374 MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS. he receives his friends with a becoming degree of cheerfulness and pleasure, and is much honoured and esteemed by all his ac- quaintance, nor yet beyond his merit. Go visit Thonillo, and he entertains you with nothing but long tiresome complaints of his own pains and ailments; and with a sensible anguish at heart tells you, that he hears Thiron laugh aloud with his companions ; that Thiron rides about at his ease, while he himself is a prisoner ; and while he enlarges upon all the topics that make his own life any way uncomfortable, he takes as. much pains to expatiate upon all the better circumstances of his neighbour; he spreads them abroad in their most ample forms, and with an inward resentment paints out Thiron's hap- piness in glaring colours : he magnifies it to a vast excess in his own fancy, and before his friends, that he may seem to have some reason to support his uneasy comparison, and iris inward dis- quietude of soul. Some of those that visit him, happen to speak well of Thi- ron ; and while they pity his dying circumstances, they mention his virtues with praise. Ah! says Thonillo, my neighbour walks at his pleasure, he is courted and caressed, and he loves those that caress him ; but if they knew all that I have heard of him, they would change their opinion, and regret his honours. Thus Thonillo grows peevish with all around him, and frets away a good part of his own health, because his neighbours are not confined to their chamber too. He loses all his good charac- ter, by endeavouring to sully that of his neighbour nor can you ever please him, unless you find fault with some of his acquaint- ance, and sink their names a little, and diminish their praise. Yet Thonillo thinks himself a very good christian, and thanks God he has no envy belonging to him. Thonillo read the seventy -third psalm this morning, and could not see any thing of his own temper or features there. %% ho will help Thonillo to a pair of spectacles, and assist his eye - sight. I had scarcewritten this, when Sibylla entered the room, and when she had read the paper, " Surely," said she, " you have drawn the picture of Thonillo to the life ; for though I never saw the gentleman, yet I have heard much of him : I know a brother and sister of his, Thonerus and Thonerina, and am ac- quainted with many others of his near relations." XLII. The rough Man softened. EGRIDIA was of a sickly constitution, but she was born of quality ; and having condescended to marry a private gentleman, she assumed a right to be imperious while her distempers made her peevish. She was yoked with a partner of a tall and firm stature, robust and healthy, a man of great courage and rough- .4
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