lause as it is depressed by neglect and ontempt. But it is only persons far above he common level who are thus affected ith either of these extremes; as in a therometer, it is only the purest and most blimated spirit that is either contracted dilated by the benignity or inclemency I the season.

and a sweet smile sits in the charming
space which divides her lips. One would
swear that voice and speech were issuing
out, and that one's ears felt the melodious
sound. How often have I, deceived by a
lover's credulity, hearkened if she had not
something to whisper me? and when frus-
trated of my hopes, how often have I taken
my revenge in kisses from her cheeks and
whilst she (as to me it seemed,) only with-
eyes, and softly wooed her to my embrace,
held her tongue the more to inflame me.
But, madman that I am, shall I be thus
taken with the representation only of a
beauteous face, and flowing hair, and thus

'MR. SPECTATOR,-The translations
hich you have lately given us from the
Greek, in some of your last papers, have
een the occasion of my looking into some
those authors: among whom I chanced
na collection of letters which pass under
e name of Aristanetus. Of all the re-waste myself and melt to tears for a sha-
ains of antiquity, I believe there can be
othing produced of an air so gallant and
olite; each letter contains a little novel or
dventure, which is told with all the beau-
es of language, and heightened with a
xuriance of wit. There are several of
nem translated; but with such wide devia-
ons from the original, and in a style so far
ffering from the author's, that the trans-
ator seems rather to have taken hints for
ne expressing his own sense and thoughts,
man to have endeavoured to render those

dow? Ah, sure it is something more, it is
a reality; for see, her beauties shine out
with new lustre, and she seems to upbraid
me with unkind reproaches. Oh, may I
have a living mistress of this form, that
when I shall compare the work of nature
with that of art, I may be still at a loss
which to choose, and be long perplexed
with the pleasing uncertainty."

T.

Aristænetus. In the following transla- No. 239.] Tuesday, December 4, 1711.

on, I have kept as near the meaning of the Greek as I could, and have only added a few words to make the sentences in English sit gether a little better than they would therwise have done. The story seems to e taken from that of Pygmalion and the tatue in Ovid; some of the thoughts are f the same turn, and the whole is written a kind of poetical prose.'

-Bella, horrida bella!
-Wars, horrid wars!

Virg. Æn. vi. 86.
Dryden.

considering the several methods of manag-
I HAVE Sometimes amused myself with
ing a debate which have obtained in the
world.

The first races of mankind used to dispute, as our ordinary people do now-a-days, in a kind of wild logic, uncultivated by rules

of art.

Socrates introduced a catechetical method of arguing. He would ask his adversary question upon question, until he had convinced him out of his own mouth that his opinions were wrong. This way of debating drives an enemy up into a corner, seizes all the passes through which he can make an escape, and forces him to surrender at discretion.

Philopinax to Chromation. "Never was a man more overcome with fantastical a passion as mine; I have ainted a beautiful woman, and am despairg, dying for the picture. My own skill as undone me; it is not the dart of Venus, ut my own pencil has thus wounded me. h, me! with what anxiety am I necessiated to adore my own idol? How miserale am I, whilst every one must as much ity the painter as he praises the picture, Aristotle changed this method of attack, nd own my torment more than equal to and invented a great variety of little weaHave there not been more u y art. But why do I thus complain? pons, called syllogisms. As in the Socratic unhappy and way of dispute you agree to every thing natural passions than mine? Yes, I have which your opponent advances, in the Ariseen the representation of Phædra, Nar-totelic you are still denying and contradictssus, and Pasipha. Phædra was unhappy ing some part or other of what he says. her love: that of Pasipha was monstrous; Socrates conquers you by stratagem, Arisnd whilst the other caught at his beloved totle by force! The one takes the town by keness, he destroyed the watery image, sap, the other sword in hand. which ever eluded his embraces. The The universities of Europe for many ountain represented Narcissus to himself, years carried on their debates by syllogism, nd the picture both that and him, thirst- insomuch that we see the knowledge of g after his adored image. But I am yet several centuries laid out into objections ss unhappy. I enjoy her presence con- and answers, and all the good sense of the nually, and if I touch her, I destroy not age cut and minced into almost an infinie beauteous form, but she looks pleased, tude of distinctions.

