’The Widow Maskwell, a Woman who had long lived with a most unblemished Character, having turned off her old Chamber-maid in a Pet, was by that revengeful Creature brought in upon the black Ram Nine times the same Day.

  ’Several Widows of the Neighbourhood, being brought upon their Tryal,
  they shewed that they did not hold of the Manor, and were discharged
  accordingly.

’A pretty young Creature who closed the Procession, came ambling in, with so bewitching an Air, that the Steward was observ’d to cast a Sheep’s Eye upon her, and married her within a Month after the Death of his Wife.

’N.  B. Mrs. Touchwood appeared, according to Summons, but had nothing laid to her Charge; having liv’d irreproachably since the Decease of her Husband, who left her a Widow in the Sixty-ninth Year of her Age.’

  I am, SIR, &c.

[Footnote 1:  See note to No. 608.]

[Footnote 2:  See Nos. 591, 602, 605, 614, and 625.]

[Footnote 3:  Then the 11th, now the 22nd of June, longest day of the year.]

* * * * *

No. 624.  Wednesday, November 24, 1714.

  ’Audire, atque togam jubeo componere, quisquis
  Ambitione mala, aut argenti pallet amore
  Quisquis luxuria—­’

  Hor.

Mankind is divided into two Parts, the Busie and the Idle.  The Busie World may be divided into the Virtuous and the Vicious.  The Vicious again into the Covetous, the Ambitious, and the Sensual.  The idle Part of Mankind are in a State inferior to any one of these.  All the other are engaged in the Pursuit of Happiness, though often misplaced, and are therefore more likely to be attentive to such Means, as shall be proposed to them for that End.  The Idle, who are neither wise for this World, nor the next, are emphatically called by Dr. Tillotson, Fools at large.  They propose to themselves no End, but run adrift with every Wind.  Advice therefore would be but thrown away upon them, since they would scarce take the Pains to read it.  I shall not fatigue any of this worthless Tribe with a long Harangue; but will leave them with this short Saying of Plato, that Labour is preferable to Idleness, as Brightness to Rust.

The Pursuits of the Active Part of Mankind, are either in the Paths of Religion and Virtue; or, on the other Hand, in the Roads to Wealth, Honours or Pleasure.  I shall therefore compare the Pursuits of Avarice, Ambition and sensual Delight, with their opposite Virtues; and shall consider which of these Principles engages Men in a Course of the greatest Labour, Suffering and Assiduity.  Most Men, in their cool Reasonings, are willing to allow that a Course of Virtue will in the End be rewarded the most amply; but represent the Way to it as rugged and narrow.  If therefore it can be made appear, that Men struggle through as many Troubles to be miserable, as they do to be happy, my Readers may perhaps be perswaded to be Good, when they find they shall lose nothing by it.