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leisure to attend to the necessity or unreason- Westminster. Scouring and breaking of winableness of a kindness desired, nor a taste for dows have done frequent execution upon the those pleasures which wait on benificence, which sex. But there is no set of these male chardemand a calm and unpolluted heart to relish mers who make their way more successfully them. The most miserable of all beings is the than those who have gained themselves a name most envious; as, on the other hand, the most for intrigue, and have ruined the greatest communicative is the happiest. And if you are number of reputations. There is a strange cuin search of the seat of perfect love and friend-riosity in the female world to be acquainted ship, you will not find it until you come to the with the dear man who has been loved by region of the blessed, where happiness, like a others, and to know what it is that makes him refreshing stream, flows from heart to heart in so agreeable. His reputation does more than an endless circulation, and is preserved sweet and untainted by the motion. It is old advice, if you have a favour to request of any one, to observe the softest times of address, when the soul, in a flash of good humour, takes a pleasure to show itself pleased. Persons conscious was very sensible of the great advantage of of their own integrity, satisfied with themselves being a man of importance upon these occaand their condition, and full of confidence in a sions on the day of the king's entry, when I was Supreme Being, and the hope of immortality, seated in a balcony behind a cluster of very survey all about them with a flow of good-will: pretty country ladies, who had one of these as trees which, like their soil, shoot out in ex-showy gentlemen in the midst of them. The pressions of kindness, and bend beneath their first trick I caught him at was bowing to seveown precious load, to the hand of the gatherer. ral persons of quality whom he did not know; Now if the mind be not thus easy, it is an in-nay, he had the impudence to hem at a blue fallible sign that it is not in its natural state: garter who had a finer equipage than ordinary ; place the mind in its right posture, it will im- and seemed a little concerned at the impertimediately discover its innate propension to be-nent huzzas of the mob, that hindered his neficence.'

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half his business. Every one that is ambitious of being a woman of fashion, looks out for opportunities of being in his company; so that, to use the old proverb, “When his name is up he may lie a-bed."

friend from taking notice of him. There was indeed one who pulled off his hat to him; and, upon the ladies asking who it was, he told them it was a foreign minister that he had been very merry with the night before; whereas in truth it was the city common hunt.

'He was never at a loss when he was asked any person's name, though he seldom knew any one under a peer. He found dukes and earls among the alderman, very good-natured fellows among the privy-counsellors, with two or three agreeable old rakes among the bishops and judges.

'In short I collected, from his whole discourse that he was acquainted with every body, and

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Ovid has finely touched this method of making love, which I shall here give my reader in Mr. Dryden's translation.

'Page the eleventh.

'In order to execute the office of the love knew nobody. At the same time, I am mistacasuist of Great-Britain, with which I take my-ken if he did not that day make more advances self to be invested by your paper of September in the affections of his mistress, who sat near 8, I shall make some farther observations upon him, than he could have done in half a year's the two sexes in general, beginning with that courtship. which always ought to have the upper hand. After having observed, with much curiosity, the accomplishments which are apt to captivate female hearts, I find that there is no person so irresistible as one who is a man of importance, provided it be in matters of no consequence. One who makes himself talked of, though it be for the particular cock of his hat, or for prating aloud in the boxes at a play, is in a fair way of being a favourite. I have known a young fellow make his fortune by knocking down a constable; and may venture to say, though it may seem a paradox, that many a fair-one has died by a duel in which both the combatants have survived.

About three winters ago, I took notice of a young lady at the theatre, who conceived a passion for a notorious rake that headed a party of catcalls; and am credibly informed that the emperor of the Mohocks married a rich widow within three weeks after having rendered himself formidable in the cities of London and

"Thus love in theatres did first improve,
And theatres are still the scene of love;
Nor shun the chariots, and the courser's race;
The Circus is no inconvenient place.
Nor need is there of talking on the hand,
Nor nods, nor signs, which lovers understand;
But boldly next the fair your seat provide,
Close as you can to hers, and side by side:
Pleas'd or unpleas'd, no matter, crowding sit;
For so the laws of public shows permit.
Then find occasion to begin discourse,
Inquire whose chariot this, and whose that horse;
To whatsoever side she is inelin'd,
Suit all your inclinations to her mind.
Like what she likes, from thence your court begin,
And, whom she favours, wish that he may win."

