Chap. IV. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 37 



mind. And, for that purpofe, if for no other, they ought to be much 

 more pradtifed in Britain than they are at prefent, and as much as 

 they were formerly, not only among the better fort, but even among 

 the lower ; for in every village, and all over the country, cudn-el- 

 playing, wrcftling, foot-ball, fnooting with the bow, &c. were the 

 favourite diverfions of the people. 



Thofe exercifes of the Greeks not only made them excellent fol- 

 diers, but enabled them to enjoy all the pleafures of life in a higher 

 degree than, I believe, any other people ever did ; particularly the 

 pleafure of drinking and good feliowfhip, which, among the Ro- 

 mans, was called gracari^ and does not appear to have been, at any 

 time, fo much pradifed among them, even in the time of their high- 

 eft luxury, as among the Greeks, ; for, though they indulged much 

 more in eating than the Greeks did, and bellowed infinite care and 

 expence upon that article of luxury, which I reckon the meaneft and 

 moft beaftly of any, they did not drink fo much as the Greeks, un- 

 lefs perhaps fome of them, who, like Horace, had been educated in 

 Greece, or had lived much in it. 



I come now to fpeak of the Roman method of living, which, in 

 later times, after they had got the Greek arts among them, was pret- 

 ty much the fame as the Greek, only not fo elegant ; particularly, 



' I have obferved, in the article of the table. In the days of Au- 

 g Aus, they had palseftras, fuch as the Greeks had; and, if w^e can 

 believe Horace, wreftled better than they did*: And their exercifes, 

 in the open air, in the Campus Martius, (not in an inclofed place, fuch 

 as the Greek palseftra was), and their pradifmg fwimming fo much, 

 more than, I think, the Greeks did, I approve very much of; nor 

 do 1 know a better receipt for health, or for fleep, which is muck 



wanted 



"^ Lb. 2. EpiiL \. 



