Deum namque ire per omnes For God the whole created mass inspires: stanced, that it is difficult to determine No. 565.] Friday, July 9, 1714. whether it ought to be rewarded or punished. Those who compiled the laws of England were so sensible of this, that they have laid it down as one of their first maxims, 'It is better suffering a mischief than an inconvenience;' which is as much as to say, in other words, that since no law can I was yesterday, about sun-set, walking take in or provide for all cases, it is better in the open fields, until the night insensibly private men should have some injustice fell upon me. I at first amused myself with done them than that a public grievance all the richness and variety of colours which should not be redressed. This is usually appeared in the western parts of heaven; pleaded in defence of all those hardships in proportion as they faded away and went which fall on particular persons on particu-out, several stars and planets appeared one lar occasions, which could not be foreseen after another, until the whole firmament when a law was made. To remedy this however as much as possible, the court of chancery was erected, which frequently mitigates and breaks the teeth of the common law, in cases of men's properties, while in criminal cases there is a power of pardoning still lodged in the crown. Notwithstanding this, it is perhaps impossible in a large government to distribute rewards and punishments strictly proportioned to the merits of every action. The Spartan commonwealth was indeed wonderfully exact in this particular; and I do not remember in all my reading to have met with so nice an example of justice as that recorded by Plutarch, with which I shall close my paper of this day. was in a glow. The blueness of the ether was exceedingly heightened and enlivened by the season of the year, and by the rays of all those luminaries that passed through it. The galaxy appeared in its most beautiful white. To complete the scene, the full moon rose at length in that clouded majesty which Milton takes notice of, and opened to the eye a new picture of nature, which was more finely shaded, and disposed among softer lights than that which the sun had before discovered to us. As I was surveying the moon walking in her brightness, and taking her progress among the constellations, a thought rose in me which I believe very often perplexes and disturbs men of serious and contemThe city of Sparta being unexpectedly plative natures. David himself fell into it attacked by a powerful army of Thebans, in that reflection, when I consider the was in very great danger of falling into the heavens the work of thy fingers, the moon hands of their enemies. The citizens sud- and the stars which thou hast ordained; denly gathered themselves into a body, what is man that thou art mindful of him, fought with a resolution equal to the neces- and the son of man that thou regardest sity of their affairs, yet no one so remark- him!' In the same manner, when I conably distinguished himself on this occasion, sidered that infinite host of stars, or, to to the amazement of both armies, as Isidas speak more philosophically, of suns which the son of Phoebidas, who was at that time were then shining upon me, with those inin the bloom of his youth, and very remark-numerable sets of planets or worlds which able for the comeliness of his person. He were moving round their respective suns was coming out of the bath when the alarm when I still enlarged the idea, and supposed was given, so that he had not time to put another heaven of suns and worlds rising on his clothes, much less his armour; how-still above this which we discovered, and ever transported with a desire to serve his these still enlightened by a superior firmacountry in so great an exigency, snatching ment of luminaries, which are planted at so up a spear in one hand and a sword in the great a distance, that they may appear to other, he flung himself into the thickest the inhabitants of the former as the stars do ranks of his enemies. Nothing could with- to us; in short, while I pursued this thought, stand his fury: in what part soever he fought I could not but reflect on that little insignihe put the enemies to flight without receiv-ficant figure which I myself bore amidst ing a single wound.-Whether, says Plu- the immensity of God's works. tarch, he was the particular care of some god, who rewarded his valour that day with an extraordinary protection, or that his enemies, struck with the unusualness of his dress, and beauty of his shape, supposed him something more than man, I shall not determine. The gallantry of this action was judged so great by the Spartans, that the ephori, or chief magistrates, decreed he should be presented with a garland; but, as soon as they had done so, fined him a thousand drachmas for going out to the battle unarmed. Were the sun, which enlightens this part of the creation, with all the host of planetary worlds that move about him, utterly extinguished and annihilated, they would not be missed more than a grain of sand upon the sea-shore. The space they possess is so exceedingly little in comparison of the whole, that it would scarce make a blank in the creation. The chasm would be imperceptible to an eye that could take in the whole compass of nature, and pass from one end of the creation to the other; as it is possible there may be such a sense