Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

side Temple-bar. A most heathenish sight!' of the place, told the mistress of the house, says sir Roger: there is no religion at this end who sat at the bar, that he should be a better of the town. The fifty new churches will very customer to her garden, if there were more I. much mend the prospect; but church-work is nightingales and fewer strumpets. slow, church-work is slow."

I do not remember I have any where mentioned in sir Roger's character, his custom of No. 384.] Wednesday, May 21, 1712 saluting every body that passes by him with a Hague, May 24, N. S. The same republiean hands, who good-morrow, or a good-night. This the old have so often since the chevalier de St. George's recovery man does out of the overflowings of his hu- killed him in our public prints, have now reduced the young dauphin of France to that desperate condition of manity; though, at the same time, it renders weakness, and death itself, that it is hard to conjecture him so popular among all his country neigh-what method they will take to bring him to life again. bours, that it is thought to have gone a good Mean time we are assured, by a very good hand from Paris, that on the 20th instant this young prince was as way in making him ouce or twice knight of well as ever he was known to be since the day of his the shire. He cannot forbear this exercise of benevolence even in town, when he meets with any one in his morning or evening walk. It broke from him to several boats that passed by us on the water; but, to the knight's great surprise, as he gave the good-night to two or tkree young fellows a little before our landing, one of them, instead of returning the civility, asked us, what queer old put we had in the boat, and whether he was not ashamed to go! I SHOULD be thought not able to read, should a wenching at his years? with a great deal of the like Thames-ribaldry. Sir Roger seemed I overlook some excellent pieces lately come a little shocked at first, but at length assum-out. My lord bishop of St. Asapht has just ing a face of magistracy, told us, that if he now published some sermons, the preface to were a Middlesex justice, he would make such which seems to me to determine a great point. vagrants know that her majesty's subjects He has, like a good man, and a good Chris. were no more to be abused by water than by tian, in opposition to all the flattery and base submission of false friends to princes, assert

land.

birth. As for the other, they are now sending his ghost, we suppose (for they never had the modesty to contradict their assertions of his death), to Commerei in Lorrain, attended only by four gentlemen, and a few domestics of little consideration. The Baron de Bothmar* having delivered in his credentials to qualify him as an ambassador to this state (an office to which his greatest enemies will acknowledge him to be equal), is gone to Utrecht, whence he will proceed to Hanover, but not stay long at that court, for fear the peace should be made during his Post-Boy, May 20. lamentable absence.'

We were now arrived at Spring-garden, ed, that Christianity left us where it found us which is exquisitely pleasant at this time of the as to our civil rights. The present entertain. year. When I considered the fragrancy of inent shall consist only of a sentence out of the walks and bowers, with the choir of birds, the Post-Boy, and the said preface of the lord that sung upon the trees, and the loose tribe of of St. Asaph. I should think it a little odd people that walked under their shades, I could if the author of the Post-Boy should with imnot but look upon the place as a kind of Ma-punity call men republicans for a gladness on hometan paradise. Sir Roger told me it put the report of the death of the pretender; and him in mind of a little coppice by his house in treat baron Bothmar, the minister of Hanothe country, which his chaplain used to call an ver, in such a manner as you see in my motaviary of nightingales. You must under- to. I must own, I think every man in England stand,' says the knight, 'that there is nothing concerned to support the succession of that in the world that pleases a man in love so family. The publishing a few sermons, whilst I much as your nightingale. Ah, Mr. Spectator, the many moon-light nights that I have walked live, the latest of which was preached about by myself, and thought on the widow by the eight years since, and the first above sevenmusic of the nightingale!' Here he fetched a teen, will make it very natural for people to deep sigh, and was falling into a fit of musing, inquire into the occasion of doing so; and to when a mask, who came behind him, gave such I do very willingly assign these following him a gentle tap upon the shoulder, and asked reasons: 'First, from the observations I have been him if he would drink a bottle of mead with her? But the knight being startled at so unex-able to make for these many years last past pected a familiarity, and displeased to be in- upon our public affairs, and from the natural terrupted in his thoughts of the widow, told her tendency of several principles and practices, that have of late been studiously revived, and she was a wanton baggage; and bid her go from what has followed thereupon, I could

about her business.

