computations of the fame time: but however imperfect, it is the only measure by which we naturally calculate time; and this measure is applied on all occafions, without regard to any cafual variation in the rate of fucceffion. This natural measure of time would however be tolerable, did it labour under no other imperfection, but the ordinary variations that happen in the fucceffion of our perceptions: but in many particular circumstances, it is much more fallacious. And in order to explain this diftinctly, an analysis will be neceffary. Time is computed at two different periods; one while it is paffing, another after is paft: these computations shall be confidered separately, with the errors to which each of them is liable. Beginning with the comp tation of time while it is paffing, it is a common and trite obfervation, That to lovers abfence appears immeafurably long, every minute an hour, and every day a year: the fame computation is made in every cafe where we long for a distant event; as where one is in expectation of good news, or where a profligate heir watches for the death of a rich ancestor. Oppofite to these are inftances not fewer in number: to a criminal the interval between fentence and execution appears miferably fhort: and the fame holds in every cafe where one dreads an approaching event, of which even a fchoolboy can bear witnefs: the hour allowed him for play, moves, in his apprehenfion, with a very fwife pace; before he A he is thoroughly engaged, the hour is gone. computation founded on the number of ideas, will never produce estimates fo regularly oppofite to each other; for our wishes do not produce a flow fucceffion of ideas, nor our fears a quick fucceffion. What then moves nature, in the cases mentioned, to defert her ordinarý measure, for one very different? I know not that this question ever has been refolved; the falfe eftimates I have fuggefted being fo common and familiar, that no writer has thought of their caufe, And indeed, to enter upon this matter without preparation, might occafion fome difficulty; to encounter which, we luckily are prepared, by what is faid upon the power of paffion to bias the mind in its perceptions and opinions. Among the circumstances that terrify a condemned criminal, the short time he has to live is one; which time, by the influence of terror, is made to appear still shorter than it is in reality, In the fame manner, among the distresses of an absent lover, the time of feparation is a capital circumftance, which for that reafon is greatly magnified by his anxiety and impatience; he imagines that the time of meeting comes on very flow, or rather that it will never come; every minute is thought of an intolerable length. Here is a fair, and I hope fatisfactory, reafon, why time is thought to be tedious when we long for a future event, and not lefs fleet when we dread the event. This reason is confirmed by other inftances. Bodily 1 pain fixt to one part, produceth a flow train of perceptions, which, according to the common measure of time, ought to make it appear fhort: yet we know, that in such a state time has the oppofite appearance; and the reafon is, that bodily pain is always attended with a degree of impatience, which makes us think every minute to be an hour. The fame holds where the pain shifts from place to place; but not fo remarkably, becaufe fuch a pain is not attended with the fame degree of impatience. The impatience a man hath in travelling through a barren country, or in bad roads, makes him think, during the journey, that time goes on with a very flow pace. We shall fee afterward, that a very different computation is made when the journey is at an end. How ought it to ftand with a person who ap prehends bad news? It will probably be thought, that the case of this person resembles that of a criminal, who, terrified at his approaching execution, believes every hour to be but a minute: yet the computation is directly oppofite. Reflecting upon this difficulty, there appears one capital circumftance in which the two cafes differ: the fate of the criminal is determined; in the cafe under confideration, the person is still in fufpenfe. Every one knows how diftrefsful fufpenfe is to us: we wish to get rid of it at any rate, even at the expence of bad news. This cafe therefore, upon a more narrow infpection, resembles that of bodily pain: the prefent diftrefs in both cafes, makes the time appear extremely tedious. The reader probably will not be displeased, to have this branch of the fubject illuftrated in a pleasant manner, by an author who is acquainted with every maze of the human heart, and whọ bestows ineffable grace and ornament upon every fubject he handles; Rofalinda. I pray you, what is't a clock? Orlando. You fhould ask me, what time o' day; there's no clock in the foreft. Rof. Then there is no true lover in the foreft; elfe, fighing every minute, and groaning every hour, would detect the lazy foot of Time, as well as a clock. Orla. Why not the swift foot of Time? Had not that been as proper? Rof. By no means, Sir. Time travels in diverfe paces with diverse perfons. I'll tell you who Time ambles withal, who Time trots withal, who Time gallops withal, and who he ftands ftill withal. Orla. I pr'y thee whom doth he trot withal? Ref. Marry, he trots hard with a young maid, between the contract of her marriage, and the day it is folemnized if the interim be but a fe'ennight, Time's pace is fo hard that it feems the length of feven years. : Orla. Who ambles Time withal? Ref. With a prieft that lacks Latin, and a rich man that hath not the gout: for the one fleeps eafily, because he cannot study: and the other lives merrily, because he feels no pain: the one lacking the burden of lean and wafteful learning; the other knowing no bur then of heavy tedious penury. Thefe Time ambles withal. Orla Orla. Whom doth he gallop withal? Rof. With a thief to the gallows: for though he go as foftly as foot can fall, he thinks himself too foon there. Orla. Whom stays it ftill withal? Rof. With lawyers in the vacation: for they fleep between term and term, and then they perceive not how Time moves. As you like it, act 3. Sc. 8. The natural method of computing present time, fhows how far from truth we may be led by the irregular influence of paffion: nor are our eyes immediately opened when the scene is paft; for the deception continues while there remain any traces of the paffion. But looking back upon past time when the joy or diftrefs is no longer remembered, the computation we make is very different: in this fituation, we coolly and deliberately make ufe of the ordinary measure, viz. the course of our perceptions. And I fhall now proceed to the errors that this measure is fubjected to. Here we must distinguish between a train of perceptions, and a train of ideas: real objects make a ftrong impreffion, and are faithfully remembered: ideas, on the contrary, however entertaining at the time, are apt to escape a fubfequent recollection. Hence it is, that in retrospection, the time that was employ'd upon real objects, appears longer than that employ'd upon ideas: the former are more accurately recollected than the latter; and we meafure the time by the number |