When our universities found there was no end of wrangling this way, they invented a kind of argument, which is not reducible

to any mood or figure in Aristotle. It was reasoning, which may be called arguing by called the argumentum Basilinum, (others poll; and another which is of equal force, write it Bacilínum or Baculinum,) which is in which wagers are made use of as argupretty well expressed in our English word ments, according to the celebrated line in club-law. When they were not able to Hudibras.|| confute their antagonist, they knocked him down. It was their method in these polemical debates, first to discharge their syllogisms, and afterwards to betake themselves to their clubs, until such time as they had one way or other confounded their gainsayers. There is in Oxford a narrow defile, (to make use of a military term,) where the partisans used to encounter; for which reason it still retains the name of Logic-lane. I have heard an old gentleman, a physician, make his boasts, that when he was a young fellow he marched several times at the head of a troop of Scotists, and cudgelled a body of Smiglesianst half the length of High-street, until they had dispersed themselves for shelter into their respective garrisons.

This humour, I find, went very far in Erasmus's time. For that author tells us, that upon the revival of Greek letters, most of the universities in Europe were divided into Greeks and Trojans. The latter were those who bore a mortal enmity to the language of the Grecians, insomuch that if they met with any who understood it, they did not fail to treat him as a foe. Erasmus himself had, it seems, the misfortune to fall into the hands of a party of Trojans, who laid on him with so many blows and buffets that he never forgot their hostilities to his dying day.

There is a way of managing an argument not much unlike the former, which is made use of by states and communities, when they draw up a hundred thousand disputants, on each side, and convince one another by dint of sword. A certain grand monarcht was so sensible of his strength in this way of reasoning, that he writ upon his great guns Ratio ultima regum, The logic of kings; but, God be thanked, he is now pretty well baffled at his own weapons. When one has to do with a philosopher of this kind, one should remember the old gentleman's saying, who had been engaged in an argument with one of the Roman emperors. Upon his friend's telling him that he wondered he would give up the question, when he had visibly the better of the dispute; I am never ashamed,' says he, to be confuted by one who is master of fifty legions.'

I shall but just mention another kind of

*The followers of Duns Scotus, a celebrated Fran. ciscan divine, born in Northumberland. From Oxford, where he was educated, he went to Paris, where his

reputation was so high as a disputant, that he acquired the name of the 'subtile doctor. His opposition to the doctrine of Thomas Aquinas gave birth to two parties, the Scotists and Thomists. He died at Cologne, in 1308. at The followers of Martin Smiglecius, a famous logi

cian in the 16th century,

Lewis XIV. of France.
The Emperor Adrian. dw

But the most notable way of managing a controversy, is that which we may call arguing by torture. This is a method of reasoning which has been made use of with the poor refugees, and which was so fashionable in our country during the reign of Queen Mary, that in a passage of an anthor quoted by Monsieur Bayle, it is said the price of wood was raised in England, by reason of the executions that were made in Smithfield. These disputants convince their adversaries with a sorites,** commonly called a pile of faggots. The rack is also a kind of syllogism which has been used with good effect, and has made multitudes of converts. Men were formerly disputed out of their doubts, reconciled to truth by force of reason, and won over to opinions by the candour, sense, and ingenuity of those who had the right on their side; but this method of conviction operated too slowly. Pain was found to be much more enlightening than reason. Every scruple was looked upon as obstinacy, and not to be removed but by several engines invented for that purpose. In a word, the application of whips, racks, gibbets, galleys, dungeons, fire and faggot, in a dispute, may be looked upon as popish refinements upon the old heathen logic.

There is another way of reasoning which seldom fails, though it be of a quite different nature to that I have last mentioned. I mean convincing a man by ready money, or as it is ordinarily called, bribing a man to an opinion. This method has often proved successful, when all the others have been made use of to no purpose. A man who is furnished with arguments from the mint, will convince his antagonist much sooner than one who draws them from rea son and philosophy. Gold is a wonderful clearer of the understanding; it dissipates every doubt and scruple in an instant; ac commodates itself to the meanest capaci ties; silences the loud and clamourous, and brings over the most obstinate and inflexi ble. Philip of Macedon was a man of most invincible reason this way. He refuted by it all the wisdom of Athens, confounded their statesmen, struck their orators dumb, and at length argued them out of all their

liberties.