When we

We concluded our walk with a glass of Bur-not help both fearing and presaging, that these nations should some time or other, if ton ale, and a slice of hung beef. had done eating ourselves, the knight called ever we should have an enterprising prince a waiter to him, and bid him carry the remain-upon the throne, of more ambition than virder to the waterman that had but one leg. Itue, justice, and true honour, fall into the perceived the fellow stared upon him at the way of all other nations, and lose their li oddness of the message, and was going to be berty. saucy; upon which I ratified the knight's commands with a peremptory look.

As we were going out of the garden, my old friend thinking himself obliged, as a member of the quorum, to animadvert upon the morals VOL. IT.

[ocr errors]

Nor could 1 help foreseeing to whose

Ambassador from Hanover, and afterwards agent here for the Hanoverian family.

+ Dr. William Fleetwood.

B

charge a great deal of this dreadful mischief, lived to see their illustrious names very rudely whenever it should happen, would be laid; handled, and the great benefits they did this whether justly or unjustly, was not my busi-nation treated slightly and contemptuously. I ness to determine; but I resolved, for my own have lived to see our deliverance from arbiparticular part, to deliver myself, as well as trary power and popery traduced and vilified I could, from the reproaches and the curses of by some who formerly thought it was their posterity, by publicly declaring to all the greatest merit, and made it part of their boast world, that, although in the constant course and glory to have had a little hand and share of my ministry I have never failed, on proper in bringing it about; and others who, withoccasions, to recommend, urge, and insist out it, must have lived in exile, poverty, and upou the loving, honouring, and reverencing misery, meanly disclaiming it, and using ill the prince's person, and holding it, according the glorious instruments thereof. Who could to the laws, inviolable and sacred; and pay expect such a requital of such merit? I have, ing all obedience and submission to the laws, I own it, an ambition of exempting myself though never so hard and inconvenient to pri- from the number of unthankful people: and vate people yet did I never think myself as I loved and honoured those great princes at liberty, or authorized to tell the people, living, and lamented over them when dead, that either Christ, St. Peter, or St. Paul, or so I would gladly raise them up a monument any other holy writer, had, by any doctrine of praise as lasting as any thing of mine delivered by them, subverted the laws and can be; and I choose to do it at this time, constitutions of the country in which they when it is so unfashionable a thing to speak lived, or put them in a worse condition, with honourably of them.

respect to their civil liberties, than they would| The sermon that was preached upon the have been had they not been Christians. I duke of Gloucester's death was printed quickly ever thought it a most impious blasphemy after, and is now, because the subject was so against that holy religion, to father any thing suitable, joined to the others. The loss of that upon it that might encourage tyranny, op- most promising and hopeful prince was at pression, or injustice in a prince, or that that time, I saw, unspeakably great; and easily tended to make a free and happy peo-many accidents since have convinced us that ple slaves and miserable. No: people may it could not have been overvalued. That premake themselves as wretched as they will, but cious life, had it pleased God to have prolong. let not God be called into that wicked party. ed it the usual space, had saved us many fears When force and violence, and hard necessity, and jealousies, and dark distrusts, and prehave brought the yoke of servitude upon a vented many alarms, that have long kept us, people's neck, religion will supply them with and will keep us still, waking and uneasy. a patient and submissive spirit under it till Nothing remained to comfort and support they can innocently shake it off: but certain-us under this heavy stroke, but the necesly religion never puts it on. This always was, sity it brought the king and nation under and this at present is, my judgment of these of settling the succession in the house of matters and I would be transmitted to pos- Hanover, and giving it an hereditary right terity (for the little share of time such names by act of parliament, as long as it continues as mine can live) under the character of one protestant. So much good did God, in his who loved his country, and would be thought merciful providence, produce from a misfora good Englishman, as well as a good clergy- tune, which we could never otherwise have sufficiently deplored!

man.

