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me; and I am sure you have so much honour] It is a mark of cowardice passively to forand compassion as to let those persons know, bear resenting an affront, the resenting of in some of your papers, how much they are which would lead a man into danger; it is no in the wrong. I have been married near five less a sign of cowardice to affront a creature years, and do not know that in all that time I that hath not power to avenge itself. Whatever went abroad without my husband's leave ever name therefore this ungenerous man may and approbation. I am obliged, through the bestow on the helpless lady he hath injured, 1 importunities of several of my relations, to go shall not scruple to give him, in return for it, abroad oftener than suits my temper. Then the appellation of coward. it is I labour under insupportable agonies. A man that can so far descend from his digThat man, or rather monster, haunts every nity, as to strike a lady, can never recover his place I go to. Base villain! by reason I will reputation with either sex, because no provonot admit his nauseous wicked visits and ap- cation is thought strong enough to justify pointments, he strives all the ways he can to such treatment from the powerful towards the ruin me. He left me destitute of friend or weak. In the circumstances in which poor money, nor ever thought me worth inquiring Lesbia is situated, she can appeal to no man after, until he unfortunately happened to see whatsoever to avenge an insult more grievous me in a front-box sparkling with jewels. than a blow. If she could open her mouth, the Then his passion returned. Then the hypo-base man knows that a husband, a brother, a crite pretended to be a penitent. Then he generous friend, would die to see her righted. practised all those arts that helped before to A generous mind, however enraged against undo me. I am not to be deceived a second an enemy, feels its resentments sink and vatime by him. I hate and abhor his odious pas-nish away when the object of its wrath falls insion; and as he plainly perceives it, either out to its power. An estranged friend, filled of spite or diversion he makes it his business to with jealousy and discontent towards a boexpose me. I never fail seeing him in all pub- som acquaintance, is apt to overflow with tenlic company, where he is always most industri- derness and remorse, when a creature that ously spiteful. He hath, in short, told all his was once dear to him undergoes any misforacquaintance of our unhappy affair; they tell tune. What name then shall we give to his theirs; so that it is no secret among his com- ingratitude, (who forgetting the favours he panions, which are numerous. They to whom solicited with eagerness, and received with raphe tells it, think they have a title to be very ture) can insult the miseries that he himself familiar. If they bow to me, and I out of good caused, and make sport with the pain to manners return it, then I am pestered with which he owes his greatest pleasure? There is freedoms that are no ways agreeable to myself but one being in the creation whose province or company. If I turn my eyes from them, it is to practise upon the imbecilities of frail or seem displeased, they sour upon it, and creatures, and triumph in the woes which his whisper the next person; he his next; until I own artifices brought about; and we well have at last the eyes of the whole company up- know those who follow his example will receive on me. Nay they report abominable false- his reward.

hoods, under that mistaken notion, "She that Leaving my fair correspondent to the direcwill grant favours to one man will to a hun- tion of her own wisdom and modesty; and her dred." I beg you will let those who are guilty enemy, and his mean accomplices, to the comknow how ungenerous this way of proceeding punction of their own hearts; I shall conis. I am sure he will know himself the person clude this paper with a memorable instance aimed at, and perhaps put a stop to the inso- of revenge, taken by a Spanish lady upon a lence of others. Cursed is the fate of unhappy guilty lover, which may serve to show what women! that men may boast and glory in violent effects are wrought by the most tenthose things that we must think of with shame der passion, when soured into hatred; and and horror! You have the art of making such may deter the young and unwary from unodious customs appear detestable. For my lawful love. The story, however romantic it sake, and, I am sure, for the sake of several may appear, I have heard affirmed for a truth. others who dare not own it, but, like me, lie Not many years ago an English gentleman, under the same misfortunes, make it as infa-who, in a rencounter by night in the streets mous for a man to boast of favours, or expose of Madrid, had the misfortune to kill his man, our sex, as it is to take the lie, or a box on the fled into a church-porch for sanctuary. Leanear, and not resent it.

'Your constant reader and admirer,

ing against the door, he was surprised to find it open, and a glimmering light in the 'LESBIA. church. He had the courage to advance towards the light; but was terribly startled at 'P.S. I am the more impatient under this the sight of a woman in white, who ascendmisfortune, having received fresh provocation, ed from a grave with a bloody knife in her last Wednesday, in the Abbey.'

