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What is it but novelty that awakens desire, not a little to the advancement of learning; enhances delight, kindles anger, provokes for, as Cicero takes notice, that which makes envy, inspires horror? To this cause we must men willing to undergo the fatigues of philoascribe it, that love languishes with fruition. [sophical disquisitions, is not so much the and friendship itself is recommended by inter-greatness of objects as their novelty. It is vals of absence: hence monsters, by use, are not enough that there is a field and game for beheld without loathing, and the most enchant- the chase, and that the understanding is ing beauty without rapture. That emotion of prompted with a restless thirst of knowledge, the spirits, in which passion consists, is usu-effectually to rouse the soul, sunk into a state ally the effect of surprise, and, as long as it of sloth and indolence; it is also necessary continues, heightens the agreeable or disa- that there be an uncommon pleasure annexed greeable qualities of its object; but as this to the first appearance of truth in the mind. emotion ceases, (and it ceases with the novel- This pleasure being exquisite for the time it ty) things appear in another light, and affect us even less than might be expected from their proper energy, for having moved us too much before.

lasts, but transient, it hereby comes to pass that the mind grows into an indifference to its former notions, and passes on after new discoveries, in hope of repeating the delight. It 'It may not be a useless inquiry, how far is with knowledge as with wealth, the pleasure the love of novelty is the unavoidable growth of which lies more in making endless addiof nature, and in what respects it is peculiar- tions than in taking a review of our old store. ly adapted to the present state. To me it There are some inconveniencies that follow seems impossible, that a reasonable creature this temper, if not guarded against, particushould rest absolutely satisfied in any acqusi- larly this, that through too great an eagertions whatever, without endeavouring farther; ness of something new, we are many times imfor, after its highest improvements, the mind patient of staying long enough upon a queshath an idea of an infinity of things still be- tion that requires some time to resolve it; or, hind, worth knowing, to the knowledge of which is worse, persuade ourselves that we which therefore it cannot be indifferent; as are masters of the subject before we are so, by climbing up a hill in the midst of a wide only to be at the liberty of going upon a fresh plain, a man hath his prospect enlarged, and scent: in Mr. Locke's words, "We see a together with that, the bounds of his desires. little, presume a great deal, and so jump to Upon this account, I cannot think he detracts the conclusion." from the state of the blessed, who conceives 'A farther advantage of our inclination for them to be perpetually employed in fresh novelty, as at present circumstantiated, is, that searches into nature, and to eternity advanc-it annihilates all the boasted distinctions ing into the fathomless depths of the divine among mankind. Look not up with envy to perfections. In this thought there is nothing those above thee! Sounding titles, stately but what doth honour to these glorified spi-buildings, fine gardens, gilded chariots, rich rits; provided still it be remembered, that equipages, what are they? They dazzle their desire of more proceeds not from their every one but the possessor: to him that is disrelishing what they possess; and the plea-accustomed to them they are cheap and resure of a new enjoyment is not with them gardless things; they supply him not with measured by its novelty, (which is a thing brighter images, or more sublime satisfacmerely foreign and accidental) but by its tions, than the plain man may have, whose real intrinsic value. After an acquaintance small estate will just enable him to support of many thousand years with the works of the charge of a simple unencumbered life. God, the beauty and magnificence of the cre- He enters heedless into his rooms of state, ation fills them with the same pleasing won-as you or I do under our poor sheds. The der and profound awe, which Adam felt him- noble paintings and costly furniture are lost self seized with as he first opened his eyes on him; he sees them not; as how can it be upon this glorious scene. Truth captivates otherwise, when by custom a fabric infinitely with unborrowed charms, and whatever hath more grand and finished, that of the universe, once given satisfaction will always do it. In stands unobserved by the inhabitants, and the all which they have manifestly the advantage everlasting lamps of heaven are lighted up in of us, who are so much governed by sickly vain, for any notice that mortals take of them? and changeable appetites, that we can with Thanks to indulgent nature, which not only the greatest coldness behold the stupendous placed her children originally upon a level, displays of Omnipotence, and be in trans-but still, by the strength of this principle, in a ports at the puny essays of human skill; great measure preserves it, in spite of all the throw aside speculations of the sublimest na- care of man to introduce artificial distinctions. ture and vastest importance into some obscure 'To add no more-is not this fondness for corner of the mind, to make room for new novelty, which makes us out of conceit with notions of no consequence at all; are even all we already have, a convincing proof of a tired of health, because not enlivened with al-future state? Either man was made in vain, ternate pain; and prefer the first reading of or this is not the only world he was made for: an indifferent author to the second or third for there cannot be a greater instance of vaperusal of one whose merit and reputation nity than that to which man is liable, to be are established. deluded from the cradle to the grave with Our being thus formed serves many useful fleeting shadows of happiness. His pleasures, purposes in the present state. It contributes and those not considerable neither, die in the

