to express. Her life is designed wholly do- Fidelia, who gives him up her youth, does mestic, and she is so ready a friend and com- not think it any great sacrifice to add to it the panion, that every thing that passes about a spoiling of her dress. Her care and exactman is accompanied with the idea of her pre-ness in her habit convince her father of the sence. Her sex also is naturally so much ex-alacrity of her mind; and she has of all woposed to hazard, both as to fortune and inno-men the best foundation for affecting the praise cence, that there is perhaps a new cause of of a seeming negligence. What adds to the fondness arising from that consideration also. entertainment of the good old man is, that None but fathers can have a true sense of Fidelia, where merit and fortune cannot be these sort of pleasures and sensations; but overlooked by epistolary lovers, reads over my familarity with the father of Fidelia, the accounts of her conquests, plays on her makes me let drop the words which I have spinet the gayest airs, (and while she is doing heard him speak, and observe upon his ten-so you would think her formed only for galderness towards her. lantry) to intimate to him the pleasures she despises for his sake. MR. SPECTATOR, Fidelia, on her part, as I was going to say, as accomplished as she is, with all her beauty, Those who think themselves the pattern of wit, air, and mien, employs her whole time in good-breeding and gallantry would be astoeare and attendance upon her father. How nished to hear that, in those intervals when have I been charmed to see one of the most the old gentleman is at ease, and can bear beautiful women the age has produced, on company, there are at his house, in the most her knees, helping on an old man's slipper! Her regular order, assemblies of people of the filial regard to him is what she makes her di- highest merit; where there is conversation version, her business, and her glory. When without mention of the faults of the absent, she was asked by a friend of her deceased benevolence between men and women without mother to admit of the courtship of her son, passion, and the highest subjects of morality she answered, that she had a great respect and treated of as natural and accidental discourse; gratitude to her for the overture in behalf of all which is owing to the genius of Fidelia, one so dear to her, but that during her father's who at once makes her father's way to anolife she would admit into her heart no value ther world easy, and herself capable of being for any thing that should interfere with her an honour to his name in this. endeavour to make his remains of life as happy and easy as could be expected in his circumstances. The lady admonished her of the 'I was the other day at the Bear-garden, in prime of life with a smile; which Fidelia an- hopes to have seen your short face; but not swered with a frankness that always attends being so fortunate, I must tell you, by way of unfeigned virtue: 'It is true, madam, there letter, that there is a mystery among the gladiare to be sure very great satisfactions to be ators which has escaped your spectatorial peexpected in the commerce of a man of honour, netration. For, being in a box at an ale-house whom one tenderly loves; but I find so much near that renowned seat of honour above-mensatisfaction in the reflection, how much I miti- tioned, I overheard two masters of the science gate a good man's pains, whose welfare de-agreeing to quarrel on the next opportunity. pends upon my assiduity about him, that I This was to happen in a company of a set of willingly exclude the loose gratifications of the fraternity of basket-hilts, who were to passion for the solid reflections of duty. meet that evening. When this was settled, know not whether any man's wife would be one asked the other, "Will you give cuts or allowed, and (what I still more fear) I know receive?" The other answered, "Receive." not whether I, a wife, should be willing to be It was replied, "Are you a passionate man?" so officious as I am at present about my pa-"No, provided you cut no more nor no deeper rent.' The happy father has her declaration than we agree.' I thought it my duty to acthat she will not marry during his life, and quaint you with this, that the people may not the pleasure of seeing that resolution not un-pay their money for fighting, and be cheated. easy to her. Were one to paint filial affection in its utmost beauty, he could not have a T. more lively idea of it than in beholding Fi delia serving her father at his hours of rising, No. 450.] meals, and rest. Your humble servant, Wednesday, August 6, 1712, -Quærenda pecunia primùm, Virtus post nummos. Hor. Ep. i. Lib. 1. 