I entirely agree with the amiable and unfortunate Lesbia, that an insult upon a woman in her circumstances is as infamous in a man, as a tame behaviour when the lie or a buffet is given which truth I shall beg leave of her to illustrate by the following observation.

hand. The phantom marched up to him, and asked him what he did there. He told her the truth, without reserve, believing that he had met a ghost; upon which she spoke to him in the following manner: 'Stranger, thou art in my power: I am a murderer as thou art. Know then that I am a nun of a noble family. A base perjured man undid me, and boasted

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of it. I soon had him despatched; but not mansion-houses, you are sure to find the first content with the murder, I have bribed the in the catalogue a great statesman, or a soldier sexton to let me enter his grave, and have now with an honourable commission. The honest plucked out his false heart from his body; artificer that begot him, and all his frugal anand thus I use a traitor's heart. At these cestors before him, are torn off from the top words she tore it in pieces and trampled it un-of the register; and you are not left to imader her feet.

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Murranus, boasting of his blood, that springs
From a long royal race of Latin kings,
Is by the Trojan from his chariot thrown,
Crush'd with the weight of an unwieldy stone.

Dryden.

gine that the noble founder of the family ever had a father. Were we to trace many boasted lines further backwards, we should lose them in a mob of tradesmen, or a crowd of rustics, without hope of seeing them emerge again not unlike the old Appian way, which, after having run many miles in length, loses itself in a bog.

'I lately made a visit to an old country gentleman, who is very far gone in this sort of family madness. I found him in his study perusing an old register of his family, which he had Ir is highly laudable to pay respect to men just then discovered as it was branched out in who are descended from worthy ancestors, not the form of a tree, upon a skin of parchment. only out of gratitude to those who have done Having the honour to have some of his blood good to mankind, but as it is an encourage-in my veins, he permitted me to cast my eye ment to others to follow their example. But over the boughs of this venerable plant; and this is an honour to be received, not demanded, asked my advice in the reforming of some of by the descendants of great men; and they the superfluous branches.

who are apt to remind us of their ancestors 'We passed slightly over three or four of only put us upon making comparisons to their our immediate forefathers, whom we knew by own disadvantage. There is some pretence tradition, but were soon stopped by an alderfor boasting of wit, beauty, strength, or wealth, man of London, who I perceived made my because the communication of them may give kinsman's heart go pit-a-pat. His confusion pleasure or profit to others; but we can have increased when he found the alderman's father no merit, nor ought we to claim any respect, because our fathers acted well, whether we would

or no.

The following letter ridicules the folly I have mentioned in a new, and I think, not disagreeable light.

4 MR. SPECTATOR,

to be a grazier; but he recovered his fright upon seeing justice of the quorum at the end of his titles. Things went on pretty well as we threw our eyes occasionally over the tree, when unfortunately he perceived a merchanttailor perched on a bough, who was said greatly to have increased the estate; he was just going to cut him off if he had not seen gent. after the name of his son; who was recorded to have 'Were the genealogy of every family pre- mortgaged one of the manors his honest father served, there would probably be no man va- had purchased. A weaver, who was burnt for lued or despised on account of his birth. There his religion in the reign of queen Mary, was is scarce a beggar in the streets, who would pruned away without mercy; as was likewise not find himself lineally descended from some a yeoman, who died of a fall from his own great man; nor any one of the highest title, cart. But great was our triumph in one of the who would not discover several base and indi-blood who was beheaded for high treason: gent persons among his ancestors. It would which nevertheless was not a little allayed by be a pleasant entertainment to see one pedi- another of our ancestors who was hanged for gre of men appear together, under the same stealing sheep. The expectations of my good characters they bore when they acted their cousin were wonderfully raised by a match inrespective parts among the living. Suppose to the family of a knight; but unfortunately therefore a gentleman, full of his illustrious for us this branch proved barren: on the other family, should in the same manner Virgil hand, Margery the milk-maid, being twined makes Æneas look over his descendants, see round a bough, it flourished out into so many the whole line of his progenitors pass in a re-shoots, and bent with so much fruit, that the view before his eyes-with how many varying old gentleman was quite out of countenance. passions would he behold shepherds and sol- To comfort me under this disgrace, he singled diers, statesmen and artificers, princes and out a branch ten times more fruitful than the beggars, walk in the procession of five thou-other, which he told me he valued more than sand years! How would his heart sink or flut-any in the tree, and bade me be of good comter at the several sports of fortune, in a scene fort. This enormous bough was a graft out so diversified with rags and purple, handi- of a Welsh heiress, with so many Ap's upon craft tools and sceptres, ensigns of dignity, it, that it might have made a little grove by itand emblems of disgrace! And how would self. From the trunk of the pedigree, which his fears and apprehensions, his transports was chiefly composed of labourers and shepand mortifications, succeed one another, as herds, arose a huge sprout of farmers: this the line of his genealogy appeared bright or

obscure!