possession, and fresh enjoyments do not rise I have dressed up every hedge in woodbines, fast enough to fill up half his life with satis-sprinkled bowers and arbours in every corner, faction. When I see persons sick of them and made a little paradise around me : yet I selves any longer than they are called away am still like the first man in his solitude, but by something that is of force to chain down half blessed without a partner in my happiI have directed one walk to be made the present thought; when I see them hurry ness. from country to town, and then from the town for two persons, where I promise ten thousand back again into the country, continually shift- satis actions to myself in your conversation. I ing postures, and placing life in all the differ- already take my evening's turn in it, and have ent lights they can think of; "Surely," say I worn a path upon the edge of this little alley, to myself, "life is vain, and the man beyond while I soothed myself with the thought of your expression stupid, or prejudiced, who from walking by my side. I have held many ima the vanity of life cannot gather that he is ginary discourses with you in this retirement; designed for immortality." and when I have been weary, have sat down with you in the midst of a row of jessamines. The many expressions of joy and rapture I use in these silent conversations have made me, for some time, the talk of the parish; but a neighbouring young fellow, who makes love to the farmer's daughter, hath found me out, and made my case known to the whole neighbourhood.

No. 627.] Wednesday, December 1, 1714.
Tantum inter densas umbrosa cacumina fagos
Assidue veniebat; ibi hæc incondita solus
Montibus et sylvis studio jactabat inani.

Virg. Ecl. ii. 3.
He, underneath the beaten shade, alone,
Thus to the woods and mountains made his moan.
Dryden.

THE following account, which came to my hands some time ago, may be no disagreeable entertainment to such of my readers as have tender hearts, and nothing to do.

4 MR. SPECTATOR,

"In planting of the fruit trees, I have not made a walk of elms along the river side, and forgot the peach you are so fond of. I have intend to sow all the place about with cowlips, which I hope you will like as well as that I have heard you talk of by your father's house in the country.

A friend of mine died of a fever last week, "Oh! Zelinda, what a scheme of delight which he caught by walking too late in a dewy have I drawn up in my imagination! What evening amongst his reapers. I must inform day-dreams do I indulge myself in! When will you that his greatest pleasure was in husban- the six weeks be at an end, that lie between dry and gardening. He had some humours me and my promised happiness. which seemed inconsistent with that good "How could you break off so abruptly in sense he was otherwise master of. His unea- your last, and tell me you must go and dress siness in the company of women was very re- for the play? If you loved as I do, you would markable in a man of such perfect good-find no more company in a crowd than I have breeding; and his avoiding one particular in my solitude.

walk in his garden, where he had used to pass the greatest part of his time, raised abundance

"I am, &c."

'On the back of this letter is written, in the of idle conjectures in the village where he liv-hand of the deceased, the following piece of ed. Upon looking over his papers we found history:

out the reason, which he never intimated to "Mem. Having waited a whole week for an his nearest friends. He was, it seems, a pas-answer to this letter, I hurried to town, where sionate lover in his youth, of which a large I found the perfidious creature married to my parcel of letters he left behind him are a wit-rival. I will bear it as becomes a man, and ness. I send you a copy of the last he ever endeavour to find out happiness for myself in wrote upon that subject, by which you will that retirement which I had prepared in vain find that he concealed the true name of his for a false, ungrateful woman.' mistress under that of Zelinda.

I am,
&c.'

