s it
as he should, without imploring the pity of his friends, or being
dejected with the contempt of his enemies. As in the case of Cato:

When all the globe to Caesar's fortune bowed,
Cato alone his empire disallowed;
With inborn strength alone opposed mankind,
With heaven in view, to all below it blind:
Regardless of his friend's applause, or moan,
Alone triumphant, since he falls alone.

"Thus when the Ruler of the genial day,
Behind some darkening planet forms his way,
Desponding mortals, with officious care,
The concave drum, and magic brass prepare;
Implore him to sustain the important fight,
And save depending worlds from endless night.
Fondly they hope their labour may avail,
To ease his conflict, and assist his toil.
Whilst he in beams of native splendour bright, }
(Though dark his orb appear to human sight) }
Shines to the gods with more diffusive light. }
To distant stars with equal glory burns,
Inflames their lamps, and feeds their golden urns.
Sure to retain his known superior tract,
And proves the more illustrious by defect."

This is a very lively image; but I must take the liberty to say, my
kinsman drives the sun a little like Phaeton: he has all the warmth of
Phoebus, but won't stay for his direction of it. Avail and toil, defect
and tract, will never do for rhymes. But, however, he has the true
spirit in him; for which reason I was willing to entertain anything he
pleased to send me. The subject which he writes upon, naturally raises
great reflections in the soul, and puts us in mind of the mixed
condition which we mortals are to support; which, as it varies to good
or bad, adorns or defaces our actions to the beholders: All which glory
and shame must end in what we so much repine at, death. But doctrines on
this occasion, any other than that of living well, are the most
insignificant and most empty of all the labours of men. None but a
tragedian can die by rule, and wait till he discovers a plot, or says a
fine thing upon his exit. In real life, this is a chimera; and by noble
spirits, it will be done decently, without the ostentation of it. We see
men of all conditions and characters go through it with equal
resolution: and if we consider the speeches of the mighty philosophers,
heroes, law-givers, and great captains, they can produce no more in a
discerning spirit, than rules to make a man a fop on his d