A Man at 20 For my Part I believe, our Underftandings are ripe at twenty, fuch as they ought to be, and ever will be capable of. A Mind that did not by that Time give evident Earneft of its Force*, never after gave Proof of it. Natural Parts and Excellencies produce what they have of vigorous and fine, by that Term or never. They fay in Dauphiny, Se l'efpino non picquo quan nai, If the Thorn does not prick then, it will fcarce ever prick. Of all the great Actions of Man I ever What Age is heard or read of, of what Sort foever, I have capable of the obferved, both in former Ages, and our own, fineft Actions. more performed before the Age of Thirty, than after; and often too in the Lives of the very fame Men. May I not fafely inftance in thofe of Hannibal, and his great Adverfary Scipio? The better half of their Lives, they lived upon the Glory they had acquired in their Youth; they were great Men after, it is true, in Comparison of others; but by no Means, in comparison of themselves. As to my own Part, I do certainly believe, that fince that Age, both my Understanding, and my Conftitution have rather decayed, than improved, and retired rather than advanced. It is poffible, that with those who make the best Ufe of their Time, Knowledge and Experience may increase with their Years; but the Vivacity, Quickness and Steadiness, and other Parts of us, of much greater Importance, and much more effentially our own, languish and decay. Ubi *It is obfervable fays Philip de Comines, that all Men whoever became great, or performed great Actions, began very young, and this is owing to Education, or elfe the Grace of God, lib.i. ch. 10 at the End. -Ubi jam validis quaffatum eft viribus ævi, Claudicat ingenium, delirat linguáque menfque *. i. e. When once the Body's fhaken by Time's Rage, The Judgment then halts upon either Hip, The Mind does doat, Tongue into Nonfenfe trip. Sometimes the Body firft fubmits to Age, fometimes the Soul, and I have feen enough, whofe Brains have failed them, and had a Weakness before their Stomach and Legs: And as it is a Disease of no great Pain to the Patient, and of obfcure Symptoms, the greater the Danger is. And for this Reafon it is, that I complain of our Laws, not that they keep us too long to our Work, but that they set us at Work too late. For the Frailty of Life confidered, and to how many common and natural Shocks it is expofed, methinks we should not spend fo great a Part of it in Squabbles about Birth-right, in Idlenefs, and in Edu Ælius Verus's Anfawer to his Wife who reproached him for his Amours with other Women Emilius Lepidus his Death Emilius Regillus could not reftrain his Soldiers from Plunder 228 73 27 73 192 154 411 412 345 260 346 Albigenfes chofe to be burnt alive rather than recant 301 Alcibiades bis Conflitution 185 Alexander VI. Pope poisoned 253 Alexander (the Great) Son of Jupiter 330 Alexander's Cruelty 5 Why he refused to fight by Night Not afraid to fallow a Dose of Poifon Alexander blamed by Philip, his Father, for finging at a Fraft Alexander's Sweat 396 335 not Power to enjoy Ambaladors of Samos Ambafadors Employment not limited Ambition Enemy to Society Ambition of Cicero and Pliny Ambition unworthy Alphonfus, King, why he thought Affes happier than Kings Amafis King of Egypt's Marriage to a Fair Greek, whom at firft he had Ambafadors detected in a Falfhood Ambafadors fometimes conceal from their Mafiers what they think fit 38, 39 58 188 60 272 288 287 Americans, their Compliment to Ferdinand Cortez In what Senfe the Savages are Barbarians The Excellency of their Police Their Buildings and Beds 230 241 Their Diet and Paftimes 238 Where they lodge the Soul after Death 239 Their Wars and Weapons 240 Why they eat their Prifoners ibid. Their Priefts and Prophets 299 Their Moderation, Cordiality, and Use of Victory 242 Arrius zothing to be concluded against him from the Nature of his Death 250 Arms - Arms of Value inflame the Soldier's Courage Page 356 Arms of Value Increase the Eenemy's Refolution with the Hope of rich Spoil Army expecting an Enemy Armies of the Turks support themselves cheap Arras the Obftinacy of its Inhabitants ibid. 359 370 297 Arrius nothing to be concluded against him from the Manner of his Death Auguftus's Revenge on Neptune after a Storm His Affliction for the Lofs of fome Legions Auroy Battle B 250 375 363 370 18 232 313 73 22 23 127 128 129 268 235 Banquet of Plato 181 Barbarians who are those that are to be called by that Name 241 Beauty fought after by Women in Defiance of Pain Bion the Philofopher's remarkable Sayings Boddice of the Ladies Bodies perfumed Bodies when young ought to be bent VOL. I. 16, 351 |