864 



ESSAYS. 



to the heart, and left him weltering in his Wood 

 at the entrance. In these circumstances he 

 was found next morning dead at the month of 

 vlie vault. This naturally inducing a further 

 inrv/irv, an a!. inn was spread ; the cave was 

 examined ; and Alcander being found, WHS 

 'rnmediatelv apprehended and accused of 

 robbery and murder. The circumstances 

 against him were strong, and the wietchednrss 

 of his appearance confirmed suspicion. Mis- 

 fortune and he were now so long acquainted, 

 that he at last became regardless of life. He 

 detested a world where he had found only in- 

 gratitude, falsehood, and cruelty ; he was de- 

 termined to make no defence ; and thus lower- 

 ing with resolution, he was dragged, bound 

 with cords, before the tribunal of Septimius. 

 As the proofs were positive against him, and 

 he offered nothing in his own vindication, the 

 judge was proceeding to doom him to a most 

 "cruel and ignominious death, when the atten- 

 tion of the multitude was soon divided by 



another object. The robber, \vl:o had been 

 really gi'il'y, was apprehended selling his 

 plunder, and, struck \\ith a pai.ic, had c<,n- 

 fessed his crime. He was brought bom .d to 

 the same tribunal, and acquitted every other 

 person of any partnership in his guilt. Al- 

 cander's innocence therefore apptsmd, but 

 the snll< n rashness of his conduct nn-fiirrd 

 a wonder to the surrounding multitude ; but 

 their astonishment was still further inert ased, 

 when they saw their judge start from his tri- 

 bunal to embrace the supposed criminal : Sep- 

 timius recollected his friend and former bene- 

 factor, and hnng upon his neck with tears of 

 pity and joy. Need the sequel be related ; 

 Alcander was acquitted ; shared the friendship 

 and honours of the principal citizens of Rome ; 

 lived afterwards in happiness and ease ; and 

 left it to be engraved on his tomb, That no 

 circumstances are so desperate, which Provi- 

 dence may not relieve. 



ESSAY IV. 



WHEN I reflect on the unambitious retire- 

 ment in which I passed the earlier part of my 

 life in the country, I cannot avoid feeling some 

 pain in thinking that those happy days are 

 never to return. In that retreat all nature 

 seemed capable of affording pleasure ; 1 then 

 made no refinements on happiness, but could 

 be pleased with the most awkward efforts to 

 rustic mirth ; thought cross-purposes the high- 

 est stretch of human wit ; and questions and 

 commands the most rational way of spend- 

 ing the evening. Happy could so charming 

 an illusion still continue! I find that age 

 and knowledge only contribute to sour our 

 dispositions. My present enjoyments may 

 be more refined, but they are infinitely less 

 pleasing. The pleasure the best actor gives, 

 can no way compare to that I have re- 

 ceived from a country wag who imitated a 

 quaker's sermon. The music of the finest 

 singer is dissonance to what I felt when our 

 old dairy-maid sung me into tears with John- 

 ny Armstrong's Last good night, or the Cru- 

 elty of Barbara Allen. 



Writers of every age have endeavoured to 

 show that pleasure is in us, and not in the ob- 

 jects offered for our amusement. If the soul 

 be happily disposed, every thing becomes ca- 

 pable of affording entertainment ; and distress 

 will always want a name. Every occurrence 

 passes in review like the figures of a proces- 

 sion ; some may be awkward, others ill dress- 

 ed ; but none but a fool is for this enraged 

 with the master of the ceremonies. 



I remember to have once seen a slave in a 

 fortification in Flanders, who appeared no 

 way touched with his situation. He was 

 maimed, deformed, and chained ; obliged to 

 toil from the appearance of day till night-fall, 

 and condemned to this for life: yet with all 

 these circumstances of apparent wretchedness, 

 he sung, would have danced, but that he want- 

 ed a leg, and appeared the merriest, happiest 

 man of all the garrison. What a practical 

 philosopher was here ; an happy constitution 

 supplied philosophy ; and though seemingly 

 destitute of wisdom, he was really wise. No 

 reading or study had contributed to disenchant 



