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existence, to converse with scenes, and ob- | whatever might be proper to adapt them jects and companions that are altogether to the character and genius of my paper, new,-what can support her under such with which it was almost impossible these tremblings of thought, such fear, such anxiety, such apprehensions, but the casting of all her cares upon Him who first gave her being, who has conducted her through one stage of it, and will be always with her to guide and comfort her in her progress through eternity?

could exactly correspond, it being certain that hardly two men think alike; and, therefore, so many men so many Spectators. Besides, I must own my weakness for glory is such, that, if I consulted that only, I might be so far swayed by it, as almost to wish that no one could write a Spectator besides myself; nor can I deny but, upon the first perusal of those papers, I felt some secret inclinations of ill-will towards the persons who wrote them. This was the im

David has very beautifully represented this steady reliance on God Almighty in his twenty-third psalm, which is a kind of pastoral hymn, and filled with those allusions which are usual in that kind of writ-pression I had upon the first reading them; ing. As the poetry is very exquisite, I shall present my reader with the following translation of it:

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I Do not know whether I enough explained myself to the world, when I invited all men to be assistant to me in this my work of speculation; for I have not yet acquainted my readers, that besides the letters and valuable hints I have from time to time received from my correspondents, I have by me several curious and extraordinary papers sent with a design (as no one will doubt when they are published) that they may be printed entire, and without any alteration, by way of Spectator. I must acknowledge also, that I myself being the first projector of the paper, thought I had a right to make them my own, by dressing .hem in my own style, by leaving out what would not appear like mine, and by adding

but upon a late review (more for the sake of entertainment than use,) regarding them with another eye than I had done at first (for by converting them as well as I could to my own use, I thought I had utterly dis abled them from ever offending me again as Spectators,) I found myself moved by a passion very different from that of envy; sensibly touched with pity, the softest and most generous of all passions, when I reflected what a cruel disappointment the neglect of those papers must needs have been to the writers who impatiently longed to see them appear in print, and who, no doubt, triumphed to themselves in the hopes of having a share with me in the applause of the public; a pleasure so great, that none but those who have experienced it can have a sense of it. In this manner of viewing those papers, I really found I had not done them justice, there being something so extremely natural and peculiarly good in some of them, that I will appeal to the world whether it was possible to alter a word in them without doing them a manifest hurt and violence; and whether they can ever appear rightly, and as they ought, but in their own native dress and colours. And therefore I think I should not only wrong them, but deprive the world of a considerable satisfaction, should I any longer delay the making them public.

4

After I have published a few of these Spectators, I doubt not but I shall find the success of them to equal, if not surpass, that of the best of my own. An author should take all methods to humble himself in the opinion he has of his own performances. When these papers appear to the world, I doubt not but they will be followed by many others; and I shall not repine, though I myself shall have left me but a very few days to appear in public: but preferring the general weal and advantage to any consideration of myself, I am resolved for the future to publish any Spectator that deserves it entire and without any alteration; assuring the world (if there can be need of it) that it is none of mine, and if the authors think fit to subscribe their names, I will add them.

I think the best way of promoting this generous and useful design, will be by giving out subjects or themes of all kinds

whatsoever, on which (with a preamble of the extraordinary benefit and advantages that may accrue thereby to the public) I will invite all manner of persons, whether scholars, citizens, courtiers, gentlemen of the town or country, and all beaus, rakes, smarts, prudes, coquettes, housewives, and all sorts of wits, whether male or female, and however distinguished, whether they be true wits, whole or half wits, or whether arch, dry, natural, acquired, genuine, or depraved wits; and persons of all sorts of tempers and complexions, whether the severe, the delightful, the impertinent, the agreeable, the thoughtful, the busy or careless, the serene or cloudy, jovial or melancholy, untowardly or easy, the cold, temperate, or sanguine; and of what manners or dispositions soever, whether the ambitious or humble-minded, the proud or pitiful, ingenuous or base-minded, good or ill-natured, public-spirited or selfish; and under what fortune or circumstance soever, whether the contented or miserable, happy or unfortunate, high or low, rich or poor (whether so through want of money, or desire of more,) healthy or sickly, married or single: nay, whether tall or short, fat or lean; and of what trade, occupation, profession, station, country, faction, party, persuasion, quality, age, or condition soever; who have ever made thinking a part of their business or diversion, and have any thing worthy to impart on these subjects to the world, according to their several and respective talents or geniuses; and, as the subjects given out hit their tempers, humours, or circumstances, or may be made profitable to the public by their particular knowledge or experience in the matter proposed, to do their utmost on them by such a time, to the end they may receive the inexpressible and irresistible pleasure of seeing their essays allowed of and relished by the rest of mankind.

