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30 A PANEGYRICK can there be any creditable Acquitment of our: felves in any one Station of Life, but we fhould’ fink without Refcue into Mifery and Defpair;, if we were not buoyed up and fupported by Self-Love, which is but the Eldeft: Sifter (as it were) of Folly, and her own conſtant Friend and Affiftant. For. what is or can be more Silly than to-be Lovers and Admirers of our félves ? And yet if it were not fo there will be no relifh to any Words or Aëtions. Take away this one Property of a. Fool, and the Orator-fhall' become as Dumb-and Silent as the Pulpit he ftands in ; the Mufician. fhall’ hang up his untoucht Inftruments.on the Wall; the compleateft Aëtors. fhail be hifs d off the Stage ; the Poet fhall be burlefqu’d upon with his own doggrel Rhimes; the Painter fhall himſelf vanifh into an-imaginary Landskip > and the Phyfician fhall want Food more than his Patients do Phyfick. In fhort, without: Self Love, inftead of Beautiful; you fhall think: your felf an Old: Beldam-of Fourfcore-; inftead of Youthful, you ſhall ſeem juſt dropping: into:the Grave ;-inftead of Eloquent, a meer: Stammerer; and in lieu of Gentileand Com-. plaiſant, you ſhall appear like a downright: Gountry-Clown ;: it. being fo neceffary that’ every: one ſhould think well of himſelf before: he can. expe&-the Good’ Opinion of: others. Finally, when. it: is the main and effential’ Part of Happinefs to defire to be no other than: what we ‘already: are ; this Bxpedientis again. wholly. owing to Self-Love, which fo flafhes: Men with a good: Conceit of their-own, thatao one. repents.of,.his.Shape, of. his Wine oti Ass
