impious giants, with the Gods themfelves?

LÆ LIU S.

You will confer then a very acceptable service on both of us, Cato (for I will venture to answer for my friend Scipio as well as for myself) if you will mark out to us, by what means we may most effectually be enabled to support the load of incumbent years. For although we are at present far diftant from oldage; we have reafon however to expect, at least to hope, that it is a period we fhall live to attain.

САТО.

Moft willingly, Lælius, I yield to your requeft; especially as you affure me, that my compliance will be equally agreeable to both of you.

SCIPIO.

SCIPI O.

Yes, my venerable friend; like travellers who mean to take the fame long journey you have gone before us, we should be glad (if it be not impofing too much trouble upon you) that you would give us fome account of the advanced stage at which you are now arrived.

CATO.

my

I am ready, Scipio, to the best of power, to give you the information you defire. And indeed I am the more

qualified for the task you affign me, as I have always (agreeably to the old proverb) associated much with men of my own years. This has given me frequent opportunities of being acquainted with their grievances: and I particularly remember to have often heard Caius Salinator, and Spurius Albinus

(men

9

(men of confular rank and nearly of the fame age as myself) bewail their condition. The principal fubject of their complaint was, in the first place, that they were no longer capable of enjoying the fenfual gratifications; without which, in their eftimation, life was of no value: and in the next, that they found themfelves neglected by thofe who had formerly paid their court to them with the greatest attention. But they imputed their grievances, I think, to a wrong caufe. For had they arisen merely from the circumftance of their age; they would have been common to myfelf, and to every other man of the fame advanced years. But the fact is much otherwise; and I have known many, at that period of life, who paffed their time without the leaft repining: who neither regretted that they were released from the dominion of their paffions, nor had reason to think themfelves treated with disrespect by any of their connections.

In fact, the true

grievance,

grievance, in all complaints of this kind, lies in the man and not in the age. They whofe defires are properly regulated, and who have nothing morose or petulant in their temper and manners, will find old-age, to say the least of it, is a ftate very eafily to be endured: whereas unfubdued paffions, and a froward difpofition, will equally embitter every season of human life.

LÆLI U s.

Your obfervations, Cato, are undoubtedly just. Yet some, perhaps, may be apt to fay, that your ample poffeffions, together with the power and influence of your rank and character, have very much contributed to foften the inconveniencies of old-age, and render it more than ufually eafy to you: but that these are advantages which can not poffibly fall to the lot of many.

CATO.

САТО.

I must acknowledge, that the circumstances you mention have fome beneficial influence; but I can by no means. admit, that the whole depends upon them. When a certain native of the paltry island of Seriphos", told Themiftocles, in an altercation which arofe between them, that he was indebted for the luftre of his fame, not to the intrinfic fplendor of his actions, but to the country in which he had the good fortune to be born; it may be fo,' replied the Athenian general, for if I • had received my birth at Seriphos, I ⚫ could have had no opportunity of producing my talents: but give me leave

to tell you, that yours would never

have made a figure though you had

⚫ been born in Athens.' The fame fentiment is justly applicable to the case in question for although it must be confeffed that old-age, under the preffure

of