our Dreams are in our Power, that they are
generally conformable to our waking Thoughts, so that it is not
impossible to convey our selves to a Consort of Musick, the
Conversation of Distant Friends, or any other Entertainment which has
been before lodged in the Mind.

My Readers, by applying these Hints will find the Necessity of making
a _good Day_ of it, if they heartily wish themselves a good Night.

I have often consider'd _Marcia's_ Prayer, and _Lucius's_ Account of
_Cato_, in this Light.

Marc. O ye immortal Powers, that guard the Just,
Watch round his Couch, and soften his Repose,
Banish his Sorrows, and becalm his Soul
With easie Dreams; remember all his Virtues;
And shew Mankind that Goodness is your Care.

Luc. Sweet are the Slumbers of the virtuous Man!
O Marcia, I have seen thy Godlike Father:
Some Pow'r invisible supports his Soul,
And bears it up in all its wonted Greatness.
A kind refreshing Sleep is fall'n upon him:
I saw him stretcht at Ease, his Fancy lost
In pleasing Dreams; as I drew near his Couch,
He smil'd, and cry'd, Caesar, thou canst not hurt me.

Mr. _Shadow_ acquaints me in a Postscript, that he has no manner of
Title to the Vision which succeeded his first Letter; but adds, that as
the Gentleman who wrote it Dreams very sensibly, he shall be glad to
meet him some Night or other, under the great Elm Tree, by which
_Virgil_ has given us a fine Metaphorical Image of Sleep, in order to
turn over a few of the Leaves together, and oblige the Publick with an
Account of the Dreams that lie under them.

* * * * *

No. 594. Wednesday, September 15, 1714.

'--Absentem qui rodit amicum,
Qui non defendit, alio culpante; solutos
Qui captat risus hominum, famamque dicacis,
Fingere qui non visa potest, commissa tacere
Qui nequit, hic niger est: hunc tu Romane caveto.'

Hor.

Were all the Vexations of Life put together, we should find that a great
Part of them proceed from those Calumnies and Reproaches which we spread
abroad concerning one another.

There is scarce a Man living who is not, in some Degree, guilty of this
Offence; tho', at the same time, however we treat one another, it must
be confessed, that we all consent in speaking ill of the P