proper theatre of my abilities, and difdain to exert my genius for the praise of ruftics. I believe, Mr RAMBLER, that it has fometimes happened to others, who have the good or ill fortune to be celebrated for wits, to fall under the fame cenfures upon the like occafions; and therefore hope you will prevent any misrepresentations of fuch failures, by remarking, that invention is not wholly at the command of its poffeffor; that the power of pleafing is very often obftructed by the defire; that all expectation leffens furprise, but without furprise there is no gaiety; and that those who defire to partake of the pleasure of wit, must contribute to its production; fince the imagination ftagnates without external ventilation, and the effervefcence of the mind, which flashes into tranfport, can be raised only by the infufion of diffimi lar ideas. Ipfa quoque affiduo labuntur tempora motu, Ife (fays Seneca) is a voyage, in the pro L grefs of which we are perpetually chan ging our fcenes; we firft leave childhood "behind us, then youth, then the years of ripened "manhood, then the latter and more pleafing part VOL. IV. A a "of "of old age." The perufal of this paffage having excited in me a train of reflections on the state of man, the inceffant fluctuation of his wishes, the gradual change of his difpofitions to all external objects, and the thoughtleffnefs with which he floats along the stream of time, I funk into a slumber amidft my meditations; and on a fudden found my ears filled with the tumult of labour, the fhouts of alacrity, the fhrieks of alarm, the whistle of winds, and the dash of waters. My astonishment for a time repreffed my curiofity: but foon recovering myself so far as to inquire whither we were going, and what was the cause of fuch clamour and confufion, I was told, that they were lanching out into the Ocean of Life; that we had already paffed the ftraits of INFANCY, in which multitudes had perifhed; fome by the weaknefs and fragility of their veffels, and more by the folly, perverfenefs, or negligence of those who undertook to fteer them; and that we were now on the main fea, abandoned to the winds and billows, without any other means of fecurity, than the care of the pilot, whom it was always in our power to chufe among great numbers that offered their direction and affiftance. I then looked round with anxious eagerness; and firit turning my eyes behind me, faw a stream flowing through flowery islands, which those who were failing along feemed to behold with pleasure; but no fooner touched, than the current, which, though not noify or turbulent, was yet irresistible, bore them away. Beyond thefe iflands all was darkness nor could any of the paffengers defcribe the shore at which he first embarked. Before !. Before me, and on each fide, was an expanse of waters violently agitated, and covered with fo thick a mift, that the most perfpicacious eye could fee but a little way. It appeared to be full of rocks and whirlpools; for many funk unexpectedly while they were courting the gale with full fails, and infulting those whom they had left behind. So numerous indeed were the dangers, and fo thick the darkness, that no caution could confer fecurity. Yet there were many, who, by falfe intelligence, betrayed their followers into whirlpools, or by violence pushed those whom they found in their way against the rocks. The current was invariable and infurmountable: but though it was impoffible to fail against it, or to return to the place that was once paffed; yet it was not fo violent as to allow no opportunities for dexterity or courage; fince, though none could retreat back from danger, yet they might often avoid it by oblique direction. It was, however, not very common to steer with much care or prudence: for, by fome univerfal in. fatuation, every man appeared to think himself safe, though he faw his conforts every moment finking round him; and no sooner had the waves closed over them, than their fate and their misconduct were forgotten; the voyage was purfued with the fame jocand confidence; every man congratulated himfelf upon the foundnefs of his veffel, and believed himself able to ftem the whirlpool in which his friend was fwallowed, or glide over the rocks on which he was dafhed: nor was it often obferved, that the fight of a wreck made any man change his courfe ; or if he turned aside for a moment, he foon forgot A a 2 the |