cy, as well as to our reason, in these treatises | hundred times less than a mite, or to compare of metals, minerals, plants, and meteors. But in his thoughts a length of a thousand diamewhen we survey the whole earth at once, and ters of the earth, with that of a million, and the several planets that lie within its neigh- he will quickly find that he has no different bourhood, we are filled with a pleasing asto-measures in his mind adjusted to such extranishment, to see so many worlds, hanging one ordinary degrees of grandeur or minuteness, above another, and sliding round their axles The understanding, indeed, opens an infinite in such an amazing pomp and solemnity. If, space on every side of us; but the imaginaafter this, we contemplate those wild fields tion, after a few faint efforts, is immediately at of æther, that reach in height as far as from a stand, and finds herself swallowed up in the Saturn to the fixed stars, and run abroad al- immensity of the void that surrounds it. Our most to an infinitude, our imagination finds reason can pursue a particle of matter through its capacity filled with so immense a prospect, an infinite variety of divisions; but the fancy and puts itself upon the stretch to comprehend [soon loses sight of it, and feels in itself a kind it. But if we yet rise higher, and consider of chasm, that wants to be filled with matter the fixed stars as so many vast oceans of flame, of a more sensible bulk. We can neither withat are each of them attended with a differ- den nor contract the faculty to the dimension ent set of planets, and still discover new fir- of either extreme. The object is too big for maments and new lights that are sunk farther our capacity, when we would comprehend the in those unfathonable depths of æther, so as not circumference of a world; and dwindles into to be seen by the strongest of our telescopes, nothing, when we endeavour after the idea we are lost in such a labyrinth of suns and of an atom. worlds, and confounded with the immensity and magnificence of nature. It is possible this defect of imagination may not be in the soul itself, but as it acts in conNothing is more pleasant to the fancy, than junction with the body. Perhaps there may to enlarge itself by degrees, in its contempla- not be room in the brain for such a variety of tion of the various proportions which its seve-impressions, or the animal spirits may be inral objects bears to each other, when it com- capable of figuring them in such a manner as pares the body of man to the bulk of the whole is necessary to excite so very large or very earth, the earth to the circle it describes round minute ideas. However it be, we may well the sun, that circle to the sphere of the fixed suppose that beings of a higher nature very stars, the sphere of the fixed stars to the cir- much excel us in this respect, as it is probable cuit of the whole creation, the whole creation the soul of man will be infinitely more peritself to the infinite space that is every where fect hereafter in this faculty, as well as in all diffused about it; or when the imagination the rest; insomuch that, perhaps, the imagiworks downward, and considers the bulk of a nation will be able to keep pace with the human body in respect of an animal a hun-understanding, and to form in itself distinct dred times less than a mite, the particular ideas of all the different modes and quantilimbs of such an animal, the different springs ties of space. that actuate the limbs, the spirits which set the springs a-going, and the proportionable minute PAPER XI. ness of these several parts, before they have No. 421.] Thursday, July 8, 1712. shall contain within those narrow dimensions 0. ON THE PLEASURES OF THE IMAGINATION. He sought fresh fountains in a foreign soil; THE pleasures of the imagination are not wholly confined to such particular authors as I have dwelt the longer on this subject, be-are conversant in material objects, but are cause I think it may show us the proper limits, often to be met with among the polite masters as well as the defectiveness of our imagination; of morality, criticism, and other speculations how it is confined to a very small quantity of abstracted from matter, who, though they do space, and immediately stopt in its operation, not directly treat of the visible parts of nawhen it endeavours to take in any thing that is very great or very little. Let a man try to conceive the different bulk of an animal, which is twenty, from another which is an Vid ed, in folio. ture, often draw from them their similitudes, metaphors, and allegories. By these allusions, a truth in the understanding is, as it were, reflected by the imagination; we are able to see something like colour and shape in a notion, and to discover a scheme of thoughts traced out upon matter. And here the mind receives more glorious shews and apparitions than can a great deal of satisfaction, and has two of its be found in any part of it. faculties gratified at the same time, while the We have now discovered the several origithe fancy is busy in copying after the under-nals of those pleasures that gratify the fancy; standing, and transcribing ideas out of the in-and here, perhaps, it would not be very diffitellectual world into the material. cult to cast under their proper heads those The great art of a writer shows itself in the contrary objects, which are apt to fill it with choice of pleasing allusions, which are gene-distaste and