to have any
Ci thing to do with law- fuits I mean
" on fuch trifling occafions* There-
" fore, for the fake of God, the lo-
u ver of peace, and for our mutual
46 good, I cheerfully compliment you
u with thefe two acres for which you
< c are fo ready to go to law with me.
" And I think my heart gives me
" comfortable affurance that I fhall
" never want them."
" BLESSED are the peace maker -j, for
iheyjhall be called the children of God.' 9
LOVE
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 283
LOVE adds greatly to the happinefs
f man, becaufe it puts us in poffeffion
and gives us the enjoyment of every
thing that is good and defireable in
this life. By it, we may, without
greedy avarice, or its cares and drudge
ries, fwim in tides of wealth. With
out proud ambition or any of its dif
ficulties ,and dangers, we may afcend
to the higheft feats of honor : without
fordid voluptuoufnefs, or its difeafes and
difguft, we may balk in the lap of true
pleafures ; without its pride, luxury or
floth, or any of its fnares and tempta
tions, we may feaft at the table of pro-
fperity. We may pluck the richeft fruits
of fcience and learning, without the
pain of laborious ftudy : and we may
tafte the fweets of virtue and goodnefs
without their toils. For, are not all
thefe things ours, if w^e make them fo,
by finding much delight and fatisfaclion
in them ? Does not out neighbour's
wealth
284 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
wealth enrich us, if we are happy in
his pofleffing and ufmg it ? Does not
his preferment advance us, if our fpirit
rifes with it into a cordial complacency ?
Does not his pleafure delight us, if we
are pleafed with his enjoyment of it ?
Does not his profperity blefs us, if our
hearts exult and triumph in it ? This is
the true Philofopher's ftone, the divine
magic of love which conveys all things
into our hands, giving us 2 pofleflion
and ufe in them of which nothing can
deprive us.
BY virtue of this, (as Paul juftly ob-
ferves) " Being forrowful we yet always
" rejoice ; having nothing we yet poffefs all
66 things." Neither is this property in
our neighbour's goods merely imagin
ary, but real and fubftantial ; indeed, for
more real to the true lover of men, than
it is generally to the legal oyvners of
them. For how is property in things
otherwife to be confidered than by the
fatisfa&ion
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 285
fatisfaftion which they yield to the pre-
fumed owner ? And if the benevolent
man find this fatisfadion in them, and
in a high degree, why are they not truly
his ? May not the tree with fome de
gree of propriety be called yours if you
can pluck and enjoy its fruits at plea-
fure ? Nay, does not the propriety more
truly belong to you, if you equally en
joy the benefit, without partaking the
trouble and expence which fall on the
real owner ? A loving man therefore
can never be poor or miferable, except
all the world fhould come to want and
diftrefs, for while his neighbour has any
thing, he will enjoy it " rejoicing with
>
often add to our uneafmefs by theif
follies or viceSi W ho would not leave
fuch a wretched fociety as this, and
gladly go to mingle with thofe blefifed
friends, who can no more be miferable
themfelves, nor render us fo ? Where
every countenance will fliine upon us
with fmiles of Undiflembled affe&ion ;
and every eye will beam unutterable
k>ve ? Where mighty angels will be as
endearingly attentive to Us, as fondeft
bretheren; while heavenly fages will
pour forth the treafures of their wifdonx
to entertain us, though the feebleft of
faints ?
c c BUT>
THE IMMORTAL MENTOiU
BUT, alas! is it for us whofe
are defiled, and who drink in iniquity
like water, to be numbered with thefe
children of God, and to have our lot
among fuch faints ? Yes it is. For
though the precious gold of Ophir could
not purchafe fuch high honors for us ;
and though rocks of proffered diamonds
would not be received in exchange ;
yet there is a power, a fecret charm,
that can open for us the eveflafting
doors, and admit us into thofe courts of
glory. That charm is LOVE, which,
by exercifing every odious pa/lion, and
adorning us with its own celeftial gra^
ces, will fecure our welcome, and ren
der us dear to every faint in paradife.