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On such a day, if thou, and next to thee
Some beauty sits, the spectacle to see;
If she inquire the names of conquer'd kings,
Of mountains, rivers, and their hidden springs ;
Answer to all thou know'st; and if need be,
Of things unknown seem to speak knowingly:
This is Euphrates, crown'd with reeds; and there
Flows the swift Tigris, with his sea-green hair.
Invent new names of things unknown before;
Call this Armenia, that the Caspian shore;
Call this a Mede, and that the Parthian youth;
Talk probably no matter for the truth."

No. 603.] Wednesday, October 6, 1714.
Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina, ducite Daphnim.
Virg. Ecl. viii. 69.

Restore my charms,
My lingering Daphnis, to my longing arms.-Dryden.

THE following copy of verses comes from one
of my correspondents,'
,'* and has something in
it so original, that I do not much doubt but it
will divert my readers.t

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I.

My time, O ye Muses, was happily spent,
When Phoebe went with me wherever I went;
Ten thousand sweet pleasures I felt in my breast:
Sure never foud shepherd like Colin was blest!
But now she is gone, and has left me behind,
What a marvellous change on a sudden I find!
When things were as fine as could possibly be,
I thought 'twas the spring; but, alas! it was she.
II.

With such a companion to tend a few sheep,
To rise up and play, or to lie down and sleep :
I was so good humour'd, so cheerful and gay,
My heart was as light as a feather all day.
But now I so cross and so peevish am grown;
So strangely uneasy as never was known.

My fair-one is gone, and my joys are all drown'd,
And my heart-I am sure it weighs more than a pound.

III.

The fountain that wont to run swiftly along,
And dance to soft murmurs the pebbles among;
Thou know'st, little Cupid, if Phoebe was there,
"Twas pleasure to look at, 'twas music to hear:
But now she is absent, I walk by its side,
And still as it murmurs do nothing but chide.
Must you be so cheerful, while I go in pain?
Peace there with your bubbling, and hear me complain.

IV.

When my lambkins around me would oftentimes play,
And when Phoebe and I were as joyful as they,
How pleasant their sporting, how happy their time,
When spring, love, and beauty, were all in their prime !
But now in their frolics when by me they pass,

I fling at their fleeces a handful of grass;
Be still, then I cry, for it makes me quite mad
To see you so merry while I am so sad.

"Mr. John Byron, author of the two papers on dreaming, No. 586 and 593.

V.

'My dog I was ever well pleased to see
Come wagging his tail to my fair-one and me;
And Phoebe was pleas'd too, and to my dog said,
Come hither, poor fellow; and patted his head.
But now, when he s fawning, I with a sour look
Cry, Sirrrah! and give him a blow with my crook.
And I'll give him another; for why should not Tray
Be as dull as his master, when Phoebe's away?

VI.

"When walking with Phoebe, what sights have I seen,
How fair was the flower, how fresh was the green. !
What a lovely appearance the trees and the shade,
The corn-fields and hedges, and every thing made!
But now she has left me, though all are still there,
They none of them now so delightful appear:
"Twas nought but the magic, I find, of her eyes,
Made so many beautiful prospects arise.
VII.

'Sweet music went with us both all the wood through,
The lark, linnet, throstle, and nightingale too;
Winds over us whisper'd, flocks by us did bleat,
And chirp went the grasshopper under our feet.
But now she is absent, though still they sing on,
The woods are but lonely, the melody's gone:
Her voice in the concert, as now I have found,
Gave every thing else its agreeable sound.

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THE desire of knowing future events, is one of the strongest inclinations in the mind of Indeed an ability of foreseeing proba"It has been said, on good authority, that the Phabe man. of this pastoral was Joanna, the daughter of Dr. Bentley, ble accidents is what, in the language of men, and that it was written, not so much from affection to the is called wisdom and prudence: but, not satisdaughter, as with the aim of securing the interest of the fied with the light that reason holds out, mandoctor, in promoting the author's views with regard to the fellowship for which, at the period of its composition, he was a candidate." Drake's Essays, vol. iii. p. 216. Ansty made a most happy parody of these two lines in his Bath Guide.

