e body, it no longer experiences any of those contrary emotions,
which torment a number of young men, and many old ones destitute of
strength and health, and every other blessing.

And if it be lawful to compare little matters, and such as are
esteemed trifling, to affairs of importance, I will further
venture to say, that such are the effects of this sober life,
that at my present age of eighty-three, I have been able to write
a very entertaining comedy, abounding with innocent mirth and
pleasant jests. This species of composition is generally the child
and offspring of youth, as tragedy is that of old age; the former
being by its facetious and sprightly turn suited to the bloom of
life, and the latter by its gravity adapted to riper years. Now,
if that good old man [Sophocles], a Grecian by birth, and a poet,
was so much extolled for having written a tragedy at the age of
seventy-three, and, on that account alone, reputed of sound memory
and understanding, though tragedy be a grave and melancholy poem;
why should I be deemed less happy, and to have a smaller share of
memory and understanding, who have, at an age, ten years more
advanced than his, written a comedy, which, as every one knows,
is a merry and pleasant kind of composition? And, indeed, if I may
be allowed to be an impartial judge in my own cause, I cannot help
thinking, that I am now of sounder memory and understanding, and
heartier, than hew was when ten years younger.

And, that no comfort might be wanting to the fulness of my years,
whereby my great age may be rendered less irksome, or rather the
number of my enjoyments increased, I have the additional comfort
of seeing a kind of immortality in a succession of descendants.
For, as often as I return home, I find there, before me, not one
or two, but eleven grandchildren, the oldest of them eighteen,
and the youngest two; all the offspring of one father and one
mother; all blessed with the best health; and, by what as yet
appears, fond of learning, and of good parts and morals. Some of
the youngest I always play with; and, indeed, children from three
to five are only fit for play. Those above that age I make
companions of; and, as nature has bestowed very fine voices upon
them, I amuse myself, besides, with seeing and hearing them sing,
and play on various instruments. Nay, I sing myself, as I have a
better voice now, and a clearer and louder pipe, than at any other
period of life. Such are the r