LETTER XXX.

TO GEMINIUS.

YOU have frequently in conversation, and lately in a letter, commended your friend Nonius to me, for his great liberality to certain particular persons I shall join with you in applauding him, if his bounty is not confined to those only whom you mention. I would have him, who desires to show himself influenced by a spirit of true generosity, be liberal to his country, his kindred, his relations, and his friends; his friends, I mean, in distress: not like those, who chiefly bestow their presents where there is the greatest ability to make returns. I do not look upon such men as parting with any thing of their own; on the contrary, I consider their bounties as only so many disguised baits thrown out with a design of catching the property of others. Much of the same character are those, who take from one man in order to bestow on another, and aim at a reputation for munificence by sordid means. The first and fundamental principle of genuine beneficence, is to be contented with one's own; and after that to cherish and embrace all the most indigent of every kind, in one comprehensive circle of general benevolence. If your friend observes this rule in its full extent, he is entirely to be commended; if he only partially pursues it, still he deserves (in a less degree indeed, however he deserves) praise: so uncommon is it to meet with an instance of generosity, even of the most imperfect kind the lust

of avarice has so totally seized upon mankind, that their wealth seems rather to possess them, than they to possess their wealth. Farewell.

LETTER XXXI.

TO SARDUS.

I STILL continued to enjoy your company, even after we had parted; for I entertained myself with reading your book. And I frequently perused, with particular complacency, (I honestly own it,) those passages of which I am the subject: a subject upon which, indeed, you have been extremely copious. With what a variety of expression, and in how many different lights, have you placed the same sentiments concerning the same person? Will you suffer me to mingle my applauses with my acknowledgments? I can do neither sufficiently; and if I could, there would be somewhat, I fear, of vanity, in making that person the subject of my praise, which is, in truth, the object of my thanks. I will only add, then, that I thought your compliments to me raised the merit of your performance; as the merit of your performance heightened the pleasure of your compliments. Farewell.

LETTER XXXII.

TO TITIANUS.

WHAT are you doing? And what do you propose to do? As for myself, I pass my life in the

most agreeable, that is, in the most disengaged manner imaginable. I do not find myself, therefore, in the humour to write a long letter, though I am to read one. I am too much a man of indolence for the former, and just idle enough for the latter for none are more indolent, you know, than your fine gentlemen, or have more curiosity than those who have nothing to do. Farewell.

LETTER XXXIII.

TO CANINIUS.

:

I HAVE met with a story, which, though it is authenticated by undoubted evidence, has all the air of fable, and would afford a very proper sub- ject for the exercise of your truly poetical and sublime genius. It was related to me, the other day, at table, where the conversation happened to turn upon various kinds of extraordinary events. The person who gave the account was a man of unsuspected veracity :-but what has a poet to do with truth? However, you might venture to rely upon his testimony, even though you had the character of a faithful historian to support. There is in Africa a town called Hippo, situated not far from the sea-coast: it stands upon a navigable lake, from whence a river runs into the main ocean, and ebbs and flows with the sea. Persons of all ages divert themselves here with fishing, sailing, or swimming; especially boys, whom love of play and idleness bring thither. The contest among them is, who shall have the glory of swimming farthest ;

and he that leaves the shore and his companions at the greatest distance, gains the victory. It happened, in one of these trials of skill, that a certain boy, more bold than the rest, launched out towards the opposite shore. He was met by a dolphin,* who sometimes swam before him, and sometimes behind him, then played round him, and at last took him upon his back, then set him down, and afterwards took him up again; and thus he carried the poor frighted boy out into the deepest part; when immediately he turns back again to the shore, and lands him among his companions. The fame of this remarkable event spread through the town, and crowds of people flocked round the boy (whom they viewed as a kind of prodigy,) to ask him questions, and hear him relate the story. The next day the shore was lined with multitudes of spectators, all attentively contemplating the ocean, and (what indeed is almost itself an ocean) the lake. In the mean while, the boys swam as usual, and, among the rest, the youth I am speaking of went into the lake, but with more caution than before. The dolphin again appeared, and came to the boy, who, together with his companions, swam away with the utmost precipitation. The dolphin, as it were, to invite and recal them, leaped and dived up and down, darting about in a thousand different convolutions. This he practised for several days together, till the people (accus

* This animal is celebrated by several of the ancients for its philanthropy; and Pliny the elder, in particular, relates this very story, among other instances, in confirmation of that notion. See PLIN. Hist. Nat. 1. 9. c. 8.

tomed from their infancy to the sea,) began to be ashamed of their timidity. They ventured, therefore, to advance nearer, playing with him, and calling him to them; while he, in return, suffered himself to be touched and stroked. Use rendered them more courageous: the boy, in particular, who first had experienced the safety, swam by the side of him, and leaping upon his back, was carried about in that manner: thus they gradually became acquainted and delighted with each other. There seemed now, indeed, to be no fear on either side, the confidence of the one, and tameness of the other, mutually increasing; the rest of the boys, in the mean while, surrounding and encouraging their companion. It is very remarkable, that this dolphin was followed by a second, which seemed only as a spectator and attendant on the former; for he did not at all submit to the same familiarities as the first, but only conducted him backwards and forwards, as the boys did their comrade. But what is farther surprising, and no less true than that which I have already related, is, this dolphin, who thus played with the boys, and carried them upon his back, would come upon the shore, dry himself in the sand, and, as soon as he grew warm, roll back into the sea. Octavius Avitus, deputy-governor of the province, actuated by an absurd piece of superstition, poured some precious ointment* over him as he lay on the

* It was a religious ceremony practised by the ancients, to pour precious ointments upon the statues of their gods: Avitus, it is probable, imagined this dolphin was some sea divinity, and therefore expressed his veneration of him, by the solemnity of a sacred unction.