terror; for the imagination is as rally to be taken from the great or beautiful liable to pain as pleasure. When the brain works of art or nature; for, though whatever is hurt by any accident, or the mind disoris new or uncommon is apt to delight the ima- dered by dreams or sickness, the fancy is overgination, the chief design of an allusion being run with wild dismal ideas, and terrified with to illustrate and explain the passages of an a thousand hideous monsters of its own framauthor, it should be always borrowed from ing. what is more known and common than the passages which are to be explained. Eumenidum veluti demens videt agmina Pentheus, Virg. En. 469. Like Pentheus, when distracted with his fear, Dryden. Allegories, when well chosen, are like so many tracks of light in a discourse, that make every thing about them clear and beautiful. A noble metaphor, when it is placed to an adgantage, casts a kind of glory round it, and darts a lastre through a whole sentence. These different kinds of allusion are but so many different manners of similitude; and that they may please the imagination, the likeness ought to be very exact or very agreeable, as we love to set a picture where the resemblance is just, or the posture and air graceful. But we often find eminent writers There is not a sight in nature so mortifying very faulty in this respect: great scholars are as that of a distracted person, when his imagi apt to fetch their comparisons and allusions nation is troubled, and is whole soul disordered from the sciences in which they are most and confused. Babylon in ruins is not so meconversant, so that a man may see the com-lancholy a spectacle. But to quit so disagreepass of their learning in a treatise on the able a subject, I shall only consider, by way most indifferent subject. I have read a dis- of conclusion, what an infinate advantage this course upon love, which none but a profound faculty gives an almighty Being over the soul chymist could understand, and have heard of man, and how great a measure of happiness many a sermon that should only have been or misery we are capable of receiving from preached before a congregation of Cartesians. the imagination only. On the contrary, your men of business usually have recourse to such instances as are too mean and familiar. They are for drawing the reader into a game of chess or tennis, or for leading him from shop to shop, in the cant of particular trades and employments. It is certain, there may be found an infinite variety of very agreeable allusions in both these kinds; but, for the generality, the most entertaining ones lie in the works of nature, which are obvious to all capacities, and more delightful than what is to be found in arts and sciences. We have already seen the influence that one man has over the fancy of another, and with what ease he conveys into it a variety of imagery: how great a power then may we suppose lodged in Him who knows all the ways of affecting the imagination, who can infuse what ideas he pleases, and fill those ideas with terror and delight to what degree he thinks fit! He can excite images in the mind without the help of words and, make scenes rise up before us, and seem present to the eye, without the assistance of bodies or exterior objects, He can transport the imagination with such beauIt is this talent of affecting the imagination tiful and glorious visions as cannot possibly that gives an embellishment to good sense, and enter into our present conceptions, or haunt makes one man's composition more agreeable it with such ghastly spectres and apparitions, than another's It sets off all writings in gen- as would make us hope for annihilation, and eral, but is the very life and highest perfection think existence no better than a curse. In of poetry, where it shines in an eminent de- short, he can so exquisitely ravish or torture gree it has preserved several poems for ma- [the soul through this single faculty, as might ny ages, that have nothing else to recommend suffice to make the whole heaven or hell of them; and where all the other beauties are any finite being. present, the work appears dry and insipid, if [This essay on the Pleasures of the Imaginathis single one be wanting. It has something tion having been published in separate pain it like creation. It bestows a kind of exist-pers, shall conclude it with a table of the ence, and draws up to the reader's view seve-principal contents of each paper.*] 0. ral objects which are not to be found in being. It makes additions to nature, and gives great er variety to God's works. In a word, it is *These contents are printed all together in the original able to beautify and adorn the most illustrious folio, at the end of No. 421; but are in this edition arranged in their proper places, and placed at the beginnings scenes in the universe, or to fill the mind with of the several papers. No. 422.] Friday, July 4, 1712. Hæc scripsi non otii abundantiâ, sed amoris ergate. I have written this, not out of the abundance of leisure but of my affection towards you. made a fool by his own consent, and not exposed as such whether he will or no. I take it therefore, that to make raillery agreeable, a man must either know he is rallied, or think never the worse of himself if he sees he is. I Do not know any thing which gives greater Acetus is of a quite contrary genius, and is disturbance to conversation, than the false no-more generally admired than Callisthenes, but