of action; and that we fhould be only fo far fociable as we are reasonable creatures. Truth is never the lefs fo, for not being attended to: and it is the nature of actions, not the number of actors, by which we ought to regulate our behaviour. Singularity in concerns of this kind is to be looked upon as heroic bravery, in which a man leaves the fpecies only as he foars above it. What greater instance can there be of a weak and pufillanimous temper, than for a man to pass his whole life in oppofition to his own fentiments? or not to dare to be what he thinks he ought to be.

Singularity, therefore, is only vicious when it makes men act contrary to reason, or when it puts them upon diftinguishing themfelves by trifles. As for the firft of thefe, who are fingular in any thing that is irreligious, immoral, or dishonourable, I believe every one will eafily give them up. I fhall therefore speak of those only who are remarkable for their fingularity in things of no importance, as in drefs, behaviour, converfation, and all the little intercourfes of life. In thefe cafes there is a certain deference due to cuftom; and notwithstanding there may be a colour of reafon to deviate from the multitude in fome particulars, a man ought to sacrifice his private inclinations and opinions to the practice of the public. It must be confeffed, that good fenfe often makes an humourist; but then it unqualifies him for being of any moment in the world, and renders him ridiculous to perfons of a much inferior understanding.

I have heard of a gentleman in the north of England, who was a remarkable inftance of this foolish fingularity. He had laid it down as a rule within himself, to act in the most indifferent parts of life, according to the moft abftracted notions of reafon and good fenfe, without any regard to fa fhion or example. This humour broke out at first in many little oddneffes: he had never any ftated hours

hours for his dinner, fupper, or fleep; because, faid he, we ought to attend the calls of nature, and not fet our appetites to our meals, but bring our meals to our appetites. In his converfation with country gentlemen, he would not make ufe of a phrafe that was not strictly true: he never told any of them, that he was his humble fervant, but that he was his well-wisher; and would rather be thought a málecontent than drink the king's health. when he was not a-dry. He would thruft his head out of his chamber-window every morning, and after having gaped for fresh air about half an hour, repeat fifty verfes, as loud as he could bawl them, for the benefit of his lungs; to which end he generally took them out of Homer; the Greek tongue, especially in that author, being more deep and fonorous, and more conducive to expectoration than any other. He had many other particularities, for which he gave found and philofophical reafons. As this humour fill grew upon him, he chofe to wear a turban instead of a periwig; concluding very juftly, that a bandage of clean linen about his head was much more wholefome, as well as cleanly, than the caul of a wig, which is foiled with frequent perfpirations. He afterwards judiciously obferved, that the many ligatures in our English drefs must naturally check the circulation of the blood; for which reafon he made his breeches and his doublet of one continued piece of cloth, after the manner of the Huffars. In fhort, by following the pure dictates of reafon, he at length departed fo much from the rest of his countrymen, and indeed from his whole fpecies, that his friends would have clapped him into Bedlam, and have begged his eftate; but the judge being informed that he did no harm, contented himself with iffuing out a commiffion of lunacy against him, and putting his eftate into the hands of proper guardians.

The fate of this philofopher puts me in mind of

a

a remark in Monfieur Fontenelle's dialogues of the dead. The ambitious and the covetous (fays he) are madmen to all intents and purposes, as much as those who are but up in dark rooms; but they have the good luck to have numbers on their file, whereas the frenzy of one who is given up for a lunatic, is a frenzy hors d'oeuvre; that is, in other words, fome. thing which is fingular in its kind, and does not fall in with the madness of a multitude.

The fubject of this effay was occafioned by a letter which I received not long fince, and which, for want of room at prefent, I fhall infert in my next paper.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 6.

No. 577.

Et furere incipias

Hoc tolerabile, fi non

Juv. Sat. vi. ver. 613.

This might be borne with, if you did not rave.

HE letter mentioned in my last paper is as fol

Tlows.

• SIR,

You have fo lately decried that cuftom, too much in ufe amongst moft people, of making themselves the fubjects of their writings and converfation, that I had fome difficulty to perfuade myself to give you this trouble, until I had confidered, that though I fhould, fpeak in the first perfon, yet I could not be juftly charged with vanity, fince I fhall not add my name; as alfo, becaufe what I fhall write will not, to say the best, redound to my praife; but is only defigned to remove a prejudice conceived againit me, as I

· hope,

hope, with very little foundation. My fhort hiftois this.

ry

I

I have lived for fome years laft paft altogether in London, until about a month ago an acquaintance of mine, for whom I have done fome small • fervices in town, invited me to pass part of the fummer with him at his houfe in the country. accepted his invitation, and found a very hearty welcome. My friend, an honest plain man, not being qualified to pass away his time without the reliefs of bufinefs, has grafted the farmer upon the gentleman, and brought himself to fubmit even to the fervile parts of that employment, such as infpecting his plough, and the like. This neceffari ly takes up fome of his hours every day; and, as I have no relish for such diversions, I used at these times to retire either to my chamber, or a fhady walk near the house, and entertain myself with fome agreeable author. Now you must know, Mr. • SPECTATOR, that when I read, especially if it be " poetry, it is very ufual with me, when I meet with any paffage or expreffion which ftrikes me much, to pronounce it aloud, with that tone of the voice which I think agreeable to the sentiments there expreffed; and to this I generally add fome motion or action of the body. It was not long • before I was observed by fome of the family in one of thefe heroic fits, who thereupon received im preffions very much to my difadvantage. This, however, I did not foon difcover, nor fhould have • done probably, had it not been for the following 'accident. I had one day fhut myfelf up in my chamber, and was very deeply engaged in the fecond book of Milton's Paradife Loft. I walked to • and fro with the book in my hand, and, to speak the truth, I fear I made no little noife; when prefently coming to the following lines;

On

On a fudden open fly,

With impetuous recoil and jarring found,
Th' infernal doors, and on their hinges grate
Harfb thunder, &c.

I in great transport threw open the door of my • chamber, and found the greatest part of the family ftanding on the outfide in a very great confternation. I was in no lefs confufion, and begged pardon for having difturbed them; addrefling myfelf particularly to comfort one of the children, who received an unlucky fall in this action, while he was too intently furveying my meditations through the key-hole. To be fhort, after this • adventure I eafily observed that great part of the family, efpecially the women and children, looked upon me with fome apprehenfions of fear; and " my friend himself, though he ftill continued his civilities to me, did not feem altogether eafy: I took notice, that the butler was never after this accident ordered to leave the bottle upon the table after dinner. Add to this, that I frequently overheard the fervants mention me by the name of the ⚫ crazed gentleman, the gentleman a little touched, the mad Londoner, and the like. This made me • think it high time for me to shift my quarters, which I refolved to do the firft favourable opportunity; and was confirmed in this refolution by a young lady in the neighbourhood, who frequently vifited us, and who one day after having heard all the fine things I was able to fay, was pleased, with a fcornful fmile, to bid me go to fleep.

The first minute I got to my lodgings in town, I fet pen to paper, to defire your opinion, whether, upon the evidence before you, I am mad or I can bring certificates that I behave myfelf foberly before company, and I hope there is at leaft fome merit in withdrawing to be mad. • Look

not.