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Still the hours stride over each other, and still flows on the stream of gentle rhetoric, as if it were labitur et labetur in omne volubilis ævum. It is now far in to the night, and slight hints and suggestions are propagated about separation and home-going. The topic starts new ideas on the progress of civilisation, the effect of habit on men in all ages, and the power of the domestic affections.

In its gyrations the ball then rolling at the Beader's foot imparted a momentum to one far nobler and more lasting that of the Novelist's reputation, one that in its movement gives no sign of slackening "labitur et labetur in omne volubilis sevum."

They were not wiser than the clown of Horace, who seated himself by the rushing stream, thinking it must soon run itself out Expectat rusticus dum defluat amnis; at ille Labitur et labetur in omne volubilis ævum. Vain is the dream that man will ever reach the point when he will think no more of the gods.

Every one that looks towards infinity does, as I have said, at first glance make some very large idea of that which he applies it to, let it be space or duration; and possibly he wearies his thoughts, by multiplying in his mind that first large idea: but yet by that he comes no nearer to the having a positive clear idea of what remains to make up a positive infinite, than the country fellow had of the water which was yet to come, and pass the channel of the river where he stood: 'Rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis, at ille Labitur, et labetur in omne volubilis aevum.

If we are once able to restrain the offices of human life within their just and natural limits, we shall find that most of the sciences in use are of no great use to us, and even in those that are, that there are many very unnecessary cavities and dilatations which we had better let alone, and, following Socrates' direction, limit the course of our studies to those things only where is a true and real utility: "Sapere aude; Incipe; Qui recte vivendi prorogat horam, Rusticus exspectat, dum defluat amnis; at ille Labitur, et labetur in omne volubilis oevum."

See Boswell's Hebrides, Sept. 30. 'They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden. Genesis, iii. 8. ... 'Vivendi recte qui prorogat horam, Rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis; at ille Labitur et labetur in omne volubilis aevum.

Grand indeed is the vast river, `Labitur et labetur in omne volubilis aevum, as the generations of men are swept into eternity," said the Dominie, musing aloud. But Tommy had now made his appearance, and Tom, in his mischief, had laid hold of the tail of the Dominie's coat, and shown it to the dog.

A man speaking of himself in general, is "a babbling brook;" of his wrongs, "a shining river." "Labitur et labetur in omne volubilis aevum." So luckily for my readers, though not for all concerned, this injured orator was arrested in mid career. Another man burst in upon his wrongs with all the advantage of a recent wrong; a wrong red hot.

"Rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis: at ille Labitur et labetur in omne volubilis aevum." We are imitating the man who made the experiment of constantly reducing the food on which his horse is to live. Let us take care that, just as he is learning to live on nothing, we do not find him dead in his stall. This, however, is no joking matter.

"Labitur et labetur;" it forms and breaks again, like the billows of the sea, and is but a mockery of unity.