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to ink my peafines that I cannot ey? My time is wholly taken up in the execution of a very honourable, inded, but very troublesome employ ; in hearing of caufes, aniwering tras, paling accounts, and writing ok but letters, alas! where geno fhare. I fometimes complain Ephrates (for I have leifure at least a) of thefe unpleafing occupations. he endeavours to comfort me, by afirmng, that to be engaged in the fervice of public, to hear and determine causes, explain the laws, and administer juíis a part, and the noblest part too, palofophy, as it is reducing to practice 2 her profeffors teach in fpeculation. may be to: but that it is as agreeable pead whole days in attending to his convertation - even his rhetoric ever be able to convince me. I therefore but ftrongly recommend yea, who have leifure, the next Are you come to Rome (and you will I dare fay, fo much the fooner) se the benefit of his elegant and rentractions. I am not, you fee, in amber of those who envy others the afs they cannot share themselves: the contrary, it is a very fenfible pleato me, when I find my friends in on of an enjoyment from which have the misfortune to be excluded. Tel.

LETTER VI.
To Calefirius Tiro.

¦ HAVE fuffered a moft fenfible lofs; that word is ftrong enough to exthe misfortune which has deprived of fo excellent a man. Corellius du is dead! and dead too by his own a circumftance of great aggravato my affliction, as that fort of death we cannot impute either to the afe of nature, or the hand of provite, is of all others the moft to be laled. It affords fome confolation in lofs of thofe friends whom difeafe thes from us, that they fall by the ceral fate of mankind: but thofe who by themselves, leave us under the onfolable reflection that they had it in heir power to have lived longer. "Tis e, Corellius had many inducements be fond of life; a blameless confcience,

high reputation, and great dignity, together with all the tender endearments of a wife, a daughter, a grandfon, and filters, and amidst thefe confiderable pledges of happinefs, many and faithful friends. Still it must be owned he had the highest reafon (which to a wife man will always have the force of the strongest obligation) to determine him in this refolution. He had long laboured under fo tedious and painful a distemper, that even these bleffings, great and valuable as they are, could not balance the evils he suffered. In his thirty-third year (as I have frequently heard him fay) he was feized with the gout in his feet. This he received from his father; for diseases, as well as poffeffions, are fometimes transmitted by a kind of inheritance. A life of abitinence and virtue had fomething broke the force of this distemper while he had ftrength and youth to struggle with it; as a manly courage fupported him under the increasing weight of it in his old age. I remember in the reign of Domitian, I made him a vifit at his villa near Rome, where I found him under the most incredible and undeferved tortures; for the gout was now not only in his feet, but had spread itself over his whole body. As foon as I entered his chamber, his fervants withdrew for it was his conftant rule, never to suffer them to be prefent when any very intimate friend was with him: he even carried it fo far as to difmifs his wife upon fuch occafions, though worthy of the highett confidence. Looking round about him, Do you know (fays he) why I endure life under thefe cruel agonies? It is with the hope that I may outlive, at least for one day, that villain. And O! ye Gods, had you given me ftrength, as you have given me refolution, I would infallibly have that pleasure! Heaven heard his prayer, and having furvived that tyrant, and lived to fee liberty rettored, he broke through thofe great, but however now less forcible attachments to the world, fince he could leave it in poffeffion of fecurity and freedom. His diftemper increafed; and as it now grew too violent to admit of any relief from temperance, he refolutely determined to put an end to its uninterrupted attacks by an effort of heroifm. He had refufed all fuftenance

* Domitian.

