The second translation of this fragment covered themselves to his physician; and it is which I shall here cite, is that of Monsieur probable, that they were not very different Boileau. Heureux! qui prés de toi, pour toi seule soupire : Je sens de vein en veine une subtile flamme Un nuage confus se répand sur ma vuë, Je n'entens plus, je tombe en de douces langueurs; Un frisson me saisit, je tremble, je me meurs. translation. Blest as th' immortal gods is he, from those which Sappho here describes in a lover sitting by his mistress. The story of Antiochus is so well known, that I need not add the sequel of it, which has no relation to my present subject. No. 230.] Friday, November 23, 1711. C. Homines ad deos nullâ re proprius accedunt, quàm salutem hominibus dando.-Tall. Men resemble the gods in nothing so much, as in doing good to their fellow-creatures. HUMAN nature appears a very deformed, or The reader will see that this is rather an imitation than a translation. The circumstances do not lie so thick together, and follow a very beautiful object, according to the dif one another with that vehemence and emotion ferent lights in which it is viewed. When we as in the original. In short, Monsieur Boileau see men of inflamed passions, or of wicked dehas given us all the poetry, but not all the pas-signs, tearing one another to pieces by open sion of this famous fragment. I shall, in the violence, or undermining each other by secret last place, present my reader with the English treachery; when we observe base and narrow ends pursued by ignominious and dishonest means; when we behold men mixed in society as if it were for the destruction of it; we are even ashamed of our species, and out of humour with our own being. But in another light, when we behold them mild, good, and benevolent, full of a generous regard for the public prosperity, compassionating each other's distresses, and relieving each other's wants, we can hardly believe they are creatures of the same kind. In this view they appear gods to each other, in the exercise of the noblest power, that of doing good; and the greatest compliment we have ever been able to make to our own being, has been by calling this disposition of mind humanity. We cannot but observe a pleasure arising in our own breast upon the seeing or hearing a generous action, even Instead of giving any character of this last when we are wholly disinterested in it. I cantranslation, I shall desire my learned reader to not give a more proper instance of this, than look into the criticisms which Longinus has by a letter from Pliny, in which he recommends made upon the original. By that means he a friend in the, most handsome manner, and will know to which ofthe translations he ought methinks it would be a great pleasure to know to give the preference. I shall only add, that the success of this epistle, though each party this translation is written in the very spirit of concerned in it has been so many hundred Sappho, and as near the Greek as the genius years in his grave. "Twas this depriv'd my soul of rest, In dewy damps my limbs were chill'd; I fainted, sunk, and dy'd away. of our language will possibly suffer. To Maximus. Longinus has observed, that this description of love in Sappho is an exact copy of nature, and that all the circumstances, which follow What I should gladly do for any friend of one another in such an hurry of sentiments, yours, I think I may now with confidence renotwithstanding they appear repugnant to each quest for a friend of mine. Arrianus Maturius other, are really such as happen in the frenzies is the most considerable man of his country: of love. when I call him so, I do not speak with relation I wonder, that not one of the critics or edi- to his fortune, though that is very plentiful, tors, through whose hands this ode has pass- but to his integrity, justice, gravity, and prued, has taken occasion from it to mention a dence; his advice is useful to me in business, circumstance related by Plutarch. That au- and his judgment in matters of learning. His thor, in the famous story of Antiochus, who fidelity, truth, and good understanding, are fell in love with Stratonice, his mother-in-law, very great; besides this, he loves me as you and (not daring to discover his passion) pre- do, than which I cannot say any thing that sigtended to be confined to his bed by sickness, nifies a warmer affection. He has nothing that's tells us, that Erasistratus, the physician, found aspiring; and, though he might rise to the out the nature of his distemper by those symp-highest order of nobility, he keeps himself in toms of love which he had learnt from Sappho's an inferior rank: yet I think myself bound to writings. Stratonice was in the room of the use my endeavours to serve and promote him; love-sick prince, when these symptoms dis- and would therefore find the means of adding something to his honours while he neither ex- and that frequently in their native language, pects nor knows it, nay, though he should re- which every one methinks should be most fuse it. Something, in short, I would have for concerned to cultivate, especially letters, in him that may be honourable, but not trouble- which a gentleman must have so frequent ocA set of gensome; and I entreat that you will procure him casions to distinguish himself. the first thing of this kind that offers, by which teel good natured youths fallen into such a you will not only oblige me, but him also; for manner of life, would form almost a little acathough he does not