which is health! and while the mind equally participates with the body in this comfort, it is not only in a state of good defence against the boisterous attack of injurious passions, but maintains a greater share, than it would otherwise have, of vigour of intellect, of firmness of nerve, and cheerfulness of heart.

By temperance; which likewise is a cardinal virtue, much more is meant than the negative virtue of not eating or drinking to excess: for the subsequent inconveniences to which some constitutions are particularly liable, may make them very cautious in this respect, and impose on them, very reluctantly, an adequate abstemiousness.

While such a kind of temperance is very rational, it is at best but selfish, and therefore deducts from its merit; especially, so long as other desires, equally gross and voluptuous, but which do not so sensibly punish in

the

the gratification, are allowed their scope of desire: where there is no temptation to vice, there can be no proof of virtue,

The amiableness and real commendation of this virtue are only in those, who resolutely oppose violent inclination, to give place to it, who are volunteers in her cause, and who, not through fear or servility, but from her own beauty and reasonableness obey her injunctions,

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"Happy is the man," says Seneca, in his discourse on a happy life, "that eats only for hunger, and drinks only for thirst, that lives by reason, not by example." "Let us curb," adds he, our appetites, and encou rage virtue, let my bed be plain and clean, and my meat without much expense; occasional experiments of moderation give us the best proofs of firmness,"

"A well-governed appetite is a great part

of liberty, it is the office of temperance to over rule us in our pleasures: some she rejects, others she qualifies and keeps within bounds, it is discretion sometimes to practise temperance, and accustom ourselves to a little; for there are many difficulties, both of time and place, that may force it upon us."

: In commendation of the excellencies of this virtue, whether considered in a moral, religious, or physical point of view; language cannot express enough: but as temperance

usually relates to the simplicity of eating,

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and sobriety to the moderation of drinking, ESSAY XIII.

EXCESS.

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!

IT was the doctrine of Epicurus, that the happiness of mankind consisted in pleasure, not indeed such, as may be supposed to arise, from the indulgence of inordinate appetite, this was never the meaning of that Philosopher; the pleasure which he laboured to recommend to his disciples was, that which flowed from the enjoyments of the mind and the amiableness of virtue: and the best proof of his sincerity in that creed, as well as the best answer to all his opponents, appeared, in the excellent morality of his own life.

He

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He cannot therefore, without being grossly misunderstood, be called, as he usually is, the founder of a voluptuous sect, who lived so abstemiously himself, or the patron of luxurious gormandizers and other excesses, who inculcated on his own disciples the lessons of moderation and temperance as most conducive to the happiness of the soul; ignorantly therefore, as well as falsely, are they called Epicureans, or the followers of Epicurus, who delight in personal sensualities.

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To convey suitable ideas of what is to be understood by the term excess, there is no occasion of many words; but as it is impossible in matters of diet, especially, to lay down such definitions and rules as are appli

cable to every constitution and on every occasion; we shall only state in general

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terms, that whoever is conscious of passing the bounds of rational indulgence, becomes

guilty of excess, and according to the degree and