Having here touched upon the several methods of disputing, as they have pre vailed in different ages of the world, I shall very suddenly give my reader an account of the whole art of cavilling; which shall

VUULVER

e a full and satisfactory answer to all such I have by this admirable person been shown pers and pamphlets as have yet ap- to, and raised in, sir, your most humble ared against the Spectator.

C.

scrvant.'

'MR. SPECTATOR,-I am a country gen-, tleman of a good plentiful estate, and live as

0.240.] Wednesday, December 5, 1711. the rest of my neighbours with great hos

pitality. I have been ever reckoned among
the ladies the best company in the world,
and have access as a sort of favourite. İ
never came in public but I saluted them,
though in great assemblies, all around;
where it was seen how genteelly I avoided
hampering my spurs in their petticoats,
whilst I moved amongst them; and on the
other side how prettily they curtsied and
received me standing in proper rows, and
advancing as fast as they saw their elders,
or their betters, despatched by me. But so
it is, Mr. Spectator, that all our good breed-
ing is of late lost, by the unhappy arrival of
a courtier, or town gentleman, who came
lately among us. This person whenever he
came into a room made a profound bow,
and fell back, then recovered with a soft
air, and made a bow to the next, and so to
one or two more, and then took the gross of
the room, by passing them in a continual
bow until he arrived at the person he
thought proper particularly to entertain.
This he did with so good a grace and as-
surance, that it is taken for the present
fashion; and there is no young gentlewoman
within several miles of this place has been
kissed ever since his first appearance among
us. We country gentlemen cannot begin
again and learn these fine and reserved airs;
and our conversation is at a stand, until we
have your judgment for or against kissing
by way of civility or salutation; which is
impatiently expected by your friends of
both sexes, but by none so much as your
humble servant,
RUSTIC SPRIGHTLY.'

-Aliter non fit, Avite, liber.
Mart. Ep. 17. Lib. 1.
Of such materials, sir, are books composed.
'MR. SPECTATOR,-I am one of the
ost genteel trades in the city, and under-
and thus much of liberal education, as to
ave an ardent ambition of being useful to
ankind, and to think that the chief end
being, as to this life, I had these good
pressions given me from the handsome
chaviour of a learned, generous, and
ealthy man towards me, when I first
gan the world. Some dissatisfaction be-
een me and my parents made me enter
to it with less relish of business than I
ght; and to turn off this uneasiness, I
ve myself to criminal pleasures, some
cesses, and a general loose conduct. I
now not what the excellent man above-
entioned saw in me, but he descended
om the superiority of his wisdom and
erit, to throw himself frequently into my
mpany. This made me soon hope that
had something in me worth cultivating,
nd his conversation made me sensible of
tisfactions in a regular way, which I had
ever before imagined. When he was
own familiar with me, he opened himself
ke a good angel, and told me he had long
boured to ripen me into a preparation to
ceive his friendship and advice, both
hich I should daily command, and the
se of any part of his fortune, to apply
e measures he should propose to me, for
e improvement of my own. I assure you
cannot recollect the goodness and confu-
on of the good old man when he spoke to
is purpose to me without melting into
December 3, 1711.
ars; but in a word, sir, I must hasten to 'MR. SPECTATOR,-I was the other night
ll you, that my heart burns with grati- at Philaster, where I expected to hear your
de towards him, and he is so happy a famous trunk-maker, but was unhappily
an that it can never be in my power to disappointed of his company, and saw an
turn him his favours in kind, but I am other person who had the like ambition to
re I have made him the most agreeable distinguish himself in a noisy manner, partly
tisfaction I could possibly, in being ready by vociferation or talking loud, and partly
serve others to my utmost ability, as far by his bodily agility. This was a very lusty
is consistent with the prudence he pre- fellow, but withal a sort of beau, who get-
ribes to me. Dear Mr. Spectator, I do not ting into one of the side-boxes on the stage
ve to him only the good-will and esteem before the curtain drew, was disposed to
my own relations, (who are people of show the whole audience his activity by
stinction,) the present ease and plenty of leaping over the spikes: he passed from
y circumstances, but also the government thence to one of the entering doors, where
my passions, and regulation of my de- he took snuff with a tolerable good grace,
res. I doubt not, sir, but in your imagina- displayed his fine clothes, made two or
n such virtues as these of my worthy three feint passes at the curtain with his
end, bear as great a figure as actions cane, then faced about and appeared at the
hich are more glittering in the common other door, Here he affected to survey the
timation. What I would ask of you, is whole house, bowed and smiled at random,
give us a whole Spectator upon heroic and then showed his teeth, which were
tue in common life, which may incite some of them indeed very white. After this
en to the same generous inclinations, as he retired behind the curtain, and obliged

us with several views of his person from | am always in good-humour when an east every opening. wind blows, because it seldom fails of bringing me a letter from him. Let me entreat you, sir, to give me your advice upon this occasion, and to let me know how I may relieve myself in this my widowhood. I am, sir, your most humble servant, 'ASTERIA.'