53 Get money, money still; MR. SPECTATOR, Pope. When the general crowd of female youth are consulting their glasses, peparing for balls, assemblies, or plays; for a young lady, who could be regarded among the foremost in those places, either for her person, wit, fortune, 'or conversation, and yet contemn all these entertainments, to sweeten the 'ALL men through different paths, make heavy hours of a decrepid parent, is a resig-at the same common thing, money; and it is nation truly heroic. Fidelia performs the duty to her we owe the politician, the merchant, and of a nurse with all the beauty of a bride; the lawyer; nay, to be free with you, I benor does she neglect her person, because of lieve to that also we are beholden for our Specher attendance on him, when he is too ill to tator. I am apt to think, that could we look receive company, to whom she may make an into our own hearts, we should see money enappearance. graved in them in more lively and moving VOL. II. 23 characters than self-preservation; for who can ter nor worse by nature than generally other reflect upon the merchant hoisting sail in a men are. doubtful pursuit of her, and all mankind sa- In the year 1665, when the sickness was, crificing their quiet to her, but must perceive I lost by it my wife and two children, which that the characters of self-preservation (which were all my stock. Probably I might have were doubtless originally the brightest) are had more, considering I was married between sullied, if not wholly defaced; and that those four and five years; but finding her to be a of money (which at first was only valuable teeming woman, I was careful, as having then as a mean to security) are of late so brighten- little above a brace of thousand pounds to cared, that the characters of self-preservation, ry on my trade and maintain a family with. I like a less light set by a greater, are become loved them as usually men do their wives and almost imperceptible? Thus has money got children, and therefore could not resist the the upper-hand of what all mankind formerly first impulses of nature on so wounding a loss; thought most dear, viz. security: and I wish but I quickly roused myself, and found means I could say she had here put a stop to her vic-to alleviate, and at last conquer, my affliction, tories; but, alas! common honesty fell a sa- by reflecting how that she and her children crifice to her. This is the way scholastic men having been no great expense to me, the best talk of the greatest good in the world: but I, part of her fortune was still left; that my a tradesman, shall give you another account charge being reduced to myself, a journeyof this matter in the plain narrative of my man, and a maid, I might live far cheaper than own life. I think it proper, in the first place, before; and that being now a childless widto acquaint my readers, that since my set-ower, I might perhaps marry a no less deservting out in the world, which was in the year ing woman, and with a much better fortune 1660, I never wanted money; having begun than she brought, which was but 8001. And, with an indifferent good stock in the tobac-to convince my readers that such consideraco-trade, to which I was bred; and by the tions as these were proper and apt to produce continual successes it has pleased Providence such an effect, I remember it was the constant to bless my endeavours with. I am at last observation at that deplorable time, when arrived at what they call a plum. To uphold so many hundreds were swept away daily, my discourse in the manner of your wits or that the rich ever bore the loss of their famiphilosophers, by speaking fine things, or lies and relations far better than the poor; the drawing inferences, as they pretend, from the latter, having little or nothing before-hand, and nature of the subject, I account it vain; hav-living from hand to mouth, placed the whole ing never found any thing in the writings of comfort and satisfaction of their lives in their such men, that did not savour more of the in-wives and children, and were therefore inconvention of the brain, or what is styled specu-solable. lation, than of sound judgment or profitable The following year happened the fire; at observation. I will readily grant indeed, that which time, by good providence, it was my there is what the wits call natural in their talk; fortune to have converted the greatest part which is the utmost those curious authors can of my effects into ready money, on the prosassume to themselves, and is indeed all they pect of an extraordinary advantage which I endeavour at, for they are but lamentable was preparing to lay hold on. This calamity teachers. And what, I pray, is natural? That was very terrible and astonishing, the fury of which is pleasing and easy. And what are the flames being such, that whole streets, at pleasing and easy? Forsooth, a new thought, several distant places, were destroyed at one or conceit dressed up in smooth quaint lan- and the same time, so that (as it is well known) guage, to make you smile and wag your head, almost all our citizens were burnt out of what as being what you never imagined before, and