"Sir,
"I have a good fortune, partly paternal and partly acquired. My younger years I spent in business; but age coming on, and having no more children than one daughter, I resolved to be a slave no longer: and accordingly I have disposed of my effects, placed my money in the funds, bought a pretty seat in a pleasant country; am making a garden, and have set up a pack of little beagles. I live in the midst of a good many well-bred neighbours, and several well-tempered clergymen. Against a rainy day I have a little library; and against the gout in my stomach a little good claret. With all this I am the miserablest man in the world; not that I've lost the relish of any of these pleasures, but am distracted with such a multiplicity of entertaining objects, that I am lost in the variety. I am in such a hurry of idleness, that I do not know with what diversion to begin. Therefore, sir, I must beg the favour of you, when your more weighty affairs will permit, to put me in some method of doing nothing; for I find Pliny makes a great difference betwixt Nihil agere and Agere nihil; and I fancy, if you would explain him, you would do a very great kindness to many in Great Britain, as well as to
"Your humble Servant,
"J. B."
"Sir,
"The enclosed is written by my father in one of his pleasant humours. He bids me seal it up, and send you a word or two from myself, which he won't desire to see till he hears of it from you. Desire him before he begins his method of doing nothing, to have nothing to do; that is to say, let him marry off his daughter. I am,
"Your gentle Reader,
"S. B."
FOOTNOTES:
[274] Eucrates reminds us in some respects of Steele himself.
[275] Perhaps Cornelius Wood. See No. [144].
[276] In writing of Aristæus, Steele seems to have had Addison in his mind. His friend had recently left London for Ireland.