STUDY XIII. 191 



tnonalty has more than one way of obferving and 

 of feeling, which is not a matter of indifference^ 

 While the Philofopher rifes as high into the clouds 

 as he poffibly can, the other keeps contentedly at 

 the bottom of the valley, and beholds very diffe- 

 rent perfpedives in the World. Calamity forms 

 him at the length, as well as another man. His 

 language purifies with years ; and I have frequently 

 remarked, that there is very little difference, in 

 point of accuracy, of peifpicuity, and of fimpli- 

 city, between the expreffions of an aged peafant 

 and of an old courtier. Time effaces from their 

 feveral flyles of language, and from their manners, 

 the ruflicity and the refinement, which Society had 

 introduced. Old-age, like infancy, reduces all 

 men to a level, and gives them back to Nature. 



In one of my encampments, I have a landlord 

 who has made the tour of the Globe. He has 

 been feaman, foldier, bucanier. He is fagacious 

 as Ulyjfes^ but more fmcere. When I have placed 

 him at table with me, and made him tafte my 

 wine, he gives me a relation of his adventures. 

 He knows a multitude of anecdotes. How many 

 times was he on the very point of making fortune, 

 but failed ! He is a fécond Ferdinand Mendez Pinto» 

 The upfhot of all is, he has got a good wife, and 

 lives contented. 



My 