And were it not for love, which thus
refines otir nature, and transforms us
into aiigels of light, never could we
mingle in the fociety of thofe heavenly
BIRDS
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 289
'" BIRDS of a feather flock toge-
* c ther." As gentle cloves, who delight
in mutual carefTes, fly on wings of ter
ror, from thofe birds whofe fiery eyes
threaten hateful ftrife ; fo angels of
love, muft retire with as natural an ab
horrence, from the fociety of dark and
malignant fpirits. Between no two
things in nature, does there exift fo
irreconcilable an oppofition, as between
love and hatred. Water and oil- fire
and fnow, may, by the powerful arts of
chemiftry, be taught to forget their na
tive antipathies, and to rufli together
into friendly embraces : But by no arts
can tender-hearted love be brought to
loojv with complacency on any appear
ance of hatred and miiery. And the
more ardent our love, the more exqui-
fite will be our diftrefs, at the view of
fuch fcenes.
PHILANDER, whofe life is a feries of
beneficence that reflects honor on hu
man
290 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
man nature, was, during the earlier
part of his days, ftrangely fond of that
moft vulgar practice, boxing. But hap
pening to read Dr. Blair's fermon on
gentlenefs, he was brought to fee fo
clearly, the beauty and bleflednefs of a
benevolent temper, that he has ever
fince cultivated it as the brighteft orna
ment, and higheft happinefs of his life.
Philander often now obferves to his
friends, that nothing furprifes him more
than the difference which he finds be
tween the feelings, of the prefent and
pad periods of his life. That formerly,
when a ftranger to love, the fight of a
battle was matter of fun to him ; and a
broken head, or a bloody nofe, a mere
bagatelle, quite a trifle* But that now,
were he compelled to fee two men ftri-
ving in battle, and with furious counte
nances and eyes darting hatred, inflift-
ing cruel blows on each other, he verily
believes it would harrow up his foul
and
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 29!
and fill him with infupportable horror*
And fuch, I am confident, would be the
feelings of every truly benevolent heart.
Now, if we who are but babes in love,
and whofe hearts flill retain much of their
former hardnefs and infenfibility, are,
notwithftanding, fo {hocked at the fight
of bad paffions ; how much more would
the bleffed angels, thofe pure fpirits of
love, be (hocked at the fight of fuch
things ? Hence, it clearly appears, that
were God to throw open the gates of
heaven, and to invite us to enter with
all our pride, haughtinefs, fcorn, envy
and hatred about us ; fo far from being
welcome to the angels, we fhould turn
their heaven into hell. It would grieve
their generous bofoms, to fee us fo
completely damned ; and it would equal
ly fhock their feelings to fee us fo per-
feftly loathfome and abominable ; and
they would, no doubt, prefer their joint
petitions to God, for permiffion to re-
c c a tire
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
tire into fome other part of his domini
ons, where, far removed from fuch dif-
quieting fcenes, they might renew their
joys in contemplating the beauty of each
others virtues, and in rejoicing in the
greatnefs of their mutual blifs. Would
we therefore gain a welcome admiffion
into thofe blefl abodes, where angels
and the youngeft fons of light, fpend
their blifsful days in joys unknown to
mortal fenfe Let us Love. This is
the darling attribute of God ; " For
God is love." And this is the grace
that gives to miniftering fpirits all their
furpaffing joys and glories. Wafhed in
this heavenly Jordan, the fouleft leper
becomes frefher than the new-born
babe. Bathed in this divine Bethefda,
the blackeft heart and moft malevolent
fpirit becomes whiter than fnow. Mark
the glorious change. His eyes, lately
glaring with infernal fires, now emit
the fofteft beams of benevolence. His
cheeks
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 293
cheeks, once pale with envy, now bloom
with the rofy-red of joy. His counte
nance, e'er while dark with angry paf-
fions, now wear the opening radiance of
friendfhip. His voice, lately broken and
difcordant with rage, is now fweeter than
mufic ; his heart, once the den of poi-
fonous adders, is now the abode of gen-
tleft affe&ion ; and he who fome time
ago was the terror or hatred of all v/ho
knew him, is now become the delight
of each eye and joy of every heart. His
admiring friends, view him with tranf-
port as a dear monument of the mighty
power of love ; while holy angels wel
come him with fweeteft fymphonies,
and fill the eternal regions with accla
mations of joy. " Behold \ this our bro^
ther was loft^ but is found, he was dead?
