ledge, that they can tell every time any butcher 'kills a calf, every time any old woman's cat is in the straw; and a thousand other matters as important. One ancient philofopher contemplates two or three hours every day over a fundial; and is true to the dial, "As the dial to the fun, Although it be not fhone upon." Our younger ftudents are content to carry their fpeculations as yet no farther than bowling-greens, billiard-tables, and fuch like places, This may ferve for a fketch of my defign; in which I hope I fhall have your encouragement. I am SIR, Yours,' I must be fo juft as to obferve I have formerly feen of this fect at our other univefity; though not diftinguished by the appellation which the learned hiftorian, my correfpondent, reports they bear at Cambridge. They were ever looked upon as a people that impaired themselves more by their ftrict application to the rules of their order, than any other ftudents whatever. Others feldom hurt themfelves any further than to gain weak eyes, and fometimes head-aches; but these philofophers are feized all over with a general inability, indolence, and wearinefs, and a certain impatience of the place they are in, with an heavinefs in removing to another. The Lowngers are fatisfied with being merely part of the number of mankind, without diftinguishing themselves from amongst them. They may be faid rather to fuffer their time to pafs, than than to spend it, without regard to the past, or profpect of the future. All they know of life is only the prefent inftant, and do not tafte even that. When one of this order happens to be a man of fortune, the expence of his time is tranfferred to his coach and horfes, and his life is to be measured by their motion, not his own enjoyments or fufferings. The chief entertainment one of thefe philofophers can poffibly propofe to himself, is to get a relifh of drefs. This methinks, might diverfify the perfon he is weary of (his own dear felf) to himself. I have known these two amusements make one of these philofophers make a tolerable figure in the world; with variety of dreffes in public affemblies in town, and quick motion of his horfes out of it, now to Bath, now to Tunbridge, then to Newmarket, and then to London, he has in procefs of time brought it to pafs, that his coach and his horfes have been mentioned in all those places. When the Lowngers leave an academic life, and inftead of this more elegant way of appearing in the polite world, retire to the feats 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 fhall enquire into fuch about this town as have arrived at the dignity of being Lowngers by the force of natural parts, without having ever feen an univerfity; and fend my correfpondent, for the embellishment of his book, the names and history of those who pass their lives without any incidents at all; and how they fhift coffee-houses and chocolate-houfes from hour to hour, to get over the infupportable labour of doing nothing. ADVERTISEMENT. R*. For the Benefit of Mr. KEEN, at the Theatre Royal in Drury-lane, will be performed on Thursday the 3d of May, the Tragedy of HAMLET. The part of Hamlet by Mr. Wilks, the King Mr. Keen, Horatio Mr. Mills, Laertes Mr. Powell, the Ghoft Mr. Booth, the Fop Mr. Bowen, Gravedigger Mr. Johnfon, the Queen Mrs. Knight, and the part of Ophelia by Mrs. Bradshaw. SPECT. in folio. N° 55. Thursday, May 3, 1711. -Intus & in jecore ægro Nafcuntur Domini PERS. Sat. v. 129. Our paffions play the tyrants in our breafts. OST of the trades, profeffions, 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, Perfius has given us a very humorous account of a young fellow who was roufed out of his bed, in order to be fent upon a long voyage, by Avarice, and afterwards over-perfuaded and kept at home by *The latter part by STEELE; the letter was written probably by Mr. EUSDEN. See SPECT. vol. VII. N° 555; and GUARDIAN, N° 124, and Note on LowNGERS. Luxury. Luxury. I fhall fet down at length the pleadings of these two imaginary perfons, as they are in the original, with Mr. Dryden's tranflation of them. Ebeu! Manè, piger, fertis : furge, inquit Avaritia; eja Surge. Negas, Inftat, furge, inquit. Non queo. Surge, Et quid agam? Rogitas? faperdas advehe ponto, Caftoreum, ftuppas, habenum, thus, lubrica Coa. Tolle recens primus piper e fitiente camelo. Verte aliquid; jura. Sed Jupiter audiet. Baro, reguftatum digito terebrare falinum Contentus perages, fi vivere cum Jove tendis. Jam pueris pellum fuccinctus & anophorum aptas; Ocyùs ad navem. Nil obftat quin trabe vestà Egeum rapias, nifi folers Luxuria antè Seductum moneat; quò deinde infane ruis? Qùo? Quid tibi vis? Calido fed pectore mafcula bilis Intumuit, quam non extinxerit urna cicute? Tun' mare tranfilias? Tibi torta cannabe fulto Cana fit in tranftro? Veientanumque rubellum Exhalet vapide læfum pife feffilis obba? Quid petis? Ut nummi, quos hic quincunce modesto Nutrieras, pergant avidos fudare deunces? Indulge genio: carpamus dulcia; noftrum eft Quod vivis; cinis, & manes, & fabula fies. Vive memor lethi: fugit bora. Hoc quod loquor, inde eft. En quid agis? Duplici in diverfum fcinderis bamo. Hunccine, an bunce fequeris ?— SAT. V. 131*. Whether alone, or in thy harlot's lap, When thou would't take a lazy morning's nap; See Boileau, Sat. III. who has imitated this paffage very happily. Up, Up, up, fays AVARICE; thou fnor'st again, At his command th' unwilling fluggard wakes. With thy own hands, from the tir'd camel's back, Swear, fool, or ftarve; for the dilemma's even; Stark, ftaring mad, that thou would'ft tempt the fea? Cubb'd in a cabbin, on a mattress laid, On a brown George, with loufy fwobbers fed; Speak: |