thofe originally built, ought to be condemned as luxury; feeing they contribute to cheerfulness as well as to health. The

plague, fome centuries ago, made frequent vifits to London, promoted by air ftagnating in narrow streets and small houses. From the great fire anno 1666, when the houses and streets were enlarged, the plague has not once been in London.

Man confifts of foul and body, so intimately connected that the one cannot be at eafe while the other fuffers. In order to have mens fana in corpore fano, it is neceffary to ftudy the health of both: bodily health fupports the mind; and nothing tends more than cheerfulness to fupport the body, even under a disease. To preferve this complicated machine in order, certain exercifes are proper for the body, and certain for the mind; which ought never to encroach the one on the other. Much motion and bodily exercise tend to make us robuft; but in the mean time the mind is ftarved: much reading and reflection fortify the mind, but in the mean time the body is ftarved. Nor is this all excefs in either is deftructive to both; for exercife too violent, whether of

mind or body, wears the machine. Indolence, on the other hand, relaxes the machine, and renders it weak or useless. Bodily indolence breeds the gout, the gravel, and many other diseases: nor is mental indolence lefs pernicious, for it breeds peevifhnefs and pufillanimity. Thus, health both of mind and body is best preserved by moderate exercise. And hence a general propofition, That every indulgence in corporeal pleasure, which favours either too violent or too languid exercife, whether of mind or body, is hurtful, and confequently is luxury in its proper fenfe. It is fcarce neceffary to be added, that every fuch indulgence is condemned by the moral fenfe; of which every man can bear teftimony from what he himfelf feels.

Too great indulgence in corporeal pleafure feldom prompts violent exercise; but inftances are without number, of its relaxing even that moderate degree of exercife which is healthful both to mind and body. This in particular is the cafe of too great indulgence in cating or drinking: fuch indulgence, creating a habitual appetite for more than nature requires, VOL. II. S loads

loads the stomach, depreffes the spirits; and brings on a habit of liftleffness and inactivity, which renders men cowardly and effeminate *. And what does the epicure gain by fuch excefs? In a grand palace, the master occupies not a greater space than his meanest domeftic; and brings to his most sumptuous feast, perhaps lefs appetite than any of his guests. Satiety withal makes him lofe the relish even of rarities, which afford to others a poignant pleasure. Liften to a sprightly writer handling this fubject. "Le peuple 66 ne s'ennuie guerre, fa vie eft active; fi ❝fes amusemens ne font pas variés, ils "font rares; beaucoup de jours de fa

tigue lui font goûter avec délices quel

ques jours de fêtes. Une alternative de

longs travaux et de courts loisirs tient "lieu d'affaifonement aux plaifirs de fon ❝état. Pour les riches, leur grand fléau

*Luxury and felfifhnefs render men cowards. People who are attached to riches or to fenfual pleasure, cannot think without horror of abandoning them. A virtuous man confiders himself as placed here in order to obey the will of his Maker: he performs his duty, and is ready to quit his post upon the first fummons.

""" c'est

"c'eft l'ennui: au fein de tant d'amufe

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mens rassemblés à grands fraix, au mi"lieu de tant de gens concourans à leur plaire, l'ennui les confume et les tue; ils

paffent leur vie à le fuir et à en être at"teints; ils font accablés de fon poids infupportable les femmes, fur-tout, qui ne favent plus s'occuper, ni s'amufer, en font dévorées fous le nom de "vapeurs." Rouffeau, Emile. What enjoyment then have the opulent above others? Let them bestow their riches in making others happy: benevolence will double their own happiness; first, in the direct act of doing good; and next, in reflecting upon the good they have done, the most delicate of all feasts.

Had the English continued Pagans, they would have invented a new deity to prefide over cookery. I fay it with regret, but must say it, that a luxurious table, covered with every dainty, feems to be their favourite idol. A minifter of ftate never withstands a feaft; and the link that unites thofe in oppofition, is the cramming one another * I fhall not be furprised to

*This was compofed in the year 1770.

S 2

hear,

hear, that the cramming a mistress has become the most fashionable mode of courtship. Luxury in eating is not unknown in their univerfities; the only branch of education that feldom proves abortive. It has not efcaped obfervation, that between the 1740 and 1770 no fewer than fix mayors of London died in office, a greater number than in the preceding 500 years: fuch havock doth luxury in eating make among the fons of Albion *. How different the manners of their forefathers! Bonduca their Queen, ready to engage the Romans in a pitched battle, encouraged her army with a pathetic fpeech, urging in particular the following confideration: "The great advantage we "have over them is, that they cannot, "like us, bear hunger, thirst, heat, nor

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cold. They must have fine bread, wine, "and warm houfes: every herb and root

* Suicide is not influenced by a foggy air; for it is not more frequent in the fens of Lincoln or Effex, than in other parts of England. A habit of daily excefs in eating and drinking, with intervals of downy cafe, relax every mental fpring. The man flags in his fpirits, becomes languid and low: nothing moves him: every connection with the world is diffolved: a tedium vita enfues; and then ----

"fatisfies