-Spatio brevi Spem longam refeces-[d] from a fhort life cut off all hopes that grow too long. They must be pruned away, like fuckers, that choak the mother-plant, and hinder it from bearing fruit. And in another place, to the fame sense, Vitæ fumma brevis fpem nos vetat inchoare longam [e], which Seneca does not mend when he fays, "Oh! quanta dementia eft fpes longas inchoantium!" but he gives an example there of an acquaintance of his, named Senecio, who, from a very mean beginning, by great industry in turning about of money through all ways of gain, had attained to extraordinary riches, but died on a sudden after having supped merrily, "In ipfo actu benè cedentium rerum, in ipfo procurrentis fortunæ impetu," in the full courfe of his good fortune, when he had a high tide, and a stiff gale, and all her fails on; upon which occasion he cries, out of Virgil [ƒ], "Infere nunc, Melibæe, pyros, pone ordine vites!" Go, Melibæus, now, Go graff thy orchards, and thy vineyards plant; [d] Carm. xi, 6. [e] Ibid. iv. 15. [f] Buc. i. 74. For For this Senecio I have no compaffion, because he was taken, as we fay, in ipfo facto, still labouring in the work of avarice; but the poor rich man in St. Luke (whofe cafe was not like this) I could pity, methinks, if the fcripture would permit me; for he seems to have been fatisfied at last, he confesses he had enough for many years, he bids his foul take its eafe, and yet for all that, God fays to him, Thou fool, this night thy foul fhall be required of thee, and the things thou baft laid up, whom shall they belong to [g]? Where fhall we find the causes of this bitter reproach and terrible judgment? we may find, I think, two; and God, perhaps, faw more. Firft, that he did not intend true rest to his foul, but only to change the employments of it from avarice to luxury; his defign is, to eat and to drink, and to be merry. Secondly, that he went on too long before he thought of resting; the fulness of his old barns had not fufficed him, he would stay till he was forced to build new ones; and God meted out to him in the fame measure; fince he would have more riches than his life could contain, God destroyed his life, and gave the fruits of it to another. Thus God takes away fometimes the man from his riches, and no lefs frequently riches from the man: what hope can there be of fuch a marriage, where both parties are fo fickle and [g] Luke xii. 20. uncertain? uncertain? by what bonds can fuch a couple be kept long together? I. Why doft thou heap up wealth, which thou must quit, Why doft thou load thy felf, when thou'rt to flie, 2. Why dost thou build up stately rooms on high, 3. Suppofe, thou fortune couldft to tameness bring, 4. Yet death at all that fubtlety will laugh, 5. .Thou doft thyself wife and industrious deem; [b]-is fowing thee] A Chriftian, and even apof tolic idea. St. Paul had faid ψυχικόν, ΕΓΕΙΡΕΤΑΙ σῶμα πνευματικόν. -i. e. death fows the animal body, may Spring up from it. ΣΠΕΙΡΕΤΑΙ σῶμα I Cor. xv. 44. that a fpiritual Fond Fond man! like a bought flave, thou all the whil Doft but for others sweat and toil. 6. Officious fool! that needs must meddling be In bufinefs, that concerns not thee! For when to future years thou extend'ft thy cares, Thou deal'ft in other mens affairs [i]. 7. Even aged men, as if they truly were 8. Wifely the ant against poor winter hoards Of 9. power and honour the deceitful light If it of life the whole fmall time would stay, 10. Like lightning [k], that, begot but in a cloud, (Though fhining bright, and speaking loud) Whillt [i] Thou deal' ft in other mens affairs] Properly fo; and still more inexcufably, than the meddling bankrupt in Horace "aliena negotia curo, "Excuffus propriis-" 2 Sat. iii, 10. Whilft it begins, concludes its violent race, II. Oh scene of fortune, which doft fair appear, 12. Be prudent, and the fhore in profpect keep, 13. The wife example of the heavenly lark [7], Above parifon is to be fupplied out of the foregoing ftanzaBut the light of power and honour is "Like lightning, that &c. [1] The wife example, &c.] The poet's apology for himfelf (in which there is a mixture of badinage) may be conceived to stand thus : Worldly men love to juftify themselves by an appeal to the animals; which, fay they, are prompted by instinct, an unerring guide, to provide for futurity. Be it fo, replies the author: I have my appeal to that quarter, as well as they. The Ant is their example; and they do well to drudge and fave, in imitation of his diligence and parfimony Wifely the ant against poor winter hoards The ftock, which fummer's wealth affords. I, as a poet, have my example in the heavenly Lark (for the animal world has its poets, as well as drudges); and, in that character, am leffoned, by |