aracters, are apt to bear a natural Aversion and Antipathy
to one another.

What is more usual, than to hear Men of serious Tempers and austere
Morals, enlarging upon the Vanities and Follies of the young and gay
Part of the Species; whilst they look with a kind of Horror upon such
Pomps and Diversions as are innocent in themselves, and only culpable
when they draw the Mind too much?

I could not but smile upon reading a Passage in the Account which Mr.
_Baxter_ gives of his own Life, wherein he represents it as a great
Blessing, that in his Youth he very narrowly escaped getting a Place at
Court.

It must indeed be confessed that Levity of Tamper takes a Man off his
Guard, and opens a Pass to his Soul for any Temptation that assaults it.
It favours all the Approaches of Vice, and weakens all the Resistance of
Virtue. For which Reason a renowned Statesman in Queen _Elizabeth's_
Days, after having retir'd from Court and publick Business, in order to
give himself up to the Duties of Religion; when any of his old Friends
used to visit him, had still this Word of Advice in his Mouth, _Be
serious._

An eminent _Italian_ Author of this Cast of Mind, speaking of the great
Advantage of a serious and composed Temper, wishes very gravely, that
for the Benefit of Mankind he had _Trophonius's_ Cave in his Possession;
which, says he, would contribute more to the Reformation of Manners than
all the Work-houses and Bridewells in _Europe_.

We have a very particular Description of this Cave in _Pausanias_, who
tells us, that it was made in the Form of a huge Oven, and had many
particular Circumstances, which disposed the Person who was in it to be
more pensive and thoughtful than ordinary; insomuch that no Man was ever
observed to laugh all his Life after, who had once made his Entry into
this Cave. It was usual in those Times, when any one carried a more than
ordinary Gloominess in his Features, to tell him that he looked like one
just come out of _Trophonius's_ Cave.

On the other hand, Writers of a more merry Complexion have been no less
severe on the opposite Party; and have had one Advantage above them,
that they have attacked them with more Turns of Wit and Humour.

After all, if a Man's Temper were at his own Disposal, I think he would
not chuse to be of either of these Parties; since the most perfect
Character is that which is formed out of both of them. A Man would
neither chuse to be a Hermit nor a Buffoon: Humane Nat