ek of it. Se mark cut such iw peaking of thful copyi that the dead Dred to trade ed for business red altogethe Iput on from Smyrna that the Grand Visier was first of all those indifferent actions, which, though they are strangled, and afterwards beheaded. Six o'clock in the evening. Was half an hour in the club before any body else came. Mr. Nisby of opinion that the Grand Visier was not strangled the sixth instant. easily forgotten, must certainly be accounted for. Ten at night. Went to bed. Slept without No 318. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1711-12. waking until nine the next morning. THURSDAY, nine o'clock. Staid within until two o'clock for Sir Timothy; who did not bring me my annuity according to his promise. Two in the afternoon. Sat down to dinner. Three. Could not take my nap. to FRIDAY. Passed the morning in meditation upon Sir Timothy, who was with me a quarter before twelve. Twelve o'clock. Bought a new head to my my knees cane, and a tongue to my buckle. Drank a glass elve. S the Supp ill in the Don. Cid dinner. my afrem to the fol club. slept 50 of purl to recover appetite. Two and three. Dined and slept well. From four to six. Went to the coffee-house. 'A CERTAIN Vice which you have lately attacked, has not yet been considered by you as growing so deep in the heart of man, that the affectation outlives the practice of it. You must have observed, that men who have been bred in arms preserve to the most extreme and feeble old age a certain daring in their aspect. In like manner, they who have passed their time in gallantry and adventure, keep up, as well as they can, the appearance of it, and carry a petulant inclination to their last moments. Let this serve for a preface to a relation I am going to give you of an old beau in town, that has not only been amorous, and a follower of women in general, but also, in spite of the admonition of grey hairs, been from his sixty-third year to his present seventieth, in an actual pursuit of a young lady, the wife of his friend, and a man of merit. The gay old Escalus has wit, good health, and is perfectly well-bred; but from the fashion and Six o'clock. At the club as steward. Sat late. has such a natural tendency to amorous adventure, SATURDAY. Waked at eleven, walked in the him to make no use of a familiarity he was allowed Two. Mr. Nisby dined with me. First course, marrow-bones; second, ox-cheek, with a bottle of ght o'des Brooks and Hellier. Three o'clock. Overslept myself. at a gentleman's house, whose good-humour and Six. Went to the club. Like to have fallen into tempt of overlooking them. In the mean time Isabella, for so we shall call our heroine, saw his I question not but the reader will be surprised diversion, and an opportunity of indulging herself to find the above-mentioned journalist taking so in the dear delight of being admired, addressed to, much care of a life that was filled with such incon- and flattered, with no ill consequence to her repusiderable actions, and received so very small im-tation. This lady is of a free and disengaged beprovements; and yet if we look into the behaviour haviour, ever in good humour, such as is the image Rex of many whom we daily converse with, we shall of innocence with those who are innocent, and an find that most of our hours are taken up in those encouragement to vice with those who are abanM. three important articles of eating, drinking, and doned. From this kind of carriage, and an appasleeping. I do not suppose that a man loses his rent approbation of his gallantry, Escalus had fretime, who is not engaged in public affairs, or in quent opportunities of laying amorous epistles in an illustrious course of action. On the contrary, I her way, of fixing his eyes attentively upon her believe our hours may very often be more profit- action, of performing a thousand little offices which ably laid out in such transactions as make no figure are neglected by the unconcerned, but are so many in the world, than in such as are apt to draw upon approaches towards happiness with the enamoured. them the attention of mankind. One may become It was now, as is above hinted, almost the end of wiser and better by several methods of employing the seventh year of his passion, when Escalus from one's self in 'secrecy and silence, and do what is general terms, and the ambiguous respect which laudable without noise or ostentation. I would, criminal lovers retain in their addresses, began to however, recommend to every one of my readers, bewail that his passion grew too violent for him to the keeping a journal of their lives for one week, answer any longer for his behaviour towards her, and setting down punctually their whole series of and that he hoped she would have consideration employments during that space of time. This kind for his long and patient respect, to excuse the of self-examination would give them a true state of emotions of a heart now no longer under the dithemselves, and incline them to consider seriously rection of the unhappy owner of it. Such, forsome what they are about. One day would rectify the months, had been the language of Escalus both in omissions of another, and make a man weigh all his talk and his letters, to Isabella; who returned : ; STEELE. "ISABELLA." No 319. MONDAY, MARCH 6, 1711-12. Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo? HOR. Ep. i. 1. 