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And months pass o'er,

As months before,

Which slid in sloth away.†

These ills combin'd,

Defile the mind,

That yields its proud control;

And filthy vice,

Doth oft entice,

To sins that damn the soul.

Ross the player, was a striking instance of the powerful fascinations of sloth; for although the most flattering offers were made him by different managers, at various periods, he was so far the slave of idleness, as rather to remain in obscurity at some low public house, while a shilling was left, than embrace the proffered good which presented itself; and it is recorded of him, that he would frequently order a chaise in the morning, which he would suffer to remain in expectation of his coming, until the lapse of time made him postpone his departure until after dinner, and so on to tea, then to supper, when the carriage would be reordered for the ensuing day; which only proved the rehearsal of the former. Sloth my very justly be termed the enemy of virtue, and the foe to science, and it is an old saying, that he who does nothing, is most likely hatching mischief; on which account we will conclude with Seneca's words:

Vitia otii negotio discutienda sunt.

L'ENVOY OF THE POET.

If seeds of sloth in youthful breasts e'er lurk, Pluck forth the noxious weed; this adage tell; The quick at meat, are ever quick at work, With such thro' life health, ease and riches dwell.

THE POET'S CHORUS TO FOOLS.

Come, trim the boat, row on each Rara Avis,
Crowds flock to man my Stultifera Navis.

I

SECTION XVIII.

OF FOOLISH FLATTERERS AND GLOSSERS.

The lip of truth shall be established for ever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

SOLOMON.

THESE are the fools* that know not why,

Yet always must be civil; †

Who spite of common sense, will lie,

And shame the very devil.

* Flatterers are the Will o'the wisps of fools, who mean nothing, yet lead them into the mire; and so prevalent is now become this bifronted vice, that

Vitium fuit, nunc mos est, adsentatio.

The well known Jemmy B- -1, the Biographer of the famous Dr. Johnson, who might well be termed his toad eater or flatterer, used to narrate the following anecdote of the Lexicographer.

Upon the publication of one of the Doctor's literary performances, Jemmy B1, on the first of the ensuing month, repaired, according to custom, to the lodgings of his idol with the several Magazines of the day, in order to

You look divinely,* Hal will swear,
Although to him disgusting;

And Rose loves Ned, beyond compare,
Though Rose for Will is thirsting.

read the sctrictures which were given on his performance. After perusing two or three criticisms, which were not of the most civil kind, the petulance of the Doctor got the better of his good sense, and he exclaimed peevishly,"Enough, enough, sir, now you have taken infinite pains to bring an account of what is thought of me individually; give me leave to ask what you imagine the world says of you and me conjointly." "Upon my word Dr. I cannot pretend to say," answered Jemmy." Why then I'll tell you," continued the Dr. " They say that I am a mad dog, sir, and that you are the tin cannister tied to my tail."

In the publication of the Dr's. Tour to the Hebrides, written by the same gentleman, there is an account of the inhabitants of villages flocking out to see the great literary phenomenon, which is alleged as a proof of the veneration in which the Dr. was held by all ranks of society. In a copy of that Tour, which once fell into the hands of the annotator, some sarcastic reader had annexed, in the margin, the following couplet, by no means inapplicable to the parties:

How ev'ry clown must gape and stare,

To see a a Monkey lead a Bear!

* Nothing can possibly be so degrading to the mind of

Than Lady Bab, without a joke,

None plays whist so correctly; No matter though she may revoke, She finds it out directly.*

O how enchanting Laura plays,
How syren like her singing;

Though time and concord dance the hays,
And squalling discord's ringing.

feeling, as the incessant duplicity which characterizes the chit-chat of fashionable societies; for it is not merely sufficient to know, that the falsehood can be productive of no harm to others, (even should such be the case), for he who does not scruple to debase himself, will not long refrain from injuring others.

Lasino si conosce dall' orecchie, e il matto dal troppo

parlare.

* It is most provokingly fulsome, to hear women, only because they are such, receive the adulation of a coxcomb, although the conviction of his palpable flattery stares her in the face. But, if the female who tolerates his prattle, were other than his companion in folly, she would be led to resent rather than feel gratified at the falsehood, for Pope has truly said,

Praise undeserv'd is satire in disguise.

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