their last struggle to be to fix themselves mean, that can report what they have se Now the doctrine I would, methinks, "I remember when prince Eugene w here there was no knowing his height figure, until you, Mr. Spectator, gave t public satisfaction in that matter. In rel tions, the force of the expression lies ve often more in the look, the tone of voic or the gesture, than the words ther selves; which, being repeated in any oth manner by the undiscerning, bear a ve different interpretation from their origin meaning. I must confess I formerly ha turned this humour of mine to very go account; for whenever I heard any narr tion uttered with extraordinary vehemenc 'You men of letters have what you call and grounded upon considerable authority the fine taste in your apprehensions of what I was always ready to lay any wager that is properly done or said. There is some- was not so. Indeed, I never pretended thing like this deeply grafted in the soul be so rash as to fix the matter any partic of him who is honest and faithful in all his lar way in opposition to theirs; but as ther houghts and actions. Every thing which are a hundred ways of any thing happer is false, vicious, or unworthy, is despicable ing, besides that it has happened, I onl to him, though all the world should ap- controverted its falling out in that one man prove it. At the same time he has the most ner as they settled it, and left it to th lively sensibility in all enjoyments and suf- ninety-nine other ways, and consequentl ferings which it is proper for him to have had more probability of success. I ha where any duty of life is concerned. To arrived at a particular skill in warmin want sorrow when you in decency and truth a man so far in his narrations as to mak should be afflicted, is, I should think, a him throw in a little of the marvellous, an greater instance of a man's being a block-then, if he has much fire, the next degre head, than not to know the beauty of any is the impossible. Now this is always th passage in Virgil. You have not yet ob- time for fixing the wager. But this require served, Mr Spectator, that the fine gentle- the nicest management, otherwise ver men of this age set up for hardness of heart; and humanity has very little share in their pretences. He is a brave fellow who is always ready to kill a man he hates, but he does not stand in the same degree of esteem who laments for the woman he loves. I should fancy you might work up a thousand pretty thoughts, by reflecting upon the persons most susceptible of the sort of sorrow I have spoken of; and I dare say you will find, upon examination, that they are the wisest and the bravest of mankind who are the most capable of it. I am, sir, your 'humble servant, F. J. Norwich, 7th October, 1712.' T. No. 521.] probably the dispute may arise to the ol determination by battle. In these concei I have been very fortunate, and have wo some wages of those who have professed valued themselves upon intelligence, an have put themselves to great charge an expense to be misinformed considerabl sooner than the rest of the world. 'Having got a comfortable sum by thi my opposition to public report, I hav brought myself now to so great a perfectio in attention, more especially to party-rela tion, that, at the same time I seem wit greedy ears to devour up the discourse, certainly do not know one word of it, bu pursue my own course of thought, whethe upon business or amusement, with muc tranquillity; I say inattention, because late act of parliament* has secured al party-liars from the penalty of a wager and consequently made it unprofitable t contingency relating to the war with France were de * Stat. 7 Anne, cap. 17.-By it all wagers laid upon Iclared to be void. attend to them. However, good-breeding | description of such person is hid in the deobliges a man to maintain the figure of the formity with which the angry man describes keenest attention, the true posture of which him; therefore this fellow always made his in a coffee-house, I take to consist in lean- customers describe him as he would the ing over a table with the edge of it pressing day before he offended, or else he was sure hard upon your stomach: for the more pain he would never find him out. These and the narration is received with, the more many other hints I could suggest to you for gracious is your bending over; besides that the elucidation of all fictions; but I leave it the narrator thinks you forget your pain by to your own sagacity to improve or neglect the pleasure of hearing him. this speculation. I am, sir, your most obedient, humble servant. -Adjuro nunquam eam me deserturum; homines. 1 T. 