CCXIV. 24. A man may flatter himself as he pleases; but he will find that the women have more understanding in their own affairs than we have, and women of spirit are not to be won by mourners. He that can keep handsomely within rules, and support the carriage of a companion to his mistress, is much more likely to prevail, than he who lets her see the whole relish of his life depends upon her. If possible, therefore, divert your mistress rather than sigh for her.-Steele. CCXV. Be not so bigoted to an the expense of truth. All tinuity all customs are no merman. 215 custom, as to worship it at custom that goes on in conalike beneficial to us.-Zim CCXVI. 2,6 The oath of a lover is no stronger than the word of a tapster; they are both the confirmers of false reckonings. -Shakspeare. CCXVII. 2/ A tutor should not be continually thundering instruc tion into the ears of his pupil, as if he were pouring it through a funnel, but, after having put the lad, like a young horse, on a trot, before him, to observe his paces, and see what he is able to perform, should, according to the extent of his capacity, induce him to taste, to distinguish, and to find out things for himself; sometimes opening the way, at other times leaving it for him to open; and by abating or increasing his own pace, accommodate his precepts to the capacity of his pupil.-Montaigne. CCXVIII. 2/8. It was said of John Lilburn, while living, by Judge Jenkins, "That if the world was emptied of all but himself, Lilburn would quarrel with John, and John with Lilburn;" which part of his character gave occasion for the following lines at his death : 221 Is John departed, and is Lilburn gone? CCXIX. 2/9 It seems with wit and good-nature, "Utrum horum mavis accipe." Taste and good-nature are universally connected. Shenstone. CCXX. 2 20 The hours of a wise man are lengthened by his ideas, as those of a fool are by his passions. The time of the one is long, because he does not know what to do with it; so is that of the other, because he distinguishes every moment of it with useful or amusing thoughts; or, in other words, because the one is always wishing it away, and the other always enjoying it.—Addison. Like dogs in a wheel, birds in a cage, or squirrels in a chain, ambitious men still climb and climb, with great labour, and incessant anxiety, but never reach the top.Burton. CCXXII. 222 The great dealers in this world may be divided into the ambitious, the covetous, and the voluptuous; and that all these men sell themselves to be slaves, though to the vulgar it may seem a Stoical paradox, will appear to the wise so plain and obvious, that they will scarce think it deserves the labour of argumentation.—Cowley. CCXXIII. 223 A translator dyes an author, like an old stuff, into a new colour, but can never give it the lustre of the first tincture; as silks that are twice dyed lose their glosses, and never receive a fair colour. He is a small factor, that imports books of the growth of one language into another, but it seldom turns to account; for the commodity is perishable, and the finer it is, the worse it endures transportation; as the most delicate of Indian fruits are by no art to be brought over. Nevertheless he seldom fails in his purpose, which is to please himself and give the world notice that he understands one language more than it was aware of; and that done, he makes a saving return. He is a Truchman, that interprets between learned writers and gentle readers, and uses both how he pleases; for he commonly mistakes the one, and misinforms the other. If he does not perfectly understand the full meaning of his author as well as he did himself, he is but a copier, and therefore never comes near the mastery of the original; and his labours are like dishes of meat twice drest, that become insipid, and lose the pleasant taste they had at first. He differs from an author as a fiddler does from a musician, that plays other men's compositions, but is not able to make any of his own. his studies tend to the ruin of the interests of linguists; for by making those books common that were understood but by few in the original, he endeavours to make the rabble as wise as himself without taking pains, and prevents others from studying languages, to understand that which they may know as well without them.Butler. CCXXIV. 224 All Trust him little who praises all, him less who censures all, and him least who is indifferent about all.—Lavater. CCXXV. 2 2 5 There is no rule in the world to be made for writing letters, but that of being as near what you speak face to face as you can; which is so great a truth, that I am of opinion, writing has lost more mistresses than any one mistake in the whole legend of love.-Steele. CCXXVI. 2 26. As a walled town is more worthier than a village, so is the forehead of a married man more honourable than the bare brow of a bachelor.-Shakspeare. CCXXVII. 227 Some men make a womanish complaint, that it is a great misfortune to die before our time. I would ask what time? Is it that of nature? But she, indeed, has lent us life, as we do a sum of money, only no certain day is fixed for payment. What reason then to complain, if she demands it at pleasure; since it was on this condition you received it.-Cicero. CCXXVIII. 2 2 A virtuous woman should reject the first offer of marriage, as a good man does that of a bishoprick; but I would advise neither the one nor the other to persist in refusing what they secretly approve.—Addison. CCXXIX. 2 29 A man of wit, who is naturally proud, abates nothing of his pride or stiffness for being poor; on the contrary, if any thing will soften him, and render him more pliant and sociable, it is a little prosperity.—Bruyere. CCXXX. 230 Every good poet includes a critic; the reverse will not hold.-Shenstone. CCXXXI. 23/ As old sinners have all points Butler. CCXXXII. 232 Love is exactly like war, in this; that a soldier, though he has escaped three weeks complete o' Saturday nightmay nevertheless be shot through his heart on Sunday morning.-Sterne. CCXXXIII. 233 Some men are more beholden to their bitterest enemies, than to friends who appear to be sweetness itself. The former frequently tell the truth, but the latter never. Cato. CCXXXIV. 234 The creditor, whose appearance gladdens the heart of a debtor, may hold his head in sunbeams, and his foot on storms.-Lavater. CCXXXV. 2,36 A too idly reserved man, is one that is a fool with discretion, or a strange piece of politician, that manages the state of himself. His actions are his privy council, wherein no man must partake beside. He speaks under rule and prescription, and dares not show his teeth without Machiavel. He converses with his neighbour as he would in Spain, and fears an inquisitive man as much as the inquisition. He suspects all questions for examinations, and thinks you would pick something out of him, and avoids you. He delivers you common matters with great conjuration of silence, and whispers you in the ear acts of parliament. You may as soon wrest a tooth from him as a paper, and whatsoever he reads is letters. He dares not talk of great men for fear of bad comments, and he knows not how his words may be misapplied. Ask his opinion, and he tells you his doubt; and he never hears any thing more astonishedly than what he knows before. His words are like the cards at primivist, here 6 is 18, and 7, 21; for they never signify what they sound; but if he tell you he will do a thing, it is much as if he swore he would not. He is one, indeed, that takes all men to be craftier than they are, and puts himself to a great deal of affliction to hinder their plots and designs, where they mean freely. He |