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My time, my dear mother's, been wretchedly spent, With a gripe or a hickup wherever I went."

kind hath endeavoured to penetrate more compendiously into futurity. Magic, oracles, omens, lucky hours, and the various arts of superstition, owe their rise to this powerful cause. As this principle is founded in selflove. every man is sure to be solicitous in

the first place about his own fortune, the them. They were each of them filling his course of his life, and the time and manner of pockets with gold and jewels, and when there his death. was no room left for more, these wretches,

If we consider that we are free agents, we looking round with fear and horror, pined shall discover the absurdity of such inquiries. away before my face with famine and disOne of our actions, which we might have per-content.

formed or neglected, is the cause of another This prospect of human misery struck mo that succeeds it, and so the whole chain of life dumb for some miles. Then it was that, to is linked together. Pain, poverty, or infamy, disburden my mind, I took pen and ink, and are the natural product of vicious and impru-did every thing that has since happened under dent acts; as the contrary blessings are of my office of Spectator. While I was employing good ones; so that we cannot suppose our myself for the good of mankind, I was surpris lot to be determined without impiety. Aled to meet with very unsuitable returns from great enhancement of pleasure arises from my fellow-creatures. Never was poor author its being unexpected; and pain is doubled so beset by pamphleteers, who sometimes by being foreseen. Upon all these, and se- marched directly against me, but oftener shot veral other accounts, we ought to rest sa- at me from strong bulwarks, or rose up sudtisfied in this portion bestowed on us; to denly in ambush. They were of all characters adore the hand that hath fitted every thing and capacities, some with ensigns of dignity, to our nature, and hath not more displayed and others in liveries ;* but what most surprishis goodness in our knowledge than in our ed me was to see two or three in black gowns ignorance. among my enemies. It was no small trouble It is not unworthy observation, that super-to me, sometimes to have a man come up to stitious inquiries into future events prevail me with an angry face, and reproach me for more or less, in proportion to the improvement having lampooned him, when I had never seen of liberal arts and useful knowlekge in the or heard of him in my life. With the ladies it several parts of the world, Accordingly, we was otherwise: many became my enemies for find that magical incantations remain in Lap- not being particularly pointed out; as there land; in the more remote parts of Scotland were others who resented the satire which they they have their second sight; and several of imagined I had directed against them. My our own countrymen have seen abundance of great comfort was in the company of half a fairies. In Asia this credulity is strong; and dozen friends, who I found since were the club the greatest part of refined learning there con- which I have so often mentioned in my papers. sists in the knowledge of amulets, talismans, I laughed often at Sir Roger in my sleep, and occult numbers, and the like. was the more diverted with Will Honeycomb's

When I was at Grand Cairo, I fell into the gallantries (when we afterwards became ac acquaintance of a good-natured mussulman, quainted) because I had foreseen his marriage who promised me many good offices which he with a farmer's daughter. The regret which designed to do me when he became the prime arose in my mind upon the death of my comminister, which was a fortune bestowed on his panions, my anxieties for the public, and the imagination by a doctor very deep in the cu-many calamities still fleeting before my eyes, rious sciences. At his repeated solicitations made me repent my curiosity; when the maI went to learn my destiny of this wonderful gician entered the room, and awakened me, by sage. For a small sum I had his promise, but telling me (when it was too late) that he was was desired to wait in a dark apartment until just going to begin. he had run through the preparatory ceremonies. Having a strong propensity, even then, to dreaming, I took a nap upon the sofa where I was placed, and had the following vision, the particulars whereof I picked up the other day among my papers.

I found myself in an unbounded plain, where methought the whole world, in several habits and with different tongues, was assembled. The multitude glided swiftly along, and I found in myself a strong inclination to mingle! in the train. My eyes quickly singled out some of the most splendid figures. Several in rich caftans and glittering turbans bustled through the throng, and trampled over the bodies of those they threw down; until, to my great surprise, I found that the great pace they went only hastened them to a scaffold or a bow-string. Many beautiful damsels on the other side moved forward with great gaiety some danced until they fell all along; and others painted their faces until they lost their noses. A tribe of creatures with busy looks! falling into a fit of laughter at the misfortunes of the unhappy ladies, I turned my eyes upon

N. B. I have only delivered the prophecy of that part of my life which is past, it being inconvenient to divulge the second part until a more proper opportunity.

No. 605.] Monday, October 11, 1714.

Exuerint sylvestrem animum; cultuque frequenti,
In quascunque voces artes, haud tarda sequentur.
Virg. Georg. ii. 51.

-They change their savage mind,
Their wildness lose, and, quitting nature's part,
Obey the rules and discipline of art. Dryden.

finding it to run upon the subject of love, I re-
HAVING perused the following letter, and
ferred it to the learned casuist, whom I have
retained in my service for speculations of that
kind. He returned to me the next morning
with his report annexed to it, with both of
which I shall here present my reader.

*This is pointed at the hirelings employed by the ministry in the last years of the queen's reign; Dr. Swift, Prior, Atterbury, Dr. Freind, Dr. King, Mr. Oldsworth, Mrs. Manley, &c.

