Famne igitur laudas, quod de fapientibus alter Juv. Sat. x. ver. 28. Will ye not now the pair of fages praise, DRYDEN. ANKIND may be divided into the merry and MANK LTD may be, divided into the merry the ferious, who, both of them, make a very good figure in the fpecies, fo long as they keep their refpective humours from degenerating into the neighbouring extreme; there being a natural tendency in the one to a melancholy morofenefs, and in the other to a fantastic levity. The merry part of the world are very amiable, whilst they diffuse a cheerfulness through conversation at proper seasons, and on proper occafions; but, on the contrary, a great grievance to fociety, when they infect every difcourfe with infipid mirth, and turn into ridicule fuch subjects as are not fuited to it. For though laughter is looked upon by the philofophers as the property of reafon, the excefs of it has been always confidered as the mark of folly. On the other fide, seriousness has its beauty while it is attended with cheerfulnefs and humanity, and does not come in unfeasonably to pall the good-humour of those with whom we converfe. Thefe two fets of men, notwithstanding they each of them fhine in their refpective characters, are apt to to bear a natural averfion and antipathy to one another. What is more ufual than to hear men of serious tempers and auftere morals, enlarging upon the vanities and follies of the young and gay part of the fpecies; while they look with a kind of horror upon fuch pomps and diverfions as are innocent in themfelves, and only culpable when they draw the mind too much? I could not but fmile upon reading a paffage in the account which Mr. Baxter gives of his own life, wherein he reprefents it as a great bleffing, that in his youth he very narrowly efcaped getting a place at court. It must indeed be confeffed, that levity of temper takes a man off his guard, and opens a pass to his foul for any temptation that affaults it. It favours all the approaches of vice, and weakens all the refiftance of virtue. For which reafon a renowned ftatesman in Queen Elifabeth's days, after having retired from court and public business, in order to give himself up to the duties of religion; when any of his old friends used to visit him, had ftill this word of advice in his mouth, Be ferious. An eminent Italian author of this caft of mind, fpeaking of the great advantage of a ferious and compofed temper, wishes very gravely, that for the benefit of mankind he had Trophonius's cave in his poffeflion; which, fays he, would contribute more. to the reformation of manners than all the workhoufes and Bridewells in Europe. We have a very particular defcription of this cave in Paufanias, who tells us, that it was made in the form of a huge oven, and had many particular circumstances which difpofed the perfon who was in it to be more penfive and thoughtful-than ordinary; infomuch that no man was ever obferved to laugh all his life after, who had once made his entry into this cave. It was ufual in thofe times, when when any one carried a more than ordinary gloominefs in his features, to tell him that he looked like one just come out of Trophonius's cave. On the other hand, writers of a more merry complexion have been no less severe on the oppofite party, and have had one advantage above them, that they have attacked them with more turns of wit and humour. After all, if a man's temper was at his own difpofal, I think he would not chufe to be of either of thefe parties; fince the most perfect character is that which is formed out of both of them. A man would neither chuse to be a hermit nor a buffoon: human nature is not fo miferable, as that we should be always melancholy; nor fo happy, as that we fhould be always merry. In a word, a man should not live as if there was no God in the world; nor, at the fame time, as if there were no men in it. All parts refound with tumults, plaints, and fears. T has been my cuftom, as I grew old, to allow I myfelf in fome little indulgences which I never took in my youth. Among others is that of an afternoon's nap, which I fell into in the fifty-fifth year of my age, and have continued for the three years laft paft. By this means I enjoy a double morning, and and rife twice a day fresh to my fpeculations. It happens very luckily for me, that fome of my dreams have proved inftructive to my countrymen, fo that I may be faid to fleep as well as to wake, for the good of the public. I was yesterday meditating on the account with which I have already entertained my readers concerning the cave of Trophonius. I was no fooner fallen into my ufual flumber, but I dreamt that this cave was put into my poffeffion, and that I gave public notice of its virtue, inviting every one to it who had a mind to be a serious man for the remaining part of his life. Great multitudes immediately resorted to me. The first who made the experiment was a Merry- Andrew, who was put into my hands by a neighbouring justice of peace, in order to reclaim him from that profligate kind of life. Poor pickle-herring had not taken above one turn in it, when he came out of the cave like a hermit from his cell, with a penetintial look, and a moft rueful countenance. I then put in a young laughing fop, and, watching for his return, afked him with a smile how he liked the place? He replied, Prythee, friend, be not impertinent; and stalked by me as grave as a judge. A citizen then defired me to give free ingrefs and egrefs to his wife, who was dreffed in the gayeft coloured ribbons I had ever seen. She went in with a flirt of her fan, and a smirking countenance, but came out with the severity of a vestal, and throwing from her feveral female gewgaws, told me with a figh, that the refolved to go into deep mourning, and to wear black all the reft of her life. As I had many coquettes recommended to me by their parents, their husbands, and their lovers, I let them in all at once, defiring them to divert them felves together as well as they could. Upon their emerging again into day light, you would have fancied my cave to have been a nunnery, and that you had seen a folemn proceffion of religious marching out, one behind another, in the most profound profound filence, and the moft exemplary decency. As I was very much delighted with fo edifying a fight, there came towards me a great company of males and females, laughing, finging, and dancing, in fuch a manner, that I could hear them a great while before I faw them. Upon my asking their leader what brought them thither? They told me all at once, that they were French Protestants lately arrived in Great Britain, and that finding themselves of too gay a humour for my country, they applied themfelves to me, in order to compofe them for British conversation. I told them, that to oblige them I would foon fpoil their mirth; upon which I admitted a whole fhoal of them, who, after having taken a furvey of the place, came out in very good order, and with looks entirely English. I afterwards put in a Dutchman, who had a great fancy to fee the Kelder, as he called it, but I could not obferve that it had made any manner of alteration in him. A comedian, who had gained great reputation in parts of humour, told me that he had a mighty mind to act Alexander the Great, and fancied that he thould fucceed very well in it, if he could strike two or three laughing features out of his face: he tried the expe→ riment, but contracted so very solid a look by it, that I am afraid he will be fit for no part hereafter, but a Timon of Athens, or a mute in the Funeral. I then clapt up an empty fantastic citizen, in order to qualify him for an alderman. He was fucceeded by a young rake of the Middle-Temple, who was brought to me by his grand-mother; but, to her great forrow and furprife, he came out a Quaker. Seeing myself surrounded with a body of Free-thinkers, and fcoffers at religion, who were making themselves merry at the fober looks and thoughtful brows of those who had been in the cave; I thrust them all in, one after another, and locked the door upon them. Upon my opening it, they all looked as if they had been frighted out of their wits, and were marching VOL. VIII. + e away |