his
Grand Climacterical Year, and yet remains in a good state of Mind and
Body, lie idle, but must occasionally be _extremely ill, attended by
sundry Physicians_, and _given over_; when a Dearth of Tales and
Tidings shall cause a Chasm in the Paper. The Persons so mention'd,
read these Relations themselves, and oftentimes with much pleasure,
because they receive a real Benefit by 'em: for they divert the Spleen
and Vapours, natural to old Age, and so prove a happy Means of
preserving them alive, much longer than some People perhaps may care
for.

A noble Lord, in a high Station, that is pretty far advanced in Years,
never rises from his Bed, but asks, _Am I in the Papers?_ For it has
been an Observation made by most People, that his Name has been made
use of for being _greatly indispos'd_; _finely mended_; _dangerously
relaps'd_; _in a fair way of Recovery_; _going to, and returning from
the Country_; and being _sent for by Expresses to assist at Councils_,
that have not been held, and _Boards_ that have not met, _on Business
of great Importance_, constantly _de Die in Diem_, in one Paper or
other, for several years together.

A Man may better venture to take a Purse from a Merchant upon
_Change_, than a _Judge_ to take an airing in his Coach, without being
taken into _Custody_ of a News-Writer for it. I have known them give
such minute Accounts of the times of the Judges _setting out_ for
this Place and from that Place in their private Capacities, that some
of them have actually suspended their Journeys, to prevent
Highway-mens taking the Hint, and lying in ambush for them on the
Roads.

I am told of a certain _Great Man_ who hath been most grosly affronted
and vilify'd by _certain Papers_ from Week to Week, Month to Month,
and from Year to Year, for a very long Series of Time; and who hath
publickly declar'd, that nothing shall provoke him to depart from a
Maxim which he has long laid down, _viz. That 'tis better one Man be
perpetually abus'd, than Thousands perish_.

About _Michaelmas_, an Author has told us in _Print_, he was _assured_
that _Christmas-Day would be on the 25th of_ December _following_. If
the Man has not been starv'd before the time, but surviv'd to St.
_Stephen_'s Day, and seen his wonderful Prediction happen and come to
pass; 'tis pleasant to observe, how he glories and exults in his next
Paper, telling us, _It is agreeable to what was formerly publish'd in
his, and in no other Paper_; and s