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They belong unquestionably to the order of marginalia, the scattered notes of which De Quincey speaks with not extravagant admiration, and which, under the busy pencil of a commentator always indefatigable in the strenua inertia of reading, had no doubt accumulated in considerable quantities over a long course of years.
The elderly turned their weary bodies to his shrine and decorated his altars not the young. But for you, Abel, there are radiant goddesses, and their names are Stimula and Strenua. To them you must pay suit and service, and your motto should be 'Able and Willing." "Of course," cried Estelle; "but instead of that, you ask to be let alone, to turn slowly and surely into a ploughboy!
Nor was the infant, when grown to riper years, left without his protectors; Juventas was the god of youth; Agenoria excited men to action; and the goddesses Stimula and Strenua inspired courage and vivacity; Horta inspired the fame or love of glory; and Sentra gave them the sentiments of probity and justice; Quies was the goddesses of repose or ease, and Indolena, or laziness, was deified by the name of Murcia; Vacua protected the idle; Adeona and Abeona, secured people in going abroad and returning; and Vibilia, if they wandered, was so kind as to put them in the right way; Fessonia refreshed the weary and fatigued; and Meditrina healed the sickly; Vitula was the goddess of mirth and frolic; Volupia the goddess who bestowed pleasure; Orbona was addressed, that parents might not love their offspring; Pellonia averted mischief and danger; and Numeria taught people to cast and keep accounts; Angerona cured the anguish or sorrow of the mind; Haeres Martia secured heirs the estates they expected; and Stata or Statua Mater, secured the forum or market place from fire; even the thieves had a protectress in Laverna; Averruncus prevented sudden misfortunes; and Conius was always disposed to give good advice to such as wanted it; Volumnus inspired men with a disposition to do well; and Honorus raised them to preferment and honours.
Horace speaks of this state of mind, which we consider peculiar to ourselves, and describes it, by felicitous image, as strenua inertia strenuous inertia, agitation vain and ineffective, always wanting something new, but not really knowing what, desiring most ardently yet speedily tiring of a desire gratified.
At any rate, let me not, on my return, have occasion to apply to you the motto, "Strenua me exercet inertia," nor that other of "Operose nihil agit." But so improve your time that you may with pleasure review and commit it to journal. "Hoc est, Vivere bis, vita priori frui." And let it, at no very distant period, be said of you, "Tot, tibi, sunt, ergo dotes, quot sidera coelo."
At any rate, let me not, on my return, have occasion to apply to you the motto, "Strenua me exercet inertia," nor that other of "Operose nihil agit." But so improve your time that you may with pleasure review and commit it to journal. "Hoc est, Vivere bis, vita priori frui." And let it, at no very distant period, be said of you, "Tot, tibi, sunt, ergo dotes, quot sidera coelo."
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