sions from your admonitions. But I beg, No. 325.] Thursday, March 13, 1711-12. you would recommend to their perusal your ninth speculation. They may there be

-Quid frustra simulacra fugacia captas ?

Quod petis, est nusquam: quod amas avertere, perdes. taught to take warning from the club of Ista repercussæ, quam cernis, imaginis umbra est, duellists; and be put in mind, that the com

Nil habet ista sui: tecum venitque, manetque; mon fate of those men of honour was, to be

Tocum discedet; si tu discedere possis.

Ovid. Met. Lib. iij. 432. hanged. I am, sir, your most humble servant, PHILANTHROPOS.

[From the fable of Narcissus.] • March 10, 1711-12.'

What could, fond youth, this helpless passion move?
What kindled in thee this un pitied love?

Thy own warm blush within the water glows;
The following letter is of a quite contrary

With thee the colourd shadow comes and goes;

Its empty being on thyself relies: nature; but I add it here, that the reader

Step thou aside, and the frail charmer dies. ---Addison. may observe, at the same view, how amiable ignorance may be, when it is shown in

WILL HONEYCOMB diverted us last night its simplicities; and how detestable in bar- with an account of a young fellow's first disbarities. It is written by an honest coun- covering his passion to his mistress. The tryman to his mistress, and came to the young lady was one, it seems, who had long hands of a lady of good sense, wrapped him, and was still in hopes that he would

before conceived a favourable opinion of about a thread-paper, who has long kept it by her as an image of artless love,

some time or other make his advances. As

he was one day talking with her in com• To her I very much respect, Mrs. Mar- happening to turn upon love, each of the

pany of her two sisters, the conversation garet Clark.

young ladies was, by way of raillery, recom*Lovely, and oh that I could write loving, mending a wife to him; when, to the no small Mrs. Margaret Clark, I pray you let affec- surprise of her who languished for him in

I tion excuse presumption. Having been so secret, he told them, with a more than orhappy as to enjoy the sight of your sweet dinary seriousness, that his heart had been countenance and comely body, 'sometimes long engaged to one whose name he thought when I had occasion to buy treacle or himself obliged in honour to conceal; but liquorish powder at the apothecary's shop, that he could show her picture in the lid of I am so enamoured with you, that'I can no his snuff-box. The young lady, who found more keep close my flaming desires to be- herself most sensiblý touched by this concome your servant.* And ì am the more fession, took the first opportunity that ofbold now to write to your sweet self, be- fered of snatching his box out of 'his hand. cause I am now my own man, and may match He seemed desirous of recovering it; but where I please; for my father is taken finding her resolved to look into the lid, away, and now I am come to my living, begged her, that, if she should happen to which is ten yard land, and a house; and know the person, she would not reveal her there is never'a yard land, t in our field, but name. Upon carrying it to the window, it is as well worth ten pounds a year as a she was very agreeably surprised to find thief is worth a halter, and all my brothers there was nothing within the lid but a little and sisters are provided for: besides, I have looking-glass; on which, after she had good household stuff, though I say it, both viewed her own face with more pleasure brass and pewter, linens and woollens; and than she had ever done before, she returnthough my house be thatched, yet, if you ed the box with a smile, telling him she and I match, it shall go hard but I will could not but admire his choice. have one half of it slated. If you think well Will, fancying that this story took, imof this motion, I will wait upon you as soon as mediately fell into a dissertation on the my new clothes are made, and hay harvest usefulness of looking-glasses; and, applying is in. , I could, though I say it, have good himself to me, asked if there were any

:. The rest is torn off; and posterity looking-glasses in the times of the Greek's must be contented to know, that Mrs. and Romans; for that he had often observMargaret Clark was very pretty; but are ed, in the translations of poems out of those left in the dark as to the name of her lover. languages, that people generally talked of

T. seeing themselves in wells, fountains, lakes,

and rivers. Nay, says he, I remember Mr. * Apote in Mr.Chalmers's edition of the Spectator in.