but is alive."
AND though on our firft entrance
into the company of blefled angels, we
cannot be half fo loving and lovely as
they
204 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
they are, yet will not this diminifh their
affeftion for us ; for, clearly perceiving,
that though but babes, we yet poifefs
the fair features and precious qualities
of godlike fouls, they will cordially love
and tenderly embrace us, as their young
er brethren, and as infant angels. While
meeting with no cruel obftruftions to
our love, as in this world, but on the
contrary, finding ourfelves beloved and
careffed by each faint and angel, we
ihall daily become more grateful and
affeftionate, and consequently more love
ly in the eyes, and more dear to the
hearts, of thofe blefled people. And
now, what words can exprefs, what fan
cy can conceive the various and exqui-
fite pleafures, that we may expeft to
meet with, in fo wife, fo all-accompliihed
and endearing a fociety ? If the converfa-
tion of great and good naturedivits^ be fo
highly entertaining, that men of tafte
would give any thing to fpend an even*
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 295
ing with a party of fuch ; how much
more defireable muft it be to fpend an
eternity in the company of angels ? For,
as in point of knowledge, wit, and elo
quence, they muft be far fuperior to
the brighteft geniufes of our world, and
incomparably more afFe&ionate, they
cannot but make the moil delightful
company. From the vaft ftores of their
wifdom and experience, they can eafily
draw an almofl infinite variety of the
moft entertaining topics, on which fuch
good and gentle fpirits, will not fail to
converfe in the moft free and endear
ing manner. Then, what a heavenly
converfation muft theirs be, w r hofe fcope
is the moft glorious knowledge, and its
law the moft perfeft friendfhip ?
WHO would not willingly leave a child-
ifh, forward and ill natured world, for
the bleffed fociety of thofe wife friends
and perfect lovers ? And what a felicity
muft it be to fpend an eternity, in fuch
a noble
296 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
a noble converfation ? Where we fhall
hear the deep philofophy of heaven com
municated with mutual freedom, in the
wife and amiable difcourfes of angels,
and of glorified fpirits, who, without any
referve or affeftation of myftery, without
paffion or peevifh contention for vifiory,
do freely philofophize and impart the
treafures of each others knowledge ?
For fmce all faints there are great philo-
fophers, and all philofophers perfectly
faints, we may conclude, that knowledge"
and goodnefs, wifdom and love, will be
inoft charmingly intermixed throughout
all their converfation, and render it de
lightful in the higheft degree. When
therefore we fhall leave this vain and
unfociable world, and on our landing
on the fhores of eternity, fhall be met
by all our good old friends, who are
gone to heaven before us, and who
now with infinite joy for our fafe ar
rival, receive and condufl: us into the
fplendid
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
Iplendid fociety of all the good and ge-
iierous fouls, who ever lived in the
world : when we fhall be familiar friends
with angels and archangels ; and all the
filming courtiers of heaven fhall call us
brethefen, and welcome us into their
glorious fociety, with all the tender en
dearments and careffes, of thofe heaven
ly lovers, O how will all thefe mighty
honors and joys, fwell our bofoms with
tides of tfanfport alnioft too big to bear !
