PREFACE. 



who, in marks of simplicity the most pleasing that 

 ever followed the movements of a pen, has, on 

 numerous subjects, left, to ages unborn, philosophy 

 the most profound and sentiments the most just and 

 exalted. 



A MAN OF FOURSCORE was planting trees. To 

 *' build might pass; but, to plant at such an age 1" 

 exclaimed three young men of the neighbour- 

 hood. *' Surely/' said they, "you are doaling ; 

 " for, in God's name, what reward can you receive 

 ** for this, unless you were to live as long as one 

 " of the Patriarchs ? Wliat good can there be in 

 *' loading yuui life with cares about a time which 

 ** you are destined never to see ? Pray devote the 

 *' rest of your life to thoughts on your past errors ; 

 ** give up distant and grand expectations : these 

 become only us young men." — " They become 

 " not even you," answered the Old Man. All 

 ** we do comes late, and is quickly gone. The pale 

 ** hand of fate sports equally with your days and 

 •* with mine. The shortness of our lives puts us 

 all on a level. Who can say which of us shall 

 last behold the light of heaven ? Can any mo- 

 ment of your lives secure you even a second 

 "moment? My great grand-children will owe 

 *' shady groves to me : And, do you blame me for 

 " providing delight for others ! Why, the thought 

 of this is, of itself, a reward which 1 already 

 " enjoy ; I may enjoy it to-morrow, and for some 

 ** days after that; nay, 1 may more than once 

 " even see the sun rise on your graves." The 

 Old Man was right : one of the three, ambitious 

 to see the New World, was drowned in the port; 

 another, pursuing fame in the service of Mars, 

 was suddenly stopped by an unexpected shot ; the 

 third fell from a tree, on which he himself was 

 putting a giafF : and the Old Man, lamenting 

 their sad end, engraved on their tomb the story 

 here related. 



