take possession of his thoughts, in which the same ardour of mind promises him again certain success, and which disappointments of {he same kind compel him to abandon.

Thus too much vigour in the beginning of an undertaking, often intercepts and prevents the steadiness and perseverance always necessary in the conduct of a complicated scheme, where many interests are to be connected, many movements to be adjusted, and the joint effort of distinct and independent powers to be directed to a single point. In all important events which have been suddenly brought to pass, chance has been the agent rather than reason; and, therefore, however thofe, who seemed to preside in the transaction, may have been celebrated by such as loved or seared them, succeeding times have commonly considered them as fortunate rather than prudent. Every design in which the connection is regularly traced from the first motion to the last, must be formed and executed by calm intrepidity,' and requires, not only courage which ganger cannot turn aside, but constancy which satigues cannot weary, and contrivance which impediments cannot exhaust.

All'the performances of human art, at which we look with praise or wonder, are instances of the resistless force of perseverance: it is by this that the quarry becomes a pyramid, and that distant countries are united with canals. If a man was. to compare the effect of a single stroke of the pick-ax, or of one impression of the spade, with the general design, and last result, he would be overwhelmed by the sense of their disproportion; yet those petty opera

T 4- tions* tions, incessantly continued, in time surmount the greatest disficulties, and mountains are levelled, and oceans bounded, by the slender force of human beings.

It is theresore of the utmost importance thar those who have any intention of deviating from the bearrn roads of lise, and acquiring a reputation superior to names hourly swept away by time among the refuse of fame, should add to their reason, and their spirit, the power of persisting in their purpofes; acquire the art of fapping what they cannot batter, and the habit of vanquishing obstinate resistance by obstinate attacks.

The student who would build his knowledge on solid foundations, and proceed by just degrees to the pinacles of truth, is directed by the great philofopher of France to begin by doubting of his own existence. In like manner, whoever would complete any arduous and intricate enterprise, should, as loon as his imagination can cool aster the first blaze of hope, place before his own eyes every possible embarrassment that may retard or defeat him. He should first question the probability of success, and then endeavour to remove the objections that he has raised. It is proper, fays old Markham, to exercise your horse on the more inconvenient side of die course, that is he should, in the race, be forced upon it, he may not be discouraged; and Horace advises his poetical friend to consider every day as the last which he shall enjoy, because that will always give pleasure which we receive beyond our hopes. If we alarm ourselves besorehand with more disficulties than we really find, we shall be animated by unexpected facility with double

spirit i

spirit; and if we find our cautions and sears justified by the consequence, there will however happen nothing against which provision has not been made, no sudden shock will be received, nor will the main scheme be disconcerted.

There is, indeed, some danger lest he that too scrupulously balances probabilities, and too perspicacioufly foresees obstacles, should remain always in a state of inaction, without venturing upon attempts on which he may perhaps spend his labour without advantage. But previous despondence is not the sault of those for whom this essay is designed; they who require to be warned against precipitation, will not suffer more sear to intrude into their contemplations than is necessary to allay the effervescence of an agitated sancy. As Des Cartes has kindly shewn how a man may prove to himself his own existence, if once he can be prevailed upon to question it, so the ardent and adventurous will not be long without finding some plausible extenuation of the greatest difficulties. Such, indeed, is the uncertainty of all human affairs, that security and despair are equal follies, and as it is presumption and arrogance to anticipate triumphs, it is weakness and cowardice to prognosticate miscarriages. The numbers that have been stopped in their career of happiness are sufficient to shew the uncertainty of human foresight; but there are not wanting contrary instances of such success obtained against all appearances, as may warrant the boldest flights of genius, if they are supported by unshaken perseverance.

Numb. 44. Saturday, August 18, 1750,

"o.xs U in. Homer, ——— jjrcams descend Irom jsovt, PofE,

To the RAMBLER,

S I R,

IHad lately a very remarkable dream, which made so strong an impression on me, that I remember it every word; and if you are not better employed! you may read the relation of it as sollows:

Methought I was in the midst of a very entertaining set of company, and extremely delighted in attending to a lively conversation, when on a sudden I perceived one of the most shocking figures imagination can frame, advr-ncing towards me, She was drest in black, her skin was contracted into a thousand wrinkles, her eyes deep sunk in her head, and her complexion pale and livid as the countenance os death. Her looks were silled with terror and unrelenting severity, and her hands armed with whips and scorpions. As soon as she came near, with a horrid frown, and a voice that chilled my very blood, she bid me follow her. I obeyed, and she led me through rugged paths, beset with briars and thorns, into a deep solitary valley. Wherever she passed the sading verdure withered beneath her steps; her pestilential breath insected the air with malignant vapours, obscured the lustre of the sun, and involved the sair sace of heaven in universal gloom. Dismal

howling*

bowlings resounded through the forest, from every balesul tree the night-raven uttered his dreadsul jiote, and the prospect was silled with desolation and horror. In the midst of this tremendous scene my execrable guide addressed me in the following

manner:

"Retire with me, O rash unthinking mortal, «c from the vain allurements of a deceitsul world, and "learn that pleasure was not designed the portion "of human lise. Man was born to mourn and to ** be wretched; this is the condition of all below f< the stars, and whoever endeavours to oppofe it, "acts in contradiction to the will of heaven. Fly *' then from the fatal enchantments of youth, and t( social delight, and here consecrate the solitary *( hours to lamentation and woe. Misery is the duty "of all sublunary beings, and every enjoyment is *c an offence to the Deity, who is to be worshipped *f only by the mortification of every sense of pleasure, '* and the everlasting exercise of sighs and tears."

This melancholy picture of lise quite sunk my spirits, and seemed to annihilate every principle of joy within me. I threw myself beneath a blasted yeugh, where the winds blew cold and dismal round my head, and dreadsul apprehensions chilled my heart. Here I resolved to lie till the hand of death, which I impatiently invoked, should put an end to the miseries of a lise so deplorably wretched. In this fad situation I spied on one hand of me a deep muddy river, whofe heavy waves rolled on in flow sullen murmurs. Here I determined to plunge, and was just upon the brink, when I found myself suddenly drawn back. I turned about, and was surprised by 6 the