SECTION III. 37 1V. Low and humble thoughts of ourselves will teach us to 'bear the admonition of our friends with a gentler temper, and receive the blessing with a return of thankfulness : We shall sustain the reproaches of our enemies also with a greater calm of soul, and stand the rudest shock of calumny with a more steady patience. What is it but the pride of our hearts, and the great and sacred imagewhich we frame ofourselves, that makes us so hasty to resent the softest admonition of a friend ? Our hearts and lips stand always ready pressed to vindicate our whole conduct, and sometimes we let loose our fire and thunder on a sudden upon those whogive us the most friendly rebuke. Self is our shining idol, and no man must dare to suppose there is any blemish or spot upon it. Therefore we repay the kindest advice with rail- ing, and revile men for the greatest benefit they can bestow upon us. We form so innocent and so venerable an idea ofourselves, we fancy our beloved selves to be so wise, so unblameable andper- fect, that we cannot endure to hear or suspect there are any fail- ings belonging to us, and we resent it as an high offence when they are pointed out to us by the gentlest hand.. We are jealous of every thing that opposes our opinion, that censures our con- duct, or in the Most friendly language discovers our mistakes : Passion and resentment are ever upon the watch and stand ready to take the alarm ; the eyes and the tongue are swift to discover the inward ferment, to publish and betray the pride of the heart. O that each of us would but honestly enquire, " Is this my pic- ture ? Are these the features of my soul? Do I ever wear this aspect, or assume these airs ?" But alas, which of us, O my friends, is entirely innocent andblameless here ? How few follies had anyof us carried into aged life, if we had not had too much pride and self-flatteryto invite and encourage the admonitions of our acquaintance, who saw these budding fooleries in younger years ? But we were too rich, or too wise, or too vain to bear a reprover ; and thus our vices are grown tip with us to shame our greyhairs, and are now too much mingled with our natures ever to be rooted out. While we maintain this temper of mind, it is no wonder we cannot bear the ruder reproaches of the world, nor confine our- selves in that dangerous moment within any bounds of sobriety' or patience. Wekindle on a sudden into undue rage, we swell and burn with inward indignation and indulge pur lips in a wild revenge : Or sometimes perhaps the pride of our souls mingled with a particular constitution of body sinks under the assaults of scandal with a shameful cowardice, and almost dies with abject- ness ofspirit ; for courage is not always anattendant upon pride ; The vain man is not always an hero. O unhappy creature, that is thus galled inwardly with every c 3
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