NUMB. 189 The mifchiefs of falfehood. The character of Turpicula Page 282 190 The hiftory of Abouzaid, the fon of Morad 287 194 A young nobleman's progrefs in politeness. 195 A young nobleman's introduction to the knowledge of the town 310 316 196 Human opinions mutable. The hopes of youth fallacious 322 200 After's complaint of the infolence of Profpero. Un politenefs not always the effect of pride 201 The importance of punctuality 346 203 The pleasures of life to be fought in profpects of fu 202 The different acceptations of poverty. Cynicks and Monks not poor 352 358 turity. Future fame uncertain 363 205 The history of Seged concluded 204 The hiftory of ten days of Seged, emperor of Ethiopia 206 The art of living at the cost of others 368 207 The folly of continuing too long upon the ftage 208 The Rambler's reception. His defign 374 380386 392 THE THE RAMBLE R. NUMB. 141. TUESDAY, July 23, 1751. Hilarifque, tamen cum pondere, virtus. STAT. Greatnefs with eafe, and gay feverity. SIR, To the RAMBLER. POLITICIANS have long obferved, that the greatest events may be often traced back to fender caufes. Petty competition or casual friendship, the prudence of a slave, or the garrulity of a woman, have hindered or promoted the most important schemes, and haftened or retarded the revolutions of empire. Whoever shall review his life will generally find, that the whole tenor of his conduct has been determined by fome accident of no apparent moment, or by a combination of inconfiderable circumftances, acting when his imagination was unoccupied, and VOL. VII. B his his judgment unfettled; and that his principles and actions have taken their colour from fome fecret infu-fion, mingled without defign in the current of his ideas. The defires that predominate in our hearts, are inftilled by imperceptible communications at the time when we look upon the various fcenes of the world, and the different employments of men, with the neutrality of inexperience; and we come forth from the nursery or the fchool, invariably deftined to the purfuit of great acquifitions, or petty accomplishments. Such was the impulfe by which I have been kept in motion from my earliest years. I was born to an inheritance which gave my childhood a claim to dif tinction and careffes, and was accustomed to hear applaufes, before they had much influence on my thoughts. The firft praife of which I remember myfelf fenfible was that of good-humour, which, whether I deferved it or not when it was beftowed, I have fince made it my whole bufinefs to propagate and maintain. When I was fent to fchool, the gaiety of my look, and the liveliness of my loquacity, foon gained me admiffion to hearts not yet fortified against affection by artifice or intereft. I was entrusted with every firatagem, and affociated in every fport; my company gave alacrity to a frolick, and gladness to a holiday. I was indeed fo much employed in adjufting or executing fchemes of diverfion, that I had no leilure for my tafks, but was furnished with exercifes, and inftructed in my leffons, by fome kind tron of the higher claffes. My master, not suspecting my deficiency, or unwilling to detect what his pa kindness kindness would not punish nor his impartiality excufe, allowed me to efcape with a flight examination, laughed at the pertnefs of my ignorance, and the sprightliness of my abfurdities, and could not forbear to show that he regarded me with fuch tenderness, as genius and learning can feldom excite. From school I was difmiffed to the univerfity, where I foon drew upon me the notice of the younger ftudents, and was the conftant partner of their morning walks, and evening compotations. I was not indeed much celebrated for literature, but was looked on with indulgence as a man of parts, who wanted nothing but the dulnefs of a scholar, and might become eminent whenever he should condefcend to labour and attention. My tutor a while reproached me with negligence, and repreffed my fallies with fupercilious gravity; yet having natural good humour lurking in his heart, he could not long hold out against the power of hilarity, but after a few months began to relax the mufcles of difciplinarian morofenefs, received me with fmiles after an elopement, and, that he might not betray his truft to his fondnefs, was content to fpare my diligence by increafing his own. Thus I continued to diffipate the gloom of collegiate aufterity, to waste my own life in idlenefs, and lure others from their ftudies, till the happy hour arrived, when I was fent to London. I foon difcovered the town to be the proper element of youth and gaiety, and was quickly diftinguifhed as a wit by the ladies, a fpecies of beings only heard of at the univerfity, whom I had no fooner the happiness of approaching than I devoted all my faculties to the ambition of pleafing them. B 2 A wit, |