I will not prepossess the reader with too great expectation of the extraordinary advantages which must redound to the public by these essays, when the different thoughts and observations of all sorts of persons, according to their quality, age, sex, education, professions, humours, manners, and conditions, &c. shall be set out by themselves in the clearest and most genuine light, and as they themselves would wish to have them appear to the world.

The thesis proposed for the present exercise of the adventurers to write Spectators, is Money; on which subject all persons are desired to send in their thoughts within ten days after the date hereof.

No. 443.] Tuesday, July 29, 1712.

Sublatum ex oculis quærimus invidi.

T.

Hor. Od. xxiv. Lib. 3. 33.
Snatch'd from our sight, we eagerly pursue,
And fondly would recall her to our view.

Camilla* to the Spectator.

• Venice, July 10, N. s.
'MR. SPECTATOR,-I take it extremely
ill, that you do not reckon conspicuous
persons of your nation are within your cog-
nizance, though out of the dominions of
Great Britain. I little thought, in the
green years of my life, that I should ever
call it a happiness to be out of dear Eng-
land; but as I grew to woman, I found
myself less acceptable in proportion to the
increase of my merit. Their ears in Italy
are so differently formed from the make of
yours in England, that I never come upon
the stage, but a general satisfaction ap-
pears in every countenance of the whole
people. When I dwell upon a note, I be
hold all the men accompanying me with
heads inclining, and falling of their persons
The
on one side, as dying away with me.
women too do justice to my merit, and no
vain thing," when I am rapt in the per-
ill-natured, worthless creature cries, "The
with the effect my voice has upon all who
formance of my part, and sensibly touched
whom nature has been liberal to in a grace-
hear me. I live here distinguished as one
voice. These particularities in this strange
ful person, and exalted mien, and heavenly
country are arguments for respect and
generosity to her who is possessed of them.
sensible I have no pretence to, and abun-
The Italians see a thousand beauties I am
dantly make up to me the injustice I re-
ceived in my own country, of disallowing
me what I really had. The humour of
hissing which you have among you, I do
not know any thing of; and their applauses
are uttered in sighs, and bearing a part at
the cadences of voice with the persons who
are performing. I am often put in mind of
those complaisant lines of my own country-
man,† when he is calling all his faculties
together to hear Arabella.

Let all be hush'd, each softest motion cease,
Be ev'ry loud tumultuous thought at peace;
And ev'ry ruder gasp of breath

Be calm, as in the arms of death:
And thou, most fickle, most uneasy part,
Thou restless wanderer, my heart,
Be still; gently, ah! gently leave,
Thou busy, idle thing, to heave:
Stir not a pulse; and let my blood,
That turbulent, unruly flood,

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Be softly staid:

Let me be all, but my attention dead.” The whole city of Venice is as still when I am singing as this polite hearer was to Mrs. Hunt. But when they break that silence, did you know the pleasure I am in, when every man utters his applauses, by calling me aloud, "The dear Creature! The Angel! The Venus! What attitudes she moves with! Hush, she sings again!" We have no boisterous wits who dare disturb an audience, and break the public peace merely to show they dare. Mr.

* Mrs. Tofts, who played the part of Camilla in the opera of that name.

† Mr. Congreve

Spectator, I write this to you thus in haste, to tell you I am so very much at ease here that I know nothing but joy; and I will not return, but leave you in England to hiss all merit of your own growth off the stage. I know, sir, you were always my admirer, and therefore I am yours, CAMILLA.

'P. S. I am ten times better dressed than •P. S. I am ten times better dressed than ever I was in England.'

