as in the following passages, and many others: And brought into the world a world of woe. Beseeching or besieging This tempted our attempt At one slight bound high overleapt all bound. I know there are figures for this kind of speech; that some of the greatest ancients have been guilty of it, and that Aristotle himself has given it a place in his rhetoric among the beauties of that art. But as it is in itself poor and trifling, it is, I think, at present universally exploded by all the masters of polite writing. The last fault which I shall take notice of in Milton's style, is the frequent use of what the learned call technical words, or terms of art. It is one of the greatest beauties of poetry, to make hard things intelligible, and to deliver what is abstruse of itself in such easy language as may be understood by ordinary readers: besides that the knowledge of a poet should rather seem born with him, or inspired, than drawn from books and systems. I have often wondered how Mr. Dryden could translate a passage out of Virgil after the following 'London, Feb. 9, 1711-12. 'MR. SPECTATOR,-I am a virgin, and in no case despicable; but yet such as I am I must remain, or else become, it is to be feared, less happy; for I find not the least good effect from the just correction you some time since gave that too free, that looser part of our sex which spoils the men; the same connivance at the vices, the same easy admittance of addresses, the same vitiated relish of the conversation of the greatest rakes (or, in a more fashionable way of expressing one's self, of such as have seen the world most) still abounds, increases, multiplies. "The humble petition, therefore, of many of the most strictly virtuous, and of myself, is, that you will once more exert your authority; and that, according to your late promise, your full, your impartial authority, on this sillier branch of our kind; for why should they be the uncontrollable mistresses of our fate? Why should they with impunity indulge the males in licentiousness whilst single, and we have the dismal hazard and plague of reforming them when married? Strike home, sir, then, and spare not, or all our maiden hopes, our gilded hopes of nuptial felicity are frustrated, are vanished, and you yourself, as well as Mr. Courtly, will, by smoothing over immodest practices with the gloss of soft and harmless names, for ever forfeit our esteem. Nor think that I am herein more severe than need be: if I have not reason more than enough, do you and the world judge from this ensuing account, which I think will prove the evil to be universal. 'You must know, then, that since your reprehension of this female degeneracy came out, I have had a tender of respects from no less than five persons, of tolerable figure, too, as times go: but the misfortune is, that four of the five are professed followers of the mode. They would face me down, that all women of good sense ever were, and ever will be, latitudinarians in wedlock: and always did, and will, give and take, what they profanely term conjugal liberty of conscience. The two first of them, a captain and a merchant, to strengthen their arguments, pretend to repeat after a couple of ladies kind to Mars; and what soul that has the of quality and wit, that Venus was always least spark of generosity can deny a man of bravery any thing? And how pitiful a wife will have correspondence and dealings trader that, whom no woman but his own with? Thus these: whilst the third, the country 'squire, confessed, that indeed he was surprised into good breeding, and entered into the knowledge of the world unawares: that dining the other day at a gentleman's house, the person who entertained was obliged to leave him with his wife and nieces; where they spoke with so much contempt of an absent gentleman for being so slow at a hint, that he resolved never to be drowsy, unmannerly, or stupid, for the future, at a friend's house; and on a hunting morning not to pursue the game either with the husband abroad, or with the wife at home. 'The next that came was a tradesman, no less full of the age than the former; for he had the gallantry to tell me, that at a late junket which he was invited to, the motion being made, and the question being put, it was by maid, wife, and widow, resolved nemine contradicente, that a young sprightly journeyman is absolutely necessary in their way of business; to which they had the assent and concurrence of their husbands present. I dropped him a courtesy, and gave him to understand that was his audience of leave. 