this world after me. When I reflect what an inconsiderable little atom every fingle man is, with respect to the whole creation, methinks, 'tis a fhame to be concern'd at the removal of fuch a trivial animal as I am. The morning after my exit, the fun will rife as bright as ever, the flowers fmell as fweet, the plants spring as green, the world will proceed in its old course, people will laugh as heartily, and marry as fast, as they were us'd to do. The memory of man, (as it is elegantly exprefs'd in the Book of Wisdom) paffeth away as the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but one day. There are reasons enough, in the fourth chapter of the fame book, to make any young man contented with the prospect of death. "For honour"able age is not that which standeth in length of time, or is measur'd by number of years. But wisdom is the grey hair to men, "and an unfpotted life is old age. He was "taken away speedily, left wickedness should "alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his foul," &c. I am Your, &c. LETTER 1 LETTER IV. To Mr. STEELE. Nov. 7, 1712. Was the other day in company with five or fix men of some learning; where chancing to mention the famous verfes which the Emperor Adrian spoke on his death-bed, they were all agreed that 'twas a piece of gaiety unworthy of that prince in those circumstances. I could not but differ from this opinion: methinks it was by no means a gay, but a very ferious foliloquy to his foul at the point of its departure; in which fenfe I naturally took the verses at my first reading them, when I was very young, and before I knew what interpretation the word generally put upon them. Animula vagula, blandula, Nec (ut foles) dabis joca ! "Alas, my foul! thou pleafing companion of "this body, thou fleeting thing that art now deferting it! whither art thou flying? to "what unknown fcene? all trembling, fear "ful "ful, and penfive! what now is become of thy former wit and humour? thou shalt jest "and be gay no more." I confess I cannot apprehend where lies the trifling in all this: 'tis the most natural and obvious reflection imaginable to a dying man: and if we confider the Emperor was a heathen, that doubt concerning the future fate of his foul will seem fo far from being the effect of want of thought, that 'twas fcarce reasonable he should think otherwise; not to mention that here is a plain confeffion included of his belief in its immortality. The diminutive epithets of vagula, blandula, and the reft, appear not to me as expreffions of levity, but rather of endearment and concern; fuch as we find in Catullus, and the authors of Hendeca-fyllabi after him, where they are used to express the utmoft love and tenderness for their mistreffes.--If you think me right in my notion of the last words of Adrian, be pleas'd to infert it in the Spectator; if not, to fupprefs it. I am, &c. ADRIANI morientis Ad ANIMAM, TRANSLATE D. Ah fleeting Spirit! wand'ring fire, tender breast, That long haft warm'd my Whither, ah whither art thou flying! To what dark, undiscover'd shore ? Thou feem'st all trembling, fhiv'ring, dying, And Wit and Humour are no more! LETTER V. Mr. STEELE to Mr. POPE. Nov. 12, 1712. Have read over your Temple of Fame twice, and cannot find any thing amiss, of weight enough to call a fault, but fee in it a thousand thousand beauties. Mr. Addifon fhall fee it to-morrow: after his perufal of it, I will let you know his thoughts. I defire you would let me know whether you are at leisure or not? I have a design which I shall open a month or two hence, with the affiftance of the few like yourself. If your thoughts are unengaged, I shall explain myself further. I am will oblige me much more by the kind severity I hope for from you. No errors are so trivial, but they deserve to be mended. But fince you fay you fee nothing that may be call'd a fault, can you but think it fo, that I have confin'd the attendance of a Guardian spirits to Heaven's favourites only? I could point you to feveral, but 'tis my business to be informed of thofe faults I do not know; and as for those I do, not to talk of them, but to correct them. You speak of that poem in a ftyle I neither merit, nor expect; but, I affure you, if you freely mark or dash out, I shall look upon your blots to be its greatest beauties: I mean, if Mr. Addison and yourself should like it in the whole; otherwise the trouble of correction is what I would not take, for I was really fo diffident of it as to let it lie by me these two years, juft as you now fee it. I am afraid of nothing so much as to impose any thing on the world which is unworthy of its acceptance. As to the last period of your letter, I fhall be very ready and glad to contribute to any design that tends to the advantage of mankind, which, I am fure, all yours do. I wish I had |