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It was, however, not very common to fteer with much care or prudence; for, by fome univerfal infatuation, every man appeared to think himself safe, though he faw his conforts every moment finking around him; and no fooner had the waves closed over them, than their fate and their misconduct were forgotten; the voyage was pursued with the fame jocund confidence, every man congratulated himfelf upon the foundness 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 dashed: nor was it often obferved that the fight of a wreck made any man change his courfe. If he turned afide for a moment, he foon forgot the rudder, and left himself again to the difpofal of chance.

This negligence did not proceed from indifference, or from weariness of their prefent condition; for not one of thofe, who thus rushed upon deftruction, failed, when he was finking, to call loudly upon his affociates for that help which could not now be given him and many spent their last moments in cautioning others against the folly by which they were intercepted in the midst of their courfe. Their benevolence was fometimes praised, but their admonitions were unregarded.

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The veffels in which we had embarked, being confeffedly unequal to the turbulence of the stream of life, were vis ibly impaired in the course of the voyage, fo that every paf fenger was certain, that how long foever he might, by.favourable accidents, or by inceffant vigilance, be preferved, he muft fink at laft.

This neceffity of perishing might have been expected to fadden the gay, and intimidate the daring; at least to keep the melancholy and timorous in perpetual torments, and hinder them from any enjoyment of the varieties and gratifications which nature offered them as the folace of their labours yet in effect none feemed lefs to expect destruction than thofe to whom it was most dreadful; they all had the art of concealing their danger from themselves; and those who know their inability to bear the fight of the terrors that embarra ffed their way, took care never to look forward; but found fome amufement of the present moment, and generally entertained themselves by playing with Hope, who was the conftant affociate of the Voyage of Life.

Yet all that Hope ventured to promife, even to those whom the favoured molt, was, not that they should escape,

but that they should fink at laft; and with this promise every one was tatisfied, though he laughed at the rest for feeming to believe it. Hope, indeed, apparently mocked the credulity of her companions; for, in proportion as their veffels grew leaky, fhe redoubled her affurances of fafety; and none were more bufy in making provifions for a long voyage, than they whom all but themselves faw likely to perifh foon by irreparable decay.

In the midst of the current of Life was the gulf of Intemperance,a dreadful whirlpool, interfperfed with rocks, of which the pointed crags were concealed under water, and the tops covered with herbage, on which Eafe fpread couches of repofe; and with fhades, where Pleasure warbled the fong of invitation. Within fight of these rocks, all who failed on the ocean of Life muft neceffarily pafs. Reafon indeed was always at hand, to fteer the paffengers through a narrow outlet, by which they might efcape; but very few could,by her entreaties or remonftrances, be induced to put the rudder into her hand, without ftipulating that she fhould approach fo near the rocks of Pleasure, that they might folace themselves with a fhort enjoyment of that delicious region, after which they always determined to pursue their courfe without any other deviation.

Reafon was too often prevailed upon fo far by these promifes, as to venture her charge within the eddy of the gulf of Intemperance, where, indeed, the circumvolution was weak, but yet interrupted the courfe of the veffel, and drew it by infenfible rotations, towards the centre. She then repented her temerity, and with all her force endeavoured to retreat; but the draught of the gulf was generally too ftrong to be overcome; and the paffenger, having danced in circles with a pleafing and giddy velocity, was at laft overwhelmed and loft. Thofe few whom reafon was able to extricate, generally fuffered fo many fhocks upon the points which fhot out from the rocks of Pleasure that they were unable to continue their courfe with the fame ftrength and facility as before; but floated along timorously and feebly, endangered by every breeze, and hattered by every ruffle of the water, till they funk, by flow degrees, after long fruggles, and innumerable expedients, always repining at their own folly, and warning others against the first approach towards the gulf of Intem

perance.

There were artists who profeffed to repair the breaches and ftop the leaks, of the veffels which had been shattered

on the rocks of Pleafure. Many appeared to have great confidence in their skill; and fome, indeed, were preserved by it from finking who had received only a single blow: but I remarked that few veffels lafted long which had been much repaired; nor was it found that the artists themfelves continued afloat longer than those who had least of their affistance

The only advantage, which in the voyage of Life, the cautious had above the negligent, was, that they sunk later and more fuddenly; for they paffed forward till they had fometimes feen all those in whofe company they had issued from the traits of Infancy, perifh in the way, and at last were overfet by a cross breeze, without the toil of resist ance, or the anguish of expectation. But fuch as had of ten fallen against the rocks of Pleasure, commonly subfided by fenfible degrees; contended long with the encroaching waters; and haraffed themselves by labours that scarcely Hope herfelf could flatter with fuccefs

As I was looking upon the various fates of the multitude about me, I was fuddenly alarmed with an admonition from fome unknown power : "Gaze not idly upon others when thou thyfelf art finking. Whence is this thoughtlefs tranquillity, when thou and they are equally endangered?" I looked, and feeing the gulf of Intemperance before me, ftarted and awaked.

SECTION II.

