Letters in imitation of the Ancients.

SIR,

TH

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BEE.

(May 4. 1791.)

HE following translation from the Latin, of a fragment found in one of the libraries at Constantinople, of a letter to Cossutianus Capito, which is ascribed to Petronius Arbiter; I have lately received from the possessor of this curious remain of antiquity, who intends soon to publish it in the original, with notes, by a gentleman who deserves to be better known in the republic of letters. At present, I offer you this translation, with a view to excite attention to the eastern repositories of classical learning, where much may be recovered, if Catharine the Great shall be able to replace the eagle at Constantinople, and Apollo be permitted once more to wave his golden locks on the shores of the Hellespont. I am,. Sir,

Your humble servant,

A. R.

To CoSSUTIANUS CAPITO.

You are not unacquainted, O Capito! with my glorious and happy indifference concerning those things which are transacted at Rome; and I desire you to be persuaded, that I am happier in this second city of Italy*, than you are in the first; for whilst you are not only suffering the terror of new devastations in Campania, from the convulsions of nature and the elements, but those arising from your own dangerous situation in the midst of your enemies, I am here enjoying the purest air, the most tranquil life, and the greatest variety of amusements that can be conceived.

I assure you, Capito, that if the sense of men and the spirit of women consist, as I esteem, in tasting every pleasure to the utmost boundary of health, and fortune, and reputation, and even a little beyond the last, when our situation enables us to brave the censure of the cynics, here we have as much sense, and more spirit, than you have, for our fortunes are by no means equal to our abilities.

Few are the sources of wealth with us. That flows from all the world to the seven hills with an uniform and immense stream, disobeying the old laws of nature, and flowing upwards from the boundless ocean to the capital. Some among us, indeed, have been in

* Edinburgh.

Bithynia, as I have been, and to better purpose, for they have brought home with them what would have prevented me from leaving Rome, or added to the riches of your illustrious father-in-law, by a modern testament or proscription suited to the temper and fortune of these happy times. These sons of fortune, and the provinces, who are afraid of being made sponges of in the golden palaces of Rome, drop without compulsion, enough in this city, to make us all open our Tantalean lips to taste the nectareous juice; and whilst these fortunate men are scattering their aurei among the handmaids of luxury and pleasure, the poor, but elegant provincials of this country, are straining every nerve to carry their whole for tune on their backs, or in their bellies, to regale their ears with the music of Cepio, or feast their eyes with the significantly voluptuous motions of our dances at the theatre, to behold the wrestling and boxing of gladiators, the fighting of various animals; and thus deliciously prolonging their pleasures thro' the night, they spare themselves the disgust of seeing the insipid and common officer of the city or its neighbourhood, during the first part of the day; and when necessarily forced to arise from restlessness, delicious liquors are provided for the men, and lulling narcotics for the women, whereby a delightful confusion is created in the mind, until the business of the succeeding evening calls them forth to fresh pleasures.

Our men and women have long since adopted the refined fashion of lying alternately at the midnight banquet; and if our ladies do not permit us to see so much of the panting bosom, as they do with you, they conceal, I assure you, what is better worth attending to: for our air is both purer and better than yours, and the salubrity of the climate enables all of us to pursue the delights of society on firmer and better ground than can be enjoyed by those who are relaxed and enfeebled by the sickly influence of Campania. One inconyenience, I must, however, admit, which is owing to the novelty of our improvement; our women are not quite so delightfully varied and interesting in their conversation, and real accomplishments of the understanding, as those of Rome and Athens; but in the pursuit of pleasure they are indefatigable, going to every place of amusement for their improvement, and sometimes to two or three in an evening; so that they will gradually attain the laudable object of their ambition. That, at present, unfortunately, is too much directed towards the public amusements themselves, as a primary object, in the elegance and va riety of dress, and in prudent love, under the awe and constraint of their sour husbands, fathers, and aunts; but, by degrees, this will wear off; for time, O Capito! is necessary to fortify the mind, not only against the accidents of fortune, but the disappointments in pleasure.

In short, my friendly Capito, we do nothing here, nor can we endure any thing that is stupid and solemn. We fiddle, we box, we wrestle, we dance, we sing, we love, we chatter, we frisk about the streets, we drink Falernian in the morning, and drink it again in the evening; we amuse ourselves with our friends' wives, and our wives amuse themselves with our friends; we go to the theatre, the circus; we sup, and do all we can, or can be permitted to do, with impunity. Judge, then, my dear Capito, for yourself, concerning my situation; the outlines of which will perhaps amuse the circle of my friends at Rome, whom I hope, thro' your mediation with him who has all power in his hands, to embrace before many days.

Farewell.

Letter Second.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BEE.

(July 13. 1791.)

I

SIR,

HEAR with pleasure, that my translation of the letter to Capito has been well received by many of your readers, which encourages me to send you a translation of another,