CHARACTEKIZEU BY CERVANTES* 11 



hunting wild beasts is the most proper exercise 

 for knights and pi'inces; for in the chase of a 

 stout noble beast may be represented the whole 

 art of war, stratagems, policy, and ambuscades, 

 with all other devices usually practised to over- 

 come an enemy with safety. Here we are expo- 

 sed to the extremities of heat and cold ; ease 

 and laziness can have no room in this diversion : 

 by this we are inured to toil and hardship ; our 

 limbs are strengthened, our joints made supple, 

 and our whole body hale and active : in short, 

 it is an exercise that may be beneficial to many, 

 and can be prejudicial to none." Small indeed 

 is the number of those who, in the course of 

 five thousand years, have employed themselves 

 in the advancement of useful knowledge. Man- 

 kind have been blessed with but one Titus, that 

 we know of; and it is to be feared he has had 

 but few imitators. Days and years fly away, 

 without any account taken of them ; and how 

 many may reasonably be supposed to pass with- 

 out affording even amusement to others, or 

 satisfaction to ourselves ? Much more, I think, 

 may be said in favour of the Wimbles ; but it 

 must be confessed, that the man who spends his 

 whole time in trifles, passes it contemptibly, 

 compared with those who are employed in re- 