'I am reckoned pretty, and have had very many advances besides these; but have been very averse to hear any of them, from my observation on those above-mentioned, until I hoped some good from the or keeping it offending against Him whom they cannot deceive. Your assistance and labours of this sort would be of great benefit, and your speedy thoughts on this subject would be very seasonable to, sir, your most humble servant, 'CHASTITY LOVEWORTH.' character of my present admirer, a clergy- No. 299.] Tuesday, February 12, 1711-12. nounced the carnal. Malo Venusinam, quam te, Cornelia, mater man. But I find even among them there are indirect practices in relation to love, and our treaty is at present a little in suspense, until some circumstances are cleared. There is a charge against him among the women, and the case is this: It is alleged, that a certain endowed female would Some country girl, scarce to a courtesy bred, Would I much rather than Cornelia wed; have appropriated herself to, and consoIf supercilious, haughty, proud, and vain, lidated herself with a church which my She brought her father's triumphs in her train. divine now enjoys (or, which is the same Away with all your Carthaginian state; Let vanquish'd Hannibal without doors wait, thing, did prostitute herself to her friend's Too burly and too big to pass my narrow gate. doing this for her:) that my ecclesiastic, to Dryden: obtain the one, did engage himself to take IT is observed, that a man improves off the other that lay on hand; but that on more by reading the story of a person emihis success in the spiritual, he again re-nent for prudence and virtue, than by the finest rules and precepts of morality. In 'I put this closely to him, and taxed him the same manner a representation of those with disingenuity. He to clear himself calamities and misfortunes which a weak made the subsequent defence, and that in man suffers from wrong measures, and illthe most solemn manner possible:-that he concerted schemes of life, is apt to make a was applied to, and instigated to accept of deeper impression upon our minds, than a benefice:-that a conditional offer there- the wisest maxims and instructions that of was indeed made him at first, but with can be given us, for avoiding the like follies disdain by him rejected:-that when no- and indiscretions in our own private conthing (as they easily perceived) of this duct. It is for this reason that I lay before nature could bring him to their purpose, my reader the following letter, and leave it assurance of his being entirely unengaged with him to make his own use of it, withbeforehand, and safe from all their after-out adding any reflections of my own upon expectations, (the only stratagem left to the subject-matter. draw him in,) was given him:-that pursuant to this the donation itself was, without 'MR. SPECTATOR,- Having carefully delay, before several reputable witnesses, perused a letter sent you by Josiah Fribble, tendered to him gratis, with the open profes- Esq. with your subsequent discourse upon sion of not the least reserve, or most minute pin-money, I do presume to trouble you with condition; but that yet, immediately after an account of my own case, which I look induction, his insidious introducer (or her upon to be no less deplorable than that of crafty procurer, which you will) indus- 'squire Fribble. I am a person of no extriously spread the report which had reach- traction, having begun the world with a ed my ears, not only in the neighbourhood small parcel of rusty iron, and was for some of that said church, but in London, in the years commonly known by the name of Jack university, in mine and his own country, Anvil.* I have naturally a very happy and wherever else it might probably ob- genius for getting money, insomuch that by viate his application to any other woman, the age of five and twenty, I had scraped and so confine him to this alone: and in a together four thousand two hundred pounds, word, that as he never did make any pre-launched out into considerable business, and five shillings, and a few odd pence. I then vious offer of his service, or the least step to her affection; so on his discovery of these designs thus laid to trick him, he could not but afterwards, in justice to himself, vindicate both his innocence and freedom, by keeping his distance. proper This is his apology, and I think I shall be satisfied with it. But I cannot conclude my tedious epistle without recommending to you not only to resume your former chastisement, but to add to your criminals the simoniacal ladies, who seduce the sacred order into the difficulty of either breaking a mercenary troth made to them, whom they ought not to deceive, or by breaking became a bold trader both by sea and land, which in a few years raised me a very great fortune. For these my good services I was knighted in the thirty-fifth year of my age, and lived with great dignity among my city neighbours by the name of Sir John Anvil. Being in my temper very ambitious, I was now bent upon making a family, and ac luded to Gore, of Tring, and Lady Mary Compton: *It is said by some, that the author of this letter albut others, with more probability, that it referred to Sir Ambrose Crowley and his lady. See Tat. ed. 1786, ci. Crawley, the folly of which seems to be ridiculed above, 8vo. The latter changed his name from Crowley to by the change of Anvil into Envil. cordingly resolved that my descendants | John Anvil, but as her husband; and added, should have a dash of good blood in their with a frown, that I did not seem to know veins. In order to this, I made love to the who she was. I was surprised to be treated Lady Mary Oddly, an indigent young wo- thus, after such familiarities as had passed