because I did not imagine that it was the cause of my complaint was un derogatory to the sentiments and character of a philosopher. In fact, if I have erred, so have all the former writers of antiquity; because they bave been my models.

known to me, I used no kind of medicine. At times, I used to be seized with such a degree of lassitude, that, unable to walk, I have been obliged to creep from one place to another: at other times, my briskness and activity have been altogether as much above that of other people, as they were below it before. Sometimes this weakness would seize my head, my feet, or my stomach. Sometimes I have been plagued with too much bile; and, with respect to the headache, I was at one period obliged to give up reading, writing, and every kind of study, beyond that of occasionally making a few extracts. I was my own physician, because I believe it was not in the power of the faculty to find out the nature of my disorder.

I should conclude my letter here, were it not necessary to add something more respecting my own morals and inclinations, particularly the state of my health. I have been convinced, for many years past, that my constitution has been by no means so bad as it might have been had I been born with one of the strongest, and at the same time lived a disorderly life. My strict attention to diet, as I have hinted before, has made many persons suppose it was extremely hurtful; but, as I knew best, I persevered, and was soon sensible of its benefits. When I was young, I used frequently to It remains that I should now say drink water mixed with wine; at something about my religion: many present I loath wine and water as persons have taken it into their heads much as poison. At one time, I car- that, as in my writings I have imitated ried my abstemiousness to such a pitch, Lucian, I am therefore as little friendly that I ate and drank every thing by to religion as he. Thus far I have weight and measure, following the shared the common fate of the most example of those who had found this celebrated men, who have not chosen mathematical way of living extremely to take things upon trust, but to inbeneficial. Eating and drinking alone, quire for themselves. However, which was then my custom, was, by though I follow the philosophers so my friend and others, looked upon to far as they contend against supersti be a certain way to shorten one's days; tion, I always leave them when they however, with respect to time, I am begin to make a jest of religion. I assured this mode lengthened mine. certainly do sometimes dissent from When they objected to me that eating the opinions commonly received; and drinking without company was but the objections which may be next to being excluded from the brought against my writings, on this world, I answered them, that con- score, are so few, and of so little versation and communication were weight, that no decisive judgment not confined to eating and drinking; ought to be formed upon such slight but even this did not acquit me; for grounds. Respecting the being of a others, who carried their reasonings God, I never doubted. The persons still further, pestered me with quota- whom the poet has in view must tions from scripture, to shew, as they surely bear a resemblance to stocks imagined, that any thing like exacti- and stones:--tude in weighing victuals and drink was in a manner trenching upon the providence of God. St. Chrysostom, I recollect reading, was censured in a council because he did not chuse to bathe in company: however, for the sake of peace with my friends, I at ength consented to a little relaxation in the article of diet.

The weakness of body which I am subject to is hereditary. Experience shews that sickness may be propagated as well as other things; but, as

Cælum nitescere, arbores frondescere,
Segeles largiri fruges, florere omnia,
Fontes scatere, herbas, prata conves-

tere;

and yet to deny the existence of an intelligence which superintends all these things, and bestows so much good to mankind, must be a kind of madness. In the meanwhile, I must confess that, in consequence of reading some prohibited books, various doubts respecting revelation were ex

cited in my mind. But, when I found Esset dolendi causa ut injecto equlei that the highest distinction between Freno repente tactu exagitantur nozo. man and beast consisted in his free- Repeated scandals have in a manner dom and capability of making use of hardened me, and I am determined, his reason, I thought it the duty of since I have the example of so great every individual to search into the a man, not only to bear with the reopinions which had been handed flections of the malevolent, but to down to him by his forefathers. I endeavour to merit them afresh.also thought there could be no crime Satire, however, I shall leave to those in reading prohibited books, and even whose age is more adequate to that to be sceptical in every thing where task than I am, and who of course investigation had not taken place. possess that activity which is now I must, however, confess likewise, that the reading of those books raised beginning to leave me. doubts in my mind which had never existed before: but the greatest objection 1 ever experienced arose from reading some Popish writers, who, it is supposed, have weakened the authority of the scriptures with the view of strengthening that of the church; thus what infidels undertake to do openly, the papists effect with more certainty in secret.

These kind of writings, which I read with particular care, threw me into an erroneous path, in which I strayed some years before I recovered myself. For this I was principally indebted to Abbadie's Truth of the Christian Religion; which incomparable work proves the truth of christianity to the greatest satisfaction, and combats infidelity with the strongest weapons. Grotius, Huet, and other apologists for christianity,

were also of considerable service to me. Yet I had still some doubt about the plurality of worlds, which seemed to clash very much with what Moses is supposed to have written upon the creation; however some able commentators upon Moses have since solved them to my satisfaction; and I no longer see that mighty difference between the Hebrew legislator and ⚫ther philosophers respecting the

creation.