Dryden, in his Ovid, tells us of a swinging forms us, that this letter was really conveyed in the fellow, called Polypheme, that made use manner here mentioned to a Mrs. Cole, of Northamp of the sea for his looking-glass, and could ton: the writer was a gentleman of the name of Bullock: never dress himself to advantage but in a the part torn off is given in the note alluded to as follows: '-good matches amongst my neighbours.

calm. My mother, peace be with her soul! the good old gen. My friend Will, to show us the whole tlewoman, has left me good store of household linen of compass of his learning upon this subject, her own spinning, a chest full. If you and I lay our further informed us, that there were still means together, it shall go hard but I will pave the

Your loving servant till death, Mister several nations in the world so very barbaGabriel Bullock, now my father is dead.' See No. 328* rous as not to have any looking-glasses

said that the ladies of Chili always dressed | No. 325.] Friday, March 14, 1711-12. their heads over a basin of water.

Inclusam Danaen turris ahenea, I am the more particular in my account Robustaque fores, et vigilum canum of Will's last night's lecture on these na- Tristes excubiæ munierant satis

Nocturnis ab adulteris: tural mirrors, as it seems to bear some

Si non

Hor. Lib. iii. Od. xvi. I. relation to the following letter, which I re

Of watchful dogs an odious ward ceived the day before.

Right well one hapless virgin guard,

When in a tower of brass immur'd, "Sir,-I have read your last Saturday's

By mighty bars of steel secur'd, observations on the fourth book of Milton Although by mortal rake-hells lewd with great satisfaction, and am particularly

With all their midnight arts pursu'd,
Had not-

Francis, vol. ii. p. 77. pleased with the hidden moral which you save taken notice of in several parts of the

ADAPTED.

Be to her faults a little blind, poem. The design of this letter is to de

Be to her virtues very kind, sire your thoughts, whether there may not And clap your padlock on her mind.- Padlock. also be some moral couched under that place in the same book, where the poet lets dent's letter relating to fortune-hunters,

• MR. SpectATOR, - Your corresponus know, that the first woman immediately and your subsequent discourse upon it, after her creation ran to a looking-glass, and have given me encouragement to send you became so enamoured of her own face, that she had never removed to view any of the a state of my case, by which you will see, other works of nature, had she not been that the matter complained of is a common led off to a man? If you think fit to set grievance both to city and country: down the whole passage from Milton, your five and six thousand a year. It is my mis

I am a country-gentleman of between readers will be able to judge for themselves, fortune to have a very fine park and an only and the quotation will not a little

contribute daughter; upon which account I have been to the filling up of your paper. Your humble servant,

R. T.'

so plagued with deer-stealers and fops, that

for these four years past I have scarce enThe last consideration urged by my joyed a moment's rest. I look upon myquerist is so strong, that I cannct forbear self to be in a state of war; and am forced closing with it. The passage he alludes to to keep as constant watch in my seat, as a is part of Eve's speech to Adam, and one governor would do that commanded a town of the most beautiful passages in the whole on the frontier of an enemy's country. I poem:

have indeed pretty well sccured my park,

having for this purpose provided myself of • That day I oft remember, when from sleep I first awak'd, and found myself repos'd

four keepers, who are left-handed, and Under a shade of flowers, much wond'ring where handle a quarter-staff beyond any other felAnd what I was, whence hither brought, and how.

lows in the country. And for the guard of Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound Of waters issued from a cave, and spread

my house, besides a band of pensioner maInto a liquid plain, and stood unmov'd

trons and an old maiden relation whom I Pure as th' expanse of heaven: I thither went

keep on constant duty, I have blunderWith unexperienc'd thought, and laid me down On the green bank, to look into the clear

busses always charged, and fox-gins plantSmooth lake, that to me seemd another sky. ed in private places about my garden, of As I bent down to look, just opposite,

which I have given frequent notice in the A shape within the watery gleam appear'd, Bending to look on me; I started back,

neighbourhood; yet so it is, that in spite of It started back; but pleas'd I soon return'd,

all my care,

I shall every now and then Pleas'd it return'd as soon with answering looks have a saucy rascal ride by, reconnoitering Of sympathy and love: there I had fix'd Mine eyes till now, and pin'd with vain desire,

