dancing relating to the ancient stage, in which | No. 335.] Tuesday, March 25, 1711-12. Respicere exemplar vitæ morumque jubebo the pantomimes had so great a share. Nor have I been wanting in giving an historical account of some particular masters excellent in that surprising art; after which I have advanced some Keep Nature's great original in view, observations on modern dancing, both as to the And thence the living images pursue.-Francis. stage, and that part of it so absolutely necessary for the qualification of gentlemen and ladies; My friend, Sir Roger de Coverly, when we and have concluded with some short remarks last met together at the club, told me that he on the origin and progress of the character by had a great mind to see the new tragedy* with which dances are writ down, and communicat-me assuring me at the same time, that he had not ed to one master from another. If some great been at a play these twenty years. The last genius after this would arise, and advance this I saw,' said Sir Roger, was The Committee, art to that perfection it seems capable of receiv- which I should not have gone to neither, had ing, what might not be expected from it? For, not I been told beforehand that it was a good if we considder the origin of arts and sciences, church of England comedy.' He then prowe shall find that some of them took rise from ceeded to inquire of me who this distrest mobeginnings so mean and unpromising, that it is ther was; and upon hearing that she was Hecvery wonderful to think that ever sueh surpris- tor's widow, he told me that her husband was ing structures should have been raised upon a brave man, and that when he was a schoolsuch ordinary foundations. But what cannot boy he had read his life at the end of the dica great genius effect? Who would have thought tionary. My friend asked me in the next that the clangorous noise of a smith's hammers place, if there would not be some danger in should have given the first rise to music? Yet coming home late, in case the Mohocks should Macrobius in his second book relates, that Py- be abroad. 'I assure you,' says he, 'I thought thagorus, in passing by a smith's shop, found I had fallen into their hands last night; for I that the sounds proceeding from the hammers observed two or three lusty black men that folwere either more grave or acute, according to lowed me half way up Fleet-street, and mendthe different weights of the hammers. The phi- ed their pace behind me, in proportion as I losopher, to improve this hint, suspends dif- put on to get away from them. You must ferent weights by strings of the same bigness, know,' continued the knight with a smile, 'I and found in like manner that the sounds an- fancied they had a mind to hunt me; for I swered to the weights. This being discovered, remember an honest gentleman in my neighhe finds out those numbers which produced bourhood, who was served such a trick in King sounds that were consonant: as that two strings Charle's the Second's time, for which reason of the same substance and tension, the one he has not ventured himself in town ever since. being double the length of the other, gave that I might have shown them very good sport, had interval which is called diapason, or an eighth: this been their design; for, as I am an old foxthe same was also effected from two strings of hunter, I should have turned and dodged, and the same length and size, the one having four have played them a thousand tricks they had times the tension of the other. By these steps, never seen in their lives before. Sir Roger from so mean a beginning, did this great man added, that if these gentlemen had any such reduce, what was only before noise, to one of intention, they did not succeed very well in it, the most delightful sciences, by marrying it to for I threw them out,' says he, at the end of the mathematics; and by that means caused it | Norfolk-street, where I doubled the corner, and to be one of the most abstract and demonstra- got shelter in my lodgings before they could tive of sciences. Who knows therefore but imagine what was become of me. However,' motion, whether decorous or representative, says the knight, if Captain Sentry will make may not (as it seems highly probable it one with us to-morrow night, and you will both may,) be taken into consideration by some of you call upon me about four o'clock, that we person capable of reducing it into a regular may be at the house before it is full, I will science, though not so demonstrative as that have my own coach in readiness to attend you, proceeding from sounds, yet sufficient to enti- for John tells me he has got the fore-wheels tle it to a place among the magnified arts? mended.' 'Now, Mr. Spectator, as you have declared The captain, who did not fail to meet me yourself visitor of dancing-schools, and this there at the appointed hour, bid Sir Roger fear being an undertaking which more immedately nothing, for that he had put on the same sword respects them, I think myself indispensably which he made use of at the battle of Steenobliged, before I proceed to the publication of kirk. Sir Roger's servants, and among the rest this my essay, to ask your advice; and hold it my old friend the butler, had, I found, provided absolutely necessary to have your approbation, in order to recommend' my treatise to the perusal of the parents of such as learn to dance, as well as to the young ladies, to whom as visitor, you ought to be guardian. 