in a way of which the natural and unavoidable afperity is such, as too frequently produces despair. Preface to the Preceptor, p. 65. The predominance of a favourite ftudy, affects all fubordinate operations of the intellect. SOBRIETY. Life of Cowley. Sobriety, or temperance, is nothing but the forbearance of pleasure; and if pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it? SCARCITY. Idler, vol. 2, p. 208. Value is more frequently raised by scarcity than by ufe. That which lay neglected when it was common, rifes in eftimation as its quantity becomes less. We feldom learn the true want of what we have, till it is difcovered that we can have no more. SENTENCES. Ibid. P. 280. In all pointed fentences, fome degree of accuracy must be facrificed to conciseness. Bravery of English Common Soldiers, p. 325.. SUCCESS AND MISCARRIAGE. Succefs and mifcarriage have the fame effects in all conditions. The profperous are feared, hated, and flattered; and the unfortunate avoided, pitied, and defpifed. Idler, vol. 2, p. 277. SHAKESPEARE. Of all the difputed plays of Shakespeare, except Titus Andronicus, it may be asked, if they are taken from him, to whom fhall they be given? for it will be found more credible that Shakespeare might fometimes fink below his highest flights, than that any other should rife up to his lowest. Notes upon Shakespeare, vol. 1, p. 216. Each change of many-colour'd life he drew, Prologue at the opening of Drury-lane Theatre. SUPERFLUITIES. Nothing gives fo much offence to the lower ranks of mankind as the fight of fuperfluities merely oftentatious. Notes upon Shakespeare, vol. 6, p. 399• GOOD SENSE. Good-fenfe is a fedate and quiefcent quality, which manages its poffeffions well, but does not encrease them; it collects few materials for its own operations, and preserves safety, but never gains fupremacy. RURAL SPORTS. Life of Pope. It is probable all the sports of the field are of Gothic original; the antients neither hunted by the fcent, nor feem much to have practised horsemanfhip as an exercife; and though in their works there is mention of Aucupium and Pifcatio, they feem feem no more to have been confidered as diver fions, than agriculture, or any other manual labour. Life of Sir T. Browne, p. 269.. SEASONS. It is obferved by Milton, that he who neglects to vifit the country in fpring, and rejects the pleafures that are then in their firft bloom and fragrance, is guilty of "fullennefs against nature." If we allot different duties to different feafons, he may be charged with equal difobedience to the voice of nature, who looks on the bleak hills, and leaflefs woods, without seriousness and awe. Spring is the feafon of gaiety, and winter of terror. In fpring, the heart of tranquillity dances to the melody of the groves, and the eye of benevolence fparkles at the fight of happiness and plenty; in the winter, compaffion melts at univerfal calamity, and the tear of foftnefs ftarts at the wailings of hunger, and the cries of creation in diftrefs. Rambler, vol. 2, p. 149.. SUBLIMITY. Sublimity is produced by aggregation, and littleness by difperfion. Great thoughts are always general, and confift in pofitions not limitted by exceptions, and in descriptions not defcending to minuteness. Life of Cowley. SCIENCE. Divide and conquer, is a principle equally just in feience as in policy. Rambler, vol. 3, p. 187. Every science has its difficulties which yet call for folution, before we attempt new fyftems of knowledge; knowledge; as every country has its forefts and marfhes, which it would be wife to cultivate and drain, before diftant colonies are projected as a neceffary discharge of the exuberance of inhabitants. Ibid. p. 292. It is fometimes difficult to prove the principles of science, because notions cannot always be found more intelligible than thofe which are queftioned. Taxation no Tyranny, p. 1. STATESMEN. I know not whether statesmen, and patrons, do not fometimes fuffer more reproaches than they deferve from their dependants, and may not rather themfelves complain that they are given up a prey to pretenfions without merit, and to importunity without fhame. The truth is, that the inconveniences of attendance are more lamented than felt. To the greater number, folicitation is its own reward to be seen in good company, to talk of familiarities with men of power, to be able to tell the freshest news, to gratify an inferior circle with predictions of increafe or decline of favour, and to be regarded as a candidate for high offices, are compenfations more than equivalent to the delay of favours, which, perhaps, he that begs them has hardly confidence to expect. SEPARATION. Idler, vol. 1, p. 79• There are few things not purely evil, of which we can fay, without fome emotion of uneasiness "This is the laft." Those who never could agree together, fhed tears when mutual discontent has determined them to final feparation; of a place which has been frequently vifited, though without pleasure, the last look is taken with heavinefs of heart. T. Ibid. vol. 2, p. 281. TIME. He that runs against time, has an antagonist not fubject to casualties. Life of Pope. The ftory of Melanthon affords a ftriking lecture on the value of time, which was, that whenever he made an appointment, he expected not only the hour, but the minute to be fixed, that the day might not run out in the idleness of suspense. Rambler, vol. 2, p. 39. When we have deducted all that is abforbed in fleep, all that is inevitably appropriated to the demands of nature, or irrefiftibly engroffed by the tyranny of custom; all that paffes in regulating the fuperficial decorations of life, or is given up in the reciprocations of civility to the difpofal of others; all that is torn from us by the violence of disease, or ftolen imperceptibly away by laffitude and languor; we fhall find that part of our duration very fmall, of which we can truly call ourselves masters, or which we can spend wholly at our own choice. Ibid. vol. 31 P. 13. Time, like money, may be loft by unfeasonable avarice. Life of Burman, p. 295.. |