let her go in his great orchard, where it seems he has several of these prisoners of war, who live together in a very comfortable captivity. I was highly pleased to see the discipline of the pack, and the good-nature of the knight, who could not find in his heart to murder a creature that had given him so much diversion. (127: 5) As we were returning home I remembered that Monsieur Pascal, in his most excellent discourse on the _Misery of Man_, tells us that all our endeavours after greatness proceed from nothing but a desire of being surrounded by a multitude of persons and affairs that may (10) hinder us from looking into ourselves, which is a view we cannot bear. He afterwards goes on to show that our love of sports comes from the same reason, and is particularly severe upon hunting. "What," says he, "unless it be to drown thought, can make men throw away so (15) much time and pains upon a silly animal, which they might buy cheaper in the market?" The foregoing reflection is certainly just when a man suffers his whole mind to be drawn into his sports, and altogether loses himself in the woods; but does not affect those who propose (20) a far more laudable end from this exercise,--I mean, the preservation of health, and keeping all the organs of the soul in a condition to execute her orders. Had that incomparable person, whom I last quoted, been a little more indulgent to himself in this point, the world (25) might probably have enjoyed him much longer; whereas through too great an application to his studies in his youth, he contracted that ill habit of body which, after a tedious sickness, carried him off in the fortieth year of his age; and the whole history we have of his life till that time, is but one continued account of the behaviour of a noble soul struggling under innumerable pains and distempers. For my own part, I intend to hunt twice a week during (128: 5) my stay with Sir Roger; and shall prescribe the moderate use of this exercise to all my country friends, as the best kind of physic for mending a bad constitution and preserving a good one. I cannot do this better than in the following lines out (10) of Mr. Dryden: "The first physicians by debauch were made; Excess began, and sloth sustains the trade. By chase our long-lived fathers earned their food; Toil strung the nerves, and purified the blood; (15) But we their sons, a pamper'd race of men, Are dwindled down to threescore years and ten. Better to hunt in fields for health unbought Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught. The wise for cure on exercise depend: (20) God never made his work for man to mend." X. XVI. THE COVERLEY WITCH [No. 117. Saturday, July 14, 1711. ADDISON.] Ipsi sibi somnia fingunt. VIRG.