tion which people have of raillery. It ought, not with justice. Acetus has no regard to the certainly, to be the first point to be aimed at modesty or weakness of the person he rallies; in society, to gain the good-will of those with but if his quality or humility gives him any whom you converse; the way to that is, to superiority of the man he would fall upon, he show you are well inclined towards them. has no mercy in making the onset. He can What then can be more absurd, than to set up be pleased to see his best friends out of counfor being extremely sharp and biting, as the tenance, while the laugh is loud in his own term is, in your expressions to your families applause. His raillery always puts the comA man who has no good quality but courage, pany into little divisions and separate interis in a very ill way towards making an agree-ests, while that of Callisthenes cements it, and ́able figure in the world, because that which makes every man not only better pleased with he has superior to other people cannot be ex- himself, but also with all the rest in the conerted without raising himself an enemy. Your versation. gentleman of a satirical vein is in the like To rally well, it is absolutely necessary that condition. To say a thing which perplexes kindness must run through all you say; and the heart of him you speak to, or brings blush-you must ever preserve the character of a es into his face, is a degree of murder; and it friend to support your pretensions to be free is, I think, an unpardonable offence to show a with a man. Acetus ought to be banished man you do not care whether he is pleased hnman society, because he raises his mirth or displeased. But won't you then take a upon giving pain to the person upon whom jest?-Yes: but pray let it be a jest. It is he is pleasant. Nothing but the malevolence no jest to put me, who am so unhappy as to which is too general towards those who exbave an utter aversion to speaking to more cel could make his company tolerated; but than one man at a time, under a nescessity they with whom he converses are sure to to explain my self in much company, and re-see some man sacraficed wherever he is adducing me to shame and derision, except I mitted; and all the credit he has for wit, is perform what my infirmity of silence disables owing to the gratification it gives to other me to do. men's ill-nature. Callisthenes has great wit accompanied with Minutius has a wit that conciliates a man's that quality without which a man can have no love, at the same time that it is exerted against wit at all-a sound judgment. This gentle- his faults. He has an art of keeping the perman rallies the best of any man I know: for he son he rallies in countenance, by insinuating forms his ridicule upon a circumstance which that he himself is guilty of the same imperyou are in your heart not unwilling to grant fection. This he does with so much address, him; to wit, that you are guilty of an excess that he seems rather to bewail himself, than in something which is in itself laudable. He fall upon his friend. very well understands what you would be, and It is really monstrous to see how unaccounneeds not fear your anger, for declaring tably it prevails among men, to take the liberty you are a little too much that thing. The of displeasing each other. One would think generous will bear being reproached as la- sometimes that the contention is, who shall be vish, and the valiant as rash, without being most disagreeable. Allusions to past follies, provoked to resentment against their moni- hints which revive what a man has a mind to tor. What has been said to be a mark of forget for ever, and desires that all the rest a good writer will fall in with the character of the world should, are commonly brought of a good companion. The good writer forth even in company of men of distinction. makes his reader better pleased with him- They do not thrust with the skill of fencers, self, and the agreeable man makes his friends but cut up with the barbarity of butchers. It enjoy themselves, rather than him, while he is, methinks, below the character of men of is in their company. Callisthenes does this humanity and good-manners to be capable with inimitable pleasantry. He whispered a of mirth while there is any of the company friend the other day so as to be overheard in pain and disorder. They who have the by a young officer who gave symptoms of cock-true taste of conversation, enjoy themselves ing upon the company, 'That gentleman has in communication of each other's excellenvery much the air of a general officer.' The cies, and not in a triumph over their imperyouth immediately put on a composed beha-fections, Fortius would have been reckonviour, and behaved himself suitably to the ed a wit, if there had never been a fool in the conceptions he believed the company had of world: he wants not foils to be a beauty, him. It is to be allowed that Callisthenes will but has that natural pleasure in observing make a man run into impertinent relations perfection in others, that his own faults are to his own advantage, and express the satis-overlooked out of gratitude by all his acfaction he has in his own dear self, till he is quaintance. very ridiculous; but in this case the man is After these several characters of men whe Peculiar therefore is her way, I shall not undertake to say, Or by experience bought; For who o'ernight obtain'd her grace And stare upon the strange man's face, So well