(as I think you call it) under my windows, Had not a voice thus warn'd me: “What thou seest, as sprucely dressed as if he were going to a What there thou seest, fair creature, is thyself; ball. I am aware of this way of attacking With thee it came and goes; but follow me, And I will bring thee where no shadow stays

a mistress on horseback, having heard that Thy coming and thy soft embraces ; he

it is a common practice in Spain; and have Whose image thou art, him thou shalt enjoy, therefore taken care to remove my daughInseparably thine ; to him shalt bear

ter from the road-side of the house, and to Multitudes like thyself, and thence be call'd Mother of human race." What could I do,

lodge her next the garden. But to cut short But follow straight, invisibly thus led ?

my story: What can a man do after all ? Till I espy'd thee, fair indeed and tall,

I durst not stand for member of parliament Under a plantain; yet, methought, less fair, Less winning soft, less amiably mild,

last election, for fear of some ill conseThan that smooth watery image: back I turn'd; quence

from my being off my post. What Thou following cry'dst aloud, “Return, fair Eve! I would therefore desire of you is, to proWhom fly'st thou ? Whom thon fly'st, of him thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being, I lent

mote a project I have set on foot, and upon Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart,

which I have written to some of my friends: Substantial life, to have thee by my side,

and that is, that care may be taken to seHenceforth an individual solace dear: Part of my soul, I seek thee, and thee claim,

cure our daughters by law, as well as our My other half!"-With that thy gentle hand deer; and that some honest gentleman, of Seiz'd mine; 1 yielded, and from that time see How beauty is excell'd by manly grace

a public spirit, would move for leave to And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.'

bring in a bill for the better preserving of So spake our general mother

the female game. I am, sir, your humble X. servant.'

a

a

• Mile-End-Green, March 6, 1711-12. I sometimes a partridge, or a quail, or a *MR. SPECTATOR, -Here is a young wheatear, or the pestle of a lark, were man walks by our door every day about the cheerfully purchased; nay, I could be condusk of the evening. He looks up at my tented though I were to feed her with window, as if to see me; and if I steal to- green peas in April, or cherries in May. wards it to peep at him, he turns another But with the babe she now goes, she is way, and looks frightened at finding what turned girl again, and fallen to eating of he was looking for. The air is very cold; chalk, pretending it will make the child's and pray let him know, that if he knocks at skin white; and nothing will serve her but the door he will be carried to the parlour I must bear her company, to prevent its fire, and I will come down soon after, and having a shade of my brown. In this, howgive him an opportunity to break his mind. ever, I have ventured to deny her. No 'I am, sir, your most humble servant, longer ago than yesterday, as we were

• MARY COMFIT. coming to town, she saw a parcel of crows 'If I observe he cannot speak, I'll give so heartily at breakfast upon a piece of him time to recover himself, and ask him horse-flesh, that she had an invincible dehow he does.'

sire to partake with them, and (to my in

finite surprise) begged the coachman to cut DEAR SIR,-I beg you to print this her off a slice, as if it were for himself, without delay, and by the first opportunity which the fellow did; and as soon as she give us the natural causes of longing in wo- came home, she fell to it with such an apmen; or put me out of fear that my wife will petite, that she seemed rather to devour one time or other be delivered' of some-than eat it. What her next sally will be I thing as monstrous as any thing that has cannot guess, but, in the mean time, my yet appeared to the world; for they say the request to you is, that if there be any way child is to bear a resemblance of what was to come at these wild unaccountable rovings desired by the mother. I have been mar- of imagination by reason and argument, ried upwards of six years, have had four you would speedily afford us your assistchildren, and my wife is now big with the ance. This exceeds the grievance of pinfifth. The expenses she has put me to, in money; and I think in every settlement procuring what she has longed for during there ought to be a clause inserted, that the her pregnancy with them, would not only father should be answerable for the longhave handsomely defrayed the charges of ings of his daughter. But I shall impathe month, but of their education too: her tiently expect your thoughts in this matter; fancy being so exorbitant for the first year and am, sir, your most obliged and most or two, as not to confine itself to the usual faithful humble servant,

T. B. objects of eatables and drinkables, but run

*Let me know whether you think the ning out after equipages and furniture, and next child will love horses as much as the like extravagances. To trouble you Molly does china-ware.'