man of quality. To cut short the mar- between us. But she has since given me to riage-treaty, I threw her a carte blanche, know, that whatever freedoms she may as our newspapers call it, desiring her to sometimes indulge me in, she expects in write upon it her own terms. She was very general to be treated with the respect that concise in her demands, insisting only that is due to her birth and quality. Our chilthe disposal of my fortune, and the regula-dren have been trained up from their tion of my family, should be entirely in her infancy with so many accounts of their mohands. Her father and brothers appear- ther's family, that they know the stories of ed exceedingly averse to this match, and all the great men and women it has prowould not see me for some time; but at duced. Their mother tells them, that such present are so well reconciled, that they an one commanded in such a sea-engagedine with me almost every day, and have ment, that their great-grandfather had a borrowed considerable sums of me; which horse shot under him at Edge-hill, that my Lady Mary very often twits me with, their uncle was at the siege of Buda, and when she would show me how kind her that her mother danced in a ball at court relations are to me. She had no portion, as with the Duke of Monmouth; with abunI told you before; but what she wanted in dance of fiddle-faddle of the same nature. fortune she makes up in spirit. She at first I was the other day a little out of countechanged my name to Sir John Envil, and nance at a question of my little daughter at present writes herself Mary Enville. I Harriot, who asked me, with a great deal have had some children by her, whom she of innocence, why I never told them of the has christened with the surnames of her generals and admirals that had been in my family, in order, as she tells me, to wear family? As for my eldest son, Oddly, he out the homeliness of their parentage by has been so spirited up by his mother, that the father's side. Our eldest son is the if he does not mend his manners I shall go Honourable Oddly Enville, Esq. and our near to disinherit him. He drew his sword eldest daughter Harriot Enville. Upon her upon me before he was nine years old, and first coming into my family, she turned off told me that he expected to be used like a a parcel of very careful servants, who had gentleman: upon my offering to correct been long with me, and introduced in their him for his insolence, my Lady Mary stepstead a couple of black-a-moors, and three ped in between us, and told me that I ought or four very genteel fellows in laced live- to consider there was some difference beries, besides her French woman, who is tween his mother and mine. She is perperpetually making a noise in the house, in petually finding out the features of her a language which nobody understands, ex- own relations in every one of my children, cept my Lady Mary. She next set her- though by the way, I have a little chubself to reform every room of my house, faced boy as like me as he can stare, if I having glazed all my chimney-pieces with durst say so: but what most angers me, looking-glasses, and planted every corner when she sees me playing with any of them with such heaps of china, that I am obliged upon my knee, she has begged me more to move about my own house with the than once to converse with the children as greatest caution and circumspection, for little as possible, that they may not learn fear of hurting some of our brittle furniture. any of my awkward tricks. She makes an illumination once a week with wax candles in one of the largest rooms, in order, as she phrases it, to see company: at which time she always desires me to be abroad, or to confine myself to the cockloft, that I may not disgrace her among her visitants of quality. Her footmen, as I told you before, are such beaus that I do not much care for asking them questions; when I do, they answer me with a saucy frown, and say that every thing which I find fault with, was done by my Lady Mary's order. She tells me, that she intends they shall wear swords with their next liveries, having lately observed the footmen of two or three persons of quality hanging behind the coach with swords by their sides. As soon as the first honeymoon was over, I represented to her the unreasonableness of those daily innovations which she made in my family; but she told me, I was no longer to consider myself as Sir You must further know, since I am opening my heart to you, that she thinks herself my superior in sense, as much as she is in quality, and therefore treats me like a plain well-meaning man, who does not know the world. She dictates to me in my own business, sets me right in points of trade, and if I disagree with her about any of my ships at sea, wonders that I will dispute with her, when I know very well that her great-grandfather was a flag. officer. To complete my sufferings, she has teased me for this quarter of a year last past to remove into one of the squares at the other end of the town, promising, for my encouragement, that I shall have as good a cock-loft as any gentleman in the square; to which the Honourable Oddly Enville, Esq. always adds, like a jack-anapes as he is, that he hopes it will be as near the court as possible. In short, Mr. Spectator, I am so much | pleasantry; and hope you will show these out of my natural element, that, to recover people that at least they are not witty: in my old way of life, I would be content to which you will save from many a blush a begin the world again, and be plain Jack daily sufferer, who is very much your most Anvil; but, alas! I am in for life, and am humble servant, bound to subscribe myself, with great sorrow of heart, your humble servant, L. JOHN ENVILLE, KNT.' 