Madam Dacier obferves, there is fomething very pretty in that circumHance of this ode, wherein Venus is defcribed as fending away her chariot upon her arrival at Sappho's lodgings, to denote that it was not a fhort tranfient vifit which he intended to make her. This ode was preferved by an eminent Greek critic, who inferted it entire in his works, as a pattern of perfection in the structure of it.

Longinus has quoted another ode of this great poetefs, which is likewife admirable in it's kind,' and has been tranf

lated by the fame hand with the fore going one. I thall oblige my reader with it in another paper. In the mean while, I cannot but wonder, that thefe two finished pieces have never been attempted before by any of our own countrymen. But the truth of it is, the compofitions of the ancients, which have not in them any of thofe unnatural witticifnis that are the delight of ordinary readers, are extremely difficult to ren der into another tongue, fo as the beauties of the original may not appear weak and faded in the tranflation.

C

HOR. SAT. VI. L. I. V. 23.

F we look abroad upon the great multitude of mankind, and endeavour to trace out the principles of action in every individual, it will, I think, teem highly probable that ambition runs through the whole fpecies, and that every man, in proportion to the vigour of his complexion, is more or less actuated by it. It is indeed no uncommon thing to meet with men, who by the natural bent of their inclinations, and without the difcipline of philofophy, alpire not to the heights of power and grandeur; who never fet their hearts upon a numerous train of clients and dependencies, nor other gay appendages of greatnefs; who are contented with a competency, and will not moleft their tranquillity to gain an abundance: but it is not therefore to be concluded that fuch a man is not ambitious; his defires may have cut out another channel, and determined him to other purfuits; the motive however may be still the fame; and in the le cates likewife the man may be equally pushed on with the defire of diftinction.

Though the pure confcioufnefs of worthy actions, abitracted from the views of popular applause, be to a generous mind an ample reward, yet the defire of diftinction was doubtless implanted in our natures as an additional

CREECH.

incentive to exert ourselves in virtuous excellence.

This paffion, indeed, like all others, is frequently perverted to evil and ignoble purpofes; fo that we may account for many of the excellencies and follies of life upon the fame innate principle, to wit, the defire of being remarkable: for this, as it has been differently cultivated by education, study and converse, will bring forth suitable effects as it falls in with an ingenuous difpofition, or a corrupt mind; it does accordingly exprefs itself in acts of magnanimity or felfish cunning, as it meets with a good or weak understanding. As it has been employed in embellishing the mind, or adorning the outfide, it renders the man eminently praife-worthy or ridiculous, Ambition, therefore, is not to be confined only to one paffion or purfuit; for as the fame humours, in constitutions otherwife different, affect the body after different manners, so the fame afpiring principle within us fometimes breaks forth upon one object, fometimes upon

but out of a principle of honour. This is the fecret fpring that pushes them forward; and the fuperiority which they gain above the undiftinguished many, does more than repair those wounds they have received in the combat. It is Mr. Waller's opinion, that Julius Cæfar, had he not been mafter of the Roman empire, would in all probability have made an excellent wrestler.

Great Julius, on the mountains bred,
A flock perhaps or herd had led;
He that the world fubdu'd, had been
But the best wrestler on the green.

That he fubdued the world, was owing to the accidents of art and knowledge; had he not met with thofe advantages, the fame fparks of emulation would have kindled within him, and prompted him to diftinguifh himfelf in fome enterprize of a lower nature. Since, therefore, no man's lot is fo unalterably fixed in this life, but that a thoufand accidents may either forward or difappoint his advancement, it is, methinks, a pleasant and inoffenfive fpeculation, to confider a great man as divested of all the adventitious circumstances of fortune, and to bring him down in one's imagination to that low ftation of life, the nature of which bears fome diftant refemblance to that high one he is at prefent poffeffed of. Thus one may view him exercifing in miniature thofe talents of nature, which being drawn out by education to their full length, enable him for the difcharge of fome important employment. On the other hand, one may raife uneducated merit to fuch a pitch of greatnefs, as may feem equal to the poffible extent of his improved capacity.

Thus nature furnishes a man with a general appetite of glory, education determines it to this or that particular objet. The deure of distinction is not, I think, in any inftance more obfervable than in the variety of outfides and new appearances, which the modifh part of the world are obliged to provide, in order to make themselves remarkable; for any thing glaring or particular, either in behaviour or apparel, is known to have this good effect, that it catches the eye, and will not fuffer you to pafs over the perfon fo adorned without due notice and obfervation. It has likewife, upon this account, been frequently refented

as a very great flight, to leave any gentleman out of a lampoon or fatire, who has as much right to be there as his neighbour, becaufe it fuppofes the perfon not eminent enough to be taken notice of. To this paffionate fondness for diftinction are owing various frolicfome and irregular practices, as fallying out into nocturnal exploits, breaking of windows, finging of catches, beating the watch, getting drunk twice a day, killing a great number of horfes; with many other enterprizes of the like fiery nature: for certainly many a man is more rakish and extravagant than he would willingly be, were there not others to look on and give their approbation.

