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N° 81, Behaviour made me eafily conclude it was Virgil. Cicero next appeared, and took his Place. He had inquired at the Door for one Lucceius to introduce him; but not finding him there, he contented himself with the Attendance of many other Writers, who all (except Salluft) appeared highly pleased with the Office.

WE waited fome Time in Expectation of the next Worthy, who came in with a great Retinue of Hiftorians, whofe Names I could not learn, most of them being Natives of Carthage. The Perfon thus conducted, who was Hannibal, feemed much disturbed, and could not forbear complaining to the Board, of the Affronts he had met with among the Roman Hiftorians, who attempted, says he, to carry me into the Subterraneous Apartment; and perhaps would have done it, had it not been for the Impartiality of this Gentleman, pointing to Polybius, who was the only Perfon, except my own Countrymen, that was willing to conduct me hither.

THE Carthaginian took his Seat, and Pompey entered with great Dignity in his own Person, and preceded by feveral Hiftorians. Lucan the Poet was at the Head of them, who obferving Homer and Virgil at the Table, was going to fit down himself, had not the latter whispered him, That whatever Pretence he might otherwife have had, he forfeited his Claim to it, by coming in as one of the Hiftorians. Lucan was fo exafperated with the Repulfe, that he muttered fomething to himself, and was heard to fay, That fince he could not have a Seat among them himself, he would bring in one who alone had more Merit than their whole Affembly: Upon which he went to the Door, and brought in Cato of Utica. That great Man approached the Company with fuch an Air that fhewed he contemned the Honour which he laid a Claim to. Obferving the Seat oppofite to Cæfar was vacant, he took Poffeffion of it, and spoke two or three fmart Sentences upon the Nature of Precedency, which according to him, confifted not in Place, but in intrinfick Merit; to which he added, that the most virtuous Man, where ever he was feated, was always at the upper End of the Table. Socrates, who had a great Spirit of Raillery with his Wifdom,

Wifdom, could not forbear fmiling at a Virtue which took fo little Pains to make itself agreeable. Cicero took the Occafion to make a long Difcourfe in Praise of Cato, which he uttered with much Vehemence. Cæfar answered him with a great deal of feeming Temper; but as I ftood at a great Distance from them, I was not able to hear one Word of what they said. But I could not forbear taking Notice, That in all the Difcourfe which paffed at the Table, a Word or Nod from Homer decided the Controverfy.

AFTER a fhort Paufe Auguftus appeared, looking round him with a ferene and affable Countenance upon all the Writers of his Age, who ftrove among them-. felves which of them fhould fhew him the greatest Marks of Gratitude and Respect. Virgil rofe from the Table to meet him; and though he was an acceptable Guest to all, he appeared more fuch to the Learned, than the Military Worthies. The next Man aftonish'd the whole Table with his Appearance: He was flow, folemn, and filent in his Behaviour, and wore a Raiment curiously wrought with Hieroglyphicks. As he came into the Middle of the Room, he threw up the Skirt of it, and difcovered a Golden Thigh. Socrates at the Sight of it, declared againft keeping Company with any who were not made of Flesh and Blood; and therefore defired Diogenes the Laertian to lead him to the Apartment allotted for Fabulous Heroes, and Worthies of dubious Exiftence. At his going out, be told them, That they did not know whom they difmissed ; that he was now Pythagoras, the First of Philofophers, and that formerly he had been a very brave Man at the Siege of Troy. That may be very true, faid Socrates ; but you forget that you have likewife been a very great Harlot in your Time. This Exclufion made Way for Archimedes, who came forward with a Scheme of Mathematical Figures in his Hand; among which I obferv'd a Cone and a Cylinder.

SEEING this Table full, I defired my Guide for Variety to lead me to the Fabulous Apartment, the Roof of which was painted with Gorgons, Chimera's, and Centaurs, with many other Emblematical Figures, which I wanted both Time and Skill to unriddle. The

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Senilis Stultitia, que Deliratio appellari folet, Senum levium eft, non omnium. M. T. C.

That which is ufually called Dotage in old Men, belongs only to fuch whofe Brains are unfettled, and not to all old Men.

No 83.

I

Thursday, October 20, 1709.

From my own Apartment, O&tober 19.

T is my frequent Practice to vifit Places of Refort in this Town where I am leaft known, to obferve what Reception my Works meet with in the World, and what good Effects I may promife myself from my Labours: And it being a Privilege afferted by Monfieur Montaigne, and others, of vain-glorious Memory, That we Writers of Effays may talk of ourselves: I take the Liberty to give an Account of the Remarks which I find are made by fome of my gentle Readers upon thefe my Differtations.

