Comments on Sterne. 67 
*- out of the world, and with reafon. Is it not 
*« better not to hunger at all, than to eat? not to 
* thirft, than to take phyfic to cure it? Is it not 
** better to be freed from cares and agues, love and 
; melancholy, and the other hot and cold fits of 
‘* life,f than, like a galled traveller, who comes 
‘“ weary to his inn, to be bound to begin his journey 
** afrefh?” 
I fhall follow Burton’s collections as they ftand 
in his own order.f ‘+ Thou doft him great injury to 
defire his longer life. Wilt thou have him crazed and 
fickly full, like a tired traveller that comes weary to his 
Inn, begin his journey afrefh? --- he is now gone to 
eternity - - --- as if he had rifen, faith Plutarch, from 
the midft of a feaft, before he was drunk --- Is it not 
much better not to hunger at all, than to eat: not to thirft, 
than to-drink to fatisfy thirft; not to be cold, than to put on 
clothes to drive away cold? You had more need rejoice that 
I am freed from difeafes, agues, Gc. The Thracians wept 
Still when a child was born, feafted and made mirth when any 
man was buried: and fo fhould we rather be glad for fuch as 
die well, that they are fo happily freed from the m aes of 
- this life.|| 
a 
Is Beaes 
+ This approaches to one of Shakefpeare’s ‘apy eX- 
preflions: 
. Duncan is in his grave: 
After Life’s fitful fever he fleeps well. 
t Sterne has commonly reverfed the arrangement, which 
produces a ftrong effe&t inthe comparifon, 
| Anat, of Mel, p. 216, 