'I am, Sir, Your most humble servant.' Salop, March 10, 1711-12. " themselves with good oaken plants, to attend their master upon this occasion. When we had placed him in his coach, with myself at his lefthand, the captain before him, and his butler at the head of his footmen in the rear, we convoyed him in safety to the playhouse, where after having marched up the entry in good order, the * The Distrest Mother. captain and I went in with him, and seated him | were afterwards applauding Pyrrhus, Sir RoAnd let me tell betwixt us in the pit. As soon as the house was ger put in a second time. full, and the candles lighted, my old friend you, says he, though he speaks but little, I stood up, and looked about him with that plea- like the old fellow in whiskers as well as any sure which a mind seasoned with humanity na- of them.' Captain Sentry, seeing two or three turally feels in itself, at the sight of a multitude wags who sat near us lean with an attentive of people who seem pleased with one another, ear towards Sir Roger, and fearing lest they and partake of the same common entertain- should smoke the knight, plucked him by the ment. I could not but fancy to myself, as the elbow, and whispered something in his ear, old man stood up in the middle of the pit, that that lasted till the opening of the fifth act. he made a very proper centre to a tragic audi- The knight was wonderfully attentive to the ence. Upon the entering of Pyrrhus, the account which Orestes gives of Pyrrhus's knight told me, that he did not believe the death, and at the conclusion of it, told me it king of France himself had a better strut. I was such a bloody piece of work, that he was was indeed very attentive to my old friend's glad it was not done upon the stage. Secing remarks, because I looked upon them as a afterwards Orestes in his raving fit, he grew piece of natural criticism, and was well pleas- more than ordinarily serious, and took occaed to hear him, at the conclusion of almost sion to moralize (in his way) upon an evil every scene, telling me that he could not conscience, adding, that Orestes, in his madimagine how the play would end. One while ness, looked as if he saw something. he appeared much concerned for Andromache; As we were the first that came into the and a little while after as much for Hermione; house, so we were the last that went out of it; and was extremely puzzled to think what would become of Pyrrhus. man. L. being resolved to have a clear passage for our old friend, whom we did not care to venture When Sir Roger saw Andromache's obsti- among the justling of the crowd. Sir Roger nate refusal to her lover's importunities, he went out fully satisfied with his entertainment, whispered me in the ear, that he was sure she and we guarded him to his lodging in the would never have him; to which he added, same manner that we brought him to the playwith a more than ordinary vehemence, You house; being highly pleased for my own part, can't imagine, sir, what it is to have to do not only with the performance of the excelwith a widow.' Upon Pyrrhus's threatening lent piece which had been presented, but with afterwards to leave her, the knight shook his the satisfaction which it had given to the old head, and muttered to himself, Ay, do if you can.' This part dwelt so much upon my friend's imagination, that at the close of the third act, as I was thinking of something else, he whispered me in my ear, These widows, sir, are the most perverse creatures in the world. But pray,' says he, you that are a critic, is the play according to your dramatic rules, as you call them? Should your people in tragedy always talk to be understood? Why, there is not a single sentence in this play that I do not know the meaning of." No. 336.] Wednesday, March 26, 1711-12. -Clament periisse pudorem Cuncti pené patres: ea cum reprehendere coner, IMITATED. One tragic sentence if I dare deride, MR. SPECTATOR, The fourth act very luckily began before I had time to give the old gentleman an answer. 'Well,' says the knight, sitting down with great satisfaction, I suppose we are now to see Hector's ghost.' He then renewed his attention, and, from time to time, fell a-praising the widow. He made, indeed, a little mistake as to one ofher pages, whom at his first entering he took for Astyanax; but quickly set himself right in that particular, though, at the same 'As you are the daily endeavourer to protime, he owned he should have been very glad mote learning and good sense, I think myself to have seen the little boy, who, says he, must obliged to suggest to your consideration whatneeds be a very fine child by the account that ever may promote or prejudice them. There is given of him. Upon Hermione's going off is an evil which has prevailed from generawith a menace to Pyrrhus, the audience gave tion to generation, which gray hairs and a loud clap, to which Sir Roger added, On tyrannical custom continue to support: I hope my word, a notable young baggage!' your spectatorial authority will give a seaAs there was a very remarkable silence and sonable check to the spread of the infection; stillness in the audience during the whole ac- I mean old men's overbearing the strongest tion, it was natural for them to take the op- sense of their juniors by the mere force of portunity of the intervals between the acts to seniority; so that for a young man in the express their opinion of the players, and of bloom of life, and vigour of age, to give a their respective parts. Sir Roger, hearing a reasonable contradiction to his elders, is cluster of them praise Orestes, struck in with esteemed an unpardonable insolence, and rethem, and told them, that he thought his friend garded as reversing the decrees of nature. I Pylades was a very sensible man. As they am a young man, I confess; yet I honour the VOL. II. 4 5 gray head as much as any one; however, new bottles. I will