she can the truth disguise Some censure this as lewd or low, No. 423.] Saturday, July 5, 1712. T. succeed or fail in raillery, it may not be amissing. "Damon," said he, with a deep sigh, to reflect a little further what one takes to be I have long languished for that miracle of the most agreeable kind of it; and that to me beauty, Gloriana; and if you will be very appears when the satire is directed against steadfastly my rival, I shall certainly obtain vice, with an air of contempt of the fault, her. Do not," continued he," be offended but no ill will to the criminal. Mr. Congreve's at this overture; for I go upon the knowledge Doris is a master piece in this kind. It is the of the temper of the woman, rather than any character of a woman utterly abandoned; vanity that I should profit by any opposition of but her impudence, by the finest piece of your pretensions to those of your humble serraillery, is made only generosity. vant. Gloriana has very good sense, a quick relish of the satisfactions of life, and will not give herself, as the crowd of women do, to the arms of a man to whom she is indifferent. As she is a sensible woman, expressions of rapture and adoration will not move her neither: but he that has her must be the object of her desire, not her pity. The way to this end I take to be, that a man's general conduct should be agreeable, without addressing in particular to the woman he loves. Now, sir, if you will be so kind as to sigh and die for Gloriana, I will carry it with great respect towards her, but seem void of any thoughts as a lover. By this means I shall be in the most amiable light of which I am capable; I shall be received with freedom, you with reserve." Damon who has himself no designs of marriage at all, easily fell into the scheme; and you may observe, that wherever you are, Damon appears also. You see he carries on an I LOOK upon myself as a kind of guardian to unaffected exactness in his dress and manner, the fair, and am always watchful to observe and strives also to be the very contrary of any thing which concerns their interest. The Strephon. They have already succeeded so present paper shall be employed in the ser- far, that your eyes are ever in search of Stre vice of a very fine young woman; and the ad-phon, and turn themselves of course from Damonitions I give her may not be unuseful to the mon. They meet and compare notes upon rest of her sex. Gloriana shall be the name of your carriage; and the letter which was the heroine in to-days entertainment; and brought to you the other day was a contriwhen I have told you that she is rich, witty, young and beautiful, you will believe she does not want admirers. She has had, since she came to town, about twenty-five of those lovers who made their addresses by way of jointure and settlement: these come and go with great indifference on both sides; and as beautiful as 'What I am concerned for, madam, is, that. she is, a line in a deed has had exception in the disposal of your heart, you should enough against it to outweigh the lustre of her know what you are doing, and examine it eyes, the readiness of her understanding, and before it is lost. Strephon contradicts you in the merit of her general character. But discourse with the civility of one who has a vaamong the crowd of such cool adorers, she lue for you, but gives up nothing like one that has two who are very assiduous in their at- loves you. This seeming unconcern gives his tendance. There is something so extraordi- behaviour the advantage of sincerity, and innary and artful in their manner of application, sensibly obtains your good opinion by appearthat I think it but common justice to alarm ing disinterested in the purchase of it. If you her in it. I have do phit in the following let-watch these correspondents hereafter, you will ter: -Nuper idoneus. Once fit myself. 'MADAM, Hor. Od. xxvi. Lib 3. 1. vance to remark your resentment. When you saw the billet subscribed Damon, and turned away with a scornful air, and cried " 'impertinence!" you gave hopes to him that shuns you, without mortifying him that languishes for you. find that Strephon makes his visit of civility immediately after Damon has tired you with 'I have for some time taken notice of two one of love. Though you are very discreet, gentlemen who attend you in all public places, you will find it no easy matter to escape the both of whom have also easy access to you at toils so well laid; as, when one studies to be your own house. The matter is adjusted be- disagreeable in passion, the other to be pleastween them; and Damon, who so passionately ing without it. All the turns of your temper addresses you, has no design upon you; but are carefully watched, and their quick and Strephon, who seems to be indifferent to you, faithful intelligence gives your lovers irresisis the man who is, as they have settled it, to tible advantage. You will please, madam, to have you. The plot was laid over a bottle of be upon your guard, and take all the neces wine; and Strephon, when he first thought of sary precautions against one who is amiable you, proposed to Damon to be his rival. The to you before you know he is enamoured. manner of his breaking of it to him, I was so placed at a tavern, that I could not avoid hearVOL. IF. 'I am, Madam, • Your most obedient servant." 