I'jgi'. 0>r THE ART OF IDLENESS. 45 



" I am very ignorant in aftronomy, as ignorant as Se- 

 grais, or the lady, and could wilh to aik many quedions ; 

 as, whether our celeftial globes inufl: not be infinitely 

 magnified ? Our Orreries too, m nil not they be given 

 to children, and new ones conftrufted, that will at leaft 

 take in our rcth-ed corner, and all its outtying conltel- 

 Jations? Muit not that hoft of worlds be chrirtened ? 

 Mr. Herfchell himfelf has flood godfather for his Ma- 

 jefty to the new Sidus. His Majeily, thank God, has a 

 numerous ilTue; but they, and all the princes and prio- 

 ceffe-s in Europe, cannot fupply appellations enov.r for 

 twenty millions of new-born Itars ; no, though the royal 

 progenies of Auilvia, Naples, and Spain, who have each 

 two dozen of faints for fponfers, fiiould confent to fplit 

 tlieir btadroU of names among the foundlings : — But I 

 find I talk like an old nurfe ; and you at lafl: will be 

 convinced, that it is not worth your while to keep up 

 a correfpondence with a man in his dotage, merely be- 

 caufe he has the honour to be 



Your moil obedient humble fervant 



f-L W. 

 " P. S. One willi I cannot help adding to this letter: 

 ^t is, that fince our eyes can be fo wonderfully affifted, 

 vc conld alfo improve others of our fenfes. Since we 

 contrive to fee 17 lO millions of miies beyond the fun, 

 one fhould think it pofTible to form a trumpet for hear- 

 ing what is (iiid in the moon, which, in com.parifon is but 

 juft over the way. I do not wonder that Bifliop Wil- 

 kins was ambitious of getting thither, even upon the 

 very narrow fund of knowledge tliat we then pofl'eiL^d.'* 



From this fpecimen of the happy difpofition of the-, 

 refined" iind glorious fons of idJdr.efs, to draw pleafnre 

 ■ar.d to nilTufe it all around them, from whatever oiFers 

 on the gliding current of the everflowing tide of the af- 

 fairs of men, I hope to recommend this (ludy to my 

 readers j and remain, their devoted lervant 



Albanicus. 