"A long month's absence would be insupportable to me, if the business I am employed No. 628.] Friday, December 3, 1714.

Labitur et labetur in omne volubilis ævum.
Hor. Ep. ii. Lib. 1. 43.
It rolls, and rolls, and will forever roll.
MR. SPECTATOR,

in were not for the service of my Zelinda, and of such a nature as to place her every moment in my mind. I have furnished the house exactly according to your fancy, or, if you please, my own; for I have long since learned to like nothing but what you do. The apart- 'THERE are none of your speculations which ment designed for your use is so exact a copy please me more than those upon infinitude and of that which you live in, that I often think eternity. You have already considered that myself in your house when I step into it, but part of eternity which is past, and I wish you sigh when I find it without its proper inhabit- would give us your thoughts upon that which ant. You will have the most delicious pros-is to come.

pect from your closet window that England Your readers will perhaps receive greater affords: I am sure I should think it so, if the pleasure from this view of eternity than the landscape that shows such variety did not at former, since we have every one of us a conthe same time suggest to me the greatness of cern in that which is to come: whereas a the space that lies between us. speculation on that which is past is rather cu

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'Besides, we can easily conceive it possible for successive duration never to have an end; though, as you have justly observed, that eternity which never had a beginning is altogether incomprehensible; that is, we can conceive an eternal duration which may be, though we cannot an eternal duration which hath been; or, if I may use the philosophical terms, we may apprehend a potential though not an actual eternity.

'This notion of a future eternity, which is natural to the mind of man, is an unanswerable argument that he is a being designed for it; especially if we consider that he is capable of being virtuous or vicious here; that he hath faculties improvable to all eternity; and, by a proper or wrong employment of them, may be happy or miserable throughout that infinite duration. Our idea indeed of this eternity is not of an adequate or fixed nature, but is perpetually growing and enlarging itself toward the object, which is too big for human comprehension. As we are now in the beginnings of existence, so shall we always appear to ourselves as if we were for ever entering upon it. After a million or two of centuries, some considerable things, already past, may slip out of our memory, which if it be not. strengthed in a wonderful manner, may possibly forget that ever there was a sun or planets; and yet, notwithstanding the long race that we shall then have run, we shall still imagine ourselves just starting from the goal, and find no proportion between that space which we know had a beginning, and what we are sure will never have an end.

'But I shall leave this subject to your management, and question not but you will throw it into such lights as shall at ones improve and entertain your reader.

'I have, enclosed, sent you a translation* of the speech of Cato on this occasion, which hath accidentally fallen into my hands, and which, for conciseness, purity, and elegance of phrase, cannot be sufficiently admired.

ACT. V. SCEN. I.

CATO Solus, &c.

'Sic, sic so habere rem necesse prorsus est,
Ratione vincis, do lubensjmanus, Plato.
Quid enim dedisset, quæ dedit frustra nihil,
Eternitatis insitam cupidinem
Natura? Quorsum hæc dulcis expectatio;
Vitæque non explenda melioris sitis?
Quid vult sibi aliud iste redeundi in nihil
Horror, sub imis quemque agens præcordiis?
Cur territa in se refugit anima, cur tremit
Attonita, quoties, morte ne pereat, timet?
Particula nempe est cuique nascenti indita
Divinior; quæ corpus incolons agit ;.
Hominique succinit, tua est æternitas.
Eternitas! O lubricum nimis aspici,
Mixtumque dulci gaudium formidine!

'Quæ demigrabitur alia hinc in corpora ?
Quæ terra mox incognita? Quis orbis novus
Manet incolendue? Quanta erit mutatio?
Hæc intuenti spatia mihi quaqua patent
Immensa: sed caliginosa nox premit :
Nec luce clarâ vult videri singula.
Figendus hic pes; certa sunt hæc hactenus:

*This translation was by Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Bland, once schoolmaster, then provost of Eton, and dean of

Durham.

