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which has arofe in that famous Refidence of Learning; and is, perhaps, the only Sect this Age is likely to produce.

Mr. SPECTATOR,

Cambridge, April 26. •BELIEVING you to be an univerfal Encourager

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of liberal Arts and Sciences, and glad of any In⚫ formation from the learned World, I thought an Account of a Sect of Philofophers very frequent among us, but not taken Notice of, as far as I can remember, by any Writers either ancient or modern, would not be unacceptable to you. The Philofophers of this Sect are in the Language of our Univerfity called Loungers. I am of Opinion, that, as in many other things, fo likewife in this, the Ancients have been defective; viz. in mentioning no Philofophers of this Sort. Some indeed ⚫ will affirm that they are a kind of Peripateticks, because we fee them continually walking about. But I would ' have these Gentlemen confider, that tho' the ancient Peripateticks walked much, yet they wrote much also; (witnefs, to the Sorrow of this Sect, Aristotle and others :) Whereas it is notorious that most of our Pro⚫feffors never lay out a Farthing either in Pen, Ink, or Paper. Others are for deriving them from Diogenes, becaufe feveral of the leading Men of the Sect have a 6 great deal of the cynical Humour in them, and delight 'much in Sun-fhine. But then again, Diogenes was content to have his conftant Habitation in a narrow Tub, whilft our Philofophers are so far from being of his O· pinion, that it's Death to them to be confined within the Limits of a good handfome convenient Chamber but for half an Hour. Others there are, who from the • Clearnefs of their Heads deduce the Pedigree of Lowngers from that great Man (I think it was either Plato or Socrates) who after all his Study and Learning profeffed, That all he then knew was, that he knew nothing. You eafily fee this is but a shallow Argument, ⚫ and may be foon confuted.

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I have with great Pains and Industry made my Ob ⚫ fervations, from Time to Time, upon these Sages; and having now all Materials ready, am compiling a Teatife, wherein I fhall fet forth the Rife and Progress of

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this famous Sect, together with their Maxims, Aufterities, Manner of living, &c. Having prevailed with a • Friend who defigns fhortly to publish a new Edition of Diogenes Laertius, to add this Treatife of mine by way ⚫ of Supplement; I fhall now, to let the World fee what may be expected from me (firft begging Mr. SPECTA'TOR's Leave that the World may fee it) briefly touch upon fome of my chief Obfervations, and then fubfcribe my felf your humble Servant. In the first Place I fhalt give you two or three of their Maxims: The funda• mental one, upon which their whole Syftem is built, is • this, viz. That Time being an implacable Enemy to and Destroyer of all things, ought to be paid in his own Coin, and be deftroyed and murdered without Mercy, by all the Ways that can be invented. Another favou ⚫rite Saying of theirs is, That Bufinefs was defigned only for Knaves, and Study for Blockheads. A Third seems to be a ludicrous one, but has a great Effect their and is this, That the Devil is at Home. Now for their Manner of Living: And here I have a large Field to expatiate in; but I fhall reserve Particulars for intended Difcourfe, and now only mention one or two of their principal Exercises. The elder Proficients 'employ themselves in infpecting mores hominum multorum, in getting acquainted with all the Signs and Windows in the Town. Some are arrived to fo great Knowledge, that they can tell every time any Butcher kills a • Calf, every time any old Woman's Cat is in the Straw; ⚫ and a thousand other Matters as important. One ancient Philofopher contemplates two or three Hours every Day over a Sun-Dial; and is true to the Dial

• Lives;

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As the Dial to the Sun,

Although it be not fhone upon.

upon

< Our younger Students are content to carry their Spe culations as yet no farther than Bowling-Greens, Billiard-Tables, and fuch like Places This may ferve for a < Sketch of my Design; in which I hope I fhall have SIR, Yours. your Encouragement. I am,

I must be so just as to obferve I have formerly feen of this Sect at our other University; tho' not distinguished

by

by the Appellation which the learned Hiftorian, my Correfpondent, reports they bear at Cambridge. They were ever looked upon as a People that impaired themselves more by their ftrict Application to the Rules of their Order, than any other Students whatever. Others feldom hurt themselves any further than to gain weak Eyes and fometimes Head-Áches; but thefe Philofophers are seized all over with a general Inability, Indolence, and Weariness, and a certain Impatience of the Place they are in, with an Heaviness in removing to another.