speak that I may be rewhen, in company with old men, I hear freshed: I will open my lips and answer. Let them speak obscurely, or reason preposter- me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, ously (into which absurdities, prejudice, pride, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. or interest, will sometimes throw the wisest), For I know not to give flattering titles: in so 1 count it no crime to rectify their reason- doing my Maker would soon take me away.” ings, unless conscience must truckle to ceremony, and truth fall a sacrifice to complais MR. SPECTATOR, ance. The strongest arguments are enervat- 'I have formerly read with great satisfaction ed, and the brighest evidence disappears, your paper about idols, and the behaviour of before those tremendous reasonings and daz-gentlemen in those coffee-houses where women zling discoveries of venerable old age. "You officiate; and impatiently waited to see you are young giddy-heady fellows; you have not take India and China shops into consideration: yet had experience of the world." Thus we but since you have passed us over in silence, young folks find our ambition cramped, and either that you have not as yet thought us our laziness indulged; since while young we worth your notice, or that the grievances we have little room to display ourselves; and, lie under have escaped your discerning eye, when old, the weakness of nature must pass I must make my complaints to you, and am for strength of sense, and we hope that hoary encouraged to do it because you seem a little heads will raise us above the attacks of con- at leisure at this present writing. I am, dear tradiction. Now, sir, as you would enliven sir, one of the top China-women about town; our activity in the pursuit of learning, take and though I say it, keep as good things, and our case into consideration; and. with a gloss receive as fine company, as any over this end on brave Elihu's sentiments, assert the rights of the town, let the other be who she will. In of youth, and prevent the pernicious encroach-short, I am in a fair way to be easy, were it ments of age. The generous reasonings of not for a club of female rakes, who, under prethat gallant youth would adorn your paper;tence of taking their innocent rambles forand I beg you would insert them, not doubt-sooth, and diverting the spleen, seldom fail to ing but that they will give good entertain-plague me twice or thrice a day, to cheapen ment to the most intelligent of your readers.' tea, or buy a skreen. What else should they "So these three men ceased to answer Job, mean? as they often repeat it. These rakes because he was righteous in his own eyes. are your idle ladies of fashion, who, having Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu, the nothing to do, employ themselves in tumbling son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of over my ware. One of these no-customers (for Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, be- by the way they seldom or never buy any cause he justified himself rather than God. thing) calls for a set of tea-dishes, another for Also against his three friends was his wrath a bason, a third for my best green tea, and kindled, because they had found no answer, even to the punch-bowl, there's scarce a piece and yet had condemned Job.. Now Elihu had in my shop but must be displaced, and the waited till Job had spoken, because they whole agreeable architecture disordered, so were elder than he. When Elihu saw there that I can compare them to nothing but to was no answer in the mouth of these three the night-goblins that take a pleasure to overthen his wrath was kindled. And Elihu, turn the disposition of plates and dishes in the the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and kitchens of your housewifery maids. Well, said, I am young, and ye are very old; where-after all this racket and clatter, this is too fore I was afraid, and durst not show you dear, that is their aversion; another thing is mine opinion. I said, days should speak, and charming, but not wanted; the ladies are cured multitude of years should teach wisdom. But of the spleen, but I am not a shilling the better there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration for it. Lord, what signifies one poor pot of of the Almighty giveth them understanding. tea, considering the trouble they put me to? Great men are not always wise: neither do Vapours, Mr. Spectator, are terrible things; the aged understand judgment. Therefore I for, though I am not possessed by them myself, said, Hearken to me, I also will show mine I suffer more from them than if I were. Now opinion. Behold I waited for your words; II must beg you to admonish all such day-gobgave ear to your reasons, whilst you search-lins to make fewer visits, or to be less troubleed out what to say. Yea, I attended unto some when they come to one's shop; and to you and behold there was none of you that convince them that we honest shop-keepers convinced Job, or that answered his words; have something better to do, than to cure lest you should say, We have found out wis-folks of the vapours gratis. A young son of dom: God thrusteth him down, not man. Now mine, a school-boy, is my secretary, so I hope he hath not directed his words against me: you will make allowances. neither will I answer him with your speeches. They were amazed: they answered no more; they left off speaking. When I had waited (for they spake not, but stood still and answered no more) I said, I will answer also my part, I also will show mine opinion. For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent, it is ready to burst like men, I am, Sir, Your constant reader, and very humble servant, 'REBECCA the distressed." March the 22d. T. No. 537.] No. 337.] Thursday, March 27, 1712. Fingit equum tenerà docilem cervice magister, be xiam quam monstrat eques tiated himself both with Philip and his pupil, and became the second man at court, by calling the king Peleus, the Prince Achilles, and himself Phoenix. It is no wonder if Alexander, Hor. Ep. 2. Lib. 1. 