THE RAMBLER. NUMBER LXXI. LONDON, Tuesday, November 20. 1750. Vivere quod propero pauper, nec inutilis annis MART. M Any words and fentences are fo frequently heard in the mouths of men, that a superficial obferver is inclined to believe, that they must contain fome primary principle, fome great rule of action or maxim of prudence, which VOL. III. T it it is proper always to have present to the attention, and by which the use of every hour is to be adjusted. Yet, if we confider the conduct of those fententious philofophers, it will often be found, that they repeat thefe aphorifms, because they have fomewhere heard them, because they have nothing elfe to fay, or because they conceive that fome veneration is gained by fuch appearances of wisdom; but that they have no ideas annexed to the words; and that, according to the old blunder of the followers of Ariftotle, their fouls are mere pipes or organs, which tranfmit founds, but do not underftand them. Of this kind is that well known and well attested pofition, That life is fhort; which may be heard among mankind by an attentive auditor, many times a day, but which never yet, within my reach of observation, left any impression upon the mind: and perhaps if my readers will give a few moments to recollection, they will find how difficult it is to call a single man to remembrance, who appeared to know that life was short, till he was about to lofe it. It is obfervable, that Horace, in his account of the characters of men, as they are diversified by the various influence of time, remarks, that the old man is dilator, fpe longus; given to procrastination, and inclined to extend his hopes to a great diftance. So far are we generally from thinking what we often say of the fhortnefs of life, that, at the time when it is neceffarily shortest, we form projects which we delay to execute, and indulge expectations which nothing but a long train of events can gratify, and suffer those paffions to gain upon upon us, which are only excufable in the prime of life. These reflections were lately excited in my mind, by an evening's conversation with my friend Profpero, who, at the age of fifty-five, has bought an eftate that he is now contriving to lay out with uncommon elegance. His great pleasure is, to walk among ftately trees, and lye mufing in the heat of noon under their fhade: he is therefore maturely confidering how he fhall difpofe his walks and his groves; and has at last determined to fend for the beft plans from Italy, and forbear planting till the next season. Thus is life trifled away in preparations to do what never can be done, if it be left unattempted till all the requifites which imagination can fuggeft are gathered together. Where our defign terminates only in our own fatisfaction, the mistake is not often of any importance; as the pleasure of ex pecting enjoyment is often greater than that of obtaining it, and the completion of almost every with is found a difappointment. But when others are interested in an undertaking; when any defign is formed, in which the improvement or fecurity of mankind is involved, nothing is more unworthy either of wisdom or benevolence, than to delay it from time to time, and to forget how much every day that has paffed over us took away from our power, and how foon an idle purpose to do an action finks into a mournful wifh that it had once been done. We are frequently importuned, by the Bacchanalian writers to lay hold on the prefent hour, to catch the pleasures which are now within our reach, and remember that futurity is not in our power. Τὸ ῥόδον ἀκμάζει ξαιὸν χρόνον. ἦν δὲ παρέλθη, But furely these exhortations may, with equal propriety, be applied to better purposes; and it may be at least inculcated, that pleasures are more safely poftponed than virtues, and that greater loss is fuffered by milling an opportunity of doing good, than an hour of giddy frolick and noisy merriment. When Baxter had lost a thousand pounds, which he had laid up for the erection of a school, he used frequently to mention the misfortune as an incitement to be charitable while God gives the power of bestowing; and confidered himself as culpable in fome degree, for having left a good action in the hands of chance, and fuffering his benevolence to be defeated for want of quickness and diligence. It is lamented by Hearne, the learned antiquary of Oxford, that this general forgetfulness of the fragility of life, has remarkably infected the students of monuments and records. As their employment confifts in collecting and arranging materials, they ought to amass no more than they can digest; but when they have undertaken a work, they go on searching and transcribing, and calling for new fupplies, when they are already over-burdened; and at İaft leave their work unfinished. "It is, (fays he), “the business of a good antiquary, as of a good man, to have mortality always before him." Thus, not only in the flumber of floth, but in the |