PITY

CHAP. VII.

The happy Effects of Candour; commiserating Human Frailty.

Candour and commiseration, never fail to attract esteem and truth.

I WISH to impress upon your mind, with other virtues already mentioned, a very distinguished one, namely, candour; which every one will allow is most essential to the formation of an upright mind.

Candour consists in a fair, open

heart. It may want external courtesy, but it fully compensates for the deficiency, by the liberality of sentiment and unaffected manners it produces.

It is not inconsistent with a knowledge of the world, though it may be apt sometimes to judge too favourably of the qualifications of others.

Under the impulse of personal resentment, candour is always just to the merits, or demerits, of an opponent. It never listens to malicious defamatory reports, which the malignant and censorious are eager to propagate. Candour is slow to judge, and re

quires substantial evidence before it pronounces condemnation.

Where

there is cause to be doubtful, candour is ever ready to delay judgment. It always strives to believe the most favourable construction. It listens calmly to the apology of the offender, and readily admits every extenuating circumstance which equity can suggest.

From one hasty erroneous opinion, candour does not infer a dereliction of all principle, but commisserates human frailty. It judges kindly of others, and views every action with liberality and good nature.

Charity and candid thoughts, are the necessary introduction to kindness and good will.

A suspicious temper is an impediment to affection, and every benevolent effusion of the heart. What friendship or gratitude can you expect from a person who views all your actions with distrust?

I hope you will ever be sensible of the dangers attending the forming hasty opinions, and admitting the probability of conjecture which are derogatory to feminine delicacy and purity of heart.

From candidness, whatever is amiable in manners or beloved in society proceeds.

Open and cheerful candour diffuses good humour over all who are under its influence. It is the very basis of mutual confidence. It prevents these animosities from occurring, which are the result of groundless prejudice. Its benign interposition allays irritation, and tempers justice with lenity.

To form an opinion of characters and actions, two things are requisite, observation and impartiality. Those who are most ready to decide unfa