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days; that there are no worse men than bad authors。  A remark of

the same kind hath been made on ugly women; and the truth of both

stands on one and the same reason; viz。; that they are both

tainted with that cursed and detestable vice of envy; which; as

it is the greatest torment to the mind it inhabits; so is it

capable of introducing into it a total corruption; and of

inspiring it to the commission of the most horrid crimes

imaginable。



〃My life was but short; for I soon pined myself to death with the

vice I just now mentioned。  Minos told me I was infinitely too

bad for Elysium; and as for the other place; the devil had sworn

he would never entertain a poet for Orpheus's sake:  so I was

forced to return again to the place from whence I came。〃





CHAPTER XXV



Julian performs the parts of a knight and a dancing…master。



〃I now mounted the stage in Sicily; and became a knight…templar;

but; as my adventures differ so little from those I have

recounted you in the character of a common soldier; I shall not

tire you with repetition。  The soldier and the captain differ in

reality so little from one another; that it requires an accurate

judgment to distinguish them; the latter wears finer clothes; and

in times of success lives somewhat more delicately; but as to

everything else; they very nearly resemble one another。



〃My next step was into France; where fortune assigned me the part

of a dancing…master。  I was so expert in my profession that I was

brought to court in my youth; and had the heels of Philip de

Valois; who afterwards succeeded Charles the Fair; committed to

my direction。



〃I do not remember that in any of the characters in which I

appeared on earth I ever assumed to myself a greater dignity; or

thought myself of more real importance; than now。  I looked on

dancing as the greatest excellence of human nature; and on myself

as the greatest proficient in it。  And; indeed; this seemed to be

the general opinion of the whole court; for I was the chief

instructor of the youth of both sexes; whose merit was almost

entirely defined by the advances they made in that science which

I had the honor to profess。  As to myself; I was so fully

persuaded of this truth; that I not only slighted and despised

those who were ignorant of dancing; but I thought the highest

character I could give any man was that he made a graceful bow:

for want of which accomplishment I had a sovereign contempt for

most persons of learning; nay; for some officers in the army; and

a few even of the courtiers themselves。 



〃Though so little of my youth had been thrown away in what they

call literature that I could hardly write and read; yet I

composed a treatise on education; the first rudiments of which;

as I taught; were to instruct a child in the science of coming

handsomely into a room。  In this I corrected many faults of my

predecessors; particularly that of being too much in a hurry; and

instituting a child in the sublimer parts of dancing before they

are capable of making their honors。



〃But as I have not now the same high opinion of my profession

which I had then; I shall not entertain you with a long history

of a life which consisted of borees and coupees。  Let it suffice

that I lived to a very old age and followed my business as long

as I could crawl。  At length I revisited my old friend Minos; who

treated me with very little respect and bade me dance back again

to earth。



 〃I did so; and was now once more born an Englishman; bred up to

the church; and at length arrived to the station of a bishop。



〃Nothing was so remarkable in this character as my always

voting'10'。〃 



'10' Here part of the manuscript is lost; and that a very

considerable one; as appears by the number of the next book

and  chapter; which contains; I find; the history of Anna Boleyn;

but as to the manner in which it was introduced; or to whom  the

narrative is told; we are totally left in the dark。  I have  only

to remark; that this chapter is; in the original; writ in a 

woman's hand:  and; though the observations in it are; I think; 

as excellent as any in the whole volume; there seems to be a 

difference in style between this and the preceding chapters; 

and; as it is the character of a woman which is related; I am 

inclined to fancy it was really written by one of that sex。





BOOK XIX



CHAPTER VII



Wherein Anna Boleyn relates the history of her life。



〃I am going now truly to recount a life which from the time of

its ceasing has been; in the other world; the continual subject

of the cavils of contending parties; the one making me as black

as hell; the other as pure and innocent as the inhabitants of

this blessed place; the mist of prejudice blinding their eyes;

