L

Liberality, Prodigality.

Iberality is oftentimes nothing else but the Vanity of Giving, of which we are more fond than the Things we give.

There goes a great deal of Art and Address to make a Denial go down, and by fair and civil Expreffions, to fupply the Kindness we cannot grant.

There are a fort of Perfons that fay No fo very naturally, that their No always ufhers in whatever they are about to fay. This renders them fo difagreeable, that though they be prevail'd upon with much Importunity to grant any Requeft, yet all the Grace and Commendation of fuch Grants are utterly loft by fo very untoward a beginning.

All things are not to be granted at all times, nor all Men to be gratified: And it is altogether as commendable to refufe, upon Occafion, ། as to give. This makes fome People's No better received than other Peoples Yes. A Denial, accompanied with Sweetnefs and Civility, pleafes more a Man of Understanding, than a Courtesie granted coldly and rudely.

We engage others more effectually to ferve us by Promifes, than by Prefents; for while Men are kept upon the Tenters, they endeavour to deferve thofe Kindneffes they expect from

us.

* He that gives to all without Difcretion, will foon ftand in need of every Body,

"

He that defers Charity till Death, is rather Liberal of another Man's, than of his

own.

Liberality does not confift fo much in giving largely, as in giving feasonably.

There is fomething Heroical in great Liberality, as well as in great Valour; and there is a great Analogy between those two Virtues; the one raises the Soul above the Confideration of Wealth, as the other beyond the Management and Defire of Life. But with all thefe Gay and Generous Motives, the one becomes Ruinous, and the other Fatal.

There are fome Men, jealous of the Honour of their Motions, who refufe all things at the Infpirations of others, because they would not be prevented in their Defigns, and troubled in the order of the good they would do. That may proceed fometimes from a good Principle, and be met with in very lofty Souls; but for the most part they are Difhoneft, Jealous, and falfe Niceties of Honour, which produce a true Repugnancy to the doing of Favours.

Thofe whom crofs Accidents of Fortune have undone, are pity'd by all the World, because it is a Misfortune the Condition of Humanity fubmits us to: But those who are reduc'd to Mifery by Vain Profufion, raife more Contempt than Commiferation; because it is the ilue of a peculiar Folly, from which every Man has the good conceit to think himself exempt.

1

F

C

Love.

'N Friendship we take notice of those Failings that may prejudice our Friends: In Love we never fee in the Party beloved, but thofe Defects only by which we are offended.

There is but the first Quarrel in Love, as the first Fault in Friendship, which may turn to good ac

count.

Coldnefs or Slacknefs in Friendship, has generally a Caufe: In Love there is most commonly no other reafon for People loving no more, than their having lov'd too much.

Both the Beginning and Decay of Love, fhew themselves by the Uneafinefs and Trouble Lovers are in, when they are together by themfelves.

When a Man has a Paffion for an ill-favour'd Woman, it must needs be an extraordinary one: For either his Love proceeds from his own Weaknefs, or is influenc'd by more fecret and irresistible Charms than those of Beauty.

When a Paffion is worn out, we often vifit a Miftrefs out of Cuftom; and tell one another that we love still, when our Actions teftifie that we love

no more.

Being abfent from what we love, is a Good, in comparison of living with what we

bate.

T

As difinterested as a Man may be, either in Friendship or Love, he ought fometimes to put a Constraint upon himself, and be fo generous as to receive a Prefent.

Love is to the Soul of a Lover, what the Soul is to the Body.

It is very hard to give a juft Definition of Love, the most we can fay of it, is this: That in the Soul, it is a greedy Defire to Govern; in Spirits, it is a Sympathy; and in the Body, it is only a nice and fecret Longing to enjoy the thing beloved, after a great deal of Bustle and Formality.

If there be any fuch thing as Love pure, and untainted with the Mixture of any other Paffion, it is that which lurks in the deepest Receflès of our Hearts, unknown to our felves.

Love has fuch peculiar diftinguishing Characters, that it is as hard to hide it when true, as to diffemble it when false.

Confidering how little the Beginning or the Ceafing to love, is in our own Power, it is equally unreasonable for a Lover to complain of his Miftrefs's Fickleness, as for a Miftrefs of her Love's Inconftancy.

If we judge of Love according to most of its Effects, we hall find that it more refembles Hatred than Friendship.

Love can no more continue without a constant motion, than Fire can; and it ceafes to be, when it ceases either to Hope or Fear.

It is with true Love, as it is with Ghofts and Ap paritions, a thing that every body talks of, and fcarce any body has feen.

We father upon Love feveral Dealings and Intercourses, in which it is no more concern'd, than the Doge is, in all that is done at Venice.

When we have loved our felves weary, the kindest and most welcome thing that can be, is, the Infidelity of others, which may give us

a fair Pretence to difengage our Faithfulnefs.

The more paffionately a Man loves his Mistress, the readier he is to hate her.

When a Woman has once given her felf over to entertain Love, Loving is then the least Fault she can be guilty of.

Some Perfons had never been in love, had they never been entertain'd with any difcourfe of it.

The greatest Pleafure of Love, is Loving; and a Man is more happy in his own Paffron, than in that he influences in another.

Abfence cools moderate Paffions, and inflames violent ones; just as the Wind blows out Candles, but kindles Fires.

It is much easier to usher in Love into one's Breast, than to drive it out when it is once admitted.

In Love, loving but little, proves often the best way to be lov'd again.

The Sincerity which Lovers and their Mistresses bargain for, in agreeing to tell one another when they can love no longer, is not ask'd fo much out of a Defire to know when their Love is at an end, as to be fatisfy'd that Love does really continue, fo long as they are told nothing to the contrary.

In Love, he that's first cur'd, is best cur'd.

To fpeak feelingly of Love, is as coquetish in a young Woman, as 'tis ridiculous in an old Man.

*Love is a kind of penurious God, very niggard of his Opportunities; he must be watch'd like a hardhearted Treasurer; for he bolts out of a fudden, and if you take him not in the nick, he vanishes in a twinkling.

* There