Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 1
Puta Ambulantem Cum Sapienti fore Sapientem1
As I can't perswade my Self that you have forgot the proposals which we agreed upon not longe since yet if you have Verbum Sat est Sapienti.2 And so I have no Need to Apoligize or detaine you with a Compleseant Introduction while I do but Verge upon the truth and leave the Quintessence undiscovered.
As my Design at present is cheifly to acquaint you with some few remarks that I have made so I shall wait Impatient to hear your Candid Sentiments as unwilling to lean unto my own Understanding. Sr. I have observ'd that ther is a Sect of persons in the World who Consume their fleeting Moments in a Seres of high low Jack &c. I am ready to Conclude men of this Sort are Infatuated Animals & are Ignorant of the main design of life. Another Sect of men make themselves Conspicious and are Notable for the Superior regard they pay to Bacchus. While I obseve these Toping at their bowls 'till they have Extinguished and obliterated their 19reason that glorious faculty by which Men are distinguished from the rest of the Creation, I can Scarce believe they are of an higher rank or Superior order of beings than that of the beast. Another Scene of Man have open'd to my View whose dispositions is dull and saturnine who perhaps will go to bed at Eight and not rise till Nine next morning thus they are very Sedulus and Carefull to Ketch at Every opportunity for a moments Sleep and Seem to take a delight in the dprivations of their Rational powers.
I have been Equally diverted by the Animadvertency of those who Loiter away their precious time in an idle & indolent manner or those who are Vox et preterea Nihil3 those are Continually Exclameing against the Conduct of this or that person as guilty of to much Sedulity in their Studies or religion. Another sort who differ from these in some point may be ranged with them and whose fate will not be Inferior or perdition more Certain and these by Some have been thought worthy the Name of Evil Company-Keepers or Rakes who allowing that Actions Speek lowder than Word affirm the whole affair of Mans life lies abroad & not at home but I am of the mind that these will find the Unhappy Event of their gross Mistake when they find that he who governs himself is happier than he who takes a City.
Thus far I considered mankind as a Mass of Sin and Iniquity, the Epitema of Imprudences a composition of All Evills & an Emblem of Unhappiness. My Spirits allmost failed & I was Ready to Curse my Species & pronounce a blessing to the Toads & Serpents who being destitute of Reason Could not Abuse it.
But a Briter Scene open'd I found Some among the Ruins of Nature Who avoided these Vices & practis'd the Contrary Virtues who Improv'd their reason & Cultivated their Natural powers for the rendering themselves & their fellow men Worthy the Name of happy Reasonable Creatures whose Ingenuity & Accuracy in behavour whose progress in knowledge made them Sociable beings & Render'd them happifying to all their Consorts. And O Terq: quarterque Beatus4 is he who Enters the list of these and Joyns Affinity.
Alas! that the Number of the former sort is found to Amount to such a Vast Multitude Even in our Accademys the Seat of the Muses & Seminary of good Litterature and the latter may be Compriz'd in a Cyfer or two. Oh! may Each of Us be found amongst the latter sort who live Conscious of the great End of life and are in persute of Real and Substantial happiness. Thus Dear friend I have given you my Thoughts in a few lines 20please to overlook whatsoever is low & Contemtable and make Suitable Remarks upon the Subject & Send them to me & you will Oblige him who Esteems it his happiness to be accounted Worthy any Converse with you & add one more to the Innumerable Obligations with which you have obliged your most humble Servant,
Think that one walking with a wise man will be wise.
A word to the wise is sufficient (proverb).
Voice and beyond that nothing.
O thrice and four times blessed! (Virgil, Æneid, bk. 1, 1. 94).
Noticing.