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Let all her gifts the portion be
Of folly, lust, and flattery,`
Fraud, extortion, calumny,
Murder, infidelity,

Rebellion, and hypocrisy.

Do thou not grieve nor blush to be,
As all th' inspired tuneful men,

And all thy great forefathers, were, from Homer down to Ben.

However, by the failing of the forces which I had expected, I did not quit the design which I had resolved on; I cast myself into it a corps perdu, without making capitulations, or taking counsel of fortune. But God laughs at a man, who says to his soul, "Take thy ease:" I met presently not only with many little incumbrances and impediments, but with so much sickness (a new misfortune to me) as would have spoiled the happiness of an emperor as well as mine: yet I do neither repent, nor alter my course. "Non ego perfidum dixi sacramentum:" nothing shall separate me from a mistress which I have loved so long, and have now at last married; though she neither has brought me a rich portion, nor lived yet so quietly with me as I hoped from her:

"Nec vos, dulcissima mundi

"Nomina, vos Musæ, Libertas, Otia, Libri, "Hortique Sylvæque, animâ remanente, relinquam."

Nor by me e'er shall you,

You, of all names the sweetest and the best,
You, Muses, books, and liberty, and rest;
You, gardens, fields, and woods, forsaken be,
As long as life itself forsakes not me.

But this is a very pretty ejaculation.-Because I have concluded all the other chapters with a copy of verses, I will maintain the humour to the last.

MARTIAL. LIB. X. EPIGR. XLVII.

"Vitam quæ faciunt beatiorem,” &c.

SINCE, dearest friend, 't is your desire to see
A true receipt of happiness from me;
These are the chief ingredients, if not all:
Take an estate neither too great or small,
Which quantum sufficit the doctors call:
Let this estate from parents' care descend;
The getting it too much of life does spend:
Take such a ground, whose gratitude may be
A fair encouragement for industry.
Let constant fires the winter's fury tame;
And let thy kitchen's be a vestal flame.
Thee to the town let never suit at law,
And rarely, very rarely, business, draw.
Thy active mind in equal temper keep,
In undisturbed peace, yet not in sleep.

Let exercise a vigorous health maintain,
Without which all the composition 's vain.
In the same weight prudence and innocence take,
Ana of each does the just mixture make.
But a few friendships wear, and let them be
By nature and by fortune fit for thee.
Instead of art and luxury in food,

Let mirth and freedom make thy table good.
If any cares into thy day-time creep,
At night, without wine's opium, let them sleep.
Let rest, which nature does to darkness wed,
And not lust, recommend to thee thy bed.
Be satisfied and pleas'd with what thou art,
Act cheerfully and well th' allotted part;
Enjoy the present hour, be thankful for the past,
And neither fear, nor wish, th' approaches of the last.

MARTIAL. LIB. X. EPIGR. XCVI.

"Sæpe loquar nimiùm gentes," &c.

ME, who have liv'd so long among the great, You wonder to hear talk of a retreat;

And a retreat so distant, as may show

No thoughts of a return, when once I go.
Give me a country, how remote soe❜er,
Where happiness a moderate rate does bear,
Where poverty itself in plenty flows,
And all the solid use of riches knows.

The ground about the house maintains it, there;
The house maintains the ground about it, here;
Here even hunger's dear; and a full board
Devours the vital substance of the lord.
The land itself does there the feast bestow,
The land itself must here to market go.
Three or four suits one winter here does waste,
One suit does there three or four winters last.
Here every frugal man must oft be cold,
And little luke-warm fires are to you sold.
There fire 's an element, as cheap and free,
Almost, as any of the other three.

Stay you then here, and live among the great,
Attend their sports, and at their tables eat.
When all the bounties here of men you score,
The place's bounty there shall give me more.

EPITAPHIUM VIVI AUCTORIS*.

"HIC, o viator, sub lare parvulo "Couleius hic est conditus, hic jacet; "Defunctis humani laboris

"Sorte, supervacuâque vitâ.

"Non indecorâ pauperie nitens,

"Et non inerti nobilis otio,

* See a translation of this Epitaph among the Poems of Mr. Addison.

"Vanóque dilectis popello

"Divitiis animosus hostis.

"Possis ut illum dicere mortuum;

"En terra jam nunc quantula sufficit! "Exempta sit curis, viator,

"Terra sit illa levis, precare.

"Hic sparge flores, sparge breves rosas, "Nam vita gaudet mortua floribus "Herbisque odoratis corona

"Vatis adhuc cinerem calentem."

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