XIV LIFE AKD WRITINGS OF PLINY. 



self to the duties with which he was charged. On his re- 

 turn home, he devoted all the time which was still remaining 

 to study. Taking an early repast, after the old fashion, 

 light, and easy of digestion, in the summer time, if he had 

 any leisure to spare, he would lie down in the sun-shine, 

 while some book was read to him, he himself making notes 

 and extracts in the meanwhile ; for it was his habit never to 

 read anything without making extracts, it being a maxim of 

 his, that there is no book so bad but that some good may be 

 got out of it. After thus enjoying the sunshine, he gene- 

 rally took a cold bath ; after which he would sit down to a 

 slight repast, and then take a short nap. On awaking, as 

 though another day had now commenced, he would study 

 till the hour for the evening meal, during which some book 

 was generally read to him, he making comments on it in a 

 cursory manner. I remember, on one occasion, a friend of 

 his interrupting the reader, who had given the wrong pro- 

 nunciation to some words, and making him go over them 

 again. " You understood him, didn't you ?" said my uncle. 

 " Yes," said the other. " Why, then, did you make him go 

 over it again ? Through this interruption of yours, we have 

 lost more than ten lines." So thrifty a manager was he of 

 time ! In summer he rose from the evening meal by day- 

 light ; and, in winter, during the first hour of the night\ 

 just as though there had been some law which made it com- 

 pulsory on him to do so. This is how he lived in the midst 

 of his employments, and the bustle of the city. When in 

 retirement in the country, the time spent in the bath was 

 the only portion that was not allotted by him to study. 

 When I say in the bath, I mean while he was in the water ; 

 for while his body was being scraped with the strigil and 

 rubbed, he either had some book read to him, or else would 

 dictate himself. While upon a journey, as though relieved 

 from every other care, he devoted himself to study, and no- 

 thing else. By his side was his secretary, with a book and 

 tablets ; and, in the winter time, the secretary's hands were 

 protected by gloves, that the severity of the weather might 

 not deprive his master for a single moment of his services. 

 It was for this reason also that, when at Eome, he would 

 never move about except in a litter. I remember that on 

 ' At midwinter, this would be between six and seven in the evening. 



