find this Precept in the Text of the utmost Weight and Importance; a Precept, which every Man ought for ever to have upon his Mind, and continually to form his Conduct by. Let Love be without Diffimulation.

From these Words I fhall proceed to confider the feveral Kinds and Degrees of diffembled and real Love, enter into their moral Characters, and fhew you their Tendencies and Confequences, how they affect our own Happiness, and the Happiness of other

Perfons.

The first Kind of diffembled Love, I fhall take notice of, is that of general Complaifance, without any Meaning. This is a Compound of Good nature, Good-breeding, no small Degree of Vanity, and but a weak Understanding; and if we would give it any Figure in the World, we must add, a confiderable Fortune. Where these Characters unite in one Perfon, we

find him exceeding gracious, full of Expreffions of great Regard, and uncommon Tenders of Friendship to almoft every one he meets, without any Diftinction or Judgment; which are all forgot, as foon as the Perfon's Back is turn'd. Preffing Invitations, a violent Concern for your Intereft, Acknowledgements of Favours never received, Offers of thofe that never were intended, an Affectation of great Power and Influence, Admiffions of all Kinds and Degrees of Flattery, and an equally profufe Return of them, are the principal Branches in this Character. The Mischiefs and Evils that follow from it are many, tho' they are not generally of the worft Sort. As a very little Sagacity will fuffice to fee through this Conduct, fo it rather yields Men of tolerable Senfe a Diverfion, than threatens them with any Danger: But as there are a Multitude of Perfons as eager to court a Patron,

as

as these fort of Patrons are to create Dependants, fo it is often found to draw many Perfons into falfe Expectations, from whence real Difappointments and Injuries follow. When we are once weak enough to attend to false Proteftations of Friendship, and to be charm'd with falfe Difplays of Power, and to build on them, tho' our Foundation often fails us, we are ftill apt to build on. Plausible Excuses are made; the next Opportunity is beautify'd to our View; we are tenacious of our Hopes, and credulous in our Wishes; we ourselves affift the Deceit; we outgo the Treachery of our pretended Friend; we forge Promifes far beyond his Meaning; fupport our Belief to avoid the Ridicule of others. Thus we wafte our Time, neglect better Opportunities, and spend our Lives in the Purfuit of Shadows: a Chace not only vain and idle, but often expensive and O 4

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dangerous. Where Men of this Character happen to be in high Stations, and to have real Power and Influence, the Confequences are proportionably worfe. Such Men must have many Dependants; the more they have, as they are in their feveral Ways their Agents, fo the more extenfive must the Patron's Intereft and Influence be; and the more Dependants there are, the more ftill must be disappointed. Here we fee thoufands led into vain Hopes, and facrificing their Lives and Fortunes to the most foolish Expectations. As the Affectation of Power and Influence, and the oftentatious Profeffions of Friendship from the Vain, are frequently depended on by the Weak and Simple; fo this Dependance will often bring the Patron himfelf into Difficulties and Inconveniences: And perhaps the whole World cannot exhibit a more ridiculous and abfurd Scene, than the Struggle which

arifes betwixt pompous Invitations, and the low Tricks and mean Artifices made use of to get quit of them. That great Man is indeed a great Man, whofe Word in those Circumstances is facred, whofe Promise is inviolable, who can deal plainly and honeftly withthofe, whom he has either no Power or Inclination to ferve.

The next Kind of diffembled Love, I fhall take notice of, is that of the Self-interested, who are perpetually laying Schemes, and contracting Friendfhips, and doing Services to others, with no other View but their own Advancement. The Men of this Character generally pursue their Ends very clofely; they are wife in their Generation: Hence, as foon as their Turn is ferved, or if they can find a more proper Perfon to ferve it by their Zeal cools, and the fame Profeffions are made and Services offered to any Person whatsoever, that is likely

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