BUT love not only renders us thus
happy, by adorning us with fuch graces
as give us a hearty welcome to the fo*
ciety, and joys of angels ; but, O god
like power of charity ! it even enables
us to make all their joys our own.
IT is a natural property of love, wheit
fmcere, to unite fo dofely the hearts o
lovers, as to make their interefts com
mon, and thus to render the joys of
the one, the joys of the other. Every
hian carries in his own bofom a proof of
this
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR*
this delightful truth. Do not the v!f*
tues of a dear brother, give us as exqui-
fite joy, as if we ourfelves were adorn*
ed with them ? Have not the high com
mendations beftowed on a beloved fifter^
thrilled through our hearts, in as pure
dreams of pleafure as if we ourfelves
had been the honored fubjeft of them ?
Now, if love, which is a native of hea
ven, produces, even in the cold foil of
the human heart^ fuch delicious fruits of
joy at the fight of our neighbour's happi*-
nefs, how much more copious and ex-
quifite mufl be its growth and flavour*
when reftored to heaven, it enjoys all
the energies of its native foil and cli
mate ? If therefore, while here on earth^
we make fuch progrefs in brotherly
love, as to relifh our neighbour's happi-
nefs as our own, " heartily rejoicing
ivith him when he rejoices ;" we may
tefl affured, that on going to heaven,
and entering into the fociety of blefied
angels
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 299
angels, we fliall find the joys of congra
tulating love, far fuperior to what we
ever experienced in this world. With
what facred delight {hall our hearts
overflow, when, on opening our eyes
in thofe blifsful manfions, we behold
around us, fuch bright bands of glori
ous beings ? The fight of thefe lovely
and happy people, will open new fprings
of joy in our bofoms* With what
wonder, love, and praife, fhall we con
template that hand which drew fuch mag.
nificent fcenes ; thefe ftreets paved with
gold, thefe gorgeous palaces hewn from
diamond quarries, thefe walls flaming
with the ftones of heaven, thefe rivers
flowing with liquid filver, thefe fields
decked with immortal flowers, thefe
facred fliades formed by the trees of
God ; and which, after having cloathed
thefe regions in fuch godlike fplendors,
raifed up fo many myriads of glorious
beings to inhabit them forever ? There*
D d among
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR*
among thofe favoured fpirits, we fiiall
meet with none of thofe melancholy
fcenes which here fo often embitter our
lives. Here, the ftrong pains and cries
of thofe whom we love, often wring
our hearts and call tears of bittereft
forrow from our eyes ; but there, God
lhall wipe all tears from our eyes, and
pain and ficknefs are unknown. Here,
the pale cheek, the hollow eye, and
trembling voice of languilhing friends,
often ficken our hearts, and prefs our
fpirits to the earth ; but there, health
blooms with freflieft rofes on each im
mortal cheek, and imparts a vigor that
fhall never know decay. Here, we often
behold our deareft relatives flruggling
in the agonies of death, and hear, with
flupifying grief, their laft expiring
groans ; but there, among thofe holy
angels, death never (hewed his ghaftly
countenance, and their glorified bodies
are deathlefs as the eternal Jehovah.
Now
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 30!
