The Colloquies of Erasmus Part 81

_Po._ With all my Heart, if it can be done fairly.

_Eu._ We will pretend that we will go thither a-Foot together.

_Po._ They'll sooner believe that a Crab-Fish will fly, than that such heavy Fellows as we will take such a Journey on Foot.

_Eu._ Will you follow good wholsome Advice?

_Po._ Yes, by all Means.

_Gl._ They are a drinking, and the longer they are fuddling, the more Danger we shall be in of being overturned in the Dirt.

_Po._ You must come very early, if you find a Waggoner sober.

_Gl._ Let us hire the Waggon for us four by ourselves, that we may get to _Antwerp_ the sooner: It is but a little more Charge, not worth minding, and this Expence will be made up by many Advantages; we shall have the more Room, and shall pa.s.s the Journey the more pleasantly in mutual Conversation.

_Po._ _Glycion_ is much in the Right on't. For good Company in a Journey does the Office of a Coach; and according to the _Greek_ Proverb, we shall have more Liberty of talking, not about a Waggon, but in a Waggon.

_Gl._ Well, I have made a Bargain, let us get up. Now I've a Mind to be merry, seeing I have had the good Luck to see my old dear Comrades after so long a Separation.

_Eu._ And methinks I seem to grow young again.

_Po._ How many Years do you reckon it, since we liv'd together at Paris?

_Eu._ I believe it is not less than two and forty Years.

_Pa._ Then we seem'd to be all pretty much of an Age.

_Eu._ We were so, pretty near the Matter, for if there was any Difference it was very little.

_Pa._ But what a great Difference does there seem to be now? For Glycion has nothing of an old Man about him, and Polygamus looks old enough to be his Grandfather.

_Eu._ Why truly he does so, but what should be the Reason of it?

_Pa._ What? Why either the one loiter'd and stopp'd in his Course, or the other run faster (out-run him).

_Eu._ Oh! Time does not stay, how much soever Men may loiter.

_Po._ Come, tell us, _Glycion_ truly, how many Years do you number?

_Gl._ More than Ducats in my Pocket.

_Po._ Well, but how many?

_Gl._ Threescore and six.

_Eu._ Why thou'lt never be old.

_Po._ But by what Arts hast thou kept off old Age? for you have no grey Hairs, nor Wrinkles in your Skin, your Eyes are lively, your Teeth are white and even, you have a fresh Colour, and a plump Body.

_Gl._ I'll tell you my Art, upon Condition you'll tell us your Art of coming to be old so soon.

_Po._ I agree to the Condition. I'll do it. Then tell us whither you went when you left _Paris._

_Gl._ I went directly into my own Country, and by that Time I had been there almost a Year, I began to bethink myself what Course of Life to chuse; which I thought to be a Matter of great Importance, as to my future Happiness; so I cast my Thoughts about what had been successful to some, and what had been unsuccessful to others.

_Po._ I admire you had so much Prudence, when you were as great a Maggot as any in the World, when you were at _Paris._

_Gl._ Then my Age did permit a little Wildness. But, my good Friend, you must know, I did not do all this neither of my own mother-Wit.

_Po._ Indeed I stood in Admiration.

_Gl._ Before I engaged in any Thing, I applied to a certain Citizen, a Man of Gravity, of the greatest Prudence by long Experience, and of a general Reputation with his fellow Citizens, and in my Opinion, the most happy Man in the World.

_Eu._ You did wisely.

_Gl._ By this Man's Advice I married a Wife.

_Po._ Had she a very good Portion?

_Gl._ An indifferent good one, and according to the Proverb, in a competent Proportion to my own: For I had just enough to do my Business, and this Matter succeeded to my Mind.

_Po._ What was your Age then?

_Gl._ Almost two and twenty.

_Po._ O happy Man!

_Gl._ But don't mistake the Matter; all this was not owing to Fortune neither.

_Po._ Why so?

_Gl._ I'll tell you; some love before they chuse, I made my Choice with Judgment first, and then lov'd afterwards, and nevertheless I married this Woman more for the Sake of Posterity than for any carnal Satisfaction. With her I liv'd a very pleasant Life, but not above eight Years.

_Po._ Did she leave you no children?

_Gl._ Nay, I have four alive, two Sons and two Daughters.

_Po._ Do you live as a private Person, or in some publick Office?

_Gl._ I have a publick Employ. I might have happen'd to have got into a higher Post, but I chose this because it was creditable enough to secure me from Contempt, and is free from troublesome Attendance: And it is such, that no Body need object against me that I live only for myself, I have also something to spare now and then to a.s.sist a Friend. With this I live content, and it is the very Height of my Ambition. And then I have taken Care so to execute my Office, to give more Reputation to my Office than I receiv'd from it; this I account to be more honourable, than to borrow my Dignity from the Splendor of my Office.

_Eu._ Without all Controversy.

_Gl._ By this Means I am advanced in Years, and the Affections of my fellow Citizens.

_Eu._ But that's one of the difficultest Things in the World, when with very good Reason there is this old Saying: _He that has no Enemies has no Friends_; and _Envy is always an Attendant on Felicity_.

_Gl._ Envy always is a Concomitant of a pompous Felicity, but a Mediocrity is safe; this was always my Study, not to make any Advantage to myself from the Disadvantages of other People. I embraced as much as I could, that which the _Greeks_ call Freedom from the Enc.u.mbrance of Business. I intermeddled with no one's Affairs; but especially I kept myself clear from those that could not be meddled with without gaining the ill Will of a great many. If a Friend wants my a.s.sistance, I so serve him, as thereby not to procure any Enemies to myself. In Case of any Misunderstanding between me and any Persons, I endeavour to soften it by clearing myself of Suspicion, or to set all right again by good Offices, or to let it die without taking Notice of it: I always avoid Contention, but if it shall happen, I had rather lose my Money than my Friend. Upon the Whole, I act the Part of _Mitio_ in the Comedy, I affront no Man, I carry a chearful Countenance to all, I salute and resalute affably, I find no Fault with what any Man purposes to do or does, I don't prefer myself before other People; I let every one enjoy his Opinion; what I would have kept as a Secret, I tell to no Body: I never am curious to pry in the Privacies of other Men. If I happen to come to the Knowledge of any thing, I never blab it. As for absent Persons, I either say nothing at all of them, or speak of them with Kindness and Civility. Great Part of the Quarrels that arise between Men, come from the Intemperance of the Tongue. I never breed Quarrels or heighten them; but where-ever Opportunity happens, I either moderate them, or put an End to them. By these Methods I have hitherto kept clear of Envy, and have maintained the Affections of my fellow Citizens.