’There entring in, they found the Good-Man’s self,
      Full busily unto his Work ybent,
    Who was so weel a wretched wearish Elf,
      With hollow Eyes and raw-bone Cheeks forspent,
      As if he had in Prison long been pent. 
    Full black and griesly did his Face appear,
      Besmear’d with Smoke that nigh his Eye-sight blent,
    With rugged Beard and Hoary shaggy Heare,
    The which he never wont to comb, or comely shear.’

35.

    ’Rude was his Garment and to Rags all rent,
      Ne better had he, ne for better cared;
    His blistred Hands amongst the Cinders brent,
      And Fingers filthy, with long Nails prepared,
      Right fit to rend the Food on which he fared. 
    His Name was_ Care; a Blacksmith by his Trade,
      That neither Day nor Night from working spared,
    But to small purpose Iron Wedges made: 
    These be unquiet Thoughts that careful Minds invade.’

’Homer’s Epithets were much admired by Antiquity:  See what great Justness and Variety there is in these Epithets of the Trees in the Forest where the Red-cross Knight lost Truth, B. I. Cant. i.  St. 8, 9.

    ’The sailing Pine, the Cedar proud and tall,
      The Vine-prop Elm, the Poplar never dry,
    The Builder Oak, sole King of Forests all. 
      The Aspine good for Staves, the Cypress Funeral. 
    The Laurel, Meed of mighty Conquerors,
      And Poets sage; the Fir that weepeth still,
    The Willow worn of forlorn Paramours,
      The Yew obedient to the Bender’s Will. 
      The Birch for Shafts, the Sallow for the Mill;
    The Myrrhe sweet bleeding in the bitter Wound,
      The warlike Beech, the Ash for nothing ill,
    The fruitful Olive, and the Plantane round,
    The Carver Helm, the Maple seldom inward sound.’

  ’I shall trouble you no more, but desire you to let me conclude with
  these Verses, though I think they have already been quoted by you;
  They are Directions to young Ladies opprest with Calumny.  VI. 6, 14.

    ’The best_ (said he) that I can you advise,
      Is to avoid the Occasion of the Ill;
    For when the Cause whence Evil doth arise
      Removed is, the Effect surceaseth still. 
      Abstain from Pleasure, and restrain your Will,
    Subdue Desire, and bridle loose Delight,
      Use scanted Diet, and forbear your Fill,
    Shun Secrecy, and talk in open Sight;
    So shall you soon repair your present evil Plight.’

T.

* * * * *

No. 541.  Thursday, November 20, 1712.  John Hughes.

  ’Format enim Natura prius nos intus ad omnem
  Fortunarum habitum; juvat, aut impellit ad iram,
  Aut ad humum maerore gravi deducit et angit;
  Post effert animi motus interprete Lingua.’