1. ver. 90. T. all the profusion of kind things which had been the Does it not yet come into your head to imagine, collection of fifty years, with "I must not hear that I knew my compliance was the greatest cruyou; you will make me forget that you are a elty I could be guilty of towards you? In return gentleman; I would not willingly lose you as a for your long and faithful passion, I must let you friend;" and the like expressions, which the skil- know that you are old enough to become a little ful interpret to their own advantage, as well know- more gravity; but if you will leave me and coing that a feeble denial is a modest assent. I should quette it any where else, may your mistress yield! have told you, that Isabella, during the whole progress of this amour, communicated it to her husband: and that an account of Escalus's love was their usual entertainment after half a day's absence. Isabella, therefore, upon her lover's late more open assaults, with a smile told her husband she could hold out no longer, but that his fate was now come to a crisis. After she had explained herself a little further, with her husband's approbation, she proceeded in the following manner: The next time that Escalus was alone with her, and repeated his importunity, the crafty Isabella looked on her fan I HAVE endeavoured in the course of my papers to with an air of great attention, as considering of do justice to the age, and have taken care as much what importance such a secret was to her; and as possible to keep myself a neuter between both upon the repetition of a warm expression, she sexes. I have neither spared the ladies out of looked at him with an eye of fondness, and told complaisance, nor the men out of partiality; but him he was past that time of life which could notwithstanding the great integrity with which I make her fear he would boast of a lady's favour; have acted in this particular, I find myself taxed then turned away her head, with a very well acted with an inclination to favour my own half of the confusion, which favoured the escape of the aged species. Whether it be that the women afford a Escalus. This adventure was matter of great plea- more fruitful field for speculation, or whether they santry to Isabella and her spouse; and they had run more in my head than the men, I cannot tell, enjoyed it two days before Escalus could recollect but I shall set down the charge as it is laid against himself enough to form the following letter: "MADAM, What chain can hold this varying Proteus fast? me in the following letter: MR. SPECTATOR, "WHAT happened the other day, gives me a 'I ALWAYS make one among a company of young lively image of the inconsistency of human passions females, who peruse your speculations every morn and inclinations. We pursue what we are denied, ing. I am at present commissioned by our whole and place our affections on what is absent, though assembly to let you know, that we fear you are a we neglected it when present. As long as you re- little inclined to be partial towards your own sex. fused my love, your refusal did so strongly excite We must however acknowledge, with all due gramy passion, that I had not once the leisure to think titude, that in some cases you have given us our of recalling my reason to aid me against the design revenge on the men, and done us justice. We upon your virtue. But when that virtue began to could not easily have forgiven you several strokes comply in my favour, my reason made an effort in the dissection of the coquette's heart, if you over my love, and let me see the baseness of my had not, much about the same time, made a sacri behaviour in attempting a woman of honour. I fice to us of a beau's scull.* own to you, it was not without the most violent You may further, sir, please to remember that struggle, that I gained this victory over myself; not long since you attacked our hoods and comnay, I will confess my shame, and acknowledge I modest in such manner, as, to use your own ex. could not have prevailed but by flight. However, However, pression, made very many of us ashamed to show Madam, I beg that you will believe a moment's our heads. We must, therefore, beg leave to reweakness has not destroyed the esteem I had for present to you, that we are in hopes, if if you would you, which was confirmed by so many years of ob- please to make a due inquiry, the men in all ages stinate virtue. You have reason to rejoice that would be found to have been little less whimsical this did not happen within the observation of one in adorning that part than ourselves. The differ of the young fellows, who would have exposed ent forms of their wigs, together with the various your weakness, and gloried in his own brutish in- cocks of their hats, all flatter us in this opinion. clinations. "I CANNOT but account myself a very happy wo 6 'I had an humble servant last summer, who the first time he declared himself was in a full-bottomed wig; but the day after, to my no small sur prise, he accosted me in a thin natural one. I received him at this our second interview as a per fect stranger, but was extremely confounded when his speech discovered who he was. I resolved, therefore, to fix his face in my memory for the future; but, as I was walking in the Park the man, in having a man for a lover that can write so same evening, he appeared to me in one of those well, and give so good a turn to a disappointment. wigs that I think you call a night-cap, which bad Another excellence you have above all other pre- altered him more effectually than before. He tenders I ever heard of; on occasions where the afterwards played a couple of black riding-wigs most reasonable men lose all their reason, you have upon me with the same success; and, in short, as yours most powerful. We have each of us to sumed a new face almost every day in the first thank our genius, that the passion of one