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taste for poetry, and compofes in the lyric manner, both in Greek and Latin, with great judgment. It is furprifing what an eafe and fpirit of gaiety runs through his verfes, which the merit of the author renders ftill more valuable. When the baths are ready, which in winter is about three o'clock, and in fummer about two, he undrefies himself; and if there happens to be no wind, he walks for fome time in the fun. After this he plays a confiderable time at tennis; for by this fort of exercise too, he combats the effects of old age. When he has bathed, he throws himself upon his couch till fupper time *, and in the meanwhile fome agreeable and entertaining author is read to him. In this, as in all the reft, his friends are at full liberty to partake; or to employ themfelves in any other manner more fuitable to their taste. You fit down to an elegant yet frugal repaft, which is ferved up in pure and antique plate. He has likewife a complete equipage for his fide-board, in Corinthian metal t, which is his pleafure, not his paffion. At his table he is frequently entertained with comedians, that even his very amufements may be feafoned with good fenfe; and though he continues there, even in fummer, till the night is fomething advanced, yet he prolongs the feast with fo much affability and politenefs, that none of his guests ever think it tedious. By this method of living he has preferved all his fenfes entire, and his body active and vigorous to his feventy-eighth year, without difcovering any appearance of old age, but the wisdom. This is the fort of life which I ardently afpire after; as I purpose to enjoy it, when I fhall arrive at thofe years which will justify a retreat from bufinefs. In the mean while I am

This was the principal meal among the Ro

mins, at which all their teafts and invitations were made; they ufually began it about their ninth hour, anfwering pretty nearly to our three o'clock in the afternoon. But as Spurinna, we find, did not enter upon the exercifes which always preceded

this meal till the eighth or ninth hour, if we allow about three hours for that purpose, he could not fit down to table till towards fix or feven o'clock.

This metal, whatever it was composed of (for that point is by no means clear), was fo highly esteemed among the ancients, that they preferred it even to gold:

-Æraque ab Ifthmiacis auro petiera farillis.
Stat. Sylv. 2.

➡Corinthian brafs more precious far than gold.

embarraffed with a thoufand affairs, in which Spurinna is at once my fupport and my example. As long as it became him he entered into all the duties of public life. It was by paffing through the various offices of the ftate, by governing of provinces, and by indefatigable toil, that he merited the repofe he now enjoys. I propofe to myself the fame courfe and the fame end; and I give it to you under my hand that I do fo. If an ill-timed ambition should carry me beyond it, produce this letter against me, and condemn me to repofe, whenever I can enjoy it without being reproached with indolence. Farewel.

LETTER XXIV.
To Hifpulla.

IT is not eafy to determine whether my

love or efteem were greater for that wife and excellent man your father; but this is most certain, that in refpc&t to his memory and your virtues, I have the tendereft value for you. Can I fail then to with (as I fhall by every means in my power endeavour) that your fon may

copy

the virtues of both his grandfathers, particularly his maternal? as indeed his father and his uncle will furnish him also method to train him up in the steps of with very illuftrious examples. The fureft thefe valuable men, is early to feafon his mind with polite learning and useful knowledge; and it is of the laft confequence from whom he receives these inftructions. Hitherto he has had his education under your eye, and in your houfe, where he is expofed to few, I fhould rather fay to no wrong impreffions. But he is now of an age to be fent from home, and it is time to place him with fome profeffor of rhetoric; of whofe difcipline and method, but above all of whofe morals, you may be well fatisfied. Amongit the many advantages for which this amiable youth is indebted to nature and fortune, he has that of a molt beautiful perfon: it is neceffary, therefore, in this loofe and flippery age, to find out one who will not only be his tutor, but his guardian and his guide. I will venture to recommend Julius Genitor to you under that character. I love him, I confefs, extremely: but my affection does by no means prejudice my judgment,

on the

contrary

contrary it is, in truth, the effect of it. His behaviour is grave, and his morals irreproachable; perhaps fomething too fevere and rigid for the libertine manners of thefe times. His qualifications in his profeffion you may learn from many others; for the art of eloquence, as it is open to all the world, is foon discovered; but the qualities of the heart lie more concealed, and out of the reach of common obfervation; and it is on that fide I undertake to be answerable for my friend. Your fon will hear nothing from this worthy man, but what will be for his advantage to know, nor learn any thing of which it would be happier he fhould be ignorant. He will reprefent to him as often, and with as much zeal as you or I fhould, the virtues of his family, and what a glorious weight of characters he has to Support. You will not hesitate then to place him with a tutor, whofe first care will be to form his manners, and after wards to inftruct him in eloquence; an attainment ill-acquired if with the neglect of moral improvements. Farewel.

