to help her; just as long as an infant is in the womb of its parent, so long are these medicines of revivification in preparing. Observe this small phial and this little gallipot-in this an ungent, in the other a liquor. In these, my child, are collected such

most to make her assume the features and likeness of Choice. December, January, and February, passed on after the rest, all in furs: there was little distinction to be made amongst them; and they were only more or less displeasing as they discovered more or less haste towards the grateful re-powers, as shall revive the springs of lite turn of Spring.

No. 426.] Wednesday, July 9, 1712.

Z.

-Quid non mortalia pectora cogis,
Auri sacra fames?
Virg. Æn. iii. 56.
O cursed hunger of pernicious gold?
What bands of faith can impious lucre hold!

Dryden.

A VERY agreeable friend of mine the other day, carrying me in his coach into the country to dinner, fell into a discourse concerning the care of parents due to their children,' and the piety of children towards their parents. He was reflecting upon the succession of particular virtues and qualities there might be preserved from one generation to another, if these regards were reciprocally held in veneration: but as he never fails to mix an air of mirth and good-humour with his good sense and reasoning, he entered into the following relation.

when they are yet but just ceased, and give new strength, new spirits, and, in a word, wholly restore all the organs and senses of the human body to as great a duration as it had before enjoyed from its birth to the day of the application of these my medicines. But, my beloved son, care must be taken to apply them within ten hours after the breath is out of the body, while yet the clay is warm with its late life, and yet capable of resuscitation. I find my frame grown crazy with perpetual toil and meditation; and I conjure you, as soon as I am dead, anoint me with this ungent; and when you see me begin to move, pour into my lips this inestimable liquor, else the force of the ointment will be ineffectual. By this means you will give me life as I gave you, and we will from that hour mutually lay aside the authority of having bestowed life on each other, live as brethren, and prepare new medicines against such another period of time as will demand anI will not be confident in what century, other application of the same restoratives. or under what reign it happened, that this In a few days, after these wonderful ingrewant of mutual confidence and right under-dients were delivered to Alexandrinus, Bastanding between father and son was fatal silius departed this life. But such was the to the family of the Valentines in Germany. pious sorrow of the son at the loss of so exBasilius Valentinus was a person who had cellent a father, and the first transports of arrived at the utmost perfection in the her- grief had so wholly disabled him from all metic art, and initiated his son Alexandri- manner of business, that he never thought nus in the same mysteries: but, as you of the medicines till the time to which his know they are not to be attained but by the father had limited their efficacy was expainful, the pious, the chaste, and pure of pired. To tell the truth, Alexandrinus heart, Basilius did not open to him, because was a man of wit and pleasure, and consiof his youth, and the deviations too natural dered his father had lived out his natural to it, the greatest secrets of which he was time; his life was long and uniform, suitamaster, as well knowing that the operation ble to the regularity of it; but that he himwould fail in the hands of a man so liable to self, poor sinner, wanted a new life to reerrors in life as Alexandrinus. But be- pent of a very bad one hitherto; and, in lieving, from a certain indisposition of mind the examination of his heart, resolved to as well as body, his dissolution was draw-go on as he did with this natural being of ing nigh, he called Alexandrinus to him, and as he lay on a couch, over against which his son was seated, and prepared by sending out servants one after another, and admonition to examine that no one overheard them, he revealed the most important of his secrets with the solemnity and language of an adept. "My son," said he, "many have been the watchings, long the lucubrations, constant the labours of thy father, not only to gain a great and plentiful estate to his posterity, but also to take care that he should have no posterity. Be not amazed my child: I do not mean that thou shalt be taken from me, but that I will never leave thee, and consequently cannot be said to have posterity. Behold, my dearest Alexandrinus, the effect of what was propagated in nine months. We are not to contradict nature, but to follow and

his, but repent very faithfully, and spend very piously the life to which he should be restored by application of these rarities, when time should come to his own person.

'It has been observed, that Providence frequently punishes the self-love of men, who would do immoderately for their own offspring, with children very much below their characters and qualifications; insomuch that they only transmit their names to be borne by those who give daily proofs of the vanity of the labour and ambition of their progenitors.

