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sink into poverty, he falls with velocity always in-
creasing; every supply is purchased at a higher and
higher price, and every office of kindness obtained
with greater and greater difficulty. Having now ac-
quainted you with my state of elevation, I shall, if
you encourage the continuance of my correspond-
ence, shew you by what steps I descended from a
first floor in Pall-Mall to my present habitation®.
I am, Sir,

Your humble servant,

MISARGYRUS.

No. 39. TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1753
—Οδυσεὺς φύλλοισι καλύψατο τῷ δ ̓ ἄρ ̓ ̓ Αθήνη
Ὕπνον ἐπ ̓ ὄμμασι χεῦ, ἵνα μιν παύσειε τάχιστα
Δυσπονέος καμάτοιο.-

-Pallas pour'd sweet slumbers on his soul;
And balmy dreams, the gift of soft repose,

HOм. E'. 491.

Calm'd all his pains, and banish'd all his woes.

POPE.

F every day did not produce fresh instances of the ingratitude of mankind, we might, perhaps, be at a loss, why so liberal and impartial a benefactor as sleep, should meet with so few historians or panegyrists. Writers are so totally absorbed by the business of the day, as never to turn their attention to that power, whose officious hand so seasonably suspends the burthen of life; and without whose interposition man would not be able to endure the fatigue of labour, however rewarded, or the struggle with opposition, however successful.

e For an account of the disputes raised on this paper, and on the other letters of Misargyrus, see Preface.

Night, though she divides to many the longest part of life, and to almost all the most innocent and happy, is yet unthankfully neglected, except by those who pervert her gifts.

The astronomers, indeed, expect her with impatience, and felicitate themselves upon her arrival: Fontenelle has not failed to celebrate her praises; and to chide the sun for hiding from his view the worlds, which he imagines to appear in every constellation. Nor have the poets been always deficient in her praises: Milton has observed of the night, that it is "the pleasant time, the cool, the silent."

These men may, indeed, well be expected to pay particular homage to night; since they are indebted to her, not only for cessation of pain, but increase of pleasure; not only for slumber, but for knowledge. But the greater part of her avowed votaries are the sons of luxury; who appropriate to festivity the hours designed for rest; who consider the reign of pleasure as commencing when day begins to withdraw her busy multitudes, and ceases to dissipate attention by intrusive and unwelcome variety; who begin to awake to joy when the rest of the world sinks into insensibility; and revel in the soft affluence of flattering and artifical lights, which "more shadowy set off the face of things."

Without touching upon the fatal consequences of a custom, which, as Ramazzini observes, will be for ever condemned and for ever retained; it may be observed, that however sleep may be put off from time to time, yet the demand is of so importunate a

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