NUMB. 127. TUESDAY, June 4, 1751. Cepifti melius quàm definis: ultima primis Succeeding years thy early fame destroy; Thou, who began'st a man, wilt end a boy. OVID POLITIAN, a name eminent among the re storers of polite literature, when he published a collection of epigrams, prefixed to many of them the year of his age at which they were composed. He might defign by this information, either to boaft the early maturity of his genius, or to conciliate indulgence to the puerility of his performances. But whatever was his intent, it is remarked by Scaliger, that he very little promoted his own reputation, because he fell below the promise which his first productions had given, and in the latter part of his life feldom equalled the fallies of his youth. It is not uncommon for those who at their first entrance into the world were distinguished for attainments or abilities, to disappoint the hopes which they had raised, and to end in neglect and obscurity that life which they began in celebrity and honour. To the long catalogue of the inconveniencies of old age, which moral and fatirical writers have fo copiously difplayed, may be often added the lofs of fame. The advance of the human mind towards any object of laudable pursuit, may be compared to the progress of a body driven by a blow. It moves for a time with great velocity and vigour, but the force of the firft impulse is perpetually decreasing, and though it should encounter no obstacle capa ble ble of quelling it by a sudden stop, the refiftance of the medium through which it paffes, and the latent inequalities of the fmootheft furface, will in a short time by continued retardation wholly overpower it. Some hindrances will be found in every road of life, but he that fixes his eyes upon any thing at a distance neceffarily lofes fight of all that fills up the intermediate space, and therefore fets forward with alacrity and confidence, nor fufpects a thousand obstacles by which he afterwards finds his paffage embarrassed and obstructed. Some are indeed stopt at once in their career by a fudden fhock of calamity, or diverted to a different direction by the cross impulse of fome violent paffion; but far the greater part languish by flow degrees, deviate at first into flight obliquities, and themfelves scarcely perceive at what time their ardour forfook them, or when they loft fight of their original defign. Weariness and negligence are perpetually prevailing by filent encroachments, affifted by different causes, and not obferved till they cannot, without great difficulty, be oppofed. Labour neceffarily requires pauses of ease and relaxation, and the delicioufnefs of ease commonly makes us unwilling to return to labour. We, perhaps, prevail upon ourfelves to renew our attempts, but eagerly liften to every argument for frequent interpofitions of amusement; for when indolence has once entered upon the mind, it can scarcely be difpoffeffed but by fuch efforts as very few are willing to exert. It is the fate of industry to be equally endangered by mifcarriage and fuccefs, by confidence and defpondency. He that engages in a great undertaking with a falfe opinion of its facility, or too G & high high conceptions of his own ftrength, is eafily difcouraged by the first hindrance of his advances, because he had promised himself an equal and perpetual progreffion without impediment or disturbance; when unexpected interruptions break in upon him, he is in the ftate of a man surprised by a tempeft where he purposed only to bask in the calm, or sport in the shallows. It is not only common to find the difficulty of an enterprize greater, but the profit less, than hope had pictured it. Youth enters the world with very happy prejudices in her own favour. She imagines herself not only certain of accomplishing every adventure, but of obtaining those rewards which the accomplishment may deserve. She is not eafily perfuaded to believe that the force of merit can be refifted by obftinacy and avarice, or its luftre darkened by envy and malignity. She has not yet learned that the moft evident claims to praise or preferment may be rejected by malice against conviction, or by indolence without examination; that they may be fometimes defeated by artifices, and sometimes overborn by clamour; that in the mingled numbers of mankind, many need no other provocation to enmity than that they find themfelves excelled; that others have ceased their curiofity, and confider every man who fills the mouth of report with a new name, as an intruder upon their retreat, and disturber of their repose; that fome are engaged in complications of interest which they imagine endangered by every innovation; that many yield themselves up implicitly to every report which hatred diffeminates or folly fcatters; and that whoever afpires to the notice of the publick, has in almost every man an enemy enemy and a rival; and muft ftruggle with the oppofition of the daring, and elude the ftratagems of the timorous, must quicken the frigid and soften the obdurate, must reclaim perverseness and inform ftupidity. It is no wonder that when the prospect of reward has vanished, the zeal of enterprize fhould ceafe; for who would perfevere to cultivate the foil which he has, after long labour, discovered to be barren? He who hath pleased himself with anticipated praises, and expected that he should meet in every place with patronage or friendship, will foon remit his vigour, when he finds that from those who defire to be confidered as his admirers nothing can be hoped but cold civility, and that many refuse to own his excellence, left they fhould be too justly expected to reward it. A man thus cut off from the prospect of that port to which his address and fortitude had been employed to steer him, often abandons himself to chance and to the wind, and glides careless and idle down the current of life, without refolution to make another effort, till he is swallowed up by the gulph of mortality. Others are betrayed to the fame defertion of themselves by a contrary fallacy. It was faid of Hannibal that he wanted nothing to the completion of his martial virtues, but that when he had gained a victory he should know how to use it. The folly of defifting too foon from fuccessful labours, and the hafte of enjoying advantages before they are fecured, is often fatal to men of impetuous defire, to men whose consciousness of uncommon powers fills them with prefumption, and who having born oppofition down before them, and left emulation panting panting behind, are early perfuaded to imagine that they have reached the heights of perfection, and that now being no longer in danger from competitors, they may pass the rest of their days in the enjoyment of their acquifitions, in contemplation of their own fuperiority, and in attention to their own praises, and look unconcerned from their eminence upon the toils and contentions of meaner beings. It is not fufficiently confidered in the hour of exultation, that all human excellence is comparative; that no man performs much but in proportion to what others accomplish, or to the time and opportunities which have been allowed him; and that he who ftops at any point of excellence is every day finking in eftimation, becaufe his improvement grows continually more incommenfurate to his life. Yet, as no man willingly quits opinions favourable to himself, they who have once been justly celebrated, imagine that they ftill have the same pretenfions to regard, and seldom perceive the diminution of their character while there is time to recover it. Nothing then remains but murmurs and remorfe; for if the spendthrift's poverty be imbittered by the reflection that he once was rich, how must the idler's obfcurity be clouded by remembering that he once had luftre ! These errors all arise from an original mistake of the true motives of action. He that never extends. his view beyond the praises or rewards of men, will be dejected by neglect and envy, or infatuated by honours and applaufe. But the confideration that life is only depofited in his hands to be employed in obedience to a master who will regard his endeavours, not his fuccefs, would have pre |