abated month of his courtship. in proportion as that of the other grew violent. *Nos. 281 and 275. + No. 205. o your head to ace was the greats towards you? h passion, Imuse nough to berant i will leave me mis nay your miss "INAAT MARCH 6 Protea mods? HOR. Epill ving Proteas REECH course of m ave taken curs neuter betre red the ladie out of part ntegnty wat r, I find my r my own t the women ation, or wh De men, ge as it is compa culationse sioned by at we fears wards your we, with hare ord The us past you seres te's her time, ca ton rhod Use beg 'I observed afterwards that the variety of cocks to encourage, or at least to connive at me, that it 'Yet, as if all these ways were not sufficient 'I do not think it prudent to acquaint you with much justice, be called Indian princes, as you have 'We the more earnestly beg that you would put 'I am ordered to present you with the respects of our whole company, and am, 'SIR, 'Your very humble servant, 'Note. The person wearing the feather, though I am not now at leisure to give my opinion upon the hat and feather; however, to wipe off the present imputation, and gratify my female correspondent, I shall here print a letter which I lately received from a man of mode, who seems to have a very extraordinary genius in his way. 'SIR, struck for these hundred years last past. ' I am SIR, WILL. SPRIGHTLY.' MR. SPECTATOR, CROXAL. You have given many hints in your papers to the disadvantage of persons of your own sex, who lay 'I PRESUME I need not inform you, that among plots upon women. Among other hard words you Britain. I was the first that struck the long pocket the men who are irrele marriage; but if you lost iron was hot, I produced much about the same but, with an De men a fair push for the silver-clocked stocking. Je less high hand, marry whom they please made to whom they please. As for my part, I should not have concerned myself with them, but that I 'A few months after I brought up the modish understand I am pitched upon by them to be mar with this at first in a plain Doily; but that failing, I life. It has been my misfortune, sit, very m resacket, or the coat with close sleeves. I struck ried, against my will, to one never to be mar peated it a second time in blue camblet; and re-cently, to rejoice in a plesfortune, sir, inno heated the stroke in several kinds of cloth, until am master, to bespeak a fine chariot of which hariot to give di 発車 young fellows at the other end of the town, who and as many suits of fine clothes; but before any have always their eye upon me, and answer me of these were ready, I heard reports of my being stroke for stroke. I was once so unwary as to to be married to two or three different young wosurtout before one of these gentlemen, who was gentleman who is often in my company, he told mention my fancy in relation to a new-fashioned men. Upon my taking notice of it to a young disingenuous enough to steal my thought, and by me, smiling, I was in the inquisition. You may hi that means prevented my intended stroke. believe I was not a little startled at what he 'I have a design this spring to make very con-meant, and more so when he asked me if I had already begun with a coup d'essai upon the sleeves, him, several; upon which he produced a descriphe it which has succeeded very well. begins in the waistcoat; and have bespoke anything so 'I must further inform you, if you will promise In the folio edition, the words are, "only an ensign in the Train-bands." tion of my person, from the tradesmen whom I had employed, and told me, that they had certainly informed against me. Mr. Spectator, whatever the world may think of me, I am more coxcomb than fool, and I grew very inquisitive upon this head, not a little pleased with the novelty. My friend the commission for Mrs. Such-a-one, shall neither told me, there were a certain set of women of be in fashion, nor dare ever to appear in company, fashion, whereof the number of six made a com- should he attempt to evade their determination. mittee, who sat thrice a week, under the title of The female sex wholly govern domestic life; "The Inquisition on Maids and Bachelors." It and by this means, when they think fit, they can seems, whenever there comes such an unthinking sow dissensions between the dearest friends, nay, gay thing as myself to town, he must want all make father and son irreconcileable enemies, in manner of necessaries, or be put into the inquisi- spite of all the ties of gratitude on one part, and tion by the first tradesman he employs. They have the duty of protection to be paid on the other. constant intelligence with cane-shops, perfumers, The ladies of the inquisition understand this pertoymen, coach-makers, and china-houses. From fectly well; and where love is not a motive to a these several places these undertakers for mar- man's choosing one whom they allot, they can, with riages have as constant and regular correspond- very much art, insinuate stories to the disadvantage ence, as the funeral men have with vintners and of his honesty or courage, till the creature is too apothecaries. All bachelors are under their imme- much dispirited to bear up against a general ill diate inspection, and my friend produced to me reception which he every where meets with, and a report given in to their board, wherein an old in due time falls into their appointed wedlock for uncle of mine, who came to town with me, and shelter. I have a long letter, bearing date the myself, were inserted, and we stood thus: the uncle fourth instant, which gives me a large account of smoky, rotten, poor; the nephew raw, but no fool; the policies of this