64. having been thus used not only to admire but to personate Achilles, should think it glorious to imitate him in this piece of cruelty and extravagance. The jockey trains the young and tender horse 'SIR, To carry this thought yet further, I shall I HAVE lately received a third letter from submit it to your consideration, whether, inthe gentleman who has already given the pub- stead of a theme or copy of verses, which are lic two essays upon education. As his thoughts the usual exercises, as they are called in the seems to be very just and new upon this sub-school phrase, it would not be more proper ject, I shall communicate them to the reader. that a boy should be tasked, once or twice a week, to write down his opinion of such persons and things as occur to him by his reading; 'If I had not been hindered by some extra-that he should descant upon the actions of ordinary business, I should have sent you Turnus, or Eneas; show wherein they exsooner my further thoughts upon education. celled, or were defective; censure or approve You may please to remember, that in my last any particular action; observe how it might letter, I endeavoured to give the best reasons have been carried to a greater degree of perthat could be urged in favour of a private or fection, and how it exceeded or fell short of Upon the whole, it may another. He might at the same time mark public education. perhaps be thought that I seemed rather in- what was moral in any speech, and how far clined to the latter, though at the same time it agreed with the character of the person I confessed that virtue, which ought to be our speaking. This exercise would soon strengthfirst and principal care, was more usually ac-en his judgment in what is blameable or praisworthy, and give him an early seasoning of quired in the former. morality. 'I intended, therefore, in this letter, to offer at methods, by which I conceive boys might be made to improve in virtue us they advance in letters. I know that in most of our public schools vice is punished and discouraged, whenever it is found out: but this is far from being sufficient, unless our youth are at the same time taught to form a right judgment of things, and to know what is properly virtue. 'Next to those examples which may be met with in books, I very much approve Horace's way of setting before youth the infamous or honourable characters of their contemporaries. That poet tells us, this was the method his father made use of to incline him to any particular virtue or give him an aversion to any particular vice. "If," says Horace," my father advised me to live within bounds, and be conTo this end, whenever they read the lives tented with the fortune he should leave me; and actions of such men as have been famous Do you not see,' says he, the miserable conin their generation, it should not be thought dition of Burrus, and the son of Albus? Let enough to make them barely understand so the misfortunes of those two wretches teach many Greek or Latin sentences; but they you to avoid luxury and extravagance.' If he should be asked their opinion of such an action would inspire me with an abhorrence to deor saying, and obliged to give their reasons why bauchery, do not,' says he, make yourself they take it to be good or bad. By this means like Sectanus, when you may be happy in the they would insensibly arrive at proper notions enjoyment of lawful pleasures. How scandaof courage, temperance, honour, and justice.lous,' says he, is the character of Trebonius, There must be great care taken how the who was lately caught in bed with another example of any particular person is recom- man's wife!"" To illustrate the force of this mended to them in gross; instead of which method, the poet adds, that as a headstrong pathey ought to be taught wherein such a man, tient who will not follow at first his physician's though great in some respects, was weak and prescriptions, grows orderly when he hears that For want of this caution, a the neighbours die all about him; so youth is faulty in others. boy is often so dazzled with the lustre of a often frightened from vice, by hearing the ill great character, that he confounds its beau-report it brings upon others. ties with its blemishes, and looks even upon Xenophon's schools of equity, in his Life the faulty part of it with an eye of admiration. of Cyrus the Great, are sufficiently famous. I have often wondered how Alexander, who He tells us. that the Persian children went to was naturally of a generous and merciful dis-school, and employed their time as diligently position, came to be guilty of so barbarous an in learning the principles of justice and soaction as that of dragging the governor of a briety, as the youth in other countries did to I know this is gene-acquire the most difficult arts and sciences; town after his chariot. rally ascribed to his passion for Homer, but I their governors spent most part of the day in lately met with a passage in Plutarch, which, hearing their mutual accusations one against if I am not very much mistaken, still gives us the other, whether for violence, cheating, slana clearer light into the motives of this action. der or ingratitude; and taught them how to Plutarch tells us, that Alexander in his youth give judgment