1 791* OK THE ART OF IDLENESS. 9 



EJfuy on the Art of Idlenefs. 



Having often obferved with difguft, the hackneyed 

 fubjecls of elTayifts in newfpapers and magazines, not 

 excepting thofe of the profelTed writers of periodical 

 papers, in imitation of the Spedfators, Tatlers, and 

 Guardians, I had figured to myfelf, about a dozen of 

 years ago, the poffibility of entertaining and inilructing 

 the readers of fuch fugitive pieces, with a feries of pa- 

 pers, on the art ot employing leifure and fortune, by 

 the idle and opulent. 



When 1 was thus amufing my imagination with a 

 projedl of future authorfhip, in the end of March 1777, 

 I received from a worthy Baronet of my acquaintance, 

 the following letter, which, as it will ferveme for a text, 

 I fhall prefent a copy of it to my readers, and then pro- 

 ceed to make my refleftions ; and may the god or goddefs 

 of idlenefs, if there is, or ever was fuch a faint, blefg 

 ray endeavours to be ufeful to my brethren and fillers I 



Sir, 

 " This morning only I received your letter of March 

 1 2th, fo I find myfelf doubly a debtor, firll for a vifit, 

 then for the letter; and I find it mod for the conveni- 

 ency of my affairs, firft to pay the laft debt. 



" I find that time is paffed with you, much in the 

 fame manner as at my refidence. 



" I never had any ambition for the reputation of an 

 author, yet I have frequently had it in my head, to 

 write a treatife, which fliould be entitled T^ie Art of 

 Idlenefs. 



" The purport of it would be, to teach men, who 

 had no regular bufinefs, and were above the neceffity 

 of purfuing fome occupation, how to pafs their time in- 

 nocently, agreeably, and even ufefully. I would be- 

 gin by fliewing that all garaeftcrs, horferacers, with a 



Vol. III. B 