they had. But what did I then do? I did not yet wonder why you had not; mere frothy stand gazing on the ruins of our noble metroamusements, fit only for boys or silly women polis; I did not shake my head, wring my to be caught with. hands, sigh and shed tears; I considered with 'It is not my present intention to instruct myself what could this avail; I fell a-plodding my readers in the methods of acquiring riches; what advantages might be made of the ready that may be the work of another essay; but cash 1 had; and immediately bethought myto exhibit the real and solid advantages I have self that wonderful pennyworths might be found by them in my long and manifold expe- bought of the goods that were saved out of the rience; nor yet all the advantages of so wor-fire. In short, with about 2000l. and a little thy and valuable a blessing, (for who does credit, I bought as much tobacco as raised my not know or imagine the comforts of being estate to the value of 10,0007, I then lookwarm or living at ease, and that power and ed on the ashes of our city, and the misery of pre-eminence are their inseparable attend-its late inhabitants, as an effect of the just ants?) but only to instance the great sup-wrath and indignation of heaven towards a ports they afford us under the severest cala-sinful and perverse people." mities and misfortune; to show that the love 'After this I married again; and that wife of them is a special antidote against immo-dying, I took another; but both proved to be rality and vice; and that the same does like-idle baggages: the first gave me a great deal wise naturally dispose men to actions of piety of plague and vexation by her extravagancies, and devotion All which I can make out by and I became one of the by-words of the city, my own experience, who think myself no ways I knew it would be to no manner of purpose particular from the rest of mankind, nor bet-to go about to curb the fancies and inclina tions of women, which fly out the more for ploy his thoughts on every moment of the day; being restrained; but what I could I did; Iso that I cannot call to mind, that in all the watched her narrowly, and by good luck found time I was a husband, which, off and on, was her in the embraces (for which I had two wit-above twelve years, I ever once thought of my nesses with me) of a wealthy spark of the wives but in bed. And, lastly, for religion, I court-end of the town; of whom I recovered have ever been a constant churchman, both 15,000l. which made me amends for what forenoons and afternoons on Sundays, never she had idly squandered, and put a silence to forgetting to be thankful for any gain or adall my neighbours, taking off my reproach by vantage I had had that day; and on Saturday the gain they saw I had by it. The last died nights, upon casting up my accounts, I always about two years after I married her, in labour was grateful for the sum of my week's profits, of three children. I conjecture they were be- and at Christmas for that of the whole year. got by a country kinsman of hers, whom, at It is true, perhaps, that my devotion has not her recommendation, I took into my family, been the most fervent; which, I think, ought to and gave wages to as a journeyman. What be imputed to the evenness and sedateness of my this creature expended in delicacies and high temper, which never would admit of any imdiet with her kinsman (as well as I could com- petuosities of any sort and I can remember, pute by the poulterer's fishmonger's, and gro-that in my youth and prime of manhood, when cer's bills,) amounted in the said two years to my blood ran brisker, I took greater pleasure one hundred eighty-six pounds four shillings in religious exercises than at present or many and fivepence half-penny. The fine apparel, years past, and that my devotion sensibly debracelets, lockets, and treats, &c. of the clined as age, which is dull and unwieldy, other, according to the best calculation, came, in three years and about three quarters, to 'I have, I hope, here proved, that the love seven hundred forty-four pounds seven shil- of money prevents all immorality and vice; lings and nine-pence. After this I resolved which if you will not allow, you must, that the never to marry more, and found I had been a pursuit of it obliges men to the same kind gainer by my marriages, and the damages of life as they would follow if they were really granted me for the abuses of my bed (all char-virtuous; which is all I have to say at present, ges deducted) eight thousand three hundred only recommending to you, that you would think of it, and turn ready wit into ready mopounds, within a trifle I conclude, ney as fast as you can. 'Your servant, came upon me. T. 'EPHRAIM WEED. Thursday, August 7, 1712. -Jam sævus apertam In rabiam cæpit verti jocus, et per honestas Hor. Ep. i. Lib. 2. 