In most of the pedigrees hung up in old

was branched out into yeoman, and ended in his good service to the crown in bringing up a sheriff of the county, who was knighted for

an address. Several of the names that seemed was the result of a laudable ambition. It was to disparage the fainily, being looked upon as not until after frequent disappointments that mistakes, were lopped off as rotten or wither-he termed himself the melancholy Cowley; ed; as, on the contrary, no small number ap- and he praised solitude when he despaired of pearing without any titles, my cousin, to sup-shining in a court. The soul of man is an ply the defects of the manuscript, added esq. active principle. He therefore, who withat the end of each of them. draws himself from the scene before he has

'This tree, so pruned, dressed and cultivated, played his part, ought to be hissed off the was, within a few days, transplanted into a stage, and cannot be deemed virtuous, belarge sheet of vellum, and placed in the great cause he refuses to answer his end. I must hall, where it attracts the veneration of his own I am fired with an honest ambition to tenants every Sunday morning, while they wait imitate every illustrious example. The batuntil his worship is ready to go to church;tles of Blenheim and Ramilies have more than wondering that a man who had so many fathers once made me wish myself a soldier. And, before him should not be made a knight, or at when I have seen those actions so nobly celeleast a justice of the peace.'

No. 613.] Friday, October 29, 1714.

Studiis florentem ignobilis oti.

brated by our poets, I have secretly aspired to be one of that distinguished class. But in vain I wish, in vain I pant with the desire of action. I am chained down in obscurity, and the only pleasure I can take is in seeing so many brighter geniuses join their friendly lights to add to the splendour of the throne. Farewell then, dear Spee, and believe me to be with great emulation, and no envy,

SIR,

'Your professed admirer,

WILL HOPELESS.

Virg. Georg. iv. 564. Affecting studies of less noisy praise. Dryden. I is reckoned a piece of ill-breeding for one man to engross the whole talk to himself. For this reason, since I keep three visiting-days in the week, I am content now and then to let my friends put in a word. There are several advantages hereby accruing both to my reaMiddle Temple, Oct. 26, 1714, ders and myself. As first, young and modest Though you have formerly made eloquence writers have an opportunity of getting into the subject of one or more of your papers, I print; again, the town enjoys the pleasures of do not remember that you ever considered it variety; and posterity will see the humour of as possessed by a set of people, who are so the present age, by the help of these lights far from making Quintilian's rules their pracinto private and domestic life. The benefits I tice, that, I dare say for them, they never receive from thence are such as these: I gain heard of such an author, and yet are no less more time for future speculations; pick up masters of it than Tully or Demosthenes hints which I improve for the public good; among the ancients, or whom you please give advice; redress grievances; and, by among the moderns. The persons I am leaving commodious spaces between the seve-speaking of are our common beggars about ral letters that I print, furnish out a Spectator, this town; and, that what I say is true, I apwith little labour and great ostentation.

MR. SPECTATOR,

peal to any man who has a heart one degree softer than a stone. As for my part, who do not pretend to more humanity than my neigh'I was mightily pleased with your specula-bours, I have oftentimes gone from my chamtion of Friday. Your sentiments are noble, bers with money in my pocket, and returned and the whole worked up in such a manner as to them not only pennyless, but destitute of cannot but strike upon every reader. But a farthing, without bestowing of it any other give me leave to make this remark; that way than on these seeming objects of pity. In while you write so pathetically on content- short, I have seen more eloquence in a look ment, and a retired life, you sooth the passion from one of these despicable creatures than of melancholy, and depress the mind from in the eye of the fairest she I ever saw, yet no actions truly glorious. Titles and honours one a greater admirer of that sex than myare the reward of virtue; we therefore ought self. What I have to desire of you is, to lay to be affected with them; and though light down some directions in order to guard against minds are too much puffed up with exterior these powerful orators, or else I know nothing pomp, yet I cannot see why it is not as truly to the contrary but I must myself be forced to philosophical to admire the glowing ruby, or leave the profession of the law, and endeavour the sparkling green of an emerald, as the to get the qualifications necessary to that more fainter and less permanent beauties of a profitable one of begging. But, in whichsorose or a myrtle. If there are men of extra-ever of these two capacities I shine, I shall ordinary capacities, who lie concealed from always desire to be your constant reader, and the world, I should impute it to them as a ever will be blot in their characters did not I believe it owing to the meanness of their fortune rather than of their spirit. Cowley, who tells the story of Aglaus with so much pleasure, was no stranger to courts, nor insensible of praise. "What shall I do to be forever known, And the age to come my own?"

