346 



give accident an active employment, that 

 I should be quite at a loss without its as- 

 sistance. All I can do for you is, to imi- 

 tate what I have seen done in Italy by the 

 writers of operas, though from motives which 

 certainly have nothing to do with, philoso- 

 phy;: they ; begin with professing, that al- 

 though the words 44 fa to,- fortuna," &c. are- 

 made use of, nothing is to be understood, 

 contrary to the true Catholic faith. I am 

 really, to make the same sort of. profession ; 

 and now, with your leave, will go on ; only 

 premising, that as by nature, I mean the 

 constant and regular effect of an unknown 

 cause; so by accident, I mean the incon- 

 stant, and irregular effect, of a cause 

 equally unknown. . 



44 If then the emperor were present, I 

 think I could account to him for the plea- 

 sure he received from the objects he men- 

 tions, rnuch better than he has done by his 

 stoic doctrines,;, and yet, in some. measure, 

 according to his, own , expressions. You 

 translate Ta l£$ty*Mf?£ rotg 9 V(rhl ywopwoig, the 

 productions of nature, and their accessa- 



