had spent her little fortune in procuring remedies for a lingering difeafe, and was now fupported and attended by the other: The climbed with difficulty to the apartment, where he languifhed eight weeks without impatience, or lamentation, except for the expence and fatigue which her fifter fuffered, and then calmly and contentedly expired. The fifter followed her to the grave, paid the few debts which they had contracted, wiped away the tears of useless forrow, and return

Ο

ing to the business of common life, refigned to me the vacant habitation.

Such, Mr. Rambler, are the changes which have happened in the narrow space where my prefent fortune has fixed my refidence. So true it is that amutement and inftruction are always at hand for thefe who have skill and willingness to find them; and so just is the observation of Juvenal, that a fingle houfe will shew whatever is done or fuffered in the world. I am, Sir, &c.

NE of the complaints uttered by Milton's Sampton, in the anguish of blindness, is, that he shall pass his life under the direction of others; that he cannot regulate his conduct by his own knowledge, but muft lie at the mercy of thofe who undertake to guide him.

There is no state more contrary to the dignity of wifdom than perpetual and unlimited dependence, in which the underftanding lies ufelefs, and every motion is received from externai impulfe. Reafon is the great diftinction of human nature, the faculty by which we approach to fome degree of affociation with celef tial intelligences; but as the excellence of every power appears only in it's operations, not to have reafon, and to have it ufelefs and unemployed, is nearly the fame.

Such is the weakness of man, that the effence of things is feldom fo much regarded as external and accidental appendages. A fmall variation of trifling circumstances, a flight change of form by an artificial dress, or a cafual difference of appearance, by a new light and fituation, will conciliate affection or excite abhorrence, and determine us to purfue or to avoid. Every man confiders a neceffity of compliance with any will but his own, as the lowest state of igno

MART.

F. LEWIS.

miny and meannefs; few are fo far loft in cowardice or negligence, as not to roufe at the first infult of tyranny, and exert all their force against him who ufurps their property, or invades any privilege of fpeech or action. Yet we fee often thofe who never wanted spirit to repel encroachment or oppose violence, at laft, by a gradual relaxation of vigilance, delivering up, without capitulation, the fortress which they defended against asfault, and laying down unbidden the weapons which they grafped the harder for every attempt to wreft them from their hands. Men eminent for spirit and wifdom often refign themselves to voluntary pupillage, and fuffer their lives to be modelled by officious ignorance, and their choice to be regulated by prefumptuous ftupidity.

This unrefifting acquiefcence in the determination of others may be the confequence of application to fome ftudy remote from the beaten track of life, fome employment which does not allow leifure for fufficient infpection of thofe petty affairs by which nature has decreed a great part of our duration to be filled. To a mind thus withdrawn from common objects, it is more eligible to repofe on the prudence of another, than to be exposed every moment to flight inter

ruptions.

ruptions. The fubmiffion which fuch confidence requires, is paid without pain, because it implies no confeffion of inferiority. The business from which we withdraw our cognizance, is not above our abilities, but below our notice. We please our pride with the effects of our influence thus weakly exerted, and fancy ourfelves placed in a higher orb, from which we regulate fubordinate agents by a flight and diftant fuperintendence. But whatever vanity or abflraction may fuggeft, no man can fafely do that by others which might be done by himself; he that indulges negligence will quickly become ignorant of his own affairs; and he that trufts without referve will at laft be deceived.

It is however impoffible but that, as the attention tends ftrongly towards one thing, it must retire from another; and he that omits the care of domestick bu finefs, because he is engroffed by enquiries of more importance to mankind, has at least the merit of fuffering in a good cause. But there are many who can plead no fuch extenuation of their folly; who shake off the burthen of their ftation, not that they may foar with lefs incumbrance to the heights of knowledge or virtue, but that they may loiter at ease and fleep in quiet; and who felect for friendship and confidence not the faithful and the virtuous, but the soft, the civil, and compliant.

