King Latinus to the Spectator, Greeting. TH HO' fome may think we defcend from our Imperial Dignity, in holding Correspondence with a pri"vate Litterato; yet as we have great Refpect to all good Intentions for our Service, we do not esteem it beneath us to return you our Royal Thanks for what you published in our Behalf, while under Confinement in the Inchanted Caftle of the Savoy, and for your Mention of a Subfidy for a Prince in Misfortune. This your timely Zeal has inclined the Hearts of divers to be aiding unto us, if we could propofe the Means. We have taken their 'Good-will into Confideration, and 'have contrived a Method which will be eafie to those who fhall give the Aid, and not unacceptable to us * who receive it. A Confort of Mufick hall be prepared at Haberdashers-Hall for Wednesday the Second of May, and we will honour the faid Entertainment ❝ with our own Prefence, where each Perfon fhall be affeffed but at two Shillings and fix Pence. What we ex'pect from you is, that you publish thefe our Royal Intentions, with In❝ junction

'junction that they be read at all Tea"Tables within the Cities of London and Westminster; and fo we bid you "heartily Farewell.

Latinus, King of the Volfcians.

Given at our Court in Vinegar-Yard, Story the Third from the Earth. April 28, 1711.

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HAHIDING KOR

No 54. Wednesday, May 2.

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-Strenua nos exercet inertia. Hor.

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HE following Letter being the firft that I have received from the learned University of Cambridge, I could not but do my felf the Honour of publishing it. It gives an Account of a new Sect of Philofophers which has arofe in that famous Residence of Learning; and is, perhaps, the only Sect this Age is likely to produce.

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Mr. SPECTATOR, Cambridge, April 26. "BELIEVING an uri ELIEVING you to be an univerfal Encourager of liberal Arts and Sciences, and glad of any Infor'mation from the learned World, I thought an Account of a Sect of Philofophers very frequent among us, but not taken Notice of, as far as I can remember, by any Writers either an'cient or modern, would not be unacceptable to you. The Philofophers of this Sect are in the Language of our Univerfity called Lowngers. I am of Opinion, that, as in many other things, 'fo likewife in this, the Ancients have 'been defective; viz. in mentioning no Philofophers of this fort. Some indeed will affirm that they are a kind of Peripateticks, because we 'fee them continually walking about. But I would have thefe Gen'tlemen confider, that though the ancient Peripateticks walked much, yet they wrote much alfo; (witnefs, to "the Sorrow of this Sect, Aristotle and others: whereas it is notorious that moft of our Profeffors never lay out a "Farthing either in Pen, Ink, or Paper. "Others are for deriving them from Diogenes,

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ogenes, because feveral of the leading Men of the Sect have a great deal of 'the cynical Humour in them, and de light much in Sun-fhine. But then again Diogenes was content to have his conftant Habitation in a narrow Tub; whilft our Philofophers are fo far from being of his Opinion, that it's Death to them to be confined within the Limits of a good handfome convenient Chamber but for half an Hour. Others there are, who from the Clear nefs of their Heads deduce the Pedigree of Loungers from that great Man (I think it was either Plato or Socrates) who after all his Study and Learning profeffed, That all he then knew was that he knew nothing. You eafily fee this is but a fhallow Argument, and may be foon confuted.

I have with great Pains and Induftry made my Obfervations, from Time to Time, upon these Sages, and having now all Materials ready, am ' compiling a Treatife, wherein I fhall fet forth the Rife and Progrefs of this famous Sect, together with their Maxims, Aufterities, Manner of living, &c. Having prevailed with a Friend F4 'who

who defigns fhortly to publish a new *Edition of Diogenes Laertius, to add this Treatife of mine by way of Supplement; I fhall now, to let the World fee what may be expected from me (first begging Mr. SPECC TATOR'S Leave that the World may fee it) briefly touch upon fome of my chief Obfervations, and then fubfcribe my felf your humble Servant. In the firft Place I fhall give you two or three of their Maxims: The funda'mental one, upon which their whole Syftem is built, is this, viz. That Time being an implacable Enemy to and Destroyer of all things, ought to 'be paid in his own Coin, and be deftroyed and murdered without Mercy, by all the Ways that can be invented. Another favourite Saying of theirs is, 'That Business was defigned only for Knaves, and Study for Blockheads. A 'Third feems to be a ludicrous one, but has a great Effect upon their Lives; and is this, That the Devil is at home. 'Now for their Manner of Living: And here I have a large Field to expatiate but I fhall referve Particulars for my intended Difcourfe, and now only mention one or two of their prin

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