as if Teeth were lefs gentle than the Flames, a Punishment that we believe is the higheft we can inflict on Slaves that have provok'd us; therefore what madness is't to trouble our Lives with the Cares of our Burial after we are Dead, when the best of us may meet the Fate he vainly ftrives with fo much diligence to avoid? After these Reflections, we perform'd the laft Office to the Dead, and, tho' his Enemies, honour'd him with a Funeral Pile; but while Eumolpus was making an Epitaph, his Eyes roam'd here and there to find an Image that might raise his Fancy. Having freely acquitted ourselves of this piece of Humanity to Lycas we purfu'd our defign'd Journey, and, all in a Sweat,. foon reach'd the head of a neighbouring Hill, from whence we difcover'd a Town feated on the top of a High Mountain; we did not know it, till a Shepherd inform'd us 'twas Crotona, the moft Ancient, and once moft Flourishing City of Italy: When we enquir'd of him what fort of People inhabited this renown'd place, and what kind of Commerce they chiefly maintain'd, fince they were impoverish'd by fo many Wars? Gentlemen, faid he, if you have designs of Trading, you must go another way; but if you're of the admir'd fort of Men, that have the thriving qualifications of Lying and Cheating, you're in the direct Path to Bufinefs; for in this City no Learning flourisheth; Eloquence finds no room here; nor can TemN 4. perance perance, Good Manners, or any Vertue meet with a Reward; affure your felves of finding but two forts of Men, and those are the Cheated, and those that Cheat. A Fa ther takes no care of his Children, because the having of Heirs is fuch a mark of Infamy, that he who is known in that Circumftance, dare not appear at any publick Game or Show, is deny'd all publick Privileges, and only herds among thofe that all Men pifs upon. But fingle Men, who have no tyes of Nature that oblige the difpofal of their Wealth, are carefs'd by all, and have. the greatest Honours confer'd on 'em ; they're the only Valorous, the only Brave, nay, the only Innocent too. You're going to a City, added he, like a Field in a Plague-time, where you can obferve nothing but one Man devouring another, as Crows dead Carcaffes. The prudent Eumolpus at a thing fo furprizingly new, began to be thoughtful, and confefs'd that way to Riches did not displease him. I believ'd it the effect of a Poetick Gaiety, that had not left his Years: When, I wish, continu'd he, I cou'd maintain a greater Figure, as well in Habit as Attendance, 'twould give a better colour to my Pretences: By Hercules, I'd throw by the Wallet, and foon advance all our Fortunes. Promifing therefore to fupply his Wants, We have with us, faid I, the facred Veft of Ifis, and all the Booty we made at Lycurgus's Village; and you have given me fuch hopes, Eumolpus, added I, that were the Goddess her her felf in my power, I'd pawn her for Money to carry on the Project. Upon which, faid Eumolpus, why delay we the bringing our Hands into use? and if you like the Propofal, let me be Master. None e're condemn'd a Project that was no charge to him; therefore to be true to his Intereft, we engag'd in an Oath, before we wou'd discover the Cheat, to fuffer ten thousand Racks; and thus, like free-born Gladiators, felling our Liberty, we religiously devoted both Soul and Body to our new Mafter.. After the folemn Ceremonies of our Oath were ended, like Slaves, at a distance, we falute the Master of our own making: When, beginning to exercife, his Authority, he commanded us to report, That our ancient Lord (meaning him) griev'd at the Lofs of a Son, who was a great Orator, and comfort to his Age, was unhappily forc'd to quit the place of his Abode, left the daily Salutes of thofe that expected Preferments under him, or Vifits of his Companions might be the continual occafions of his Sorrow; and the late Ship-wreck had added to his Grief, having loft to the value of twenty thoufand Crowns; tho' he was not fo much concern'd at the lofs of his Money, as of his large Retinue; that, he fear'd, wou'd make them not proportion their Thoughts to his Greatness; and to add, that our Lord had Mortgages almoft on half the Eftates in Africa, and mighty Sums at Ufe on Perfonal Security; and cou'd Part II. raife of his own Gladiators, difpers'd about Numidia, a Force able to plunder Carthage. After this, that his Actions might agree with his Condition, 'twas concluded neceffary to wear an Ayre of Difcontent; that he fhould, with a stately stiffness, like Quality, often Cough, and Spit about the Room; that his Words might come the more faintly from him; that in the Eye of the World he shou'd refuse to eat or drinks ever talking of Riches; and fometimes, to confirm their belief, fhou'd break into these Words: Strange, that fuch, or fuch a Mannor fhou'd difappoint my Expectation, that us'd to be bleft with so large an Encrease! And that nothing might be wanting to compleat the Humour, as often as he had occafion to call any of us, he fhou'd ufe one Name for another; that it might eafily appear how mindful the Lord was even of thofe Servants he had left in Africk. Matters thus order'd, having, as all that wou'd thrive, implor'd the Bleffing of Heaven, we began our March, but both Gito did not like this new Slavery, and the Servant which Eumolpus had hir'd, bearing moft of our Baggage, in a little time beginning to be uneafy in his Service, wou'd often reft his Burthen, with ten thousand wry Looks, and as many Curfes for our going fo faft; at laft he swore he would either leave his Charge, or go quite away with't. 'S death, faid he, d'ye think I'm a Pack-horfe, or a Dray, that load me thus? I was hir'd for a Man, not a Horse; nor am I lefs a Gentleman by you Birth than any of you all, tho' my. Father left me in a mean condition. Not content with reproaches, but, getting before us, he lift up one Leg, and venting his Choler at the wrong end, fill'd our Noftrils with a beastly scent. Gito mock'd his Humour, and for every crack he gave, return'd the like, that one ill fcent might ftifle another. But even heré Eumolpus returning to his öld humour: Young-men, began he, this Poetry deceives many; for not only every one that is able to give a Verfe its numbers, and spin out his feeble Sence in a long train of Words, has the Vanity to think himfelf infpir'd; but Pleaders at the Bar, when they would give themselves a loose from Bufinefs, apply themfelves to Poetry, as an Entertainment without Trouble, believing it eafier to compile a Poem than maintain a Controversy, adorn'd with a few florid Sentences: But neither will a generous Spirit affect the empty found of Words; nor can a Mind, unless enrich'd with Learning, be deliver'd of a Birth of Poetry; there muft be the Purity of Language, no vulgar Expreflion or Meannefs, as I may call it, of Words, is to be admitted, but a Stile perfectly above the common, and with Horace-- Scorn the Illiterate Herd, Befides, |