LETTER XXV.

To Macer.

I HAVE the pleasure to find you are fo great an admirer of my uncle's works, as to wish to have a complete collection of them, and for that purpose defire me to fend you an account of all the treatifes he wrote. I will point them out to you in the order in which they were compofed; for however immaterial that may feem, it is a fort of information not at all unacceptable to men of letters. The firft book he published was, a treatife concerning The Art of ufing the Javelin on Horfeback: this he wrote when he commanded a troop of horfe, and it is drawn up with great accuracy and judgment. The Life of Pomponius Secundus, in two volumes: Pomponius had a very great affection for him, and he thought he owed this tribute to his memory. The Hiftory of the Wars in Germany, in twenty books; in which he gave an account of all the battles we were engaged in against that nation. A dream which he had when he ferved in the army in Germany, first fuggefted to him the defign of this work. He imagined that Drufus Nero (who extended his conquefts

4

very far into that country, and there loft his life) appeared to him in his fleep, and conjured him not to fuffer his memory to be buried in oblivion. He has left us likewife A Treatife upon Eloquence, divided into fix volumes. In this work he takes the orator from his cradle, and leads him on till he has carried him up to the highest point of perfection in this art. In the latter part of Nero's reign, when the tyranny of the times made it dangerous to engage in ftudies of a more free and elevated fpirit, he published a piece of criticism in eight books, concerning ambiguity in expreffion. He has completed the hiftory which Aufidius Baffus left unfinished, and has added to it thirty books. And lastly, he has left thirty-feven books upon the fubject of Natural History: this is a work of great compass and learning, and almost as full of variety as nature herself. You will wonder how a man fo engaged as he was, could find time to compofe fuch a number of books, and fome of them too upon abftruse subjects. But your surprise will rife ftill higher when you hear, that for fome time he engaged in the profeffion of an advocate, that he died in his fifty-fixth year; that from the time of his quitting the bar to his death, he was employed in the execution of the highest pofts, and in the fervice of his prince. But he had a quick apprehenfion, joined to unwearied application. In fummer he always began his ftudies as foon as it was night *; in winter generally at one in the morning, but never later than two, and often at midnight. No man ever spent lefs time in bed, infomuch that he would fometimes, without retiring from his books, take a fhort fleep, and then pur

The diftribution of time among the Romans, amongst us. They measured the night into four was extremely different from the method in ufe equal parts, which they called watches, each containing the fpace of three hours; and part of thefe they devoted either to the pleasures of the table, or to ftudy. The natural day they divided into twelve ending with fun-fet; by which means their hours hours, the first beginning with fun-rife, and the last were of unequal length, varying according to the different seasons of the year. The time for bufi

nefs began with fun-rife, and continued to the fifth hour, being that of dinner, which with them venth hour was a time of repofe: a custom which was only a flight repaft. From thence to the feftill prevails in Italy. The eighth hour was employed in bodily exercifes; after which they conftantly bathed, and from thence went to supper.

fue

66

fue his ftudies. Before day-break he ufed to wait upon Vefpafian; who likewife chofe that feafon to tranfact business. When he had finished the affairs which that emperor committed to his charge, he returned home again to his ftudies. After a fhort and light repaft at noon (agreeably to the good old cuftom of our ancestors), he would frequently in the fummer, if he was difengaged from bufinefs, repose himself in the fun; during which time fome author was read to him, from whence he made extracts and obfervations, as indeed this was his conftant method whatever book he read; for it was a maxim of his, that "no book was fo bad, but fomething might be "learned from it." When this was over, he generally went into the cold bath, and as foon as he came out of it, juft took a flight refreshment and then repofed himfelf for a little while. Thus, as if it had been a new day, he immediately refumed his ftudies till fupper-time, when a book was again read to him, upon which he would make fome hafty remarks. I remember once his reader having pronounced a word wrong, fomebody at the table made him repeat it again; upon which my uncle asked his friend if he understood it? Who replying, "Yes;" "Why "then," faid he, "would you make "him go back again? We have loft by "this interruption above ten lines:" fo covetous was this great man of time! In fummer he always rofe from fupper by day-light, and in winter as foon as it was dark; and this was an invariable law with him. Such was his manner of life amidst the noise and hurry of the town; but in the country his whole time was devoted to study without intermiflion, excepting only when he bathed. But in this exception I include no more than the time he was actually in the bath; for all the while he was rubbed and wiped, he was employed either in hearing fome book read to him, or in dictating himfelf. In his journies he loft no time from his ftudies, but his mind at thofe feafons being difengaged from all other thoughts, applied itfelf wholly to that fingie purfuit. A fecretary conftantly attended him in

*

*The word in the original implies a perfon who wrote short-hand; an art which the Romans carried to its highest perfection.

