Upon Some Verses Of Virgil

"I found it necessary, when I was young, to put myself in mind and solicit myself to
keep me to my duty: gayety and health do not, they say, so well agree with those grave
and serious meditations; I am at present in another state: the conditions of age but too
much put me in mind, urge me to wisdom, and preach to me. From the excess of
sprightliness I am fallen into that of severity, which is much more troublesome:
and for that reason I now and then suffer myself purposely a little to run into disorder,
and occupy my mind in wanton and youthful thoughts, wherewith it diverts itself."

This passage speaks so well to me; the way this suspensive sentence is set up is almost
in the form of a puzzle. It's a perspective of thoughts that wants to speak for itself,
the passion of the thought wants to convey itself quickly so in it's form it synthesizes
it's entirety within each sentence while still conveying it's point to the very end.
I feel that this style is close to the style and form that I strive to achieve and I
admire it all to well.

"Years every day read to me lectures of coldness and temperance."
Ah! It's amazing how he sets up this sentence to create a double meaning. Almost a pun.
"Years every day," reads as an exhaustion, the everyday feels like years and in thoughts
years deep thoughts of coldness and temperance drag on.

I now defend myself from temperance, as I have formerly done from pleasure;
it draws me too much back, and even to stupidity.Now I will be master of myself,
to all intent and purposes; wisdom has its excesses, and has no less need of moderation
than folly.

This sentence structure sets up two parts to a whole. He tells us what he's going to say
and then he says it again in explanation and why. His thoughts are intriguing,
and the sentence structure and style most definitely suites what he is trying to convey.

"I gently turn aside, and avert my eyes from the stormy and cloudy sky I have before me,
which, thanks be to God I regard without fear,but not without meditation and study,
and amuse myself in the remembrance of my better years:"

HA!HA!HA! The humor and pretentiousness in the this sentence is amazing. But he's so
justified within himself which makes this statement
"thanks be to God," not "thank God," he's clearing stating that he is own God and is
creation careless controversy toward anyone who regards God as something higher than
human.