SECTION IV. 49 How different a character is this from what multitudes as- aulne in our day ? Howmany are impatient ofobscurity and yet Worthless of observation ! They are daily and hourly pushing forward into every company and fond of sheaving themselves to the world betimes, while their talents are veryfew and their furniture exceeding 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 occa- sion, 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 Ile makes them often hear hisjests over again till they are weary, and is ever acquainting new company with the pertrepartees that he had made some days before. These forward and conceited creatures will make the world know all their talents of body and mind, and will carefully spread abroad those possessions ofequi- page or title, which help to support their pride : and as a noble author expresses, " they are so top-full of self that they spillIt upon all the company ;" and a nobler person than he confirms the reason, Out of the abundance of their heart the mouth speak- eth; Mat. xii. 34. And surely if the vessel of the heart were not brim-full of self it would not be always runningover at the lips. They regard not the advice of the wisest ofmen ; Prob. xxvii, 9. Let anotherpraise thee and not thy ownmouth ; not thy lips, but the lips ofa stranger. Besides these vain and shameful boasters there is another tribeof creatures who areas vain adorers of self ; but they put on a disguise that they may more effectually and secretly secure the praises of their dear and beloved idol. You shall hear them now and then invent an occasion, without any incident leading to it, to drop some lessening, word concerning themselves,that the com- pany may give them the pleasure of contradicting them. It is not that these appearing self-abasers believe a word of what they say, nor is it said with a desire that you should believe them, when. they express their mean esteem of their own talents or vir- tues ; but they are exceeding fond to, hear themselves talked of to advantage, and when they give you this oscasion, they expect your civility should incline you to take it. These per- sons are always angling,for praise, and some of them practise in so gross and inartificial a manner, that the designof their vanity too plainly discovers itself, Thebait is lost because the hook appears; and when theyhave made a speech oftheir own unwor- thiness, the companysometimes is so just and so wise as to allow Them to be in the right, and so complaisant as not to contradict them : But then how abject, how mortified and simple they look under thé painful disappointment ! They fished for honour and to their sore regret they caught the truth. O when shall this Vox.. nnz, D
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