NUMB. 127. TUESDAY, June 4, 1751. Capifti melius quàm definis: ultima primis Succeeding years thy early fame destroy; POL OVID OLITIAN, a name eminent among the reftorers of polite literature, when he published a collection of epigrams, prefixed to many of them the year of his age at which they were compofed, He might defign by this information, either to boast the early maturity of his genius, or to conciliate indulgence to the puerility of his performances. But whatever was his intent, it is remarked by Scaliger, that he very little promoted his own reputation, because he fell below the promise which his first productions had given, and in the latter part of his life feldom equalled the fallies of his youth. It is not uncommon for those who at their first entrance into the world were diftinguished for attainments or abilities, to disappoint the hopes which they had raised, and to end in neglect and obscurity that life which they began in celebrity and honour. To the long catalogue of the inconveniencies of old age, which moral and fatirical writers have fo copiously displayed, may be often added the lofs of fame. The advance of the human mind towards any object of laudable purfuit, may be compared to the progrefs of a body driven by a blow. It moves 6 for for a time with great velocity and vigour, but the force of the first impulfe is perpetually decreafing, and though it fhould encounter no obftacle capable of quelling it by a fudden ftop, the refiftance of the medium through which it paffes, and the latent inequalities of the fimootheft furface, will in a short time by continued retardation wholly overpower it. Some hindrances will be found in every road of life, but he that fixes his eyes upon any thing at a diftance, neceffarily lofes fight of all that fills up the intermediate space, and therefore fets forward with alacrity and confidence, nor fufpects a thousand obstacles by which he afterwards finds his paffage embarraffed and obftructed. Some are indeed ftopt at once in their career by a fudden shock of calamity, or diverted to a different direction by the cross impulfe of fome violent paffion; but far the greater part languish by flow degrees, deviate at firft into flight obliquities, and themselves fcarcely perceive at what time their ardour forfook them, or when they loft fight of their original defign, Weariness and negligence are perpetually prevailing by filent encroachments, affifted by different causes, and not obferved till they cannot, without great difficulty, be oppofed. Labour neceffarily requires paufes of ease and relaxation, and the delicioufnefs of eafe commonly makes us unwilling to return to labour. We, perhaps, prevail upon ourfelves to renew our attempts, but eagerly liften to every argument for frequent interpofitions of amuse-. ment; for when indolence has once entered upon the mind, it can scarcely be difpoffeffed but by fuch efforts as very few are willing to exert, It is the fate of industry to be equally endangered by mifcarriage and fuccefs, by confidence and defpondency. He that engages in a great undertaking with a falfe opinion of its facility, or too high conceptions of his own ftrength, is eafily discouraged by the first hindrance of his advances, becaufe he had promifed himself an equal and perpe. tual progreffion without impediment or disturbance; when unexpected interruptions break in upon him, he is in the ftate of a man furprifed by a tempeft, where he purpofed only to bask in the calm, or sport in the fhallows. It is not only common to find the difficulty of an enterprize greater, but the profit lefs, than hope had pictured it. Youth enters the world with very happy prejudices in her own favour. She imagines herself not only certain of accomplishing every adventure, but of obtaining thofe rewards which the accomplishment may deferve. She is not easily perfuaded to believe that the force of merit can be refifted by obftinacy and avarice, or its luftre darkened by envy and malignity. She has not yet learned that the most evident claims to praise or preferment may be rejected by malice against conviction, or by indolence without examination; that they may be fometimes defeated by artifices, and fometimes overborn by clamour; that in the mingled numbers of mankind, many need no other provacation to enmity than that they find themselves excelled; that others have ceafed their curiofity, and confider every man who fills the mouth of report with a new name, as an intruder upon their retreat, and difturber of their repofe; that fome are engaged gaged in complications of intereft which they imagine endangered by every innovation; that many yield themselves up implicitly to every report which hatred diffeminates or folly fcatters; and that whoever afpires to the notice of the publick, has in almoft every man an enemy and a rival; and must truggle with the oppofition of the daring, and elude the ftratagems of the timorous, muft quicken the frigid and foften the obdurate, muft reclaim perverseness and inform ftupidity. It is no wonder that when the profpect of reward has vanished, the zeal of enterprize fhould cease; for who would perfevere to cultivate the foil which he has, after long labour, difcovered to be barren? He who hath pleased himself with anticipated praises, and expected that he should meet in every place with patronage or friendship, will foon remit his vigour, when he finds that from thofe who defire to be confidered as his admirers nothing can be hoped but cold civility, and that many refufe to own his excellence, left they fhould be too justly expected to reward it. A man, thus cut off from the profpect of that port to which his addrefs and fortitude had been employed to steer him, often abandons himself to chance and to the wind, and glides careless and idle down the current of life, without refolution to make another effort, till he is fwallowed up by the gulph of mortality. Others are betrayed to the fame defertion of them, felves by a contrary fallacy. It was faid of Hannikal that he wanted nothing to the completion of his martial martial virtues, but that when he had gained a vic tory he should know how to use it. The folly of defifting too foon from fuccefsful labours, and the hafte of enjoying advantages before they are fecured, is often fatal to men of impetuous defire, to men whose consciousness of uncommon powers fills them with prefumption, and who having born oppofition down before them, and left emulation panting behind, are early perfuaded to imagine that they have reached the heights of perfection, and that now, being no longer in danger from competitors, they may pass the rest of their days in the enjoyment of their acquifitions, in contemplation of their own fuperiority, and in attention to their own praises, and look unconcerned from their eminence upon the toils and contentions of meaner beings, It is not fufficiently confidered in the hour of exultation, that all human excellence is comparative; that no man performs much but in proportion to what others accomplish, or to the time and opportunities which have been allowed him; and that he who stops at any point of excellence is every day finking in eftimation, because his improvement grows continually more incommenfurate to his life. Yet, as no man willingly quits opinions favourable to himfelf, they who have once been justly celebrated, imagine that they ftill have the fame pretenfions to regard, and feldom perceive the diminution of their character while there is time to recover it. Nothing then remains but murmurs and remorse; for if the fpendthrift's poverty be embittered by the reflection that he once was rich, how must the idler's obfcurity |