Si quod gubernet nummen humanum genus,
(At, quod gubernet, esse clamant omnia)
Virtute non gaudere certè non potest :
Nec esse non beata, quà gaudet, potest.
Sed quâ beata sede? Quove in tempore?
Hæc quanta terra, tota est Cæsaris.
Quid dubious hæret animus usque adeo? Brevi
Hic nodum hic omnem expediet. Arma en induor.
[Ensi manum admovens.
In utramque partem facta; quæque vim inferant,
Et que propulsent! Dextera intentat necem ;
Vitam sinistra: vulnus hæc dabit manus;
Altera medelam vulueris: hic ad exitum
Deducet, ictu simplici; hæc vetant mori.
Secura ridet anima mucronis minas,
Ensesque strictos, interire nescia.
Extinguet ætas sidera diuturnior:
Etate languens ipse sol obscurius
Emittet orbi consenescenti jubar:
Natura et ipsa sentient quondam vices
Etatis; annis ipsa deficient gravis:
At tibi juventus, at tibi immortalitas :
Tibi parta divûm est vita. Periment mutuis
Elementa sese et interibut ictibus.
Tu permanebis sola semper integra,
Tu cuncta rerum quassa, cuncta naufraga,
Jam portu in ipso tuta, contemplabere.
Compage ruptà, corruent in se invicem,
Orbesque fractis ingerentur orbibus;
Illæsa tu sedebis extra fragmina.'

ACT V. SCENE I.

CATO alone, &c.

'It must be so-Plato, thou reason'st wellElse whence this pleasing hope, this fond desire, This longing after immortality?

Or whence this secret dread, and inward horror,
Of falling into nought? Why shrinks the soul
Back on herself, and startles at destruction?
"Tis the divinity that stirs within us;
"Tis Heaven itself that points out an hereafter,
And intimates eternity to man.

Eternity: thou pleasing, dreadful thought!

"Through what variety of untry'd being, Through what new scenes and changes must we pass The wide, thunbounded prospect lies before me; But shadows, clouds, and darkness, rest upon it. Here will I hold. If there's a Power above us, (And that there is all Nature cries aloud Through all her works), he must delight in virtue. And that which he delights in must be happy. But when, or where?-This world was made for Cæsar, I'm weary of conjectures-This must end them. [Laying his han on his sword. Thus am I doubly arm'd; my death and life, My bane and antidote, are both before me. This in a moment brings me to an end; But this informs me I shall never die. The soul, secur'd in her existence, smiles At the drawn dagger, and defies its point. The stars shall fade away, the sun himself Grow dim with age, and nature sink in years; But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth, Unhurt amidst the war of elements,

The wrecks of matter and the crush of worlds.'

No. 629.] Monday, December 6, 1714,
- Experiar quid consedatur in illos,
Quorum Flaminiâ tegitur cinis, atque Latinâ,
Juv.Sat. i. 170.

Since none the living dare implead
Arraign them in the persons of the dead. Dryden.

NEXT to the people who want a place, there are none to be pitied more than those who are solicited for one. A plain answer with a denial in it is looked upon as pride, and a civil answer as a promise.

Nothing is more ridiculous than the pretensions of people upon these occasions. Every thing a man hath suffered, whilst his enemies were in play, was certainly brought about by the malice of the opposite party. A bad cause

'The Petition of E. H. Esq.

HUMBLY SHOWETH,

would not have been lost, if such an one had length, which I recommend to my reader as a
not been upon the bench; nor a profligate very valuable piece.
youth disinherited, if he had not got drunk
every night by toasting an outed ministry. I
remember a tory, who, having been fined in a
conrt of justice for a prank that deserved the
pillory, desired upon the merit of it to be made
a justice of the peace when his friends came
into power; and shall never forget a whig
criminal, who, upon being indicted for a rape,
told his friends You see what a man suffers
for sticking to his principles.'

The truth of it is, the sufferings of a man in a party are of a very doubtful nature. When they are such as have promoted a good cause, and fallen upon a man undeservedly, they have a right to be heard and recompensed beyond any other pretensions. But when they rise out of rashness or indiscretion, and the pursuit of such measures as have rather ruined than promoted the interest they aim at, which hath always been the case of many great sufferers, they only serve to recommend them to the children of violence or folly

That your petitioner's father's brother's uncle, colonel W. H. lost the third finger of his left hand at Edgehill fight.

