EXTRACTS. A LETTER from SIR HENRY SYDNEY to his Son SIR SON PHILIP, MY PHILIP SYDNEY. Y son, the virtuous inclination of thy matchle mother, by whose tender and godly care thy infancy was governed, together with education under so zealous a tutor, puts me rather in assurance than hope, that thou art not ignorant of that summary bond, which is only able to make thee happy, (as well in thy death as life) I mean the knowledge and worship of thy Creator and Redeemer, without which all other things are vain and miserable; so that thy youth being guided by so sufficient a teacher, I make no doubt but he will furnish thy life with divine and moral documents. Yet that I may not cast off the care that beseemeth a parent towards his child; or that thou shouldst have cause to derive thy whole felicity and welfare rather from whom thou receivest thy birth and being, than from those unto whom the charge of well-living is allotted; I think it fit and agreeable to help thee with such advertisements for the squaring of thy life, as are rather gained by long experience than much reading, to the end that thou entering into this exorbitant age, mayest be the better prepared to shun those courses, whereunto this world, and the want of experience, may easily draw thee and because I would not confound thy memory, I have reduced them into ten precepts; and next unto Moses's tables (if thou imprint them in thy memory) thou shalt reap the benefit; and the contentment; and here they follow: 1. When it pleases God to bring thee to man's estate, use great providence and circumspection in the choice of thy wife, for from thence will spring all future good or evil; and it is an action, like a stratagem of war, wherein a man can err but once: if thy estate be good, match near home, and at leisure; if weak, far off, and quickly : enquire diligently of her education, and how her parents have been inclined in their youth: let her not be poor, how generous soever, for a man can buy nothing in the market market for gentility: nor chuse a base or uncomely creature, although wealthy, for it will cause contempt in others, and loathing in thyself: neither make choice of a dwarf, or a fool, for by the one thou shalt beget a race of pigmies, and the other will be thy daily disgrace, and it will irk thee to hear her talk; for thou shalt find to thy great grief, that there is nothing more irksome than a she-fool. And touching the government of thy house, let thy hospitality be moderate, and according to the measure of thy estate, rather plentiful than sparing, but not costly; for I never knew any grow poor by keeping of an ordinary table: but some consume themselves through secret vices, and then hospitality beareth the blame. But banish swinish drunkards out of thy house; that is a vice that impaireth health, consumes much, and makes no shew and I never heard praise ascribed to a drunkard, but the well-bearing of drink, which is a commendation fitter for a brewer's horse or dray-man, than for a gentleman or a serving-man. See that thou spend not above three of the four parts of thy revenues, nor above a third part of that in thy house, for the other two parts will do no more than defray thy extraordinary, which will always surmount the ordinary by so much, otherwise thou shalt live like a rich beggar in continual want; and the needy man can never live happily, nor content: for every one left in an unfortunate estate, makes him ready to sell lands; and that gentleman thrat sells one acre of lands, sells one ounce of credit; for gentility is nothing but ancient riches so that if the foundation shrinks, the building must need follow after. : 2. Bring thy children up in learning and obedience, yet without austerity; praise them openly, reprehend them secretly, give them good countenance, and convenient maintenance, according to thine ability; otherwise thy life will seem their bondage: and what portion thou shalt leave them at thy death, they will thank death for it, and not thee. I am persuaded that the foolish cockering of some, and the over-stern carriage of others, causeth more men and women to take ill courses, than their own vicious inclinations. Marry thy daughters, lest they marry themselves and suffer not thy sons to pass the Alps, for they shall bring home nothing but pride, blasphemy, and atheism and if by travel they get few broken languages, it will profit them no more, than to have one sort of meat served in divers dishes. Neither by by my advice trained up to wars; for that he that sets his rest to live in that, can hardly be an honest or good Christian; for that every war is of itself unjust, except the cause make it just. Besides it is a science no longer in request than use; for soldiers at peace are like chimnies in summer. 3. Live not in the country without corn and cattle about thee; for he that presents his hands to his purse for every expence, is like him that thinketh to keep water in fire; and what provision thou shalt want, prepare to buy it at the first hand; for there is a penny in four saved, between buying at thy need, and when the season and market serveth fittest for it. 4. Be not served with kinsmen, friends, or men entreated to serve (for they will expect much, and do little); nor with such as are amorous (for their brains are ever intoxicated); and rather be served by two too few, than one too many feed them well, and pay them with the most, and thou mayst boldly require duty and service at their hands. 