his objection was a just one; that it was attended with fome circumftances under which he could not properly reprefent his Britannic Majefty.

Laftly, I fhall hear how, the first night you lay at Pera, you had a vifion of Mahomet's Paradife, and happily awaked without a foul; from which bleffed moment the beautiful body was left at full liberty to perform all the agreable functions it was made for.

I fee I have done in this letter, as I often have done in your company; talked myself into a good humour, when I begun in an ill one: the pleasure of addreffing to you makes me run on; and 'tis in your power to fhorten this letter as much as you pleafe, by giving over when you pleafe: fo I'l make it no longer by apologies.

IBID. P. 122.

SICKNESS.

YOU formerly obferved to me, that nothing made a more ridiculous figure in a man's life, than the difparity we often find in him, fick and well: thus one of an unfortunate conftitution is perpetually exhibiting a miferable example of the weaknefs of his mind, and of his body, in their turns. I have had frequent opportunities of late to confider myself in thefe different views; and, I hope, have received fome advantage by it, if what Waller fays, be true, that

The

The foul's dark cottage, batter'd and decay'd, Lets in new light thro' chinks that time has made. Then furely ficknefs, contributing no lefs than oldage to the fhaking down this fcaffolding of the body, may discover the inward ftructure more plainly. Sickness is a fort of early old-age; it teaches us a diffidence in our earthly ftate, and inspires us Y state, and infpires us with the thoughts of a future, better than a thoufand volumes of philofophers and divines. It gives fo warning a concuffion to thofe props of our vanity, of our ftrength and youth, that we think of fortifying ourfelves within, when there is fo little dependence upon our outworks. Youth, at the very beft, is but a betrayer of human life in a gentler and fmoother manner than age; 'tis like a ftream that nourishes a plant upon a bank, and caufes it to flourish and bloffom to the fight, but at the fame time is undermining it at the root in fecret. My youth has dealt more fairly and openly with me, it has afforded feveral profpects of my danger, and given me advantage not very common to young men, tha the attractions of the world have not dazzled me very much; and I begin, where moft people end, with a full conviction of the emptiness of all forts of ambition, and the unfatisfactory nature of all human pleafures. When a fmart fit of fickness tells me this fcurvy tenement of my body will fall in a little time, I am e'en as unconcerned as was that honest Hibernian, who being in bed in the great ftorm fome years ago, and told the houfe would tumble over his head, made anfwer, What care I for the

an

*

houfe?

houfe? I am only a lodger. I fancy 'tis the best time to die when one is in the best humour and fo exceffively weak as I now am, I may fay with confcience, that I am not at all uneafy at the thought, that many men, whom I never had any esteem for, are likely to enjoy this world after me. When I reflect what an inconfiderable little atom every fingle man is, with refpect to the whole creation, methinks 'tis a fhame to be concerned at the removal of fuch a trivial animal as I am. The morning after my exit, the fun will rife as bright as ever, the flowers fmell as fweet, the plants fpring as green, the world will proceed in its old courfe, people will laugh as heartily, and marry as fast, as they were used to do. The memory of man (as it is elegantly expreffed in the Book of Wisdom) paffeth away as the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but one day. There are reafons enough, in the fourth chapter of the fame book, to make any young man contented with the profpect of death. "For honourable age is not that which standeth in "length of time, or is measured by number of "years: But wifdom is the grey hair to men'; "and anjunfpotted life is old-age. He was taken "away fpeedily, left wickednefs fhould alter his ur

derstanding, or deceit beguile his foul." &c.

THE MANNERS OF A BOOKSELLER.

To the Earl of BURLINGTON.

MY LORD,

IF your Mare could fpeak, the would give an account of what extraordinary company he had on the roads which fince the cannot do, I will.

It was the enterprifing Mr. Lintot, the redoubte able rival of Mr. Tonfon, who, mounted on a stonehorfe (no difagreeable companion to your Lordship's mare), overtook me in Windfor-foreft. He faid, he heard I defigned for Oxford, the feat of the Mufes; and would, as.my bookfeller, by all means, accompany me thither.

I asked him where he got his horfe? He answered, he got it of his Publisher: "For that rogue my

Printer (faid he) difappointed me: I hoped to “ put him in good humour by a treat at the tavern, of a brown fricaffee of rabits, which coft two fhillings, with two quarts of wine, befides my converfation. I thought myself cock-fure of his * horse, which he readily promised me, but said that Mr. Tonfon had just fuch another defign of "going to Cambridge, expecting there the copy of

a new kind of Horace from Dr. ; and if Mr. "Tonfon went, he was pre-engaged to attend him, "being to have the printing of the faid copy.

* So,

"So, in fhort, I borrowed this ftone-horfe of my "Publisher, which he had of Mr. Oldmixon for a debt; he lent me, too, the pretty boy you fee after me: he was a fmutty dog yesterday, and

and coft me " near two ho a fair conditioned Devil, and very near two hours to wash the ink off his face: but

"the Devil is a

forward in his Catechife: if you l

bags, he tha

bags, he fhall carry them."

1 have any more

I thought Mr. Lintor's civility not to be neglected; fo gave the boy a fmall bag, containing three fhirts, and an Elzevir Virgil, and mounting in an inftant, proceeded on the road, with my man before, my courteous ftationer befide, and the aforefaid devil behind.

Mr. Lintot began in this manner: « Now, damn them! what if they fhould put it in the news Paper how you and I went together to Oxford? "what wo would I care? If I fhould go down into Suffex, they would fay I was gone to the Speaker: But what of that? If my fon were but big enough to go on with the bufinefs, by G-d I would. keep as good company as old facob."

dd to culis dood listym.

Hereupon I enquired of his fon.

"The lad

(fays he) has fine parts, but is fomewhat fickly; "much as you are-I fpare for nothing in his education at Westminster. Pray don't you think. Westminster to be the beft fchool in England? "Most of the late Miniftry came out of it, fo did .many

Z 2