Sociable Letters 225 



likes best, it sends them forth to the senses to write 

 them down, and then to send them out to the pubHck 

 view of the world; and many times the senses send 

 in objects to the mind, who straight commands his 

 poetical thoughts to take them for plots of playes, or 

 causes the grave philosophical thoughts to discourse 

 of them, or his oratorical thoughts to practice their 

 eloquence on them, or his critical thoughts to dispute 

 and argue with them. Which done, all their several 

 discourses, disputes, arguments, poems, playes, and 

 the like, made on those objects, are sent back to the 

 senses to write them down, so that the mind and the 

 thoughts imploy the senses, and the senses imploy the 

 mind and thoughts ; and thus I take as much pleasure 

 within myself, if not more, as the Lady S. P. doth 

 without herself. Indeed none enjoyes truly himself, 

 but those that live to themselves, as I do, and it is 

 better to be a self-lover in a retired life, than a self- 

 seeker in a wandering humour like a vagabond, for 

 they go from place to place, from one company to 

 another, and never are at rest in their minds nor 

 bodies; and how should it be otherwise? For they 

 lose themselves in company, and keeping much 

 company, they know not where to find themselves, for 

 as for their dweUing-place, they are sure to miss of 

 themselves there. But indeed they have no constant 

 dwelling, for going much abroad, they dwell every 

 where, and yet to speak metaphorically, no where. 

 But every one's dehghts are different, for the Lady 

 S. P. delights her self with others, and I delight my 

 self with my self; some dehght in troubles, I delight 

 in ease, and certainly much company and conversa- 

 tion cannot chuse but be troublesome; for in much 

 company are many exceptions, much envy, much 

 suspicion, much detraction, much faction, much noise, 



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