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• MR. SPECTATOR, barbarian. The first week after she had fixed Finding that you have entertained an use- him, she took a pinch of snuff out of his rival's ful person in your service in quality of love-box, and apparently touched the enemy's litcasuist, I apply myself to you under a very tle finger. She became a professed enemy to great difficulty, that hath for some months the arts and sciences, and scarce ever wrote a perplexed me. I have a couple of humble letter to him without wilfully misspelling his servants, one of which I have no aversion to; name. The young scholar, to be even with the other I think of very kindly. The first her, railed at coquettes as soon as he had got hath the reputation of a man of good sense, the word; and did not want parts to turn into and is one of those people that your sex are ridicule her men of wit and pleasure of the apt to value. My spark is reckoned a cox- town. After having irritated one another for comb among the men, but is a favourite of the the space of five months, she made an assignaladies. If I marry the man of worth, as they call him, I shall oblige my parents, and improve my fortune; but with my dear beau I promise myself happiness, although not a jointure. Now I would ask you, whether should consent to lead my life with a man that I have only no objection to, or with him against whom all objections to me appear frivolous. I am determined to follow the casuist's advice, Women who have been married some time, and I dare say he will not put me upon so se-not having it in their heads to draw after them rious a thing as matrimony contrary to my in- a numerous train of followers. find their satis clination.

'I am, &c.
'FANNY FICKLE.

'P. S. I forgot to tell you, that the pretty gentleman is the most complaisant creature in the world, and is always of my mind; but the other, forsooth, fancies he has as much wit as myself, slights my lap-dog, and hath the insolence to contradict me when he thinks I am not in the right. About half an hour ago, he maintained to my face that a patch always implies a pimple.'

tion with him fourscore miles from London. But, as he was very well acquainted with her pranks, he took a journey the quite contrary way. Accordingly they met, quarrelled, and in a few days were married. Their former hostilities are now the subject of their mirth, being content at present with that part of love only which bestows pleasure.

faction in the possession of one man's heart. I know very well that ladies in their bloom desire to be excused in this particular. But, when time hath worn out their natural vanity and taught them discretion, their fondness settles on its proper object. And it is probably for this reason that, among husbands, you will find more that are fond of women beyond their prime, than of those who are actually in the insolence of beauty. My reader will apply the same observation to the other sex.

Besides, Miss Fickle may consider, that as there are often many faults concealed before marriage, so there are sometimes many virtues unobserved.

I need not insist upon the necessity of their pursuing one common interest, and their united care for their children; but shall only observe, As I look upon it to be my duty rather to by the way, that married persons are both side with the parents than the daughter, I more warm in their love, and more hearty in shall propose some considerations to my gentle their hatred, than any others whatsoever. Muquerist, which may incline her to comply with tual favours and obligations, which may be those under whose direction she is; and at the supposed to be greater here than in any other same time convince her that it is not impos- state, naturally beget an intense affection in gesible but she may in time, have a true affec-nerous minds. As, on the contrary, persons tion for him who is at present indifferent to who have bestowed such favours have a partiher; or, to use the old family maxim, that, cular bitterness in their resentments, when 'if she marries first, love will come after.' they think themselves ill-treated by those of The only objection that she seems to insinu- whom they have deserved so much. ate against tho gentleman proposed to her, is his want of complaisance, which I perceive she is very willing to return. Now I can discover, from this very circumstance, that she and her lover, whatever they may think of it, To this we may add the great efficacy of are very good friends in their hearts. It is custom and constant coversation to produce difficult to determine whether love delights a mutual friendship and benevolence in two more in giving pleasure or pain. Let Miss persons. It is a nice reflection, which I have Fickle ask her own heart, if she doth not take heard a friend of mine make, that you may a secret pride in making this man of good be sure a woman loves a man, when she uses sense look very silly. Hath she ever been his expressions, tells his stories, or imitates better pleased than when her behaviour hath his manner. This gives a secret delight; for made her lover ready to hang himself; or imitation is a kind of artless flattery, and doth she ever rejoice more than when she mightily favours the powerful principle of thinks she hath driven him to the very brink self-love. It is certain that married persons, of a purling stream? Let her consider, at the are possessed with a mutual esteem, not same time, that it is not impossible but her lo-ouly catch the air and way of talk from one ver may have discovered her tricks, and hath another, but fall into the same traces of thinka mind to give her as good as she brings. ing and liking. Nay, some have carried the remember a handsome young baggage that remark so far as to assert, that the features of treated a hopeful Greek of my acquaintance, man and wife grow, in time, to resemble one just come from Oxford, as if he had been a another. Let my fair correspondent therefore

consider, that the gentleman recommended | Pray, sir, take the laudable mystery of emwill have a good deal of her own face in two broidery into your serious consideration, and, or three years; which she must not expect as you have a great deal of the virtue of from the beau, who is too full of his dear self the last age in you, continue your endeavours to copy after another. And I dare appeal to to reform the present.

her own judgment, if that person will not be the handsomest that is the most like herself.

