Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ATO: OR, AN ESSAY ON OLD AGE. To Titus Pomponius Atticus. Ah could my numbers charm thy anxious breast And lull the sorrows of thy soul to rest; Wouldst thou not deem the poet's lenient lay More worth than sums of countless gold could pay? For well may I address you my friend, in.those lines of the honest bard, Far less for wealth than probity renown'd, with which he opens his poem inscribed to Flami- ninus. I am sensible at the same time that when the poet adds, Each rising sun beholds thy ceaseless grief, And night returning brings Uiee no relief, he holds a language by no means applicable to you. I perfectly well know the moderation and equanimity you possess; and that you have derived from Athens, not only an honourable addition to your name, but that calm and philosophic spirit which so peculiarly distinguishes your character. Nevertheless, I have reason to believe that the present unpleasing posture of public affairs sometimes interrupts your tranquillity of mind, as it frequently, I confess, discomposes my own. But it is not my present purpose to offer you any consolation on that subject: the case requires a very powerful application: and I will reserve what I have to say on it to some future opportunity. My design at this time is only to communicate to you a few reflections concerning old age; the info.mities whereof we are now beginning to feel, or at least are advancing fast towatds them: and I am desirous of rendering the burthen as easy as possible both to you and to myself. I am well convinced indeed that as you have hitherto borne its weight, so you will continue to support its increasing pressure, with the same good sense and composure of mind which you have so happily discovered on every other important occasion. However, having resolved to...