in ourselves hereafter, or in creatures which are at pre supports the whole frame of nature. His creation, and every part of it, is full of him. There is nothing he has made that is either so distant, so little, or so inconsiderable which he does not essentially inhabit. His substance is within the substance of every being, whether material or immaterial, and as intimately present to it as that being is to itself. It would be an imperfection in him, were he able to remove out of one sent more exalted than ourselves. We see many stars by the help of glasses, which we do not discover with our naked eyes; and the finer our telescopes are, the more still are our discoveries. Huygenius carries this thought so far, that he does not think it impossible there may be stars whose light is not yet travelled down to us since their first creation. There is no question but the universe has certain bounds set to it; but when we consider that it is the work of in-place into another, or to withdraw himself finite power, prompted by infinite goodness, with an infinite space to exert itself in, how can our imagination set any bounds to it? To return therefore to my first thought: I could not but look upon myself with secret horror, as a being that was not worth the smallest regard of one who had so great a work under his care and superintendency. I was afraid of being overlooked amidst the immensity of nature, and lost among that infinite variety of creatures, which in all probability swarm through all these immeasurable regions of matter. from any thing he has created, or from any part of that space which is diffused and spread abroad to infinity. In short, to speak of him in the language of the old philosopher, he is a Being whose centre is every where, and his circumference no where. In the second place, he is omniscient as well as omnipresent. His omniscience indeed necessarily and naturally flows from his omnipresence; he cannot but be conscious of every motion that arises in the whole material world, which he thus essentially pervades, and of every thought In order to recover myself from this mor- that is stirring in the intellectual world, to tifying thought, I considered that it took its every part of which he is thus intimately rise from those narrow conceptions which united. Several moralists have considered we are apt to entertain of the divine nature. the creation as the temple of God, which We ourselves cannot attend to many differ- he has built with his own hands, and which ent objects at the same time. If we are is filled with his presence. Others have careful to inspect some things, we must of considered infinite space as the receptacle, course neglect others. This imperfection, or rather the habitation, of the Almighty. which we observe in ourselves, is an im- but the noblest and most exalted way of perfection that cleaves in some degree to considering this infinite space is that of Sir creatures of the highest capacities, as they Isaac Newton, who calls it the sensorium are creatures, that is, beings of finite and of the Godhead. Brutes and men have limited natures. The presence of every their sensoriola, cr little sensoriums, by created being is confined to a certain mea- which they apprehend the presence and sure of space, and consequently his observa- perceive the actions of a few objects that tion is stinted to a certain number of objects. lie contiguous to them. Their knowledge The sphere in which we move, and act, and observation turn within a very narrow and understand, is of a wider circumfer- circle. But as God Almighty cannot but ence to one creature than another, accord-perceive and know every thing in which ing as we rise one above another in the he resides, infinite space gives room to inscale of existence. But the widest of these finite knowledge, and is, as it were, an or our spheres has its circumference. When, gan to omniscience. therefore, we reflect on the divine nature, we are so used and accustomed to this imperfection in ourselves, that we cannot forbear in some measure ascribing it to him in whom there is no shadow of imperfection. Our reason indeed assures us that his attributes are infinite; but the poorness of our conceptions is such, that it cannot for-round with the immensity of the Godhead. bear setting bounds to every thing it contemplates, until our reason comes again to our succour, and throws down all those little prejudices which rise in us unawares, and are natural to the mind of man. We shall therefore utterly extinguish this melancholy thought, of our being overlooked by our Maker in the multiplicity of nis works, and the infinity of those objects among which he seems to be incessantly employed, if we consider, in the first place, that he is omnipresent; and, in the second, that he is omniscient. If we consider him in his omnipresence, his being passes through, actuates, and Were the soul separate from the body, and with one glance of thought should start beyond the bounds of the creation, should it for millions of years continue its progress through infinite space with the same activity, it would still find itself within the embrace of its Creator, and encompassed Whilst we are in the body he is not less present with us because he is concealed from us. 