This character I thought would be trans- The fourth sermon was preached upon the mitted by the following sermons, which were queen's accession to the throne, and the first made for and preached in a private audience, year in which that day was solemnly observed when I could think of nothing else but doing (for by some accident or other it had been my duty on the occasions that were then of overlooked the year before); and every one fered by God's providence, without any man- will see, without the date of it, that it was ner of design of making them public; and for preached very early in this reign. since [ that reason I give them now as they were then was able only to promise and presage its delivered; by which I hope to satisfy those future glories and successes, from the good people who have objected a change of princi- appearances of things, and the happy turn our ples to me, as if I were not now the same man I formerly was. I never had but one opinion of these matters; and that I think is so reasonable and well-grounded, that I believe I can never have any other.

affairs began to take; and could not then count up the victories and triumphs that, for seven years after, made it, in the prophet's language, a name and a praise among all the people of the earth. Never did seven such Another reason of my publishing these years together pass over the head of any Engsermons at this time is, that I have a mind lish monarch, nor cover it with so much boto do myself some honour by doing what nour. The crown and sceptre seemed to be honour I could do to the memory of two most the queen's least ornaments; those, other excellent princes, and who have very highly princes wore in common with her, and her deserved at the hands of all the people of great personal virtues were the same before these dominions, who have any true value for and since; but such was the fame of her adthe protestant religion, and the constitution of ministration of affairs at home, such was the the English government of which they were reputation of her wisdom and felicity in choosthe great deliverers and defenders. I have ing ministers, and such was then esteemed

their faithfulness and zeal, their diligence of loving a man whom we cannot esteem; so, and great abilities in executing her com- on the other, though we are truly sensible of a mands; to such a height of military glory man's abilities, we can never raise ourselves to did her great general and her armies carry the warmth of friendship, without an affectionthe British name abroad; such was the har-ate good-will towards his person. mony and concord betwixt her and her al- Friendship immediately banishes envy unlies; and such was the blessing of God upon der all its disguises. A man who can once all her councils and undertakings, that I am doubt whether he should rejoice in his as sure as history can make me, no prince friend's being happier than himself, may deof ours ever was so prosperous and success-pend upon it that he is an utter stranger to ful, so beloved, esteemed, and honoured by this virtue. their subjects and their friends, nor near so There is something in friendship so very formidable to their enemies. We were, as great and noble, that in those fictitious stories all the world imagined then, just entering on which are invented to the honour of any parthe ways that promised to lead to such a ticular person, the authors have thought it as peace as would have answered all the pray-necessary to make their hero a friend as a ers of our religious queen, the care and vigi- lover. Achilles has his Patroclus, and Æneas lance of a most able ministry, the payments his Achates. In the first of these instances we of a willing and most obedient people, as well may observe, for the reputation of the subject as all the glorious toils and hazards of the sol- I am treating of, that Greece was almost ruindiery; when God, for our sins, permitted the ed by the hero's love, but was preserved by his spirit of discord to go forth, and by troubling | friendship.

sore the camp, the city, and the country, (and | The character of Achates suggests to us an oh that it had altogether spared the places observation we may often make on the intimasacred to his worship!) to spoil, for a time, cies of great men who frequently choose their this beautiful and pleasing prospect, and give companions rather for the qualities of the heart us in its stead, I know not whatenemies will tell the rest with pleasure. It will become me better to pray to God to restore us to the power of obtaining such a peace as will be to his glory, the safety, honour, and welfare of the queen and her dominions, and the general satisfaction of all her high and mighty allies.*

[ocr errors]

May 2, 1712.'

No. 385.] Thursday, May 22, 1712.

Theseâ pectora juncta fide.

