Pagina 640 di 734

Men such as these then what mere words can transform? No, indeed!

it is either actually impossible, or a task of no mean

difficulty, to alter by words what has been of old taken into

men's very dispositions: and, it may be, it is a ground for

contentment if with all the means and appliances for goodness in

our hands we can attain to Virtue.

The formation of a virtuous character some ascribe to Nature,

some to Custom, and some to Teaching. Now Nature's part, be it

what it may, obviously does not rest with us, but belongs to

those who in the truest sense are fortunate, by reason of certain

divine agency,