'O that I knew where I might find him,' says Job. Behold I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the left hand, where he does work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him.' In short, reason, as well as revelation assures us, that he cannot be absent from us, notwithstanding he is undiscovered by us. In this consideration of God Almighty's omnipresence and omniscience, every un comfortable thought vanishes. He cannot No. 566.] Monday, July 12, 1714. Militiæ species amor est.—Ovid Ars Am. ii. 233. " out regard every thing that has being, it is one of the best schools in the world to especially such of his creatures who fear receive a general notion of mankind in, and they are not regarded by him. He is privy a certain freedom of behaviour, which is to all their thoughts, and to that anxiety of not so easily acquired in any other place. heart in particular, which is apt to trouble At the same time I must own, that some them on this occasion: for, as it is impos- military airs are pretty extraordinary, and sible he should overlook any of his crea- that a man who goes into the army a coxtures, so we may be confident that he comb, will come out of it a sort of public regards with an eye of mercy, those who nuisance: but a man of sense, or one who endeavour to recommend themselves to his before had not been sufficiently used to a notice, and in an unfeigned humility of mixed conversation, generally takes the heart think themselves unworthy that he true turn. The court has in all ages been should be mindful of them. allowed to be the standard of good-breeding; and I believe there is not a juster observation in Monsieur Rochefoucault, than that "a man who has been bred up wholly to business, can never get the air of a courtier at court, but will immediately catch it in the camp. The reason of this most certainly is, that the very essence of goodbreeding and politeness consists in several niceties, which are so minute that they escape his observation, and he falls short of the original he would copy after; but when he sees the same things charged and aggravated to a fault, he no sooner endeavours to come up to the pattern which is set before him, than, though he stops somewhat short of that, he naturally rests where in reality he ought. I was, two or three days ago, mightily pleased with the observation of a humorous gentleman upon one of his friends, who was in other respects every way an accomplished person, that " he wanted nothing but a dash of the coxcomb in him;" by which he understood a little of that alertness and unconcern in the common actions of life, which is usually so visible among gentlemen of the army, and which a campaign or two would infallibly have given him. As my correspondents begin to grow pretty numerous, I think myself obliged to take some notice of them, and shall therefore make this paper a miscellany of letters. I have, since my re-assuming the office of Spectator, received abundance of epistles from gentlemen of the blade, who I find have been so used to action that they know not how to lie still. They seem generally to be of opinion that the fair at home ought to reward them for their services abroad, and that until the cause of their country calls them again into the field, they have a sort of right to quarter themselves upon the ladies. In order to favour their approaches, I am desired by some to enlarge upon the accomplishments of their professions, and by others to give them my advice in carrying on their attacks. But let us hear what the gentlemen say for themselves. 'MR. SPECTATOR,-Though it may look somewhat perverse amidst the arts of peace to talk too much of war, it is but gratitude to pay the last office to its manes, since even peace itself, is, in some measure, obliged to it for its being. You have, in your former papers, always recommended the accomplished to the favour of the fair; and I hope you will allow me to represent some part of a military life not altogether unnecessary to the forming a gentleman. I need not tell you that in France, whose fashions we have been formerly so fond of, almost every one derives his pretences to merit from the sword; and that a man has scarce the face to make his court to a lady, without some credentials from the service to recommend him. As the profession is very ancient, we have reason to think some of the greatest men among the old Romans derived many of their virtues from it, the commanders being frequently in other respects some of the most shining characters of the age. The army not only gives a man opportunities of exercising those two great virtues, patience and courage, but often produces them in minds where they had scarce any footing before. I must add, that You will easily guess, sir, by this my panegyric upon a military education, that I am myself a soldier, and indeed I am so. I remember, within three years after I had been in the army, I was ordered into the country a recruiting. I had very particular success in this part of the service, and was over and above assured, at my going away, that I might have taken a young lady, who was the most considerable fortune in the country, along with me. I preferred the pursuit of fame at that time to all other considerations, and though I was not absolutely bent on a wooden leg, resolved at least to get a scar or two for the good of Europe. I have at present as much as I desire of this sort of honour, and if you could recommend me effectually, should be well enough contented to pass the remainder of my days in the arms of some dear kind creature, and upon a pretty estate in the country. This, as I take it, would be following the example of Lucius Cincinna tus, the old Roman dictator, who, at the end of a war left the camp to follow the plough. I am, sir, with all imaginable re spect, your most obedient, humble servant, · WILL WARLEY.’ 