pare to give counsel in the civil law or whether you compofe fome lovely poem; you will bear off the first prize of the victorious ivy. If now you could quit the cold fomentations of care; wherever divine philofophy would lead you, you would go. Let us, both Imall and great, push forward in this work, in this purfuit; if to ourselves we would live dear.

You must also write me word of this, whether Munatius is of as much concern to you as he ought? Or, whether the ill-patched reconciliation in vain closes, and is rent asunder again; and either the hot blood of your youth, or inexperience exafperates you, wild both as unmanaged courfers? In whatever place ye live, too worthy to break the fraternal bond of amity, a devoted heifer is feeding against your return.

EPISTLE

IV.

To ALBIUS TIBULLU S.

He declares his accomplishments, and after propofing the thought of death he converts it into an occafion of plea Santry.

A

LBIUS, thou candid critic of my difcourfes, what shall I fay you are now doing in the country about Pedum? Writing what may excel the works of Caffius Parmenfis; or fauntering filently among the healthful groves, concerning yourself about every thing worthy of a wife and good man? You were not a body without a mind. The Gods have given you a beautiful form, the Gods have given you wealth, and the faculty of enjoying it.

What greater bleffing could a nurse wish for her beloved child, than that he might be wife, and able to express what are his fentiments; and that refpect, reputation, health, might happen to him in abundance, and a decent living, with a never-failing purfe?

In the midst of hope and care, in the midst of fears and difquietudes, think every day that fhines upon

you

Grata fuperveniet, quæ non fperabitur, hora.

Me pinguem et nitidum bene curata cute vifes,& Cum ridere voles, Epicuri de grege porcum.

AD TORQUATU M.

Invitat cum ad frugalem cœnam, fed mundam et genialcm.

Ι

(a) Nec modica cœnare times olus omne patella;

Supremo te fole domi, Torquate, manebo.
Vina bibes iterum Tauro diffufa, paluftres
Inter Minturnas Sinueffanumque Petrinum.
Si melius quid habes, arceffe; vel imperium fer.
Jamdudum fplendet focus, et tibi munda fupellex.
Mitte leves fpes, et certamina divitiarum,
Et Mofchi caufam. cras pato Cæfare feftus
Dat veniam fomnumque dies. impune licebit
Aftivam fermone benigno (b) tendere noctem.
(c) Quo mihi fortunam, fi non conceditur uti?
Parcus ob heredis curam, nimiumque feverus,
Affidet infano. potare et fpargere flores
Incipiam, patiarque vel inconfultus habéri.
Quid non ebrietas defignat? operta recludit,
Spes jubet effe ratas; ad prælia tudit inertem;
Solicitis animis onus eximit; addocet artes.
Fecundi calices quem non fecere difertum ?
Contracta quem non in paupertate folutum ?

Hæc ego procurare et idoneus imperor, et non
Invitus; ne turpe toral, ne fordida mappa

(a) Si potes Archaicis. (b) Extendere noctem.

fortunas.

5

15

20

(c) Quo mihi

Cor

you is the laft. Thus the hour which shall not be expected, will come upon you an agreeable addition.

When you fhall have a mind to laugh, you shall fee me fat and fleek with good keeping, a hog of Epicurus's herd.

To

EPISTLE

V.

TORQUA TU S.

He invites him to a frugal entertainment, but a cleanly and cheerful one.

F you can be contented to repose yourself as my guest

a whole meal of herbs from a moderate dish; I will wait for you, Torquatus, at my house about fun fet. You fhall drink wine put in the veffel in the second confulship of Taurus, produced between the fenny Minturnæ and Petrinum of Sinueffa. If you have any thing better, fend for it; or bring your commands. Bright fhines my hearth, and my furniture is clean for you already. Difmifs all airy hopes and contests about riches, and Mofchius's caufe. To-morrow, a feftal day. on account of Cæfar's birth, allows of indulgence and repofe. We shall have free liberty to prolong the fummer evening with friendly converfation. To what purpofe have I a fortune, if I may not use it? He that is fparing out of regard to his heir, and too niggardly, is next neighbour to a mad man. I'll begin to drink and to scatter flowers, and I'll endure even to be accounted inconfiderate. What does not wine freely drank enterprise? It difclofes fecrets, commands our hopes to be ratified; pushes the coward on to the fight; removes the preffure from troubled minds; teaches the arts. Whom have not plentiful cups made eloquent? Whom have they not made free and eafy under pinching poverty?

I who am both the proper perfon, and not unwilling, am charged to take care of these particulars; that no VOL. II.

I

dirty

Corruget nares; ne non et cantharus, et lanx
Oftendat tibi te; ne fidos inter amicos
Sit, qui dicta foras eliminet; ut coeat par,
Jungaturque pari. (a) Brutum tibi, Septimiumque,
Et, nifi cœna prior, potiorque puella Sabinum
(b) Detinet, affumam. locus eft et pluribus umbris:
Sed nimis arcta premunt olidæ convivia capræ.

25

Tu, quotus effe velis, refcribe; et rebus omiffis 30 Atria fervantem poftico falle clientem.

N

E PISTOL A

AD

NUMICIUM.

VI.

Sapientem nihil admirari præter virtutem.

IL admirari, prope res eft una, Numici, Solaque quæ poffit facere et fervare beatum. Hunc folem, et ftellas, et decedentia certis Tempora momentis, funt qui formidine nulla Imbuti fpe&tent. quid cenfes munera terræ ? Quid, maris extremos Arabas ditantis et Indos? Ludicra quid, plaufus, et amici dona Quiritis? Quo fpectanda modo, quo fenfu credis, et ore? Qui timet his adverfa, fere miratur eodem

5

Quo cupiens pacto: pavor eft utrobique moleftus; 10
Improvifa fimul fpecies exterret utrumque :
Gaudeat, an doleat; cupiat, metuatne; quid ad rem ;
Si, quidquid vidit melius pejufve sua spe,
Defixis oculis, animoque et corpore torpet?
Infani fapiens nomen ferat. æquus iniqui;
Ultra, quam fatis eft, virtutem fi petat ipfam.

(a) Butram tibi, Septiciumque. (b) Detinet, ad fummam locus eft.

I nunc,

dirty covering on the couch, no foul napkin contraết your nofe into wrinkles; and that the cup and the dish may fhew you to yourself; that there be no one to carry abroad what is faid among faithful friends ; that equals may meet and be joined with equals, I will add to you Brutus and Septimius, and Sabinus, unless a better entertainment, and a mistress more agreeable detains him. There is room also for many introductions; but goaty rammishness is offenfive in companies that are too much crouded.

Do you write word what number you would be; and setting afide business, through the back-door give the flip to your client who keeps guard in your court.

EPIST LE VI.

To NUMICIUS,

That a wife man is in love with nothing except virtue.

O admire nothing is almost the one and only

Tthing, Numicius, which can make and keep a

man happy. There are fome who view this fun, and the stars, and the seasons retiring at certain periods, untainted with any fear. What do you think of the gifts of the earth? what, of the fea that enriches the remote Arabians and Indians? what of fcenical fhews, the applause and favours of the kind Roman? In what manner do you think they are to be looked upon, with what apprehenfious, and with what countenance? He that dreads the reverse of these, admires them almost in the fame way as he that defires them : fear alike disturbs both ways: an unforeseen turn of things equally terrifies each of them: let a man rejoice or grieve; defire, or fear; what matters it: if, whatever he perceives better or worse than his expectations, with downcaft look, he is stupified in mind and body? Let the wife man bear the name of fool, the just of unjust; if he pursues virtue itself beyond proper bounds.