'Fort Knock has occasioned several very Non, si capiundos mihi sciam esse inimicos omnes "I saw a smith stand on his hammer, thus, adimet nemo. Ter. Andr. Act iv. Sc. 2. I swear never to forsake her; no, though I were sure obtained; our humours agree. Perish all those who to make all men my enemies. Her I desired; her I have would separate us! Death alone shall deprive me of her. I SHOULD esteem myself a very happy man if my speculation could in the least contribute to the rectifying the conduct of my readers in one of the most important 'I confess of late I have not been so much affairs of life, to wit, their choice in maramazed at the declaimers in coffee-houses riage. This state is the foundation of comas I formerly was, being satisfied that they munity, and the chief band of society; and expect to be rewarded for their vocifera- I do not think I can be too frequent on subtions. Of these liars there are two sorts: jects which may give light to my unmarthe genius of the first consists in much im- ried readers in a particular which is so padence, and a strong memory; the others essential to their following happiness or have added to these qualifications a good misery. A virtuous disposition, a good ununderstanding and smooth language. These derstanding, an agreeable person, and an therefore have only certain heads, which easy fortune, are the things which should they are as eloquent upon as they can, and be chiefly regarded on this occasion. Bemay be called embellishers;" the others cause my present view is to direct a young repeat only what they hear from others as lady, who I think is now in doubt whom to literally as their parts or zeal will permit, take of many lovers, I shall talk at this and are called reciters." Here was a time to my female readers. The advanfellow in town some years ago, who used to tages, as I was going to say, of sense, beauty, divert himself by telling a lie at Charing- and riches, are what are certainly the chief Cross in the morning at eight of the clock, motives to a prudent young woman of forand following it through all parts of the tune for changing her condition; but, as she town until eight at night: at which time he is to have her eye upon each of these, she came to a club of his friends, and diverted is to ask herself, whether the man who has them with an account what censure it had most of these recommendations in the lump at Will's in Covent-garden, how dangerous is not the most desirable. He that has exit was believed to be at Child's, and what cellent talents, with a moderate estate, and inference they drew from it with relation to an agreeable person, is preferable to him stocks at Jonathan's. I have had the ho- who is only rich, if it were only that good nour to travel with this gentleman I speak faculties may purchase riches, but riches of, in search of one of his falsehoods; and cannot purchase worthy endowments. I do have been present when they have de- not mean that wit, and a capacity to enterscribed the very man they have spoken to, tain, is what should be highly valued, exas him who first reported it, tall or short, cept it is founded on good-nature and hublack or fair, a gentleman or a raggamuffin, manity. There are many ingenious men, according as they liked the intelligence. I whose abilities do little else but make themhave heard one of our ingenious writers of selves and those about them uneasy. Such news say, that, when he has had a customer are those who are far gone in the pleasures with an advertisement of an apprentice or of the town, who cannot support life witha wife run away, he has desired the ad-out quick sensations and gay reflections, vertiser to compose himself a little before and are strangers to tranquillity, to right he dictated the description of the offender: reason, and a calm motion of spirits, withfor when a person is put in a public paper out transport or dejection. These ingenious by a man who is angry with him, the real men, of all men living, are most to be VOL. II. 37 avoided by her who would be happy in a husband. They are immediately sated with possession, and must necessarily fly to new acquisitions of beauty to pass away the whiling moments and intervals of life; for with them every hour is heavy that is not joyful. But there is a sort of man of wit and sense, that can reflect upon his own make, and that of his partner, with eyes of reason and honour, and who believes he offends against both these, if he does not look upon the woman, who chose him to be under his protection in sickness and health, with the utmost gratitude, whether from that moment she is shining or defective in person or mind: I say, there are those who think themselves bound to supply with good-nature the failings of those who love them, and who always think those the objects of love and pity who came to their arms the objects of joy and admiration. Of this latter sort is Lysander, a man of wit, learning, sobriety, and good-nature; of birth and estate below no woman to accept; and of whom it might be said, should he succeed in his present wishes, his mistress raised his fortune, but not that she made it. When a woman is deliberating with herself whom she shall choose of many near each other in other pretensions, certainly he of best understanding is to be preferred. Life hangs heavily in the repeated conversation of one who has no imagination to be fired at the several occasions and objects strike out of his reflections new paths of pleasing discourse. Honest Will Thrush and his wife, though not married above four which come before him, or who cannot is ever contriving the happiness of her who did him so great a distinction; while the fool is ungrateful without vice, and never returns a favour because he is not sensible of it. I would, methinks, have so much to say for myself, that, if I fell into the hands of him who treated me ill, he should be His conscience sensible when he did so. should be of my side, whatever became of his inclination. I do not know but it is the insipid choice which has been made by those who have the care of young women, that the marriage state itself has been liable to so much ridicule. But a well-chosen love, moved by passion on both sides, and perfected by the generosity of one party, must be adorned with so many handsome incidents on the other side, that every par ticular couple would be an example, in many circumstances, to all the rest of the species. I shall end the chat upon this subject with a couple of letters; one from a lover, who is very well acquainted with the way of bargaining on these occasions; and the other from his rival, who has a less estate, but great gallantry of temper. As to my man of prudence, he makes love, as he says, as if he were already a father, and, laying aside the passion, comes to the reason of the thing. 