That your petioner, notwithstanding the smallness of his fortune (he being a younger brother,) always kept hospitality, and drank confusion to the roundheads in half a score bumpers every Sunday in the year, as several honest gentlemen (whose names are underwritten) are ready to testify.

That your petitioner is remarkable in his country, for having dared to treat Sir P. P. a cursed sequestrator, and three members of the assembly of divines, with brawn and minced pies upon new-year's day.

'That your said humble petitioner hath been five times imprisoned in five several countygaols, for having been a ringleader in five difI have by me a bundle of memorials pre-ferent riots; into which his zeal for the royal sented by several cavaliers upon the restora- cause hurried him, when men of greater estates tion of king Charles II. which may serve as sc had not the courage to rise. That he, the said E. H. hath had six duels many instances to our present purpose. Among several persons and pretensions re- and four-and-twenty boxing matches in defence corded by my author, he mentions one of a ve-of his majesty's title; and that he received ry great estate, who, for having roasted an such a blow upon the head at a bonfire in ox whole, and distributed a hogshead upon Stratford-upon-Avon, as he hath been never king Charles's birth-day, desired to be provid- the better for from that day to this. ed for as his majesty in his great wisdom should 'That your petitioner hath been so far from improving his fortune, in the late damnable Another put in to be prince Henry's gover-times, that he verily believes, and hath good nor, for having dared to drink his health in the reason to imagine, that if he had been master worst of times. of an estate, he had infallibly been plundered

think fit.

A third petitioned for a colonel's commis-and sequestered. sion, for having cursed Oliver Cromwell, the 'Your petitioner, in consideration of his said day before his death, on a public bowling- merits and sufferings, humbly requests that be may have the place of receiver of the taxes, col

green.

But the most whimsical petition I have met lector of the customs, clerk of the peace, dewith is that of B, B. esq. who desired the ho-puty lieutenant, or whatsoever else he shall be nour of knighthood, for having cuckolded Sir thought qualified for. And your petitioner shall ever pray, &c.'

T. W. a notorious roundhead.

There is likewise the petition of one who, having let his beard grow from the martyrdom No. 630.] Wednesday, December 8, 1714. of king Charles the first, until the restoration of king Charles the second, desired in consideration thereupon to be made a privy-counsellor.

Favete linguis.—
With mute attention wait.

Hor. Od. i. Lib. 3.2.

I must not omit a memorial setting forrh HAVING no spare time to write any thing of that the memorialist had, with great despatch, my own, or to correct what is sent me by othcarried a letter from a certain lord to a certain ers, I have thought fit to publish the following lord, wherein, as it afterwards appeared, mea-letters: sures were concerted for the restoration, and without which he verily believes that happy revolution had never been effected; who there- 'If you would be so kind to me, as to suspend upon humbly prays to be made post-master that satisfaction which the learned world must general. receive in reading one of your speculations, by

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SIR,

Oxford, Nov. 22.

A certain gentleman, who seems to write publishing this endeavour, you will very much with a great deal of spirit, and uses the words oblige and improve one, who has the boldness gallantry and gentleman-like very often in his to hope that he may be admitted into the numpetition, begs that (in considerasion of his bav-ber of your correspondents. ing worn his hat for ten years past in the loyal 'I have often wondered to hear men of good cavalier-cock, to his great danger and detri-sense and good-nature profess a dislike to mument) he may be made a captain of the guards.sic, when at the same time they do not scruple I shall close my account of this collection of to own that it has the most agreeable and immemorials with the copy of one petition at proving influences over their minds : it seems

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to me an unhappy contradiction, that those performance of that great duty of thanksgivpersons should have an indifference for an art ing, which, as we are informed by our Alwhich raises in them such a variety of sublime mighty Benefactor, is the most acceptable pleasures.

'However, though some few, by their own or the unreasonable prejudices of others, may be led into a distaste for those musical societies which are erected merely for entertainment, yet sure I may venture to say, that no one can have the least reason for disaffection to that solemn kind of melody which consists of the praises of our Creator.

return which can be made for those infinite stores of blessings which he daily condescends to pour down upon his creatures. When we make use of this pathetical method of addressing ourselves to him, we can scarce contain from rapture! The heart is warmed with a sublimity of goodness! We are all piety and all love!