148. -Times corrupt, and nature ill inclin'd THERE is nothing so scandalous to a govern I come now to show the good effects of the love of money on the lives of men, towards rendering them honest, sober, and religious. When I was a young man, I had a mind to make the best of my wits, and over-reached a No. 451.] country chap in a parcel of unsound goods; to whom, upon his ubraiding, and threatening to expose me for it, I returned the equivalent of his loss; and upon his good advice, wherin he clearly demonstrated the folly of such artifices, which can never end but in shame, and the ruin of all correspondence, I never after transgressed. Can your courtiers, who take bribes, or your lawyers or physicians in their practice, or even the divines who intermeddle in worldly affairs, boast of making but one slipment, and detestable in the eyes of all good in their lives, and of such a thorough and last-men, as defamatory papers and pamphlets; ing reformation? Since my coming into the but at the same time there is nothing so diffiworld I do not remember I was ever overtaken cult to tame as a satirical author. An angry in drink, save nine times, once at the christ-writer who cannot appear in print, naturally ening of my first child, thrice at our city feasts, vents his spleen in libels and lampoons. A and five times of driving of bargains. My re-gay old woman, says the fable, seeing all her formation I can attribute to nothing so much wrinkles represented in a large looking-glass, as the love and esteem of money, for I found threw it upon the ground in a passion, and myself to be extravagant in my drink, and apt broke it in a thousand pieces; but as she was to turn projector, and make rash bargains. As afterwards surveying the fragments with a for women. I never knew any except my wives: spiteful kind of pleasure, she could not forbear for my reader must know, and it is what he uttering the following soliloquy. What have. may confide in as an excellent recipe, that the I got by this revengeful blow of mine? I have love of business and money is the greatest mor- only multiplied my deformity, and see an tifier of inordinate desires imaginable, as em-hundred ugly faces, where before I saw but ploying the mind continually in the careful one.' oversight of what one has in the eager quest It has been proposed, to oblige every person after more, in looking after the negligences that writes a book, or a paper, to swear himand deceits of servants, in the due entering self the author of it, and enter down in a puband stating of accounts, in hunting after chaps, lic register his name and place of abode. and in the exact knowledge of the state of This indeed would have effectually suppresmarkets; which things whoever thoroughly sed all printed scandal, which generally apattends to, will find enough and enough to em- pears under borrowed names, or under none at all. But it is to be feared that such an ex-looked upon to have the shrewdest pen. By pedient would not only destroy scandal, but this means the honour of families are ruined; learning. It would operate promiscuously, and the highest posts and the greatest titles are root up the corn and tares together. Not to rendered cheap and vile in the sight of the mention some of the most celebrated works of people; the noblest virtues and most exalted piety, which have proceeded from anonymous parts exposed to the contempt of the vicious authors, who have made it their merit to con- and the ignorant. Should a foreigner, who vey to us so great a charity in secret; there are knows nothing of our private factions, or one few works of genius that come out at first with who is to act his part in the world when our the author's name. The writer generally makes present heats and animosities are forgota trial of them in the world before he owns should, I say, such an one form to himself a them; and, I believe, very few, who are capa- notion of the greatest men of all sides in the ble of writing, would set pen to paper, if they British nation, who are now living, from the knew beforehand that they must not publish characters which are given them in some or their productions but on such conditions. For other of those abominable writings which are my own part, I must declare, the papers I pre-daily published among us, what a nation of sented the public are like fairy favours, which monsters must we appear! shall last no longer than while the author is As this cruel practice tends to the utter subconcealed. version of all truth and humanity among us, That which makes it particularly difficult to it deserves the utmost detestation and discourestrain these sons of calumny and defamation ragement of all who have either the love of is, that all sides are equally guilty of it, and their country, or the honour of their religion that every dirty scribbler is countenanced by at heart. I would therefore earnestly recomgreat names, whose interests he propagates by mend it to the consideration of those who deal such vile and infamous methods. I have