ous, the covetous, or the ambitious man, lies to the means of pleasure, gain, or power. Yet this is the boasted liberty, which vice promises, as the recompenfe of fetting us free from the falutary reftraints of virtue. SECTION XIII. The Man, of Integrity. BLAIR. IT will not take much time to delineate the character of the man of integrity, as by its nature it is a plain one, and eafily understood. He is one, who makes it his conftant rule to follow the road of duty, according as the word of God, and the voice of his confcience, point it out to him. He is not guided merely by affections, which may fometimes give the colour of virtue to a loose and unftable character. The upright man is guided by a fixed principle of mind, which determines him to esteem nothing but what is honourable; and to abhor whatever is bafe and unworthy, in moral conduct. Hence we find him ever the fame; at all times, the trusty friend, the affectionate relation, the confcientious man of bufinefs, the pious worshipper, the public spirited citizen. He affumes no borrowed appearance. mask to cover him; for he acts no ftudied part ; but he is indeed what he appears to be, full of truth, candour, and humanity. In all his purfuits, he knows no path but the fair and direct one; and would much rather fail of fuccefs, than attain it by reproachful means. He never fhows us a smiling countenance, while he meditates evil He eeks no against us in his heart. He never praises us among our friends; and then joins in traducing us among our enemies. We fhall never find one part of his character at variance with another. In his manners, he is fimple and unaffected; in all his proceedings, open and confiftent. BLAIR. SECTION XIV. ' On Gentleness. I begin with diftinguishing true gentleness from paffive tameness of spirit, and from unlimited compliance with the manners of others. That paffive tamenefs, which fubmits, without oppofition, to every encroachment of the violent and affuming, forms no part of Christian duty; but, on the contrary, is deftruétive of general happiness and order. That unlimited complaifance, which, on every occafion, falls in with the opinions and manners of others, is fo far from being a virtue, that it is itfelf a vice, and the parent of many vices It overthrows all fteadiness of principle; and produces that finful conformity with the world which taints the whole character. In the prefent corrupted ftate of human manners, always to affent and to comply, is the very worst maxim we can adopt. It is impoffible to fupport the purity and dignity of Christian morals, without oppofing the world on various occafions, even though we should ftand alone. That gentlenefs therefore, which belongs to virtue, is to be carefully distinguished from the mean fpirit of cowards, and the fawning affent of fycophants. It renounces no juft right from fear. It gives up no important truth from flattery. It is indeed not only confiftent with a firm mind, but it neceffarily requires a manly fpirit, and a fixed principle, in order to give it any real value. Upon this folid ground only, the polish of gentlenefs can with advantage be fuperinduced. Compaffion Forbearance It stands oppofed, not to the moft determined regard for virtue and truth, but to harshness and feverity, to pride and arrogance, to violence and oppreffion. It is, properly, that part of the great virtue of charity, which makes us unwilling to give pain to any of our brethren. prompts us to relieve their wants. prevents us from retaliating their injuries. nefs restrains our angry paffions; candour, our fevere judgments, Gentleness corrects whatever is offenfive in our manners; and, by a conftant train of humane attentions, ftudies to alleviate the burden of common mifery. Its office, therefore, is extenfive. It is not, like fome other virtues, called forth only on peculiar emergencies; but it is continually in action, when we are engaged in intercourse with men. It ought to form our address, to regulate our fpeech, and to diffuse itfelf over our whole behaviour. We must not, however, confound this gentle "wifdom which is from above," with that artificial courtesy, that studied fmoothness of manners, which is learned in the school of the world. Such accomplishments, the moft frivolous and empty may poffefs. Too often they are employed by the artful as a fnare; too often affected by the hard and unfeeling, as a cover to the bafenefs of their minds. We cannot, at the fame time, avoid obferving the homage, which, even in fuch inftances, the world is conftrained to pay to virtue, In order to render fociety agreeable, it is found. neceffary to affume fomewhat, that may at least carry its appearance. Virtue is the univerfal charm. Even its fhadow is courted, when the fubftance is wanting. The imitation of its form. has been reduced into an art; and, in the commerce of life, the firft ftudy of all who would ei ther gain the esteem, or win the hearts of others, is to learn the fpeech, and to adopt the manners, of candour, gentleness, and humanityBut that gentleness which is the characteristic of a good. man, has, like every other virtue, its feat in the heart and let me add, nothing except what flows from the heart, can render even external manners truly pleafing. For no affumed behaviour can at all times hide the real character. In that unaf fected civility which fprings from a gentle mind, there is a charm infinitely more powerful, than in all the studied manners of the most finished courtier. : True gentlenefs is founded on a fenfe of what we owe to HIM who made us, and to the common nature of which we all fhare. It arifes from reflection on our own failings and wants; and from just views of the condition, and the duty of man. It is native feeling, heightened and improved by principle. It is the heart which eafily relents; which feels for every thing that is human; and is backward and flow to inflict the leaft wound. It is affable in its address, and mild in its demeanour ; ever ready to oblige, and willing to be obliged by others; breathing habitual kindness towards enemies. friends, courtesy to ftrangers, long-fuffering to It exercises authority with moderation; adminifters reproof with tenderness; confers favours with ease and modefty. It is unaffuming in opinion, and temperate in zeal. It contends not cagerly about trifles; flow to contradict, and still flower to blame; but prompt to allay diffenfion, and to reftore peace, It neither intermeddles unneceffarily with the affairs, nor pries inquifitively into the fecrets of others. It delights above all things to alleviate diftrefs; and, if it cannot dry up the falling tear, to footh at least the grieving heart. Where it has not the power of being ufeful, it is never burdenfome. It feeks to pleafe, rather than to fhine and dazzle; and conceals with care that fuperiority, either of talents, or of rank, which is oppreffive to those who are beneath it, In a word, it is that spirit and that tenour of manners, which the gofpel of Chrift enjoins, when it commands us "to bear one another's burdens; to rejoice with thofe who rejoice; and to weep with thofe who weep; to please every one his neighbour for his good; to be kind and tender-hearted; to be pitiful and courteous; to fupport the weak, and to be patient towards all men." BLAIR. |