'I am, &c.'

We have a remarkable instance to our pre- In obedience to the commands of my venerasent purpose in the history of king Edgar, ble correspondent, I have duly weighed this which I shall here relate, and leave it with my important subject, and promise myself, from fair correspondent to be applied to herself. the arguments here laid down, that all the fine This great monarch, who is so famous in Bri-ladies of England will be ready, as soon as their tish story fell in love as he made his progress mourning is over,* to appear covered with the through his kingdom, with a certain duke's work of their own hands. daughter, who lived near Winchester, and was What a delightful entertainment must it be the most celebrated beauty of the age. His im-to the fair-sex, whom their native modesty and portunities and the violence of his passion were the tenderness of men towards them, exempt so great, that the mother of the young lady pro- from public business to pass their hours in imimised him to bring her daughter to his bed the tating fruits and flowers, and transplanting next night, though in her heart she abhorred all the beauties of nature into their own dress, so infamous an office. It was no sooner dark or raising a new creation in their closets and than she conveyed into his room, a young maid apartments! How pleasing is the amusement of of no disagreeable figure, who was one of her walking among the shades and groves planted attendants, and did not want address to im- by themselves, in surveying heroes slain by their prove the opportunity for the advancement of needle, or little cupids which they have brought her fortune. She made so good use of her time, into the world without pain! that when she offered to rise a little before day, This is, methinks, the most proper way the king could by no means think of parting wherein a lady can show a fine genius; and I with her; so that, finding herself under a ne- cannot forbear wishing that several writers of cessity of discovering who she was, she did that sex had chosen to apply themselves rather it in so handsome a manner, that his ma- to tapestry than rhyme. Your pastoral poetjesty was exceeding gracious to her, and esses may vent their fancy in rural landscapes. took her ever after under his protection: in- and place despairing shepherds under silken somuch, that, our chronicles tell us, he car-willows, or drown them in a stream of mobair. ried her along with him, made her his first The heroic writers may work up battles as sucminister of state, and continued true to her alone, until his marriage with the beautiful Elfrida.

No. 606.] Wednesday, October 13, 1714.

longum cantu solata laborem Arguto conjux percurrit pectine telas. Virg. Georg. i. 294.

-mean time at home

The good wife singing plies the various loom.

" MR. SPECTATOR,

cessfully, and inflame them with gold or stain them with crimson. Even those who have only a turn to a song, or an epigram, may put many valuable stitches into a purse, and crowd a thousand graces into a pair of garters.

If I may, without breach of good manners, imagine that any pretty creature is void of genius, and would perform her part herein but very awkwardly, I must nevertheless insist upon her working, if it be only to keep her out of harm's

way.

Another argument for busying good women in works of fancy is, because it takes them off 'I HAVE a couple of nieces under my direc- and all other inactive scenes of life. While from scandal, the usual attendant of tea-tables, tion, who so often run gadding abroad, that they are forming their birds and beasts, their do not know where to have them. Their dress, neighbours will be allowed to be the fathers of their tea, and their visits, take up all their their own children; and whig and tory will be time, and they go to bed as tired with doing but seldom mentioned where the great dispute nothing as I am after quilting a whole under- is, whether blue or red is the more proper colour. petticoat. The only time they are not idle is How much greater glory would Sophronia do while they read your Spectators; which being the general, if she would choose rather to work dedicated to the interest of virtue, I desire you the battle of Blenheim in tapestry, than signalto recommend the long neglected art of nee-ize herself with so much vehemence against dle-work. Those hours which in this age are those who are Frenchmen in their hearts! thrown away on dress, play, visits, and the like, were employed, in my time, in writing profit that is brought to the family where these A third reason that I shall mention, is the out receipts, or working beds, chairs, and pretty arts are encouraged. It is manifest that hangings, for the family. For my part,, this way of life not only keeps fair ladies from have plied my needle these fifty years, and unning out into expenses, but is at the same by my good will would never have it out of time an actual improvement. How memorable my hand. It grieves my heart to see a couple would that matron be, who shall have it subof proud idle flirts sipping their tea, for a whole afternoon, in a room hung round with her monument, 'That she the industry of their great grandmother.

scribed upon

*The general mourning on the death of queen Anne

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