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CHAPTER I.

Of Ser Pantaleone's encountering a Friend & some

Enemies.

WAS travelling Vetturino between
Vicenza and Padua, when a pretty

young Gentleman, likewife travelling Poft, came up with me. He appeared about eighteen Years of Age, was tall and well-shaped, with an oval Face and Head, ftrait and beautiful Nofe, Eyes of a vivid blue, Hair of a Mezzotint betwixt brown and fair, white and even Teeth, a Mouth of moft fweet Expreffion, and a winning, engaging Address. He cheerfully accofted me, and we fell to talking of indifferent Matters, which served to beguile the Monotony of the

B

Road. I foon found him to be a University Student, returning to Padua; and as we became more familiar, we got upon the proportionate Merit of Arms and Letters; whereupon my young Gentleman, warming with his Subject, and unable to tell from my peaceable Habit that I had once been a Soldier, exclaimed, “Away with thofe who would place Letters below Arms! For, whether is the more dignified and worthy to be praised, the Labour of the Mind or of the Body? The latter may be had any Time in the Market, of the Peafant that delves as well of the Ox that draws; and a Soldier will engage himself for a Giulio a Day, to flay or be flain, without caring for what State or Prince. The General whom he obeys exercises his Mind, indeed, in Stratagems and Affaults of War,-how to circumvallate this City, how to carry that Fortification; but all this which he practifes in the Field, he has ftudied in the Clofet; wherefore I ftill maintain that the Work of the Head is fuperior to that of the Hand, fince a prudent

Commander needs not to ftrike a Blow, but only to overlook and direct his Soldiers as fo many Puppets."

"That being the Cafe," said I, who was willing to put him up a little, and divert myself with his Talk, "is not the General, after all, to be placed above the mere Man of Letters, fince he turns his Knowledge to practical Account?"

"No," replied he warmly ; " for the highest Ufe of Letters is not that which teaches a Man the Rules of Defence and Attack, but that which raises and conducts his Soul to Heaven. To determine the comparative Value of two Pursuits, we must confider their Aim and End. Where there is no Strife, there can be no Need of Soldiers; and Strife came into the World with Sin, and is a Disgrace to Humanity. But, fince Sin and Strife have entered the World, it has come to pass that numberless brave Men, who would otherwife have done better to keep quiet, have been impelled to redress Injuries, and affert Right by Might, oppofing Force to

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