CATO.

There is nothing, my friends, in the circumstance you have remarked that can justly, I think, deserve your admiration. Those indeed who have no internal resource of happiness, will find themselves uneafy in every ftage of human life; but to Him who is accuftomed to derive all his felicity from within himself; no ftate will appear as a real evil, into which we are conducted by the common and regular courfe of nature. Now this is peculiarly the cafe with refpect to old-age: Yet fuch is the inconfiftency of human folly, that the very period which at a distance is every man's warmest wish to attain; no fooner arrives than it is equally the object of his lamentations. It is uful with men at this season of life to complain, that old-age has stolen upon them by surprize and much fooner than they expected. But

if they were deceived by their own falfe calculations; must not the blame rest wholly on themselves? For, in the firft place; old-age, furely, does not gain by swifter and more imperceptible steps on manhood, than manhood advances on youth': and in the next; in what respect would age have fat lefs heavily upon them, had its progrefs been much flower; and, instead of making its vifit at fourscore years, it had not reached them 'till four hundred? For the years that are elapsed, how numerous foever they may have been, can by no means confole a weak and frivolous mind under the ufual confequences of long life. If I have any claim therefore, to that wifdom whith you tell me, my friends, you have often admired in my character, (and which I can only with indeed were worthy of the opinion you entertain of it, and the appellation' the -world

B

b Cato's proper name was Marcus Prifcus; Cato being a characteristic addition affixed to it by common confent, from the old latin term Catus, which fignifies wife. Plut. in vit. Caton. M.

world has conferred upon me) it confifts wholly in this, that I follow nature as the fureft guide, and refign myself, with an implicit obedience, to all her facred ordinances.8 Now it cannot be supposed that, nature after having wifely distributed to all the preceding periods of life their peculiar and proper enjoyments, fhould have neglected, like an indolent poet, the laft act of the human drama, and left it deftitute of suitable advantages. Nevertheless, it was impoffible but that in the life of man, as in the fruits of the earth, there fhould be a certain point of maturity, beyond which the marks of decay must neceffarily appear: and to this unavoidable condition of his present being, every wife and good man will fubmit with a contented and chearful acquiefcence. For to entertain defires repugnant to the univerfal law of our exiftence; what is it, my friends, but to wage war, like the impious

impious giants, with the Gods them

felves?

LELIU S.

You will confer then a very acceptable service on both of us, Cato, (for I will

venture to answer for my friend Scipio, as well as for myself) if you will mark out to us, by what means we may most effectually be enabled to support the load of incumbent years. For although we are at present far distant from oldage; we have reason however to expect, at least to hope, that it is a period we shall live to attain.

CA TO.

Moft willingly, Lælius, I yield to your request; especially as you affure me, that my compliance will be equally agreeable to both of you.

SCIPI O.

Yes, my venerable friend; like travellers who mean to take the fame long journey you have gone before us, we fhould be glad (if it be not impofing too much trouble upon you) that you would give us fome account of the advanced stage at which you are now arrived.

CATO.

I am ready, Scipio, to the beft of my power, to give you the information you defire. And indeed, I am the more qualified for the task you affign me, as I have always (agreeably to the old proverb) affociated much with men of my own years. This has given me frequent opportunities of being acquainted with their grievances: and I particularly remember to have often heard Caius Salinator, and Spurius Albinus,"

(men