T. only with a few of them: when she was with child of Tom, my eldest son, she came home one day just faintins, and told me she had been visiting a relation, whose No. 327.] Saturday, March 15, 1711-12. husband had made her a present of a cha

-Major rerum mihi nascitur ordo. riot and a stately pair of horses; and that

Virg. Æn. vii. 43. she was positive she could not breathe a A larger scene of action is display'd.-Dryden. week longer, unless she took the air in the fellow to it of her own within that time, the evil spirit practised upon Eve as she

We were told in the foregoing book, how This, rather than lose an heir, I readily lay asleep, in order to inspire her with complied with. Then the furniture of her best room must be instantly changed, or The author, who shows a wonderful art

thoughts of vanity, pride, and ambition. she should mark the child with some of the

throughout his whole poem, in preparing frightful figures in the old fashioned tapes- the reader for the several occurrences that try. Well, the upholsterer was called, and arise in it, founds, upon the above-menher longing saved that bout. When she tioned circumstance, the first part of the went with Molly she had fixed her mind fifth book. Adam, upon his awaking, finds upon a new set of plate, and as much china Eve still asleep, with an unusual discomas would have furnished an Indian shop: these also I cheerfully granted, for fear of posure in her looks. The posture in which

he regards her is described with a tenderbeing father to an Indian pagod. Hitherto

ness not to be expressed, as the whisper I found her demands rose upon every con- with which he awakens her is the softest cession; and had she gone on, I had been that ever was conveyed to a lover's ear. ruined: but by good fortune, with her third, which was Peggy, the height of her imagi

His wonder was, to find unwakend Eve

With tresses discomposd, and glowing cheek, nation came down to the corner of a venison

As through unquiet rest: he on his side pasty, and brought her once even upon her Leaning half-rajs'd, with looks of cordial love knees to gnaw off the ears of a pig from the Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld

Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep, spit. The gratifications of her palate were

Shot forth peculiar graces; then, with voice easily preferred to those of her vanity; and Mild as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,

a

Her hand soft touching, whisper'd thus : 'Awake, saged on this occasion, the particulars of it My fairest, my espous'd, my latest found,

are so artfully shadowed, that they do not Heaven's last best gift, my ever new delight! Awake: the morning shines, and the fresh field anticipate the story which follows in the Calls us; we lose the prime, to mark how spring ninth book. I shall only add, that though Our tender plants, how blows the citron grove, the vision itself is founded upon truth, the What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed, How nature paints her colours, how the bee

circumstances of it are full of that wildness Sits on the bloom, extracting liquid sweet.'

and inconsistency which are natural to a Such whispering wak'd her, but with startled eye

dream. Adam, conformable to his superior On Adam, whom embracing, thus she spake: O soul, in whom my thoughts tind all repose,

character for wisdom, instructs and comMy glory, my perfection ! glad I see

forts Eve upon this occasion: Thy face, and morn return'd

So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and she was cheer'd, I cannot but take notice, that Milton, in But silently a gentle tear let fall the conferences between Adam and Eve, From either eye, and wiped them with her hair;

Two other precious drops, that ready stood had his eye very frequently upon the book