'MADAM,-My Counsel has perused the inventory of your estate, and considered what estate you have, which it seems is only yours, and to the male-heirs of ye body; but, in default of such issue, to the right heirs of your uncle Edward for ever. Thus, madam, I am advised you cannot (the remainder not being in you) dock the each other this six weeks, and one cannot fee simple, will come by the settlement months, have scarce had a word to say to entail; by which means my estate, which is form to one's self a sillier picture than these proposed to your children begotten by me, two creatures, in solemn pomp and plenty, whether they are males or females: but my unable to enjoy their fortunes, and at a full children begotten upon you will not inhent stop among a crowd of servants, to whose taste of life they are beholden for the little satisfactions by which they can be under a son. Now, your lands, except I beget madam, since things are so, you are a man of that prudence, and understand the stood to be so much as barely in being; world so well, as not to expect I should The hours of the day, the distinctions of noon and night, dinner and supper, are the I am, give you more than you can give me. greatest notices they are capable of. This madam, (with great respect,) your most is perhaps representing the life of a very modest woman, joined to a dull fellow, more obedient servant, T. W.' The other lover's estate is less than thi insipid than it really deserves; but I am gentleman's, but he expressed himself a sure it is not to exalt the commerce with an ingenious companion too high, to say that every new accident or object, which comes follows: 'MADAM,—I have given in my estate to in such a gentleman's way, gives his wife your counsel, and desired my own lawyer to insist upon no terms which your friend new pleasures and satisfactions. The ap- can propose for your certain ease and ad tinual new feast to her; nor can she enough applaud her good fortune in having her life notion vaaking difficulties of presenting what cannot make me happy without you you you varied every hour, her mind more im-I am, madam, your most devoted humble proved, and her heart more glad, from every circumstance which they meet with. He will lay out his invention in forming servant, B. T.' You must know the relations have me new pleasures and amusements, and make upon this; and the girl, being mightily taken the fortune she had brought him subservient with the latter epistle, she is laughed at to the honour and reputation of her and and uncle Edward is to be dealt with t hers. A man of sense, who is thus obliged, I make her a suitable match to the worth 1 gentleman who has told her he does not | founded in truth, or at least in that which care a farthing for her. All I hope for is, passes for such. that the fair lady will make use of the first light night to show B. T. she understands a marriage is not to be considered as a common bargain. T. Now Lycian lots, and now the Delian god, I AM always highly delighted with the discovery of any rising genius among my countrymen. For this reason I have read over, with great pleasure, the late miscellany published by Mr. Pope, in which there are many excellent compositions of that ingenious gentleman. I have had a pleasure of the same kind in perusing a poem that is just published, On the Prospect of Peace;* and which, I hope, will meet with such a reward from its patrons as so noble a performance deserves. I was particularly well pleased to find that the author had not amused himself with fables out of the pagan theology, and that when he hints at any thing of this nature he alludes to it only as to a fable. In mock heroic poems the use of the heathen mythology is not only excusable, but graceful, because it is the design of such compositions to divert, by adapting the fabulous machines of the ancients to low subjects, and, at the same time, by ridiculing such kinds of machinery in modern writers. If any are of opinion that there is a necessity of admitting these classical legends into our serious compositions, in order to give them a more poetical turn, I would recommend to their consideration the pastorals of Mr. Phillips. One would have thought it impossible for this kind of poetry to have subsisted without fawns and satyrs, wood-nymphs and water-nymphs, with all the tribe of rural deities. But we see he has given a new life and a more natural beauty to this way of writing, by substituting in the place of these antiquated fables, the superstitious mythology which prevails among the shepherds of our own country. Virgil and Homer might compliment their heroes by interweaving the actions of deities with their achievements; but