against those who were found had a master named Lysimachus, who, though to be any ways guilty of these crimes. I omit he was a man destitute of all politeness, ingra- the story of the long and short coat, for which Cyrus himself was punished, as a case equaly tongues to the learned languages. Wherever the former is omitted, I cannot help agreeing known with any in Littleton. The method which Apuleius tells us the with Mr. Locke, that a man must have a very Indian Gymnosophists took to educate their strange value for words, when, preferring the disciples, is still more curious and remarkable. languages of the Greeks and Romans to that His words are as follow: "When their dinner which made them such brave men, he can is ready, before it is served up, the masters in-think it worth while to hazard the innocence quire of every particular scholar how he has and virtue of his son for a little Greek and employed his time since sun-rising: some of Latin. them answer, that, having been chosen as ar- As the subject of this essay is of the highest biters between two persons, they have com- importance, and what I do not remember to posed their differences, and made them friends; have yet seen treated by any author, I have some that they have been executing the orders sent you what occurred to me on it from my of their parents; and others, that they have own observation, or reading, and which you either found out something new by their own may either suppress or publish, as you think application, or learnt it from the instructions fit. of their fellows. But if there happens to be any one among them who cannot make it appear that he has employed the morning to advantage, he is immediately excluded from the company, and obliged to work while the rest are at dinner. X. I am, Sir, 'Yours, &c. No. 338.] Friday, March 28, 1712. Nil fuit unquam Tam dispar sibi. Hor. Sat. iii. Lib. 1. 18 I FIND the tragedy of the Distrest Mother* 'It is not impossible, that from these several ways of producing virtue in the minds of boys, some general method might be invented. What I would endeavour to inculcate is, that our is published to-day. youth cannot be too soon taught the principles of virtue, seeing the first impressions which are made on the mind, are always the strong est. logue,t I suppose, pleads an old excuse I have read somewhere, of being dull with design ;' and the gentleman who writ the epiloguet has, to my knowledge, so much of greater moment to value himself upon, that he will easily forgive me for publishing the exceptions made against gayety at the end of serious entertainments in the following letter: I should be more unwilling to pardon him, than any body, a practice which cannot have any ill consequence but from the abilities of the person who is guilty of it. MR. SPECTATOR, The archbishop of Cambray makes Telemachus say, that, though he was young in years, he was old in the art of knowing how to keep both his own and his friends' secrets. "When my father," says the prince, "went to the siege of Troy, he took me on his knees, and, after having embraced and blessed me, as he was surrounded by the nobles of Ithaca, 'O' my friends,' says he, into your hands I commit the education of my son: if ever you I had the happiness the other night of sitloved his father, show it in your care towards him; but, above all, do not omit to form him ting very near you, and your worthy friend just, sincere and faithful in keeping a secret.' Sir Roger, at the acting of the new tragedy, These words of my father," says Telemachus, "were continually repeated to me by his friends in his absence; who made no scruple of communicating to me their uneasiness to see my mother surrounded with lovers, and the measures they designed to take on that occasion." He adds, that he was so ravished at being thus treated like a man, and at the confidence reposed in him, that he never once abused it nor could all the insinuations of his father's rivals ever get him to betray what was committed to him under the seal of secrecy. which you have, in a late paper or two, so justly recommended. I was highly pleased with the advantageous situation fortune had given me in placing me so near two gentlemen, from one of which I was sure to hear such re Hections on the several incidents of the play as pure nature suggested, and from the other, such as flowed from the exactest art, and judgment: though I must confess that my curiosity led me so much to observe the knights, reflections, that I was not well at leisure to improve myself by yours. Nature, I found, played her part in the knight pretty well, till There is hardly any virtue which a lad at the last concluding lines she entirely forsook him. You must know, sir, that it is always might not thus learn by practice and example. I have heard of a good man, who used at my custom, when I have been well entertained certain times to give his scholars sixpence the facetious epilogue enters; not but that at a new tragedy, to make my retreat before a-piece, that they might tell him the next those pieces are often very well written, but day how they had employed it. The third part was always to be laid out in charity, and having paid down my half-crown, and made a every boy was blamed, or commended, as he fair purchase of as much of the pleasing mecould make it appear he had chosen a fit ob-lancholy as the poet's art can afford me, or my own nature admit of, I am willing to carry ject. 'In short, nothing is more wanting to our public schools, than that the masters of them shsuld use the same care in fashioning the manners of their scholars, as in forming their *By A. Philips, first published in 1712. Eustace Budge. |