'MR. SPECTATOR,-The project in yours of the 11th instant, of furthering the correspondence and knowledge of that considerable part of mankind, the trading world, cannot but be highly commendable. Good lectures to young traders may have very good effects on their conduct; but beware you propagate no false notions of trade: let none of your correspondents impose on the world by putting forth base methods in a good light, and glazing them over with improper terms. I would have no means of profit set for copies to others, but such as are laudable in themselves. Let not noise be called industry, nor impudence courage. Let not good fortune be imposed on the world for good management, nor poverty be called folly: impute 'not always bankruptcy to extravagance, nor an estate to foresight. Niggardliness is not good husbandry, nor generosity profusion.

|markable for impudence than wit, there are yet some remaining, who pass with the giddy part of mankind for sufficient sharers of the latter, who have nothing but the former qualification to recommend them. Another timely animadversion is absolutely necessary: be pleased, therefore, once for all, to let these gentlemen know, that there is neither mirth nor good humour in hooting a young fellow out of countenance; nor that it will ever constitute a wit, to conclude a tart piece of buffoonery with a "What makes you blush?" Pray please to inform them again, that to speak what they know is shocking, proceeds from ill-nature and sterility of brain; especially when the subject will not admit of raillery, and their discourse has no pretension to satire but what is in their design to disoblige. I should be very glad too if you would take notice, that a daily repetition of the same overbearing insolence is yet more insupportable, and a confirmation of very extraordinary dulness. The sudden publication of this may have an effect upon a notorious offender of this kind whose reformation would redound very much to the satisfaction and quiet of your most humble

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servant,

T.

F. B.'

No. 444.] Wednesday, July 30, 1712.

Paturiunt montes

The mountain labours.*

Hor. Ars Poet. v. 139.

Honestus is a well-meaning and judicious trader, hath substantial goods, and trades with his own stock, husbands his money to the best advantage, without taking all the advantages of the necessities Ir gives me much despair in the design of his workmen, or grinding the face of the of reforming the world by my speculations, poor. Fortunatus is stocked with igno- when I find there always arise, from one gerance, and consequently with self-opinion; neration to another, successive cheats and the quality of his goods cannot but be suit- bubbles, as naturally as beasts of prey, and able to that of his judgment. Honestus those which are to be their food. There is pleases discerning people, and keeps their hardly a man in the world, one would custom by good usage; makes modest pro- think, so ignorant, as not to know that the fit by modest means, to the decent support ordinary quack-doctors who publish their of his family; while Fortunatus, blustering great abilities in little brown billets, distrialways, pushes on, promising much and buted to all that pass by, are to a man performing little; with obsequiousness of-impostors and murderers; yet such is the fensive to people of sense, strikes at all, credulity of the vulgar, and the impudence catches much the greater part, and raises of those professors, that the affair still goes a considerable fortune by imposition on on, and new promises, of what was never others, to the discouragement and ruin of done before, are made every day. What those who trade fair in the same way. aggravates the jest is, that even this promise has been made as long as the memory of man can trace it, yet nothing performed, and yet still prevails. As I was passing along to-day, a paper given into my hand by a fellow without a nose, tells us as follows what good news is come to town, to wit, that there is now a certain cure for the French disease, by a gentleman just come from his travels.

'I give here but loose hints, and beg you to be very circumspect in the province you have now undertaken: if you perform it successfully, it will be a very great good; for nothing is more wanting than that mechanic industry were set forth with the freedom and greatness of mind which ought always to accompany a man of liberal education. Your humble servant,

'From my shop under

the Royal Exchange, July 14. R. C.'
'July 24, 1712.
'MR. SPECTATOR,-Notwithstanding the
repeated censures that your spectatorial
wisdom has passed upon people more re

"In Russel-court, over-against the Cannon ball, at the Surgeon's-arms, in Drury lane, is lately come from his travels, J

* Former motto:~

Quid dignum tento feret hic promissor hiatu.-Hor.
Great cry and little wool.-English Proverò.