4 SIR,

'Your most humble servant,

'J. B.'

Upon reading a Spectator last week, where Mrs. Fanny Fickle submitted the choice of a lover for life to your decisive

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determination, and imagining I might claim dictates, those are to certify the persons conthe favour of your advice in an affair of the cerned, that unless one of them returns to his like, but much more difficult nature, I called coulours, if I may so call them now, before for pen and ink, in order to draw the characters of seven humble servants, whom I have equally encouraged for some time. But, alas! while I was reflecting on the agreeable subject, and contriving an advantageous description of the dear person I was most inclined to favour, I happened to look into my glass. The sight of the small-pox, out of which I am just recovered, tormented me at once with the loss of my captivating arts and my captives. The confusion I was in, on this unhappy, unseasonable discovery, is in

the winter is over, I will voluntarily confine
myself to a retirement, where I will punish
them all with my needle. I will be revenged
on them by decyphering them on a carpet,
humbly begging admittance, myself scorn-
fully refusing it. If you disapprove of this,
as savouring too much of malice, be pleased
to acquaint me with a draught you like better,
and it shall be faithfully performed,
By the unfortunate

'MONIMIA.'

expressible. Believe me, sir, I was so taken No. 614.] Monday, November 1, 1714.

up with the thoughts of your fair correspondent's case, and so intent on my own design, that I fancied myself as triumphant in my conquests as ever.

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Now, sir, finding I was incapaciated to amuse myself on that pleasing subject, I resolved to apply myself to you, or your casuistical agent, for advice in my present circumstances. I am sensible the tincture of my skin, and the regularity of my features, which the malice of my late illness has altered, are irrecoverable; yet do not despair but that that loss by your assistance, may, in some measure, be repairable, if you will please to propose a way for the recovery of one only of my fugitives.

Si mihi non animo fixum immotumque sederet,
Ne cui me vinclo vellem sociare jugali,
Postquam primus amor deceptam morte fefellit;
Si non pertæsum thalami, tædæque fuisset ;
Huic uni forsan potui succumbere culpæ.

Virg. En. iv. 15

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'Having in some former papers taken care of the two states of virginity and marriage, and being willing that all people should be served in their turn, I this day drew out my drawer of widows, where I met with several cases to each whereof I have returned satisfactory answers by the post. The cases are as follow:

One of them is in a more particular manner beholden to me than the rest; he, for some private reasons, being desirous to be a lover incognito, always addressed me with a billet-doux, which I was so careful of in my sickness, that I secured the key of my love Q. Whether Amoret be bound by a promise magazine under my head, and, hearing a of marriage to Philander, made during her noise of opening a lock in my chamber, en-husband's life? dangered my life by getting out of bed, to Q. Whether Sempronia, having faithfully prevent, if it had been attempted, the discovery of that amour.

given a promise to two several persons during the last sickness of her husband, is not thereby left at liberty to choose which of them she pleases, or to reject them both for the sake of a new lover?

'Cleora asks me, whether she be obliged to continue single according to a vow made to her husband at the time of his presenting her with a diamond necklace; she being informed by a very pretty young fellow, of a good conscience, that such vows are in their nature sinful?

'I have formerly made use of all those artifices which our sex daily practise over yours, to draw, as it were, undesignedly the eyes of a whole congregation to my pew; I have taken a pride in the number of admirers at my afternoon levee; but am now quite another creature. I think, could I regain the attractive influence I once had, if I had a legion of suitors, I should never be ambitious of entertaining more than one. I have almost contracted an antipathy to the trifling dis- 'Another inquires, whether she hath not the courses of impertinent levers; though I must right of widowhood, to dispose of herself to a needs own I have thought it very odd of late gentleman of great merit, who presses very to hear gentlemen, instead of their usual com- hard; her husband being irrecoverably gone plaisances, fall into disputes before me of po-in a consumption?

litics, or else weary me with the tedious repe- 'An unreasonable creature hath the confitition of how thankful I ought to be, and sa-dence to ask, whether it be proper for her to tisfied with my recovery out of so dangerous marry a man who is younger than her eldest a distemper: this, though I am very sensible son?