-Our than those of the head, and prefer fidelity in an easy, inoffensive, complying temper, to those endowments which make a much greater figure among mankind. I do not remember that Achates, who is represented as the first favourite, either gives his advice, or strikes a blow, through the whole Æneid.

Ovit. Trist. iii. Lib. 1. 66.

Breasts that with sympathizing ardour glow'd,
And holy friendship, such as Theseus vow'd.

I INTEND the paper for this day as a loose essay on friendship, in which I shall throw my observations together without any set form, that I may avoid repeating what has been often said on this subject.

A friendship which makes the least noise is very often most useful: for which reason I should prefer a prudent friend to a zealous one.

Atticus, one of the best men of ancient Rome, was a very remarkable instance of what I am here speaking. This extraordinary person, amidst the civil wars of his country, when he saw the designs of all parties equally tended to the subversion of liberty, by constantly preserving the esteem and affection of both the competitors, found means to serve his friends on either side: and, while he sent money to young Marius, whose father was declared an enemy to the commonwealth, he was himself one of Sylla's chief favourites, and always near that general.

Friendship is a strong and habitual inclination in two persons to promote the good and During the war between Cesar and Pomhappiness of one another. Though the plea-pey, he still maintained the same conduct. sures and advantages of friendship have been After the death of Cæsar, he sent money to largely celebrated by the best moral writers, and are considered by all as great ingredients of human happiness, we very rarely meet with the practice of this virtue in the world.

Every man is ready to give in a long catalogue of those virtues and good qualities he expects to find in the person of a friend, but very few of us are careful to cultivate them in ourselves.

Love and esteem are the first principles of friendship, which always is imperfect where either of these two is wanting.

As, on the one hand, we are soon ashamed

*This Preface was seized on by the Tory ministry, and condemned, by a motion of the House of Commons, to be burned by the common hangman-See Biographia Britannica, vol. iii. p. 1971.

Brutus in his troubles, and did a thousand good offices to Antony's wife and friends when that party seemed ruined. Lastly, even in that bloody war between Antony and Augustus, Atticus still hept his place in both their friendships: insomuch that the first, says Cornelius Nepos, whenever he was absent from Rome in any part of of the empire, writ punctually to him what he was doing, what he read, and whither he intended to go; and the latter gave him constantly an exact account of all his affairs.

A likeness of inclinations in every particular is so far from being requisite to form a benevolence in two minds towards each other, as it is generally imagined, that I believe we shall find some of the firmest friendships to have been contracted between persons of different

bumours; the mind being often pleased with despicable. A man must be sincerely pleased those perfections which are new to it, and which to become pleasure, or not to interrupt that of it does not find among its own accomplish- others; for this reason it is a most calamitous ments. Besides that a man in some measure circumstance, that many people who want to supplies his own defects, and fancies himself at be alone, or should be so, will come into consecond-hand possessed of those good qualities versation. It is certain that all men, who are and endowments, which are in the possession the least given to reflection, are seized with an of him who in the eye of the world is looked inclination that way when, perhaps, they had upon as his other self.

The most difficult province in friendship is the letting a man see his faults and errors, which should, if possible, be so contrived, that be may perceive our advice is given him not so much to please ourselves as for his own advantage. The reproaches therefore of a friend should always be strictly just, and not too frequent.

The violent desire of pleasing in the person reproved may otherwise change into a despair of doing it, while he finds himself censured for faults he is not conscious of. A mind that is softened and humanized by friendship cannot bear frequent reproaches; either it must quite sink under the oppression, or abate considerably of the value and esteem it had for him who bestows them.

rather be inclined to company; but indeed they had better go home and be tired with themselves, than force themselves upon others to recover their good humour. In all this, the case of communicating to a friend a sad thought or difficulty, in order to relieve a heavy heart, stands excepted; but what is here meant is, that a man should always go with inclination to the turn of the company he is going into, or not pretend to be of the party. It is certainly a very happy temper to be able to live with all kinds of dispositions, because it argues a mind that lies open to receive what is pleasing to others, and not obstinately bent on any particularity of his own.