This opennels to flattery is the common disgrace of declining life. When men feel weakness increafing on them, they naturally defire to reft from the truggles of contradiction, the fatigue of reafoning, the anxiety of circumfpection; when they are hourly tormented with pains and diseases, they are unable to bear any new disturbance, and confider all oppofition as an addition to mifery, of which they feel already more than they can patiently endure. Thus defirous of peace, and thus fearfulof pain, the old man feldom enquires after any other qualities in those whom he caref fes, than quickness in conjecturing his defires, activity in fupplying his wants, dexterity in intercepting complaints before they approach near enough to difturb him, fexibility to his prefent humour, fubmiffion to hafty petulance, and attention to wearifome narrations. By thefe arts alone many have been able to defeat the claims of kindred and of me

rit, and to enrich themselves with pre. fents and legacies.

Thrafybulus inherited a large fortune, and augmented it by the revenues of feveral lucrative employments, which he difcharged with honour and dexterity. He was at laft wife enough to confider, that life fhould not be devoted wholly to accumulation, and therefore retiring to his eftate, applied himself to the education of his children, and the cultivation of domeftick happiness.

He paffed several years in this pleafing amufement, and faw his care amply recompenfed his daughters were cele brated for modesty and elegance, and his fons for learning, prudence, and fpirit. In time the eagerness with which the neighbouring gentlemen courted his alliance, obliged him to refign his daughters to other families; the vivacity and curiofity of his fons hurried them out of rural privacy into the open world, from whence they had not foon an inclination to return. This however he had always hoped; he pleased himself with the fuccefs of his fchemes, and felt no inconvenience from folitude till an apoplexy deprived him of his wife.

Thrafybulus had now no companion; and the maladies of increafing years hav ing taken from him much of the power of procuring amufement for himself, he thought it neceffary to procure fome inferior friend who might eafe him of his economical folicitudes, and divert him by cheerful converfation. All these qualities he foon recollected in Vafer, a clerk in one of the offices over which he had formerly prefided. Vafer was invited to vifit his old patron, and being by his flation acquainted with the prefent modes of life, and by conftant prac tice dextrous in bufinefs, entertained him with fo many novelties, and so readily difentangled his affairs, that be was defired to refign his clerkship, and acccept a liberal falary in the house of Thrafybulus.

Vafer having always lived in a state of dependance, was well verfed in the arts by which favour is obtained, and could without repugnance or hesitation accommodate himself to every caprice, and echo every opinion. He never doubted but to be convinced, nor attempted oppofition but to flatter Thrafybulus with the pleasure of a victory. By this practice he found his way into his patron's

heart,

heart, and having first made himself agreeable, foon became important. His infidious diligence, by which the laziness of age was gratified, engroffed the management of affairs; and his petty offices of civility, and occasional interceffions, perfuaded the tenants to confider him as their friend and benefactor, and to entreat his enforcement of their reprefentations of hard years, and his countenance to petitions for abatement of rent.

Thrafy bulus had now banqueted on -flattery, till he could no longer bear the harfhness of remonstrance, or the infipidity of truth. All contrariety to his own opinion fhocked him like a violation of fome natural right, and all recommmendation of his affairs to his own in

spection was dreaded by him as a fummons to torture. His children were alarmed by the fudden riches of Vafer, but their complaints were heard by their father with impatience, as the result of a confpiracy against his quiet, and a defign to condemn him, for their own advantage, to groan out his laft hours in perplexity and drudgery. The daugh ters retired with tears in their eyes, but the fon continued his importunities till he found his inheritance hazarded by his obftinacy. Vafer triumphed over all their efforts, and continuing to confirm himfelf in authority, at the death of his mafter purchased an estate, and bade defiance to enquiry and justice.

SENICA.

NONE of the overt it on indigence

ONE of the cruelties exercifed by

and dependance is more mischievous in it's confequences, or more frequently practifed with wanton negligence, than the encouragement of expectations which are never to be gratified, and the elation and depreffion of the heart by needlefs viciffitudes of hope and disappointment. Every man is rich or poer, according to the proportion between his defires and enjoyments; any enlargement of wishes is therefore equally deftructive to happinefs with the diminution of poffeffion; and he that teaches another to long for what he never shall obtain, is no lefs an enemy to his quiet, than if he had robbed him of part of his patrimony.