and zeal for what they themselves profess; making everything

appear in that light which they think most conduces to its honor。



〃My infancy was spent in my father's house; in those childish

plays which are most suitable to that state; and I think this was

one of the happiest parts of my life; for my parents were not

among the number of those who look upon their children as so many

objects of a tyrannic power; but I was regarded as the dear

pledge of a virtuous love; and all my little pleasures were

thought from their indulgence their greatest delight。  At seven

years old I was carried into France with the king's sister; who

was married to the French king; where I lived with a person of

quality; who was an acquaintance of my father's。  I spent my time

in learning those things necessary to give young persons of

fashion a polite education; and did neither good nor evil; but

day passed after day in the same easy way till I was fourteen;

then began my anxiety; my vanity grew strong; and my heart

fluttered with joy at every compliment paid to my beauty:  and as

the lady with whom I lived was of a gay; cheerful disposition;

she kept a great deal of company; and my youth and charms made me

the continual object of their admiration。  I passed some little

time in those exulting raptures which are felt by every woman

perfectly satisfied with herself and with the behavior of others

towards her:  I was; when very young; promoted to be maid of

honor to her majesty。  The court was frequented by a young

nobleman whose beauty was the chief subject of conversation in

all assemblies of ladies。  The delicacy of his person; added to a

great softness in his manner; gave everything he said and did

such an air of tenderness; that every woman he spoke to flattered

herself with being the object of his love。  I was one of those

who was vain enough of my own charms to hope to make a conquest

of him whom the whole court sighed for。  I now thought every

other object below my notice; yet the only pleasure I proposed to

myself in this design was; the triumphing over that heart which I

plainly saw all the ladies of the highest quality and the

greatest beauty would have been proud of possessing。  I was yet

too young to be very artful; but nature; without any assistance;

soon discovers to a man who is used to gallantry a woman's desire

to be liked by him; whether that desire arises from any

particular choice she makes of him; or only from vanity。  He soon

perceived my thoughts; and gratified my utmost wishes by

constantly preferring me before all other women; and exerting his

utmost gallantry and address to engage my affections。  This

sudden happiness; which I then thought the greatest I could have

had; appeared visible in all my actions; I grew so gay and so

full of vivacity that it made my person appear still to a better

advantage; all my acquaintance pretending to be fonder of me than

ever:  though; young as I was; I plainly saw it was but pretense;

for through all their endeavors to the contrary envy would often

break forth in sly insinuations and malicious sneers; which gave

me fresh matter of triumph; and frequent opportunities of

insulting them; which I never let slip; for now first my female

heart grew sensible of the spiteful pleasure of seeing another

languish for what I enjoyed。  Whilst I was in the height of my

happiness her majesty fell ill of a languishing distemper; which

obliged her to go into the country for the change of air:  my

place made it necessary for me to attend her; and which way he

brought it about I can't imagine; but my young hero found means

to be one of that small train that waited on my royal mistress;

although she went as privately as possible。  Hitherto all the

interviews I had ever had with him were in public; and I only

looked on him as the fitter object to feed that pride which had

no other view but to show its power; but now the scene was quite

changed。  My rivals; were all at a distance:  the place we went

to was as charming as the most agreeable natural situation;

assisted by the greatest art; could make it; the pleasant

solitary walks the singing of birds; the thousand pretty romantic

scenes this delightful place afforded; gave a sudden turn to my

mind; my whole soul was melted into softness; and all my vanity

was fled。  My spark was too much used to affairs of this nature

not to perceive this change; at first the profuse transports of

his joy made me believe him wholly mine; and this belief gave me

such happiness that no language affords words to express it; and

can be only known to those who have felt it。  But this was of a

very short duration; for I soon found I had to do with one of

those men whose only end in the pursuit of a woman is to make her

fall a victim to an insatiable desire to be admired。  His designs

had succeeded; and now he every day grew colder; and; as if by

infatuation; my passion every day increased; and; notwithstanding

all my resolutions and endeavors to the contrary; my rage at the

disappointment at once both of my love and pride; and at the

finding a passion fixed in my breast I kn

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