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en me that office. You wer to the efteem and affection I br great man her father, and with wi instructions he formed my you taught me to deferve thofe prai was pleafed to bestow upon me. Y could not give me then a more impor int, or more agreeable commiffion, n could I be employed in an office higher honour, than of choofing a your man worthy of continuing the family Rufticus Arulenus: a choice I fhould -e, long in determining if I were not a tan quainted with Minutius Æmilianus, wi med feems formed for our purpose. Whi - ufe he loves me with that warmth of affectio which is ufual between young men ived, equal years (as indeed I have the advanc raifed of him but by very few), he reveres me: of foul; the fame time with all the deference di to age and is as defirous to model hin felf by my inflructions, as I was by tho of yourfelf and your brother. He is native of Brixia*, one of thofe province in Italy which still retains much of th frugal fimplicity and purity of ancier manners. He is fon to Minutius Macri nus, whofe humble defires were fatishe with being first in the rank of the Equel trian order: for though he was nominate by Vefpafian in the number of thof whom that Prince dignified with th Prætorian honours; yet with a deter mined greatnefs of mind, he rather pre ferred an elegant repofe, to the ambi tious, thall I call them, or honourabl purfuits in which we in public life art engaged. His grand-mother on the mo ther's fide is Serrana Procula, of Padua you are no franger to the manners o that place; yet Serrana is looked upon, even among thefe referved people, as ar exemplary inftance of strict virtue. Acilius, his uncle, is a man of fingular gravity, wifdom, and integrity. In a word, you will find nothing throughout his family unworthy of yours. Minutius himfelf has great vivacity, as well as application, joined at the fame time with a most amiable and becoming modefly. He has already, with much credit, paffed through the offices of Quaftor, Tribune, and Prætor, fo that you will be fpared the trouble of foliciting for him thofe honourable employments. He has a gen

t man I was arrived en is an age exceed, I well a from a life of eft his family more) his counall this I know. weep for him as prime and vigour wethall I own my vate account. For friend, I have loft gede, and the director 26 confets to you what the first transport of A fear, now that I am no sove, I thall not keep fo gald over my conduct. Speak mo, therefore, I entreat you; to ng me that he was old, that arm'; all this I know; but by fupeg me with some arguments that are vecommon and reflets, that neither the commerce of the world, nor the precepts For er the philofophers can teach me. il that I have heard, and all that I have read, occur to me of themselves; but all thefe are by far too weak to fupport me under fo heavy an affliction. Farewel.

LETTER

VII.

La Juntas Ma ricus.

YOU defire me to look out a husband for your niece; and it is with justice

A town in the territories of Venice, now called Diencia.

teel

ted

rally countenance, with a certhe mien that speaks the mat of station: advantages, I think. IT was to be flightel, and with look ps the proper tribute to virgin are. I am doubtful whether i bould a that his father is very rich. When I crider the character of those who regure a hutband of my chooling, I know sus moecefiary to mention wealth; but when I reflect upon the prevailing manters of the age, and even the laws of Rone, which rank a man accming to portions, it certainly claims me rodice: and indeed in eftabliments of ts nature, where children and many sther circumstances are to be cocidered, is is an article that well deferves to be ken into the account. You will be in cred perhaps to ftipect, that affection had too great a fare in the character I have been drawing, and that I have nghtened it beyond the truth. But I wl take all my credit, you will find every thing far beyond what I have reprefented. I confeis, indeed, I love Mi

(as he justly deferves) with all the armth of the most ardent affection; but fur that very reafon I would not afcribe core to his merit, than I know it will fupDr. Farewel.

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LETTER VIII. To Septitius Clarus. HOW happened it, my friend, that you did not keep your engagement cther night to fup with me? But take notice, justice is to be had, and I pect you fall fully reimburfe me the epente I was at to treat you; which, kme tell you, was no fmall fam. I had prepared, you must know, a lettuce apete, three fnails, two eggs, and a barley cake, with fome fweet wine and Sot: the fnow moft certainly I fhall

the laritas delicacies and Spana dancers of a cerin i w who, were, it feams, more to your tate. However, 12 have my revenge of you, depend upon it ;—in wie manner, hal at prefent be a fecret. In good truth it was not kind, this to mortify your friend, I had almod id vocritifs-and upon iecond thoughts i de iyi: for how agreeably fhould we have spent the evening, in langhing, triking, and deep specullton! You may is, I confess, at miny places more fplendidly; but you can be treated no where, believe me, with more uncondrained cheerfulness, implicity, and freedom: only make the experiment; and if you do not ever afterwards prefer my table to any other, never favour me w with your company again. Farewel

The English reader may probably be furprifed find this article in Pliny's philofophical bill of ; it will not be improper therefore to inform , that a dish of inails was very common at a man table. The manner used to fatten them is Fated by fome very grave authors of antiquity; Play the elder mentions one Fulvius Hirpinus who had studied that art with fo much fuccefs, that the thells of fome of his fnails would contain cut ten quarts. In fome parts of Switzerland food is fill in high repute. See Addifon's †The Romans ufed fnow not only to cool their

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364.

LETTER IX.
To Eracias.

