6 fomething new, we are many times impatient of ftaying long enough upon a question that requires fome time to refolve it; or, which is worfe, perfuade ourfelves that we are masters of the fubject before we are fo, only to be at the liberty of going upon a fresh fcent: in Mr. • Locke's words, we fee a little, prefume a great deal, and fo jump to the conclufion. A farther advantage of our inclination for novelty, as at prefent circumftantiated, is, that it annihilates all the boafted diftinctions among mankind. Look not up with envy to thofe above thee! Sounding titles, ftately buildings, fine gardens, gilded chariots, rich equipages, what are they? They dazzle every one but the poffeffor: to him that is accustomed to them they are cheap and regardlefs things: they fupply him not with brighter images, or more fublime fatisfactions, than the plain man may have, whose small eftate will just enable him to fupport the charge of a fimple unencumbered life. He enters heedlefs into his rooms. of ftate, as you or I do under our poor fheds. The noble paintings and coftly furniture are loft on him; he fees them not as how can it be otherwife, when by cuftom a fabrick, infinitely more grand and finished, that of the univerfe, ftands unobferved by the inhabitants, and the everlasting lamps of heaven are lighted up in vain, for any notice that mortals take of them! Thanks to indulgent nature, which not only placed her children originally upon a level, but ftill, by the ftrength of this principle, in A a 4 a great a great measure preferves it, in spite of all the 6 care of man to introduce artificial diftinctions. To add no more-is not this fondness for novelty, which makes us out of conceit with all we already have, a convincing proof of a future ftate? Either man was made in vain, or this is not the only world he was made for: ⚫ for there cannot be a greater inftance of vanity than that to which man is liable, to be deluded from the cradle to the grave with fleeting fhadows of happiness. His pleasures, and thofe not confiderable neither, die in the poffeffion, and fresh enjoyments do not rife fast enough • to fill 6 up half his life with fatisfaction. When I fee perfons fick of themselves any longer than they are called away by fomething that is of force to chain down the prefent thought; • when I fee them hurry from country to town, and then from the town back again into the country, continually fhifting postures, and placing life in all the different lights they can think of; furely, fay I to myfelf, life is vain, and the man beyond expreffion ftupid or prejudiced, who from the vanity of life cannat gather • that he is defigned for immortality.'* 6 * See Dr. Amory's preface to his edition of his uncle Mr. Grove's works, and the Biographia Britanniça, Art, GROVE, N° 627. N° 627. Wednesday, December 1, 1714. Tantum inter denfas umbrofa cacumina fagos TH Virg. HE following account, which came to my hands fome time ago, may be no difagreeable entertainment to fuch of my readers as have tender hearts, and nothing to do. • Mr. SPECTATOR, A FRIEND of mine died of a fever laft week, which he caught by walking too late in a dewy evening amongst his reapers. I must inform you that his greatest pleafure was in husbandry and gardening. He had • fome humours which feemed inconfiftent with that good fenfe he was otherwise master of. His uneafinefs in the company of women was very remarkable in a man of fuch perfect good breeding; and his avoiding one particular walk in his garden, where he had ufed to pass the greatest part of his time, raised abundance of idle conjectures in the village where he lived. • Upon looking over his papers we found out the reafon, which he never intimated to his nearest friends. He was, it feems, a paffionate lover ⚫ in his youth, of which a large parcel of letters he left behind him are a witnefs. I fend you a copy of the last he ever wrote upon that fub a 'ject, 66 66 ject, by which you will find that he concealed the true name of his miftrefs under that of Zelinda. A LONG month's abfence would be infupportable to me, if the business I am employed in were not for the service of my Zelinda, and of fuch a nature as to place "her every moment in my mind. I have fur"nished the house exactly according to your 66 66 fancy, or, if you pleafe, my own; for I "have long fince learned to like nothing but "what you do. The apartment defigned for your ufe is fo exact a copy of that which you 66 live in, that I often think myself in your "house when I ftep into it, but figh when I "find it without its proper inhabitant. You "will have the most delicious profpect from your closet window that England affords: I "am fure I fhould think it fo, if the landfcape "that fhews fuch variety did not at the fame "time fuggeft to me the greatness of the space "that lies between us. "The gardens are laid out very beautifully; "I have dreffed up every hedge in woodbines, fprinkled bowers and arbours in every corner, "and made a little paradife round me; yet I am ftill like the first man in his folitude, but "half bleft without a partner in my happiness. "I have directed one walk to be made for two perfons, where I promise ten thousand fatif "factions to myfelf in your converfation. I al"ready take my evening's turn in it, and have 66 wor! 66 "worn a path upon the edge of this little alley, "while I foothed myfelf with the thought of your walking by my fide. I have held 66 66 many imaginary difcourfes with you in this retire"ment; and when I have been weary have "fat down with you in the midst of a row of jeffamines. The many expreffions of joy and 66 rapture I use in these filent converfations have "made me for fome time the talk of the parish; "but a neighbouring young fellow, who makes "love to the farmer's daughter, hath found me 66 out, and made my cafe known to the whole neighbourhood. 66 "In planting of the fruit-trees I have not forgot the peach you are fo fond of. I have "made a walk of elms along the river fide, and intend to fow all the place about with cowflips, which I hope you will like as well as "that I have heard you talk of by your father's "houfe in the country. "Oh! Zelinda, what a fcheme of delight "have I drawn up in my imagination! What "day-dreams do I indulge myself in! When "will the fix weeks be at an end, that lie between me and my promised happiness! "How could you break off fo abruptly in your laft, and tell me you muft go and drefs "for the play? If you loved as I do, you would "find no more company in a crowd than I have in my folitude. I am, &c." • On the back of this letter is written, in the hand of the deceased, the following piece of • history: "Mem. |