THE Loungers are fatisfied with being merely Part of the Number of Mankind, without diftinguifhing themfelves from amongst them. They may be faid rather to fuffer their Time to pafs, than to fpend it, without Regard to the paft, or Profpect of the future. All they know of Life is only the prefent Inftant, and do not tafte even that. When one of this Order happens to be a Man of Fortune, the Expence of his Time is transferred to his Coach and Horfes, and his Life is to be measured by their Motion, not his own Enjoyments or Sufferings. The chief Entertainment one of thefe Philofophers can poffibly propofe to himfelf, is to get a Relifh of Dress. This, methinks, might diverfifie the Perfon he is weary of (his own dear felf) to himself. I have known these two Amusements make one of these Philofophers make a tolerable Figure in the World; with Variety of Dreffes in publick Affemblies in Town, and quick Motion of his Horfes out of it, now to Bath, now to Tunbridge, then to New-Market, and then to London, he has in Procefs of Time brought it to pafs, that his Coach and his Horses have been mentioned in all thofe Places. When the Lowngers leave an Academick Life, and instead of this more elegant way of appearing in the polite World, retire to the Seats of their Ancestors, they ufually join a Pack of Dogs, and employ their Days in defending their Poultry from Foxes: I do not know any other Method that any of this Order has ever taken to make a Noise in the World; but I fhall enquire into fuch about this Town as have arrived at the Dignity of being Loungers by the Force of na tural Parts, without having ever feen an Univerfity; and fend my Correfpondent, for the Embellishment of his Book, the Names and Hiftory of those who pass their

Lives without any Incidents at all; and how they shift Coffee-houses and Chocolate-houses from Hour to Hour, to get over the infupportable Labour of doing nothing. R

N° 55.

Thursday, May 3.

·Intus, & in jecore agro

Nafcuntur Domini

Perf.

OST of the Trades, Profeffions, and Ways of

M Living among Mankind, take their Original either

from the Love of Pleasure, or the Fear of Want. The former, when it becomes too violent, degenerates into Luxury, and the latter into Avarice. As these two Principles of Action draw different Ways, Perfius has given us a very humorous Account of a young Fellow who was rouzed out of his Bed, in order to be fent upon a long Voyage by Avarice, and afterwards over-perfuaded and kept at Home by Luxury. I fhall fet down at length the Pleadings of thefe two imaginary Perfons, as they are in the Original, with Mr, Dryden's Tranflation of them.

Mane, piger, ftertis: furge inquit Avaritia; eja Surge. Negas, Inftat, furge inquit. Non queo. Surge. Et quid agam? Rogitas? Saperdas advehe Ponto, Caftoreum, ftuppas, hebenum, thus, lubrica Coa. Tolle recens primus piper è fitiente camelo. Verte aliquid; jura. Sed Jupiter Audiet. Eheu! Baro, reguftatum digito terebrare falinum Contentus perages, fi vivere cum Jove tendis. Jam pueris pellem fuccinctus & œnophorum aptas; Ocyus ad Navem. Nil obftat quin trabe vastâ Agaum rapias, nifi folers Luxuria ante Seductum moneat; quò deinde, infane ruis? Quo? Quid tibi vis? Calido fub pectore mafcula bilis Intumuit, quam non extinxerit urna cicuta? Tun' mare tranfilias? Tibi tortâ cannabe fulto Cana fit in tranftro? Veientanumque rubellum Exbalet vapida lafum pice feffilis obba?

Quid

Quid petis? Ut nummi, quos hic quincunce modefto
Nutrieras, pergant avidos fudare deunces?
Indulge genio: carpamus dulcia; noftrum eft
Quod vivis; cinis, & manes, & fabula fies.
Vive memor lethi: fugit hora. Hoc quod loquor, inde eft.
En quid agis? Duplici in diverfum fcinderis hamo.
Hunccine, an hunc fequeris?

Whether alone, or in thy Harlot's Lap,
When thou would'ft take a lazy Morning's Nap;
Up, up, fays AVARICE; thou fnor'ft again,
Stretcheft thy Limbs, and yawn'ft, but all in vain,
The rugged Tyrant no Denial takes ;

At his Command th' unwilling Sluggard wakes.
What must I do? he cries; What? fays his Lord :
Why rife, make ready, and go ftrait Aboard:
With Fish, from Euxine Seas, thy Veffel freight;
Flax, Caftor, Coan Wines, the precious Weight
Of Pepper, and Sabean Incenfe, take

With thy own Hands, from the tir'd Camel's Back,
And with Poft-hafte thy running Markets make.
Be fure to turn the Penny; Lye and Swear,
'Tis wholefome Sin: But Jove, thou fay'ft, will hear.
Swear, Fool, or Starve; for the Dilemma's even :
A Tradefman thou! and hope to go to Heav'n?
Refolv'd for Sea, the Slaves thy Baggage pack,
Each faddled with his Burden on his Back.
Nothing retards thy Voyage, now; but He,
That foft voluptuous Prince, call'd LUXURY;
And he may ask this civil Question; Friend,
What doft thou make a Shipboard? To what End?
Art thou of Bethlem's noble College free?

Stark, ftaring mad, that thou would'st tempt the Sea ?
Cubb'd in a Cabbin, on a Mattress laid,

On a brown George, with loufie Swobbers fed;
Dead Wine that ftinks of the Borachio, fup
From a foul Jack, or greafie Maple Cup?

Say, woud'st thou bear all this, to raise thy Store,
From Six i'th' Hundred to Six Hundred more?
Indulge, and to thy Genius freely give:
For, not to live at Eafe, is not to live:

Death

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