from this world to the next-第21章

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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　knew　not　how　to　conquer；

broke　out　into　that　inconsistent　behavior　which　must　always　be

the　consequence　of　violent　passions。　　One　moment　I　reproached

him；　the　next　I　grew　to　tenderness　and　blamed　myself；　and　thought

I　fancied　what　was　not　true：　　he　saw　my　struggle　and　triumphed　in

it；　but；　as　he　had　not　witnesses　enough　there　of　his　victory　to

give　him　the　full　enjoyment　of　it；　he　grew　weary　of　the　country

and　returned　to　Paris；　and　left　me　in　a　condition　it　is　utterly

impossible　to　describe。　　My　mind　was　like　a　city　up　in　arms；　all

confusion；　and　every　new　thought　was　a　fresh　disturber　of　my

peace。　　Sleep　quite　forsook　me；　and　the　anxiety　I　suffered　threw

me　into　a　fever　which　had　like　to　have　cost　me　my　life。　　With

great　care　I　recovered；　but　the　violence　of　the　distemper　left

such　a　weakness　on　my　body　that　the　disturbance　of　my　mind　was

greatly　assuaged；　and　now　I　began　to　comfort　myself　in　the

reflection　that　this　gentleman's　being　a　finished　coquette　was

ver