Cambyses, for only having dreamed in his sleep that O prima infelix fingenti terra Prometheo! Oh! 'twas for man a most unhappy day Did indiscreetly the main thing neglect. In framing bodies he had not the art To form the mind, the first and noblest part. CHAPTER IV. On some Verses of Virgil. Giay reffec. USEFUL meditation is the more embarrassing and tions neces- burdensome by being copious and solid. Vice, death, poverty, and distempers, are subjects that are both grave and grievous. It is necessary for the sary in old age. A phrase unintelligible, and only quoted lest many of his readers should be led into the same mistake. *Herodot. lib. iii. p. 196. + Plutarch's Treatise of Superstition, chap. 9. Idem, ibid. § Propert. lib. iii. eleg. 5, ver. 7. 12 mind to be well furnished with the means of sustaining and combating evils, and instructed in the rules of a good life, and a right belief; and it should be often roused and exercised in this noble study. But, in an ordinary soul, this must be by relaxing sometimes, and with moderation; for, if continually bent to it, it will grow stupid. In my youth I found it necessary to put myself in mind, and to solicit myself to keep to my duty. Gaiety and health, they say, do not agree quite so well with these serious and wise discourses. I am at this present time in another state. The terms of old age only give me too much warnings, preach to me, and make me grow wiser. From an excessive sprightliness, I am sunk into excessive gravity, which is worse. For that reason I now suffer my fancy to run wild for the purpose, and sometimes employ my mind in wanton and juvenile thoughts, with which it diverts itself. I am of late but too reserved, too grave, and too sedate. Every day, at these years, admonishes me to be cool and temperate. This body of mine avoids irregularity, and dreads it. It is now its turn to guide my mind towards a reformation. This too governs in its turn, and more roughly and imperiously than the other. It does not let me rest an hour, either sleeping or waking, from some instruction concerning death, patience, and repentance. I now deny myself temperance, as I did formerly pleasure; for it draws me too far back, and even to a degree of stupidity. Now I would fain be my own master in every respect. Even wisdom has its excess, and has as much need of moderation as folly; therefore lest I should wither, dry up, and overburden myself with prudence, in the intervals which my infirmitie allow me: Mens intenta suis ne siet usque matis.* Lest that my mind should evermore be bent, * Ovid de Trist. lib. iv. cleg. 1, ver. 4. Old men present at I gently decline it, and turn away my eyes from the stormy and cloudy sky that I have before me; which, thanks be to God, I consider without fear, but not without meditation and debate; and amuse myself with the remembrance of the days of my youth: Animus quod perdidit, optat, Atque in præteritâ se totus imagine versat.* The mind longs to regain what it has lost, Was it not the meaning of Janus's double face, to Hoc est, Vivere bis, vitâ posse privre frui.† The man lives twice, who can the gift retain Plato prescribes to old men to be present at the should be exercises, dancings, and sports of youth, that they may be pleased to see in others that activity and exercises of beauty of the body, which in themselves is no more; the youth, and that they may recall to mind the gracefulness and the pas times and bloom of that flourishing stage of life: and he requires that, in those recreations, they ascribe the honour of the victory to the young man who has given the best, and the most diversion and joy to the company. I used formerly to mark dull gloomy days as extraordinary; those are now my ordinary ones, and the extraordinary are the serene, bright days. I am ready to leap out of my skin for joy, as much as if I had received a new favour when I had not a right to one. With whatever vain fancies I please *Petronius, p. 90, of the Paris edition, 1587. myself, I cannot sometimes force one poor smile from this wretched body of mine. I am only merry in conceit, and, as in a dream, to divert by stratagem the chagrin of old age: but surely it would require another remedy than a dream. A weak struggle of art against nature. It is a great folly to lengthen and anticipate human inconveniences, as every body does. I had rather be old, though it be for a less time, than be old before I am really so.* I seize And take on even the least occasions of pleasure that come in every op portunity my way. I know well, by hearsay, several sorts of of enjoying pleasures, which are prudent, manly, and honour pleasure. able; but opinion has not power enough over me to give me an appetite for them. I covet not so much to have them gallant, magnificent, and pompous, as I do to have them delightful, easy to come at, and ready at hand. A natura discedimus: populo nos damus, nullius rei bono autorit "We abandon na "ture to follow the popular taste, from which no "good comes." My philosophy is in action, in natural and present practice, very little in fancy. What a pleasure should I take in playing at cobnut, or whipping a top! ́Non ponebat enim rumores ante salutem.‡ He was too wise Idle reports before his health to prize. Pleasure is a quality of very little ambition. It thinks itself rich enough, without any mixture of reputation with it, and is best pleased in obscurity. That young man who should pretend to a palate for wine and sauces, ought to be whipped. There was nothing which I less knew and valued, but now I learn it. I am very much ashamed of it, but what * Cicero's Treatise of old Age, chap. 10. + Senec. ep. 99. This is a very pleasant application of a grave verse, quoted out of Ennius by Cicero de Offic. lib. i. cap. 24, where that poet, speaking of Fabius Maximus, says, that while he was acting for the public good, he was indifferent to every thing that was said at Rome to run down his conduct. should I do? I am more ashamed and vexed at the occasions that prompted me to it. It is for us to dote and tell old wives' stories; but young men must mind their reputation, and make a genteel figure. Youth is advancing into the world, and into credit. We are going out of it. Sibi arma, sibi æquos, sibi hastas, sibi pilam, sibi natationes, et cursus habeant ; nobis senibus, ex lusionibus multis, talos relinquant et tesseras: "Let them reserve to themselves arms, horses, spears, clubs, tennis, swimming, and racing; and, of the many sports, leave dice, and "draughts, and the chess-board, to us old men." The laws themselves send us to our houses. I can do no less in favour of this wretched state, into which I am pushed by my age, than to furnish it with playthings and amusements, as they do children, into whose class we are also relapsed. Both wisdom and folly will have enough to do to support and relieve me, by alternate offices, in this calamity of age: Misce stultitiam consiliis brevem.t Short folly mix with graver cares. I also avoid the slightest attacks; for what would not have scratched me formerly, now pierce me through and through. My constitution begins naturally to be so crazy; In fragili corpore odiosa omnis offensis est: "To a weak constitution every injury is hateful.” Mensque pati durum sustinet ægrą nihil.‡ And a sick mind nothing that's harsh can bear. I was always of so delicate a constitution that the least injury would hurt me; and I am now become more tender, and more exposed on all sides: Et minimæ vires frangere quassa valent.§ A crack'd pitcher is soon broke. Cic. de Senect. cap. 16. + Hor. lib. iv. ode 12, ver. 27, Ovid de Ponto, lib. i. eleg. 5, ver. 18. |