Each in their crystal sluice, ho, ere they fell, of Canticles, in which there is a noble spirit Kiss'd, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse of eastern poetry, and very often not unlike And pious awe, that fear'd to have offended. what we meet with in Homer, who is ge- The morning hymn is written in imitation nerally placed near the age of Solomon. . I of one of those psalms where, in the overthink there is no question but the poet in Aowings of gratitude and praise, the psalmthe preceding speech remembered those ist calls not only upon the angels, but upon two passages which are spoken on the like the most conspicuous parts of the inanimate occasion, and filled with the same pleasing creation, to join with him in extolling their images of nature.

common Maker. Invocations of this na• My beloved spake, and said unto me, ture fill the mind with glorious ideas of Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come God's works, and awaken that divine enaway! 'for, lo! the winter is past, the rain thusiasm which is so natural to devotion. is over and gone, the flowers appear on But if this calling upon the dead parts of the earth, the time of the singing of birds is nature is at all times a proper kind of worcome, and the voice of the turtle is heard ship, it was in a peculiar manner suitable in our land. The fig-tree putteth forth her to our first parents, who had the creation green figs, and the vines with the tender fresh upon their minds, and had not seen grapes

give a good smell. Arise, my love, the various dispensations of Providence, my fair one, and come away!

nor consequently could be acquainted with «Come, my beloved! let us go forth into those many topics of praise which might the field, let us get up early to the vine- afford matter to the devotions of their posyards, let us see if the vine fourish, whe- terity. I need not remark the beautiful ther the tender grapes appear, and the spirit of poetry which runs through this pomegranates bud forth.'

whole hymn, nor the holiness of that resoHis preferring the garden of Eden to that lution with which it concludes. -Where the sapient king

Having already mentioned those speeches Held dalliance with his fair Egyptian spouse,

which are assigned to the persons in this shows that the poet had this delightful poem, I proceed to the description which

I scene in his mind.

the poet gives of Raphael. His deparEve's dream is full of those high conceits ture from before the throne, and his fight engendering pride, which, we are told, the through the choirs of angels, is finely imadevil endeavoured to instil into her. Of gined. As Milton every where fills his this kind is that part of it where she fancies poem with circumstances that are marvelherself awakened by Adam in the following lous and astonishing, he describes the gate beautiful lines:

of heaven as framed after such a manner "Why sleep'st thou, Eve? Now is the pleasant time, that it opened of itself upon the approach The cool, the silent, save where silence yields of the angel who was to pass through it. To the night-warbling bird, that now awake Tunes sweetest his love-labour'd song: now reigns

-Till at the gate
Full-orb'd the moon, and with more pleasing light Of heav'n arriv'd, the gate self-open'd wide,
Shadowy sets off the face of things. In vain,

On golden hinges turning, as, by work
If none regard. Heav'n wakes with all his eyes,

Divine, the sovereign Architect had fram'd. Whom to behold but thee, nature's desire, In whose sight all things joy, with ravishment, The poet here seems to have regarded Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze.'

two or three passages in the 18th Iliad, as An injudicious poet would have made that in particular where, speaking of VulAdam talk through the whole work in such can, Homer says that he had made twenty sentiments as these: but flattery and false- tripods running on golden wheels; which, hood are not the courtship of Milton's upon occasion, might go of themselves to Adam, and could not be heard by Eve in the assembly of the gods, and, when there her state of innocence, excepting only in a was no more use for them, return again dream produced on purpose to taint her after the same manner. Scaliger has ralimagination. Other vain sentiments of the lied Homer very severely upon this point, same kind, in this relation of her dream, as M. Dacier has endeavoured to defend it. will be obvious to every reader. Though I will not pretend to determine whether, in the catastrophe of the poem is finely pre- this particular of Homer, the marvellous does not lose sight of the probable. As the | with the figure of Eve ministering at the miraculous workmanship of Milton's gates table; are circumstances which deserve to is not so extraordinary as this of the tripods, be admired. so I am persuaded he would not have men- Raphael's behaviour is every way suittioned it, had he not been supported in it able to the dignity of his nature, and to that by a passage in the Scripture which speaks character of a sociable spirit with which of wheels in heaven that had life in them, the author has so judiciously introduced and moved of themselves, or stood still, in him. He had received instructions to conconformity with the cherubims, whom they verse with Adam, as one friend converses accompanied

