From this wise resolution he never swerved, and so through life he maintained an attitude of independence in thought and action which would otherwise have been impossible. He does not say it in so many words, but the sentiment meets us all through his pages, which Burns, whose mode of thinking so often reminds us of Horace, puts into the line, "My freedom's a lairdship nae monarch may touch." And we shall hereafter have occasion to see that, when put to the proof, he acted upon this creed. "Well might the overworked statesman have envied the poet the ease and freedom of his life, and longed to be able to spend a day as Horace, in the same Satire, tells us his days were passed!-- "I walk alone, by mine own fancy led, Inquire the price of potherbs and of bread, The circus cross, to see its tricks and fun, The forum, too, at times, near set of sun; With other fools there do I stand and gape Bound fortune-tellers' stalls, thence home escape To a plain meal of pancakes, pulse, and pease; Three young boy-slaves attend on me with these. Upon a slab of snow-white marble stand A goblet and two beakers; near at hand, A common ewer, patera, and bowl; Campania's potteries produced the whole. To sleep then I.... I keep my couch till ten, then walk awhile, Or having read or writ what may beguile A quiet after-hour, anoint my limbs With oil, not such as filthy Natta skims From lamps defrauded of their unctuous fare. And when the sunbeams, grown too hot to bear, Warn me to quit the field, and hand-ball play, The bath takes all my weariness away. Then, having lightly dined, just to appease The sense of emptiness, I take mine ease, Enjoying all home's simple luxury. This is the life of bard unclogged, like me, By stern ambition's miserable weight. So placed, I own with gratitude, my state Is sweeter, ay, than though a quaestor's power From sire and grandsire's sires had been my dower."