nourishment to the body, that abides not fome time therein. Nothing fo much prevents the recovery of health, as a frequent change of fuppofed remedies. A wound is not foon healed, when different falves are tried by way of experiment. A plant thrives not, nor can well take root, that is moved from place to place. What profits only accidentally, in paffing, is of little Ufe. Variety of books diftracts the mind; when you cannot read, therefore, all that you have; it is enough to have only what you can read (c). But you will fay, you have a mind fometimes to amuse yourself, with one book and fometimes with another: it is a fign, my friend, of a nice and fqueamish ftomach, to be tafting many viands, which, as they are various and of different qualities, rather corrupt than nourish. Read therefore always the most approved authors, and if you are pleased at any time to taste others, by way of amusement, still return to thofe as your principal study. Be continually treasuring up fomething to arm you against poverty, fomething against the fear of death and other the like evils, incident to man. And when you have read fufficiently, make a referve of fome particular fentiment for that day's meditation. Such is my own practice: of the many things I read, I generally felect one for obfervation: for inftance, to-day I have been reading Epicurus (d): (for you must know I fometimes make an excurfion into the enemy's camp, not by way of deferter, but as a spy ;) chearful poverty, fays he, is an excellent thing. Now I cannot conceive, how that ftate can be called poor, which is chearful. The man, whofe poverty fits easy upon him, is rich (e). Not he that hath little, but he that defireth more, is the poor man. For what avails it, how much a man hath in his cheft, or in his barns; what stock he has in the field, or what money at intereft; if he is still hankering after another's wealth: if he is ever counting, not what he has got already, but what he may get (ƒ)? Do you ask me, what I take to be the proper mean of wealth? I will tell you:-firft, a fupply of neceffaries; adly, an eafy competency (g). ANNO ANNOTATIONS, &c. (a) Was I to have infcribed this Epiftle to any one, according to my fift defign, it would have been to a Rev. D. D. whom I know to have read as many books as any one of the prefent age; and wrote not a few and yet he is thought very deficient in his manner, and elegance of ftyle: but he is my friend and fo I will take the cenfure upon myself, as confcious of having richly deferved it. In 1725, of the first fermon 1 preached upon a publick occafion, I fubmitted the MS. to my friend Doctor Gretton, who returned it with the following compliment. "In polite writings we ufe no parentheses; in philofophical the fewer the better. You do not want "invention; your thoughts crowd upon you; but I think a little claffical arrangement is wanting, "and a few connecting particles; or rather a more perpetuated thread of difcourfe: you come nearer Seneca than Tully; the Arena fine calce." And, I fear, I cannot boaft any great improvement in 1780: the reafon, (as Seneca here expreffeth (b) He that -] Quifquis ubique habitat, Nævole, nufquam habitat.-Martial. Fig: Okupa ov--Revivifcentis imperii fpes Fabius fuit. Qui novam de Hannibale victoriam commentus eft, nolle pugnare. (c) When you cannot -] Fig. Antimetathefis-So Pliny. Paneg. Non ideo viciffe videris, ut triumphares, fed triumphare, ut vinceres. (d) You will recollect here that Seneca was not an Epicurean but a Stoic. (e) The man whofe-] So in the foregoing Epiftle, Non puto pauperem, cui quantulumcumque fupereft, fat eft. I cannot think him poor, who hath wherewithal to be content. Non quod habet numerat tantum quod non habet optat. (ƒ) Is ever counting—] (g) Quod fat eft.] Lucilius, the old Roman poet, argues thus Nam fi, quod fatis eft homini, id fatis effe potiffet, Manil Divitias ullas animum mi explere potiffe? No wealth can fatisfy the man, who thinks, EPISTLE 1 EPISTLE III. On Friendship. YOU inform me, Lucilius, that you have fent letters to me by your friend, and then defire me not to communicate with him all that I know of you; for this, you fay, is not what you would chufe to do yourself: and is not this to own, and deny him, at the fame time, to be your friend (a)? You seem to use the word as a common appellation, and to call him friend, as we call all candidates for an office, good men; and accoft those whofe name does not immediately occur, with, Dear Sir (b). Be this as it will; yet know, that if you think any one your friend, whom you dare not truft as far as you would your ownfelf, you are greatly mistaken, and know not the importance of true friendship. It may be neceffary to confult and advise with a friend in everything, but it is proper first to know him (c). After friendship contracted all trust is due; but a judicious choice must precede it. They ftrangely blend the duties relating to friendship, who, contrary to the precept of Theophraftus, when they have fixed the fancy, think it time enough to judge, rather than, having judged, embrace the friend. Confider with yourself, for fome time, whether fuch a one is worthy to be received into your bofom, and