discover to their own hearts, that the time of trifling is past. A perpetual conflict with natural defires seems to be the lot of our present state. In youth we require fomething of the tardiness and frigidity of age; and in age we must labour to recal the fire and impetuofity of youth; in youth we must learn to expect, and in age to enjoy. The torment of expectation is, indeed, not easily to be borne at a time when every idea of gratification fires the blood, and flashes on the fancy; when the heart is vacant to every fresh form of delight, and has no rival engagements to withdraw it from the importunities of a new defire. Yet fince the fear of miffing what we seek, must always be proportionable to the happiness expected from poffeffing it, the paffions, even in this tempeftuous ftate, might be fomewhat moderated by frequent inculcation of the mifchief of temerity, and the hazard of lofing that which we endeavour to feize before our time. He that too early aspires to honours, must resolve to encounter not only the oppofition of intereft, but the malignity of envy. He that is too eager to be rich, generally endangers his fortune in wild adventures, and uncertain projects; and he that haftens too speedily to reputation, often raises his character by artifices and fallacies, decks himself in colours which quickly fade, or in plumes which accident may shake off, or competition pluck away. The danger of early eminence has been extended by fome, even to the gifts of nature; and an opinion has been long conceived, that quickness of invention, accuracy of judgment, or extent of knowledge, appearing appearing before the usual time, prefage a fhort life. Even those who are less inclined to form general con clufions, from inftances which by their own nature must be rare, have yet been inclined to prognofticate no fuitable progress from the first fallies of rapid wits; but have observed, that after a fhort effort they either loiter or faint, and suffer themselves to be fur paffed by the even and regular perseverance of flower understandings. gence. It frequently happens, that applaufe abates diliWhoever finds himself to have performed more than was demanded, will be contented to spare the labour of unneceffary performances, and fit down to enjoy at ease his fuperfluities of honour. He whom fuccefs has made confident of his abilities, quickly claims the privilege of negligence, and looks contemptuously on the gradual advances of a rival, whom he imagines himself able to leave behind whenever he shall again fummon his force to the contest. But long intervals of pleasure diffipate attention, and weaken conftancy; nor is it easy for him that has funk from diligence into floth, to roufe out of his lethargy, to recollect his notions, rekindle his curiofity, and engage with his former ardour in the toils of study. Even that friendship which intends the reward of genius, too often tends to obftruct it. The pleafure of being careffed, diftinguished, and admired, easily feduces the student from literary folitude. He is ready to follow the call which fummons him to hear his own praise, and which, perhaps, at once flatters his appetite with certainty of pleasures; and his ambition with hopes of patronage; pleasures which he 15 conceives conceives inexhaustible, and hopes which he has not yet learned to distrust. These evils, indeed, are by no means to be imputed to nature, or confidered as infeparable from an early display of uncommon abilities. They may be certainly escaped by prudence and refolution, and must therefore be recounted rather as confolations to those who are lefs liberally endowed, than as discouragements to such as are born with uncommon quali ties. Beauty is well known to draw after it the perfecutions of impertinence, to incite the artifices of envy, and to raise the flames of unlawful love; yet among the ladies whom prudence or modesty have made most eminent, who has ever complained of the inconveniencies of an amiable form; or would have purchased safety by the lofs of charms? Neither grace of perfon, nor vigour of under standing, are to be regarded other wife than as bleff ings, as means of happiness indulged by the Supreme Benefactor; but the advantages of either may be loft by too much eagerness to obtain them. A thousand beauties in their first bloffom, by an imprudent exposure to the open world, have fuddenly withered at the blast of infamy; and men who might have subjected new regions to the empire of learning, have been lured by the praise of their first productions from academical retirement, and wafted their days in vice and dependence. The virgin who too foon aspires to celebrity and conqueft, perishes by childish vanity, ignorant credulity, or guiltlefs indifcretion. The genius who catches at laurels and preferment before his time, mocks the hopes that he had excited, and lofes thofe years which might have been most VOL. V. ufefully usefully employed, the years of youth, of spirit, and vivacity. It is one of the innumerable abfurdities of pride, that we are never more impatient of direction, than in that part of life when we need it moft; we are in hafte to meet enemies whom we have not ftrength to overcome, and to undertake tasks which we cannot perform and as he that once miscarries does not easily perfuade mankind to favour another attempt, an ineffectual ftruggle for fame is often followed by perpetual obfcurity. NUMB. 112. SATURDAY, April 13, 1751. In mea vefanas habui difpendia vires, Of ftrength pernicious to myself I boast; OVID. F. LEWIS WE are taught by Celfus, that health is best preferved by avoiding fettled' habits of life, and deviating fometimes into flight aberrations from the laws of medicine; by varying the proportions of food and exercise, interrupting the fucceffions of rest and labour, and mingling hardships with indulgence. The body, long accustomed to ftated quantities and uniform periods, is difordered by the fmalleft irregularity; and fince we cannot adjust every day by the balance or barometer, it is fit fometimes to depart from rigid accuracy, that we may be able to comply with neceffary affairs, or ftrong inclinations. He that too long obferves nice punctualities, condemns himself to voluntary imbecility, and will not long escape the miseries of disease. The fame laxity of regimen is equally neceffary to intellectual health, and to a perpetual fufceptibility of occafional pleasure. Long confinement to the fame company which perhaps fimilitude of taste brought first together, quickly contracts his faculties, and makes a thoufand things offenfive that are in themselves indifferent; a man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own fentiments, foon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratifications of mankind. In things which are not immediately fubject to religious or moral confideration, it is dangerous to be too long or too rigidly in the right. Senfibility may, by an inceffant attention to elegance and propriety, be quickened to a tenderness inconfiftent with the condition of humanity, irritable by the smallest afperity, and vulnerable by the gentlest touch. He that pleases himself too much with minute exactness, and submits to endure nothing in accommodations, attendance, or address, below the point of perfection, will, whenever he enters the crowd of life, be haraffed with innumerable diftreffes, from which those who have not in the fame manner increased their fenfations find no disturbance. His exotick foftnefs will shrink at the coarseness of vulgar felicity, like a plant tranfplanted to northern nurseries, from the dews and sunshine of the tropical regions. There will always be a wide interval between practical and ideal excellence; and, therefore, if we al |