in fome Purfuits which make no Figure in the World, than in fuch as are apt to draw upon them the Attention of Mankind. One may become wiser and better, by feveral Methods of employing one's felf in Secre cy and Silence, and do what is laudable without Noife or Oftentation.

Bodily Exercife is of two Kinds: Either that which a Man fubmits to for his Livelibood; or that which he undergoes for his Pleasure. The latter of them generally changes the Name of Labour for that of Exercife; but differs only from ordinary Labour, as it rifes from another Motive. Let us but confider the Anatomy of an human Body, and we shall discover how absolutely neceffary Labour is for the right Prefervation of it. There must be frequent Motions and Agitations, to mix, digeft, and separate the Juices contained in it, as well as to clear and to cleanse that Infinitude of Pipes and Strainers, of which it is compofed; and to give their folid Parts more firm and lasting Tones. Labour or Exercife ferments the Humours, cafts them into their proper Channels, throws of Redundancies, and helps Nature in those fecret Distributions, without which, the Body cannot subsist in its Vigour, nor the Soul act with Chearfulness.

Had not Exercise been abfolutely neceffary for our Well-being, Nature would not have

made the Body fo proper for it, by giving fuch an Activity to the Limbs, and fuch a Pliancy to every Part, as neceffarily produce thofe Compreffions, Extenfions, Contortions, Dilatations, and all other kinds of Motions, that are necessary for its Preservation, as I have before obferv'd. And that we might not want Inducements to engage us in fuch an Exercife of the Body as is proper for its Welfare, it is fo order'd, that nothing valuable can be procured without it. Not to mention Riches and Honour, even Food and Raiment, are not to be come at without the Toil of the Hands, and Sweat of the Brows. Providence furnisheth Materials, but expects that we should work them up ourselves. The Earth must be labour'd before it gives its Increafe; and when it is forced into its feveral Products, how many Hands must they pass through before they are fit for Use? Manufactures, Trade, and Agriculture, naturally employ more than nineteen Parts of the Species in twenty: And as for those who are not oblig'd to labour, by the Condition in which they are born, they are more miferable than the reft of Mankind, unless they indulge themselves in that voluntary Labour which goes by the Name of Exercife.

.

Thofe who have fearch'd into human Nature observe, that nothing fo much fhews the Nobleness of the Soul, as that its Felicity

con

confifts in Action. If we look back into the old World, we shall find, that all its Vigour was owing to Exercife, Sprightliness, and Activity: Luxury and Idleness first debilitated and impair'd the Strength of Nature. I remember fome fine Lines in a Poem of Mr. Dryden's, which are an elegant Confirmation of what I have here afferted.

The first Phyficians by Debauch were made;
Excess began, and Sloth fuftains the Trade.
By Chace our long-liv'd Fathers earn'd their
Food,

Toil ftrung the Nerves and purify'd the Blood:
But we, their Sons, a pamper'd Race of Men,
Are dwindled down to Threefcore Years and
Ten.

Better to bunt in Fields for Health unbought, Than fee the Doctor for a nauseous Draught. The Wife, for Cure, on Exercife depend, God never made bis Work for Men to mend.

Yet as neceffary as Action is, and as much a Duty as it is on Mankind, we, by our Behaviour and Carriage in the World, feem of the Stamp which Horace complains of, Nos numerus fumus & fruges confumere nati,

We make up the Number of Creatures, creeping o'er the Surface of the Earth, and born alone to confume its Produce. If we look into I 2

the

the Bulk of our Species, they are fuch as are not likely to be remembered a Moment after their Difappearance. They leave behind them no Traces of their Existence, but are forgotten, as though they never had been. I could wifh, that Men, while they are in Health, would confider well the Nature of the Part they are engaged in, and what Figure it will make in the Minds of those they leave behind them: Whether it was worth coming into the World for? Whether it be fuitable to a reasonable Being? In short, Whether it appears graceful in this Life, or will turn to Advantage in the next?

Would we give ourfelves the Trouble of a little Self-Examination, we fhould certainly be cured of that Indolence which betrays us, grow fick of Negligence and Procrastination, and roufe and exert ourselves to Action fuiting the Dignity of our Nature. The Time we live, ought not to be computed by the Number of Years, but by the Ufe has been made of it: Thus 'tis not the Extent of Ground, but the yearly Rent, which gives the Value to the Eftate.

There is nothing now-a-days fo much avoided, as a follicitous Improvement of every Part of our Time: Nothing lies upon our Hands with fuch Uneafine nor has there been fo many Devices for any one Thing, as w make it fide away imperceptibly, and to

no

no Purpose. We fear the Imputations of Labour and Affiduity, Diligence and Industry, have a mechanic Report; and Employment and Application favour of Drudgery. These Prepoffeffions make us pleafed with our Ruin: We think Laziness is a defireable Character; and poftpone and procraftinate every Intention to Business: To morrow, is ftill the fatal Time when all is to be rectify'd: To morrow comes; it goes; and still we please ourselves with the Shadow, whilst we lofe the Reality: Unmindful that the prefent Time alone is ours, the future is yet unborn, and the past is dead, and can only live (as Parents in their Children) in the Actions it has produced. To conclude: We fhould labour to make this the Rule of Four Conduct, which Seneca tells Lucilius was his Practice. Id ago, ut mihi inftar totius vitæ fit dies quifque. Nec meberculè tanquàm ultimum rapio: Sed illum fic afpicio, tanquàm effe vel ultimus poffit. Ante fenectutem curavi, ut benè viverem in fenectute, ut benè morirer: benè autem mori, eft libenter mori. We fhould order it fo, that every single Day should be like our whole Lives to us; not

bold on it as the last, but look upon it in Poffibility of being fuch: To take care before Age furprizes us, to live well; and when Age advances to die as well: Now to die well, is to die willingly. ENVY.

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