nev-in these pernicious arts of writing, and of those er yet heard of a ministry who have inflicted who take pleasure in the reading of them. As an exemplary punishment on an author that for the first, I have spoken of them in former has supported their cause with falsehood and papers, and have not stuck to rank them with scandal, and treated, in a most cruel manner, the murderer and assassin. Every honest man the names of those who have been looked upon sets as high a value upon a good name, as upas their rivals and antagonists. Would a go- on life itself; and I cannot but think that those vernment set an everlasting mark of their dis- who privily assault the one, would destroy the pleasure upon one of those infamous writers, other, might they do it with the same security who makes his court to them by tearing to pie- and impunity. ces the reputation of a competitor, we should As for persons who take pleasure in the quickly see an end put to this race of vermin, reading and dispersing such detestable libels, that are a scandal to government, and a re- I am afraid they fall very little short of the proach to human nature. Such a proceeding guilt of the first composers. By a law of the would make a minister of state shine in his- emperors Valentinian and Valens, it was made tory, and would fill all mankind with a just death for any person not only to write a libel, abhorrence of persons who should treat him but, if he met with one by chance, not to tear unworthily, and employ against him those arms or burn it. But because I would not be which he scorned to make use of against his thought singular in my opinion of this matter, enemies. I shall conclude my paper with the words of I cannot think that any one will be so un-monsieur Bayle, who was a man of great freejust as to imagine, what I have here said is spo-dom of thought, as well as of exquisite learnken with respect to any party or faction, Eve-ing and judgment. ry one who has in him the sentiments either of I cannot imagine, that a man who disperses a Christian or gentleman, cannot but be high a libel, is less desirous of doing mischief than ly offended at this wicked and ungenerous prac- the author himself. But what shall we say of tice, which is so much in use among us at pre- the pleasure which a man takes in the reading sent, that it is become a kind of national crime, of a defamatory libel? Is it not a henious sin and distinguishes us from all the governments in the sight of God? We must distinguish in that lie about us. I cannot but look upon the this point. The pleasure is either an agreeable finest strokes of satire which are aimed at par-sensation we are affected with, when we meet ticular persons, and which are supported even with a witty thought which is well expressed, with the appearances of truth, to be the marks or it is a joy which we conceive from the disof an evil mind, and highly criminal in them- honour of the person who is defamed. I will selves. Infamy, like other punishments, is say nothing to the first of these cases; for perunder the direction and distribution of the a-haps some would think that my morality is gistrate, and not of any private person. Ac-not severe enough, if I should affirm that a cordingly we learn, from a fragment of Cicero, man is not master of those agreeable sensathat though there were very few capital pu- tions, any more than of those occasioned by nishments in the twelve tables, a libel or lam-sugar or honey, when they touch his tongue; poon, which took away the good name of but as to the second, every one will own that another, was to be punished by death. But pleasure to be a heinous sin. The pleasure in this is far from being our case. Our satire is the first case is of no continuance; it prevents nothing but ribaldry and billingsgate. Scur-Jour reason and reflection, and may be immerility passes for wit; and he who can call diately followed by a secret grief, to see our names in the greatest variety of phrases, is neighbour's honour blasted. If it does not cease immediately, it is a sign that we are not which it passes through, our time lies heavy displeased with the ill-nature of the satirist, on our hands till the arrival of a fresh mail: but are glad to see him defame his enemy by we long to receive further particulars, to hear all kinds of stories; and then we deserve the what will be the next step, or what will be the punishment to which the writer of the libel is consequences of that which we have already subject. I shall here add the words of a mo- taken. A westerly wind keeps the whole town dern author. St. Gregory, upon excommu- in suspense, and puts a stop to conversation. nicating those writers who had dishonoured This general curiosity has been raised and Castorius, does not except those who read inflamed by our late wars, and, if rightly ditheir works; because, says he, if calumnies rected, might be of good use to a person who have