surgeon who hath practised surgery and timony of some people that has been physic both by sea and land, these twenty-thirty years lame." When I received my four years. He (by the blessing) cures the paper, a sagacious fellow took one at the yellow jaundice, green-sickness, scurvy, same time and read till he came to the dropsy, surfeits, long sea-voyages, cam- thirty years' confinement of his friends, and paigns, and women's miscarriages, lying- went off very well convinced of the doctor's in, &c. as some people that has been lame sufficiency. You have many of those prothese thirty years can testify; in short, he digious persons, who have had some excureth all diseases incident to men, women, traordinary accident at their birth, or a or children.’ great disaster in some part of their lives. If a man could be so indolent as to look Any thing, however foreign from the busiupon this havoc of the human species, ness the people want of you, will convince which is made by vice and ignorance, it them of your ability in that you profess. would be a good ridiculous work to com- There is a doctor in Mouse-Alley, near ment upon the declaration of this accom- Wapping, who sets up for curing cataplished traveller. There is something racts, upon the credit of having, as his bill unaccountably taking among the vulgar in sets forth, lost an eye in the emperor's serthose who come from a great way off. Ig-vice. His patients come in upon this, and norant people of quality, as many there he shows his muster-roll, which confirms are of such, doat excessively this way; that he was in his imperial majesty's many instances of which every man will troops; and he puts out their eyes with suggest to himself, without my enumeration of them. The ignorants of lower order, who cannot, like the upper ones, be profuse of their money to those recommended by coming from a distance, are no less complaisant than the others, for they venture their lives from the same admiration.

great success. Who would believe that a man should be a doctor for the cure of bursten children, by declaring that his father and grandfather were both bursten? But Charles Ingolston, next door to the Harp in Barbican, has made a pretty penny by that asservation. The generality 'The doctor is lately come from his tra- go upon their first conception, and think no vels,' and has 'practised both by sea and farther; all the rest is granted. They take land,' and therefore cures the green-sick- it, that there is something uncommon in ness, long sea-voyages, campaigns, and you, and give you credit for the rest. You lyings-in. Both by sea and land!-I will may be sure it is upon that I go, when not answer for the distempers called sea- sometimes, let it be to the purpose or not, voyages and campaigns; but I dare say I keep a Latin sentence in my front; and I those of green-sickness and lying-in might was not a little pleased, when I observed be as well taken care of if the doctor staid one of my readers say, casting his eye upon ashore. But the art of managing mankind my twentieth paper, More Latin still? is only to make them stare a little, to keep What a prodigious scholar is this man!" up their astonishment, to let nothing be fa- But as I have taken much liberty with this miliar to them, but ever have something in learned doctor, I must make up all I have their sleeve, in which they must think you said by repeating what he seems to be in are deeper than they are. There is an in-earnest in, and honestly promises to those genious fellow, a barber of my acquaint- who will not receive him as a great manance, who, besides his broken fiddle and to wit, That from eight to twelve, and a dried sea-monster, has a twined-cord, from two to six, he attends, for the good of strained with two nails at each end, over the public, to bleed for three pence.' T. his window, and the words 'rainy, dry,

wet,' and so forth; written to denote the

Tanti non es, ais.

Sapis, Luperce.

weather, according to the rising or falling | No. 445.] Thursday, July 31, 1712.
of the cord. We very great scholars are
not apt to wonder at this; but I observed a
very honest fellow, a chance customer,
who sat in the chair before me to be
shaved, fix his eye upon this miraculous
performance during the operation upon his
chin and face. When those and his head
also were cleared of all incumbrances and
excrescences, he looked at the fish, then at
the fiddle, still grubbing in his pockets,
and casting his eye again at the twine, and
the words writ on each side; then altered
his mind as to farthings, and gave my
friend a silver sixpence. The business, as
said, is to keep up the amazement; and
if my friend had had only the skeleton and
kit, he must have been contented with a
ess payment. But the doctor we were
talking of adds to his long voyages the tes-

Mart. Epig. 118. l. 1. v. uk.
You say, Lupercus, what I write
I'nt worth so much: you're in the right.
THIS is the day on which many eminent
authors will probably publish their last
words. I am afraid that few of our weekly
historians, who are men that above all others
delight in war, will be able to subsist under
the weight of a stamp, and an approach-
ing peace. A sheet of blank paper that
must have this new imprimatur clapt upon

* August 1, 1712, the stamp duty here alluded to, took

the queen.

place, and every single half-sheet paid a half-penny to 'Have you seen the red stamp? Methinks the stamping is worth a half-penny. The Observator is fallen; the Medleys are jumbled together with the flying Post; the Examiner is deadly sick. The Spectator keeps up and doubles its price.

