nene fo Odious, nor indeed fo exquifitely Ridiculous, as
that of a rigid fevere Temper in a Worthlefs Man.

THIS Part of Good-nature, however, which confifts
in the pardoning and over-looking of Faults, is to be ex-
ercifed only in doing our felves Juftice, and that too in the
ordinary Commerce and Occurrences of Life; for in the
Publick Administrations of Juftice, Mercy to one may be
Cruelty to others.

IT is grown almost into a Maxim, that Good-natured
Men are not always Men of the moft Wit. The Obferva-
tion, in my Opinion, has no Foundation in Nature. The
greatest Wits I have converfed with are Men eminent for
their Humanity. I take therefore this Remark to have
been occafioned by two Reasons. First, Becaufe Ill-nature
among ordinary Obfervers paffes for Wit. A fpightful
Saying gratifies fo many little Paffions in those who hear
it, that it generally meets with a good Reception. The
Laugh rifes upon it, and the Man who utters it is looked
upon as a fhrewd Satyrift. This may be one Reason, why
a great many pleafant Companions appear fo furprizingly
dull, when they have endeavoured to be Merry in Print;
the Publick being more juft than Private Clubs or Affem-
blies, in diftinguishing between what is Wit and what is
Ill-Nature.

may

ANOTHER Reason why the Good-natured Man
fometimes bring his Wit in Queftion, is perhaps, becaufe
he is apt to be moved with Compaffion for those Misfor-
tunes or Infirmities, which another would turn into Ridi-
cule, and by that means gain the Reputation of a Wit.
The Ill-natured Man, though but of equal Parts, gives him-
felf a larger Field to expatiate in; he exposes thofe Failings
in Human Nature which the other would caft a Veil over,
laughs at Vices which the other either excufes or conceals,
gives Utteranee to Reflections which the other ftifles, falls
indifferently upon Friends or Enemies, expofes the Perfon
who has obliged him, and, in fhort, fticks at nothing that
may establish his Character of a Wit. It is no Wonder
therefore he fucceeds in it better than the Man of Huma-
nity, as a Person who makes use of indirect Methods is
more likely to grow Rich than the fair Trader.

L

INDEX,

INDE X.

A

A.

CTION the Felicity of the Soul, Numb, 116.
Affliction and Sorrow, not always expreft by Tears,
N.95.True Affliction labours to be invisible, ibid.
Age: the unnatural Mifunderstanding between Age and
Youth, N. 153. The Authority of an aged virtuous
Perfon preferable to the Pleafures of Youth, ibid.
'Albacinda, her Character, N. 144.

Alexander, his Artifice in his Indian Expedition, N. 127.
His Anfwer to thofe who ask'd him if he would not be
a Competitor for the Prize in the Olympick Games,ibid.
Amaryllis, her Character, N. 144.

Ambition the Occafion of Factions, N. 125.
Animals, the different Make of every Species, N. 120. The
Inftinet of Brutes, ibid, exemplify'd in feveral Inftances,
ibid. God himself the Soul of Brutes, 121. The Variety
of Arms with which they are provided by Nature, ibid.
Amufements of Life, when innocent, neceffary and al
lowable, N. 98.

Apparitions, the Creation of weak Minds, N. 110.
Arable, (Mrs.) the great Heirefs, the Spectator's Fel-
low-Traveller, N. 132.

Ariftotle, his Account of the World, N. 166.
Ariftus and Afpafia, an happy Couple, N. 128.
Artift, wherein he has the Advantage of an Author, N. 166.
Affociation of honeft Men propofed by the Spectator, N.126.
Author: in what Manner one Author is a Mole to ano-
ther, N. 124. Wherein an Author has the Advantage
of an Artist, 166. The Care an Author ought to take
of what he writes, ibid. A Story of an Atheistical Au-
thor, ibid.

B.

B Reafon for it, N. 156.
BARE

AREFACE, his Succefs with the Ladies, and the

Bear-Garden, the Spectator's Method for the Improvement
of it, N. 141.

Bea

Beauties, whether Male or Female, very untractable, N.
87. and fantastical, 144. impertinent and difagreeable,
ibid. The Efficacy of Beauty, ibid.

Board Wages, the ill Effects of it, N. 88.

Bodily Exercifes, of ancient Encouragement, N. 161.
Books reduced to their Quinteffence, N. 124. The Lega-
cies of great Genius's, 166.

Burnet, (Dr.) Some Passages in his Theory of the Earth
confidered, N. 143, and 146.

C.

ESAR (Julius) his Reproof to an ill Reader,

C.N. 147.

Cambray (the Bishop of) his Education of a Daughter
recommended, N. 95.

Cant, from whence faid to be derived, N. 147.

Care: what ought to be a Man's chief Care, N. 122.
Carneades, the Philofopher, his Definition of Beauty,

N. 144.

Caffius, the Proof he gave of his Temper in his Child-
hood, N. 157.

Caftle Builders, who, and their Follies expofed, N. 167.
Cenfure, a Tax, by whom paid to the Publick, and for
what, N. 101.