DR. JOHNSON.

The vanity of those purfuits which have human approbation for their chief object.

Among the emirs and vifiers, the fons of valour and of wisdom, that ftand at the corners of the Indian throne, to affift the councils, or conduct the wars of the posterity of Timur, the first place was long held by Morad, the fon of Hanuth. Morad, having fignalized himfelt in many battles and fieges, was rewarded with the government of a province, from which the fame of his wifdom and moderation was wafted to the pinnacles of Agra, by the prayers of those whom his administration made happy The emperor called him into his prefence, and gave into his hand the keys of riches, and the fabre of command. The voice of Morad was heard from the cliffs of Taurus to the Indian ocean every tongue faltered in his prefence, and every eye was caft down before him.

Morad lived many years in profperity; every day increased his wealth and extended his influence. The fages

repeated his maxims; the captains of thoufands waited his commands Competition withdrew into the cavern of envy, and discontent trembled at her own murmurs. But human greatness is short and tranfitory, as the odour of incenfe in the fire. The fun grew weary of gilding the palaces of Morad ¿ the clouds of forrow gathered round his head; and the tempeft of hatred roared about his dwelling. Morad faw ruin haftily approaching. The first that forfook him were his poets. Their example was followed by all those whom he had rewarded for contributing to his, pleasures; and only a few, whofe virtue had entitled them to favour, were now to be seen in his hall or chambers. He felt his danger, and proftrated himself at the foot of the throne. His accufers were confident and loud; his friends flood contented with frigid neutrality; and the voice of truth was overborne by clamour. He was divested of his power, deprived of his acquifitions, and condemned to pass the reft of his life on his hereditary estate.

Morad had been so long accustomed to crowds and bufinefs, fupplicants and flattery, that he knew not how to fill up his hours in folitude. He faw, with regret, the fun rife to force on his eye a new day for which he had no ufe; and envied the favage that wanders in the defert, because he has no time vacant from the calls of nature, but is always chafing his prey, or fleeping in his den.

His difcontent in time vitiated his conftitution, and a flow disease seized upon him. He refused phyfic, neglected ex-, ercife, and lay down on his couch peevish and restless, rather afraid to die, than defirous to live. His domeftics, for a time, redoubled their affiduities; but finding that no officioufnefs could footh, nor exactnefs fatisfy, they foon gave way to negligence and floth; and he that once commanded nations, often languished in his chamber without an attendant.

In this melancholy ftate, he commanded meffengers to recall his eldest for, Abouzaid, from the army. Abouzaid was alarmed at the account of his father's sickness; and hasted, by long journies, to his place of refidence. Morad was yet living, and felt his strength return at the embraces of his fon : then commanding him to fit down at his bed-fide, “Abouzaid," said he, "thy father has no more to hope or fear from the inhabitants of the earth; the cold hand of the angel of death is now upon him, and the voracious grave

is howling for his prey. Hear therefore the precepts of

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ancient experience: let not my laft inftructions iffue forth in vain. Thou haft feen me happy and calamitous; thou haft beheld my exaltation and my fall. My power is in the hands of my enemies; my treasures have rewarded my accufers; but my inheritance the clemency of the emperor has fpared; and my wifdom his anger could not take away. Caft thine eyes round thee: whatever thou beholdest will in a few hours be thine: apply thine ear to my dictates, and thefe poffeffions will promote thy happiness. Afpire not to public honours; enter not the palaces of kings: thy wealth will fet thee above infult; let thy moderation keep thee below envy. Content thyfelf with private dignity; diffuse thy riches among thy friends; let every day extend thy beneficence; and fuffer not thy heart to be at reft, till thou art loved by all to whom thou art known. In the height of my power, I faid to defamation, Who will hear thee? and to artifice, What canft thou perform? But my fon, defpife not thou the malice of the weakeft: remember that venom supplies the want of ftrength; and that the lion may perish by the puncture of an afp.”

Morad expired in a few hours. Abouzaid, after the months of mourning, determined to regulate his conduct by his father's precepts; and cultivate the love of mankind by every art of kindness and endearment. He wifely confid ered, that domestic happiness was firft to be fecured; and that none have so much power of doing good or hurt, as those who were prefent in the hour of negligence, hear the burfts of thoughtlefs merriment, and obferve the starts of unguarded paffion. He therefore augmented the pay of all his attendants; and requited every exertion of uncommon diligence by fupernumerary gratuities. While he congratulated himself upon the fidelity and affection of his family, he was in the night alarmed with robbers; who being purfued and taken, declared that they had been admitted by one of his fervants. The fervant immediately confeffed, that he unbarred the door, because another, not more worthy of confidence, was entrusted with the keys.

Abouzaid was thus convinced that a dependant could not eafily be made a friend; and that while many were foliciting for the first rank of favour, all thofe would be alienated whom he difappointed. He therefore resolved to affociate with a few equal companions felected from among the chief men of the province. With thefe he lived happily for a ime, till familiarity set them free from reftraint, and every

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