fion from them. And Health is, more than is commonly thought, in a Man's own Power; and the Reward of Temperance, more than the Effect of Conftitution; which makes it ftill more difficult to pass a Judgment. Efop could not be young when he died; and might have lived longer, if he had not been murdered at Delphi. The Prince of Orange scarce paffed the Meridian of Life; and the Duke of Luxemburg died about the Age of fixty-feven. The Lord Treasurer Burleigh (the Honour of whose Company I claim on the Authority of [n] Osborn) lived to seventy-eight; but his Son the Earl of Salifbury, who died about fifteen Years after him, could not reach near that Age. I have heard (but know not if it is true) that Mr. Pope's Father was deformed, and he lived to feventy-five; whereas the Son died in middle Age; if he may be faid to die, whose Works are immortal. My Father was not deformed, but active, and my Mother a celebrated Beauty; and I that am fo unlike them, have lived to a greater Age; and daily fee my Acquaintance, of a stronger Frame, quitting the Stage before me,

But I leave it to better Naturalifts to determine, whether Deformity, abstractedly confidered, is prejudicial to Health; for in its Confequences, I believe, it is most commonly an Advantage. Deformed Perfons have a lefs Share of Strength than others, and therefore should naturally be more careful to preferve it; and as Temperance is the great Prefervative of Health, it may incline them to be more temperate. [n] See Hiftorical Memoirs of Q. Elizabeth, by Francis Ofborn, Efq. I have

I have Reason to think that my own weak Frame and Conftitution have prolonged my Life to this prefent Date. But I fhould impofe upon my Reader, and affront Heaven, if I afcribed that to Virtue, which took its Rife from Neceffity. Being of a confumptive Difpofition, I was alarmed, when young, with frequent spitting of Blood; this made me abftain from Wine, and all ftrong Liquors, which I have now done for near thirty Years. But

(Incidit in Scyllam cupiens vitare Carybdim.)

By this I fell into another Misfortune; and the Stone was the Confequence of my drinking raw Water; but Care and Perfeverance with Abftinence, have fo far fubdued that Diftemper, that at present it is but little Interruption to my Eafe or Happiness. And weak as I am, I daily fee many dying before me, who were defigned by Nature for a much longer Life. And I cannot but lament, that the Generality of Mankind fo wantonly throw away Health (without which [o] Life is not Life) when it is fo much in their own Power to preferve it. If every Virtue in its Confequence is its own Reward, Temperance is eminently fo; and every one immediately feels its good Effect. And I am persuaded that many might arrive at Cornaro's Age, if they did but follow his Example. On thinking upon this Subject, I have adopted many Maxims, which to the World will seem Paradoxes; as certain true Geographical Theorems do to those, who are unacquainted with -Mart. 1. vi. Ep. 70.

[o] Non eft vivere, fed valere, vita,

the

the Globe. I hold as Articles of Faith (but which may be condemned as Herefies in many a General Council affembled about a large Table) that the fmallet Liquors are beft: That there never was a good Bowl of Punch; nor a good Bottle of Champaign, Burgundy, or Claret: That the best Dinner is one Difh: That an Entertainment grows worse in proportion as the Number of Difhes increase: That a Faft is better than a Lord Mayor's Feaft: That no Conoiffeur ever understood good Eating: That no Minifter of State or Ambaffador ever gave a good Entertainment: No King ever fate down to a good Table: And that the Peafant fares better than the Prince, &c. Being infpired with fuch Sentiments, what Wonder is it, if I fometimes break out into fuch Ejaculations. O Temperance! Thou Goddess moft worthy to be adored! Thou Patronefs of Health! Thou Protector of Beauty! Thou Prolonger of Life! Thou Infurer of Pleasure! Thou Promoter of Bufinefs! Thou Guardian of the Perfon! Thou Preferver of the Understanding! Thou Parent of every intellectual Improvement, and of every moral Virtue !

Another great Prefervative of Health is, moderate Exercife; which few deformed Perfons can want Strength to perform. I never chofe long Journies, and they have been fatiguing to me; but I never found myself worse for Fatigue. And (before I was troubled with the Stone) I have, on Occafion, rode fifty Miles in a Day; or walked near Twenty. And, though now flow in my Motions, I can be on my

Feelt

Feet the greatest Part of the Day; and cannot be faid to lead a fedentary Life. As a deformed Perfon is not formed for violent Exercise, he is lefs liable to fuch Disorders as are the natural Confequence of it. He will also escape many Accidents, to which Men of athletic Make, and who glory in their Strength, are always expofing themselves to make Trial and Proof of it. If he cannot carry an Ox, like Milo, he will not, like Milo, be hand-cuffed in the Oak, by attempting to rend it. He will not be the Man that shall ride from London to York in a Day, or to Windfor in an Hour for a Wager; or that fhall be perpetually performing furprising long Journies in a furprifing fhort Time, for no earthly Bufinefs, but the Pleasure of relating them. Conscious of his own Weakness, he will be cautious of running into Places or Occafions of Danger. I deny myfelf fome Entertainments, rather than venture into a Crowd, knowing how unequal I am to a Struggle in it; and, if any fudden Quarrel fhould arife, how ill I am qualified for fuch an Encounter. One Blow from a Slack or Broughton would infallibly confign me over to Charon. Nature too calls on deformed Perfons to be careful not to offer fuch Affronts, as may call them forth into the Field of falfe Honour, where they cannot acquit themselves well for want of Strength and Agility; and they are fecurer from fuch Affronts themselves; fince others will confider the little Credit they will gain, by compelling them to appear on that Scene. On the whole I conclude, that Deformity is a Protection to a Man's Health and Person;

which

which (ftrange as it may appear) are better defended by Feebleness than Strength.

Let me now confider the Influence of Bodily Deformity on a Man's Fortune. Among the lower Clafs, he is cut off from many Profeffions and Employments. He cannot be a Soldier, he is under Standard; he cannot be a Sailor, he wants Activity to climb the Rigging; he cannot be a Chairman or Porter, he wants Strength to bear the Burthen. In higher Life, he is ill qualified for a Lawyer, he can fcarce be seen over the Bar; for a Divine, he may drop from his Haffock out of Sight in his Pulpit. The Improvement of his Mind is his proper Province; and his Business only fuch as depends on Ingenuity. If he cannot be a Dancing-mafter to adjust the Heels, be may 'be a School-mafter to inftruct the Head. He cannot be a graceful Actor on the Stage; but he may produce a good Play. He would appear ill as a Herald in a Proceffion; but may pafs as a Merchant on the Exchange. He cannot undergo the Fatigue of the Campaign; but he may advise the Operations of it. He is defigned by Nature, rather to fleep on Parnaffus, than to defcend on the Plains of Elis. He cannot be crowned at the Olympic Games; but may be the Pindar to celebrate them. He can acquire no Glory by the Sword; but he may by the Pen; and may grow famous by only relating thofe Exploits, which are beyond his Power to imi

tate.

Lord Bacon (that extenfive and penetrating Genius, who pointed out every Part of Nature for Examination)