ner of living, &c. Having prevailed with a friend who designs shortly to publish a new edition of Diogenes Laertius, to add this treatise of mine by way of supplement; I shall now, to let the world see what may be expected from me (first begging Mr. Spectator's leave that the world may see it), briefly touch upon some of my chief observations, and then subscribe myself your humble servant. In the first place I shall give you two or three of their maxims: the fundamental one, upon which their whole system is built, is this, viz. “That time being an implacable enemy to, and a destroyer of all things, ought to be paid in his own coin, and be destroy ed and murdered without mercy, by all the ways that can be invented." Another favourite saying of theirs is, "That business was designed only for knaves, and study for blockheads." A third seems to be a ludicrous one, but has a great effect upon their lives; and this is, That the devil is at home." Now for their manner of living; and here I have a large field to expatiate in; but I shall reserve particulars for my intended discourse, and now only mention one or two of their principal exercises. The elder proficients employ themselves in inspecting mores hominum multorum, in getting acquainted with all the signs and windows in the town. Some are arrived to so great knowledge, that they can tell every time any butcher kills a calf, every time an old woman's cat is in the straw; and a thousand other matters as important. One ancient philosopher contemplates two or three hours every day over a sun-dial; and is true to the dial, Our younger students are content to carry their speculations as yet no farther than bowling-greens, billiard tables, and such like places. This may serve for a sketch of my design; in which I hope I shall have your en couragement. I am, SIR, yours.' I must be so just as to observe, I have formerly seen of this sect at our other university; though not distinguished by the appellation which the learned histo◄ rian, my correspondent, reports they bear at Cambridge. They were ever looked upon as a people that impaired themselves more by their strict application to the rules of their order, than any other students whatever. Others seldom hurt themselves any farther than to gain weak eyes, and sometimes headaches; but these philosophers are seized all over with a general inability, indolence, and weariness, and a certain impatience of the place they are in, with an heaviness in removing to another. The Loungers are satisfied with being merely part of the number of mankind, without distinguishing them selves from amongst them. They may be said rather to suffer their time to pass, than to spend it, without regard to the past, or prospect of the future. All they know of life is only the present instant, and do not taste even that. When one of this order happens to be a man of fortune, the expence of his time is transferred to his coach and horses, and his life is to be measured by their motion, not his own enjoyments or sufferings. The chief entertain ment one of these philosophers can possibly propose to himself, is to get a relish of dress. This, methinks, might diversify the person he is weary of (his own dear self) to himself. I have known these two amusements make one of these philosophers make a tolerable figure in the world; with variety of dresses in public assemblies in town, and a quick motion of his horses out of it; now to Bath, now to Tunbridge, then to Newmarket, and then to London, he has in process of time brought it to pass, that his coach and his horses have been mentioned in all those places. When the Loungers leave an academic life, and, instead of this more elegant way of appearing in the polite world, retire to the seats of their ancestors, they usually join a pack of dogs, and employ their days in defending their poultry from foxes: I do not know any other method that any of this order has ever taken to make a noise in the world; but I shall enquire into such about this town as have arrived at the dignity of being Loungers by the force of natural parts, without having ever seen an uni versity; and send my correspondent, for the embellishment of his book, the names and history of those who pass their lives without any incidents at all; and how they shift coffee-houses and chocolate-houses from hour to hour, to get over the insupportable labour of doing nothing. STEELE. R. No. 55. THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1711. -Intus et in jecore agro Nascuntur Domini PERS. Sat. v. ver. 129. Our passions play the tyrants in our breasts. MOST of the trades, professions, and ways of living among mankind, take their original