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uch if fome one or more, in comnot benefitted by it. (4. If none fent are bettered by fuch a pub. ny against vice, yet it mot leave under fuch a conviction of the d merit of virtue, as may fome ther prevail.

ESSAY LII.

PUBLIC SPIRIT.

JBLIC spirit is a generosity of temper, arising from the principle of al benevolence, and is directly opo a narrow, selfish, contracted temhich feeks only its own private inte›leasure and advantage.

A truly public fpirited perfon, does deed, neglect himfelf as an individu. his family, as parts of himfef; but s not live for himself or his family his generous heart devifeth liberal and takes pleasure in forming and projects for the good of manwhofe intereft he feels his own be closely and infeparably conthe contrary, a celfish person, he virtue of public fuirit, has fxed on that dear idol bim. confiders his family a mes and projects t

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3. As it renders those who have thus conquered, the better qualified to advife and fuccor those that are tempted, and gives them a better right to do fo.

4. As it fhews us experimentally the power put into our hands to conquer other temptations, and tends to humble and give us remorse for not having availed ourselves of this power upon former occafions.

5. As it tends to beget gratitude in us towards that Being, by whofe grace alone we are enabled to conquer any temptation; and teaches us on whom to rely, and whence to draw our fuccors, in future trials. And,

6. As it is beating the devil in the field of battle, depriving him of a triumph, and difcouraging him from farther attempts up

on us.

10. We may make the refifling of temptations useful to others, in various ways: As, (1.) If we are folicited by any particu lar perfon to fin, to refift his folicitation, may be a means of reforming him. (2.) On fome occafions it may be lawful and ufeful to encourage and fupport the tottering virtue of others, by informing them of our fuccefs; or by relating it under the fictitious name of fome third perfon: As, I have known a perfon, who was thus tempted, and thus refifted.' (3.) If the temptation is of a public kind, he who refifts it, preaches a loud fermon against vice;

and it is much if fome one or more, in com. pany, are not benefitted by it. (4.) If none for the prefent are bettered by fuch a public teftimony against vice, yet it must leave the guilty, under fuch a conviction of the power and merit of virtue, as may fome time or other prevail.

ESSAY LII.

PUBLIC SPIRIT.

1. PUBLIC spirit is a generosity of temper, arifing from the principle of univerfal benevolence, and is directly op pofed to a narrow, selfish, contracted tem per, which feeks only its own private interefts, pleasure and advantage. ›

2. A truly public fpirited perfon, does not, indeed, neglect himfelf as an individual, nor his family, as parts of himself; but he does not live for himfelf or his family alone; his generous heart devifeth liberal things, and takes pleafure in forming fchemes and projects for the good of mankind, with whofe intereft he feels his own intereft to be clofely, and infeparably connected. On the contrary, a selfish personi deftitute of the virtue of public fpirit, has his eye chiefly fixed on that dear idol himself (of which he confiders his family as a part.) All his schemes and projects termil

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nate there, and he takes little or no pleafure in any advantage, or honor, but what comes in to this dear idol.

3. Whatever promotes the public honor or good; whatever fcheme brings or offers benefit to one's country, or tends to promote its credit and reputation among ftrangers, gives a peculiar pleafure to the public fpirited perfon, and he is ready to encourage, fupport and affift it, to the utmoft of his power. If he has not the talent of projecting fuch schemes himself, he readily falls in with them when propofed, and is fo far from needing to be prompted to join in them, that he rejoices in having an oppor tunity of doing public good, which is his favorite ruling paffion. And if he can do but little himself in gratifying fo benevolent a paffion, he labors to encourage others, who are better able. On the contrary, the selfish man, has a thousand prudential reafons against confenting to a scheme which might coft him fomething: 'It will 'beggar the public; it will opprefs the 'poor; it is impracticable; or it will never anfwer the end propofed.'-If he is outvoted by a majority, he confents with reluctance, and is for bringing the terms of expense as low as poffible, always having an eye to self.—If for fhame he is obliged to contribute, the hesitating manner in which he does it, or the boafts he makes of it,

give plain evidence that he did it unwillingly. If the fcheme mifcarries, or does not answer the intention, he reproaches andabufes the projectors, and makes this an argument against all future public fpirited projects.

4. A truly public spirited person has a real, fenfible pleasure in the prosperity and fuccefs of his neighbors, and heartily feels for their adversity and ill fortune. It would give his generous benevolent heart a refined pleasure to fee all profperous, all rich, all healthy, all happy, all honored and efteemed:And when he fees the reverfe, he feels for the calamity of his neighbors, and is himself the lefs happy amidst his own health, honor, fuccefs, and abundance. On the contrary, the selfish man has an unfeeling heart towards his neighbor.—Is he happy and profperous himfe? He hugs and bleffes himself in his good fortune: He facrifices to his own net, and burns incenfe to his own dreg. He imputes it to his own industry, diligence, honefty or integrity, and has no pity for his neighbor's misfortunes, which, according to him, are all owing to fome neglect or mifconduct on his part. In fhort, he feels only for himself, unaffected either with hearty joy or grief for the good or bad fortune of others.

5. The public fpirit of a place may be pretty certainly inferred, from the monu

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