norance or idlenefs, by which fome difcourage others. and fome themselves: the mutability of mankind will always furnish writers with new images, and the luxu riance of fancy may always embellish them with new. decorations.

T.

No. XCVI. Saturday, October 6, 1753

-Fortunatos nimium, fua fi bona norint.

VIRG.

O happy, if ye knew your happy ftate !

DRYDEN.

In proportion as the enjoyment and infelicity of life depend upon imagination, it is of importance that this power of the mind fhould be directed in its operations by reafon; and, perhaps, imagination is more frequently bufy when it can only imbitter disappointment and heighten calamity; and more frequently flumbers when it might increase the triumph of fuccefs, or animate infenfibility to happiness, than is generally perceived.

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he was in the fame ftate, as if he had never heard of the vacancy, which he had fome chance to fill: but Evander groaned under the tyranny of imagination, and in a fit of caufelefs fretfulness caft away peace, because time was not flopped in its career, and a miracle did not interpose to secure him a living.

Agenor, on whom the living which Evander folicit-. ed was bestowed, never conceived a fingle doubt that he should fail in his attempt: his character was unexceptionable, and his recommendation fuch as it was believed no other could counterbalance; he, therefore, received the bounty of his patron without much emotion}; he regarded his fuccefs as an event produced, like rain and fun-fhine, by the common and regular operation of natural causes; and took poffeffion of his rectory with the fame temper, that he would have reaped a field he had fown, or received interest of a fum which he had placed in the funds. But having, by accident, heard the report which had been circulated by the friends of Ev ander, he was at once ftruck with a sense of his good fortune; and was fo affected by a retrospect on his danger, that he could fcarce believe it to be past. "How providential," faid he, "was it, that I did not stay to

drink another dish of tea at breakfast, that I found a hackney-coach at the end of the street, and that I met "with no ftop by the way!" What an alteration was produced in Agenor's conception of the advantage of his fituation, and the means by which it was obtained!and yet at last he had gained nothing more than he expected; his danger was not known time enough to alarm his fear; the value of his acquifition was not increafed; nor had providence interpofed farther than to

exclude

An ecclefiaftical living of confiderable value became vacant, and Evander obtained a recommendation to the patron. His friend had too much modefty to speak with confidence of the fuccefs of an application fupported chiefly by his intereft, and Evander knew that others had folicited before him; as he was not, therefore, much elevated by hope, he believed he should not be greatly depreffed by a difappointment. The gentleman to whom he was recommended, received him with great countefy; but upon reading the letter, he changed countenance, and discovered indubitable tokens of vexation and regret; then taking Evander by the hand, "Sir," faid he, "I think it fcarce lefs "misfortunate to myfelf than you, that you was not "five minutes fconer in your application. The gen

man whose recommendation you bring, I with more than any other to oblige; but I have just presented "the living to the perfon whom you faw take his leave "when you entered the room."

This declaration was a flroke, which Evander had neither skill to alude, nor force to refift. The strength of his intereft, though it was not known time enough to increase his hope, and his being too late only a few minutes, though he had reafon believe his application had been precluded by as many days, were circumftances which imagination immediately improved to aggravate his disappointment: over thefe he mufed petually with inexpreffible anguish; he related them to every friend, and lamented them with the moft paffiionate exclamations. And yet, what happened to Evander more than he expected? nothing that he poffeffedwas diminished, nor was any poflibility of advantage cut off with refpect to thefe and every other reality,

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he was in the fame ftate, as if he had never heard of, the vacancy, which he had fome chance to fill: but Evander groaned under the tyranny of imagination, and in a fit of caufelefs fretfulness cast away peace, because time was not flopped in its career, and a miracle did not interpofe to fecure him a living.

Agenor, on whom the living which Evander folicit-. ed was bestowed, never conceived a fingle doubt that he should fail in his attempt: his character was unexceptionable, and his recommendation fuch as it was believed no other could counterbalance; he, therefore, received the bounty of his patron without much emotion; he regarded his fuccefs as an event produced, like rain and fun-fhine, by the common and regular operation of natural causes; and took poffeffion of his rectory with the fame temper, that he would have reaped a field he had fown, or received interest of a sum which he had placed in the funds. But having, by accident, heard the report which had been circulated by the friends of Ev ander, he was at once ftruck with a sense of his good fortune; and was fo affected by a retrospect on his danger, that he could fcarce believe it to be past. "How providential," faid he, "was it, that I did not stay to

drink another difh of tea at breakfast, that I found a hackney-coach at the end of the street, and that I met "with no ftop by the way!" What an alteration was produced in Agenor's conception of the advantage of his fituation, and the means by which it was obtained!and yet at last he had gained nothing more than he expected; his danger was not known time enough to alarm his fear; the value of his acquifition was not increafed; nor had providence interpofed farther than to

exclude