'their clouds, and the stream of life, if it is not ruffled by obftructions, will grow putrid by stagnation.

My father refolving not to imitate the folly of his ancestors, who had hitherto left the younger fons encumbrances on the eldest, destined me to a lucrative profeffion; and I being careful to lofe no opportunity of improvement, was, at the ufual time in which young men enter the world, well qualified for the exercise of the bufinefs which I had chofen.

My eagerness to diftinguish myself in publick, and my impatience of the narrow scheme of life to which my indigence confined me, did not fuffer me to continue long in the town where I was born. I went away as from a place of confinement, with a refolution to return no more, till I fhould be able to dazzle with my splendour those who now looked upon me with contempt, to reward those who had paid honours to my dawning merit, and to fhow all who had fuffered me to glide by them unknown and neglected, how much they mistook their interest in omitting to propitiate a genius like mine.

Such were my intentions when I fallied forth into the unknown world, in quest of riches and honours, which I expected to procure in a very fhort time; for what could withhold them from induftry and knowledge? He that indulges hope will always be difappointed. Reputation I very foon obtained; but as merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded, I did not find myself yet enriched in proportion to my celebrity.

I had however in time furmounted the obstacles by which envy and competition obstruct the first at

tempts

tempts of a new claimant, and faw my opponents and cenfurers tacitly confeffing their defpair of fuc-, cefs, by courting my friendship and yielding to my influence. They who once purfued me, were now. Latisfied to escape from me; and they who had before thought me prefumptuous in hoping to overtake them, had now their utmost wifh, if they were permitted at no great diftance quietly to follow.

me.

My wants were not madly multiplied as my acquifitions increased, and the time came at length, when I thought myself enabled to gratify all reasonable defires, and when, therefore, I refolved to enjoy that plenty and ferenity which I had been hitherto labouring to procure, to enjoy them while I was yet neither crushed by age into infirmity, nor fo habituated to a particular manner of life as to be unqualified for new ftudies or entertainments.

I now quitted my profeffion, and to fet myself at once free from all importunities to refume it, changed my refidence, and devoted the remaining part of my time to quiet and amusement. Amidft innumerable projects of pleasure which reftlefs idlenefs incited me to form, and of which moft, when they came to the moment of execution, were rejected for others of no longer continuance, fome accident revived in my imagination the pleafing ideas of my native place. It was now in my power to vifit thofe from whom I had been fo long absent, in such a manner as was confiftent with my former refolution, and I wondered how it could happen that I had fo long delayed my own happiness.

Full of the admiration which I fhould excite, and. the homage which I fhould receive, I dreffed my servants in a more oftentatious livery, purchased a magnificent chariot, and refolved to dazzle the inhabitants of the little town with an unexpected blaze of greatness.

While the preparations that vanity required were made for my departure, which, as workmen will not eafily be hurried beyond their ordinary rate, I thought very tedious, I folaced my impatience with imaging the various cenfures that my appearance would produce, the hopes which fome would feel from my bounty, the terror which my power would ftrike on others; the awkward respect with which I should be accofted by timorous officioufnefs; and the distant reverence with which others, lefs familiar to fplendour and dignity, would be contented to gaze upon me. I deliberated a long time, whether I fhould immediately defcend to a level with my former acquaintances, or make my condefcenfion more grateful by a gentle tranfition from haughtiness and referve. At length I determined to forget fome of my companions, till they discovered themselves by fome indubitable token, and to receive the congratulations of others upon my good fortune with indifference, to fhow that I always expected what I had now obtained. The acclamations of the populace I purpofed to reward with fix hogfheads of ale, and a roasted ox, and then recommend to them to return to their work.

At laft all the trappings of grandeur were fitted, and I began the journey of triumph, which I could

have

have wished to have ended in the fame moment; but my horfes felt none of their master's ardour, and I was fhaken four days upon rugged roads. I then entered the town, and having graciously let fall the glaffes, that my perfon might be seen, paffed flowly through the street. The noife of the wheels brought the inhabitants to their doors, but I could not perceive that I was known by them. At laft.I alighted, and my name, I fuppofe, was told by my fervants, for the barber ftept from the oppofite houfe, and feized me by the hand with honeft joy in his countenance, which, according to the rule that I had scribed to myself, I repreffed with a frigid gracioufnefs. The fellow, instead of finking into dejection, turned away with contempt, and left me to confider how the fecond falutation fhould be received. The next friend was better treated, for I foon found that I must purchase by civility that regard which I had expected to enforce by infolence.

pre

There was yet no fimoke of bonfires, no harmony of bells, no shout of crowds, nor riot of joy; the bufinefs of the day went forward as before; and after having ordered a fplendid fupper, which no man came to partake, and which my chagrin hindered me from tafting, I went to bed, where the vexation of disappointment overpowered the fatigue of my journey, and kept me from fleep.

I rose so much humbled by those mortifications, as to inquire after the prefent ftate of the town, and found that I had been absent too long to obtain the triumph which had flattered my expectation. Of the friends whofe compliments I expected, fome had long ago moved to diftant provinces, fome had loft

in the maladies of age all fenfe of another's profperity, and some had forgotten our former intimacy amidst care and diftreffes. Of three whom I had refolved to punish for their former offences by a longer continuance of neglect, one was, by his own industry, raised above my scorn, and two were sheltered from it in the grave. All those whom I loved, feared, or hated, all whose envy or whose kindness I had hopes of contemplating with pleasure, were swept away, and their place was filled by a new generation with other views and other competitions; and among many proofs of the impotence of wealth, I found that it conferred upon me very few diftinctions in my native place.

I am, SIR, &c.

SEROTINUS.