Horace and Juvenal inform you of the Penalties and Indignities they undergo. [] Silius was converted, by the infatiable Meffalina, into a Huf band; and Sporus, by the Monster [u] Ners, into a Wife. The last mentioned Poet fhews, that praying for Beauty is praying for a Curfe; and [x]: Perfius refufes to join in fucha Prayer; and have: not I reason to thank my Stars, that have placed me more out of Danger, than even Virtue could; that could not guard a [y] Jofeph, an [z] Hippolytus, a Bellerophon, and others, against the Revenge of flighted Love? 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 recourfe to his Understanding; and attempt to [] Optimus hic & formofiffimus idem - Gentis Patricia rapitur mifer extinguendus [] Suetonius. [x] Hunc optent generum Rex & Regina: puella Hunc rapiant: quicquid calcaverit hic, rofa fiat;" Aft nutrici non mando vota; negato ego Jupiter hæc illi. [y] Gen. ch. xxxix. Perf. Sat. ii. Quid profuit olim Hippolyto grave propofitum ? Quid Bellerophonti? Nec Sthenoboa minus quam Creffa excanduit, & se Ut Prætum mulier perfida credulum Falfis impulerit criminibus, nimis Cafto Bellerophonti Maturare necem, refert.. Narrat penè datum Pelea Tartaro, Magneffam Hippolyten dum fugit abftinens. F 5: Hor. Od vii. 1. 3. adorn adorn that Part of him, which alone is capable of Ornament; when his Ambition prompts him to begin, with Cowley, to afk himfelf this Question, What fball I do to be for ever known, 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 moft probably attempt to pafs. 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 pafs in Study and Contemplation by these he may acquire Wisdom, and by Wifdom Fame. The Name of Socrates is as much founded, as thofe of Alexander and Cæfar; and is recorded in much fairer Characters. He gained Renown by Wisdom and Goodness; they by Tyranny and Oppreffion: He by inftru&ting; they by deffroying Mankind: and happy it is, that their evil Deeds were confined to their Lives; 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 first; and must know, that (if it is any where) it is not, like Sampfon's, in the Hair; but must be in the Lining of the Head. He will fay to himfelf, 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 Repu tation tation by Wisdom and Probity; let me therefore be wife and honeft. My Figure is very bad; and I should 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 inftru&t 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 Breast. I cannot cleanse the Stables of Augeas; but I may cleanse my own Heart from Filth and Impurity: I may demolish the Hydra of Vices within me ; and should be careful too, [a] that while I lop off one, I do not suffer 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 fome measure, be owing to my Deformity. Which at least should be a Reftraint on my Conduct, left my Condu&t make me more deformed.. - Few Perfons have a Houfe entirely to their Mind; or the Apartments in it difpofed as they could with. 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 noblest and largest Mind, though of the leaft and most inconvenient [a] Quid te exempta juvat fpinis de pluribus una? Hor. Ep. ii. 1. 2. Body 1 Body, that lived. And every body knows, that the late Prince of Orange had many amiable Qualities. Therefore, in Juftice to fuch Perfons, I muft 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 ferve 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 Carcafe, which is the Subject of this. Effay. I wonder at the Weaknefs 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 ordered himself and Lady to be buried at Harrow on the Hill: One of his Strength of Mind could have no Superftition of that Sort. It is of no Confequence where the Body rots; whether it rots immediately, or be preferved a few Years; or whether it be devoured by Birds or Beasts, or placed in a fumptuous Tomb, If a Man doth not provide himself a Monument by his Actions, and embalm his Memory in Virtue; the lying Marble will decay; and then his Memorial (even in that little Corner) will perish; [b] Quan [b] Quandoquidem data funt ipfis quoque fata fepulchris The Pharaohs are ftolen from their Pyramids ; and their Mummies difperfed through the World, only as idle Curiofities. And though the Pyramids are more durable than common Sepulchres; yet their History is already unknown; and they muft, in the End, undergo the fame Fate. [c] Mr. Addison admires the Humanity of Cyrus (or rather of Xenophon) in ordering his Body to be buried in the Earth, that it might be useful in manuring it. My Flefh will afford but little Manure; but, in another Respect, my Carcafe may be of eminent Service to Mankind; and therefore, if I fhould die inteftate, or not mention it in my Will, let the World take this as my dying Request. As I have for fome Years, been afflicted with the [d] Stone, and owe the Preservation and Eafe of Life fince to the continued taking of great Quantities of Soap,. I defire my Body may be opened and examined by eminent Surgeons; that Mankind may be informed of its Effect. And if a Stone fhould be found in my Bladder (as I imagine there will) I' defire it may be preferved among Sir Hans Sloane's Collection. Until that Time comes, I hope to em ploy the little Remainder of Life in Pursuits not unbecoming a rational Creature. [b] Juv Sat. x. fc] Spectator, No. 169. [dI will here give a more particular Account of myfelf with regard to that Diftemper, which, I hope, will be of more immediate Service. My |