The Providence Journal, And Town And Country Advertiser

From PLUTARCH's MORALS.

Of CURIOSITY,
Or An Over Busy INQUISITIVENESS
INTO THINGS IMPERTINENT.

(Continued From our last paper.)

It is observed of the hen, that loathing the plenty of meat that is cast before her on a clean floor, she will be scratching in a hole, or turning the dunghill, in search of one single musty grain. So this over busy people, neglecting such obvious and common things, into which any man may enquire, and talk of without offence; cannot be satisfied unless they rake into the private and concealed evils of every family in the neighbourhood. It was smartly said by the Egyptian, who, being asked what it was he carried so closely? replied, it was therefore covered, that it might be secret. Which answer will serve to check the curiosity of those impertinent men, who will be always peeping into the privacies of others; for assuredly, there is nothing usually more unconcealed, than what is too foul to be seen: more would it be kept so close, were it either fit or safe it should be known. Without knocking at the door, it is great rudeness to enter another's house, and therefore in former times were knappers fitted to the gates, that by the noise thereof, notice might be given to the family; for the same purpose, are porters appointed now, least a stranger coming in unawares, the mistress or daughter, of the family might be surprised busy, or undressed, or a servant be seen under correction,or the maids be over-heard in the heat of their scolding ; but a person of this prying, busy temper, who would disdain the being invited to a sober, and well-governed house, will yet even forcibly intrude himself as a Spy into the indecencies of private families, and those very things, which locks, bolts and doors were intended to secure from common view, he pries into, for no other end but to discover them to all the world. Aristotle said, that those winds were the most troublesome, which blew up one's garments, and exposed one's nakedness ; but these inquisitive people deprive us of all the shelter or security of walls and doors, and like the wanton air, which pervades the veil,and steals through the closest guards of virgin-modesty, they insinuate into those divertisements which are hidden in the retirements of the night, and strip men even to their very skin. So that as it is merrily said by the Comedian, concerning Cleon, that his body was in one country, and his soul in another; the hands and feet, eyes and thoughts of inquisitive persons, are tangling about in many places at once ; neither the mansions of the great, nor the cottages of the poor, nor the privy chambers of Princes, nor the recesses of the nuptial alcove, can escape the search of their curiosity ; they are familiar to the affairs of strangers, and will be prying into the darkest mysteries of State, although it be to the manifest peril of their being ruined by it. For as to him that will be curiously examining the virtues of medicinal herbs, the unwary taste of a venomous plant, he conveys a deleterious impression upon the brain, before its noxious quality can be discerned by the palate--o they that boldly pry into the ills of great persons, usually meet with their own destruction, sooner than they can discover the dangerous secret they enquire after. And so it happens,

that when the rashly curious eye, not contented to expatiate in the free and boundless regions of reflected light, will be gazing at the imperial seat of brightness; it becomes a sacrifice to the burning rays, and straight sinks down in perennial darkness.

It was therefore well said by Philippides, the comedian, who being asked by King Lysimachus, what he desired might be imparted to him, replied, any thing but a secret. And indeed, those things in the Courts of Princes, that are most pleasant in themselves, and most desirable to be known, such as balls, magnificent entertainments, and all the shews of pomp and greatness, are exposed to common view ; nor do they ever hide those divertisements and enjoyments, which are the attendants of a prosperous state; but in what case soever they seem reserved, as when they are conceiving some high displeasure, or contriving the methods of a revenge, or raging under a fit of jealousy, or suspicious of the disloyal practices of their children, or dubious concerning the treachery of a favourite ; come not near, nor intermeddle, for every thing is of a dreadful aspect, and of very dangerous access, that is thus concealed. Fly from so black a cloud, whose darkness condenses into a tempest ; and it will be time enough, when its fury breaks forth with flash and thunder, for thee to observe upon whose head the mischief falls.

But to avoid the danger of this Curiosity, divert thy thoughts to more safe and delightful enquiries ; survey the wonders of nature in the heavens, earth, the sea, and air ; in which thou hast a copious choice of materials for the more sublime, as well as for the more easy and obvious contemplations. If thy more piercing wit aspires to the noblest enquiries,consider the great luminary in its diurnal motion, in what part of heaven its morning beams are kindled; and where those chambers of the night are placed, which entertain its declining lustre. View the moon in all her changes, the just representation of human vicissitudes ; and learn the causes that destroy, and then restore her brightness.

How from an infant-spark sprung out of night,
She swells into a perfect globe of light ;
And soon, her beauties thus repaired, dis-
Wasting into their first obscurity.

These are indeed the great secrets of nature, whose depth may perhaps amaze and discourage thy enquiries; search therefore into things more obvious, why the fruits of plants are shaped into such variety of figures ? Why some are clothed with the verdure of a perennial Spring, and others, which sometimes were no less fresh and fair like hasty spend-thrifts lavish away the bounty of Heaven in one Summer's gaiety. and stand naked to the succeeding frosts. But such harmless speculations will perchance affect thee little, and it may be thou hast that malignity in thy temper, which like venomous beasts, that cannot live out of stink and putrefaction, must be ever prying upon the follies and miseries of mankind. Peruse therefore the histories of the world, wherein thou shalt find such vast heaps of wickedness and mischiefs, made up of the downfalls and sudden deaths of great men, the rapes and defilements of women, the treacheries of servants, the falseness of friends, the arts of poisoning, the fatal effects of envy and jealousy, the ruin of families, dethroning of Princes, with many other such direful occurrences, as may , not only delight and satisfy, but even cloy and nauseate thy ill-natured curiosity.
But neither (as it appears) are such antiquated evils any agreeable entertainment to people of this perverse disposition ; they hearken most to modern tragedies, and such doleful accidents as may be grateful, as well for the novelty, as the horror of the relation. All pleasant and cheerful converse is irksome to them : so that if they happen into a company that are talking of weddings, the solemnities of sacred rites, or pompous processions; they make as though they heard not, or to divert and shorten the discourse, will pretend they knew as much: before ; yet if any one should relate, how such a wench had a child before the time, or that a fellow was caught with another man's wife, or that certain people were at law with each other, or that there was an unhappy difference between near relation : he no longer sits unconcerned, or minds other things, but

With ears prick'd up, he listens, what and when,
And how,he asks ; pray say, let's hear't again.

And indeed, that proverbial saying, ill news goes quick and far, was occasioned chiefly by these busy ill-natured men, who very unwillingly hear, or talk of any thing else. For their ears, like cupping-glasses, that attract the most noxious humours in the body, are ever sucking in the most spiteful and malicious reports; and as in some cities there are certain ominous gates, through which nothing passes but scavenger's carts, or the sledges of malefactors ; so nothing goes in at their ears, or out of their mouths, but obscene, tragical and horrid relations.

Howling and woe, as in a jail, or hell,
Always infest-the places where they dwell.

This noise is to them like the Syrens song, and the sweetest melody, the most pleasant hearing in the world.

(To be continued in our next.)