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THE GUARDIAN .
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4g .
merit where it is not, that it ferves only to make the want of it more conſpicuous. Fair weather is the joy of my ſoul; about noon I behold a blue lky with rapture, and receive great confolation
from the rofy dathes of light which adorn the clourds of the morning and evening. When I am loft among green trees, I do not envy a great
man with a great crowd at his levée. And I often lay aſide thoughts of going to an opera, that
I may enjoy the filent pleaſure of walking by moon-light, or viewing the ſtars ſparkle in their azure ground ; which I look upon as part of
my pofleflions, not without a ſecret indignation at the taſteleſſneſs of mortal men, who, in their race through life overlook the real enjoyments of it.
But the pleaſure which naturally affe &ts a hu man mind with the moſt lively and tranſporting touches, I take to be the ſenſe that we act in the
eye of infinite Wiſdom , Power, and Goodneſs,
that will crown our virtuous endeavours here, with a happinefs hereafter, large as our deſires, and laſting as our immortal fouls.
This is a
perpetual ſpring of gladneſs in the mind. This leffens our calamities, and doubles our joys. Without this the higheſt ſtate of life is intipid, and with it the loweſt is a paradiſe.
What un
natural wretches then are thoſe who can be fo
ſtupid as to imagine a merit, in endeavouring to rob virtue of her ſupport, and a man of his pre fent as well as future bliſs ? But as I have fre
quently taken occaſion to animadvert on that
fpecies of mortals, ſo I propoſe to repeat my ani