'SUSANNA LOVEWORTH.' 'MR. SPECTATOR,-In yours of Wednesday the 30th past, you and your correspondents are very severe on a sort of men, No. 300.] Wednesday, Feb. 13, 1711-12. whom you call male coquettes; but without at. -Diversum vitio vitium prope majus. any other reason, in my apprehension, than that of paying a shallow compliment to the fair sex, by accusing some men of imaginary faults, that the women may not seem 'MR. SPECTATOR,-When you talk of to be the more faulty sex; though at the the subject of love, and the relations arising same time you suppose there are some so from it, methinks you should take care to weak as to be imposed upon by fine things leave no fault unobserved which concerns and false addresses. I cannot persuade the state of marriage. The great vexation myself that your design is to debar the sexes that I have observed in it is, that the wed-the benefit of each other's conversation ded couple seem to want opportunities of within the rules of honour; nor will you, being often enough alone together, and are I dare say, recommend to them, or enforced to quarrel and be fond before com- courage the common tea-table talk, much pany. Mr. Hotspur and his lady, in a less that of politics and matters of state: room full of their friends, are ever saying and if these are forbidden subjects of dissomething so smart to each other, and course, then, as long as there are any that but just within rules, that the whole women in the world who take a pleasure company stand in the utmost anxiety and in hearing themselves praised, and can suspense, for fear of their falling into ex-bear the sight of a man prostrate at their tremities which they could not be present feet, so long I shall make no wonder, that On the other side, Tom Faddle and there are those of the other sex who will his pretty spouse, wherever they come, pay them those impertinent humiliations. are billing at such a rate, as they think We should have few people such fools as must do our hearts good to behold them. to practise flattery, if all were so wise as Cannot you possibly propose a mean be- to despise it. I do not deny but you would tween being wasps and doves in public? do a meritorious act, if you could prevent I should think, if you advised to hate or all impositions on the simplicity of young love sincerely, it would be better: for if they women; but I must confess, I do not apprewould be so discreet as to hate from the hend you have laid the fault on the proper very bottom of their hearts, their aversion persons; and if I trouble you with my would be too strong for little gibes every thoughts upon it, I promise myself your moment; and if they loved with that calm pardon. Such of the sex as are raw and and noble valour which dwells in the heart, innocent, and most exposed to these atwith a warmth like that of life-blood, they tacks, have, or their parents are much to would not be so impatient of their pas-blame if they have not, one to advise and sions as to fall into observable fondness. guard them, and are obliged themselves This method, in each case, would save ap- to take care of them; but if these, who pearances: but as those who offend on the ought to hinder men from all opportunities fond side are by much the fewer, I would of this sort of conversation, instead of that have you begin with them, and go on to encourage and promote it, the suspicion is take notice of a most impertinent licence very just that there are some private reasons married women take, not only to be very for it; and I will leave it to you to determine loving to their spouses in public, but also on which side a part is then acted. Some make nauseous allusions to private fami- women there are who are arrived at years of liarities and the like. Lucina is a lady of discretion, I mean are got out of the hands the greatest discretion, you must know, in of their parents and governors, and are set the world; and withal very much a physi-up for themselves, who are yet liable to cian. Upon the strength of those two quali-these attempts; but if these are prevailed ties there is nothing she will not speak of before us virgins; and she every day talks with a very grave air in such a manner as is very improper so much as to be hinted at, but to obviate the greatest extremity. Those whom they call good bodies, notable people, hearty neighbours, and the purest goodest company in the world, are the great offenders in this kind. Here I think I have laid before you an open field for upon, you must excuse me if I lay the fault upon them, that their wisdom is not grown with their years. My client, Mr. Strephon, whom you summoned to declare himself, gives you thanks, however, for your warning, and begs the favour only to enlarge his time for a week, or to the last day of the term, and then he will appear gratis, and pray no day over. Yours, PHILANTHROPOS.' in a word, which fills the town with elderly fops and superannuated coquettes. 