sthenes had awaked his audience
with that one hint of judging by the general tenor of his life towards
them, his services bore down his opponent before him, who fled to the
covert of his mean arts till some more favourable occasion should offer,
against the superior merit of Demosthenes.

It were to be wished, that love of their country were the first
principle of action in men of business, even for their own sakes; for
when the world begins to examine into their conduct, the generality, who
have no share in, or hopes of any part in power or riches, but what is
the effect of their own labour or property, will judge of them by no
other method, than that of how profitable their administration has been
to the whole. They who are out of the influence of men's fortune or
favour, will let them stand or fall by this one only rule; and men who
can bear being tried by it, are always popular in their fall: those who
cannot suffer such a scrutiny, are contemptible in their advancement.

But I am here running into shreds of maxims from reading Tacitus this
morning, which has driven me from my recommendation of public spirit,
which was the intended purpose of this Lucubration. There is not a more
glorious instance of it, than in the character of Regulus. This same
Regulus was taken prisoner by the Carthagenians, and was sent by them to
Rome, in order to demand some Punic noblemen who were prisoners in
exchange for himself, and was bound by an oath that he would return to
Carthage if he failed in his commission. He proposes this to the Senate,
who were in suspense upon it; which Regulus observing (without having
the least notion of putting the care of his own life in competition with
the public good), desired them to consider that he was old, and almost
useless; that those demanded in exchange were men of daring tempers, and
great merit in military affairs, and wondered they would make any doubt
of permitting him to go back to the short tortures prepared for him at
Carthage, where he should have the advantage of ending a long life both
gloriously and usefully. This generous advice was consented to, and he
took his leave of his country and his weeping friends to go to certain
death, with that cheerful composure, as a man, after the fatigue of
business in a Court or a city, retires to the next village for the air.

No. 184. [STEELE.

From _Saturday, June 10_, to _Tuesday, June