on this matter, it is the province of jurors to determine; they are to give the verdict; and

for such an outrage against the decencies of society, may order the ghastly corps to rot with infamy!

But spare the dismal inquisition, thou who art sometimes conscious of having indulged the dreadful thought of tearing asunder the silver cords of life; spare the agonizing consequences of such a deed to those, who dearly love thee! save thy memory from a charge so vile! rebuke the infernal spirit, which whispers suicide to thy relief-suffer not the provoking enemy to take advantage of thy distracted brain: let him not cheat thee out of the precious boon of life; nor decoy, by any artifice, the living principle from the frame to which it is now attached, lest that deceptious monitor should revile thee afterward in the regions of unutterable darkness! Forbear! oh forbear! the base design of suicide, and instantly fly the deadly instrument!

On

On bended knees to Heaven, implore protection from the God of strength, thou, who art now assaulted with temptation! Open that book, which never failed to administer the sweetest consolation in every instance of human misery, and to all, without exception, save only the self determined reprobate!

Address then that compassionate Father, who resides in Heaven, but still watches the things which are done on earth, to succour and forgive thee! An invisible hand will presently dispel the cloud, and some good thing will happen to thee! Live, therefore, and enjoy it-live! and do good to others!

ESSAY VII.

LYING.

THERE is scarcely to be found among the various descriptions of mankind, an individual, who, with the errors of his character, will allow it to be tainted with the name of LIAR! for in that vice there is something so peculiarly odious and mean, that the mere charge is no sooner made, than it is resisted with violence! Happy would it be for society, if the practice of this crime was as resolutely abhorred.

In truth, there is something so truly amiable, that, through her candour and openness,

she

she seldom fails to atone for her severity, by securing to her votaries admiration and respect, and by moderating resentment which, otherwise had been aggravated.

Mutual confidence is no less the security than it is the happiness of social intercourse; but falsehood lurks in ambush, to impair the one, and destroy the other; like the assassins of Cæsar, who prostrated themselves at his feet, that they might stab him with greater certainty, so does falsehood artfully put on the lovely dress of truth, the better to disguise its base design.

However successful to immediate purposes, lying may appear to be, yet in some most unexpected way or other, this paltry refuge is usually detected and as constantly exposed:

"Of all the vices, (says the celebrated Lord Chesterfield) there is not one more criminal, more mean, and more ridiculous than lying.

The

The end we design by it is very seldom accomplished, for lies are always found out at one time or other; and yet there are persons who give way to this vice, who are otherwise of good principles, and have not been ill educated.

"Lies generally proceed from vanity, cowardice, and a revengeful disposition, and sometimes from a mistaken notion of self-defence.

"He who tells a malicious lie, with a view of injuring the person he speaks of, may gratify his wish for a while, but will, in the end, find it recoil upon himself; for, as soon as he is detected, (and detected he most certainly will be), he is despised for the infamous attempt; and whatever he may say hereafter of that person, will be considered as false, whether it be so or not.

"If a man lies, shuffles, or equivocates, for in fact they are all alike, by way of excuse

for