deplorable than the total depravation of it! An exact judge of human bleffings, of riches, honours, beauty, even of wit itself, fhould pity the abuse of them, more than the want.

Briefly, though a wife nian could pass never fo fecurely through the great roads of human life, yet he will meet perpetually with fo many objects and occafions of compaffion, grief, fhame, anger, hatred, indignation, and all paffions but envy (for he will find nothing to deferve that), that he had better ftrike into fome private path; nay, go fo far, if he could, out of the common way, " ut nec facta audiat Pelopidarum;" that he might not fo much as hear of the actions of the fons of Adam. But, whither hall we fly then? into the deferts, like the antient Hermits?

-Quà terra patet, fera regnat Erinnys,

In facinus jurâffe putes-[]

One would think that all mankind had bound themselves by an oath to do all

[k] Ovid, Metam, i. 241.

the

the wickedness they can; that they had all (as the fcripture fpeaks) fold themselves

to fin: the difference only is, that fome

are a little more crafty (and but a little, God knows) in making of the bargain. I thought, when I went first to dwell in the country, that without doubt I fhould have met there with the fimplicity of the old poetical golden age; I thought to have found no inhabitants there, but fuch

the fhepherds of Sir Phil. Sydney in Arcadia, or of Monfieur d'Urfé upon the banks of Lignon; and began to confider with myself, which way I might recommend no lefs to pofterity the happiness and innocence of the men of Chertfea : but, to confefs the truth, I perceived quickly [7], by infallible demonftrations, that I

[1] I perceived quickly] Strange, that the author fhould have this difcovery to make at Chertsea! But the mystery is no more, than this. Every state of life has its inconveniences; and of course, we are most affected by those of that state which we have experienced. Hence we overlook them in every other, and fondly expect that repofe, which is no where to be found, from a change of condition.

was

6

was ftill in Old England, and not in Arcadia, or La Forrest; that, if I could not content myself with any thing less than exact fidelity in human converfation, I had almost as good go back and feek for it in the Court, or the Exchange, or West minster-hall. I afk again then, whither hall we fly, or what fhall we do? The world may fo come in a man's way, that he cannot choose but falute it; he must take heed, though, not to go a whoring after it. If, by any lawful vocation, or just neceffity, men happen to be married to it, I can only give them St. Paul's advice: Brethren, the time is short; it res mains, that they, that have wives, be as though they had none.-But I would that all men were even as I myself [m].

In all cafes, they must be fure, that they do mundum ducere, and not mundo nubere. They must retain the fuperiority and headship over it: happy are they, who can get out of the fight of this de

ceitful beauty, that they may not be led fo much as into temptation; who have hot only quitted the metropolis, but can abstain from ever feeing the next market town of their country.

CLAUDIAN'S Old Man of Verona.

De fene Veronenfi, qui fuburbium nunquam egreffus eft.

"FELIX; qui patriis ævum tranfegit in agris; "Ipfa domus puerum quem videt, ipfa senem i "Qui baculo nitens, in qua reptavit arena, "Unius numeret fecula longa cafe. "Illum non vario traxit fortuna tumultu,

"Nec bibit ignotás mobilis hofpes aquas. "Non freta mercator tremuit, non claffica miles : "Non rauci lites pertulit ille fori. "Indocilis rerum, vicina nefcius urbis "Adfpectu fruitur liberiore poli.

"Frugibus alternis, non Confule, computat an

"num:

"Autumnnum pomis, ver fibi flore notat.

VOL. II.

R

❝ Idem

"Idem condit ager Soles, idemque reducit,

66

Metiturque fuo rufticus orbe diem. Ingentem meminit parvo qui germine quercum, Equævumque videt confenuiffe nemus.

..

"Proxima cui migris Verona remotior Indis, "Benacumque putat litora rubra lacum. "Sed tamen indomitæ vires, firmisque lacertis "Etas robuftum tertia cernit a vum. "Erret, & extremos alter fcrutetur Iberos;

"Plus habet hic vitæ, plus habet ille viæ."

Happy the man, who his whole time doth bound
Within th' inclosure of his little ground.
Happy the man, whom the fame humble place
(Th' hereditary cottage of his race)
From his firft rifing infancy has known,
And by degrees fees gently bending down,
With natural propenfion, to that earth
Which both preferv'd his life, and gave him birth.
Him no falfe diftant lights, by fortune fet,
Could ever into foolish wand'rings get.
He never dangers either faw, or fear'd:
The dreadful forms at fea he never heard,
He never heard the fhrill alarms of war,
Or the worse noifes of the lawyers bar.
No change of confuls marks to him the year,
The change of feafons is his calendar.

The