CONCEIVED an affection for my friend Pompeius Saturninus, and admired his genius, even long before I knew the extensive variety of his talents; but he has now taken full and unreferved

liquors, but their ftomachs, after having inflamed Seneca, latiam fi macbi a ivantis. This cuftom themselves with high eating: Nom redunt, fays till prevails in Italy, especially at Naples, where (as Mr. Addifon chierves) they drink very few liquors, not fo much as water, that have not lain in frefco, and every body from the highest to the lowet makes ufe of it; info much that a fcarcity of frow would rufe a mutiny at Napies, as much as a dearth of corn or provisions in another country." Trav. 185.

Our own

In the original the dishes are fpecified, viz. Oysters, the matrices of fows, and a certain fea fhell-fith, prickly like a hedge-hog, called Echinus, all in the highest estimation among the Roman admirers of table-luxury; as appears by numberlefs paffages in the claffic writers. country had the honour to furnish them with oyfters, which they re:ched from Sandwich: Montanus, mentioned by Juvenal, was fo well skilled in the fcience of good eating, that he could tell by the first talte whether they came from thence or poffeffion

not.

for four days, when his wife Hifpulla fent to me our common friend Geminius, with the melancholy news that he was refolved to die; and that the and her daughter having in vain joined in their molt tender perfuafions to divert him from his purpose, the only hope they had now left was in my endeavours to reconcile him to life. I ran to his houfe with the utmost precipitation. As I approached it, I met a fecond meffenger from Hifpulla, who informed me there was nothing to be hoped for, even from me, as he now feemed more inflexible than ever in his refolution. What confirmed their fears was an expreffion he made ufe of to his phyfician, who preffed him to take fome nourishment: 'tis refolved, faid he an expreffion which as it raifed my admiration of his greatnefs of foul; fo it does my grief for the lefs of him. I am every moment reflecting what a valuable friend, what an excellent man I am deprived of. That he was arrived to his fixty-feventh year, which is an age even the strongest feldom exceed, I well know; that he is delivered from a life of continual pain; that he left his family and (what he loved even more) his country in a flourishing flate; all this I know. Still I cannot forbear to weep for him as if he had been in the prime and vigour of his days; and I weep (fhall I own my weaknets?) upon a private account. For I have loft, oh! my friend, I have loft the witness, the guide, and the director of my life! And to confefs to you what I did to Calvifius in the firft tranfport of my grief, I fadly fear, now that I am no longer under his eye, I fhall not keep fo flrict a guard over my conduct. Speak comfort to me, therefore, I entreat you; not by telling me that he was old, that he was infirm; all this I know; but by fupplying me with fome arguments that are uncommon and refiftlefs, that neither the commerce of the world, nor the precepts of the philofophers can teach me. For all that I have heard, and all that I have read, occur to me of themfelves; but all thefe are by far too weak to fupport me under fo heavy an affliction. Farewel.

LETTER VII.
To Junius Mauricus,

re me to look out a husband
niece; and it is with juilice

You

you enjoin me that office. You were a witness to the esteem and affection I bore that great man her father, and with what noble inftructions he formed my youth, and taught me to deferve thofe praises he was pleased to beftow upon me. could not give me then a more important, or more agreeable commiffion, nor could I be employed in an office of higher honour, than of choofing a young man worthy of continuing the family of Rufticus Arulenus: a choice I should be long in determining if I were not acquainted with Minutius Emilianus, who feems formed for our purpose. While he loves me with that warmth of affection which is ufual between young men of equal years (as indeed I have the advance of him but by very few), he reveres me at the fame time with all the deference due to age and is as defirous to mode! himfelf by my inftructions, as I was by thofe of yourself and your brother. He is a native of Brixia, one of thofe provinces in Italy which fill retains much of the frugal fimplicity and purity of ancient manners. He is fon to Minutius Macrinus, whofe humble defires were fatisfied with being firft in the rank of the Equeftrian order: for though he was nominated by Vefpafian in the number of those whom that Prince dignified with the Prætorian honours; yet with a determined greatnefs of mind, he rather preferred an elegant repofe, to the ambitious, thall I call them, or honourable purfuits in which we in public life are engaged. Ilis grand-mother on the mother's fide is Serrana Procula, of Padua: you are no franger to the manners of that place; yet Serrana is looked upon, even among these referved people, as ar exemplary inftance of ftrict virtue. Acilius, his uncle, is a man of fingular gravity, wifdom, and integrity. In a word, you will find nothing throughout his family unworthy of yours. Minutius himfelf has great vivacity, as well as application, joined at the fame time with a mot amiable and becoming modely. He has already, with much credit, paffed through the offices of Quaftor, Tribune, and Prætor, fo that you will be fpared the trouble of foliciting for him those honourable employments. He has a gen

