any Age has produced thought far otherwife; for who ⚫ can think either Socrates or Demofthenes loft any Reputation, by their continual Pains both in overcoming the Defects and improving the Gifts of Nature. All are acquainted with the Labour and Affiduity with which Tully acquir'd his Eloquence. Seneca in his Letters to Lucelius • affures him, there was not a Day in which he did not either write fomething, or read and epitomize fome good Author; and I remember Pliny in one of his Letters, where he gives an account of the various Methods he used to fill up every Vacancy of Time, after several Employments which he enumerates; fometimes, fays he, I hunt; but even then I carry with me a Pocketbook, that whilft my Servants are bufied in difpofing of the Nets and other Matters, I may be employed in fomething that may be useful to me in my Studies; and that if I mifs of my Game, I may at the leaft bring home fome of my own Thoughts with me, and not have the • Mortification of having caught nothing all Day.

THUS, Sir, you fee how many Examples I recal to Mind, and what Arguments I use with my felf, to regain my Liberty: But as I am afraid 'tis no Ordinary Perfuafion that will be of Service, I fhall expect your Thoughts on this Subject, with the greatest Impatience, efpecially fince the Good will not be confined to me alone, but will be of univerfal Ufe. For there is no Hopes of Amendment where Men are pleas'd with their Ruin, and whilst they think Laziness is a desirable Character: Whether it be that they like the State it felf, or that they think it gives them a new Luftre when they do exert themselves, feemingly to be able to do that without Labour and Application, which • others attain to but with the greatest Diligence.

་

I am, SIR,

Your moft obliged humble Servant,

Samuel Slack.

CLYTAN

CLYTANDER to CLE ONE.

MADAM,

P

you place

ERMISSION to love you is all that I defire, to conquer all the Difficulties those about in my Way, to furmount and acquire all thofe Qualifications you expect in him who pretends to the Honour

⚫ of being,

MADAM,

Your most humble Servant,
CLYTANDER.

N°

A

317. Tuesday, March 4.

-fruges confumere nati.

Hor.

UGUSTUS, a few Moments before his Death, asked his Friends who ftood about him, if they thought he had acted his Part well; and upon receiving fuch an Answer as was due to his extraordinary Merit, Let me then, fays he, go off the Stage with your Applaufe; ufing the Expreffion with which the Roman Actors made their Exit at the Conclufion of a Dramatick Piece. `I could wish that Men, while they are in Health, would confider well the Nature of the Part they are engaged in, and what Figure it will make in the Minds of those they leave behind them: Whether it was worth coming into the World for; whether it be fuitable to a reasonable Being; in fhort, whether it appears Graceful in this Life, or will turn to an Advantage in the next. Let the Sycophant, or Buffoon, the Satyrift, or the Good Companion, confider with himself, when his Body fhall be laid in the Grave, and his Soul país into another State of Existence, how much it will redound to his praise to have it faid of him, that no Man in England eat better, that he had an admirable Talent at turning his Friends into Ridicule, that no Body out-did him at an Ill-natured Jeft, or that he never went to Bed before he had difpatched his third

M 2

Bottle.

Bottle. These are, however, very common Funeral Orations, and Elogiums on deceased Perfons who have acted among Mankind with fome Figure and Reputation.

BUT if we look into the Bulk of our Species, they are fuch as are not likely to be remembred a Moment after their Difappearance. They leave behind them no Traces of their Existence, but are forgotten as tho' they had never been. They are neither wanted by the Poor, regretted by the Rich, nor celebrated by the Learned. They are neither miffed in the Commonwealth, nor lamented by private Perfons. Their Actions are of no Significancy to Mankind, and might have been performed by Creatures of much lefs Dignity than those who are diftinguished by the Faculty of Reason. An eminent French Author fpeaks fomewhere to the following Purpose; I have often feen from my Chamber window two noble Creatures, both of them of an erect Countenance and endowed with Reason. These two intellectual Beings are employed from Morning to Night, in rubbing two fmooth Stones one upon another; that is, as the Vulgar phrase it, in polish ing Marble.