'MR. SPECTATOR,-I am a half-pay of- | Frenchman, papist, plunderer," and the ficer, and am at present with a friend in like significant terms, in an italic character, the country. Here is a rich widow in the have also a very good effect upon the neighbourhood, who has made fools of all eye of the purchaser, not to mention the fox-hunters within fifty miles of her. She scribbler, liar, rogue, rascal, knave, and declares she intends to marry, but has not villain," without which it is impossible to yet been asked by the man she could like. carry on a modern controversy. She usually admits her humble admirers to an audience or two; but, after she has once given them denial, will never see them more. I am assured by a female relation that I shall have fair play at her; but as my whole success depends on my first approaches, I desire your advice, whether I had best storm, or proceed by way of sap. I am, sir, yours, &c. 'P. S. I had forgot to tell you, that I have already carried one of her outworks, that is, secured her maid.' Our party writers are so sensible of the secret virtue of an innuendo to recommend their productions, that of late they never mention the Q- -n or Pt at length, though they speak of them with honour, and with the deference which is due to them from every private person. It gives a secret satisfaction to a pursuer of these mysterious works, that he is able to decypher them without help, and by the a blank space, or make out a word that has strength of his own natural parts, to fill up only the first and last letter to it. Some of our authors indeed, when they would be more satirical than ordinary, omit only the vowels of a great man's name, and fall most unmercifully upon all the consonants. This way of writing was first of all introduced by T-m B-wn,† of facetious memory, who, after having gutted a proper name of all its intermediate vowels, used to plant it in his works, and make as free with it as he pleased, without any danger of the statute. 'MR. SPECTATOR, -I have assisted in several sieges in the Low Countries, and being still willing to employ my talents as a soldier and engineer, lay down this morning at seven o'clock before the door of an obstinate female, who had for some time refused me admittance. I made a lodgement in an outer parlour about twelve: the enemy retired to her bed-chamber, yet I still pursued, and about two o'clock this afternoon she thought fit to capitulate. Her demands are indeed somewhat high, in relation to That I may imitate these celebrated authe settlement of her fortune. But, being thors, and publish a paper which shall be in possession of the house, I intend to insist more taking than ordinary, I have here upon carte blanche, and am in hopes, by drawn up a very curious libel, in which a keeping off all other pretenders for the reader of penetration will find a great deal space of twenty-four hours, to starve her of concealed satire, and, if he be acquaintinto a compliance. I beg your speedy ad-ed with the present posture of affairs, will vice, and am, sir, yours, 'PETER PUSH. From my camp in Red-lion square, Saturday, four in the afternoon.' No. 567.] Wednesday, July 14, 1714. I HAVE received private advice from some of my correspondents, that if I would give my paper a general run, I should take care to season it with scandal. I have indeed observed of late that few writings sell which are not filled with great names and illustrious titles. The reader generally casts his eye upon a new book, and, if he finds several letters separated from one another by a dash, he buys it up, and pursues it with great satisfaction. An M and an h, a T and an r,* with a short line between them, has sold many insipid pamphlets. Nay, I have known a whole edition go off by virtue of two or three well-written &'c—s. A sprinkling of the words "faction, * Marlborough. Treasurer easily discover the meaning of it. If there are four persons in the nation who endeavour to bring all things into confusion, and ruin their native country, I think every honest Englishman ought to be upon his guard. That there are such, every one will agree with me who hears me name ***, with his first friend and favourite ***, not to mention *** nor ***. These people may cry ch-rch, ch-rch as long as they please; but, to make use of a homely proverb, "The proof of the p-dd-ng is in the eating." This I am sure of, that if a certain prince should concur with a certain prelate, (and we have Monsieur Z-n's word for it) our posterity would be in a sweet p-ckle. Must the British nation suffer, forsooth, because my lady Q-p-t-s has been disobliged? Or is it reasonable that our English fleet, which used to be the terror of the ocean, should lie wind-bound for the sake of a ? I love to speak out, and declare my mind clearly, when I am talking for the good of my country. I will not make my court to an ill man, though he were a By or a T-t. Nay, I would not stick to call so wretched a politician a traitor, an enemy to his country: and a bl-nd-rd-ss, &c. &c.' The remaining part of this political trea † Tom Brown tise, which is written