Page:Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the epick poem - Le Bossu (1695).djvu/326

 stirring are not precisely such for Business sake, or because they love to be in action, but because they cannot easily satisfie themselves.

Ambition, as it is too much an Enemy to this natural Laziness, is neither a general Passion nor very Delicious. A considerable part of Mankind is not ambitious; many have begun to be such, but by the means of some undertakings and ties that have determin'd them before they seriously reflected on what they did, and that have made them unfit ever to return to calmer Inclinations; and even those who have most ambition, do often complain of the Cares which it exacts and the Pains that attend it. The reason of this is that the Native Laziness, of which we were speaking, is not wholly supprest, though it has been sacrificed to that presumptuous Tyrant of the Mind; it prov'd the weakest, and cou'd not over balance its Rival; yet it still subsists and continually opposes the motions of ambition. Now no Man can be happy while he is divided by two warring Inclinations.

However, I do not say that Men can relish a state of absolute Laziness and Idleness; No, they must have some motion, some agitation, but it must be such a motion and agitation as may be reconcil'd, if possible, to the kind of Laziness that possesses 'em; and this is most happily to be found in Love, provided it be taken in a certain manner. It must neither be a hot, jealous, touchy, furious, desperate Love, but tender, pure, simple, delicate, faithful, and, that it may preserve it self in this state, attended with hopes: Then the heart is taken up, but not disturb'd; we have Cares, but no uneasinesses; we are mov'd, but not torn, and this soft Motion is just such, as the love of Rest, and our Native Laziness can bear it.

Besides, 'tis most certain that Love is the most general and the most agreable of all the Passions. So, in the State of Life which we have now describ'd, there is a concurrence of the two strongest Passions, Laziness and Love; which thus are both satisfied at once; and, that we may be as happy as 'tis possible we should by the Passions, 'tis necessary that all those by which we are mov'd, agree together in us.

This is properly what we conceive of a Pastoral Life. For, it admits of no ambition, nor of any thing that moves the heart with too much Violence; Therefore our Laziness has cause to be contented. But this way of living by reason of its idleness and tranquility creates Love more easily than any other, or at least indulges it more: But after all, what Love! A Love more innocent, because the Mind is not so dangerously refin'd; more assiduous, because those who feel it are not diverted by any other Passion; more full of Discretion, because they hardly have any acquaintance with Vanity; more faithful because with a Vivacity of Imagination