'During the time of acting, he appeared frequently in the prince's apartment, made one at the hunting-match, and was very forward in the rebellion.* If there were no injunctions to the contrary, yet this practice must be confessed to diminish the pleasure of the audience, and for that reason presumptuous and unwarrantable; but since her majesty's late command has made it criminal, you have authority to take notice of it. Sir, your humble servant, 'CHARLES EASY.'

T.

No. 241.] Thursday, December 6, 1711.

-Semperque relinqui
Sola sibi, semper longam incomitata videtur
Ire viam-
Virg. Æn. iv. 466.
All sad she seems, forsaken, and alone;
And left to wander wide through paths unknown.-P.

The consolations of lovers on these occasions are very extraordinary. Besides those mentioned by Asteria, there are many other motives of comfort which are made use of by absent lovers.

I remember in one of Scudery's Romances a couple of honourable lovers agreed at their parting to set aside one half hour in the day to think of each other during a tedious absence. The romance tells us, that they both of them punctually observed the time thus agreed upon; and that whatever company or business they were engaged in, they left it abruptly as soon as the clock warned them to retire. The romance fur ther adds, that the lovers expected the return of this stated hour with as much impatience as if it had been a real assignation, and enjoyed an imaginary happiness, that was almost as pleasing to them as what they would have found from a real meeting. It was an inexpressible satisfaction to these divided lovers to be assured that each was at the same time employed in the same kind of contemplation, and making equal returns of tenderness and affection.

'MR. SPECTATOR,-Though you have considered virtuous love in most of its distresses, I do not remember that you have given us any dissertation upon the absence of lovers, or laid down any methods how they should support themselves under those long separations which they are sometimes forced to undergo. I am at present in this unhappy circumstance, having parted with the best of husbands, who is abroad in the service of his country, and may not possibly return for some years. His warm and generous affection while we were together, with the tenderness which he expressed to me at parting, make his absence almost insupportable. I think of him every moment of the day, and meet him every night in my dreams. Every thing I see puts me in mind of him. I apply myself with more than ordinary diligence to the care of his family and his estate; but this instead of relieving me, gives me but so many occasions of wishing for his return. I frequent the rooms where I used to converse with him, and not meeting him there, sit down in his chair and fall a weeping. I love to read the books If I may be allowed to mention a more he delighted in, and to converse with the serious expedient for the alleviating of abpersons whom he esteemed. I visit his pic-sence, I shall take notice of one which I ture a hundred times a day, and place myself over against it whole hours together. I pass a great part of my time in the walks where I used to lean upon his arm, and recollect in my mind the discourses which have there passed between us: I look over the several prospects and points of view which we used to survey together, fix my eye upon the objects which he has made me take notice of; and call to mind a thousand agreeable remarks which he has made on those occasions. I write to him by every conveyance, and contrary to other people,

have known two persons practise, who joined religion to that elegance of sentiments with which the passion of love generally inspires its votaries. This was, at the return of such an hour, to offer up a certain prayer for each other, which they had agreed upon before their parting. The hus band, who is a man that makes a figure in the polite world, as well as in his own family, has often told me, that he could not have supported an absence of three years without this expedient.

