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at the highest pitch of happiness, is no less worthy of admiration. During his war with Persia, as he was sitting at dinner upon the bare ground, and eating a mess of pork and pease, word was brought him that the Persian embassadors were arrived. Without changing either his posture or dress, which was no other than a purple coat, but made of woollen, and a cap which he wore for want of hair, he ordered them to be introduced, and told them that he was the emperor, and they might go and tell their master, that if he did not take care, he would in a month's time lay all his fields as naked of trees and corn, as his head was of hairs; and at the same time he took off his cap, to make them the better comprehend his meaning. He then invited them to eat part of his dinner, in case they were hungry; if not, they had nothing to do but to go back immediately. The embassadors made their report to their prince, who was in a terrible fright, as well as his soldiers, that they had to deal with a people, who were such professed enemies to luxury and pleasures. He came in person to meet the emperor, and granted him whatever he demanded.

But comparing all I have hitherto mentioned concerning pomp and simplicity; on the one side, whatever is most splendid, riches, magnificent buildings, furniture, fine clothes, and a table most sumptuously and delicately spread; and on the other, poverty, simplicity, frugality, and modesty, but attended with victories, triumphs, consulships, dictatorial power, and even the empire of the world; I leave it to the judgment of any man of good sense and reason, on which side lies the noble and great, and which he thinks deserves most his esteem and admiration. The decision will not be difficult. And it is this natural and unstudied sense of things, which I look upon as the rule of good taste in the point of solid Glory and real Grandeur.

In quoting these ancient examples of modesty and frugality, I have no design to propose them as perfect

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models for our imitation. Our age and manners can not bear so masculine and robust a virtue. There are besides certain rules of decency to be observed, and in every state and condition things may be reduced to an honest and commendable mediocrity, which will justify and direct the use of them. But how much ought we to be concerned, and ashamed to observe to what a degree our manners have degenerated from the virtue of the ancient Pagans? and what efforts ought we not to make to conform in some measure at least to those primitive rules, though we are not so happy to have any longer the courage and liberty entirely to come up to them.

My design in these examples, is first to teach youth, that they ought not to look upon such as lead a poor and frugal life, as contemptible, or even unhappy. It is the reflection which Seneca draws from the examples before us. Do we think, [m] says he, that our ancestors, whose virtues still support the empire, which our vices would have long ago destroyed, were much to be pitied, for dressing their own dinners, for lying on hard couches, or for having neither gold nor diamonds in their houses and temples?

I am sensible that one objection may be made to all I can say of the ancient Greeks and Romans. For though we may respect the examples of frugality, simplicity, and poverty, in Aristides, Cimon, Curius, Fabricius, Cato, &c. yet it is natural enough to make some abatements, from a persuasion, that in poor republics it was scarce possible to live otherwise; and it is still doubtful with the generality of people, whether these examples can be of any use to our age, which is richer and more plentiful, and in which it. would be ridiculous to attempt to imitate them. But in my opinion the

[m] Scilicet majores nostri, quorum virtus etiam nunc vitia nostra sustentat, infelices erant, qui sibi manu suâ parabant cibum, quibus

example of the emperors

terra cubile erat, quorum tecta nondum auro fulgebant, quorum templa nondum gemmis nitebant ? Senec. de Consol. ad Helv. c. 10.

amounts

amounts to full proof, and sets the matter beyond exception. In short, if those masters of the world, whose riches were equal to their power, and who succeeded to emperors that had carried luxury, pleasures, epicurism and extravagance to the utmost heights of excess, were still fond of frugality, modesty, simplicity, and poverty, what reasonable reply can be made to the maxims I have laid down upon this subject?