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his chariot, who, in the winter, wore a particular fort of warm gloves, that the fharpness of the weather might not occa fion any interruption to his studies; for the fame reafon my uncle always used a chair in Rome. I remember he once reproved me for walking: "You might," fays he, "employ thofe hours to more advantage; for he thought all was time loft, that was not given to study. By this extraordinary application he found time to write fo many volumes, befides one hundred and fixty which he left me, confifting of a kind of common-place, wrote on both fides in a very small character; fo that one might fairly reckon the number confiderably more. heard him fay, when he was comptroller of the revenue in Spain, Largius Licinius offered him four hundred thousand fefterces † for these manufcripts; and yet they were not then quite fo numerous. When you reflect upon the books he has read, and the volumes he has wrote, are you not inclined to fufpect that he never was engaged in the affairs of the public, or the fervice of his prince? On the other hand, when you are informed how indefatigable he was in his ftudies, are not you difpofed to wonder that he read and wrote no more? For, on one fide, what obftacles would not the business of a court throw in his way? And on the other, what is it that fuch intenfe application might not perform? I cannot but fmile, therefore, when I hear myself called a ftudious man, who in comparison to him am a mere loiterer. But why do I mention myfelf, who am diverted from these purfuits by numberless affairs both public and private? Even they whose whole lives are engaged in ftudy, must blush when placed in the fame view with him. I have run out my letter, I perceive, beyond the extent I at first defigned, which was only to inform you, as you defired, what treatifes he has left behind him. But I trust this will not be lefs acceptable to you than the books themselves, as it may poffibly not only raise your curiofity to read his works, but your emulation to copy his example by fome attempts of the same nature. Farewel.

+ About 3200% of our money.

LETTER XXVI.

To Severus.

HAVE lately purchafed with a legacy that was left me, a ftatue of Corinthian bras. It is fmall indeed, but well executed, at leaït if I have any judgment; which most certainly in matters of this iert, as perhaps in all others, is extremely defective. However, I think I have a tute to difcover the beauties of this fipare: as it is naked, the faults, if there be any, as well as the perfections, are more obfervable. It represents an old mas in a ftanding pofture. The bones, the muscles, the veins, and wrinkles are fo ngly expreffed, that you would image the figure to be animated. The caracter is well preferved throughout every part of the body: the hair is thin, the forehead broad, the face fhriveled, the throat lank, the arms languid, the bread fallen, and the belly funk; as the whole turn and air of the figure behind, expreffive of old age. It appears to be Auque from the colour of the brafs. In fort, it is a performance fo highly finished to merit the attention of the most curots, and to afford, at the fame time, ple fure to the most common obferver: this induced me, who am a mere ice in this art, to buy it. But I did , not with any intent of placing it in my own houfe (for I have yet nothing that kind there), but with a defign of ing it in feme confpicuous place in my e province, perhaps in the temple of piter: for it is a prefent well worthy a temple and a god. I defire therefire you would, with that care which you ways execute my requests, give immee orders for a pedestal to be made for I leave the choice of the marble to 9, but let my name be engraven upon , and, if you think proper, my titles. will fend the ftatue by the first opportuor poffibly (which I am fure you ke better) I may bring it myself: for I intend, if I can find leifure, to make excurfion to you. This is a piece of news which I know you will rejoice to star; but you will foon change your tenance when I tell you, my vifit Bill be only for a few days: for the fame barefs that now detains me here, will prevent my making a longer stay. Fare

I

LETTER XXVII.

To Caninius.