* A town in the territories of Venice, now called Breicia.

teel

teel and ruddy countenance, with a certain noble mien that speaks the man of distinction: advantages, I think, by no means to be flighted, and which I look upon as the proper tribute to virgin innocence. I am doubtful whether I thould add, that his father is very rich. When I confider the character of those who require a husband of my choofing, I know it is unneceffary to mention wealth; but when I reflect upon the prevailing manters of the age, and even the laws of Rome, which rank a man according to his poffeffions, it certainly claims fome rotice and indeed in establishments of this nature, where children and many other circumstances are to be confidered, it is an article that well deferves to be taken into the account. You will be incined perhaps to suspect, that affection has had too great a fhare in the character I have been drawing, and that I have heightened it beyond the truth. But I will take all my credit, you will find every thing far beyond what I have reprefented. I confefs, indeed, I love Mifatius (as he justly deferves) with all the warmth of the molt ardent affection; but fur that very reafon I would not afcribe more to his merit, than I know it wil! fuppurt. Farewel.

LETTER VIII.

To Septitius Clarus. HOW happened it, my friend, that you did not keep your engagement the other night to fup with me? But Lake notice, juftice is to be had, and I expect you fhall fully reimburfe me the pente I was at to treat you; which, et me tell you, was no fmall fum. I had prepared, you must know, a lettuce apiece, three fnails, two eggs, and a barley cake, with fome fweet wine and howt: the fnow moft certainly I fhall

The English reader may probably be furprifed find this article in Pliny's philofophical bill of fare; it will not be improper therefore to inform

, that a dish of inails was very common at a Roman table. The manner ufed to fatten them is ted by fome very grave authors of antiquity; a. Puny the elder mentions one Fulvius Hirpinus to bad studied that art with fo much fuccefs, that the thells of Lome of his fnails would contain cat ten quarts. In fome parts of Switzerland tas food is full in high repute. See Addifon's

Trav. 364. †The Romans ufed fnow not only to cool their

charge to your account, as a rarity that will not keep. Befides all thefe curious dishes, there were olives of Andalusia, gourds, fhalots, and a hundred other dainties equally fumptuous. You should likewife have been entertained either with an interlude, the rehearsal of a poem, or a piece of mufic, as you liked best; or (fuch was my liberality) with all three. But the luxurious delicacies ‡ and Spanish dancers of a certain 1 know not who, were, it seems, more to your taste. However, I fhall have my revenge of you, depend upon it;-in what manner, thall at prefent be a fecret. In good truth it was not kind, thus to mortify your friend, I had almost faid yourself;-and upon fecond thoughts I do fay fo: for how agreeably fhould we have spent the evening, in laughing, trifling, and deep speculation! You may fup, I confefs, at many places more fplendidly; but you can be treated no where, believe me, with more unconstrained cheerfulness, fimplicity, and freedom: only make the experiment; and if you do not ever afterwards prefer my table to any other, never favour me with your company again. Farewel.

I

LETTER IX.
To Erucius.

CONCEIVED an affection for my friend Pompeius Saturninus, and admired his genius, even long before I knew the extenfive variety of his talents;

but he has now taken full and unreferved

liquors, but their ftomachs, after having inflamed themselves with high eating: Nivan rodunt, fays Seneca, folatium ft machi atuantis. This cuftom till prevails in Italy, efpecially at Naples, where (as Mr. Addifon obferves)" they drink very few liquors, not fo much as water, that have not lain in frefco, and every body from the highest to the loweit makes ufe of it; infomuch that a fcarcity of fnow would raife a mutiny at Naples, as much as a dearth of corn or provifions in another country." Trav. 185.

In the original the dishes are specified, viz. Oysters, the matrices of fows, and a certain fea fhell-fish, prickly like a hedge-hog, called Echinus, all in the highest eftimation among the Roman admirers of table-luxury; as appears by numberlefs paffages in the claffic writers. Our own country had the honour to furnish them with oyfters, which they fetched from Sandwich: Montanus, mentioned by Juvenal, was fo well skilled in the fcience of good eating, that he could tell by the first talte whether they came from thence or poff.

not.

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