our complaints by fympathy and tenderness, we enquire, whether the pain be proportionate to the lamentation; and whether, fuppofing the affliction real, it is not the effect of vice and folly, rather than calamity. The queruloufnefs and indignation which is obferved fo often to disfigure the laft fcene of life, naturally leads us to enquiries like thefe. For furely it will be thought at the first view of things, that if age be thus contemned and ridiculed, infulted and neglected, the crime muft at least be equal on either part. They who have had opportunities of eftablishing their authority over minds ductile and unrefifting, they who have been the protectors of helpleffnefs, and the instructors of ignorance, and who yet retain in their own hands the power of wealth, and the dignity of command, muft defeat their influence by their own misconduct, and make use of all these advantages with very little fkill, if they. cannot fecure to themselves an appearance of respect, and ward off open mockery, and declared contempt. The general ftory of mankind will evince, that lawful and fettled authority is very seldom refifted when it is well employed. Grofs corruption, or evident imbecillity is neceffary to the fuppreffion of that reverence with which the majority of mankind look upon their governors, on thofe whom they fee furrounded by fplendour, and fortified by power. For tho' men are drawn by their paffions into forgetfulness of invifible rewards and punishments, yet they are eafily kept obedient to those who have temporal dominion in their hands,. till their veneration is diffipated by fuch wickedness and folly as can neither be defended nor concealed.. . It mays therefore, very reasonably be fufpected that the old draw upon themselves the greatest part of thofe infults, which they fo much lament, and that age is rarely defpifed but when it is contemptible. If men imagine that excefs or debauchery can be made reverend by time, that knowledge is the confequence of long life however idly and thoughtlefly employed, that priority of birth will fupply the want of fteadiness or honefty, can it raife much wonder that their hopes are difappointed, and that they fee their pofterity rather willing to truft their own eyes in their progrefs into life, than enlift themfelves under guides who have loft their way? There are, indeed, many truths which time neceffarily and certainly teaches, and which might, by thofe who have learned them from experience, be communicated to their fucceffors at a cheaper rate: but dictates, though liberally enough betowed, are generally without effect, the teacher gains few profelytes by inftruction which his own behaviour contradicts; and young men mifs the benefit of counfel, because they are not.very ready to believe that thofe who fall below them in practice, can much excel them in theory. Thus the progrefs of knowledge is retarded, the world is kept long in the fame ftate, and every new race is to gain the prudence of their predeceffors by committing and. redreffing the fame miscarriages. To fecure to the old that influence which they are willing to claim, and which might fo much contribute to the improvement of the arts of life, it is abfolutely neceffary that they give themselves up to the duties of declining years; and contentedly refign to youth its levity, its pleasures, its frolicks, and its fopperies. It is a hopeless endeavour to unite the contrarieties of fpring and winter; it is unjuft to claim the privileges of age, and retain the play-things of childhood. The young always form incent ideas of the wifdom and gravity of men, men, whom they confider as placed at a distance from them in the ranks of existence, and naturally look on those whom they find trifling with long beards, with contempt and indignation, like that which women feel at the effeminacy of men. If dotards will contend with boys in those performances in which boys must always excel them; if they will drefs crippled limbs in embroidery, endeavour at gayety with faltering voices; and darken affemblies of pleasure with the ghaftlinefs of difeafe, they may well expect thofe who find their diverfions obftructed will hoot them away; and that if they descend to competition with youth, they must bear the infolence of fuccessful rivals. Lufifti fatis, edifti fatis atque bibifti: You've had your share of mirth, of meat and drink: 'tis time to think. ELPHINSTON, Another vice of age, by which the rifing generation may be alienated from it, is severity and cenforioufnefs, that gives no allowance to the failings of early life, that expects artfulness from childhood, and conftancy from youth, that is peremptory in every command, and inexorable to every failure. There are many who live merely to hinder happinefs, and whose defcendants can only tell of long life, that it produces fufpicion, malignity, peevishnefs and perfecution: and yet even thefe tyrants can talk of the ingratitude of the age, curfe their heirs for impatience, and wonder that young men cannot take pleasure in their fathers' company. He that would pafs the latter part of life with honour and decency, muft, when he is young, confider that he thall one day be old; and remember, when he is old, that he has once been young. In N 5 youth youth he must lay up knowledge for his fupport, when his powers of acting fhall forfake him; and in age forbear to animadvert with rigour on faults which experience only can correct. NUMB. 51. TUESDAY, Sept. 10, 1750. SIR, À To the RAMBLER. S you have allowed a place in your paper to Euphelia's letters from the country, and appear to think no form of human life unworthy of your attention, I have resolved, after many struggles with idlenefs and diffidence, to give you fome account of my entertainment in this fober feafon of univerfal retreat, and to defcribe to you the employments of those who look with contempt on the pleafures and diverfions of polite life, and employ all their powers of cenfure and invective upon the ufeleffnefs, vanity, and folly of drefs, vifits, and converfation. When a tiresome and vexatious journey of four days had brought me to the houfe, where an invitation, regularly fent for feven years together, had at laft induced me to pafs the fummer, I was furprifed, after the civilities of my first reception, to find, Toftead of the leisure and tranquillity, which a rural lways promifes, and, if well conducted, might s afford, a confufed wildnefs of care, and a Ituous hurry of diligence, by which every face clouded, and every motion agitated. The old 4 lady, lady, who was my father's relation, was, indeed, very full of the happinefs which the received from my vifit, and, according to the forms of obfolete breeding, infifted that I fhould recompenfe the long delay of my company with a promise not to leave her till winter. But, amidst all her kindness and careffes, the very frequently turned her head afide, and whispered, with anxious earneftness, fome order to her daughters, which never failed to fend them out with unpolite precipitation. Sometimes her impatience would not fuffer her to ftay behind; The begged my pardon, fhe muft leave me for a moment; fhe went, and returned and fat down again, but was again difturbed by fome new care, difmiffed her daughters with the fame trepidation, and fol-. lowed them with the fame countenance of business: and folicitude. However I was alarmed at this fhow of eagernefs and disturbance, and however my curiofity was excited by fuch bufy preparations as naturally promised some great event, I was yet too much a ftranger to gratify myself with enquiries; but finding none of the family in mourning, I pleased myself with imagining that I fhould rather fee a wedding. than a funeral. At last we fat down to fupper, when I was informed that one of the young ladies, after whom I thought myself obliged to enquire, was under a neceffity of attending fome affair that could not be neglected: Soon afterward my relation began to talk of the regularity of her family, and the inconvenience of London hours; and at last let me know that they had purpofed that night to go to bed fooner than was ufual, because they were to rila early in the morning to make cheefecakes TH:3 hint fent me to my chamber, to which companied by all the ladies, who beged me to excufe fome large fieves of leaves and Howard N 6. |