"How do the blessed spirits rejoice and wonder to behold unthinking man prostrating his soul to his dread Sovereign in such a warmth of piety as they themselves might not be ashamed of.

'You have, I presume, already prevented me in an argument upon this occasion, which some divines have successfully advanced upon a much greater, that musical sacrifice and adoration has claimed a place in the laws and customs of the most different nations; as the Grecians and Romans of the profane, the Jews and Christians of the sacred world, did as una-nobly described: nimously agree in this as they disagreed in all. other parts of their economy.

'I shall close these reflections with a passage taken out of the third book of Milton's Paradise Lost, where those harmonious beings are thus

Then crowned again, their golden harps they took,
Harps ever tun'd, that glitt'ring by their side,
Like quivers hung, and with preamble sweet
Of charming symphony they introduce
The sacred song, and waken raptures high:
No one exempt, no voice but well could join
Molodious part-such concord is in heaven!"

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MR. SPECTATOR,

'I know there are not wanting some who are of opinion that the pompous kind of music which is in use in foreign churches, is the most excellent, as it most affects our senses. But I am swayed by my judgment to the modesty which is observed in the musical part of our devotions. Methinks there is something very 'The town cannot be unacquainted that in laudable in the custom of a voluntary before divers parts of it there are vociferous sets of the first lesson; by this we are supposed to be men who are called Rattling Clubs; but what prepared for the admission of those divine shocks me most is, they have now the front to truths which we are shortly to receive. We invade the church and institute those societies, are then to cast all worldly regards from off there, as a clan of them have in late times done, our hearts, all tumults within are then be- to such a degree of insolence as has given the calmed, and there should be nothing near the partition where they reside, in a church near soul but peace and tranquillity. So that in this one of the city gates, the denomination of the short office of praise the man is raised above rattling pew. These gay fellows, from humble himself, and is almost lost already amidst the lay professions, set up for critics, without any joys of futurity. tincture of letters or reading, and have the 'I have heard some nice observers frequent-vanity to think they can lay hold of something ly commend the policy of our church in this from the parson which may be formed into particular, that it leads us on by such easy ridicule.

and regular methods that we are perfectly 'It is needless to observe that the gentlemen, deceived into piety. When the spirits begin who every Sunday have the hard province of to languish, (as they too often do with a con- instructing these wretches in a way they are stant series of petitions) she takes care to in no present disposition to take, have a fixed allow them a pious respite, and relieves them character for learning and eloquence, not to with the raptures of an anthem. Nor can be tainted by the weak efforts of this conwe doubt that the sublimest, poetry, softened temptible part of their audiences. Whether in the most moving strains of music, can ne- the pulpit is taken by these gentlemen, or any ver fail of humbling or exalting the soul to strangers their friends, the way of the club is any pitch of devotion. Who can hear the this: if any sentiments are delivered too subterrors of the Lord of Hosts described in the lime for their conception; if any uncommon most expressive melody, without being awed topic is entered on, or one in use new modified into a veneration ? Or who can hear the with the finest judgment and dexterity; or, kind and endearing attributes of a merciful any controverted point be never so elegantly father, and not be softened into love towards handled; in short, whatever surpasses the narhim? row limits of their theology, or is not suited to 'As the rising and sinking of the passions, their taste, they are all immediately upon the the casting soft or noble hints into the soul, watch, fixing their eyes upon each other with is the natural privilege of music in general, as much warmth as our gladiators of Hockso more particularly of that kind which is em-ley-in-the-Hole, and waiting like them for a ployed at the altar. Those impressions which hit: if one touches, all take fire, and their it leaves upon the spirits are more deep and noddles instantly meet in the centre of the lasting, as the grounds from which it receives pew: then, as by beat of drum, with exact its authority are founded more upon reason. It discipline, they rear up into a full length diffuses a calmness all around us, it makes of stature, and with odd looks and gesticulaus drop all those vain or immodest thoughts tions confer together in so loud and clamorous which would be an hinderance to us in the a manner, continued to the close of the disVOL. II. 51

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