covet it, I know he will be demy, and doubtless prove no such contemas grateful in acknowledging your favour as if tible companions, as might not often tempt a he had asked it.' เ MR. SPECTATOR, wiser man to mingle himself in their diversions, and draw them into such serious sports as might prove nothing less instructing than 'The reflections in some of your papers on the gravest lessons. I doubt not but it might the servile manner of education now in use, be made some of their favourite plays, to conhave given birth to an ambition, which, unless tend which of them should recite a beautiful you discountenance it, will, I doubt, engage part of a poem or oration most gracefully, or me in a very difficult, though not ungrateful sometimes to join in acting a scene of Terence, adventure. I am about to undertake, for the Sophocles, or our own Shakspeare. The cause sake of the British youth, to instruct them in of Milo might again be pleaded before more such a manner, that the most dangerous page favourable judges, Cæsar a second time be in Virgil or Homer may be read by them with taught to tremble, and another race of Athemuch pleasure, and with perfect safety to their nians be afresh enraged at the ambition of another Philip. Amidst these noble amusepersons. 'Could I prevail so far as to be honoured ments, we could hope to see the early dawnwith the protection of some few of them, (for ings of their imagination daily brighten into I am not hero enough to rescue many) my sense, their innocence improve into virtue, design is to retire with them to an agreeable and their unexperienced good-nature directed solitude, though within the neighbourhood of to a generous love of their country. a city, for the convenience of their being instructed in music, dancing, drawing, designing, or any other such accomplishments, which it T. O pudar! O pietas! O modesty! O piety! 'I am, &c.' Mart. viii. 78. LOORING Over the letters which I have late 'MR. SPECTATOR, is conceived may make as proper diversions for No. 231.] Saturday, November 24, 1711.. them, and almost as pleasant, as the little sordid games which dirty school-boys are so much delighted with. It may easily be imagined. how such a pretty society, conversing with none beneath themselves, and sometimes admitted, as perhaps not unentertaining parties, ly received from my correspondents, I met amongst better company, commended and ca- with the following one, which is written with ressed for their little performances, and turned such a spirit of politeness, that I could not by such conversations to a certain gallantry of but be very much pleased with it myself, and soul, might be brought early acquainted with question not but it will be as acceptable to the some of the most polite English writers. This reader. having given them some tolerable taste of books, they would make themselves masters of the Latin tongue by methods far easier than 'You, who are no stranger to public assemthose of Lilly, with as little difficulty or re-blies, cannot but have observed the awe they luctance as young ladies learn to speak French, often strike on such as are obliged to exert any or to sing Italian operas. When they had ad- talent before them. This is a sort of elegant vanced thus far, it would be time to form their distress, to which ingenuous minds are the taste something more exactly. One that had most liable, and may therefore deserve some any true relish of fine writing, might with great remarks in your paper. Many a brave fellow, pleasure both to himself and them, run over who has put his enemy to flight in the field, has together with them the best Roman historians, been in the utmost disorder upon making a poets, and orators, and point out their more speech before a body of his friends at home. remarkable beauties, give them a short scheme One would think there was some kind of fasof chronology, a little view of geography, me- cination in the eyes of a large circle of peodals, astronomy, or what else might best feed ple, when darting all together upon one per the busy inquisitive humour so natural to that son. I have seen a new actor in a tragedy so age. Such of them as had the least spark of bound up by it as to be scarce able to speak genius, when it was once awakened by the or move, and have expected he would have shining thoughts and great sentiments of those died above three acts before the dagger or admired writers, could not, I believe, be easily cup of poison were brought in. It would not withheld from attempting that more difficult be amiss, if such an one were at first to be sister language, whose exalted beauties they introduced as a ghost, or a statue, until he would have heard so often celebrated as the recovered his spirits, and grew fit for some pride and wonder of the whole learned world. living part. In the mean while, it would be requisite to 'As this sudden desertion of one's self shows exercise their style in writing any little pieces a diffidence, which is not displeasing, it im that ask more of fancy than of judgment:plies at the same time the greatest respect to an audience that can be. It is a sort of mute lours more beautiful, though not so glaring as eloquence, which pleads for their favour much they would be without it. better than words can do; and we find their Modesty is not only an ornament, but also generosity naturally moved to support those a guard to virtue. It is a kind of quick and who are in so much perplexity to entertain delicate feeling in the soul, which makes her them. I was extremely pleased with a late in- shrink and withdraw herself from every thing stance of this kind at the opera of Almahide, that has danger in it. It is such an exquisite in the encouragement given to a young singer,* sensibility, as warns her to shun the first apwhose more than ordinary concern on her first pearance of every thing which is hurtful. appearance, recommended her no less than her agreeable voice, and just performance. Mere bashfulness without merit is awkward; and merit without modesty insolent. But modest merit has a double claim to acceptance, and generally meets with as many patrons as beholders. 