breach of what the world terms honefty, have confidered as our own. But, (thank God !) flaves as we had been to the world, we had better notions of moral rectitude. It was unfit. that we should accumulate for ourselves, while there exifted a fingle perfon that could fay, we had done him wrong. We fet apart this fum. as the beginning of a fund for the payment of that equitable claim which yet remained to our creditors; and it is now fome years fince we could boast of having faithfully discharged the laft farthing of our debts. The pleasure attendant on this reflection, you may conceive, but I cannot defcribe. How poor, in comparison to it, are the selfish gratifications of vanity, the mean indulgence of pampered appetites, and all the train of luxurious enjoy-ments, when bought at the expence of confcience!

"Since my refidence here, I have more than once made a vifit to town on an errand of bufinefs. I there fee the fame scenes as formerly; and others intoxicated, like myself, with the fame giddy pleasures. To me the magical de-lufion is at an end; and I wonder where lay the charm which once had fuch a power of fafcination. But one fpecies of pleasure I have enjoyed from these vifits, which I cannot omit to mention; the affectionate welcome I have re

ceived from the most respectable of my old acquaintance. I read from their countenances their approbation of my conduct; and in their kindness mingled with refpect, I have a reward valuable in proportion to the worth of those who bestow it. Nor is the pleasure less which I derive from the regard and esteem of my honeft neighbours in the country. Of their characters I had formed a very unfair estimate, when feen through the medium of my own distempered mind; and in their fociety my Lucinda and I enjoy, if not the refined pleasures of polished intercourse, the more valuable qualities of fincerity, probity, and good fenfe.

"Such, Sir, for these fourteen years past, has been my manner of life; nor do I believe I fhall ever exchange it for another. The term of my lease has, within that period, been renewed in my own name, and that of my fon. If a more active life fhould be his choice, he is free to pursue it. I should be content with the reflection of having bestowed on him a better patrimony than I myself enjoyed,—a mind uncorrupted by the prospect of hereditary affluence, and a constitution tempered to the virtuous habits of industry and fobriety."

Here Mr. Saintfort made an end of his story. I have given it as nearly as I could in his own words;.

words; and judging it to afford an example not unworthy to be recorded, I tranfmit it in that view to the author of a work which bids. fair to pafs down to pofterity.I am, Sir,. yours,

J. Dr.

N° 71. SATURDAY, June 10, 1786.

Quærite nunc habeat quam noftra fuperbia caufam.

THERE is no complaint more

OVID.

common

than that which is made against the pride of wealth. The claim of fuperiority which refts upon a circumftance fo adventitious as that of fuddenly acquired riches, is universally decried as the infolent pretenfion of mean and illiberal minds, and is refifted with a greater degree of fcorn and indignation, than perhaps any other encroachment of vanity or felf-importance.

Yet one might obferve in those who are loudeft in the cenfure of this weaknefs, a certain. fhame of being poor, which in a great measure juftifies the pride of being rich. One may trace this in their affectation of indifference to all thofe pleasures and conveniencies which riches procure, and in the eulogium they often make, in despite of their own real feelings, of the oppofite circumftances. When they are at pains to declare how much better the plain difh and. home-brewed liquor fuits their tafte than the

high-feafoned ragout and the high-priced wine, what is it but difguising their inability to procure the luxury under the pretence of their preferring its oppofite. Poverty, in this cafe, flies from her own honourable tattered colours, to join the fresh and flaunting standard of Wealth; fhe allows the power of those very external circumstances by which Wealth lays claim to a fuperiority. The dignity of her station fhould be fupported on other grounds: the little value of thofe external circumftances in which Wealth has the advantage, when compared with the virtues and qualities which money cannot buy, when fet in competition with that native purity and elevation of mind, which in the acquifition of wealth we frequently forfeit, and in its poffeffion we frequently destroy.

Both in those who poffefs riches and in those who want them, false pretenfion often defeats. itfelf. It would often be for the honour of Wealth if he could lay down his infolence, and for the happiness of Poverty if she could fmooth her fcorn. True benevolence and delicacy would teach both their proper duties, and preferve thofe cordial charities of life, which, in different ftations and in different circumstances, promote alike the comfort of individuals, and the general advantage of fociety.

But