pach, who was a mighty man of old, and had built a great city, which he called after his own name. Every house was made for at least a thoufand years, nay there were fome that were leafed out for three lives; fo that the quantity of stone and timber confumed in this building is fcarce to be imagined by thofe who live in the prefent age of the world. This great man entertained her with the voice of mufical inftruments, which had been lately invented, and danced before her to the found of the timbrel. He alfo prefented her with feveral domeftic utenfils wrought in brass and iron, which had been newly found out for the conveniency of life. In the mean time Shalum grew very uneafy with himfelf, and was forely difpleafed at Hilpa for the reception which she had given to Mishpach, infomuch that he never wrote to her or spoke of her during a whole revolution of Saturn; but finding that this intercourfe went ro farther than a vifit, he again renewed his addreffes to her, who during his long filence is faid very often to have caft a wifhing eye upon mount Tirzah.

Her mind continued wavering about twenty years longer between Shalum and Mishpach; for though her inclinations favoured the former, her interest pleaded very powerfully for the other. While her heart was in this unfettled condition, the following accident happened which determined her choice. A high tower of wood that ftood in the city of Mifhpach having caught fire by a flafh of lightning, in a few days reduced the whole town to ashes. Mifbpach refolved to rebuild the place whatever it fhould coft him: And having already deftroyed all the timber of the country, he was forced to have recourfe to Shalum, whofe forefts were now two hundred years old. He purchased these woods with fo many herds of cattle and flocks of fheep, and with fuch a vaft extent of fields and paftures, that Shalum was now grown more wealthy than Mifppach ;

and

and therefore appeared fo charming in the eyes of Zilpach's daughter, that the no longer refufed him in marriage. On the day in which he brought her up into the mountains, he raised a moft prodigious pile of cedar, and of every fweet-fmelling wood, which reached above 300 cubits in height: He also caft into the pile bundles of myrrh and sheaves of fpikenard, enriching it with every spicy fhrub, and making it fat with the gums of the plantations. This was the burnt-offering which Shalum offered in the day of his efpoufals: The fmoke of it af fcended up to heaven, and filled the whole country with incenfe and perfume.

No 586.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27.

X*XX

Qua in vita ufurpant homines, cogitant, curant, vident, quæque agunt vigilantes, agitantque, ea cuique in fomno accidunt.

CIC. de Div.

The things, which employ mens waking thoughts and actions, recur to their imaginations in fleep.

BY

Y the laft poft I received the following letter, which is built upon a thought that is new, and very well carried on; for which reasons I fhall give it to the publick without alteration, addition, or amendment.

SIR,

[T was a good piece of advice which Pythagoras gave to his fcholars, That every night before they flept they should examine what they had 'been doing that day, and fo difcover what actions were worthy of purfuit to-morrow, and what little vices were to be prevented from flipping un

· awares

awares into a habit. If I might fecond the phi lofopher's advice, it fhould be mine, that in a morning before my fcholar rofe, he should con'fider what he had been about that night, and with the fame ftrickness, as if the condition he ⚫ has believed himself to be in, was real. Such a ⚫ fcrutiny into the actions of his fancy must be of ⚫ confiderable advantage, for this reafon, because the circumstances which a man imagines himself in during fleep, are generally fuch as intirely favour his inclinations good or bad, and give him 'imaginary opportunities of purfuing them to the utmoft; fo that his temper will lie fairly open to his view, while he confiders how it is moved when free from those constraints which the accidents of real life put it under. Dreams are certainly the refult of our waking thoughts, and our daily hopes and fears are what give the mind fuch ' nimble relishes of pleasure, and such severe touches of pain in its midnight rambles. A man that 'murders his enemy, or deferts his friend in a dream, had need to guard his temper against revenge and ingratitude, and take heed that he be not tempted to do a vile thing in the pursuit of falfe, or the neglect of true honour. For my part, I feldom receive a benefit, but, in a night or two's time, I make most noble returns for it; which though my benefactor is not a whit the better for, yet it pleases me to think that it was from a principle of gratitude in me, that my • mind was fufceptible of fuch generous tranfport ⚫ while I thought myself repaying the kindness of my friend: And I have often been ready to beg 'pardon, instead of returning an injury, after confidering, that when the offender was in my power I had carried my refentments much too • far.

• I think it has been observed in the course of your papers how much one's happinefs or misery 'may

may depend upon the imagination: Of which 'truth those strange workings of fancy in fleep are no inconfiderable inftances; fo that

not

only the advantage a man has of making difcove⚫ries of himself, but a regard to his own cafe or difquiet, may induce him to accept of my advice. Such as are willing to comply with it, I fhall put ⚫ into a way of doing it with pleasure, by obferving only one maxim which I fhall give them, viz. To go to bed with a mind entirely free from paffion, and a body clear of the leaft intemperance.

They indeed who can fink into fleep with their thoughts lefs calm or innocent than they fhould' be, do but plunge themselves into fcenes of guilt and mifery; or they who are willing to purchase any midnight difquietudes for the fatisfaction of a full meal, or a skin-full of wine; thefe I have nothing to fay to, as not knowing how to invite them to reflections full of fhame and horror: But thofe that will obferve this rule, I promise them they fhall awake into health and cheerfulness, and be capable of recounting with delight those glorious moments, wherein the mind has been indulging itself in fuch luxury of thought, fuch noble hurry of imagination Suppofe a man's going fupperlefs to bed fhould introduce him to the table of fome great prince or other, where he fhall be entertained with the nobleft marks of honour and plenty, and do fo much butinefs after, that he fhall rife with as good a ftomach to his breakfast as if he had fafted all night long; or fuppofe he fhould fee his dearest friends remain all night in great diftreffes, which he could inftantly have difengaged them from, could he • have been content to have gone to bed without the other bottle? Believe me these effects of fancy are no contemptible confequences of commanding or indulging one's appetite.

I forbear recommending my advice upon many

' other

' other accounts until I hear how you and your • readers relish what I have already faid; among 'whom if there be any that may pretend it is ufe'lefs to them, because they never dream at all, there may be others perhaps who do little elfe all ' day long. Were every one as fenfible as I am of 'what happens to him in his fleep, it would be no difpute whether we pass fo confiderable a portion of our time in the condition of stocks and ftones, or whether the foul were not perpetually at work upon the principle of thought. However, it is an honeft endeavour of mine to perfuade my countrymen to reap fome advantage from fo many unregarded hours, and as fuch you will encourage it.

• I fhall conclude with giving you a sketch or two of my way of proceeding.

If I have any bufinefs of confequence to do to'morrow, I am fcarce dropt afleep to-night but I am in the midst of it, and when awake I confider the whole proceffion of the affair, and get the 'advantage of the next day's experience before the "fun has rifen upon it.

There is fcarce a great poft but what I have ' some time or other been in ; but my behaviour while I was mafter of a college, pleafes me fo 'well, that whenever there is a province of that ' nature vacant, I intend to ftep in as foon as I

can.

• I have done many things that would not pafs examination, when I have had the art of flying or being invifible; for which reafon I am glad 'I am not poffeffed of those extraordinary qualities.

"

Laftly, Mr. SPECTATOR, I have been a great correfpondent of yours, and have read many of < my letters in your paper which I never wrote you. If you have a mind I fhould really be fo, 'I have got a parcel of vifions, and other mifcelVOL. VIII. M lanies,