220 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book III. 



us with a kind of veneration for them, and for their memories, af- 

 ter they are gone; and it is my particular good fortune to have a 

 recolled:ion of that kind which gives me the greateft pleafure. I had 

 a father, whom I can praife, for the care he took of my education, 

 with as great pleafure, and as much gratitude, as Horace praifes 

 his fatlier. He fold a part of his eftate to give me an educa- 

 tion, the fruits of which, I now, in my old age, enjoy ; and they 

 make me happier than if he had left me a Dukedom with the great- 

 eft fortune. I had likewife a mother, who was a moft tender and 

 affectionate parent. Of her I have a precious memorial, which I 

 moft carefully preferve : It is a letter, which fhe wrote me fome 

 days before her death, which happened v, hen I was out of the coun- 

 try. In this letter, fhe expreffes the greateft love and aft'edtion for 

 me, acknowledging, at the fame time, the marks of attention and 

 refpedt I had fhown to her during her life. I have a like pleafure 

 in thinking of the many virtues of fome of my friends, who are now 

 gone, and of the many good offices I received from them, and al- 

 fo from fome friends that are ftill living, and who, I hope, fhall out 

 live me ; and, indeed, there is no man living, that I know, who is 

 more obliged to friends than I am. Some men, I know, are unwil- 

 ling to acknowledge the obligations they owe to friends, and think 

 it below them to do fo : But, for my part, I am proud of thefe 

 obligations, becaufe I think the perfons who beftowed them perceiv- 

 ed fome worth and goodnefs in me, which they thought deferved 

 their favour. — In fhort, the friendfhip of men of worth is one of the 

 greateft pleafures we enjoy in this life. 



But, befides works of goodnefs and beneficence, there are works 

 of intelligence, which, if well executed, muft neceffarily pleafe an 

 intelligent creature : The works I mean are thofe of art and fcience. 

 The ftudy of thefe, therefore, make a neceffary part of the Summiim 

 Bonum^ for onr intellectual mind muft have exercife as well as our 



animal 