for a Christian author to write in the pagan creed, to make prince Eugene a favourite of Mars, or to carry on a correspondence between Bellona and the Marshal de Villars, would be downright puerility, and unpardonable in a poet that is past sixteen. It is want of sufficient elevation in a genius to describe realities, and place them in a shining light, that makes him have recourse to such trifling antiquated fables; as a man may write a fine description of Bacchus or Apollo that does not know how to draw the character of any of his contemporaries. In order therefore to put a stop to this absurd practice, I shall publish the following edict, by virtue of that spectatorial authority with which I stand invested. Many of our modern authors, whose learning very often extends no farther than Ovid's Metamorphoses, do not know how to celebrate a great man, without mixing a parcel of school-boy tales with the recital of his actions. If you read a poem on a fine woman among the authors of this class, you shall see that it turns more upon Venus or Helen than on the party concerned. I have Whereas the time of a general peace is, known a copy of verses on a great hero in all appearance, drawing near, being inhighly commended; but, upon asking to formed that there are several ingenious hear some of the beautiful passages, the persons who intend to show their talents on admirer of it has repeated to me a speech so happy an occasion, and being willing, as of Apollo, or a description of Polypheme. much as in me lies, to prevent that effusion At other times, when I have searched for of nonsense which we have good cause to the actions of a great man, who gave a sub-apprehend; I do hereby strictly require ject to the writer, I have been entertained every person who shall write on this subwith the exploits of a river god, or have been forced to attend a Fury in her mischievous progress, from one end of the poem to the other When we are at school, it is necessary for us to be acquainted with the system of pagan theology; and we may be allowed to enliven a theme, or point an epigram, with a heathen god; but when we could write a manly panegyric that should carry in it all the colours of truth, nothing can be more ridiculous than to have recourse to our Jupiters and Junos. No thought is beautiful which is not just; and no thought can be just which is not * By Mr. Thomas Tickle. ject, to remember that he is a Christian, and not to sacrifice his catechism to his poetry. In order to it, I do expect of him in the first place to make his own poem, without depending upon Phoebus for any part of it, or calling out for aid upon any one of the Muses by name. I do likewise positively forbid the sending of Mercury with any particular message or despatch relating to the peace, and shall by no means suffer Minerva to take upon her the shape of any plenipotentiary concerned in this great work. I do farther declare, that I shall not allow the Destinies to have had a hand in the deaths of the several thousands who have been slain in the late war, being of opinion that all such deaths may be very | which I have owned to have been writter 'SIR,-I was last Sunday in the evening led into a serious reflection on the reasona bleness of virtue, and great folly of vice, from an excellent sermon I had heard that afternoon in my parish church. Among other observations, the preacher showed us that the temptations which the tempter proposed are all on a supposition, that we are either madmen or fools, or with an intention to render us such; that in no other affair we would suffer ourselves to be thus imposed upon, in a case so plainly and clearly against our visible interest. His illustrations and arguments carried so much persuasion and conviction with them, that they remained a considerable while fresh, and working in my memory; until at last the mind, fatigued with thought, gave way to the forcible oppressions of slumber and sleep; whilst fancy, unwilling yet to drop the subject, presented me with the follow Methought I was just awoke out of a sleep that I could never remember the beginning of; the place where I found myself to be was a wide and spacious plain, full of people that wandered up and down through several beaten paths, whereof some few were straight, and in direct lines, but most of them winding and turning like a labyrinth; but yet it appeared to me afterwards that these last all met in one issue, so that many that seemed to steer quite contrary courses, did at length meet and face one another, to the no little amazement of many of them. As the world leads, we follow. In the midst of the plain there was a great fountain: they called it the spring of Self-love; out of it issued two rivulets to the eastward and westward: The name of the first was Heavenly-Wisdom; its water was wonderfully clear, but of a yet more wonderful effect: the other's name was World ly-Wisdom; its water was thick, and yet far from being dormant or stagnating, for it was in a continual violent agitation; which kept the travellers, whom I shall mention by and by, from being sensible of the foulness and thickness of the water; which had this effect, that it intoxicated those who drank it, and made them mistake every object that lay before them, Both rivulets were parted near their springs into so many BOULDER UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO IMBADIES |