This is it which makes me pleased with the character of my good acquaintance Acasto. You meet him at the tables and conversations The proper business of friendship is to in- of the wise, the impertinent, the grave, the frospire life and courage: and a soul thus suppor lic, and the witty; and yet his own character ted outdoes itself: whereas, if it be unexpect- has nothing in it that can make him particularedly deprived of these succours, it droops and ly agreeable to any one sect of men; but Acaslanguishes. to has natural good sense, good-nature, and We are in some measure more inexcusable if discretion, so that every man enjoys himself in we violate our duties to a friend than to a re-his company; and though Acasto contributes lation; since the former arises from a volunta- nothing to the entertainment, he never was at ry choice, the latter from a necessity to which a place where he was not welcome a second we could not give our own consent.

As it has been said on one side, that a man ought not to break with a faulty friend, that he may not expose the weakness of his choice; it will doubtless hold much stronger with respect to a worthy one, that he may never be upbraided for having lost so valuable a treasure which was once in his possession. X.

No. 386.] Friday, May 23, 1712.

Cum tristibus severé, cum remissis jncundė, ɔum senibus graviter, cum juventute comiter vivere.-Tull.

time. Without the subordinate good qualities of Acasto, a man of wit and learning would be painful to the generality of mankind, instead of being pleasing. Witty men are apt to imagine they are agreeable as such, and by that means grow the worst companions imaginable; they deride the absent or rally the present in a wrong manner, not knowing that if you pinch or tickle a man till he is uneasy in his seat, or ungracefully distinguished from the rest of the company, you equally hurt him.

I was going to say, the true art of being agreeable in company (but there can be no such thing as art in it) is to appear well pleased with THE piece of Latin on the head of this paper those you are engaged with, and rather to seem is part of a character extremely vicious, but I well entertained, than to bring entertainment have set down no more than may fall in with to others. A man thus disposed is not indeed the rules of justice and honour. Cicero spoke what we ordinarily call a good companion, but it of Catiline, who, he said, 'lived with the sad essentially is such, and in all the parts of his severely, with the cheerful agreeably, with the conversation has something friendly in his be old gravely, with the young pleasantly; he haviour, which conciliates men's minds more added, with the wicked boldly, with the wan-than the highest sallies of wit or starts of huton lasciviously.' The two last instances of his mour can possibly do. The feebleness of age complaisance I forbear to consider, having it in a man of this turn has something which in my thoughts at present only to speak of ob- should be treated with respect even in a man sequiour behaviour as it sits upon a companion no otherwise venerable. The forwardness of in pleasure, not a man of design and intrigue. | youth, when it proceeds from alacrity and not To vary with every humour in this manner insolence, has also its allowances. The comcannot be agreeable, except it comes from a panion who is formed for such by nature, gives man's own temper and natural complexion; to to every character of life its due regards, and do it out of an ambition to excel that way, is is ready to account for their imperfections, and the most fruitless and unbecoming prostitution receive their accomplishments as if they were imaginable. To put on an artful part to ob-his own. It must appear that you receive law tain no other end but an unjust praise from from, and not give it, to your company, to the undiscerning, is of all endeavours the most make you agreeable.

[ocr errors]

I remember Tully, speaking, I think, of An- cheerfulness mutually beget each other; with tony, says, that, In eo facetiæ erant, quæ nulla this difference, that we seldom meet with a arte tradi possunt: He had a witty mirth, great degree of health which is not attended which could be acquired by no art.' This qua- with a certain cheerfulness, but very often see lity must be of the kind of which I am now cheerfulness where there is no great degree of speaking; for all sorts of behaviour which de- health. pends upon observation and knowledge of life Cheerfulness bears the same friendly regard are to be acquired; but that which no one can to the mind as to the body. It banishes all describe, and is apparently the act of nature, anxious care and discontent, soothes and commust be every where prevalent, because every poses the passions, and keeps the soul in a thing it meets is a fit occasion to exert it; for perpetual calm. But having already touched he who follows nature can never be improper on this last consideration, I shall here take notice, that the world in which we are placed

or unseasonable.

