fhould dread the Cuftom of common Gaming, for the Paffions it excites, and the unreasonable Ferments, Commotions, and Inquietudes, it puts its Clients into: Becaufe it banishes Mirth, and the Relifh of Society; and ties down the Eyes and Affections to the Concern and Eagernefs of Winning. An Affembly of States, or Courts of Juftice in capital Cafes, appear not more ferious and grave, than a Table of Gamefters playing very high; a melancholy Severity reigns in their Looks, implacable to one another, and irreconcileable Enemies while the Meeting lafts; they confider neither Friendship, Alliances, Birth, nor Distinctions. Chance alone, that blind and wild Divinity, prefides over the Circle, and decides fovereignly there on all Occafions; they all adore her by a profound Silence and Attention, which they are not able to obferve elfewhere; and all the Paffions feem fufpended, to give place only to one. I think it is very wonderful, fays the SPECTATOR, to fee Perfons of the best Senfe paffing away a Dozen Hours together, in fhuffling and dividing a Pack of Cards, with no other Converfation but what is made up of a few Game Phrafes, and no other Ideas, but thofe of black or red Spots ranged together in different Figures. Would not a Man laugh to hear one of this Species complaining that Life is short?

I am not furpriz'd, that there are so many public Gaming-Houfes; which are like fo many Snares laid for Mens Avarice, like Whirlpools, where the Money of private Men is funk without Hopes of Return, like Rocks, where fuch as play, are loft, and dafh'd in Pieces; that Sharpers have continually their Emiffaries abroad, to learn who comes laden from the Country with the Price of an Estate lately fold; who has got a Suit at Law, which has brought him in a great Sum; who has been successful at Play; what Heir has leap'd into a large Inheritance; or what Officer will venture his whole Cafh on the Turn of a Card. Cheating, 'tis true is a filthy rafcally Trade; but 'tis an ancient known Trade, and practifed in all Times by the Men we call profess'd Gamesters; they have a Sign at their Doors, and this may be their Infcription, Here is Cheating upon Honour; for, I fuppofe, they will not pretend to be unblameable. Every one knows, that to enter, and lofe in their Houses, is one and the fame Thing; but that they should have Bubbles enough to make a Subsistance on't, is what I cannot comprehend, But I I have treated this Head at all the Extent I allow, and proceed now to the Second Subject propofed in this Chapter.

Of all the Diverfions of Life, there is none fo proper to fill up its empty Spaces, as the

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reading of ufeful and entertaining Authors: And the best Employment of our dead unactive Hours, is in Improvements by Study and Pursuits of Knowledge. The Truth of it is, there is not a fingle Science, or any Branch of it, that might not furnish a Man with Business for Life, though it were much longer than it is; yet this Confideration should not cut us off from our Enquiries, or ftint our Difquifitions: Let us make our Inroads as far as we can, and not entirely withdraw our Troops, because we cannot be Mafters of the whole Country. The Ufefulness of Knowledge, and the Pleasure and Perfection it gives the Mind, fhould excite our Ambition to as many Conquests as we can make this Way. How different is the View of past Life, in the Man who is grown old in Knowledge and Wisdom, from that of him who is grown old in Ignorance and Folly? The latter is like the Owner of a barren Country, that fills his Eye with the Profpect of naked Hills and Plains, which produceth nothing either profitable or ornamental; the other beholds a beautiful and a fpacious Landskip, divided into delightful Gardens, green Meadows, fruitful Fields; and can fcarce caft his Eye on a fingle Spot of his Poffeffions, that is not covered with fome beautiful Plant or Flower.

I have already spoken on the Subject of Reading Books, in my Chapter on LEARN ING; all I have to add on the Occafion here, is, to advise to keep our Studies within the Compafs of Ufe and Utility. There are fome Studies which are only Matters of Curiofity, and Trials of Skill: Others of Pleasure, and of Use. But ftill there are many Things worth our knowing, perhaps, that were not worth our learning. There are fome Tricks of Wit, like Slights of Hand, which amount to no more than the tying of Knots only to loosen them again; and it is the very Fallacy that pleases us; for, fo foon as ever we know how they are done, the Satisfaction is at an End.

He that duly confiders the Business of Life and Death, will find that he has little Time to fpare from that Study; and yet, how we trifle away our Hours upon' impertinent Niceties and Cavils! There are impertinent Stu dies, as well as impertinent Men. Didymus, the Grammarian, wrote four thousand Books, wherein he is much concern'd to discover where Homer was born; who was Eneas's true Mother; and whether Anacreon was the greater Whore-Mafter or Drun kard. A Man is never a Jot the more learned for this Curiofity, but much the more troublefome: Are not thofe Speculations of much more Importance, that teach us

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to Providence, to our Neighbour, and to ourfelves; to mafter our Appetites, and to renounce the World?

Profit and Pleafure are the Ends that a rational Creature fhould propofe to obtain by Study, or, indeed, by any other Undertaking. There is no Entertainment upon Earth more noble and befitting a reasonable Mind, than the Perufal of good Authors; or that better qualifies a Man to pafs this Life with Satisfaction to himself, or Advantage to the Public. Reading is to the Mind, what Exercife is to the Body: As by the one, Health is preferv'd, ftrengthen'd, and invigorated; fo by the other, Virtue (which is the Health of the Mind) is kept alive, cherish'd, and confirm'd. And yet there is nothing in which Men deceive themfelves more ridiculously, than in the Point of reading; which, as 'tis commonly practifed under the Notion of Improvement, has lefs Advantage. The Generality of Readers, who are pleased with wandering over a Number of Books almost at the fame Inftant; or if confin'd to one, who purfue the Author with much Hurry, and Impatience to his laft Page, must without doubt be allowed to be notable Digefters. This unfettled Way of reading naturally feduces us into as undetermin'd a Manner of thinking; which unprofitably fatigues, the Imagination, when a continued Chain of Thought

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