intrepid fecurity you may attain by this fimple method; only by perfuading yourself that you can live happily without them; and looking upon them as ever ready to take wing. I shall now begin to fold up my letter. But pay me first, you say, the ufual debt.. Well then, Epicurus fhall pay you. Immodica ira gignit infaniam, Immoderate anger turns to madness: You cannot but know this truth, if ever you was mafter of a ftubborn flave, or had an enemy (i). But indeed this paffion is apt to afflict all forts of perfons: it arifes as well from love as from hate; it breaks out not only in ferious affairs, but amidst sport and jefting; nor does it fignify fo much from what provocation it fprings; as what fort of mind it affects; as it is not to be confidered how great a fire is, but whereon it happens to light: be it ever fo great, it hurts not folid bodies; while fuch as are dry and combustible foon raise a spark into a mighty flame. Thus it is, Lucilius, the event of an extraordinary paffion is madness; and therefore anger is to be avoided, not only for moderation-fake, but for the health, both of the mind and body (k). ANNOTATIONS &c. (a) This feftival is fuppofed to have been inftituted in memory of the liberty enjoyed in the golden. age under Saturn, before the names of master and fervant were known in the world. For among other mirthful ceremonies to be obferved on this festival, fervants were allowed to be fo free with their masters, as to change clothes with them, and make them wait upon them at table: Exercent epulas læti famulofque procurant Quifque fuos:-Attius. Festaque fervorum, cùm famulantur heri. Aufonius. And even to ridicule them to their faces: Hor. Sat. II. 7. 4.-Age, libertate Decembri, Quando ita majores voluêrunt, utere; narra. Go to, and as our antient laws decree, Ufe boldly thy December's liberty, Speak fairly what thou wilt, thou mayft be free. Creech. This festival at its first institution was kept only one day, (the 14th of the kalends of January) which continued to the time of Auguftus, when two more days were added; and by Caligula two more; according to Martial, VOL. I, Et jam Saturni quinque fuêre dies. Hæc fignata mihi quinque diebus erunt. Id. K Which Which foon after were encreased to seven days; Sic Novius, Atellanarum fcriptor, Olim expectata feptem veniunt Saturnalia. Et Mummius quidam,-Noftri majores veluti bene Multa inftituêre, fic hoc optimè, frigore Fecêre fummo dies feptem Saturnalia. See Ep. 47.-Lucian, (who in his Saturnalia recites the forms and ceremonies obferved on this feftival. (b) Macrob. ii. 10. Alex. ab Alex. ii. 22. Lipf. Saturn. i. 2, 3. Ergo ubi concipiunt quantis fit cladibus urbi Conftatura fides fuperùm, ferale per urbem Juftitium; latuit plebeio tectus amicu Omnis honos; nullos comitata eft purpura fafces.-Lucan. ii. 18. What certain ills the faithful gods foretold : No honours fhine in the diftinguifb'd weed, No rods the purple magiftrate precede.----Rowe. (c) Ad modicas cœnas. Al. medicas. Al. monas. Al. moneas. From whence Muretus conjectures Timoneas, fuch an entertainment, as one might expect from Timon, the Mifanthrope, in his reduced ftate. Opfop. Lipf. (d) Pauperum cellas. Vid. Sen. ad Helviam. c. 12. Munda que, parvo fub lare pauperum, Cœnæ, fine aulæis et oftro, Sollicitam explicuêre frontem. Hor. Od. iii. 29. 14. To frugal treats and humble cells, With grateful change the wealthy fly; Where health-preferving plainnefs dwells Far from the carpet's gaudy eye. Such fcenes have charm'd the pangs of care, And fmootb'd the clouded forebead of defpair. Francis. (e) The like Precept is given by Epictetus. Diff. 13. (f) Or, for the ring of wrestlers. Ad palum, a la luite, Vet. Gall. a la Quintaine. Malherbe. (g) Non toto affe. Timocrates objected to Epicurus, that he spent daily above a pound in meat and drink. This Laertius denied, who, with many others, alledged, that Epicurus lived upon the moft fimple and mean diet, according to his own words; I exult in bodily pleasure, with the enjoyment only of bread and water; I defpife all manner of sumptuous delicacies, not for their own fake, but on account of the diforders that attend them. Stoba. Serm. 17.-So in his Epistle to Menæcius, Bread and water, fays Epicurus, give confummate pleasure to a man when dry and hungry. (i) Cùm habuerint fervum et inimicum. Muretus thinks these words to be fufpected; but why I cannot conceive: for what things are apt to exafperate a man more than a diforderly flave, or a malicious enemy ? (k) He (k) He that is flow to wrath, is of great understanding; but he that is of an hafty spirit, exalteth folly. Prov. 14. 29. He that is flow to wrath, is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his fpirit, than he that taketh a city. 16. 32. Ceafe from anger, and forfake wrath. Pf. 37. 8. For wrath killeth the foolish man, and indignation flayeth the filly one. Job. 5. 2. Be not hafty in thy Spirit to be angry, for anger refteth in the bosom of fools. Ecclef. 7. 9. Let every one be fwift to bear, flow to Speak, flow to wrath. Jam. 1. 19. Be ye angry, and fin not; let not the fun go down upon your wrath. Ephef. 4. 26. Let all bitterness and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. 