either from the love of pleasure, or the fear of want. The former, when it becomes too violent, degenerates into Luxury, and the latter into Avarice. As these two principles of action draw different ways, Persius has given us a very humourous account of a young fellow who was roused out of his bed in order to be sent upon a long voyage, by Avarice, and afterwards overpersuaded and kept at home by Luxury. I shall set down at length the pleadings of those two imaginary persons, as they are in the original, with Mr. Dryden's translation of them: 'Mane, piger, stertis: surge, inquit Avaritia; eja Surge. Negas. Instat, surge, inquit. Non queo. Surge. Et quid agam? Rogitas? saperdas advehe ponto, Castoreum, stuppas, hebenum, thus, lubrica Coa. Tolle recens primus piper e sitienti camelo, Verte aliquid; jura. Sed Jupiter audiet. Ehew! Baro, regustatum digito terebrare salinum Contentus perages, si vivere cum Jove tendis. Jam pueris pellem succinctus et ænephorum aptas; Ocyus ad navem. Nil obstat quin trabe vasta Egæum rapias, nisi solers Luxuria ante Seductum moneat: quo deinde insane ruis? Quo? Quid tibi vis? Calido sub pectore mascula bilis Intumuit, quam non extinxerit urna cicuta? Tun' mare transilias? Tibi torta cannabe fulto Cana sit in transtro? Veientanumque rubellum Exhalet vapida læsum pise sessilis obba? Quid petis? Ut nummi, quos hic quincunce modesto Nutrieras, pergant avidos sudare deunces? Indulge genio: carpamus dulcia; nostrum est Quod vivis; cinis, et manes, et fabula fies. Vive memor lethi: fugit hora. Hoc quod loquor, inde est En quid agis? Duplici in diversum scinderis ́hamo' SAT. V. 131, Whether alone, or in thy harlot's lap, At his command th' unwilling sluggard wakes. With thy own hands, from the tir'd camel's back, } 'Tis wholesome sin: but Jove, thou say'st, will hear. Stark, staring mad, that thou would'st tempt the sea? On a brown George, with lousy swobbers fed; Say, would'st thou bear all this, to raise thy store, Death stalks behind thee, and each flying hour Live while thou liv'st; for death will make us all When a government flourishes in conquests, and is se cure from foreign attacks, it naturally falls into all the pleasures of luxury; and as these pleasures are very expensive, they put those who are addicted to them upon raising fresh supplies of money, by all the methods of ra paciousness and corruption; so that avarice and luxury very often become one complicated principle of action, in those whose hearts are wholly set upon ease, magnificence, and pleasure. The most elegant and correct of all the Latin historians * observes, that in his time, when the most formidable states of the world were subdued by the Romans, the republic sunk into those two vices of a quite different nature, Luxury and Avarice: and accordingly describes Catiline as one who coveted the wealth of other men, at the same time that he squandered away his This observation on the commonwealth, when it was in its height of power and riches, holds good of all governments that are settled in a state of ease and prosperity. At such times men naturally endeavour to outshine one another in pomp and splendour, and having no fears to alarm them from abroad, indulge themselves in the enjoyment of all the pleasures they can get into their possession; which naturally produces avarice, and an immoderate pursuit after wealth and riches. own. As I was humouring myself in the speculation of those two great principles of action, I could not forbear throwing my thoughts into a little kind of allegory or fable, with which I shall here present my reader. There were two very powerful tyrants engaged in a perpetual war against each other, the name of the first was Luxury, and of the second Avarice. The aim of each of them was no less than universal monarchy over the hearts of mankind. Luxury had many generals under him, who did him great service, as Pleasure, Mirth, Pomp, and Fashion. Avarice was likewise very strong in his officers, being faithfully served by Hunger, Indus try, Care, and Watchfulness: he had likewise a privycounsellor who was always at his elbow, and whispering something or other in his ear; the name of this privycounsellor was Poverty. As Avarice conducted himself by the counsels of Poverty, his antagonist was entirely guided by the dictates and advice of Plenty, who was his first counsellor and minister of state, that concerted all his measures for him, and never departed out of his sight. While these two great rivals were thus contending for empire, their conquests were very various. Luxury got possession of one heart, and Avarice of another. The father of a family would often range himself under the * Sallust. |