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THE RELATIVE DUTIES OF MANKIND. [Part III.

This relation may be abused by a benefactor in two ways, — 1perhaps in more.

1. He may attempt to exact from his beneficiary, compliancesand services which are inconsistent with good manners, goodmorals, the law of the land, or religion, or which are otherwisewrong or improper. By any attempt thus to avail himself of hissituation to extort such compliances, he makes himself an oppres-sor of the most odious kind. If such was his original design inconferring benefits, he has spread a snare for the conscience andcharacter of him who has received them, and the beneficiary isabsolved from all obligation of gratitude. And, if such was nothis original design, yet if, after suitable remonstrances, he still in-sists on exacting or expecting such compliances, the beneficiaryis in like manner absolved. Nothing improper, still less immoral,can be rightfully exacted by virtue of this relation.

2. Again,, the situation of a benefactor may be abused, by hisungenerously upbraiding a beneficiary with the favors which hehas received. “ This is odious conduct,” says Cicero. Hecontinues thus, — “ It is the part of him, on whom favors areconferred, to remember them ; not of him who rendered, to com-memorate them.” * Such an act is inconsistent with all propersense of character, still more with all delicacy of feeling. Ittends to extinguish all the kindly feelings which are appropriateand honorable to the relation.

CHAPTER X.

THE DUTIES OF HOSPITALITY.

Too much is said in the Old and New Testament, of the du-ties of hospitality, to permit a writer on practical Christian mor-als to omit this part of his subject. In Genesis xviii. 2—8 ; xix.1-3, we have, in the cases of Abraham and Lot, two very inter-esting and instructive examples of patriarchal hospitality, which

De Amicitia, c. 20.