nothing: when the subject is utterly exhausted, to let the pen still move on; by some called, the ghost of wit, delighting to walk after the death of its body. And to say the truth, there seems to be no part of knowledge in fewer hands, than that of discerning when to have done. By the time that an author has written out a book, he and his readers are become old acquaintance, and grow very loth to part; so that I have sometimes known it to be in writing, as in visiting, where the ceremony of taking leave has employed more time, than the whole conversation before. The conclusion of a treatise, resembles the conclusion of human life, which has sometimes been compared to the end of a feast; where few are satisfied to depart, ut plenus vitæ conviva: for men will sit down after the fullest meal, though it be only to doze, or to sleep out the rest of the day. But, in this latter, I differ extremely from other writers; and shall be too proud, if, by all my labours, I can have any ways[1] contributed to the repose of mankind, in times[2] so turbulent and unquiet as these. Neither do I think such an employment, so very alien from the office of a wit, as some would suppose. For, among a very polite nation in Greece, there were the same temples built and consecrated, to sleep and the muses; between
- ↑ This is a corruption, introduced into writing from vulgar speech. It should be, anywise, not any ways: wise, adverbially used, signifying mode, or manner: as, likewise, in like manner; nowise, in no manner: often also written, no-ways.
- ↑ This was written before the peace of Ryswick, which was signed in September, 1697.
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