'I am, &c.' I cannot at present recollect either the place or time of what I am going to mention; but I have read somewhere in the history of ancient Greece, that the women of the country were seized with an unaccountable melancholy, which disposed several of them to make away with themselves. The senate, after having It is impossible that a person should exert murder, which was so frequent among them, tried many expedients to prevent this selfhimself to advantage in an assembly, whether it be his part either to sing or speak, who lies published an edict, that if any woman whatever should lay violent hands upon herself, her under too great oppressions of modesty. I recorpse should be exposed naked in the street, member, upon talking with a friend of mine and dragged about the city in the most pubconcerning the force of pronunciation, our dis- lic manner. This edict immediately put a course led us into the enumeration of the se-stop to the practice which was before so comveral organs of speech which an orator ought mon. We may see in this instance the to have in perfection, as the tongue, the teeth, strength of female modesty, which was able the lips, the nose, the palate, and the windpipe. Upon which,' says my friend, 'you have omitted the most material organ of them all, and that is the forehead.' to overcome the violence even of madness and despair. The fear of shame in the fairsex, was in those days more prevalent than that of death. But notwithstanding an excess of modesty obstructs the tongue, and renders it unfit for our actions, and is in many cases so impregIf modesty has so great an influence over its offices, a due proportion of it is thought so nable a fence to virtue; what can more underrequisite to an orator, that rhetoricians have mine morality than that politeness which reigns recommended it to their disciples as a parti- among the unthinking part of mankind, and cular in their art. Cicero tells us that he never treats as unfashionable the most ingenuous liked an orator who did not appear in some little confusion at the beginning of his speech, impudence as good-breeding, and keeps a part of our behaviour; which recommends and confesses that he himself never entered man always in countenance, not because he upon an oration without trembling and con-is innocent, but because he is shameless? cern. It is indeed a kind of deference which Seneca thought modesty so great a check is due to a great assembly, and seldom fails to vice, that he prescribes to us the practice to raise a benevolence in the audience towards the person who speaks. My correspondent has taken notice that the bravest men often appear timorous on these occasions, as indeed we may observe, that there is generally no creature more impudent than a coward; of it in secret, and advises us to raise it in ourselves upon imaginary occasions, when such as are real do not offer themselves; for this is the meaning of his precept, That when we are by ourselves, and in our greatest solitudes, we should fancy that Cato stands before us and sees every thing we do. In short, if you banish Modesty out of the world, she carries away with her half the virtue that is in it. -Bold at the council-board: But cautious in the field, he shun'd the sword.-Dryden. After these reflections on modesty, as it is a A bold tongue and a feeble arm are the qua-virtue, I must observe, that there is a vicious lifications of Drances in Virgil; as Homer, to modesty, which justly deserves to be ridiculed, express a man both timorous and saucy, and which those persons very often discover makes use of a kind of point, which is very rarely to be met with in his writings; namely, that he had the eyes of a dog, but the heart of a deer.t who value themselves most upon a well-bred confidence. This happens when a man is ashamed to act up to his reason, and would not upon any consideration be surprised at the A just and reasonable modesty does not practice of those duties, for the performance only recommend eloquence, but sets off every of which he was sent into the world. Many great talent which a man can be possessed of. an impudent libertine would blush to be caught It heightens all the virtues which it accompa- in a serious discourse, and would scarce be nies; like the shades in paintings, it raises able to show his head, after having disclosed and rounds every figure, and makes the co-a religious thought. Decency of behaviour, *Mrs. Barbier. See a curious account of this lady in Sir John Hawkins's History of Music, vol, v. p. 156. ↑ Iliad. i. 225. all outward show of virtue, and abhorrence of vice, are carefully avoided by this set of shame-faced people, as what would disparage their gayety of temper, and infallibly bring them to dishonour. This is such a poorness like objects of compassion. If their families of spirit, such a despicable cowardice, such a degenerate abject state of mind, as one would think human nature