Now, what words can exprefs the joys
of thofe blefled people, who love each
other with a tendernefs unknown to
mortal bofoms, and whofe love is con
tinually feafted with the view of each
others happinefs, a happinefs which no
time can terminate, and which neither
man nor devil can impair ! For perfect
lovers have all their joys and griefs in
common between them ; but the heaven*
ly lovers having no griefs among them,,
do only communicate their joys to one
another. And where they love fo per
fectly as they do in heaven, there can be
no fuch thing as a private or particular
happinefs, but every one mujl have a
(hare in that of every one. and confe-
quently in this, their mutual communi
cation of joys, every one's happinefs,
will, by his friendfhip to every one 5 be
multiplied into as many happinefles as
there are faints and angels in heaven ;
and thus, every joy, of every member
of
302 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR,
of the church triumphant, runs round
the whole body, in an eternal circula- -
tion. For that bleffed body being all
compofed of confenting hearts, that, like
perfect unifons, are tuned up to the
fame key, when any one is touched,
every one echoes, and refounds the fame
note : and while they thus mutually
ftrike upon each other, and all are af-
fe&ed with every one's joys, it is im-
poffible, but, that in a flate where there
is nothing but joy, there fhould be a
continual concert of ravifhing harmony
among them. For fuch is their dear
concern for one another, that every
one's joy not only pays to, but receives
tribute from the joy of every one : fo
that when any one blefled fpirit rejoices,
his joy goes round the whole fociety,
and then all their rejoicings in his joy,
reflow upon, and fwell and multiply it ;
and fo as they thus cordially borrow
each others joys, they always pay them
back
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
back with intereft, and by thus recipro
cating, do everlaftingly increafe them.
And now, what unfpeakable rejoicing
and congratulations will there be among
us, when we fhall pafs all heaven over,
through ten thoufand millions of blefled
beings, and meet none but fuch as we
mod dearly love, and are as dearly be
loved by ? efpecially when we fhall find
no defed either of goodnefs, or happi-
nefs in them, nor they in us, to damp
our mutual joy and delight, but every
one lhall be what every one wiihes him-
a perfect and bleffed friend.
WHAT eternal thanks do we not owe
to the author of all good, for giving us
fouls that are capable of afcending to
the fociety of thefe glorious beings, and
of participating forever in their exalted
delights ? And how muft it inflame our
gratitude to him for appointing LOVE to
be the golden road leading to thofe ce-
leftial regions, and for employing fo
D d 2 many
304 THE IMMORTAL MJENTO&.
many arguments, and taking, if we may
thus fpeak, fo much pains to perfuade
us to walk in it ? For, take all the laws
of God, whether written on hearts of
flelh, or tables of ftone, or on fofter
leaves of evangelic paper, and eaft them
up What is their amount? LOVE.
Love is the bond of perfection. Love is the
fulfilling of the law. He hathjhewed thee,
man ! what is good, and what doth the
Lord thy God require of thee but to love
him, thy Parent God, with all thy heart,
and thy neighbour as thyfelf.
AND as God has thus enjoined love,
fo has he difpofed every thing in an or
der the moft favourable to the produc
tion of it.
FOR who is this neighbour whom we
are enjoined to love ? Is he fome vile
inferior creature whom it were hard, if
not impoffible to love ? No, he is, on
the coutrary, a mofl noble being, and
ckfcended from the greateft family in
the
THE IMMO&TAL MENTOR.
the univerfe. He is no lefs a perfoftage,
than a young prince, a fon of the Great
King eternal, whom he is not only allow
ed but even commanded to call his father.
If fome young nobleman cloathed in filks
and broad-cloaths, fcented with rich per
fumes, and richly equipaged, were to
call at our houfes, we fliould inftantly
be imprefied with fentiments of refpeft,
and good will for him, and readily in
vite him to the hofpitalities of our tables.
But what are filver and gold ? what are
filks and broad-cloths ? what are fine
horfes and fervants ? in comparifon of
that immortal foul which this neighbour
pofleffes, and thofe eternal, beauties of
which his foul is capable ? know, that
he was made but a few degrees lower
than the angels, and that God, the true
judge of merit, has, on account of the
rich excellencies of his nature, created
this world, with all the goodly bright-
306 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
nefs of heaven, and all the coftly fur
niture of earth, to ferve him.
" THOU made ft him to have dominion
over the works of thy hands ; thou hajl
put all things under his feet."