One very common, and at the fame time the moft abfurd ambition that ever fhewed itfelf in human nature, is that which comes upon a man with experience and old age, the feafon when it might be expected he fhould be wisest; and therefore it cannot receive any of thofe leffening circumftances which do, in fome meafure, excufe the diforderly ferments of youthful blood: I mean the paffion for getting money, exclufive of the character of the provident father, the affectionate husband, or the generous friend. It may be remarked, for the comfort of honeft poverty, that this defire reigns moft in thofe who have but few good qualities to recommend them. This is a weed that will grow in a bar ren foil. Humanity, good-nature, and the advantages of a liberal education, are incompatible with avarice. It is ftrange to fee how fuddenly this abject paffion kills all the noble fentiments and generous ambitions that adorn human nature; it renders the man who is overrun with it a peevish and cruel master, a fevere parent, an unfociable husband, a diftant and mistrustful friend. But it is more to the prefent purpose to confider it as an abfurd paffion of the heart, rather than as a vicious affection of the mind. As there are frequent inftances to be met with of a proud humility, fo this paffion, contrary to most others, affects applaufe, by avoiding all show and appearance; for this reafon it will not fometimes endure even the common decencies of apparel. A covetous man

will call himfelf poor, that you may foothe his vanity by contradicting him.' Love, and the defire of glory, as they are the most natural, so they are 3 I capable

capable of being refined into the most delicate and rational paffions. It is true, the wife man who ftrikes out of the fecret paths of a private life, for honour and dignity, allured by the fplendour of a court, and the unfelt weight of public employment, whether he fucceeds in his attempts or no, ufually comes near enough to this painted greatnefs to dif cern the daubing; he is then defirous of extricating himself out of the hurry of life, that he may pafs away the remainder of his days in tranquillity and retirement.

It may be thought then but common prudence in a man not to change a better ftate for a worfe, nor ever to quit that which he knows he fhall take up again with pleafure; and yet if human life be not a little moved with the gentle gales of hope and fears, there may be fome danger of it's stagnating in an unmanly indolence and fecurity. It is a known ftory of Domitian, that after he had poffeffed himself of the Roman einpire, his defires turned upon catching flies. Active and mafculine fpirits in the vigour of youth neither can nor ought to remain at reft; if they debar themfelves from aiming at a noble object, their defires will move downwards, and they will feel themfelves actuated by fome low and abject paffion.

Thus

if you cut off the top branches of a tree, and will not fuffer it to grow any higher, it will not therefore ceafe to grow, but will quickly fhoot out at the bottom. The man, indeed, who goes into the world only with the narrow views of felf-intereft, who catches at the applaufe of an idle multitude, as he can find no folid contentment at the end of his journey, fo he deferves to meet with difappointments in his way; but he who is actuated by a nobler principle, whofe mind is fo far enlarged as to take in the prospect of his country's good, who is enamoured with that praise which is one of the fair attendants of virtue, and values not thofe acclama,

tions which are not feconded by the im partial teftimony of his own mind; who repines not at the low ftation which Providence has at prefent allotted him, but yet would willingly advance himfelf by juftifiable means to a more rifing and advantageous ground; fuch a man is warmed with a generous emulation; it is a virtuous movement in him to wifh and to endeavour that his power of doing good may be equal to his will.

The man who is fitted out by nature, and fent into the world with great abilities, is capable of doing great good or mischief in it. It ought, therefore, to be the care of education to infufe into the untainted youth early notices of justice and honour, that fo the poffible advantages of good parts may not take an evil turn, nor be perverted to base and unworthy purpofes. It is the bufinefs of religion and philofophy not so much to extinguish our paffions, as to regulate and direct them to valuable well-chofen objects: when these have pointed out to us which course we may lawfully fteer, it is no harm to fet out all our fail; if the ftorms and tempetts of adverfity fhould rife upon us, and not fuffer us to make the haven where we would be, it will however prove no finall confolation to us in these circumftances, that we have neither mistaken our course, nor fallen into calamities of our own procuring.

Religion, therefore, were we to confider it no farther than as it interpofes in the affairs of this life, is highly valuable, and worthy of great veneration; as it fettles the various pretensions, and otherwife interfering interefts of mortal men, and thereby confults the harmony and order of the great community; as it gives a man room to play his part, and exert his abilities; as it animates to actions truly laudable in themselves, in their effects beneficial to fociety; as it infpires rational ambition, corrects love, and elegant defire.

N° CCXXV.

Juv. SAT. 2. VER. 365:

Have often thought if the minds of but little difference between that of the wife man and that of the fool. There are infinite reveries, numberless extravagancies, and a perpetual train of vanities, which pafs through both. The great difference is, that the first knows how to pick and cull his thoughts for converfation, by fuppreffing fome, and communicating others; whereas the other lets them all indifferently fly out in words. This fort of difcretion, how ever, has no place in private converfation, between intimate friends. On fuch occafions the wifeft men very often talk like the weakeft; for indeed the talking with a friend is nothing else but thinking aloud.