incapable of, did we not meet with frequent instances of it in ordinary conversation. No. 232.] Monday, November 26, 1711. Nihil largiundo gloriam adeptus est. C. Sallust. Bell. Cat. too are such as they are represented, 'tis certain they cannot be better clothed, and must be a great deal worse fed. One would think potatoes should be all their bread, and their drink the pure element; and then what goodly customers are the farmers like to have for their wool, corn, and cattle? Such customers, and such a consumption, cannot choose but advance the landed interest, and hold up the rents of the gentlemen. There is another kind of vicious modesty which makes a man ashamed of his person, birth, his profession, his poverty, or the like misfortunes, which it was not in his choice to prevent, and is not in his power to rectify. If a man appears ridiculous by any of the afore- 'But of all men living, we merchants, who mentioned circumstances, he becomes much live by buying and selling, ought never to more so by being out of countenance for them. encourage beggars. The goods which we exThey should rather give him occasion to exert port are indeed the product of the lands, but a noble spirit, and to palliate those imperfec-much the greater part of their value is the lations which are not in his power, by those per-bour of the people: but how much of these fections which are; or to use a very witty al- people's labour shall we export whilst we hire lusion of an eminent author, he should imitate them to sit still? The very alms they receive Cæsar, who, because his head was bald, co- from us are the wages of idleness. I have vered that defect with laurels. often thought that no man should be permitted to take relief from the parish, or to ask it in the street, until he has first purchased as much as possible of his own livelihood by the labour of his own hands; and then the public ought only to be taxed to make good the deBy bestowing nothing he acquired glory. ficiency. If this rule was strictly observed we should see every where such a multitude of My wise and good friend, Sir Andrew Free- new labourers, as would in all probability, report, divides himself almost equally between duce the prices of all our manufactures. It is the town and the country. His time in town is the very life of merchandise to buy cheap and given up to the public, and the management of sell dear. The merchant ought to make his his private fortune; and after every three or out-set as cheap as possible, that he may find four days spent in this manner, he retires for the greater profit upon his returns; and noas many to his seat within a few miles of the thing will enable him to do this like the reductown, to the enjoyment of himself, his family, tion of the price of labour upon all our manuand his friend. Thus business and pleasure, factures. This too would be the ready way or rather, in Sir Andrew, labour and rest, re- to increase the number of our foreign markets. commend each other. They take their turns The abatement of the price of the manufacwith so quick a vicissitude, that neither be- ture would pay for the carriage of it to more comes a habit, or takes possession of the distant countries; and this consequence would whole man; nor is it possible he should be be equally beneficial both to the landed and surfeited with either. I often see him at our trading interests. As so great an addition of club in good humour, and yet sometimes too labouring hands would produce this happy with an air of care in his looks: but in his consequence both to the merchant and the country retreat he is always unbent, and such gentleman, our liberality to common beggars, a companion as I could desire; and therefore and every other obstruction to the increase I seldom fail to make one with him when he is of labourers, must be equally pernicious to pleased to invite me. both.' The other day, as soon as we were got into Sir Andrew then went on to affirm, that the his chariot, two or three beggars on each side reduction of the prices of our manufactures hung upon the doors, and solicited our charity by the addition of so many new hands, would with the usual rhetoric of a sick wife or hus- be no inconvenience to any man; but observband at home, three or four helpless little chil-ing I was something startled at the assertion, dren all starving with cold and hunger. We he made a short pause, and then resumed the were forced to part with some money to get discourse. 'It may seem,' says he, a pararid of their importunity; and then we pro-dox, that the price of labour should be reducceeded on our journey with the blessings and ed without an abatement of wages, or that acclamations of these people. wages can be abated without any inconveni'Well then,' says Sir Andrew, we go offence to the labourer, and yet nothing is more with the prayers and good wishes of the beg- certain than that both these things may hapgars, and perhaps too our healths will be drunk pen. The wages of the labourers make the at the next ale-house: so all we shall be able greatest part of the price of every thing that to value ourselves upon, is, that we have pro-is useful; and if in proportion with the wages moted the trade of the victualler and the ex- the price of all other things should be abated, cises of the government. But how few ounces every labourer with less wages would still be of wool do we see upon the backs of these able to purchase as many necessaries of life; poor creatures? And when they shall next where then would be the