Mankind, as has been observed before, naturally desire their Children’s Prosperity and Happiness; but if they seek it in any other Road than this, they must not wonder if they miss of it: rather may they wonder in good earnest, if they ever find it. Still is the ultimate Point untouched: for, besides that our Passions are to be regulated, and our Actions to be innocent in themselves, and valuable to others; to make them perfect, they are farther to be animated by a right Intention: for, says a learned and ingenious Author, “the Intention is the Pulse of the Soul.” Many Actions, in themselves indifferent, are rendered hurtful by an Error in the Intention; and even those which seem calculated by Nature to produce the most signal Advantages to others, as well as to us, are often, for want of being properly directed to their right End, both fruitless to those they were designed to benefit, and even detrimental to ourselves. Here then we are to know, that moral Duties are of divine Origin; and if Nature shews us the first Laws of Right and Wrong, the Author of Nature implanted them in us. But our Obligations to the GREAT CREATOR of us all will irresistably appear; if we duly survey ourselves and every thing around us; for as thence we shall see that from Him alone we receive all things, so thence shall we be convinced that to Him alone all should be referred. Thus it is evident, that to fill up the Measure of our Duty, three things are necessary: first, we are to be carefully informed what is Right, and what is Wrong; secondly, we are inviolably to adhere to the one, and avoid the other; and, thirdly, the Right we do must be done from Principle; which can no otherwise appear in us than by honouring and serving the Author of our Being, and of all the Blessings we enjoy: these naturally lead us to believe in him, to hope in him, and to love him; and these are Acts which constitute Religion. But here, with all due Reverence, I drop my Pen; leaving the Consideration of our Duties in a religious Light to those whose Province it is to point out, explain and enforce them: to those, in a word, to whom the Office is given from above. FINIS. FOOTNOTES [1] Dr. _Shaw_. See _Quincy_’s Prælectiones Pharmaceuticæ. [2] Since the second Edition of this Work, _three thousand Women_ more, deliver’d in the same Hospital, are to be added to the above Number: among which, not above four have had sore Breasts, and those were either such as had no Nipples, or had formerly had Milk Sores; and all of them except one, cured by Poultices only. Dr. Macaulay (to whom the British Lying-in-Hospital is greatly indebted for his present close Attendance thereon) is my Authority for this Note. [3] Dr. _Cadogan_. [4] Dr. _Parsons_. [5] Great Wits to Madness sure are near ally’d: And thin Partitions do their Bounds divide. [6] Av’rice and Knav’ry sure are near ally’d; And thin Partitions do their Bounds divide. [7]