I happened this Evening to fall into a Coffee-house near the 'Change, where Two Perfons were reading my Account of the Table of Fame. The one of these was commenting as he read, and explaining who was meant by this and t'other Worthy as he paffed on. I observed the Perfon over-againft him wonderfully intent and fatisfied with his Explanation. When he came to Julius Cæfar, who is faid to have refufed any Conductor to the Table; No, no, faid he, he is in the Right of it, he has Money enough to be welcome wherever he comes; and then whifper'd, He means a certain Colonel of the Train-Bands. Upon reading, That Ariftotle made his Claim with fome Rudenefs, but great Strength of Reason; Who can that be, so rough and fo reafon

able?

late Confiderations of the antient Heroes impreffed a certain Gravity upon my Mind, which is much above the little Gratification received from Starts of Humour and Fancy, and threw me into a pleafing Sadness. In this State of Thought I have been looking at the Fire, and in a penfive Manner reflecting upon the great Miffortunes and Calamities incident to Human Life; among which there are none that touch fo fenfibly as thofe which befal Perfons who eminently love, and meet with fatal Interruptions of their Happiness, when they leaft expect it. The Piety of Children to Parents, and the Affection of Parents to their Children, are the Effects of Inftinct: But the Affection between Lovers and Friends is founded on Reason and Choice, which has always made me think, the Sorrows of the latter much more to be pitied than those of the former. The Contemplation of Diftreffes of this Sort foftens the Mind of Man, and makes the Heart better. It extinguishes the Seeds of Envy and Ill-will towards Mankind, corrects the Pride of Profperity, and beats down all that Fiercenefs and Infolence which are apt to get into the Minds of the Daring and Fortunate.

FOR this Reason the wife Athenians, in their Theatrical Performances, laid before the Eyes of the People the greatest Afflictions which could befal Human Life, and infenfibly polifh'd their Tempers by fuch Reprefentations. Among the Moderns, indeed, there has arofe a Chimerical Method of difpofing the Fortune of the Perfons represented, according to what they call Poetical Juftice; and letting none be unhappy but those who deserve it. In fuch Cafes, an intelligent Spectator, if he is concern'd, knows he ought not to be fo; and can learn nothing from fuch a Tenderness, but that he is a weak Creature, whose l'affions cannot follow the Dictates of his Understanding. It is very natural, when one is got into fuch a Way of Thinking, to recollect thofe Examples of Sorrow, which have made the ftrongest Impreffion upon our Imaginations. An Inftance or two of fuch you'll give me Leave to communicate.

A YOUNG Gentleman and Lady of antient and honourable Houfes in Cornwall, had from their Childhood entertained for each other a generous and noble

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to my

Name, or a Sight of my Face; therefore don't let them deceive you.

I CAN bear no Difcourfe if you are not the Subject ; and believe me, I know more of Love than you do of Aftro

nomy.

PRAY fay fome civil Things in Return to my Generofity, and you shall have my very beft Pen employed to thank you, and I will confirm it.

I am

Your Admirer,

Maria.

THERE is fomething wonderfully pleafing in the Favour of Women; and this Letter has put me in fo good an Humour, that nothing could difpleafe me fince I received it. My Boy breaks Glaffes and Pipes, and instead of giving him a Knock of the Pate, as my Way is, (for I hate fcolding at Servants) I only say, Ab, Jack! Thou haft a Head, and fo has a Pin, or fome fuch merry Expreffion. But alas! How am I mortified when he is putting on my fourth Pair of Stockings on thefe poor Spindles of mine? The Fair One understands Love better than I Aftronomy! I am fure, without the Help of that Art, this poor meagre Trunk of mine is a very ill Habitation for Love. She is pleased to speak civilly of my Sense; but Ingenium male habitat is an invincible Difficulty in Cafes of this Nature. I had always indeed, from a Paffion to please the Eyes of the Fair, a great Pleasure in Drefs. Add to this, that I have writ Songs fince I was Sixty, and have lived with all the Circumfpection of an old Beau, as I am. But my Friend Horace has very well faid, Every Year takes fomething from us; and inftructed me to form my Purfuits and Defires according to the Stage of my Life: Therefore I have no more to value myself upon, than that I can converfe with young People without Peevishnefs, or wishing myfelf a Moment younger. For which Reason, when I am amongft 'em, I rather moderate than interrupt their Diverfions. But though I have this Complacency, I must not pretend to write to a Lady civil Things, as Maria defires. Time was, when I could have told her, I had received a Letter from her Fair Hands; and, That if this Paper trembled as fhe

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