34. EPISTLE XIX. On Solitude and Retirement *. I Exult, Lucilius, at the reception of every letter from you ing my hopes; as they not only promise but engage for you. I confirm Go on, pray you; for what can I ask of my friend better, than what I would afk of the gods in his behalf? Withdraw yourself from your present employments, if you can, gracefully; if not, force yourself from them. We have flung away time enough already; let us begin in our old age to decamp. Seems it a difagreeable task? Seems it a disagreeable task? We have lived in a stormy ocean, let us die in a quiet harbour. Not that I would have you affect fingularity, or think to gain a name, by retirement; which you ought not, either to boaft, or to conceal. For I fhall never defire to prevail upon you fo far, as that, condemning the madnefs and folly of mankind, you should retire into fome fecret place, forgetting and forgot. Act fo, that your retreat, though not talked of, may yet be feen. Such as have not yet entered upon a public life, may do as they 'pleafe, and ftill live in obfcurity; but you are not at liberty herein. The ftrength of your genius, your elegant writings, and great and noble alliances, have every where published your name: so well are you known, that was you to fhut yourself up in the remotest part of the world, K 2 fo world, it would be in vain: no darkness can so screen you, but that the luftre of former actions would betray you. your But I think, you may now demand fome reft, without refentment, anxiety or remorfe. For what do you leave behind you that you can poffibly regret? Clients? Not one of them follows you for your fake, but for what they can get.-Friends? Friendships indeed were fought formerly; but now interest is all (a). Or are you afraid that some old man in your abfence will alter his will? Or that your visiters will feek fome other levee? Lucilius, any thing extraordinary, and efpecially liberty, is not to be purchased for nothing; confider, whether you had rather lose yourself, or your connections. For my part, I wish had grown old in as private a ftation, as you was born; and that fortune had never introduced you into high life. Your rapid fuccefs hath carried you quite beyond the profpect of healthful happiness. A province, a government, and all its appendages! and then follow other offices, and ftill other after them! What end will there be? What do you you expect before your ambition will be fatisfied? To have all you defire? That will never be. As we fay of the feries of caufes, of which fate is compofed, the fame we fay of defires, from the attainment of one ftill fprings another. You are involved in a ftate of life; which, of itself, can know no end of mifery and flavery. Withdraw your neck from the yoke; it were better broke at once, than to be always oppreffed t. If you reduce yourfelf to a private state, every thing indeed will be leffened, but there will be enough left for a reafonable mind: whereas now, though vaft ftores are heaped upon you, there is yet no fatisfaction. Had you rather then enjoy contentment with a little, or fuffer hunger amidst plenty? Profperity is not only covetous itself, but expofed to the covetoufnefs of others; and it is not poffible to fatisfy others, if you cannot fatisfy yourfelf. But you will fay, How fhall I extricate myfelf? In every way you can. Think how many things you have rafhly undertaken to get money; what toils you have undergone for honour. Something must be attempted for the fake of cafe and retirement; or you must wear out 4 yourself yourself in the fatigues of office; live in a continual hurry of business, amidst a storm, which no moderation can fly from, nor any propofed enjoyment of life efcape. For what avails it how much you defire ease yourself, when your fortune will not fuffer you to enjoy it? And what if you still advance in life? As much as you add to your success, you add to your fears. Give me leave to remind you of a faying of Mecanas', when the torture of his dignity (b) forced the truth from him; Ipfa enim altitudo attonat fumma: The greater the height, the more fubject to the effects of thunder. This is what he hath advanced in his treatise called Prometheus; and his meaning is, that too great height aftonifles and confounds the happy perfon. Can there be any power of fo great worth, as to make you talk thus idly, as if you were drunk (c)? Mecenas indeed was an ingenious man, and would have fet a noble example of Roman eloquence, if profperity had not enervated, nay, quite unmann'd him (d). And fuch, Lucilius, must be your fate, unlefs, (what he too late defired) (e) you lower your fails, and make to fhore. With this faying of Mecanas, I might here have discharged my account with you, but that I fear but that I fear you will difpute it, and not accept of payment in fuch new coin. No; as things are, Epicurus must pay the ufual debt; well then, he fays, Ante circumfpiciendum eft, cum quibus edas et bibas, quàm quod edas et bibas. Nam fine amico vifceratio, leonis ac lupi vita eft. You must rather have regard to the perfons with whom you eat and drink, than to what you eat and drink. For good cheer without a friend, is the life of a lion or a wolf (g). Now this is what you can never do but in retirement. At prefent, you will have guests enough, whom your fecretary is pleafed to pick out from your leveè; but he greatly errs, who looks for a friend in his crouded drawing-room; or who only tries him at an entertainment (b). For no greater evil attends the man of bufinefs, and much employ, than that he takes those to be his friends, to whom he is no hearty friend himself; and thinks nothing of greater efficacy in promoting friendship, than conferring benefits. Whereas there are fome men, who the more they ftand indebted to your generofity, the more they hate you. A finall favour indeed |