should take a frequent view of individuals, and though we may upon the
whole form a judgment of the man from his prevailing passion or his
general character, yet it will be prudent not to determine, till we have
waited to see the operation of his subordinate appetites and humours.

21. For example; a man's general character maybe that of strictly
honest; I would not dispute it, because I would not be thought envious
or malevolent; but I would not rely upon this general character, so as
to entrust him with my fortune or my life. Should this honest man, as is
not common, be my rival in power, interest, or love, he may possibly do
things that in other circumstances he would abhor; and power, interest,
and love, let me tell you, will often put honesty to the severest trial,
and frequently overpower it. I would then ransack this honest man to the
bottom, if I wished to trust him, and as I found him, would place my
confidence accordingly.

22. One of the great compositions in our nature is vanity, to which, all
men, more or less, give way. Women have an intolerable share of it. So
flattery, no adulation is too gross for them; those who flatter them
most please them best, and they are most in love with him who pretends
to be most in love with them; and the least slight or contempt of them
is never forgotten. It is in some measure the same with men; they will
sooner pardon an injury than an insult, and are more hurt by contempt
than by ill-usage. Though all men do not boast of superior talents,
though they pretend not to the abilities of a _Pope_, a _Newton_, or a
_Bollingbroke_, every one pretends to have common sense, and to
discharge his office in life with common decency; to arraign therefore,
in any shape, his abilities or integrity in the department he holds, is
an insult he will not readily forgive.

23. As I would not have you trust too implicitly to a man, because the
world gives him a good character; so I must particularly caution you
against those who speak well of themselves. In general, suspect those
who boast of or affect to have any one virtue above all others, for they
are commonly impostors. There are exceptions, however, to this rule, for
we hear of prudes that have been made chaste, bullies that have been
brave, and saints that have been religious. Confide only where your own
observation shall direct you; observe not only what is said, but how it
is said, and if you have penetration, you may find out the tr