Cy gyft Margot, la gentil damoifelle, Qu'a deux maris, et encore eft pucelle. VESPASIAN, when at the point of death, in ridicule of that cuftom among the Romans of deifying their emperors as foon as they were dead, faid to those about him, "I find I am beginning to be a God." RABELAIS made as much a jest of death as he had done of life: being very near his end, cardinal Du Bellay fent his page to inquire after his health. "Tell my lord," faid he," in what circumstances thou "findeft me; I am just going to take a leap "in the dark, Je m'en vay chercher un grand peutefire: let down the curtain, the farce "is done." A little before this he called for his domino (a fort of hood worn by fome ecclefiaftics) saying, "Put me on my domino, "I will die in it, for, beati qui in DOMINO' “moriuntur.” WHEN Sir Thomas More, in order to fuffer death, was afcending the fcaffold, it feemed fo weak, as to be in danger of falling: upon which, turning brifkly to the officer who attended him," I pray," faid he, fee me "fafe up, and for my coming down, let me fhift for myfelf." And after laying his head upon the block, he bad the executioner ftay till he had put afide his beard, faying, "That had never committed any treafon.' BUT to proceed with our inquiries-Why do the fame men make others martyrs for religion, and then become martyrs themselves? What caused the wife, the learned, and excellent archbishop Fenelon to be captivated by the enthufiaftic reveries of a woman more than half distracted? And why was the late Mr. W*****n industrious in hunting after paradoxes, bufy in applying prophecies and explaining revelation, and extremely fond of the apoftolical constitutions? And tho' he differed fo much from himself at different times, and was remarkably variable in his religion, why was he violent against all who differed from him, especially on religious fubjects? Is not the cause of one of the most eminent wits in our age writing fatires against mankind, and describing his own species as a parcel of monkeys, quite evident? And did it not proceed principally from the fame cause, that a moft admirable poet, his cotemporary, chastized thofe he difliked with fcorpions ? FROM what did it proceed that Achitophel was, Reflefs, unfixt in principles and place; In pow'r unpleas'd, impatient of difgrace? And Zimri, A man fo various, that he feem'd to be EPAMINONDAS and Pelopidas being joint commanders of the Theban forces, continued in their pofts, purely to perform fome very confiderable fervices for their country, four months longer than the time limited by law for this they were both impeached, and in great danger of their lives. Epaminondas bore the accufation and trial very patiently, esteeming it, fays Plutarch, a mark of courage and generofity not to resent the injuries of his citizens: but Pelopidas regarded this treatment in a different light, and was extremely irritated against his countrymen. When the former of these was mortally wounded in the battle of Mantinea with a dart, he would not fuffer it to be drawn out of his body 'till he knew the iffue of the fight; but no fooner was he told, that his army had gained the victory, than he declared, as C. Nepos informs us, he had lived Ff long s Ibid. long enough, for he should die unconquered: then he gave leave to extract the weapon, and immediately expired. How fhall we account for the different conduct of these eminent perfonages on the fame occafion? And to what fhall wè afcribe that remarkable equanimity fo confpicuous in all the behaviour and actions of Epaminondas? CHARLES XII, king of Sweden, when but a boy, infifted with the greatest heat and obftinacy against the queen his grand-mother, that the blue coat he had then on was black. Another time, upon her not immediately opening the door of her chamber at his requeft, he ran his head with fuch violence against it, that he fell down fenfeless. In his adult age he infifted, that a wall which his fledge-horse had run againft, fhould be pulled down, that he might have his will of driving over it. Another time he would make his horfe bend and crawl along with him through a low paffage, where, had the horfe raised itself ever fo little, he must infallibly have lost his life'. Do we not plainly fee from these inftances of obstinacy and violence in this prince's childhood and youth, to what the extreme delight he always took in war, and that frantic and furious behaviour Travels through Germany, &c. By J. G. Keyfler, vol. I. p. 158. behaviour at Bender, which occafioned the Turks to call him Head of Iron, and indeed the whole conduct of his life was owing? and, in particular, why he was fo remarkably vindictive, implacable, and tyrannical? CAIUS GRACCHUS was a person of very extraordinary abilities, but in continual broils. It is observed of him, that his countenance, gesture, and motion were earnest and vehement: when he harangued the people, he would walk about the roftrum, and in the heat of his orations pull his gown off his shoulders, and was the first among the Romans who ufed fuch geftures. Being, when pursued by his enemies, deferted by those he expected would have defended him against the senate, it is reported he prayed earnestly to the goddefs Diana, that the Roman people, as a punishment for their ingratitude and treachery, might remain in perpetual flavery. Does it not evidently appear to what cause the violence of Caius's behaviour and actions, and in a great meafure his unhappy end, might be justly attributed? POMPONIUS ATTICUS lived at a time when the commonwealth of Rome was torn to pieces by civil wars: he engaged in none of them, nor fided with any of the contending parties, but was beloved by Pompey, Cafar, Ff2 |