tion of them to things of moment and difficulty,. is real magnanimity.

2. It belongs to magnanimity to afpire after great and valuable poffeffions. It is more difficult properly to illuftrate this as a branch of magnanimity, because of its frequent perversion, which will be afterwards, explained.. It feems, however, to be neceffarily included in the general character. A great mind has great capacities of enjoyment as well as action. And as there is a difference between the bleffings in our view, both in point of dignity and extent, fuch a man will not be easily fatisfied, or put up with what is either mean or fcanty, while he can acquire and poffefs a better and more extenfive portion. The large, and increafing defires of the human mind, have often been made an argument for the dignity of our na ture, and our having been made for fomething that is great and excellent.

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3. It belongs to magnanimity to encounter dangers with resolution. This is infeparable from, and conftitutes a leading part of the character.. Even the most excellent and valuable fervices to mankind, if they are attended with no difficulty at all, or meet with no oppofition, though they retain the character of utility, yet, for want of this circumftance, they lofe that of greatnefs. Courage is always confidered as a great quality; it has had the admiration, or rather adoration, of mankind in every age. Many, when they speak of magnanimity, mean nothing elfe but courage, and when

when they speak of meannefs, have little other idea but that of timidity. Neither is there, I think, any human weakness, that is more the object of contempt and difdain, than cowardice, which, when applied to life in general, is commonly called pufillanimity.

4. It belongs to greatness, to struggle against difficulties with fteadinefs and perfeverance. Perfeverance is nothing elfe but continued and inflexible courage. We fee fome perfons, who fhew the greatest activity and boldness fór a feafon, but time and oppofition weaken their force, and feem, if I may speak so, to exhaust their courage, as if they wafted the power by the exertion. Perfeverance, therefore, is neceffary to greatnefs. Few things are more contrary to this character, than fickleness and unfteadiness. We commonly join together, the characters of weak and changeable.

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5. In the laft place, it belongs to greatnefs to bear sufferings with fortitude and patience. This is a kindred quality to the former, and is neceffary to complete the character of magnanimity. Such is the ftate of human things, that fuffering is in one way or another, wholly unavoidable. It often happens, that difficulties cannot be removed, or enemies cannot be conquered; and then it is the laft effort of greatnefs of mind, to bear the weight of the one or the cruelty of the other, with firmness and patience. This virtue has always been of the greatest reputation. It is a well known faying, of a heathen philosopher, that a great

great man, fuffering with invincible patience, under a weight of misfortunes, is a fight, which even the gods muft behold with admiration.

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Having thus pointed out the principles, or rather enumerated the chief effects of magnanimity, as a natural quality; let us now, in the fecond place, confider what is necessary to give it real value, as a moral virtue. This is of the utmost importance, and muft appear fo, to all who will confider the fubject with attention. That I may fet the matter in as clear a light as possible, obferve, that to render magnanimity a valuable quality, it must further have the following charac

ters.

1. The object of our defires must be just as well as great. Some of the nobleft powers of the human mind, have often been exerted in invading the rights, instead of promoting the interest and happiness of mankind. As the hiftory of the world, is little elfe than the history of human guilt; fo, many of the most illuftrious names, tranfmitted down to us, have been those of the most active and fuccefsful deftroyers of their fellow creatures. There may be, and there have been in fuch perfons, many or most of the ingredients of natural greatnefs of mind, but thefe have only ferved to make the characters, in the eye of reafon, more hideous and deteftable.

2. Our defires ought to be governed by wifdom and prudence, as well as justice. If any perfon either forms difficult projects, or afpires

after

after great poffeffions, and in profecution of his purposes, exerts ever fo much courage, fortitude and patience yet, if thefe defigns are lefs useful, or thefe poffeffions lefs valuable, than others to which he might have applied the fame talents, it cannot deserve the name of true magnanimity. If any perfon, for example, forms a refolution of exerting his skill, in fuch feats or performances as have nothing or very little valuable in them, but that they are difficult and uncommon, I think no man will pretend that he has any title to the character of greatnefs of mind, otherwife a rope-dancer might be a hero: Or, if any perfon should spend a whole life, in the most unwearied application to the fingle purpose of accumulating wealth, however, vaft his defire, or however astonishing his fuccefs, his merit would be very finall. Nay, we must be fenfible that he has loft many opportunities of doing fignal fervice to mankind, and of acquiring more valuable and durable enjoyments, while in purfuit of this, which, after all, will difappoint his hopes.

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3. The principle of action must be honourable, as well as the atchievements illuftrious. If a perfon does things ever fo extraordinary in their nature, overcomes the greatest difficulties, or braves the moft formidable dangers, merely to make his name famous, we must at once perceive how much it detracts even from his name itself. This is not the language of religion only, it is the language of reafon, and the dictate of the human

heart.

heart. An infatiable thirst of praife, is fo far from being amiable, that it is hateful or contemptible. I am fenfible that a thirst of fame, is not only apparent in, but feems to have been confeffed by many of the moft diftinguished heroes of antiquity; but as it certainly does abate, in a good degree, the luftre of their great actions, fo the indulgence that is given them, upon this head, is wholly owing to the difadvantages, they lay under, in a state of Heathenifm, and their ig norance of a better and nobler principle. Nothing, fays an eminent author, can be great, the contempt of which is great ; and, therefore, if a contempt of riches, a neglect of fame, and a readiness to facrifice both to duty and usefulness, is one of the moft glorious characters we can conceive, it is plain, that not the deeds, but the principle is the evidence, and not the head nor the hands of man, but the heart is the feat of genuine greatnefs.

4. In the laft place, in order to real greatness, every attempt must be poffible and rational, perhaps probable. Nothing is more common than to find perfons, under the pretence of great and illuftrious defigas, profecuting what is not of any value when obtained, and at the fame time scarcely poffible, and no way probable to be obtained at all. This is declining altogether from the line of greatnefs, and going into the path of extravagance. Again, fhould any man undertake what he was altogether unable to perform, however ex

cellent.