MY Friend, Sir ANDREW FREEPORT, as we were fitting in the Club laft Night, gave us an Account of a fober Citizen, who died a few Days fince. This honeft Man being of greater Confequence in his own Thoughts, than in the Eye of the World, had for fome Years past kept a Journal of his Life. Sir ANDREW fhewed us one Week of it. Since the Occurrences fet down in it mark out fuch a Road of Action as that I have been fpeaking of, I fhall prefent my Reader with a faithful Copy of it; after having firft inform'd him, that the Deceased Perfon had in his Youth been bred to Trade, but finding himself not fo well turned for Bufinefs, he had for feveral Years last past lived altogether upon a moderate Annuity.

MONDAY, Eight a-Clock. I put on my Cloaths and walked into the Parlour.

Nine a-Clock ditto. Tied my Knee-ftrings, and washed my Hands.

Hours Ten, Eleven and Twelve. Smoked three Pipes of Virginia. Read the Supplement and Daily Courant..

Things go ill in the North. Mr. Nisby's Opinion there

upon.

One a-Clock in the Afternoon. Chid Ralph for mislaying my Tobacco-Box.

Two a-Clock. Sat down to Dinner. Mem. Too many Plumbs, and no Sewet.

From Three to Four. Took my Afternoon's Nap.
From Four to Six.

S. S. E.

From Six to Ten.

about the Peace. Ten a-Clock.

Walked into the Fields. Wind,

At the Club. Mr. Nisby's Opinion

Went to Bed, flept found.

TUESDAY, BEING HOLIDAY, Eight a-Clock. Rofe as ufual.

Nine a-Clock. Wafhed Hands and Face, fhaved, put on my double foaled Shoes.

Ten, Eleven, Twelve. Took a walk to Ilington.
One. Took a Pot of Mother Cob's Mild.

Between two and Three. Return'd, dined on a Knuckle of Veal and Bacon. Mem. Sprouts wanting.

Three. Nap as ufual.

From Four to Six.

Coffee-houfe. Read the News. A

Dish of Twift. Grand Vizier ftrangled.

From Six to Ten. At the Club. Mr. Nisby's Account of the Great Turk.

Ten. Dream of the Grand Vizier. Broken Sleep.

WEDNESDAY, Eight a-Clock. Tongue of my ShoeBuckle broke. Hands but not Face.

Nine. Paid off the Butcher's Bill. Mem. To be allowed for the laft Leg of Mutton.

Ten, Eleven. At the Coffee-house. More Work in the North. Stranger in a Black Wig ask'd me how Stocks went.

From Twelve to One. Walked in the Fields. Wind to the South.

From one to Two. Smoked a Pipe and an half.

Two. Dined as ufual. Stomach good.

Three. Nap broke by the falling of a Pewter Dish.' Mem. Cook maid in Love, and grown careless.

From Four to Six. At the Coffee-Houfe. Advice from Smyrna, that the Grand Vizier was first of all strangled, and afterwards beheaded.

Six a-Clock in the Evening. Was half an Hour in the Club before any Body elfe came. Mr. Nisby of opinion that the Grand Vizier was not strangled the Sixth Inftant. Ten at Night. Went to Bed. Slept without waking till Nine next Morning.

THURSDAY, Nine a-Clock. Staid within till Two a-Clock for Sir Timothy; who did not bring me my Annuity according to his Promise.

Two in the Afternoon. Sat down to Dinner. Lofs of Appetite. Small Beer four. Beef over-corned. Three. Could not take. my Nap.

Four and Five. Gave Ralph a box on the Ear. Turned off my Cookmaid. Sent a Meffenger to Sir Timothy. Mem. I did not go to the Club to-night. Went to Bed at Nine a-Clock.

FRIDAY, Paffed the Morning in Meditation upon Sir Timothy, who was with me a Quarter before Twelve. Twelve a-Clock. Bought a new Head to my Cane, and a Tongue to my Buckle. Drank a Glafs of Purl to recover Appetite.

Two and Three. Dined, and Slept well.

Met

From Four to Six. Went to the Coffee-houfe. Mr. Nisby there. Smoked several Pipes. Mr. Nisby of opinion that laced Coffee is bad for the Head.

Six a-Clock. At the Club as Steward. Sat late. Twelve a-Clock. Went to Bed, dreamt that I drank Small Beer with the Grand Vizier.

SATURDAY, Waked at Eleven, walked in the Fields. Wind N. E.

Twelve. Caught in a Shower.

One in the Afternoon. Returned home, and dryed my felf.

Two. Mr. Nisby dined with me. Firft Courfe, Marrow-bones; Second, Ox-cheek, with a Bottle of Brooks and Hellier.

Three a-Clock. Overslept my self.