But reprefentations thus refined exhibit no adequate idea of the guilt of pretended friendfhip; of artifices by which followers are attracted only to decorate the retinue of pomp, and fwell the fhout of popularity, and to be dif miffed with contempt and ignominy, when their leader has fucceeded or mifcarried, when he is fick of fhow, and weary of noife. While a man, infatuated with the promifes of greatness, waltes his hours and days in attendance and folicitation, the honeft opportuni

F. LEWIS.

without his notice; he neglects to cul

ties of improving his condition pass by

tivate his own barren foil, because he expects every moment to be placed in regions of fpontaneous fertility; and is feldom roufed from his delufion, but by the gripe of diftrefs which he cannot refift, and the fenfe of evils which cannot be remedied.

The punishment of Tantalus in the infernal regions affords a juft image of hungry fervility, flattered with the approach of advantage, doomed to lose it before it comes into his reach, always within a few days of felicity, and always finking back to his former wants.

Καί μὲν Τάνταλον ἐισεῖδον χαλὶσ ̓ ἄλγὶ ἔχοντα
Εσάοτ, ἐν λίμνῃ, ἡ δὲ προσέπλαζε γενέιω
Στεῦτο δὲ διψάων· πιέειν δ ̓ ἐκ εἶχεν ἕλεσθαι,
Οσσάκι γαρ κύψει ὁ γέρων πιέειν μενεαίνων.
Τοσσαχ' ίδως αχολέσκετ ἀναβροχθὲν· ἀμφὶ δὲ
ποσσί

Γαῖα μέλαινα φάνεσκε· καταζήνασκε δὲ δαίμων.
Δένδρα δ' ὑψιπίτηλα καταχςήθεν χέε καρπὸν.
Ὄχναι, καὶ ῥοιαὶ, καὶ μηλέαι ἀγλαόκαρπον.
Συκᾶι τε γλυκεραί, καὶ ἐλᾶιαι τηλεθόωσαι
Τῶν ὁπότ ̓ ἔθυσει ὁ γέρων ἐπὶ χερσὶ μάσασθαι,
Τάς δ' ανεμων ῥιπίασκε πολὺ νέφεα σκιόεντα.

I faw,' fays Homer's Ulyffes, the fevere punishment of Tantalus. In 3 A a lake

· a lake whose waters approached to his Aips, he stood burning with thirst, without the power to drink. When· ever he inclined his head to the stream, fome deity commanded it to be dry, and the dark earth appeared at his feet. Around him lofty trees fpread their fruits to view; the pear, the pomegra"nate, and the apple, the green olive, and the luscious fig, quivered before him, which, whenever he extended his hand to feize them, were fnatched by the winds into clouds and obfcurity.'

This image of mitery was perhaps originally fuggefted to fome poet by the conduct of his patron, by the daily contemplation of fplendor which he never mult partake, by fruitless attempts to catch at interdicted happiness, and by the fudden evanefcence of his reward, when he thought his labours almost at an end. To groan with poverty, when all about him was opulence, riot, and fuperfluity, and to find the favours which he had long been encouraged to hope, and had long endeavoured to deserve, fquandered at last on nameless ignorance, was to thift with water flowing before him, and to fee the fruits to which his hunger was haftening, fcattered by the wind. Nor can my correfpondent, whatever he may have fuffered, exprefs with more juftness or force the vexations of dependance.

87B,

TO THE RAMBLER.

Ain one of thofe mortals who have been courted and envied as the favourites of the great. Having often gained the prize of compofition at the univerfity, I began to hope that I should obtain the fame distinction in every other place, and determined to forfake the profeffion to which I was deftined by my parents, and in which the intereft of my family would have procured me a very advantageous fettlement. The pride of wit fluttered in my heart; and when I prepared to leave the college, nothing entered my imagination but honours, careffes, and rewards, riches without labour, and luxury without expence.

I however delayed my departure for a time, to finish, the performance by which I was to draw the first notice of mankind upon me. When it was completed, I hurried to London, and confi

dered every moment that passed before it's publication as loft in a kind of neutral existence, and cut off from the golden hours of happinefs and tame. The piece was at lalt printed and disseminated by a rapid fale; I wandered from one place of concourse to another, fealted from morning to night on the repetition of my own praifes, and enjoyed the va rious conjectures of criticks, the miftaken candour of my friends, and the impotent malice of my enemies. Some had read the manufcript, and rectified it's inaccuracies; others had seen it in a state lo imperfect, that they could not forbear to wonder at it's prefent excel. lence; fome had converfed with the author at the coffee-houfe; and others gave hints that they had lent him money.