AM juft now informed that Silius Italicus has ftarved himself to death, at his villa near Naples. Having been afflicted with an impofthume, which was deemed incurable, he grew weary of life under fuch uneafy circumftances, and therefore put an end to it, with the most determined courage. He had been extremely fortunate through the whole courfe of his days, excepting the only loss of his younger fon; however, that was made up to him in the fatisfaction of seeing his eldeft, who is of a more 'amiable character, attain the confular dignity, and of leaving him in a very flourishing fituation. He fuffered a little in his reputation in the time of Nero, having been fufpected of forwardly joining in fome of the informations which were carried on in the reign of that prince; but he made ufe of his intereft in Vitellius, with great difcretion and humanity. He acquired much honour by his administration of the government of Afia; and by his approved behaviour after his retirement from bufinefs, cleared his character from that ftain which his former intrigues had thrown upon it. He lived among the nobility of Rome, without power, and confequently without envy, highly refpected, and much vifited, merely upon account of his merit: for what other inducement could bring company to a man, who frequently was confined to his bed, and always to his chamber? He employed his time between converfing with men of letters, and compofing of verses; which he fometimes recited, in order to try the fentiments of the public: but he difcovered in them more industry than genius. In the decline of his years he entirely quitted Rome, and lived altogether in Campania, from whence even the acceffion of the new emperor could not draw him. A circumftance which I mention as well to the honour of the prince, who was not difpleafed with that liberty, as of Italicus, who was not afraid to make ufe of it. He was reproached with being fond of all the elegancies of the fine arts to a degree of excefs. He had feveral villas in the fame province, and the lait

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fo foon be extinct. The more ardent therefore fhould our zeal be to lengthen out this fhort portion of existence by acquifitions of glory, if not in the active fcenes of life (which is not always in our own power), yet however in those of study and contemplation; and fince it is not granted us to live long, let us tranfmit to pofterity fome memorial that we have at least lived. I well know, you want not any incitement to virtue; but the warmth of my affection for you inclines me to forward you in the courfe you already purfue; as I have often found myfelf encouraged by your generous exhortations. How glorious is the contention, when two friends thus ftrive who fhall animate each other mott in their purfuits of immortal fame! Farewel.

purchafe was always the chief favourite, to the neglect of the reft. They were all furnished with large collections of books, ftatues, and pictures, which he more than enjoyed, he even adored; particularly that of Virgil, of whom he was fo pafonate an admirer, that he celebrated the anniversary of that poet's birth-day with more folemnity than his own; efpecially at Naples, where he used to approach his tomb with as much reverence as if it had been a temple. In this tranquillity he lived to the feventy-fifth year of his age, with a delicate, rather than a fickly conftitution. It is remarkable, that as he was the last perfon upon whom Nero conferred the confular office (that prince being killed during his confulthip) fo he was the laft alfo that furvived of all thofe who had been raised by him to that dignity. When I confider this, I cannot forbear lamenting the tranfitory condition of mankind. Is there any thing in nature fo fhort and limited as human life, even in its most extended period? Does it not feem to you, my friend, but yefdefire me to confer the military triterday, that Nero was upon the throne? bunate upon your relation, which I had and yet not one of all thofe who were confuls in his reign now remains! But obtained of the most illuftrious Neratius Marcellus for yourfelf, is agreeable to why thould I wonder at an event fo comthat refpect with which you always treat mon? Lucius Pifo (the father of that Bifo who was infamously aflafinated by pleafure to have feen you in that polt, fo As it would have given me great Valerius Feftus in Africa) ufed to fay, it will not be lefs acceptable to me to he did not fee one perfon in the fenate t have it bellowed upon one whom you recommend. For hardly, I think, would it be confiftent to with a man advanced to honours, and yet envy him a title far

who fat in that house when he was conful: fuch multitudes are fwept away in fo fhort a fpace! I am therefore fo far from thinking thofe tears of Xerxes need any apology, that in my judgment history does honour to his character, which informs us, that when this prince had attentively furveyed his immenfe army, he could not refrain from weeping, with the thought that fo many thoufand lives would

* Travellers are ftill fhewn a monument near Naples which is called Virgil's tomb. But Mr. Aedifon "thinks it is almott certain, that this romblood en the other fide of the town, which "locks towuds mount Vefuvie." Addin's p. 162. Mabion, in his Muf. Ital.

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LETTER XXVIII.
To Tranquillus.

THE obliging manner in which you

me.

nobler than

any

other he can receive,

even that of a generous and an affec-
tionate relation. To deferve and to grant
favours, is the fairest point of view in
able character will be yours, if you re-
which we can be placed; and this ami-
fign to your friend what is due to your
own merit. I muit acknowledge at the
fame time, I am by this means advancing
my own reputation, as the world will
learn from hence, that my friends not
only have it in their power to enjoy fuch
an honourable poft, but to difpofe of it.
I readily therefore comply with your ge
nerous requelf; and a your name is net
yet entered the roll, I can without
upon
difficulty infert Silvanus's in its flead:
and may he accept this good office at

This was a title given to all fenators, in the times of us latter cimp rots.

your

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