Strada, in one of his Prolusions, gives an account of a chimerical correspondence between two friends by the help of a certain loadstone, which had such virtue in it, that

Lib. ii. prol. a

e

It touched two several needles, when one yours concerning the misbehaviour of peo-
the needles so touched began to move, the ple, who are necessarily in each other's
her, though at never so great a distance, company in travelling, ought to have been
oved at the same time, and in the same a lasting admonition against transgressions
anner. He tells us, that the two friends of that kind. But I had the fate of your:
ing each of them possessed of one of these quaker, in meeting with a rude fellow in a
edles, made a kind of dial-plate, inscrib-stage-coach, who entertained two or three
g it with the four-and-twenty letters, in women of us (for there was no man besides
e same manner as the hours of the day himself) with language as indecent as ever
e marked upon the ordinary dial-plate. was heard upon the water. The imperti-
hey then fixed one of the needles on each nent observations which the coxcomb made
these plates in such a manner that it upon our shame and confusion were such,
uld move round without impediment, so that it is an unspeakable grief to reflect
to touch any of the four-and-twenty let- upon them. As much as you have declaim-
rs. Upon their separating from one an- ed against duelling, I hope you will do us
her into distant countries, they agreed to the justice to declare, that if the brute has
thdraw themselves punctually into their courage enough to send to the place where
Osets at a certain hour of the day, and to he saw us all alight together to get rid of
nverse with one another by means of this him, there is not one of us but has a lover
eir invention. Accordingly when they who shall avenge the insult. It would cer-
ere some hundred miles asunder, each of tainly be worth your consideration, to look
em shut himself up in his closet at the into the frequent misfortunes of this kind,
ne appointed, and immediately cast his to which the modest and innocent are ex-
upon
his dial-plate. If he had a mind posed, by the licentious behaviour of such
write any thing to his friend, he directed as are as much strangers to good-breeding
s needle to every letter that formed the as to virtue. Could we avoid hearing what
ords which he had occasion for, making a we do not approve, as easily as we can see-
tle pause at the end of every word or ing what is disagreeable, there were some
ntence, to avoid confusion. The friend in consolation; but since in a box at a play,
e meanwhile saw his own sympathetic in an assembly of ladies, or even in a pew
edle moving of itself to every letter which at church, it is in the power of a gross cox-
at of his correspondent pointed at. By this comb to utter what a woman cannot avoid
eans they talked together across a whole hearing, how miserable is her condition
ntinent, and conveyed their thoughts to who comes within the power of such im-
e another in an instant over cities or pertinents? and how necessary is it to re-
ountains, seas or deserts.
peat invectives against such a behaviour?
If the licentious had not utterly forgot what
it is to be modest, they would know that
offended modesty labours under one of the
greatest sufferings to which human life can
be exposed. If these brutes could reflect
thus much, though they want shame, they
would be moved by their pity, to abhor an
impudent behaviour in the presence of the
chaste and innocent. If you will oblige us
with a Spectator on this subject, and pro-
cure it to be pasted against every stage-
coach in Great Britain as the law of the
journey, you will highly oblige the whole
sex, for which you have professed so great
an esteem; and in particular the two ladies
my late fellow-sufferers, and, sir, your most

If Monsieur Scudery, or any other writer
romance, had introduced a necromancer,
ho is generally in the train of a knight-
rant, making a present to two lovers of a
uple of these above-mentioned needles,
e reader would not have been a little
eased to have seen them corresponding
ith one another when they were guarded
spies and watches, or separated by cas-
Es and adventures.

In the meanwhile, if ever this invention
ould be revived or put in practice, I would
opose that upon the lover's dial-plate
ere should be written not only the four-
d-twenty letters, but several entire words
ich have always a place in passionate
istles; as flames, darts, die, languish, humble servant,
sence, Cupid, heart, eyes, hang, drown,
d the like. This would very much abridge
e lover's pains in this way of writing a
ter, as it would enable him to express
e most useful and significant words with
single touch of the needle.
C.

D. 242.] Friday, December 7, 1711.

Creditur, ex medio quia res arcessit, habere
udoris minimum
Hor. Lib. 2, Ep. i. 168.
To write on vulgar themes, is thought an easy task.
MR. SPECTATOR,-Your speculations
not so generally prevail over men's man-
s as I could wish. A former paper of

REBECCA RIDINGHOOD."

'MR. SPECTATOR,-The matter which I am now going to send you, is an unhappy story in low life, and will recommend itself, so that you must excuse the manner of expressing it. A poor idle drunken weaver in Spitalfields has a faithful laborious wife, who by her frugality and industry had laid by her as much money as purchased her a ticket in the present lottery. She had hid and had given her number to a friend and this very privately in the bottom of a trunk confidant, who had promised to keep the secret, and bring her news of the success. The poor adventurer was one day gone