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3^ T^rr M A G A Z I N E of M A G A ^ l N E S ,
Seeming callous membrane which
lines the giaard S nor even to Say any
thing of the gizard of a Species of Indian
pigeons. arm'd with two malls.
thought to be stone, but are really hard
horn. I hasten therefore to the experiments
l have made on the membranous
stomachs of birds. of a texture
differing in all respects from that of
gizatds. DE BaaUmUe.
fTo he COntirrraed.s
ADVENTURER. No. 69, July 3, 1753.
Fere /ihenter homines s'd qued e^al^et
credunl. CtEs A R.
r -'LILLY hat long ago nbferved,
P that no man, however weakened
by long life, is so ConfciouS of his own
decrepitude, as nor to imagine that he
may yet huld his stalion in the world
Sor another year.
Of the truth os this remark every
day furnishes new confirmation : there
js no time of life, in which men, for
the molt part, feem less to expect the
Stroke of death, than when every other
eye fees it impending ; or are more
busy in providing for another year,
than when it is plain to all but themselves,
that at another year they cannot
arrive. Though every funeral that
pastes before their eyes, evinces the deceit
fulness of such expectations, since
every man wheo is borne to the grave
thought hitnself equally certain of living
at least to the next year, she Survivor
fttll continues to flatter hiiuseif,
and is never at a I ft for fome reason
why his life should he protracted, and
the voracity of death continue to be
pacified with feme olber prey.
But this is only one of the innumerable
artifices prectifed in the universal
conspiraey os mankind against themselves
t every age and every condition
indulges Some daring fallacy ; every
man amtfes himleis with projects
which he kn^es to be improbable. and
which, therefore, he resolves to pet sue
without daring to examine them.
Whatever any man ardently desires,
he very readily helieves that he shall
Some time attain : he whole intemperance
has overwhelmed hian with diseases,
while he languishes in the Spring,
expects vigour aid recovery from the
summer fun ; and while he melts away
in the summer. transfers his hopes to
the SroSts os winter : he that gazes upon
elegance or pleesure, which want os
memey hinders hira from imitating or
partaking, comforts himself that the
time of distress will soon he at an end.
and that every day beings ham nearer
to a Sate of happiness ; tbongh he
knows it has passed not only without
acquisition of advantage, but perhaps
without endeavours after it, in the formation
as schemes that cannot he executed,
and in the contemplation of
prospects t-hich cannot be approached.
Such is the general dream in which
we all slumber out our time; erery
man thinks the day coming, in which
he shall be gratified with all his wishes,
in which he shall leave all those competitors
behind, who are now rejoicing
like himself in the expectation of victory
; the day is always corning to the
Servrle in which they shall he powerful,
to the obscure in which they shall be eminent,
and to the deformed in which
they shall he beautiful.
If any of mv readers has looked
with so little attention on the world at
out him as to imagine this representation
exaggerated beyond probability.
let him reflect a little upon his own
life ; let him consider what were his
hopes and profpects ten years ago, and
what additions be then expected to be
made by ten years to his happiness t
those years are now elapsed ; have they
made good the promise that was extorted
from them, have they advanced
his fortune, enlarged his knowledge,
or reformed his conduct to the degree
that was once expected ? I am afraid
every man that recollects his hopes,
mult confess his disappointment ; and
own, that day has glided unprofitably