I knew that no performance is fo favourably read as that of a writer who fuppreffes his name, and therefore refolved to remain concealed, till those by whom literary reputation is established had given their fuffrages too publickly to retract them. At length my bookfeller informed me that Aurantius, the standing patron of merit, had sent enquiries after me, and invited me to his acquaintance.

The time which I had long expected was now arrived. I went to Aurantius with a beating heart, for I looked upon cur interview as the critical moment of my destiny. I was received with civilities, which my academick rudeness made me unable to repay; but when I had recovered from my confufon, I profecuted the converfation with fuch livelinefs and propriety, that I confirmed my new friend in his efteem of my abilities, and was difmiffed with the utmost ardour of profeffion, and raptures of fondnefs.

I was foon fummoned to dine with Aurantius, who had affembled the most judicious of his friends to partake of the entertainment. Again I exerted my powers of fentiment and expreffion, and again found every eye fparkling with delight, and every tongue filent with attention. I now became familiar at the table of Aurantius, but could never, in his molt private or jocund hours, obtain more from him than general declarations of esteem, or endearments of tenderness, which included no particular promife and therefore conferr d no claim. This frigid referve fomewhat difgufted mea and when he complained of three days

abfence,

abfence, I took care to inform him with how much importunity of kindness I had been detained by his rival Pollio.

Aurantius now confidered his honour as endangered by the desertion of a wit; and left I should have an inclination to wander, told me that I could never find a friend more conftant or zealous than himfelt; that indeed he had made no promifes, becaufe he hoped to furprife me with advancement, but had been filently promoting my intereft, and should continue his good offices, unless he found the kindne's of others more defired.

If you, Mr. Rambler, have ever ventured your philofophy within the attraction of greatnefs, you know the force of fuch language introduced with a fmile of gracious tendernefs, and impreffed at the conclufion with an air of folemn fincerity. From that inftant I gave myself up wholly to Aurantius; and as he im`mediately refumed his former gaiety, expected every morning a fummons to fome employment of dignity and profit. One month fucceeded another, and in defiance of appearances I ftill fancied myself nearer to my wishes, and continued to dream of fuccefs, and wake to difappointment. At laft the failure of my little fortune compelled me to abate the finery which I hitherto thought neceffary to the company with whom I af fociated, and the rank to which I fhould be raised. Aurantius, from the moment in which he discovered my poverty, confidered me as fully in his power, and afterwards rather permitted my attend ance than invited it; thought himself at liberty to refufe my vifits whenever he had other amufements within reach, and' often fuffered me to wait, without pretending any neceffary bufinefs. When I was admitted to his table, if any man of rank equal to his own was present, He took occafion to mention my writings,

and commend my ingenuity, by which he intended to apologize for the confu fion of diftinctions, and the improper affortment of his company; and often called upon me to entertain his friends with my productions, as a sportsman delights the fquires of his neighbourhood* with the curvets of his horfe, or the obedience of his spaniels.

To complete my mortification, it was his practice to impofe talks upon me, by requiring me to write upon fuch fubjects" as he thought fufceptible of ornament and illuftration. With these extorted performances he was little fatisfied, becaufe he rarely found in them the ideas which his own imagination had fuggefted, and which he therefore thought more natural than mine.

When the pale of ceremony is broken, rudenefs and infult foon enter the breach. He now found that he might fafely harafs me with vexation, that he had fixed the fhackles of patronage upon me, and that I'could neither reflit him nor elcape." At laft; in the eighth year of my servi tude, when the clamour of creditors was vehement, and my neceffity known to be extreme, he offered me a finall office; but hinted his expectation that I should' marry a young woman with whom he had been acquainted.

I was not fo far depreffed by my ca lamities as to comply with his propofal; but knowing that complaints and expoftulations would but gratify his infolence, I turned away with that contempt with which I fhall never want spirit to treat the wretch who can outgo the guilt of a robber without the temptation of his profit, and who lures the credulous and thoughtlefs to maintain the show of his levee, and the mirth of his table, at the expence of honour, happiness, and life.

I am, Sir, &c.

LIBERALIS.

MART.

of an inceffant with for fuperiority, from

the fuccefs or miscarriage of fecret competitions, from victories and defeats, of which, though they appear to us of great 3 A 2

importance,