after the manner of the most celebrated authors, in Great Britain, I may communicate to the public at a more convenient season. In the mean while I shall leave this with my curious reader, as some ingenious writers do their enigmas; and, if any sagacious person can fairly unriddle it, I will print his explanation, and, if he pleases, acquaint the world with his name. I hope this short essay will convince my readers it is not for want of abilities that I avoid state tracts, and that, if I would apply my mind to it, I might in a little time be as great a master of the political scratch as any the most eminent writer of the age. I shall only add, that in order to outshine all the modern race of syncopists, and thoroughly content my English reader, I intend shortly to publish a Spectator that shall not have a single vowel in it. No. 568.] Friday, July 16, 1714. Reciting makes it thine. 1 Mart. Epig. xxxix. 1. Then pray do but mind the two or three next lines: Ch-rch and p-dd-ng in the same sentence! Our clergy are very much beholden to him!' Upon this the third gentleman, who was of a mild disposition, and, as I found, a whig in his heart, desired him not to be too severe upon the Spectator neither; for,' says he, 'you find he is very cautious of giving offence, and has therefore put two dashes into his pudding.' 'A fig for his dash,' says the angry politician, in his next sentence he gives a plain innuendo that our posterity will be in a sweet p-ckle. What does the fool mean by his pickle? Why does he not write it at length, if he means honestly?' I have read over the whole sentence,' says I; but I look upon the parenthesis in the belly of it to be the most dangerous part, and as full of insinuations as it can hold.' But who,' says I, 'is my lady Q-p-t-s?' Ay, answer that if you can, sir,' says the furious statesman to the poor whig that sat over against him. But, without giving him time to reply, I do assure you,' says he, were I my lady Q-p-t-s, I would sue him for scandalum magnatum. What is the world come to? Must every body be allowed to---!' He had by this time filled a new pipe, and, apI was yesterday in a coffee-house not far plying it to his lips, when we expected the from the Royal Exchange, where I ob- last word of his sentence, put us off with a served three persons in close conference whiff of tobacco; which he redoubled, with over a pipe of tobacco; upon which, having so much rage and trepidation, that he alfilled one for my own use, I lighted it at most stifled the whole company. After a the little wax candle that stood before short pause, I owned that I thought the them: and, after having thrown in two or Spectator had gone too far in writing so three whiffs amongst them, sat down and many letters of my lady Q-p-t-s's name: made one of the company. I need not tell but, however,' says I, he has made a my reader that lighting a man's pipe at the little amends for it in his next sentence, same candle is looked upon among brother where he leaves a blank space without so smoakers as an overture to conversation much as a consonant to direct us. I mean,' and friendship. As we here laid our heads says I, after those words, "the fleet that together in a very amicable manner, being used to be the terror of the ocean, should entrenched under a cloud of our own rais- be wind-bound for the sake of a -;" after ing, I took up the last Spectator, and cast- which ensues a chasm, that in my opinion. ing my eye over it, 'The Spectator,' says looks modest enough. 'Sir,' says my anI, is very witty to-day:' upon which a tagonist, you may easily know his meaning lusty lethargic old gentleman, who sat at by his gaping; I suppose he designs his the upper end of the table, having gradu- chasm, as you call it, for a hole to creep out ally blown out of his mouth a great deal of at, but I believe it will hardly serve his smoke which he had been collecting for turn. Who can endure to see the great some time before, Ay,' says he, more officers of state, the B---y's and T---t's witty than wise, I am afraid. His neigh-treated after so scurrilous a manner?' '1 bour, who sat at his right hand, immediate- can't for my life,' says I, 'imagine who they ly coloured, and, being an angry politician, are the Spectator means. "No!' says he:-laid down his pipe with so much wrath that Your humble servant, sir!' Upon which he broke it in the middle, and by that he flung himself back in his chair after a means furnished me with a tobacco stopper. contemptuous manner, and smiled upon I took it up very sedately, and, looking him the old lethargic gentleman on his left hand, full in the face, made use of it from time to who I found was his great admirer. The time all the while he was speaking: This whig however had begun to conceive a fellow,' says he, 'cannot for his life keep out good-will towards me, and, seeing my of politics. Do you see how he abuses four pipe out, very generously offered me the great men here?' I fixed my eye very use of his box; but I declined it with great attentively on the paper, and asked him civility, being obliged to meet a friend if he meant those who were represented by about that time in another quarter of the asterisks. 'Asterisks,' says he, do you city. call them? they are all of them stars-he At my leaving the coffee-house, I could might as well have put garters to them. I not forbear reflecting with myself upon that VOL. II. 45 |