inconvenience? But fall in our way, they will hardly be better the price of labour may be reduced by the addressed; they must always live in rags to look dition of more hands to a manufacture, and ever. yet the wages of persons remain as high as taking relief from the parish, or asking it in The admirable Sir William Petty has the street, this is the hungry, the thirsty, given examples of this in some of his writings: the naked; and I ought to believe, if any one of them, as I remember, that of a watch, man is come hither for shelter against perwhich I shall endeavour to explain so as shall secution or oppression, this is the stranger, suit my present purpose. It is certain that a and I ought to take him in. If any countrysingle watch could not be made so cheap in man of our own is fallen into the hands of proportion by one only man, as a hundred infidels, and lives in a state of miserable capwatches by a hundred; for as there is a vast tivity, this is the man in prison, and should variety in the work, no one person could equ-contribute to his ransom. I ought to give to ally suit himself to all the parts of it: the ma- an hospital of invalids, to recover as many nufacture would be tedious, and at last but useful subjects as I can; but I shall bestow clumsily performed But if a hundred watches none of my bounties upon an alms-house of were to be made by a hundred men, the cases idle people; and for the same reason I should may be assigned to one, the dials to another, not think it a reproach to me if I had with-held the wheels to another, the springs to another, my charity from those common beggars. But and every other part to a proper artist. As we prescribe better rules than we are able to there would be no need of perplexing any one practise; we are ashamed not to give into the person with too much variety, every one would mistaken manners of our country: but at the be able to perform his single part with greater same time, I cannot but think it a reproach skill and expedition; and the hundred watches worse than that of common swearing, that the would be finished in one-fourth part of the idle and the abandoned are suffered in the time of the first one, and every one of them at name of heaven and all that is sacred to exone fourth part of the cost, though the wages tort from christian and tender minds a supply of every man were equal. The reduction of to a profligate way of life, that is always to be the price of the manufacture would increase supported, but never relieved.' the demand of it, all the same hands would be still employed, and as well paid. The same Z. -Tanquam hæc sint nostri medicina furoris, Aut deus ille malis hominum mitescere discat. Virg. Ecl. x. v. 60. rule will hold in the clothing, the shipping, No. 233.] Tuesday, November 27, 1711. As if by these, my sufferings I could ease; Dryden, I SHALL in this paper discharge myself of 'Besides I see no occasion for this charity the promise I have made to the public, by to common beggars, since every beggar is an obliging them with a translation of the little inhabitant of a parish, and every parish is Greek manuscript, which is said to have been taxed to the maintenance of their own poor. a piece of those records that were preserved For my own part I cannot be mightily pleased in the temple of Apollo, upon the promontory with the laws which have done this, which of Leucate. It is a short history of the Lohave provided better to feed than employ the ver's Leap, and is inscribed, 'An account of poor. We have a tradition from our forefa-persons, male and female, who offered up their thers, that after the first of those laws was vows in the temple of the Pythian Apollo in made, they were insulted with that famous the forty-sixth Olympiad, and leaped from song: Hang sorrow and cast away care, the promontory of Leucate into the Ionian Sea, in order to cure themselves of the passion of love.' This account is very dry in many parts, as And if we will be so good-natured as to only mentioning the name of the lover who maintain them without work, they can do no leaped, the person he leaped for, and relating less in return than sing us "The merry Beg-in short, that he was either cured, or killed, gars." or maimed by the fall. It indeed gives the 'What then? Am I against all acts of char-names of so many who died by it, that it would ity? God forbid! I know of no virtue in the have looked like a bill of mortality, had I gospel that is in more pathetic expressions re-translated it at full length; I have therefore commended to our practice. "I was hungry made an abridgement of it, and only extracted and ye gave me no meat, thirsty and ye gave me no drink, naked and ye clothed me not, a stranger and ye took me not in, sick and in prison and ye visited me not.' Our blessed Saviour treats the exercise or neglect of charity towards a poor man, as the performance or breach of this duty towards himself. I shall endeavour to obey the will of my lord and master: and therefore if an industrious man shall submit to the hardest labour and coarsest fare, rather than endure the shame of bruised, but escaped with life. such particular passages as have something extraordinary, either in the case or in the cure, or in the fate of the person who is mentioned in it. After this short preface take the account as follows: Battus, the son of Menalcas the Sicilian, leaped for Bombyca the musician: got rid of his passion with the loss of his right leg and arm, which were broken in the fall. Melissa, in love with Daphnis, very much |