0. Blind as the crowd is the man of letters, in this particular (my instructor replied): all his studies and curious knowledge have no relation to his living right. With all the tongues, and all the arts, he may be a libertine, a sot, a miser, or ‘a knave, a traitor to his country, and have no moral character at all. This we see every day.

T. But what is the cause of so strange a thing, I requested to know? I observe that these men of letters seem to sit down contented in the second inclosure, and do not attempt to go on to the third where Wisdom resides; though they see continually before their eyes so many passing on from the first court, where they had lived for some time in lewdness and excess, to the habitation of true learning.

O. It is their remaining in this second inclosure,. that occasions their being inferior in moral things to those who have not had a learned education. Proud and self-sufficient on account of their languages, arts, and sciences, they despise what Wisdom could teach them, and will not give themselves the trouble of ascending with difficulty to the mansion of true learning. They have no taste for the lessons of Wisdom; while the humble mount to her exalted dwelling, those scholars, as you see, are satisfied with their speculations and vain conceits. Dull and untractable in the improvement of their

hearts, and regardless of that exact rectitude of mind and life, which is only worth a rational's toiling for (as he is an Eleve for eternity), they never think of true wisdom, nor mind her offered light. Their curious ingenious notions, are what they only have a relish for; the imaginations of those men of letters cannot reach that ineffable peace and contentment, that satisfaction and pleasure, which flow from a virtuous life and an honest heart. This is the case of our learned heads, unless repentance interferes to make them humble, and scatters the vain visions they had from false opinion.

This, concluded the venerable teacher, is the explication of this parable or allegory. May you oft revolve upon these lessons, and lend your whole attention to the attainment of true wisdom, that you may not embrace her shadow, the speculations and inventions of the learned, but, by this instruction, acquire the true principles of morality and goodness.

This is not all the Table of Cebes. There follows a disputation in the Socratic method, concerning the claim of wealth, and other externals, to the title of good things but it is dry, and no part of the picture or mythology. For this reason I stop here.

:

As to the picture of Cebes, it is to be sure a fine thing, and greatly to the honour of the Theban philoso

But their obstrep'rous eloquence

Has fail'd ev'n in their own defence:
And saving others by haranguing,

Have brought themselves at last to hanging.
Milo presuming on his strength,

Caus'd his own destiny at length.

The greedy care of heaping wealth,
Damns many a soul and ruins health,
And in an apoplectic fit,

Sinks them downright into the pit.
How many upstarts crept from low
Condition, vast possessions show?
Whose estate's audit so immense
Exceeds all prodigal expence.

With which compare that spot of earth,
To which these mushrooms owe their birth :
Their manners to dad's cottage show,
As Greenland whales to dolphins do.
In Nero's plotting dismal times,
Riches were judg'd sufficient crimes.
First swear them traitors to the state,
Then for their pains share their estate.
Fat forfeitures their toils reward:
Poor rogues may pass without regard.
Some are hook'd in for sense and wit,
And some condemn'd for want of it.
The over-rich Longinus dies,

His bright heaps dazzled envios eyes

Neither could philosophy,
Wisdom, desert, or piety,
Rich Seneca from his pupil save,
"Tis fit he send him to a grave,

And then resume the wealth he

gave.

The guards the palaces beset,
For noble game they pitch their net :
While from alarms and pangs of fear,
Securely sleeps the cottager.
If you by night shall happen late,
To travel with a charge of plate;
With watchful eyes and panting heart,
Surpriz'd, each object makes you start:
While rack'd with doubts, opprest with fear,
Each bush does an arm'd thief

appear:

A shaken reed will terror strike,
Mistaken for a brandish'd pike.
Before the thief, the empty clown*
Sings unconcern'd and travels on*

*The Latin of these two lines is

Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator.

Which Dryden translates thus:

The beggar sings, ev'n when he sees the place
Beset with thieves, and never mends his pace.

Shadwell, who was Poet Laureate in King William's time, does it thus:

While the poor man, void of all precious things,

In company of thieves, jogs on and sings.

lation. There the precepts of virtue are the laws of God. There we find a clear and complete system of his will. There our obedience is encouraged by hope in his pardoning mercy and powerful assistance, by the life, death, and resurrection of his own son ; and by promises and threatnings which extend the reward of righteousness, and the punishment of wickedness unto a future state of existence.

No. II.

*

THE TENTH SATIRE OF JUVENAL.

Survey mankind, muster the herd

From smoothest chin to deepest beard;
Search ev'ry climate, view each nation,
From lowest to the highest station;
From Eastern to the Western Indies,
From frozen Poles to th' line that singes;
Scarce will
you find one mortal wight,
Knows good from ill, or wrong from right:
'Cause clouds of lust and passion blind,
And bribe with interests the mind;

* The design of this fine Satire is to shew, that endowments and blessings of the mind, as wisdom, virtue, justice, and integrity of life, are the only things worth praying for.