and a good Tafte; because there is a fort of particular Sympathy betwixt thofe Perfons of Quality who love Petronius, and the Knowledge of the Belle Lettres. For he, of all the Ancients, feems only to have known, and to have had a Taste of that true Gallantry, which at this time finishes the Character of Politeness. With fuch Addrefs he attaques the Defects of the Understanding and Wit, or the Frailties of the Heart, in that Painting which he has left us of the Manners of his Age, that he every where keeps up his Force and Energy, according to the different Characters of his Perfons introduc'd. Thefe and his other admirable Qualities gave him fuch a Value with the Prince of Conde, a Man of Spirit and Wit, that he maintain'd several Learned Gentlemen to read Petronius to him. But to omit nothing that is neceffary to compleat the Defence of our Author, we muft enquire further than in his Life, into the Spirit with which he wrote this Satyr, what Design he had, and how he has executed that Defign. The Men of Wit among the Greeks and Romans always affum'd the Principle of that Sect of Philofophy A 3 which which was moft agreeable to his Temper and Genius. All the Authors that have wrote of Petronius, affure us, that he was of the Sect of Epicurus, which Opinion they found on feveral Paffages of his Satyricon, which feem agreeable to the Doctrine of that Philofopher. But that is but a Problematick Opinion, for from the very fame Reafon we may conclude, that he was of all and every one of the Sects; because we find all their different Opinions in his Works: The only Proof this gives us, is, that his Wit lov'd to indulge it felf with a Liberty in Writing. But fuppofe that he was an Epicurean, we ought not to look on him with an Eye of that Injustice, which the Vulgar generally do on Epicurus himself, whofe Sentiments are much more pure than is commonly imagin'd. The Morals of that Philofopher draw their Principles from Right Reason; and he was far from the ufual imputed Abfurdities of paffing his Life in a perpetual Debauch: On the contrary, he obferv'd fuch a feverity in his Pleasures, in his Endeavours to deliver Mankind from the tyranny of the Paffions, that Seneca was obliged to Jay fay much to the advantage of that Philofopher, That he had given his Followers not one Precept, but what was conformable to Honesty and Justice. This Teftimony which Seneca (who was himself a Stoic by Profession) gave bim, was a Condemnation of the Sect oppofite to Epicurus, and fufficiently difcover'd their Vanity. For the Principles of the Stoics, which would be admirable in the Mouth of a Chriftian, are entirely ridiculous in that of thofe Philofophers: Nor can that Moral claim any Advantage, which dethrones, as I may fay, the Divinity, and fets Man in the Seat of Jupiter, thofe who held, that Pain was a Good, and Pleasure an Evil, and who directed our whole Lives through Pain and Austerity, had only excessive Pride for their Virtue, and for their fupream Good nothing but a vain Name, and Chimerical Glory: Inftead of which, the Morals of Epicurus were founded on good Senfe, which taught the Pagans, that the foveraign Good was to have a long Life with Indolence and Pleasure. % Since it is by no means reasonable to expect 4. Chriftian in the Perfon of Petronius, we A 4 ought ought to be fatisfy'd if we find him an boneft Pagan; a Man of good Senfe, who reafon'd and liv'd according to the true Principles of Natural Knowledge, which leaves neither room for Hope or Tranfgreffion. The manner of his Death alone may juftifie this Opinion. His Death, indeed, is the most noble of any of all those, which Antiquity fo much admires. In it you cannot find either Fear, or Affectation, Delpair, or Pride. Tacitus, very near his time, defcribes him to us dying with the fame Tranquility in which he liv'd. The Deaths of Socrates, and that of Cato of Utica, which are the two most celebrated of those Ages, in no measure approach that of Petronius. The great Philofophical Dif. courses which the first made, and the Trea tife of the Immortality of the Soul, which the other more than once had recourfe to, only fhew us how they were oblig'd to put off that Terror, which their approaching Fates advanc'd.. It is remarkable, that Tacitus does not venture to fay, that Petronius was a Voluptuary; but only, that he adapted his Conduct to his defire of pleafing the Emperour; and and we can much lefs conclude, that his Manners were corrupt, because he drew the De-. bocheries of Nero and his Court. If we give our felves leave to reflect, that this manner of Writing was the Mode of the Age he liv'd in, and that he gave himself the Air of a fevere Philofopher, who with Freedom lays open the Vices of his Times, and explains ery thing by its Name; as Cicero, in his familiar Epiftles, Jays of the Stoics, Placet Stoicis fuo quamque rem nomine appellare. And the fame Cufrom in the greatest part of the Authors, who have wrote in his way, ought to convince Pofterity, that they ought to entertain no fufpicion of his Libertinifm. Thus Martial fays, Lafciva eft nobis pagina vita proba, that if his Epigrams had the Air of Debochery, yet his Life was regular. And Catullus almost to the fame purpofe affures us. Nam caftum decet effe pium Poetam That it is of no manner of neceffity that the Poet's Verses be chafte, provided |