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of the blessing, yet I cannot but dislike, be- A scrupulous well-spoken matron, who gives cause such advice from them rather seems to me a great many good words, only doubts wheinsult than comfort me, and reminds me too ther she is not obliged, in conscience, to shut up much of what I was: which melancholy con- her two marriageable daughters, until such time sideration I cannot yet perfectly surmount, as she hath comfortably disposed of herself? but hope your sentiments on this head will make it supportable.

To show you what a value I have for your VOL. II.

'Sophronia, who seems by her phrase and spelling to be a person of condition, sets forth, that whereas she hath a great estate,

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and is but a woman, she desires to be in-incontinency she forfeits her estate; yet if formed whether she would not do prudently she will come into the court riding backward to marry Camillus, a very idle tall young fel- upon a black ram, with his tail in her hand, low, who hath no fortune of his own, and and say the words following. the steward is consequently hath nothing else to do but to bound by the custom to re-admit her to her free-bench. manage hers ?'

Before I speak of widows, I cannot but observe one thing, which I do not know how to account for; a widow is always more sought after than an old maid of the same age. It is common enough among ordinary people, for a stale virgin to set up a shop in a place where she is not known; where the large thumb-ring, supposed to be given by her husband, quickly recommends her to some wealthy

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*

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The like custom there is in the manor of

neighbour, who takes a liking to the jolly wi-Torre, in Devonshire, and other parts of the dow, that would have overlooked the venerable west. spinster.

It is not impossible but I may in a little The truth of it is, if we look into this time present you with a register of Berkshire set of women, we find, according to the dif- ladies, and other western dames, who rode ferent characters or circumstances wherein publicly upon this occasion; and I hope the they are left, that widows may be divided into town will be entertained with a cavalcade of those who raise love and those who raise com- widows.t

passion.

But, not to ramble from this subject, there No. 615.] Wednesday, November 3, 1714. are two things in which consists chiefly the glory of a widow-the love of her deceased husband, and the care of her children; to which may be added a third, arising out of the former, such a prudent conduct as may do honour to both.

A widow possessed of all these three qualities makes not only a virtuous but a sublime character.

There is something so great and so generous in this state of life, when it is accompanied with all its virtues, that it is the subject of one of the finest among our modern tragedies in the person of Andromache, and has met with an universal and deserved applause, when introduced upon our English stage by Mr. Philips.*

Qui Deorum
Muneribus sapienter uti,
Daramque callet pauperiem pati,
Pejusque letho flagitium timet;
Non ille pro caris amicis
Aut patria timidus perire.

Hor. Od. ix. Lib. 4. 47.

Who spend their treasure freely as 'twas giv'n
By the large bounty of indulgent heav'n;
Who in a fix'd unalterable state

Smile at the doubtful tide of fate,
And scorn alike her friendship and her hate:
Who poison less than falsehood fear,

Loath to purchase life so dear;

And seal their country's love with their departing breath.
But kindly for their friend embrace cold death
Stepney.

It must be owned that fear is a very powerful The most memorable widow in history is passion, since it is esteemed one of the greatqueen Artemisia, who not only erected the fa- est virtues to subdue it. It being implanted mous mausoleum, but drank up the ashes of her in us for our preservation, it is no wonder that dead lord; thereby enclosing them in a nobler it sticks close to us as long as we have any monument than that which she had built, thing we are willing to preserve. But as though deservedly esteemed one of the wonders life, and all its enjoyments, would be scarce

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worth the keeping if we were under a perpetual dread of losing them, it is the business of religion and philosophy to free us from all unnecessary anxieties, and direct our fear to its proper object.

If we consider the painfulness of this passion, and the violent effects it produces, we shall see how dangerous it is to give way to it upon slight occasions. Some have frightened themselves into madness, others have given up

*See Jacob's Law Dictionary, art. Free-bench.-Frank Bank, or Free-bench, [Sedes Libera, or, in Law-Latin, the wife, being married, a virgin hath after the decease Francus Bancus] is that estate in copyhold lands, which of her husband for a dower. Fitzherbert calls this a custom by which, in some cities, the wife shall have all the lands of her husband for dower.-Les Termes de la Ley, edit. 1667, p. 575.

See No. 623. The custom in the manors of East and West Enborne, of Torre, and other parts in the West of England, is a kind of penance among jocular tenures to purge the offence, and has there, it seems. the force and validity of statute law. Jacob's Dict, ut supra, edit. 1736, in folio.

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