Note 53 — LETTER XL.

’Tis a Letter from a Gentleman retir’d from the World, to a Friend of his, wherein he celebrates the happy Innocence, and the Freedom of his tranquil Retreat, in a Style that cannot but be pleasing to the Admirers of French Poetry; and for their Sakes we insert the Original, with only an English Paraphrase in the Margin.

Je vois regner sur ce rivage The Author begins with expressing L’Innocence et la Liberté. his Surprise at the Concurrence Que d’Objects dans ce paisage, of Objects of different Qualities Malgre leur contrarieté, in his Retirement; such as M’étonnent par leur Assémbláge! Abundance with Frugality, Abondante frugalité, Authority with Indulgence, Riches Autorité sans Esclaváge with Sobriety, Richesses sans Libertinagé, Charges, Noblesse, sans fuerté. Honours with Humility: And having Mon choix est fait, ce voisinage therefore fix’d on this Spot for Détermine ma volonté. his Residence, he implores the Bienfaisante Divinité, Sanction of the Divine Providence Ajoutez y votre suffrage. to his Choice.

Disciple de l’Adversité, Here he says, that having been Je viens faire dans le village train’d-up in the School of Le volontaire apprentissage Adversity, he prefers a voluntary D’une tardive obscurité. Obscurity in the Village; that he Aussi bien, de mon plus bel âge has experienc’d the Instability of J’apperçois l’instabilité. Youth; that he has seen the Return J’ai deja, de compte arrêté, of 40 Springs, which he regrets Quarante fois vu le feuillage that he has so ill improv’d; and Par le Zéphyr ressuscité. promises to make a better Use of Du Printems j’ai mal profité: the Summer of his Life. J’en ai regret; et de l’Eté Je veux faire un meilleur usage.

J’apporte dans mon Hermitage, He says he brings to his Hermitage Un cœur des longtems rebuté a Heart which has been for a long Du prompt et funeste esclavage, Time the fatal Slave of foolish Fruit de la folle vanité. Vanity; but that now he is become Paisan sans rusticité, a Peasant without Clownishness, a Hermite sans patelinage, Hermit without Bigotry; and that Mon but est la tranquillité. Tranquillity being his Aim, he Je veux pour unique partage, desires no other Portion in Life La paix d’un cœur qui se dégage but the Peace of his Mind, Des filets de la Volupté. disentangled from the Snares of Pleasure.

L’incorruptible probité, Here he declares, that De mes Ayeux noble Heritage, incorruptible Probity, the noble A la Cour ne m’a point quitté. Inheritance he deriv’d from his Libre et franc, sans être sauvage, Ancestors, did not forsake him at Du Courtisan fourbe et volage Court, where being frank and free, L’exemple ne m’a point gâté, without being rude, the Example of L’infatigable activité, the crafty giddy Courtier had not tainted him. He observes the good Effect of his former Miscarriage; that it has made him active and indefatigable; and he hopes Reste d’un utile naufrage, from henceforwards to be happy in Mes Etudes, mon Jardinage, his Studies, in his Garden, and Un Repas sans art appreté, in a plain Diet dress’d by his D’une Epouse œconome et sage frugal prudent Wife, whose good La belle humeur, le bon ménage, Nature is equal to her Œconomy. Vont faire ma félicité.

C’est dans ce Port, qu’en sureté In this Port, says he, my Vessel Ma Barque ne craint point l’orage. dreads no Storm. Let who will defy Qu’un autre à son tour emporté, the Rage of the Winds, while he Au gré de sa cupidité, coasts along the Shore, I laugh at Sur le sein de l’humide plage, his Presumption, and wish him a Des Vents ose affronter la rage; good Voyage; but reserve my Je ris de sa témerité, Courage for a more important Et lui souhaite un bon voyage. Passage, and approach with Je réserve ma fermeté Boldness to the Gates of Eternity. Pour un plus important passage; Et je m’approche avec courage, Des portes de l’Eternité.

Je sai que la mortalité The Poet concludes with a Du Genre humain est l’appanage: Reflection, that since Mortality Pourquoi seul serois-je excepté? is intail’d upon all Mankind, why La vie est un pelerinage: should he alone think to be De son cours la rapidité, exempted? And he says, that since Loin de m’alarmer, me soulage. Life is but a Pilgrimage, the De sa fin, quand je l’envisage, Rapidity of its Race, instead of L’infallible necessité alarming, comforts him; and that Ne me sauroit faire d’outrage. the infallible Necessity of his Brulez de l’Or empaqueté, Death, when he seriously considers Il n’en perit que l’embalage: the Matter, is no more an Injury C’est tour. Un si leger dommage to him, than the burning of a Bale Devroit-il être regreté? of Gold is to the Metal, which remains intire, tho’ the Case that contains it is consum’d; which, he adds, is too trifling a Loss to be regarded.