Chaplain, the Character of Sir Roger de Coverley's, N. 106.'
Chastity, the great Point of Honour in Women, N. 99.
Chearfulness of Temper, how to be obtained and prefer-
ved, N. 143.

Children: wrong Measures taken in the Education of the
British Children, N. 157.

Children in the Wood, a Ballad, wherein to be com--
mended, N. 85.

Church-yard, the Country Change on Sunday, N. 112.
Common Prayer, fome Confiderations on the reading of -
it, N. 147. The Excellency of it, ibid.

Compaffion, the Exercife of it would tend to leffen the
Calamities of Life, N. 169.

Compliments in ordinary Difcourfe cenfured, N. 103,
Exchange of Compliments, 155.

Conde (Prince of) his Face like that of an Eagle, N. 86.
Connecte (Thomas) a Monk in the 14th Century, a zea-
lous Preacher against the Womens Commodes in those -
1J Days, N. 98.

Con-

Contentment, the utmoft Good we can hope for in this Life, N. 163.

Converfation, ufually ftuffed with too many Compliments, N. 103. What properly to be understood by the Word Converfation, 143.

Cottilus, his great Equanimity, N. 143.

Coverley (Sir Roger de) he is fomething of an Humourift, N. 106. His Choice of a Chaplain, ibid. His Management of his Family, 107. His Account of his Anceftors, 109. Is forced to have every Room in his Houfe exorcifed by his Chaplain, 110. A great Benefactor to his Church in Worcestershire, 112. in which he fuffers no one to fleep but himself, ibid. He gives the Spectator an Account of his Amours, and Character of his Widow, 113, 118. The Trophies of his feveral Exploits in the Country, 115. A great Fox-hunter, 116. An Inftance of his good Nature, ibid. His Averfion to Confidents, 118. The manner of his Reception at the Affizes, 122. where he whifpers the Judge in the Ear, ibid. His Adventure when a Schoolboy, 125. A Man for the landed Intereft, 126., His Adventure with fome Gypfies, 130. Rarely fports near his own Seat, 131.

Country, the Charms of it, N. 118. Country Gentleman and his Wife, Neighbours to Sir Koger, their different Tempers defcribed, 128. Country Sunday, the Ufe of it, 112. Country Wake defcribed, 161.

Courage recommends a Man to the Female Sex more than any other Quality, N. 99. One of the chief Topicks in Books of Chivalry, ibid. Falfe Courage, ibid. Mechanick Courage, what, 152.

Cowley, his Magnanimity, N. 114.

Coxcombs, generally the Womens Favourites, N. 128.

D

D.

EATH, the Contemplation of it affords a Delight mix'd with Terrour and Sorrow, N. 133. Intended for our Relief, ibid. Deaths of eminent Perfons the moft improving Paffages in Hiftory, ibid.

Debt: the ill State of fuch as run in Debt, N. 82.
Decency, nearly related to Virtue, N. 104,

Demurrers, what fort of Women fo to be called, N. 89.

Devotion, the great Advantage of it, N. 93. The moft
natural Relief in our Afflictions, 163.
Dick Craftin challengeth Tom Tulip, N. 91.

Difappointments in Love, the most difficult to be con-
quered of any other, N. 163.

Diffenters, their canting way of Reading, N. 147.
Diffimulation, the perpetual Inconvenience of it, N. 103,
Duelling, a Difcourfe against it, N. 48. Pharamond's E-
dict against it, 97.

Duration, the Idea of it how obtained according to Mr.
Lock, N. 94. Different Beings may entertain different
Notions of the fame Parts of Duration, ibid.

E

E.

Ducation: an ill Method obferved in the educating our
Youth, N. 157.

Eminent Men, the Tax paid by them to the Publick,
N. fol.
Englishmen, the peculiar Bleffing of being born one, N.
135. The Spectator's Speculations upon the English
Tongue, ibid. English not naturally talkative, ibid, and
148, The English Tongue much adulterated, 165.
Epaminondas, his honourable Death, N. 133.
Ephraim, the Quaker, the Spectator's Fellow-Traveller in a
Stage-Coach, N. 132. His Reproof to a recruiting
Officer in the fame Coach, ibid. and Advice to him at
their Parting, ibid.

Equanimity, without it we can have no true Taste of Life,
N. 143.

Equestrian Order of Ladies, N. 104. Its Origin, ibid.
Errors and Prepoffeffions difficult to be avoided, N. 117.
Eternity, a Profpect of it, N. 159.

Eucrate, his Conference with Pharamond, N. 84.

Eucratia, her Character, N. 144. ·

Eudofia, her Character, N. 144.

Eudoxus and Leontine, ther Friendship, and Education of
their Children, N. 123. --

Exercife, the great Benefit and Neceflity of bodily Exer
cife, N. 155.

F.

FAlfhood in Man, a Recommendation to the fair Sex,

N. 146.

Families: the ill Measures taken by great Families in the
Education of their younger Sons, N. 108.

Fan,