learning or experience inform him, that almost every occupation, however inconvenient or formidable, is happier and fafer than a life of floth. The neceffity of action is not only demonftrable from the fabric of the body, but evident from obfervation of the univerfal practice of mankind; who, for the prefervation of health in those whofe rank or wealth exempts them from the neceffity of lucrative labours, have invented fports and diverfions, though not of equal ufe to the world with manual trades, yet of equal fatigue to those who practise them, and differing only from the drudgery of the husbandman or manufacturer, as they are acts of choice, and therefore performed without the painful sense of compulfion. The huntsman rises early, pursues his game through all the dangers and obftructions of the chace, swims rivers, and scales precipices, till he returns home no less harraffed than the foldier, and has, perhaps, fometimes incurred as great hazard of wounds and death: yet he has no motive to excite his ardour; he is neither subject to the command of a general, nor dreads the penalties of neglect or difobedience: he has neither profits nor honours to expect from his perils and conquests; but acts without the hope of mural or civic garlands, and must content himTelf with the praise of his tenants and companions. But fuch is the conftitution of MAN, that that labour is its own reward; nor will any external incitements be requifite, if it be confidered how much happiness is gained, and how much mifery escaped, by frequent and violent agitation. of the body. Ease is the most that can be hoped from a fedentary and inactive habit; but ease is a mere neutral ftate between pain and pleasure. The dance of fpirits, the bound of vigour, readiness of enterprize, and defiance of fatigue, are reserved for him that braces his nerves, and hardens his fibres; that keeps his limbs pliant with motion; and, by frequent expofure, fortifies his frame against the common accidents of cold and heat. With eafe, however, if it could be fecured, many would be content; but nothing terrestrial can be kept at a stand. EASE, if it is not rifing into pleasure, will be fettling into pain; and whatever hopes the dreams of speculation may fuggeft, of observing the proportion between retirement and labour, and keeping the body in a healthy state by supplies exactly equal to its weight, we know that, in effect, the vital powers, unexcited by motion, grow gradually languid, decay, and die. It is neceffary to that perfection of which our present state is capable, that the mind and body should both be kept in action; that neither the faculties of the one nor the other should be fuffered to grow lax or torpid for want of use; that neither health can be pur chafed chafed by voluntary fubmiffion to ignorance, nor knowledge cultivated at the expence of that health, which must enable it either to give pleafure to its poffeffor, or affiftance to others. It is too frequently the pride of ftudents, to despise those amusements which give to the rest of mankind ftrength of limbs and chearfulness of heart. Solitude and contemplation are, indeed, feldom confiftent with such skill in common exercises or sports, as is neceffary to make them practised with delight; and no man is willing to do that of which the neceffity is not preffing, when he knows that his aukwardness but makes him ridiculous. I have always admired the wifdom of those by whom our female education was inftituted, for having contrived that every woman, of whatever condition, should be taught some arts of manufacture, by which the vacuities of reclufe and domeftic leifure may be filled up. These arts are more neceffary, as the weakness of their sex, and the general system of life, debar ladies from many employments which, by diversifying the circumstances of men, preferve them from being cankered by the ruft of their own thoughts. I know not how much of the virtue and happiness of the world may be the confequence of this judicious regulation. Perhaps the most powerful fancy might be unable to figure the confufion and flaughter that would be produced by fo many piercing piercing eyes, and vivid understandings, turned loofe upon mankind, with no other bufinefs than to sparkle and intrigue, to perplex and to destroy. For my own part, whenever chance brings within my obfervation a knot of miffes bufy at their needles, I confider myself as in THE SCHOOL OF VIRTUE; and though I have no extraordinary skill in plain-work or embroidery, look upon their operations with as much fatisfaction as their governess, because I regard them as providing a security against the most dangerous enfnarers of the foul, by enabling them to exclude Idleness from their folitary moments, and with Idleness, her attendant train of paffions, fancies, chimeras, fears, forrows, and defires. and CERVANTES will inform them that Love has no power but on those whom he catches unemployed: and HECTOR, in the Iliad, when he fees ANDROMACHE overwhelmed with tears, fends her for confolation to the loom and the diftaff.*" Certain it is, that wild wishes, and *ANDROMACHE! my foul's far better part, OVID vain No vain imaginations, never take fuch firm poffeffion of the mind, as when it is found empty and unemployed. IDLENESS, indeed, was the spreading root from which all the vices and crimes of the oriental nuns fo luxuriantly branched. Few of them had any tafte for fcience, or were enabled, by the habits either of reflection or industry, to charm away the tediousness of SOLITUDE, or to relieve that wearinefs which muft neceffarily accompany their abftracted fituation. The talents with which nature had endowed them were uncultivated; the glimmering lights of reason were obfcured by a blind and headlong zeal; and their tempers foured by the circumftances of their forlorn condition. Certain it is, that the only means of avoiding unhappiness and mifery in. Solitude, and perhaps in Society also, is to keep the No more but haften to thy task at home; Thus having faid, the glorious chief resumes 4 |