19 Strephon makes great progress in this lady's of good-humour as they can; for though a good graces; for most women being actuated country life is described as the most pleasant by some little spirit of pride and contradic-of all others, and though it may in truth be so, tion, he has the good effects of both those yet it is so only to those who know how to enmotives by this covert way of courtship. He joy leisure and retirement. received a message yesterday from Damon in the following words, superscribed With speed.' All goes well; she is very angry at me, and I dare say hates me in earnest. It is a good time to visit. Yours.' As for those who cannot live without the constant helps of business or company, let them consider, that in the country there is no Exchange, there are no playhouses, no variety of coffee-houses, nor many of those other amusements which serve here as so many reliefs from the repeated occurences in their own families; but that there the greatest part of their time must be spent within themselves, and consequently it behoves them to consider how agreeable it will be to them be The comparison of Stephon's gayety to Damon's languishment strikes her imagination with a prospect of very agreeable hours with such a man as the former, and abhorrence of fore they leave this dear town. the insipid prospect with one like the latter. 'I remember Mr. Spectator, we were very To know when a lady is displeased with an-well entertained last year, with the advices other, is to know the best time of advancing you gave us from Sir Roger's country-seat; yourself. This method of two persons playing which I the rather mention, because it is alinto each others hand is so dangerous, that I most impossible not to live pleasantly, where cannot tell how a woman could be able to the master of the family is such a one as you withstand such a siege. The condition of there describe your friend, who cannot thereGloriana I am afraid is irretrievable; for Stre- fore, (I mean as to his domestic character) phon has had so many opportunities of pleas- be too often recommended to the imitation of ing without suspicion, that all which is left for others. How aimable is that affability and her to do is to bring him, now she is advised, benevolence with which he treats his neighto an explanation of his passion, and begin- bours, and every one, even the meanest of his ning again, if she can conquer the kind sen- own family! and yet how seldom imitated! timents she has conceived for him. When one shows himself a creature to be avoided, the other proper to be fled to for succour, they have the whole woman between them, and can occasionally rebound her love and hatred from one to the other, in such a manner as to keep her at a distance from all the rest of the world, and cast lots for the conquest. N. B. I have many other secrets which concern the empire of love; but I consider, that, while I alarm my women, I instruct my men. T. No. 424.] Monday, July 7, 1712. Instead of which we commonly meet with illnatured expostulations, noise, and chidings.And this I hinted, because the humour and disposition of the head is what chiefly influences all the other parts of a family. 'An agreement and kind correspondence between friends and acquaintance is the greatest pleasure of life. This is an undoubted truth; and yet any man who judges from the practice of the world will be almost persuaded to believe the contrary; for how can we suppose people should be so industrious to make themselves uneasy? What can engage them to entertain and foment jealousies of one another upon every the least occasion? Yet so it is, there are people who (as it should seem) delight in being troublesome and vexatious, who (as Tully speaks) Mirâ sunt alacritate ad litigandum, have a certain cheerfulness in London, June 24. wrangling.' And thus it happens, that there A MAN who has it in his power to choose are very few families in which there are not his own company, would certainly be much to feuds and animosities; though it is every one's blame, should he not, to the best of his judg-interest, there more particularly, to avoid ment, take such as are of a temper most suit- them, because there (as I would willingly able to his own; and where that choice is hope) no one gives aner uneasiness withwanting, or where a man is mistaken in his out feeling some share of it.-But I am gone choice, and yet under a necessity of continu- beyond what I designed, and had almost forgot ing in the same company, it will certainly be what I chiefly proposed: which was, barely his interest to carry himself as easily as pos- to tell you how hardly we, who pass most sible. of our time in town, dispense with a long · MR. SPECTATOR, 'In this I am sensible I do but repeat what vacation in the country, how uneasy we grow has been said a thousand times, at which how-to ourselves, and to one another, when our ever I think nobody has any title to take ex-conversation is coufined; insomuch that, by ception, but they who never failed to put this Michaelmas, it is odds but we come to downin practice. Not to use any longer preface, right squabbling, and make as free with one this being the season of the year in which another to our faces as we do with the rest of great numbers of all sorts of people retire the world behind their backs. After I have from this place of business and pleasure to told you this, I am to desire that you would .country solitude, I think it not improper to now and then give us a lesson of good-humour, advise them to take with them as great a stock a family-piece, which, since we are all very |