the inclinations of the human heart in order to enjoy the advantages of Solitude. That which nature has implanted in the human breast must there remain. If therefore a Minister, in his retirement, is not fatiated with the exercife of power and authority, but ftill fondly wishes for command, let him require obedience from his chickens, provided fuch a gratification is effential to his happinefs, and tends to fupprefs the defire of again expofing himself to those tempefts and shipwrecks which he can only avoid in the fafe harbour of rural life. An Exminifter muft, fooner or later, learn to defpife the appearances of human greatnefs, when he difcovers that true greatness frequently begins at that period of life which statefmen are apt to confider a dreary void; that the regret of being no longer able to do more good is only ambition in disguise; and that the inhabitants of the country, in cultivating their cabbages and potatoes, are a hundred times happier than the greatest Minifter. NOTHING contributes more to the advance "MARSHAL DE BOUFFLERS has retired to his eftate to cul"tivate his fields," faid MADAME MAINTENON; "but I am of "opinion, that this CINCINNATUS would not be forry to be fetched "from his plough; for at his departure he charged us all to think of "him if any thing was wanted during his abfence, which may poffi"bly continue fifteen days." ment ment of earthly felicity, than a reliance on those maxims which teach us to do as much good as poffible, and to take things just as we find them; for it is certainly true, that no characters are fo unhappy as those who are continually finding fault with every thing they fee. My barber, at Hanover, while he was preparing to fhave me, exclaimed, with a deep figh, "It is terribly hot to-day." "You place heaven," said I to him, "in great "difficulties. For these nine months last past you "have regularly told me every other day, It is "terribly cold to-day." Cannot the Almighty then any longer govern the univerfe without thefe gentlemen-barbers finding fomething to be difcontented with? Is it not," I asked him, "much "better to take the feafons as they change, and to "receive with equal gratitude from the hand of "God the winter's cold, and the fummer's "warmth?"-" O! certainly," replied the bar ber. COMPETENCY and CONTENT therefore may, in general, be confidered as the basis of earthly happiness; and Solitude in many inftances favours both the one and the other. SOLITUDE not only refines the enjoyments of FRIENDSHIP, but enables us to acquire friends from from whom nothing can alienate our fouls, and to whose arms we never fly in vain. THE friends of PETRARCH fometimes apologized to him for their long absence: "It is im"poffible for us," faid they, "to follow your "example: the life you lead at Vaucluse is con 66 trary to human nature. In winter you fit like "an owl in the chimney-corner. In fummer, "you are running inceffantly about the fields :" PETRARCH fmiled at these observations. "Thefe "people," faid he, " confider the pleasures of the "world as the fupreme good; and cannot bear "the idea of renouncing them. I have friends "whose society is extremely agreeable to me; 66 they are of all ages, and of every country. They "have diftinguished themselves both in the cabinet " and in the field, and obtained high honours for "their knowledge of the sciences. It is easy to "gain access to them; for they are always at my "service; and I admit them to my company and "difmifs them from it whenever I please. They "are never troublesome, but immediately answer 66 every question I ask them. Some relate to me "the events of past ages, while others reveal to "me the fecrets of nature. Some teach me how "to live, and others how to die: fome, by their "vivacity, drive away my cares, and exhilarate "my my fpirits; while others give fortitude to my "mind, and teach me the important leffon how to "restrain my defires, and to depend only on "myself. They open to me, in short, the various "avenues of all the arts and sciences, and upon "their information I fafely rely in all emer"gencies. In return for all these services, they 66 only ask me to accommodate them with a con"venient chamber in fome corner of my humble "habitation where they may repofe in peace: "for these friends are more delighted with the "tranquillity of retirement than with the tumults " of fociety." LOVE! the most precious gift of Heaven, "The cordial drop that Heav'n in our cup has thrown, "To make the bitter pill of life go down," appears to merit a distinguished rank among the advantages of Solitude. LOVE voluntarily unites itself with the aspect of beautiful nature. The view of a pleafing landscape makes the heart beat with the tendereft einotions: the lonely mountain and the filent grove increase the fufceptibility of the female bofom, infpire the mind with rapturous enthusiasm, and, sooner or later, draw aside and subjugate the heart. WOMEN feel the pure and tranquil pleasures of rural life with a higher fenfibility than men. They enjoy more exquifitely the beauties of a lonely walk, the freshness of a shady forest, and admire with higher ecstasy the charms of Nature *. Solitude is to them the school of true philosophy. In ENGLAND, at least, where the face of the country is fo beautiful, and where the taste of its inhabitants is hourly adding to it new embellishments, the love of RURAL SOLITUDE is certainly ftronger in the women than the men. A nobleman who employs the day in riding over his estate, or in following the hounds, does not enjoy the pleasures of rural life with the fame delight as his lady, who devotes her time, in her romantic pleafure-grounds, to needle-work, or to the reading of There are however, as is well known, many females, who, from vicious habits and depraved tastes, prefer, or think they prefer, the noife and naftiness of a crowded city, to the beautiful verdure and pure air of the country; a difpofition which the poet has not unhappily fatirifed in the following lines. "Such FULVIA's paffion for the town; fresh air, "An odd effect, gives vapours to the fair; "When filver rivulets play the flowery meads, "And woodbines Live their sweets and limes their shades, "Black kennels abfent odour fhe regrets, "And ftops her nofe at beds of violets." îome |