I would desire to know, whether those great princes I have spoken of, those men of extraordinary talents and superior genius, had not the taste of real Greatness and solid Glory; whether all nations and ages have been mistaken in the high encomiums they have given them; and whether any one ever ventured to charge them with having debased either the nobility of their birth, the dignity of their station, or the majesty of the empire; and whether on the other hand these were not the qualities which raised them the higher, and' have universally drawn upon them the esteem, love, and admiration of posterity. Can any private person now imagine himself a better judge of real glory than they were, or should he think himself unhappy or dishonoured, by being found in such illustrious company, and standing by a Trajan, an Antoninus, or a Marcus Aurelius? Shall we pay a greater regard to an Apicius, who setting up for a perfect master in the art of cookery, infected and corrupted his age by that wretched science? [n] Qui scientiam popine professus, disciplina suá seculum infecit. "He who professed the science of cookery, and "infected the age he lived in.". Shall we prefer to the great examples I have quoted those of Caligula, Nero, Otho, Vitellius, Commodus, or Heliogabalus? For, to the inestimable good fortune of their people, all the good emperors in general, and without excep→ tion, have been of the character I here recommend; and all the bad emperors in general are found in the opposite class, with all the vices which I condemn. [n] Senec. de Consol. ad Helv. cap. 10..

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My design, secondly, is to instil into youth a vene. ration for the original source and principle from whence arose that generous contempt which the great men of antiquity shewed for what the greatest part of mankind now admire and pursue. For it is this principle, this disposition of the mind, which is really estimable. A man may be reserved and modest in the midst of riches and honours, as he may be proud and avaricious in the obscurity of a poor and wretched life.

[o] The emperor Antoninus is judged to be one of the greatest princes that ever reigned. He was held in such reverence by all posterity, [p] that neither the Roman people, nor the soldiers, could suffer any other emperor to be called after his name; and Alexander Severus himself found it too august, to venture upon assuming it. [7] Antoninus, through an equality of mind and greatness of soul, which rendered him independent of all without him, was usually satisfied with what was most plain and moderate. As he affected nothing particular in his food, lodging, bed, domestics or dress, wearing only the common stuffs, and such as were readiest to be met with; so he would make use of the conveniences which offered, without rejecting them through affectation; equally ready to use every thing with moderation, or lay it aside without uneasiness.

It was this disposition of mind the wife of Tubero, whom I have already spoken of, particularly admired in her husband, according to the judicious observation of Plutarch. "She was not ashamed, [r] says "the historian, of her husband's poverty, but ad"mired in him the virtue which made him consent "to remain poor :" that is, the motive which retained him in his poverty, by disapproving the means of becoming rich, which are usually dishonest and unlib. 6. c. 23.

[o] Dio, lib. 70. Capitol in Vit. T. Antonin.

[3] Capitol, in Vit. Macrin. Diad. Geta.Lamprid. in Vit. Alex. [7] M. Aur. lib. 1. c. 18. &

[7] Οὐκ αἰσχυνομήνη τὴν πενίαν τῷ ἀνδρός, ἀλλὰ θαυμάζεσα τὴν άperùv di ng wérns ñvi

just.

just. For the lawful ways of accumulating wealth were very rare to a noble Roman; as he could not apply himself to business and trade, nor expect any gratification, or pension, or other kind of benefit, which officers usually now receive from the liberality of our princes, by way of recompence for the services he did the state. There was scarce any other way of becoming rich, but by plundering the provinces, as other magistrates and generals did. And it was this greatness of soul, this disinterestedness, this delicacy and love of justice, which made him reject all unworthy means of throwing off his poverty, that this lady so deservedly admired in him. Infinitely above the common sentiments of the world, she discerned through the veils of poverty and simplicity the greatness of soul which occasioned them, and thought herself obliged to respect her husband still more upon that very account, which might perhaps have rendered him contemptible to other women ; θαυμάζεσα τὴν ἀρετήν δι ̓ ἧς πένης ἦν.

In my opinion, youth should principally be put upon taking notice of such passages as these, whilst they are reading history, as nothing is more capable of forming their taste and judgment, to which the care of masters ought entirely to tend.

It is of service also to confirm these instructions by examples taken from modern history, and especially of the great men, whose memory is still recent. Who has not heard of M. de Turenne's simplicity and modesty in his retinue and equipage?" He strives "to conceal himself," says M. Flechier in his funeral oration, "but his reputation discovers him. He "marches without a train of attendants, whilst every "man in his own mind places him upon a triumphal car. As he passes by, the enemies he has conquered are reckoned, and not the servants which "follow him. Alone as he is, we imagine him sur"rounded in all places with his virtues and victories. "There is something extremely noble in this elegant simplicity, and the less haughty he is, the more "venerable

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