The Blackest Ink Of Fate

Human Life Very Much Resembles A Game Of Chess: For, As In The Latter, While A Gamester Is Too Attentive To Secure Himself Very Strongly On One Side Of The Board, He Is Apt To Leave An Unguarded Opening On The Other, So Doth It Often Happen In Life.

It Is Admirably Remarked, By A Most Excellent Writer, That Zeal Can No More Hurry A Man To Act In Direct Opposition To Itself Than A Rapid Stream Can Carry A Boat Against Its Own Current.

O Vanity, How Little Is Thy Force Acknowledged Or Thy Operations Discerned! How Wantonly Dost Thou Deceive Mankind Under Different Disguises! Sometimes Thou Dost Wear The Face Of Pity; Sometimes Of Generosity; Nay, Thou Hast The Assurance To Put On Those Glorious Ornaments Which Belong Only To Heroic Virtue.

The Raillery Which Is Consistent With Good-breeding Is A Gentle Animadversion Of Some Foible, Which, While It Raises The Laugh In The Rest Of The Company, Doth Not Put The Person Rallied Out Of Countenance, Or Expose Him To Shame Or Contempt. On The Contrary, The Jest Should Be So Delicate That The Object Of It Should Be Capable Of Joining In The Mirth It Occasions.

I Look Upon The Vulgar Observation, 'that The Devil Often Deserts His Friends, And Leaves Them In The Lurch,' To Be A Great Abuse On That Gentleman's Character. Perhaps He May Sometimes Desert Those Who Are Only His Cup Acquaintance; Or Who, At Most, Are But Half His; But He Generally Stands By Those Who Are Thoroughly His Servants, And Helps Them Off In All Extremities, Till Their Bargain Expires.