From all my sickness and indisposition I have generally experienced a considerable relief in study. This I have made my remedy as a certain refuge: but my reading I have made as miscellaneous as possible. In fact, I think I have accustomed myself to such habits as to enable me to say with Euripides,-

Si mihi nunc tristis primum illuxisset dies,

Nec tam ærumnoso narigassem salo,

Still, as you require that I should favour you with a continuation of my life and travels, from the period in which I ceased to write you by letter, I must inform you, that, after correcting and improving my theatrical works, I presented a complete copy of them to the Danish comedians. The next thing I took in hand was my Dissertation upon the State c Denmark and Norway, both secular and ecclesiastic; soon after which I was called upon to vindicate the Danish East-India Company, whose affairs were then in a rapid decline. The company, on this account, made proposals to the merchants of other nations to join them. As it was necessary to publish in their behalf, I was applied to; and, though I was unacquainted with commercial affairs, I suffered myself to be overcome by the solicitations of my friends, and published a small work in Laun which, by order of the directors, was translated into German and Danish.

Not long after that, I publishe another tract, in which I took a more extensive view of the company's af fairs; which was so well received by the mercantile interest at Copenhagen that they made a proposal for rewarding the author in a liberal manner; but while they were deliberating upea the means of discharging this office, some persons, who knew that I never wrote for money, imagined that the thanks of the company formally conferred would be much more acceptable to me than money. In this ther were not mistaken; for this testimony of their gratitude was all I required.

I must now speak of those days of trouble, that one can scarcely think of without horror, when the greatest part of this royal residence, with the

principal churches, the university, &c. to leave it, thinking they should never were laid in ashes. This happened see it again. Some passed through on the 20th of October, 1728, at night. the gates, others took water, sup-. The fire first made its appearance posing their safety there much greater near the western gate, and spread than upon land. It was afflicting to with an amazing activity; for the see the confusion and terror of the wind being very high, the flames people at large, who seemed to give spread from street to street, while the up the place without any hope of savpeople were so overcome by astonish- ing it. ment, that for a considerable time they The fire having raged two days, remained, in a great measure, idle without intermission, and almost all spectators. Before this calamity took the old town being in ashes, together place, though fires occasionally broke with a part of the new, the inhabitants out, it was very seldom that a whole seemed to awaken, as it were, from a house was destroyed, in consequence deep sleep. The activity they now of the promptitude with which assist- used was incredible: determined to ance was given: but now astonish- save what remained, men, women, ment seemed to prevail over every and children mutually engaged in the other feeling, and of course the undertaking. This zeal extended to danger was supposed to be much all ranks, and even the king himself, greater than it really was. Men, wo- with the crown prince, encouraged men, and children might then have the people, by their presence, to per◄ been seen all lamenting together; severe in their exertions. In a very while others, mischievously inclined, short time these endeavours were took no small pains to persuade the crowned with success. by which it credulous that incendiaries had got may be seen how much may be efinto the city, and were hired to de- fected when undertaken and carried stroy it. Those persons, also, whose on with spirit. particular duty it was to quench the flames, were so embarrassed that they scarcely knew where to begin. Instead of applying themselves to their business, they ran about, or were only in each other's way. They had no fire-engines, no ladders, no fire-books, or any means whatever generally used on these occasions; such was the confusion that ensued from a misfortune so unexpected.

In this destructive fire, with others, the church of our Lady, that of the Holy Ghost, and the Trinity, became the prey of the flames, together with the library of the university, the astronomical tower, the globes and instruments of Tycho Brahe, the townhouse, and those of the professors, where an hundred poor students were daily fed. The Consistory alone, in which the professors held their meetings, remained untouched, amidst the burning ruins; and we may now say of this university:

He seges, ubi Troja fuit.

In the mean while the fire continued its ravages. The public buildings, and the other houses in general, were so quickly laid in ashes, that one would have thought they had been so many huts of straw, rather than In the whole, sixty-seven streets, stone buildings. The greater the dis- besides public buildings, were reduced tance from the spot where the fire to ashes, in which near four thousand began, the greater was the danger; persons resided, together with five for those persons whose houses were churches, and a part of the New Orfirst caught by the flames, did, in a phan House. It was now, and not great measure, save their goods and before, that the inhabitants learned effects by the assistance of their friends. the full extent of their calamities. Those, however, who lived further off, Many, rich before, were now reduced not dreaming their own houses in- to beg their bread of others, and to volved, now found they had lost the regret what they had so luxuriously Opportunity of helping themselves. expended in their better days. Many In fact, to such an amazing extent did were now seen on foot who, but a the flames proceed, that the inhabit- short time before, might have been ants, seeing the city on fire in several supposed to have had no legs; and different places, took the resolution some asked almis who had been in