if he feems a proper person, admit him with your whole heart. Converse as frankly and boldly (d) with him, as you would with your ownfelf. Yet live fo, Lucilius, as to commit nothing but what you dare truft even with an enemy. However, as many things may intervene, which, from their own nature or custom, are termed fecrets; thefe belong to the province of a friend; with whom you must communicate all your cares, and all your counfels. This is the way to make him faithful (e) indeed: for many have taught others to deceive by an apprehenfion of being deceived themselves; and, by an unjust suspicion, given others a right, as it were, to offend in this point. Why 3 Why then should I be upon the reserve with my friend? Why should I not think myself alone, even in his presence? Some people are apt to blab to every one they meet what ought to be entrusted only with friends; and to disburthen themselves of whatever may chance to wring them, by teazing every ear with the doleful tale: there are others, who are afraid of the consciousness of their dearest converfants; nay, they are fo obftinately clofe, with regard to every fecret, that, if poffible, they would not trust their own confciences with them. They are both in the wrong; it is no less a fault to trust every one, than to trust no one () only the former I take to be a more generous error, the latter a more fafe one. In like manner are they worthy reprehenfion, who are always reftlefs, or always indolent: for to delight in bustle and tumult is not induftry, but the conflict of a diforder'd mind; nor is it to be called cafe, that thinks every the least motion irksome, but rather languor, and diffipation. I will therefore recommend to you what I read in Pomponius (g). There have been those, fays he, who have fo devoted themselves to folitude, in fome dark corner, as to think every thing without to be trouble and confufion. These two things are to be interwoven, as it were, together, Reft and Labour. If you examine Nature; the will tell you, fhe made both the Day and the Night. ANNOTATIONS, &c. (a) To be your friend] In this double fenfe of the word is that of Socrates, & piños udeis piños, ye are all my friends, and yet I have no friend. (b) Sir] Dominum. So, Martial. Cum te non noffem, Dominum Regemque vocabam. Cum voco te Dominum, noli tibi, Cinna, placere, Be not proud, Cinna, that I call you, Sir; Or thus: I call you Sir, yet smile not at the name, For, Cinna, oft my fervant hears the fame. Id. Muretus likewife quotes a Greek epigram, but as all the wit lies in the pun, it is not worth tranflating. Ην ὁ φιλος τὶ λαβη, δομινο φρατερ άυθις εειπεν· Ην δὲ λαβη μηδὲν, τὸ φρατερ ἔιπε μονον. (Vid. Torrent. in Suet. Aug. 33. Claud. 39. Lipf. in l. 2. Tac. Ann. Briffon. 1. 8. de Form. 3 (c) First (c) First to know him] Sidonius, p. 304. Eft enim confuetudinis meæ, ut eligam ante, poft deli- /i gam. It is my way, to chufe firft, and love afterwards.--The precept of Theophraftus here referred to, is, óti dãi xpivarta QiXîır, aλλ'è Qınõrta xpiew, It is proper to judge, before we fix our affection, rather than to fix it before we have formed our judgment. An excellent precept for the young of both fexes, but especially for the fair fex! (d) As boldly] This has not always been thought true policy, Ita crede amico, faith Publius, ne fit inimico locus. So truft a friend, as to leave no room for his becoming your enemy. And Sophocles Aj. 699, Ες τε τὸν φιλον Τοσάυθ ̓ ὑπεργῶν ὠφελεῖν βυλησομαι Ως αιέν 8 μένοντα· Τοῖς πολλοισι γαρ One day he would for fake me ; for to many The hav'n of friendship proves a faithlefs hav'n. (e) To make him faithful] So Livy, Vult fibi quifque credi et habita fides ipfam obligat fidem. Every one is defirous of credit; and to truft, is the way to be trufted. And Plutarch, in his Connubial Precepts, Ποιεῖ και το πιστέυειν δοκειν πιστέυεσθαι, καὶ τὸ φιλειν φιλεισθαι Το believe, is an inducerent to be believed; and to love, to be beloved. (f) To trust no one] So, Phædrus, Periculofum eft credere et non credere. To believe, and not to believe, are alike dangerous. Πιστεις δ ̓ ἄρα ὁμῶς καὶ απιστίας ωλενεν άνδρας. (g) Pomponius] There was a tragic poet of this name, and others; but as this fentence has not a poetical turn, Lipfius reads it Pompeius, the philofopher. (b) Oborne, in his difcourfe, On the greatness and corruption of the Church of Rome, having just before fpoken of Seneca, seems to have fallen into his ftyle; fo widely different from any other part of his writings. There is nothing, fays he, idleness and peace makes not worfe; labour and exercise "better: the tree that stands in the weather, roots beft and deepest: the running water and air that is "agitated are most wholesome and sweet. The cause of this, must be deduced from God's eternal "decree, that nothing in nature fhould remain idle and without motion." EPISTLE IV. On the Study of Philofophy; from whence the Contempt of Death, and alfo of Wealth and Grandeur. Erfevere, Lucilius, as you have begun; and be as expeditious as poffible; that, being once master of a regular, and well-informed mind, (a) you may the longer enjoy it. There is a pleasure indeed in endeavouring to VOL. I. C regulate |