Tully has therefore very juftly expofed a precept delivered by fome ancient writers, that a man fhould live with his enemy in fuch a manner, as might leave him room to become his friend; and with his friend in fuch a manner, that if he became his enemy, it fhould not be in his power to hurt him. The first part of this rule, which regards our behaviour towards an enemy, is indeed very reasonable, as well as very prudential; but the latter part of it which regards our behaviour towards a friend, favours more of cunning than of difcretion, and would cut a man off from the greatest pleasures of life, which are the freedoms of converfation with a bofom friend. Befides that when a friend is turned into an enemy, and, as the fon of Sirach calls him, a bewrayer of fecrets, the world is juft enough to accufe the perfidioufpefs of the friend, rather than the indifcretion of the perfon who confided in him.

Difcretion does not only fhew itfelf in words, but in all the circumstances of action; and is like an under-agent of Providence, to guide and direct us in the ordinary concerns of life.

There are many more fhining qualities in the mind of man, but there is mone fo ufeful as difcretion; it is this

indeed which gives a value to all the proper times and places, and turns them to the advantage of the person who is poffeffed of them. Without it learning is pedantry, and wit impertinence; virtue itself looks like weakness; the best parts only qualify a man to be more fprightly in errors, and active to his own prejudice.

Nor does difcretion only make a man the mafter of his own parts, but of other men's. The difcreet man finds out the talents of thofe he converses with, and knows how to apply them to proper ufes. Accordingly, if we look into particular communities and divifions of men, we may obferve that it is the dif creet man, not the witty, nor the learned, nor the brave, who guides the converfation, and gives measures to the fociety. A man with great talents, but void of difcretion, is like Polyphemus in the fable, ftrong and blind, endued with an irrefiftible force, which for want of fight is of no use to him.

Though a man has all other perfections, and wants difcretion, he will be of no great confequence in the worlds but if he has this fingle talent in perfection, and but a common share of others, he may do what he pleases in his particular station of life.

At the fame time that I think difcretion the most useful talent a man can be mafter of, I look upon cunning to be the accomplishment of little mean ungenerous minds. Difcretion points out the nobleft ends to us, and purfues the moft proper and laudable methods of attaining them: cunning has only private selfish aims, and sticks at nothing which may make them fucceed. Difa cretion has large and extended views, and, like a well-formed eye, commands a whole horizon: cunning is a kind of fhort-fightedness, that difcovers the minuteft objects which are near at hand, but is not able to difcern things at a distance. Difcretion, the more it is difcovered, gives the greater authority to 3 I 2

the

the perfon who poffeffes it: cunning, when it is once detected, lofes it's force, and makes a man incapable of bringing about even those events which he might have done, had he pasled only for a plain man. Difcretion is the perfection of reafon, and a guide to us in all the duties of life; cunning is a kind of inftinct, that only looks out after our immediate intereft and welfare. Difcretion is only found in men of ftrong fenfe and good understanding: cunning is often to be met with in brutes themTelves, and in perfons who are but the feweft removes from them. In fhort, cunning is only the mimic of difcretion, and may pals upon weak men, in the fame manner as vivacity is often miftaken for wit, and gravity for wifdom.

The caft of mind which is natural to a difcreet man, makes him look forward into futurity, and confider what will be his condition millions of ages hence, as well as what it is at prefent. He knows that the mifery or happiness which are referved for him in another world, lofe nothing of their reality by being placed at fo great a distance from him. The objects do not appear little to him becaule they are remote. He confiders that thofe pleafures and pains which lie hid in eternity, approach nearer to him every moment, and will be prefent with him in their full weight and measure, as much as thofe pains and pleafures which he feels at this very inftant. For this reafon he is careful to fecure to himfelf that which is the proper happinets of his nature, and the ultimate defign of his being. He carries his thoughts to the end of every action, and confiders the most diftant, as well as the most immediate effects of it. He Juperfedes every little profpect of gain

and advantage which offers itself here, if he does not find it confiftent with his views of an hereafter. In a word, his hopes are full of immortality, his schemes are large and glorious, and his conduct fuitable to one who knows his true intereft, and how to purfue it by proper methods.

I have, in this effay upon difcretion, confidered it both as an accomplishment and as a virtue, and have therefore defcribed it in it's full extent; not only as it is converfant about worldly affairs, but as it regards our whole existence; not only as it is the guide of a mortal creature, but as it is in general the director of a reafonable being. It is in this light that difcretion is reprefented by the wife man, who fometimes mentions it under the name of difcretion, and fometimes under that of wildom. It is indeed, as described in the latter part of this paper, the greatest wisdom. but at the fame time in the power of every one to attain. It's advantages are infinite, but it's acquifition eafy; or, to fpeak of her in the words of the apocryphal writer whom I quoted in my laft Saturday's paper Wifdom is glorious, and never fadeth away, yet the is eafily feen of them that love her, and found of fuch as feek her. She 'preventeth them that defire her, in making herself first known unto them. He that feeketh her early, fhall have no great travel: for he thall find her fitting at his doors. To think therefore upon her is perfection of wildom, and whofo watcheth for her fhall quickly be without care. For fhe goeth about feeking fuch as are worthy of her, fheweth herself favourably unto them in the ways, and meeteth them in every thought."