court; and find there is now sound at present, very rich. My information did before them a very refractory person, who has not end here; but my friend's advices are so good, escaped all their machinations for two years last that he could show me a copy of the letter sent to the young lady who is to have me; which I inclose to you: "MADAM, past: but they have prevented two successive matches which were of his own inclination; the one by a report that his mistress was to be mar ried, and the very day appointed, wedding-clothes bought, and all things ready for her being given to "THIS is to let you know, that you are to be mar- another; the second time by insinuating to all his ried to a beau that comes out on Thursday, six in mistress's friends and acquaintance, that he had the evening. Be at the Park. You cannot but been false to several other women, and the like. know a virgin fop; they have a mind to look saucy, The poor man is now reduced to profess he designs but are out of countenance. The board has denied to lead a single life; but the inquisition give out him to several good families. I wish you joy. to all his acquaintance, that nothing is intended "CORINNA." but the gentleman's own welfare and happiness, When this is urged, he talks still more humbly, What makes my correspondent's case the more and protests he aims only at a life without pain or deplorable is, that as I find by the report from my reproach; pleasure, honour, and riches, are things censor of marriages, the friend he speaks of is em- for which he has no taste. But notwithstanding ployed by the inquisition to take him in, as the all this, and what else he may defend himself with, phrase. is. After all that is told him, he has in- as that the lady ady is too old or too young; of a suitformation only of one woman that is laid for him, able humour, or the quite contrary; and that it is and that the wrong one; for the lady commissioners impossible they can ever do other than wrangle have devoted him to another than the person against from June to January, every body tells him all whom they have employed their agent his friend this is spleen, and he must have a wife; while all to alarm him. The plot is laid so well about this the members of the inquisition are unanimous in a young gentleman, that he has no friend to retire certain woman for him, and they think they all to, no place to appear in, or part of the kingdom together are better able to judge than he, or any to fly into, but he must fall into the notice, and be other private person whatsoever. subject to the power of the inquisition. They have their emissaries and substitutes in all parts of this 'SIR, 'Temple, March 3, 1711. united kingdom. The first step they usually take Your speculation this day on the subject of is, to find from a correspondence, by their mes- idleness has employed me, ever since I read it, in sengers and whisperers, with some domestic of the sorrowful reflections on my having loitered away bachelor (who is to be hunted into the toils they the term (or rather the vacation) of ten years in have laid for him), what are his manners, his fami- this place, and unhappily suffered a good chamber liarities, his good qualities, or vices; not as the and study to lie idle as long. My books (except good in him is a recommendation, or the ill a di- those I have taken to sleep upon) have been tominution, but as they affect to contribute to the tally neglected, and my Lord Coke and other ve main inquiry, what estate he has in him. When nerable authors were never so slighted in their this point is well reported to the board, they can lives. I spend most of the day at a neighbouring take in a wild roaring fox-hunter, as easily as a coffee-house, where we have what I may calla soft, gentle young fop of the town. The way is, lazy club. We generally come in night-gowns, to make all places uneasy to him, but the scenes in with our stockings about our heels, and sometimes which they have allotted him to act. His brother but one on. Our salutation at entrance is a yawn huntsman, bottle companions, his fraternity of fops, and a stretch, and then without more ceremony shall be brought into the conspiracy against him. we take our place at the lolling-table, where our Then this matter is not laid in so barefaced a man- discourse is, what I fear you would not read out ner before him as to have it intimated, Mrs. Such- therefore shall not insert. But I assure you, sir, a-one would make him a very proper wife; but by I heartily lament this loss of time, and am now the force of their correspondence they shall make resolved (if possible, with double diligence) to re dwarfs) as impracticable to have any woman be-ments of Mr. Slack, out of the senseless stupidity it (as Mr. Waller saide of the marriage of the trieve it, being effectually awakened by the argu sides her they design him, as it would have been in Adam to have refused Eve. The man named by No. 316, See also No. 54. bean a large find the s for ed perse dredi her be that has so long possessed me. And to demon-and elaborate in these descriptions, than in most strate that penitence accompanies my confession, other parts of the poem. I must further add, and constancy my resolutions, I have locked my that though the drawings of gardens, rivers, rain. door for a year, and desire you would let my com- bows, and the like dead pieces of nature, are justly panions know I am not within. STEELE. 'I am, with great respect, Your most obedient servant, 'Ν. Β.' т. No 321. SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1711-12. Nec satis est pulchra esse poemata, dulcia sunto. OVID. Ars Poet, ver. 99. 