'MR. SPECTATOR,-I was last night to visit a lady whom I much esteem, and always took for my friend; but met with Canidia, a lady of this latter species, so very different a reception from what I passed by me yesterday in a coach. Canidia expected, that I cannot help applying my- was a haughty beauty of the last age, and self to you on this occasion. In the room was followed by crowds of adorers, whose of that civility and familiarity I used to be passions only pleased her, as they gave her treated with by her, an affected strange- opportunities of playing the tyrant. She ness in her looks, and coldness in her be- then contracted that awful cast of the eye haviour, plainly told me I was not the and forbidding frown, which she has not yet welcome guest which the regard and ten- | laid aside, and has still all the insolence of derness she has often expressed for me beauty without its charms. If she now gave me reason to flatter myself to think I attracts the eyes of any beholders, it is only was. Sir, this is certainly a great fault, by being remarkably ridiculous; even her and I assure you a very common one; own sex laugh at her affectation; and the therefore I hope you will think it a fit men, who always enjoy an ill-natured pleasubject for some part of a Spectator. Be sure in seeing an imperious beauty humbled pleased to acquaint us how we must be- and neglected, regard her with the same have ourselves towards this valetudinary satisfaction that a free nation sees a tyrant friendship, subject to so many heats and in disgrace. colds; and you will oblige, sir, your humble servant, MIRANDA.' 'SIR,-I cannot forbear acknowledging the delight your late Spectators on Saturdays have given me; for they are written in the honest spirit of criticism, and called to my mind the following four lines I had read long since in a prologue to a play called Julius Cæsar, which has deserved a better fate. The verses are addressed to the little critics: Show your small talent, and let that suffice ye; WE are generally so much pleased with any little accomplishments, either of body or mind, which have once made us remarkable in the world, that we endeavour to persuade ourselves it is not in the power of time to rob us of them. We are eternally pursuing the same methods which first procured us the applauses of mankind. It is from this notion that an author writes on, though he is come to dotage; without ever considering that his memory is impaired, and that he hath lost that life, and those spirits, which formerly raised his fancy, and fired his imagination. The same folly hinders a man from submitting his behaviour to his age, and makes Clodius, who was a celebrated dancer at five-andtwenty, still love to hobble in a minuet, though he is past threescore. It is this, * A tragedy, by William Alexander, Earl of Stirling, printed in 1629. Will Honeycomb, who is a great admirer of the gallantries in King Charles the Seletter written by a wit of that age to his cond's reign, lately communicated to me a mistress, who it seems was a lady of Canidia's humour; and though I do not always approve of my friend Will's taste, I liked this letter so well, that I took a copy of it, with which I shall here present my reader: 'To Chloe. 'MADAM,-Since my waking thoughts have never been able to influence you in my favour, I am resolved to try whether my dreams can make any impression on you. To this end I shall give you an account of a very odd one which my fancy presented to me last night, within a few hours after I left you. 'Methought I was unaccountably conveyed into the most delicious place mine eyes ever beheld: it was a large valley divided by a river of the purest water I had ever seen. The ground on each side of it rose by an easy ascent, and was covered with flowers of an infinite variety, which, as they were reflected in the water, doubled the beauties of the place, or rather formed an imaginary scene more beautiful than the real. On each side of the river was a range of lofty trees, whose boughs were loaded with almost as many birds as leaves. Every tree was full of harmony. I had not gone far in this pleasant valley, when I perceived that it was terminated by was ancient and regular. On the top of it a most magnificent temple. The structure was figured the god Saturn, in the same shape and dress that the poets usually re present Time. 'As I was advancing to satisfy my curiosity by a nearer view, I was stopped by an object far more beautiful than any I had before discovered in the whole place. I fancy, madam, you will easily guess that this could hardly be any thing but yourself; in reality it was so; you lay extended on the flowers by the side of the river, so that your hands, which were thrown in a negligent |