How unaccountable then must their beha-is filled with innumerable objects that are proviour be, who, without any manner of consi- per to raise and keep alive this happy temper deration of what the company they have now of mind. entered are upon, give themselves the air of a If we consider this world in its subsermessenger, and make as distinct relations of viency to man, one would think it was made the occurrences they last met with, as if they for our use; but if we consider it in its nahad been despatched from those they talk to, tural beauty and harmony, one would be apt to be punctually exact in a report of those cir- to conclude it was made for our pleasure. cumstances! It is unpardonable to those who The sun, which is as the great soul of the are met to enjoy one another that a fresh man universe, and prroduces all the necessaries shall pop in, and give us only the last part of of life, has a particular influence in cheerhis own life, and put a stop to ours during the ing the mind of man, and making the heart history. If such a man comes from 'Change, glad. whether you will or not, you must hear how the stocks go; and, though you are never so intently employed on a graver subject, a young fellow of the other end of the town will take his place, and tell you, Mrs. Such-a-one is charmingly handsome, because he just now saw her. But I think I need not dwell on this subject, since I have acknowledged there can be no rules made for excelling this way; and precepts of this kind fare like rules for writing poetry, which, it is said, may have prevented ill poets, but never make good

ones.

No. 387.] Saturday, May 24, 1712.

T.

Those several living creatures which are made for our service or sustenance at the same time either fill the woods with their music, furnish us with game, or raise pleasing ideas in us by the delightfulness of their appearance. Fountains, lakes and rivers, are as refreshing to the imagination, as to the soil through which they pass.

There are writers of great distinction, who have made it an argument for Providence, that the whole earth is covered with green rather than with any other colour, as being such a right mixture of light and shade, that it comforts and strengthens the eye, instead of weakening or grieving it. For this reson several painters have a green cloth hanging near them Quid purè tranquillet to ease the eye upon, after too great an appliHor. Ep. xviii. Lib. 1. 102. cation to their colouring. A famous modern What calms the breast, and makes the mind serene. philosopher* accounts for it in the following manner. All colours that are more luminous, In my last Saturday's paper I spoke of overpower and dissipate the animal spirits cheerfulness as it is a moral habit of the which are employed in sight; on the contrary, mind, and accordingly mentioned such mor- those that are more obscure do not give the al motives as are apt to cherish and keep animal spirits a sufficient exercise; whereas alive this happy temper in the soul of man the rays that produce in us the idea of green, I shall now consider cheerfulness in its na-fall upon the eye in such a due proportion, tural state, and reflect on those motives to it which are indifferent either as to virtue or

vice.

that they give the animal spirits their proper play, and, by keeping up the struggle in a just balance, excite a very pleasing and agreeable sensation. Let the cause be what it will, the effect is certain; for which reason, the poets ascribe to this particular colour the epithet of

Cheerfulness is, in the first place, the best promoter of health. Repinings, and secret murmurs of heart, give imperceptible strokes to those delicate fibres of which the vital cheerful. parts are composed, and wear out the machine To consider further this double end in the insensibly; not to mention those violent fer- works of nature, and how they are at the same ments which they stir up in the blood, and time both useful and entertaining, we find that those irregular disturbed motions which they the most important parts in the vegetable raise in the animal spirits. I scarce remem- world are those which are the most beautiful. ber, in my own observation, to have met with These are the seeds by which the several races many old men, or with such, who (to use our of plants are propagated and continued, and English phrase) wear well, that had not at which are always lodged in flowers or blosleast a certain indolence in their humour, if soms. Nature seems to hide her principal denot a more than ordinary gaiety and cheerfulness of heart. The truth of it is, health and

"Sir Isaac Newton.

« AnteriorContinuar »