SËCT. IVA IN REGARD TO OVRSEL'G'`ES: 4951 circumstances, and fix him in a point of light andhonour, he shall be the last man that proclaims the justice which the world bath done him, and ascribes it all to the favour of God and man. He carries none of those meannesses about him by which little souls always distinguish them- selves, and betray and expose their folly ; for they are vainly fond of their own new title and character, and speedy in demanding due notice of it from others.. The humble man practised the true sublime in his lower stafr tion, and you see nothing exalted in him now, though his inward worth is rendered more conspicuous. His friends and his kindred find him the same man still. His gar- ments of honour sit close about him and swell not his figure or appearance. His titles add nothing to his own idea of himself, nor dó they tempt him to assume any peculiar airs. He does not imagine that his opinions are now grown more sacred or more worthy to be imposed, nor does he give a loose to any of his passions with more freedom or sovereignty. Before the hour of his advance- merit he was a diamond in a cabinet, and he shone at home and gave light and beauty to what was near him : And now he is the samejewel set in a public ornament of gold to glitter and give light to the world, but he owns that he borrows it all from heaven. Place him on high and displace him again, his constant business is to ap- prove himself to God and to remember that he is but a man. How different a character is this from what multi- tudes assume in our day ? How many are impatient of obscurity and yet worthless of observation ! They are daily and hourly pushing forward into every company and fond of shewing themselves to the world betimes, while their talents are very few and their furniture ex- ceeding slender. The vain man is not content to enjoy the common pleasures of conversation, but he assumes the first place in it, and affects to outshine all the circle. He is not satisfied to have said a wise or a witty thing upon a proper occasion, or to tell it perhaps to a friend, but without any occasion at all, he must once a week, repeat his wise sayings to the world : He makes them often hear his jests over again till they are weary, and is ever acquainting new company with the pert repartees that he had made some days before. These forward and K
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