well content. confideration of this would make me very ed with the poffeffion only of that Quiet which Cowley calls the companion of Obscurity. But whoever has the Mufes too for his companions, can never be idle enough to be uneasy. Thus Sir you fee I would flatter my felf into a good opinion of my own way of living. Plutarch just now told me, that 'tis in human life as in a game at tables, where a man may with for the higheft caft, but if his chance be otherwife, he is e'en to play it as well as he can and to make the best of it. I am Your, &c. July 15, 1612. OU formerly obfery'd to me, that nothing made a more ridiculous figure in a man's life, than the disparity we often find in him fick and well: thus one of an unfortunate conftitution is perpetually exhibiting a miserable example of the weaknefs of his mind, and of his body, in their turns. I have had frequent opportunities of late to confider my felf in thefe different views, and I hope have receiv'd fome advantage by it, if what Waller fays be true, that The foul's dark cottage, batter'd and decay'd, Then furely fickness, contributing no less than old age to the fhaking down this fcaffolding of the body, Q 2 may may discover the inward ftructure more plainly. Sicknefs is a fort of early old age: it teaches us a diffidence in our earthly ftate, and inspires us with the thoughts of a future, better than a thousand volumes of philofophers and divines. It gives fo warning a concuffion to thofe props of our vanity, our ftrength and youth, that we think of fortifying our felves within, when there is fo little dependance upon our outworks. Youth at the very best is but a betrayer of human life in a gentler and smoother 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 an advantage not very common to young men, that the attractions of the world have not dazzled me very much; and I begin where most people end, with a full conviction of the emptiness of all forts of ambition, and the unfatisfactory nature of all human pleasures. When a fmart fit of fickness tells me this fcurvy tenement of my body will fall in a little time, I am e'er as unconcern'd as was that honeft Hibernian, who being in bed in the great form fome years ago, and told the house would tumble over his head, made answer, what care I for the house? I am only a lodger. I fancy 'tis the best time to die when one is in the best humour, and so exceffively weak as I now am, I may say with confcience, that I am not at all uneafy at the thought that many men whom I never had any efteem for, are likely to enjoy this world after me. When I reflect what an inconfiderable little attom every fingle man is, with refpect to the whole creation, methinks 'tis a fhame to be concern'd at the removal of of fuch a trival animal as I am. The morning af ter 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 faft, as they were us'd to do. The memory of man, (as it is elegantly express'd in the Book of Wisdom) paffeth away as the remembrance of a gueft 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 ftandeth in length of time, or is "measur'd by number of years. But wifdom is the "gray hair to men, and an unfpotted life is old age. He "was taken away fpeedily, left wickednefs fhould alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his foul, &c. I Nov. 7, 1712. I Was the other day in company with five or fix men of fome learning; where chancing to mention the famous verfes which the Emperor Adrian fpoke, on his death-bed, they were all agreed that 'twas a piece of gaiety unworthy of that prince in thofe circumftances. I could not but differ from this opinion methinks it was by no means a gay, but a very ferious foliloquy to his foul at the point of its 3 its departure; in which fenfe I naturally took the verfes at my first reading them when I was very young, and before I knew what interpretation the world generally put upon them. Animula vagula, blandula, "Alas, my foul! thou pleafing companion of this "body, thou fleeting thing that art now deserting it! "whither art thou flying? to what unknown scene? all trembling, fearful, and penfive! what now is "become of thy former wit and humour? thou "fhalt jeft and be gay no more." I confefs I cannot apprehend where lies the trifling in all this? 'tis the most natural and obvious refleetion imaginable to a dying man: and if we confider the Emperor was a heathen, that doubt concerning the future fate of his foul, will feem fo far from being the effect of want of thought, that 'twas scarce reasonable he should think otherwife; not to mention that here is a plain confeffion included of his belief in its immortality. The diminutive epithets of vagula, blandula, and the reft, appear not to me as expreffions of levity, but rather of endearment and concern; fuch as we find in Catullus, and the authors of Hendeca-fyllabi after him, where they are us'd to exprefs the utmoft love and tenderness for their miftreffes.If you think me right in my notion of the last words of Adrian, be pleas'd to infert it in the Spectator, if not, to fupprefs it. I am Your, &c. * ADRIANI Morientis A AD ANIM Α Ν Ι Μ Α A M, Tranflated. H fleeting Spirit! wand'ring fire, Whither, ab whither art thou flying! I * LETTER V. Mr. Steele to Mr. Pope. Nov. 12, 1712. Have read over your Temple of Fame twice, and cannot find any thing amifs,of weight enough to call a fault, but fee in it a thousand thousand beauties. Mr. Addison fhall fee it to morrow: after his perufal *The Author feems to have but a mean opinion of thefe verses, having fuppressed them in his Edition. 04 of |