Of Reading, and the Choice of Books.
I AM as fond of reading as ever, because it depends more particularly on the mind, which decays not like the senses: but, in truth, I seek in Books my Pleasure rather than my Instruction. As I have less time for practice, I have less curiosity to learn. I have more need of a stock of life, than of methods of living; and the little that remains, is better entertain'd and cherish'd by things agreeable, than instructive. The Latin Authors afford me the most, and I read whatever I think fine, a thousand times over without being cloy'd.
A nice choice has confin'd me to a few Books, in which I seek rather sound than fine Wit; and the true Taste (to use a Spanish Expression) is generally found in the writings of considerable men. I am pleas'd to discover in Tully's Epistles, both his own Character, and that of those Persons of Quality that wrote to him. As for Tully himself, he never divests himself of his Rhetorick; and the least recommendation to his most intimate friend, is as artificially insinuated, as if he were to prepossess a stranger in an affair of the greatest consequence in the world. The Letters of the rest have not those turns: but in my mind, they have more good sense than his; and this makes me judge very advantageously of the great and general abilities of the Romans at that time.
Our Authors perpetually cry up the age of Augustus, upon the account of Virgil and Horace; and perhaps more yet upon the score of Mecenas, who encouraged men of Learning,