Swift's Works, cr. 8vo. vol. xix. p. 173.

at, before it is qualified to communicate any malcontentedness, which I am resolved thing to the public, will make its way in that none shall ever justly upbraid me with. the world but very heavily. In short, the No, I shall glory in contributing my utmost necessity of carrying a stamp, and the im- to the public weal; and, if my country reprobability of notifying a bloody battle, will, ceives five or six pounds a day by my laam afraid, both concur to the sinking of bours, I shall be very well pleased to find those thin folios, which have every other myself so useful a member. It is a received day retailed to us the history of Europe for maxim, that no honest man should enrich several years last past. A facetious friend himself by methods that are prejudicial to of mine, who loves a pun, calls this present the community in which he lives; and by mortality among authors, "The fall of the the same rule I think we may pronounce leaf.' the person to deserve very well of his countrymen, whose labours bring more into the public coffers than into his own pocket.

I remember, upon Mr. Baxter's death, there was published a sheet of very good sayings, inscribed, 'The last words of Mr. Since I have mentioned the word eneBaxter.' The title sold so great a number mies, I must explain myself so far as to acof these papers, that about a week after quaint my reader, that I mean only the inthere came out a second sheet, inscribed, significant party zealots on both sides; men 'More last words of Mr. Baxter.' In the of such poor narrow souls, that they are not same manner I have reason to think that capable of thinking on any thing but with several ingenious writers, who have taken an eye to whig or tory. During the course their leave of the public, in farewell papers, of this paper, I have been accused by these will not give over so, but intend to appear despicable wretches of trimming, time-servagain, though perhaps under another form, ing, personal reflection, secret satire, and and with a different title. Be that as it will, the like. Now, though in these my compoit is my business, in this place, to give an sitions it is visible to any reader of comaccount of my own intentions, and to ac-mon sense that I consider nothing but my quaint my reader with the motives by subject, which is always of an indifferent which I act, in this great crisis of the re-nature, how it is possible for me to write public of letters.

I have been long debating in my own heart, whether I should throw up my pen as an author that is cashiered by the act of parliament which is to operate within this four-and-twenty hours, or whether I should still persist in laying my speculations, from day to day, before the public. The argument which prevails with me most on the first side of the question is, that I am informed by my bookseller he must raise the price of every single paper to two pence, or that he shall not be able to pay the duty of it. Now, as I am very desirous my readers should have their learning as cheap as possible, it is with great difficulty that I comply with him in this particular.

However, upon laying my reasons together in the balance, I find that those who plead for the continuance of this work, have much the greater weight. For in the first place, in recompence for the expense to which this will put my readers, it is to be hoped they may receive from every paper so much instruction as will be a very good equivalent. And, in order to this, I would not advise any one to take it in, who, after the perusal of it, does not find himself two pence the wiser, or the better man for it, or who, upon examination, does not believe that he has had two-penny worth of mirth or instruction for his money.

But I must confess there is another motive which prevails with me more than the former. I consider that the tax on paper was given for the support of the government; and as I have enemies who are apt to pervert every thing I do or say, I fear they would ascribe the laying down my paper, on such an occasion, to a spirit of

so clear of party, as not to lie open to the censures of those who will be applying every sentence, and finding out persons and things in it, which it has no regard to?

Several paltry scribblers and declaimers have done me the honour to be dull upon me in reflections of this nature; but, notwithstanding my name has been sometimes traduced by this contemptible tribe of men, I have hitherto avoided all animadversions upon them. The truth of it is, I am afraid of making them appear considerable by taking notice of them: for they are like those imperceptible insects which are discovered by the microscope, and cannot be made the subject of observation without being magnified.

Having mentioned those few who have shown themselves the enemies of this paper, I should be very ungrateful to the public, did I not at the same time testify my gratitude to those who are its friends, in which number I may reckon many of the most distinguished persons, of all conditions, parties, and professions, in the isle of Great Britain. I am not so vain as to think approbation is so much due to the performance as to the design. There is, and ever will be, justice enough in the world to afford patronage and protection for those who endeavour to advance truth and virtue, without regard to the passions and prejudices of any particular cause or faction. If I have any other merit in me it is that I have new pointed all the batteries of ridicule. They have been generally planted against persons who have appeared serious rather than absurd: or at best, have aimed rather at what is unfashionable than what is vicious. For my own part, I have en

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