of Quintilian on solitude*: "The beauties that are presented to me in retirement prevent me from feeling myself to be alone, and carry me out of myself. A brilliant sky, the enchanting verdure of fields, the murmuring of waters, bring on my mind insensibly a pleasing oblivion. The subject of my meditation is forgotten: these beauties alone engross my imagination; and, if I think at all, they are the objects on which I meditate. They gain so much the more easily an ascendant over my

*Some readers perhaps may wish to see the original passage in Quintilian: "Non tamen protinus audiendi, qui credunt aptissima in hoc nemora, sylvasque quod illa cœli libertas, locorumque amoenitas, sublimem animum, et beatiorem spiritum parent. Mihi certe jucundus hic magis, quam studiorum hortator videtur esse secessus. Namque illa ipsa, quæ delectant, necesse est avocent ab intentione operis destinati. Neque enim se bona fide in multa simul intendere animus totum potest: et quocunque respexerit, cesinit intueri, quod propositum erat. Quare sylvarum amœnitas et præterlabentia flumina, et inspirantes ramis arborum auræ, volucrumque cantus, et ipsa late circumspiciendi libertas, ad se trahunt: ut mihi remittere potius voluptas ista videatur cogi. tationem, quam intendere. Demosthenes melius, qui se in locum, ex quo nulla exaudiri vox, et ex quo nihil prospici posset, recondebat, ne aliud agere mentem cogerent oculi." Lib. x. cap. 3. De Scribendo.

mind, as no objects but themselves are presented to my senses. The silence which attends on these scenes adds to their power over me; and whilst my attention is solely occupied by these scenes, my sensibility to the enjoyment of thein is every moment increased. At length my mind yields itself up to the secret pleasure it feels, and is lulled as it were to sleep by a sort of listless yet most pleasing fascination. Demosthenes conducted himself more wisely; who, in order to dedicate himself solely to study, retired to a spot where he could hear no sounds, where he could see no prospects, and where his eye could not dissipate the attention of his mind from the immediate object of his studies."

A JEST OF CICERO.

Cicero said of Caninius Revilius, who continued consul only for one day, "We have had a consul of such great vigilance, that he has not slept one single night during the whole term of his consulship*."

* See Macrob. Saturnal. lib. ii. cap. 3; where Macrobius quotes Servius for this passage.

HOW TO SELL A BOOK.

A man of wit about the court, who had written a book that rested on the shelf longer than the bookseller was desirous of its company, replied to his remonstrance on this subject, "My good Sir, I do not doubt that I have interest at court sufficient to get this book prohibited, and then you know it will have a rapid sale."

CICERO.

This eminent orator having one day cited into court as an evidence P. Cotta, who wished to be thought a great lawyer, though he was extremely ignorant on that point; and Cotta having declared he knew nothing of the matter in question, "You know nothing of the matter, do you?” replied Cicero. " I suppose you think we are debating a question of law."

CORNEILLE.

This author, in his tragi-comedy of the Cid, has introduced this line:

Si l'amour vit d'espoir, il meurt avec lui.

If love is nurs'd by hope, with hope it dies.

Common experience convinces us that this sentiment of the poet is false in the extreme. Boccacio, to whose opinions on this subject we may at all times appeal, thus expresses himself: "Ma come noi veggiamo assai sovente avenire, quanto la speranza diventa minore, tanto l'amore maggior far si:" we see frequent instances of love gathering strength, in proportion as hope grows weaker and more despairing*.

HEINSIUS.

I could not help laughing at the expression, though I agree in the sentiment of this scholar; who, with a simple frankness, very natural to a Dutchman, declares, that on reading Plato, he felt so much delight and enthusiasm, that one page of that philosopher's work operated upon him like the intoxication produced by swallowing ten bumpers of wine. I have read some bacchanalian passage very similar to this

For love can hope, when reason would despair, says an English poet.

in Scaliger the elder. "Herodotus is so charming an author," says he, "that I have as much pain to quit him as I feel in leaving my bottle."

PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY.

According to this author, the Ægyptian physicians entertained a most absurd opinion concerning the human heart; they thought that the heart every year, till a man was fifty years old, increased in weight two drachms; after which period it diminished in the same proportion. So that a man, through a defect of a heart, could not live longer than a century.

SOLITUDE.

It is an observation of Seneca, that we should mix company and retirement, in order to make them both pleasant by a change. In truth, the wish to be always alone shews the temper of a wild and ferocious animal, and carries with it the melancholy darkness of the tomb. The effect of such a disposition of mind is well described by an ancient phrase," cor suum