Afs, but Camel, to bear his Burthens. But let this be fome Confolation to him, that, while he is not fuffered to regale on the Sweets of the Hive, he is fecured from its Sting. But, not to make ugly Perfons out of Love with themselves, I will now exhibit fome Advantages arifing from Deformity. Inftead of repining, a deformed Perfon ought to be thankful to Providence for giving him fuch a Guard to his Virtue and Repofe. Thousands are daily ruined by a handfome Perfon; for Beauty is a Flower, that every one wants to gather in its Bloom, and spare no Pains or Stratagem to reach it. All the Poetical Stories concerning it have their Moral. A Helen occafions War and Confufion: The Hyacinths and Ganimedes are feized on for Catamites: The Endymions and Adonis for Gallants: Narciffus can admire nobody but himself; and grows old before he is cured of that Paffion. Who is a Stranger to the Story of Lucretia killing herself for her violated Chastity? or of Virginia killed by her Father to preferve it? In those Circumftances, fays [9] Juvenal, fhe might wish to change Perfons with Rutila, the only Lady I know, among the Ancients, celebrated for a Hump-back. The [r] handfomeft Men are [4] Sed vetat optari faciem Lucretia, qualem [] Ipfa habuit. Cuperet Rutile Virginia gibbum Nullus ephebum Deformem fæva caftravit in arce tyrannus. -Sat. x. Nec prætextatum rapuit Nero loripidem, nec Strumofum, atque utero pariter gibboque tumentem. ibid. VOL. I. K chofen chofen for Eunuchs and Gallants; and when they are catched in exercifing the laft Function, both [s] Horace and Juvenal inform you of the Penalties and Indignities they undergo. [t] Silius was converted, by the infatiable Meffalina, into a Hufband; and Sporus, by the Monster [u] Nero, into a Wife. The laft mentioned Poet fhews, that praying for Beauty is praying for a Curfe; and [x] Perfius refuses to join in such a Prayer; and have not I reafon to thank my Stars, that have placed me more out of Danger, than even Virtue could; for that could not guard a [y] Joseph, an [z] Hippolytus, a Bellerophon, and others, against the Revenge of flighted Love. [] Hic fe præcipitem tecto dedit: ille flagellis Ad mortem cæfus: fugiens hic decidit acrem Prædonum in turbam: dedit hic pro corpore nummos : Hunc perminxerunt calones: quinetiam illud Accidit, ut cuidam teftes caudamque falacem Demeteret ferrum. Hor. Sat. ii. 1. 1. Quofdam machos & mugilis intrat. Juv. ib. Optimus hic & formofiffimus idem Gentis Patricia rapiter miser extinguendus [x] Hunc optent generum Rex & Regina: puellæ Hunc rapiant: quicquid calcaverit hic, rosa fiat: Aft ego nutrici non mando vota; negato Jupiter hæc illi.. [y] Gen, ch. xxxix. [x] Perf. Sat. ii. Quid profuit olim Hippolyto grave propofitum ? Quid Bellerophonti ? Nec Sthenobea minus quam Creffa excanduit, & se Concuflere ambæ, -Juv. Sat, x. Another Another great Advantage of Deformity is, that it tends to the Improvement of the Mind. A Man, that cannot shine in his Perfon, will have recourse to his Understanding; and attempt to adorn that Part of him, which alone is capable of Ornament; when his Ambition prompts him to begin, with Cowley, to afk himself this Question, What shall I do to be for ever known, And make the Age to come my own? on looking about him, he will find many Avenues to the Temple of Fame barred against him; but some are still open through that of Virtue; and those, if he has a right Ambition, he will most probably attempt to pass. The more a Man is unactive in his Perfon, the more his Mind will be at work; and the Time which others fpend in Action, he will pass in Study and Contemplation: by these he may acquire Wisdom, and by Wisdom, Fame. The Name of Socrates is as much founded, as thofe of Alexander and Cafar; and is recorded in much fairer Characters. He gained Renown by Wisdom and Goodness; They by Tyranny and Oppreffion: He by inftructing; They by destroying Mankind: and happy it is, that their evil Deeds were confined to their Lives; Ut Prætum mulier perfida credulum Falfis impulerit criminibus, nimis Maturare necem, refert. Narrat penè datum Pelea Tartaro, Magneffam Hippolyten dum fugit abstinens. while he continues to inftruct us to this Day. A deformed Perfon will naturally confider, where his Strength and his Foible lie; and as he is well acquainted with the laft, he will eafily find out the firft; and must know, that (if it is any where) it is not, like Sampson's, in the Hair; but must be in the Lining of the Head. He will fay to himself, I am weak in Perfon; unable to ferve my Country in the Field; I can acquire no military Glory; but I may, like Socrates, acquire Reputation by Wisdom and Probity; let me therefore be wife and honeft. My Figure is very bad; and I fhould appear but ill as an Orator, either in the Pulpit or at the Bar; let me therefore pass my Time in my Study, either in reading what may improve myself, or in writing what may entertain or inftruct others. I have not the Strength of Hercules; nor can I rid the World of so many Monsters; but perhaps I may get rid of fome myself. If I cannot draw out Cacus from his Den, I may pluck the Villain from my own Breaft. I cannot cleanse the Stables of Augeas; but I may cleanse my own Heart from Filth and Impurity: I may demolifh the Hydra of Vices within me; and fhould be careful too, [a] that while I lop off one, I do not fuffer more to grow up in its ftead. Let me be ferviceable in any way that I can; and if I am fo, it may, in some measure, be owing to my Deformity. Which at least should be a Reftraint on my Conduct, Conduct make me more deformed. left my [a] Quid te exempta juvat fpinis de pluribus una? Hor. Ep. ii. 1. 2. Few Few Perfons have a Houfe entirely to their Mind; or the Apartments in it difpofed as they could wifh. And there is no deformed Perfon, who does not wish that his Soul had a better Habitation; which is fometimes not lodged according to its Quality. Lord Clarendon fays of Sir Charles Cavendish (Brother to the Marquis of Newcastle) that he was a Man of the nobleft and largest Mind, though of the leaft and moft inconvenient Body, that lived. And every body knows, that the late Prince of Orange had many amiable Qualities. Therefore, in Juftice to fuch Perfons, I must fuppofe that they did not repine, that their Tenements were not in a more regular Style of Architecture. And let every deformed Perfon comfort himself with reflecting, that though his Soul hath not the most convenient and beautiful Apartment, yet that it is habitable; that the Accommodation will serve in an Inn upon the Road; that he is but Tenant for Life, or (more properly) at Will; and that, while he remains in it, he is in a State to be envied by the Deaf, the Dumb, the Lame, and the Blind. When I die, I care not what becomes of the contemptible Carcase, which is the Subject of this Effay. I wonder at the Weakness of fome of the old Patriarchs, that provided burying Places, that their Bones might be gathered to their Fathers. Doth one Clod of Earth delight in the Neighbourhood of another? or is there any Converfation in the Grave? It must have been a Joke in Sir Samuel Garth, when he or K 3 dered |