5. Let thy kindred and alliance be welcome to thy table; grace them with thy countenance, and further them in all honest actions, for by these means thou shalt find advocates to plead an apology for thee behind thy back; but shake off those glow-worms, (I mean parasites and hypocrites) who will feed and fawn upon thee in prosperity, but in adversity will shelter thee no more than an harbour in winter. 6. Beware of suretyship for thy best friends; he that payeth another man's debt, seeketh his own overthrow; but if thou canst not chuse, rather lend thy money thyself upon good bonds though thou borrow, for so shalt thou both please thy friend, and secure thyself. Neither borrow money of a neighbour, or friend, but of a stranger, where paying for it, thou shalt hear no more of it; otherwise thou shalt eclipse thy credit, lose thy freedom, and yet pay as dear as to another: but in borrowing, be precious of thy word, for he that hath a care to keep his days of payment, is a lord over another man's goods. 7. Undertake no suit against any poor man, without. much wrong, for thou makest him thy competitor and it is a base request to triumph where there is small resistance; neither attempt law with any man, before thou be thoroughly resolved that thou have right on thy side; then neither spare for money, nor pains; for a cause or two two so followed, will free thee from suits a greater part of thy life after. 8. Be sure to keep some gentleman thy friend, but trouble him not with every trifling complaint; often present him with many, yet small gifts: and if thou have cause to bestow any gratuity, let it be such as may be daily in his sight; otherwise, in this ambitious age, thou shalt remain like a hop without a pole, live in obscurity, and be made a footstool for every insulting companion to spur at. 9. Towards thy superiors, be humbly generous; with thy equals, familiar; yet respective towards thy inferiors; shew much humility, and some familiarity, as to bow to thy body, stretch forth thy hand, and to uncover thy head, with such be popular compliments; the first prepares the way to advancement; the second makes thec known for a man as well bred; the third gains a map good report, which once being gotten, is easily kept: for high humilitudes take such deep root in the minds of the multitude (who are more easily won by unprofitable courtesies, than curious benefits) that I advise thee not to affect nor neglect popularities. Trust not any man with thy estate, for it is a mere folly for a man to enthral himself to his friends, as though, if occasion be offered, he should not dare become his enemy. 10. Be not scurrilous in thy conversation, nor stoical in thy jests; the one will make thee unwelcome to all companies, the other will breed quarrels, and get thee hatred of thy best friends; for jests, when they savour too much of truth, leave bitterness in the minds of those that are touched. Although I have pointed at all these inclusive, yet I think it fit and necessary to leave it thec as a special caution, because I have seen many so prone to quip and gird, that they will rather lose their friend than their scoff, then they will travel to be delivered of it as a woman with child: these nimble apprehensions are but the froth of wit. Your loving Father, HENRY SIDNEY. Vol. IX. Churchm, Mag. for Nov. 1805. 3 A On the Book of PSALMS, particularly the VERSION used in the COMMON PRAYER. [From a scarce Book entituled, "Holy David and his Old English Translators cleared." By the learned Mr. JOHN JOHNSON, Rector of Cranbrook, Kent, Author of the Clergyman's Vade Mecum, the Unbloody Sacrifice, and other excellent Works. 8vo, 1706.] •THE 1. HE book of Psalms, is a collection of forms of prayer, and praise, and holy meditations, composed by David, and other divine writers, for the exercise of the devotion of God's people, especially in public. There can be no room to doubt, that they were so used by the Jewish church, and David who composed the greatest part of them, did himself design them for this purpose, as appears not only froin the titles, and the very words of many of them; but from the care he took that several of the families of the Levites should wholly, or chiefly apply themselves to this part of divine worship, 1 Chron. vi. 31, 32. in which he was afterwards followed by his son Solomon, 2 Chron. v. 11, 12. as likewise by Ezra, when he undertook to regulate the worship of God, after the return of the people from the Babylonish captivity, Ezra lii. 10, 11. Our Saviour, who never shewed any inclination to alter, where the reason was not very apparent, was so far from intimating any dislike of this practice, that he, with his apostles, concluded the solemnity of the passover, and the sacrament of his body, and blood, with a hymn, Matt. xxvi. 30. that is, with the cxiii, cxiv, cxv, cxvi, cxvii, cxviii, Psalms, which were called by the Jews Hallel, or Hymn, and used at all their great feasts. Nay, though he had the spirit without measure, yet he chose to perform his last devotions on the cross in the words of David, rather than his own: for he cried out in his utmost extremity, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matt. xxvii. 46. which are the first words of the xxii. Psalm. Dr. Hammond supposes, with great probability, that he did not stop here, but rehearsed a good part of the Psalm, if not the whole. As he, among us, who should say, such and such persons sung venite, exultemus, |