If you was to live with _Feliciana_ but one half year, you would see all the happiness that she is to have as long as she lives. She has no more to come, but the poor repetition of that which could never have pleased once, but through a wrong turn of mind, and want of thought.
She is to be again dressed fine, and keep her visiting days. She is again to change the colours of her cloaths, again to have a new head, and again put patches on her face. She is again to see who acts best at the play-house, and who sings finest at the opera. She is again to make ten visits in a day, and be ten times in a day trying to talk artfully, easily, and politely about nothing.
She is to be again delighted with some new fashion; and again angry at the change of some old one. She is to be again at cards and gaming at midnight, and again in bed at noon. She is to be again pleased with hypocritical compliments, and again disturbed with imaginary affronts. She is to be again pleased with her good luck at gaming, and again tormented with the loss of her money.
She is again to prepare herself for a birth night, and again see the town full of good company. She is again to hear the cabals and intrigues of the town, again to have secret intelligence of private amours, and early notice of marriages, quarrels, and partings.
If you see her come out of her chariot more briskly than usual, converse with more spirit, and seem fuller of joy than she was last week, it is because there is some surprizing new dress, or new diversion just come to town.
These are all the substantial and regular parts of _Feliciana_’s happiness; and she never knew a pleasant day in her life, but it was owing to some one or more of these things.
It is for this happiness, that she has been always deaf to the reasonings of religion; and if you look into the world, and observe the lives of those women, whom no arguments can prevail on to live wholly unto GOD; you will find most of them to be such, as lose all the comforts of religion, without gaining the tenth part of _Feliciana_’s happiness. They are such as spend their time and fortunes only in mimicking the pleasures of richer people; and rather look and long after, than enjoy those delusions, which are only to be purchased by considerable fortunes.
Nor does a life only of such vanity and sensuality as that of _Flatus_ or _Feliciana_’s, but even the most regular kind of life, that is not governed by _great_ devotion, sufficiently shews how dull and uncomfortable their lives must needs be, who are not wholly devoted unto GOD.
_Octavius_ is a learned, ingenious man, well versed in most parts of literature, and no stranger to any kingdom in _Europe_. The other day, being just recovered from a lingering fever, he thus addressed his friends.
“My glass, says he, is almost run out; and your eyes see how many marks of age and death I bear about me: But I plainly feel myself sinking away faster than any standers by do imagine. I fully believe, that one year more will conclude my reckoning.”
The attention of his friends was much raised by such a declaration, expecting to hear something truly excellent from so learned a man, who had but a year longer to live; when _Octavius_ proceeded in this manner: “For these reasons, my friends, I have left off all taverns, the wine of those places is not good enough for me in this decay of nature. I must now be nice in what I drink; I cannot pretend to do as I have done; and therefore am resolved to furnish my own cellar with a little of the very best, though it cost me ever so much.
I must also tell you, my friends, that age forces a man to be wise in many other respects, and makes us change many of our opinions and practices.
You know how much I have liked a large acquaintance; I now condemn it as an error. Three or four chearful, diverting companions, is all that I now desire; because I find, that in my present infirmities, if I am left alone, or to grave company, I am not so easy to myself.”
A few days after _Octavius_ had made this declaration to his friends, he relapsed into his former illness, and was committed to a nurse, who closed his eyes before his fresh parcel of wine came in.
Young _Eugenius_, who was present at this discourse, went home a new man, with full resolutions of devoting himself to GOD. “I never, says _Eugenius_, was so deeply affected with the wisdom and importance of religion, as when I saw how poorly and meanly the learned _Octavius_ was to leave the world, through the want of it.