'Tis not enough a poem's finely writ; It must affect and captivate the soul. THOSE, who know how many volumes have been censured in an Leroic poem, when they run out into an unnecessary length; the description of Paradise would have been faulty, had not the poet been very particular in it, not only as it is the scene of the principal action, but as it is requisite to give us an idea of that happiness from which our first parents fell. The plan of it is wonderfully beautiful, and formed upon the short sketch which we have of it in holy writ. Milton's exuberance of imagination has poured forth such a redundancy of ornaments on this seat of happiness and innocence, that it would be endless to point out each particular. I must not quit this head without further observing, that there is scarce a speech of Adam or Eve in the whole poem, wherein the sentiments and allusions are not taken from this their delight. ful habitation. The reader, during their whole written on the poems of Homer and Virgil, will course of action, always finds himself in the walks easily pardon the length of my discourse upon of Paradise. In short, as the critics have remarkMilton. The Paradise Lost is looked upon by the ed, that in those poems wherein shepherds are best judges, as the greatest production, or at least actors, the thoughts ought always to take a tincthe noblest work of genius in our language, and ture from the woods, fields, and rivers, so we may therefore deserves to be set before an English observe, that our first parents seldom lose sight of reader in its full beauty. For this reason, though their happy station in any thing they speak or do; Then, I have endeavoured to give a general idea of its and, if the reader will give me leave to use the profess graces and imperfections in my six first papers, I expression, that their thoughts are always 'Paraquistat: thought inyself obliged to bestow one upon every disiacal." sinuare mance, or othing till m few book in particular. The first three books I have We are in the next place to consider the maare already dispatched, and am now entering upon the chines of the fourth book. Satan being now within fourth. I need not acquaint my reader that there prospect of Eden, and looking round upon the are multitudes of beauties in this great author, glories of the creation, is filled with sentiments dar especially in the descriptive parts of this poem, different from those which he discovered whilst he which I have not touched upon, it being my inten- was in hell. The place inspires him with thoughts ention to point out those only which appear to me more adapted to it. He reflects upon the happy the most exquisite, or those which are not so ob-condition from whence he fell, and breaks forth vious to ordinary readers. Every one that has read into a speech that is softened with several transient the critics who have written upon the Odyssey, the touches of remorse and self-accusation: but at Iliad, and the Æneid, knows very well, that though length he confirms himself in impenitence, and in they agree in their opinions of the great beauties his design of drawing man into his own state of 2 in those poems, they have nevertheless each of guilt and misery. This conflict of passions is them discovered several master-strokes, which have raised with a great deal of art, as the opening of escaped the observation of the rest. In the same his speech to the sun is very bold and noble: manner, I question not but any writer, who shall treat of this subject after me, may find several beauties in Milton, which I have not taken notice of. I must likewise observe, that as the greatest masters of critical learning differ among one an elf other, as to some particular points in an epic poem, I have not bound myself scrupulously to the rules which any one of them has laid down upon that art, but have taken the liberty sometimes to This speech is, I think, the finest that is ascribed join with one, and sometimes with another, and to Satan in the whole poem. The evil spirit aftersometimes to differ from all of them, when I have wards proceeds to make his discoveries concerning thought that the reason of the thing was on my our first parents, and to learn after what manner they may be best attacked. His bounding over We may consider the beauties of the fourth book the walls of Paradise; his sitting in the shape of a under three heads. In the first are those pictures cormorant upon the tree of life, which stood in of still-life, which we meet with in the description the centre of it, and overtopped all the other trees of Eden, Paradise, Adam's Bower, &c. In the of the garden; his alighting among the herd of next are the machines, which comprehend the animals, which are so beautifully represented as speeches and behaviour of the good and bad an- playing about Adam and Eve, together with his gels. In the last is the conduct of Adam and Eve, transforming himself into different shapes, in order who are the principal actors in the põem. to hear their conversation; are circumstances that In the description of Paradise, the poet has ob- give an agreeable surprise to the reader, and are served Aristotle's rule of lavishing all the orna- devised with great art, to connect that series of ments of diction on the weak unactive parts of the adventures in which the poet has engaged this arti. lable, which are not supported by the beauty of ficer of fraud. sentiments and characters. Accordingly the reader The thought of Satan's transformation into a may observe, that the expressions are more florid cormorant, and placing himself on the tree of life, |