younger than ourselves deceiving themselves innocently, agreeably, and perhaps usefully, as we ourselves had done heretofore:

It is to the defect of this desireable quality and habitude, that most of the troubles of declining years, may be imputed; and certainly there can be no better way of eschewing them, than by calling forth our improved powers of reflection and judgement, to the cultivation and pursuit of such things as do not fhock or interfere with those that occupy the ambition of our more active competitors, to cultivate acquaintance with worthy young men, especially those whose fathers we have esteemed, and to cherish them in all bonourable advances in the paths we have been forced by infirmity of nature to relinquish.

To delineate the most proper occupations for declining years, would be vain and foolish, without due consideration being had to the employments of youth, and of manhood, in the particular case to which we would direct our admonitions; and therefore these must vary according to the infinite variety of fortune, genius, former occupation, climate, government, and custom. But certainly there can be nothing better for attaining such habitudes as terminate in an amiable, tranquil, and respectable old age, than the disentangling of ourselves, as we have already said, from such objects of ambition as are incompatible with our growing weakness of body, and attaching ourselves to such as may fully exercise the powers of our memory and judgement, and produce that gentle agitation of body and of mind, in exercitation and study, that is most conducive unto general sanity and comfort.

On this occasion I cannot do better than cite a pafsage which Cicero hath put into the mouth of the elder Cato, that deserveth as much attention for its solidity and good sense, as it doth praise for the beauty and accuracy of stile in which it is delivered.

"If, sayeth he, petulance or lust be vices more frequent among young men than old, yet all young men are not infected with them, but such only as want proper talents; so it is with that sort of distemper which you call dotage; which is indeed the disease of old men, but to which all old men are not subjected. Appius was for some years quite blind, and yet he managed a family of four sons grown up, and five daughters, with abundance of relations and clients, who depended upon him. He kept his mind always in order, and though his vigour decayed, yet his senses never failed him. He preserved to the last moment his character and his authority; every body looked up to him as became their station his slaves feared, his children revered, and all who were about him loved him. In a word he kept up the old discipline, and did honour to the Roman name, by preserving the manners of his family untainted. Thus it is, that old age may maintain a graceful superiority, if it be prudently jealous of its prerogative: if on all occafions it maintains its rights if it never sneaks and gives way, but keeps up a manly spirit to the last for as I approve some qualities of age in a young man, so a youthful spirit is very conmendable in men of years, for which they preserve this, VOL. XVII. xvii.

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though the body may feel the effects of age, yet the mind stands out of its reach.

"At this very instant, I am employed in writing the seventh book of my antiquities, and am actually. making large collections from such old records as may serve my purpose. I likewise review, and sometimes touch afresh the orations I have former. ly made in the capital causes wherein I have been concerned. I still kept up my stock of knowledge in the augurial pontifical, and civil law, and have time enough to read a great deal of Greek be sides.

"I constantly use the Pythagorean method for the exercise of my memory, and every evening run o ver in my mind whatever I have said, heard, or done, that day. These are the exercises of the understanding; and in these as in a chariot, the soul takes the air. While I am capable of these, I do not give myself much concern about the decay of my body; I am always at the command of my friends, when I am able; I attend the service of the senate frequently, and distinguish in debates, where. in a man compasseth more by strength of judgement, than he can do elsewhere by strength of arms. But fhould it ever prove my misfortune to be confined to my bed, and be thereby rendered incapable of going through these employments, yet the very thoughts of what I would do if I were able, would console me. But thanks to Heaven, I have no rea son to apprehend any such thing; I have been a better husband of my time than so, for let a man be but

constantly exercised in labours like these, and he will not soon find the breaches of age. Years will steal upon him insensibly; he will grow old by degrees and without feeling it; nay, when he comes to break at last the house will crumble gently, and fall/down so slowly as not to give him any great uneasinefs."

Thus has the master of Roman eloquence delightfully examplified in Cato, the advantage that arises from continuing those exercises of the memory and judgement, in which manhood had formerly been occupied, without the dangerous fervor of imaginati on, or too much activity either of body or of mind; and although every man in age must be regulated in his amusement, by the bent of his genius, and the fund of his former experience, yet in the innocent, healthful, and useful occupations of agriculture and gardening, it would seem that every man, let his condition have been whatsoever, will find great contentment and advantage; and it is in the uniform variety united to simplicity that much of this pleas sure consists, as the cultivated mind will evidently perceive in the affectionate reception which he giveth to the unadorned and simple description of the Corycian swain, the old man of virgils IV. Georgic, with which I fhall conclude my present lucubration.*

"Now where with stately towers Tarentum stands,
And deep Galesus soaks the yellow sands,

I chanc'd an old Corycian swain to know,

Lord of few acres, and these barren too;

Unfit for sheep or vines, and more unfit to sow :

*The latin quototion is omitted on account of our general read❤ ers, and the translation by Dryden, is substituted in its place. Edit

Yet lab'ring well his little spot of ground,

Some scattering pot herbs here and there, he found :
Which, cultivated with his daily care,

And bruis'd with vervain, were his frngal fare.
Sometimes white lilies did their leaves afford,

With wholesome poppie flowers to mend his homely board :
For late returning home he sup'd at ease,

And wisely deem'd the wealth of monarchs lefs,
Than little of his own, because his own did please.
To quit his care, he gather'd first of all,

In spring the roses, apples in the fall:

And when cold winter split the rocks in twain,
And ice the running rivers did restrain,

He stript the bears foot of its leafy growth,

}

And, calling western winds, accus'd the spring of sloth.
He therefore first among the swains was found,
To reap the product of his labour'd ground,

And squeese the combs with golden liquor crown'd.
His limes were first in flower, his lofty pines,
With friendly fhade, secur'd his tender vines,
For ev'ry bloom his trees in spring afford,
An autumn apple was by tale restor❜d;
He knew to rank his elms in even rows,
For fruit the gra ted pear tree to dispose :
And tame to plumbs the sourness of the sloes.
With spreading planes he made a cool retreat,
To fhade good fellows from the summer's heat.

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INTELLIGENCE FROM INDIA.

In the xi. volume of the Bee, p.8g.was given an account of some very singular facts respecting the generation of fishes in India, which appeared so extraordinary as to require farther elucidation before they could be admitted as certain. The Editor indeed has received letters since that time from persons who said they had been in India, flatly contradicting the whole account. The following communication from Madras, received by the King George Cast Indiaman, will afford soine satisfaction to our readers on this very curious subject.

The other subjects mentioned in this communication are equally curious and interesting.