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SOLITUDE.

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Olitude promises fair, and is a strong Entertainment to a melancholy Fancy: But were the Notion driven up, and try'd in its fartheft extent, we thould quickly change our Opinion. Like a great many other things, 'tis better in Profpect than Poffeffion: Like a Summer's Cloud in the Evening, it looks foft and fine at a distance, and prefents us with a great many pretty Figures; but when you come close to the Object, the Colours are rubb'd out, and the Subftance fhrinks: And there's nothing remaining but empty Air; nothing that will either please the Eye, or fill the Grafp. Man was never defign'd to be perfectly detach'd, and live independently of his Kind: He was not made big enough for that Condition.

Adam was created in the Growth of his Stature, in the Perfection of his Species, and had nothing of the defence

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lefs State of Infancy to run thorough: There was nothing but Plenty and Plcafure, Innocence and Security, in view : He had neither Want to diftrefs him, Danger to alarm him, or Guilt to make him uneafy. But notwithstanding this Paradife, both without and within, God faw his Being, imperfect, and that 'twas not good for him to be alone. And if Happinets is impracticable without Society, if Solitude, ftrictly taken, won't do in Paradife, 'tis in vain to expect from it elfewhere. Were one's Circumftances never so cafy, and well fortify'd, there's a Pleasure in the Communication of Thought, in the Intercourses of Friendship, and the Teftimonies of Esteem. Human Happiness in a fingle Breaft, is like Flame without Air, apt to be fmother'd, and go out. Thus Seneca declares, That if Knowledge and Wif- Epift. 6. dom was offer'd him on the Terms of a Secret, and that he must not say a word on't, he would pofitively refufe the Prefent.

Lib. 1.

Tully carries the Hint fomewhat higher: If a Perfon, fays he, of Senfe and Pro. De Off. bity was furnish'd with all the Bleffings of Life, and had never fo much Wealth, Leifure, and Largeness of Understanding, yet if he was barr'd all manner

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of Company, and never allow'd fo much as to fee a Man, he had better throw up his Being, and fairly take leave of the World. Thefe great Men might poffibly have fomewhat of Vanity in their Fancy.

Scire tuum nihil eft, nifi quod fcias boc fciat alter.

The Furniture of the Mind must be brought out to View and Comparison : Advantage is loft in the Dark. What fignifies Beauty without Admirers, or Tacitus. Finery lock'd up in a Cheft? Thus Germanicus, as I remember, was forry his Troops were cut off; he had loft, he faid, fo many Witneffes of his future Conduct and Courage, and wanted them alive to commend him.

However, A Man well accommodated, may love Company from a more generous Motive: To transfufe his Satisfaction, and fhew his Good Nature'; to instruct, to oblige and entertain.

But to take the Cafe at the hardeft; Pride is not the only unhappy Reason that makes People unwilling to live alone. No Solitude gives too much leifure for Reflection, opens an unacceptable Scene, and fhews a Man the Poverty of his own Nature. For let the Out

fide look never so fair, 'twill by no means bear the Teft of a thorough Infpection : The Stores, when examin'd, will fall ftrangely fhort. The most knowing and powerful will foon be at a stand: They'll quickly perceive their Understanding puzzled, and their Will check'd, in abundance of things. Befides, the Uncertainty of the Future, and the Thoughts of Death will crowd in: In fhort, nothing but the Supports of Religion can make a Man fit to entertain himfelf: Now, Company gives Bufinefs and Diverfion, draws the Mind abroad, and keeps People's Thoughts from preying upon themfelves.

However, Nothing pleases long toge ther: Ignorance, Intereft, and Humour, make the World fomewhat unfociable: And therefore, when we over-rate our Pretenfions, and promise our felves too much, 'tis odds if we are not baulk'd. Now, when Expectations run high, and Paffions are lavishly let loofe, Difappointment is a hard Chapter. And because we are not carefs'd in our Folly, humour'd in our Pride, and treated up to the Extravagance of our Demands, we complain of ill Ufage, and grow chagrine and fick of the World. And if we can't be courted, and have our Will, we'll fall into a

Fit of Retirement, and make Company no longer: How often does the Declenfions of Intereft, the Misfortunes in Love or Ambition, drive People out of Bufinefs and Sight, and make them withdraw to Privacy? Thus Children, when they are crofs'd in their Fancy, walk off, and ftand fullen in a corner.

Some People retire to conceal their Defects. They are fufficiently acquainted with the lean Temper of the generality; how forward the World is to fpy out a Fault, and publish a Difadyantage: And therefore, they are unwilling to have the Imperfections of Age or Fortune gaz'd at, and remark'ḍ. Too much Light difcovers the Wrinkles, which makes them chufe to fit out of the Sun.

Sometimes Retirement is made a Colour for Liberty. Men withdraw as Tiberius did to Caprea, to be more at leifure for their Vices, to debauch without Interruption, and be fomewhat cover'd from Cenfure and Obfervation.

There are feveral Degrees, and, as it were, Apartments in Solitude: Thofe may be faid to retire, who break off Bufinefs, quit the Stage, and shut up the Scene: They are harrafs'd, it may be, with the Fatigues, or fated with the

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