not to expect answers, our arguments are confuted with a jeft, and we are treated like beings who tranfgrefs the limits of our nature whenever we afpire to ferioufnefs or improvement. I enquired yesterday of a gentleman eminent for aftronomical skill, what made the day long in fummer, and short in winter; and was told that nature protracted the days in fummer, left ladies fhould want time to walk in the park; and the nights in winter, left they should not have hours fufficient to fpend at the card-table. I hope you do not doubt but I heard fuch inform-ation with just contempt, and I defire you to difcover, to this great master of ridicule, that I was far from wanting any intelligence which he could have given me. I afked the question with no other intention than to fet him free from the neceffity of filence, and gave him an opportunity of mingling on equal terms with a polite affembly, from which, however uncafy, he could not then escape, by a kind introduction of the only fubject on which I believed him able to fpeak with propriety. NUMB. 127. TUESDAY, June 4, 1751. Capifi melius quàm definis: ultima primis POLITIAN, a name eminent among ftorers of polite literature, when he published a collection of epigrams, prefixed to many of them the year of his age at which they were compofed. 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 firft 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 raifed, and to end in neglect and obfcurity 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 copioufly displayed, may be often added the loss of fame. The advance of the human mind towards any object of laudable purfuit, may be compared to the progrefs of a body driven by a blow. It moves for a time with great velocity and vigour, but the force of the first impulfe is perpetually decreafing,. and though it fhould encounter no obftacle capable of . of quelling it by a fudden stop, the resistance of the medium through which it paffes, and the latent inequalities of the fmootheft surface, will in a fhort 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 loses fight of all that fills up the intermediate fpace, and therefore fets. forward with alacrity and confidence, nor fufpects; a thousand obftacles by which he afterwards finds his paffage embarraffed and obstructed. Some are indeed ftopt at once in their career by a fudden fhock of calamity, or diverted to a different direc-. tion by the cross impulfe of fome violent paffion;, but far the greater part languish by flow degrees, deviate at firft into flight, obliquities, and themfelves fcarcely perceive at what time their ardour forfook them, or when they loft fight of their original dèfign. 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 re-. quires paufes of eafe and relaxation, and the delicioufnefs of eafe commonly makes us unwilling to re-. turn to labour. We, perhaps, prevail upon ourfelves to renew our attempts, but eagerly liften to every argument for frequent interpofitions of amufement; 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 induftry to be equally endangered by mifcarriage and fuccefs, by confidence and defpondency. He that engages in a great un-dertaking with a falfe opinion of its facility, or too сб high high conceptions of his own ftrength, is eafily dif couraged by the first hindrance of his advances, because he had promifed himself an equal and perpetual progreffion without impediment or difturbance; when unexpected interruptions break in upon him, he is in the state of a man furprised by a tempeft, where he purposed only to bask in the calm, or fport in the fhallows. It is not only common to find the difficulty of an enterprize greater, but the profit lefs, 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 deferve. 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 most evident claims to praife or preferment may be rejected by malice againft conviction, or by indolence without examination; that they may be fometimes defeated by artifices, and fometimes overborne 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 ceafed 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 repofe; that fome are engaged in complications of intereft which they imagine endangered by every innovation; that many yield themfelves up impli citly 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, muft quicken the frigid and foften the obdurate, must reclaim perverfenefs and inform stupidity. It is no wonder that when the profpect of reward has vanished, the zeal of enterprize fhould cease; for who would perfevere to cultivate the foil which he has, after long labour, difcovered to be barren? He who hath pleafed 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 thofe 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 should be too justly expected to reward it. A man, thus cut off from the prospect of that port to which his addrefs 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 resolution to make another effort, till he is fwallowed 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 fuccefsful labours, and the hafte of enjoying advantages before they are fecured, is often fatal to men of impetuous defire, to men whofe consciousness of uncommon powers fills them with prefumption, and who having borne oppofition down before them, and left emulation panting |