HE pofleffes a foul capable of fo ex
ceedingly great and eternal a weight of glo
ry, that rather than he fhould be depri
ved of it forever by fin, God himfelf
came down on earth to expiate it, and
by his own mod perfeft and amiable
life and lefions, to allure him back to
love heaven. God has adopted him as
his fon, and made him a free denizen
of his heavenly city ; and has appointed
his own glorious angels to wait on him,
as on the heir of falvation and candi
date for eternal glory. Can we then
think it hard to love him whom God
thus loves and thus delights to honor ?
BUT if it be eafy to love a perfon of
eminent dignity and excellence, it be
comes eafier and pleafanter ftill to love
him.
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 307
him, if he be a near kinfman and friend.
Well, this is truly the cafe betwixt our
neighbour and us. He is our near rela
tion our brother bone of our bono,
and flefh of our flefh. God kindly raif-
ed him up to be unto us as a companion
and a help-mate, to lighten our burdens,
to multiply our comforts, and, like dear
children walking in love, to enjoy toge
ther the rich fruits of our mutual in-
duftry, rejoicing in the prefent bounties
of our common parent, and exulting
in the hopes of better yet to come.
AND as if all thefe tender and en
dearing circumflances were not fuffi-
cient, God himfelf has put forth his
hand, and touched our hearts with fen-
timents of good will towards each other.
THESE native fentiments of love, thefe
dear remains of God's own image, origin
ally ftamped on our minds, appear very
vifible in all, even in thofe unfortunates,
whofe
308 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
whofe hard lot and corrupting compa
nions have done much to ftifle them.
TAKE you pooreft of men ! whs
gleans precarious and fcanty bread, by
hard and humble toil. His four looks
and crabbed manners give room to fup-
peb that he is a mifanthrope, an utter
ftranger to natural qffeftion ; but the
flighted experiment will foon difcover
what tender fympathies unite him to his
kind.
You need not tell him o flourilhing
cities, with all their gay inhabitants,
fwallowed up by the devouring fword,
or ruthlefs flames, while mourning mil
lions loaded with chains, are driven far
from their native homes to make room
for new mafters. No ; fuch horrid tra
gedies are not neceflary to touch the
fprings of his compaflion. Let him but
hear the fong of Chevy Chafe, or the
tender ballad of the Babes in the Wood ;
or carry him to the Theatre, and lei
him
THE IMMORTAL MENTOR. 309
him hear, though but in a play, in mere
fiftion, the ftory of poor Barnwell, let
him behold that unfortu nate young m an,
who fet out in life adorned with com ely
virtues, and the darling of all who knew
him ; but foon alas ! too foon, arrefted
by a beauteous harlot, he falls an eafy
prey to her wiles, is ftript of all his
virtues and honors, and betrayed into
crimes for which he dies on the igno
minious gallows. 'Tis enough, this fim-
pie tale o_f woe calls up all his feelings
of generous diftrefs, and bathes his
cheeks in floods of fympathetic tears.
DOES not this our ready difpofition
to fuffer with our fuffering neighbour,
and to weep with him when he weeps ,
plainly prove how much God has done
to make it eafy for us to love one ano
ther. To this he has added another
charming evidence, I mean the inex-
preffible joy which he infufes into our
hearts-
310 THE IMMORTAL MENTOR.
hearts on doing works of love to the
neceffitous.
cc PRAY fir," faid a young Virginian
to his friend, " on what aft of your
" life do you refleft with the highefl
" complacency ?" " Why fir," replied
the other, " happening to hear that an
" old flave of my father's was fick, I went
" up to his quarter to fee him. On enqui-
M ry, I found, that in confequence of his
" extreme age, and inability to render
" further fervices in the crop, he was
" cruelly neglefted by the overfeer, and
" often made to fuffer for a meal of vic-
<* tuals. Blufhing to find that this was
" the principal caufe of his prefent in-
" difpofition, I mftantly returned, and
" taking a negro lad, carried up a flitch
" of bacon, a loaf of bread, and a peck
" of meal. On feeing the prefent which
" I had brought him, his half-famifhed