always been the delight of their hearers, has such a thirst awakened in him. Why and a gratification of those persons who have should not a man, who takes delight in readno other advantage over honest men, is not he ing every thing that is new, apply himself to who takes pleasure in reading them as guilty history, travels, and other writings of the same as he who composed them? It is an uncontest-kind, where he will find perpetual fuel for his ed maxim, that they who approve an action, curiosity, and meet with much more pleasure would certainly do it if they could; that is, if and improvement than in these papers of the some reason of self-love did not hinder them. week? An honest tradesman, who languishes There is no difference says Cicero, between a whole summer in expectation of a battle, and advising a crime, and approving it when com- perhaps is baulked at last, may here meet mitted. The Roman law confirmed this max- with half a dozen in a day. He may read the im, having subjected the approvers and au- news of a whole campaign in less time than thors of this evil to the same penalty. We may he now bestows upon the products of a single therefore conclude, that those who are pleased post. Fights, conquests, and revolutions, lie with reading defamatory libels, so far as to thick together. The reader's curiosity is raised approve the authors and dispersers of them, and satisfied every moment, and his passions are as guilty as if they had composed them; disappointed or gratified, without being defor, if they do not write such libels themselves, it is because they have not the talent of writing, or because they will run no hazard.' The author produces other authorities to confirm his judgment in this particular. C. tained in a state of uncertainty from day to day, or lying at the mercy of the sea and wind; in short, the mind is not here kept in a perpetual gape after knowledge, nor punished with that eternal thirst, which is the portion of all our modern news-mongers and coffeehouse politicians. All matters of fact, which a man did not know before, are news to him; and do not see how any haberdasher in Cheapside is more concerned in the present quarrel of the Cantons, than he was in that of the League. At least, I believe, every one will allow me, it is of more importance to an Englishman to know the history of his ancestors, than that of his contemporaries who live upon the banks of the Danube or the Borysthenes. As for those who are of another mind, I shall recommend to them the following letter from a projector, who is willing to turn a penny by this remarkable curiosity of his countrymen. Human nature is fond of novelty. THERE is no humour in my countrymen, which I am more inclined to wonder at, than their general thirst after news. There are about half a dozen ingenious men, who live very plentifully upon this curiosity of their fellow-subjects. They all of them receive the same advices from abroad, and very often in the same words; but their way of cooking it is so very different, that there is no citizen, who has an eye to the public good, that can leave the coffee-house with a peace of mind, before he has given every one of them a read- You must have observed, that men who ing. These several dishes of news are so very frequent coffee-houses, and delight in news, agreeable to the palate of my countrymen, are pleased with every thing that is matter that they are not only pleased with them when of fact, so it be that they have not heard bethey are served up hot, but when they are fore. A victory or a defeat, are equally agreeagain set cold before them, by those pene- able to them. The shutting of a cardinal's trating politicians who oblige the public with mouth pleases them one post, and the opentheir reflections and observations upon every ing of it another. They are glad to hear piece of intelligence that is sent us from abroad. the French court is removed to Marli, and are The text is given us by one set of writers, and afterwards as much delighted with its return the comment by another. to Versailles. They read the advertisements MR. SPECTATOR, But notwithstanding we have the same tale with the same curiosity as the articles of public told us in so many different papers, and if ac-news; and are as pleased to hear of a pie-bald casion requires, in so many articles of the same horse that is strayed out of a field near Islingpaper; notwithstanding, in a scarcity of foreign ton, as of a whole troop that have been enposts, we hear the same story repeated by dif-gaged in any foreign adventure. In short, ferent advices from Paris, Brussels, the Hague, they have a relish for every thing that is and from every great town in Europe; not-news, let the matter of it be what it will; withstanding the multitude of annotations, ex- or, to speak more properly, they are men of planations, reflections, and various readings a voracious appetite, but no taste. Now, sir, |