NUMB. 149. TUESDAY, August 20, 1751. Hoc non fit verbis: Marce, ut ameris, amaş SIR, To the RAMBLER. No depravity of the mind has been more frequently or justly cenfured than ingratitude. There is indeed fufficient reafon for looking on those that can return evil for good, and repay kindnefs and affiftance with hatred or neglect, as corrupted beyond the common degrees of wickednefs; nor will he who has once been clearly detected in acts of injury to his benefactor, deferve to be numbered among focial beings; he has endeavoured to deftroy confidence, to intercept fym fympathy, and to turn every man's attention wholly on himself.. THERE is always danger left the honeft abhorrence of a crime fhould raise the paffions with too much violence against the man to whom it is imputed. In proportion as guilt is more enormous, it ought to be ascertained by ftronger evidence. The charge against ingratitude is very general; almost every man can tell what favours he has conferred upon infenfibility, and how much happiness. he has bestowed without return; but perhaps. if these patrons and protectors were confronted with any whom they boaft of having befriended, it would often appear that they over-rate their benevolence, that they confulted only their pleasure or vanity, and repaid themselves their petty donatives by, gratifications of infolence and indulgence of contempt, IT has happened that much of my time. has been pafled in a dependant ftate, and confequently I have received many favours in the opinion of those at whose expence I have been maintained; yet I do not feel in in my heart any burning gratitude or tumultuous affection; and as I would not willingly fuppofe myself lefs fufceptible of virtuous paffions than the rest of mankind, I fhall lay the hiftory of my life before life before you, that you may by your judgment of my conduct, either reform or confirm my present fentiments. My father was the fecond fon of a very antient and wealthy family. He married a lady of equal birth, whose fortune, joined to his own, might have fupported him and his pofterity in honour and plenty; but being gay and ambitious, he prevailed on his friends, to procure him a poft, which gave him opportunity of difplaying in publick his elegance and politenefs. My mother was equally pleased with fplendor, and equally careleís of expence; they both juftified their profufion to themselves, by endeavouring to believe it neceffary to the extenfion of their acquaintance and improvement of their intereft; and whenever any place became vacant, they expected to be repaid by diftinction and advancement. In the midst of thefe fchemes and hopes my father was fnatched away by an an apoplexy; and my mother, who had no pleasure but in drefs, equipage, affemblies and compliments, finding that fhe could live no longer in her accustomed rank, funk into dejection, and in two years wore out her life with envy and difcontent. I WAS fent with a fifter, one year younger than myself, to the elder brother of my father. We were not yet capable of obferving how much fortune influences affection, but flattered ourselves on the road with the tendernefs and regard with which we fhould. doubtless be treated by our uncle. Our reception was rather frigid than malignant; we were introduced to our young coufins and for the first month more frequently confoled than upbraided; but in a fhort time we found our prattle repreffed, our dress neglected, our endearments unregarded, and our requests referred to the housekeeper. THE forms of decency were now violated, and every day produced new infults. We were foon brought to the neceffity of receding from our imagined equality with our coufins, to whom we funk into humble companions without choice or influence, expected only to echo their opinions, facilitate their defires, and accompany their rambles. It was unfortunate that our early introduction into polite company and habitual knowledge of the arts of civility, had given us fuch an appearance of fuperiority to the aukward bashfulness of our relations, as naturally drew respect and preference from every stranger who happened on any occafion to enter the house; and my aunt was forced to affert the dignity of her own children, while they were fculking in corners for fear of notice and hanging down their heads in filent confufion, by relating the indifcretion of our father, difplaying her own kindness, lamenting the misery of birth without eftate, and declaring her anxiety for our future provifion, and the expedients which she had formed to fecure us from thofe follies or crimes, to which the conjunction of pride and want often gives occafion. In a fhort time care was taken to prevent fuch vexatious mistakes; we were told, that fine cloaths would only fill our heads with falfe expectations, and our drefs was therefore accommodated to our fortune. |
