and this is the reason why they ask the advice of many, and confide in none. Every man of candour, reflection, and good fenfe, pities the condition of virtuous Sovereigns; for even the best of Sovereigns are not totally exempt from fears and jealoufies. Their felicity never equals that of a laborious and contented husbandman; their pleasures are neither fo pure nor fo permanent, nor can they even experience the fame tranquillity and unalloyed content. The provifions, indeed, of a peafant are coarse, but to his appetite they are delicious: his bread his hard, but he goes to it fatigued by the honeft labours of the day, and fleeps founder on his mat of straw than monarchs on their beds of down. * Somnus egreftium Lenis virorum non humiles dormus Faftidit, umbrofamque riffam, Non Zephyris agitata Tempe. HOR. Lib. 3. Can. 1. *The reftleffness which hangs round the thorny pillow of Royalty, and prevents the wearied eye of greatnefs from tafting/ that fweet and comfortable repofe which relieves the unambitious toil of humble industry, is finely described by our immortal Poet SHAKESPEARE, in the Soliloquy of HENRY THE FOURTH. "How many thousands of my poorest subjects And fteep my fenfes in forgetfulness? Why "Why rather, Sleep, ly'ft thou on fmoaky cribs, "Upon uneafy pallets ftretching thee, "And hufh'd with buzzing night-flies to thy flumber, "Than in the perfum'd chambers of the great, "Under high canopies of coftly ftate, "And lull'd with founds of fweetest melody? O, thou dull God, why ly'st thou with the vile "And in the vifitation of the winds, "Curling their monftrous heads, and hanging them "With all appliances and means to boot, "Deny it to a king! Then, happy, lowly clown, "Uneafy lies the head that wears a crown." HENRY IV. Part 2, Alt 3, Scene 1. CHAPTER THE SIXTH. THE ADVANTAGES OF SOLITUDE IN EXILE. THE advantages of Solitude are not confined to rank, to fortune, or to circumstances. Fragrant breezes, magnificent forefts, richly tinted meadows, and that endless variety of beautiful objects which the birth of spring spreads over the face of nature, enchant not only Philofophers, Kings, and Heroes, but ravish the mind of the meaneft fpectator with exquifite delight. An English author has very justly observed, that "it is not neceffary that he who looks with "pleasure on the colour of a flower, should study "the principles of vegetation; or that the Pto"lemaick and Copernican fyftems should be com"pared, before the light of the Sun can gladden, "or its warmth invigorate. Novelty in itself " is a fource of gratification; and Milton juftly "obferves, that to him who has been long pent "up in cities, no rural object can be presented, "which will not delight or refresh some of his "fenfes."* EXILES * The lines of Milton upon this fubject are so extremely beautiful, that we shall make no apology for transcribing them. On Satan's entrance into Paradife, "EVE EXILES themselves frequently experience the advantages and enjoyments of Solitude. Instead of the world from which they are banished, they form in the tranquillity of retirement, a new world for themselves; forget the false joys and fictitious pleasures which they followed in the zenith of greatnefs, habituate their minds to others of a nobler kind, more worthy the attention of rational beings; and to pass their days "Veil'd in a cloud of fragrance, where fhe ftood, "Nearer he drew, and many a walk traversed "Much he the place admir'd, the perfon more. Adjoined, from each thing met conceives delight, with PARADISE LOST, Book 9, line 438. * CICERO fays, "Multa præclare DIONYSIUS PHALEREUS in illo exilio fcripfit; non in ufum aliquem fuum, quo erat orbatus ; * fed animi, cullus ille, erat ei quafi quidam humanitatis cibus.” |