with another, and to warn him of the eneThere is no question but Milton had this my, who was contriving his destruction: circumstance in his thoughts; because in accordingly, he is represented as sitting the following book he describes the cha- down at table with Adam, and eating of riot of the Messiah with living wheels, ac- the fruits of Paradise. The occasion nacording to the plan in Ezekiel's vision: turally leads him to his discourse on the -Forth rush'd with whirlwind sound

food of angels. After having thus entered The chariot of paternal Deity,

into conversation with man upon more inFlashing thick filames, wheel within wheel undrawn, different subjects, he warns him of his obeItself instinct with spirit.

dience, and makes a natural transition to I question not but Bossu, and the two the history of that angel who was employed Daciers, who are for vindicating every in the circumvention of our first parents. thing that is censured in Homer, by some

Had I followed Monsieur Bossu's method thing parallel in holy writ, would have in my first paper on Milton, I should have been very well pleased had they thought of dated the action of Paradise Lost from the confronting Vulcan's tripods with Ezekiel's beginning of Raphael's speech in this book, wheels.

as he supposes the action of the Æneid to Raphael's descent to the earth, with the begin in the second book of that poem. I figure of his person, is represented in very could allege many reasons for my drawing lively colours. Several of the French, the action of the neid rather from its imItalian, and English poets, have given a mediate beginning in the first book, than loose to their imaginations in the description from its remote beginning in the second; of angels; but I do not remember to have and show why I have considered the sackmet with any so finely drawn, and so con- ing of Troy as an episode, according to the formable to the notions which are given of common acceptation of that word. But as them in Scripture, as this in Milton. After this would be a dry unentertaining piece having set him forth in all his heavenly of criticism, and perhaps unnecessary to plumage, and represented him as alighted those who have read my first paper, I shall upon the earth, the poet concludes his de- not enlarge upon it. Whichsoever of the scription with a circumstance which is alto- notions be true, the unity of Milton's acgether new, and imagined with the greatest them; whether we consider the fall of man

tion is preserved according to either of strength of fancy.

in its immediate beginning, as proceeding -Like Maia's son he stood, And shook his plumes, that heavenly fragrance fill'd

from the resolutions taken in the infernal

council, or, in its more remote beginning, as Raphael's reception of the guardian an

proceeding from the first revolt of the angels, his passing through the wilderness of gels in heaven. The occasion which Milsweets, his distant appearance to Adam, ton assigns for this revolt, as it is founded · have all the graces that poetry is capable

on hints in holy writ, and on the opinion of

some great writers, so it was the most proof bestowing: The author afterwards gives us a particular description of Eve in her per that the poet could have made use of.

The revolt in heaven is described with domestic employments:

great force of imagination, and a fine variety So saying, withdespatchful looks in haste

of circumstances. The learned reader She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent, What choice to choose for delicacy best,

cannot but be pleased with the poet's imi

tation of Homer in the last of the following Tastes, not well join'd, inelegant, but bring

lines: Taste after iaste, upheld with kindliest change; Bestirs her then, &c.

At length into the limits of the north

They came, and Satan took his royal seat Though in this, and other parts of the High on a hill, far blazing, as a mount same book, the subject is only the house

Rais'd on a mount, with pyramids and tow'rs wifery of our first parent, it is set off with so

From diamond quarries hewn, and rocks of gold,

The palace of great Lucifer, (so call many pleasing images and strong expressions, as make it none of the least agreeable Interpreted.), parts in this divine work.

Homer mentions persons and things, The natural majesty of Adam, and, at which, he tells us, in the language of the the same time, his submissive behaviour to gods are called by different names from the superior being who had vouchsafed to these they go by in the language of men. be his guest; the solemn ‘hail' which the Milton has imitated him with his usual angel bestows upon the mother of mankind, I judgment in this particular place, wherein

The circuit wide

What order, so contriv'd, as not to inix

That structure in the dialect of men