'It happened thus in the family of Basilius; for Alexandrinus began to enjoy his ample fortune in all the extremities of household expense, furniture, and insolent equipage; and this he pursued till the day of his own departure began, as he grew sensible, to approach. As Basilius was

punished with a son very unlike him, 'Well, Alexandrinus died, and the heir Alexandrinus was visited by one of his of his body (as our term is) could not forown disposition. It is natural that ill men bear, in the wantonness of his heart, to should be suspicious; and Alexandrinus, measure the length and breadth of his be besides that jealousy, had proofs of the loved father, and cast up the ensuing value vicious disposition of his son Renatus, for of him before he proceeded to the operation. that was his name. When he knew the immense reward of his

Alexandrinus, as I have observed, hav-pains, he began the work: but, lo! when he ing very good reason for thinking it unsafe had anointed the corpse all over, and beto trust the real secret of his phial and gal- gan to apply the liquor, the body stirred, lipot to any man living, projected to make and Renatus, in a fright, broke the phial.' sure work, and hope for his success depending from the avarice, not the bounty of his benefactor.

*

T.

No. 427.] Thursday, July 10, 1712.
Quantum a rerum turpitudine abes, tantum te a ver
borum libertate sejungas.
Tull.
We should be as careful of our words, as our actions;

and as far from speaking, as from doing ill.

With this thought he called Renatus to his bed-side, and bespoke him in the most pathetic gesture and accent. "As much, my son, as you have been addicted to vanity and pleasure, as I also have been before you, you nor I could escape the fame or IT is a certain sign of an ill heart to be inthe good effects of the profound knowledge clined to defamation. They who are harmof our progenitor, the renowned Basilius. less and innocent can have no gratification His symbol is very well known in the phi-that way; but it ever arises from a neglect losophic world; and I shall never forget the of what is laudable in a man's self, and an venerable air of his countenance, when he impatience in seeing it in another. Else let me into the profound mysteries of the why should virtue provoke? Why should smaragdine tables of Hermes. "It is true," beauty displease in such a degree, that a said he, "and far removed from all colour man given to scandal never lets the menof deceit; that which is inferior is like that tion of either pass by him, without offering which is superior, by which are acquired something to the diminution of it? A ladv and perfected all the miracles of a certain the other day at a visit, being attacked work. The father is the sun, the mother somewhat rudely by one whose own chathe moon, the wind is the womb, the earth racter has been very rudely treated, anis the nurse of it, and mother of all perfec-swered a great deal of heat and intempertion. All this must be received with modesty and wisdom." The chymical people carry, in all their jargon, a whimsical sort of piety which is ordinary with great lovers of money, and is no more but deceiving themselves, that their regularity and strictness of manners, for the ends of this world, has some affinity to the innocence of heart which must recommend them to the next. Renatus wondered to hear his father talk so like an adept, and with such a mixture of piety; while Alexandrinus, observing his attention fixed, proceeded. "This phial, child, and this little earthen pot, will add to thy estate so much as to make thee the richest man in the German empire. I am going to my long home, but shall not return to common dust." Then he resumed a countenance of alacrity, and told him, that if within an hour after his death he anointed his whole body, and poured down his throat that liquor which he had from old Basilius, the corpse would be converted into pure gold. I will not pretend to express to you the unfeigned tenderness that passed between these two extraordinary persons; but if the father recommended the care of his remains with vehemence and affection, the son was not behind hand in professing that he would not cut the least bit off him, but upon the utmost extremity, or to provide for his younger brothers and sisters.

arce very calmly, "Good madam, spare me, who am none of your match; I speak ill of nobody, and it is a new thing to me to be spoken ill of." Little minds think fame consists in the number of votes they have on their side among the multitude, whereas it is really the inseparable follower of good and worthy actions. Fame is as natural a follower of merit, as a shadow is of a body. It is true, when crowds press upon you, this shadow cannot be seen; but when they separate from around you, it will again appear. The lazy, the idle, and the froward, are the persons who are most pleased with the little tales which pass about the town to the disadvantage of the rest of the world. Were it not for the pleasure of speaking ill, there are numbers of people who are too lazy to go out of their own houses, and too ill-natured to open their lips in conversation. It was not a little diverting the other day to observe a lady reading a postletter, and at these words, After all her airs, he has heard some story or other, and the match is broken off,' gives orders in the midst of her reading, 'Put to the horses' That a young woman of merit had missed an advantageous settlement was news not to be delayed, lest somebody else should have given her malicious acquaintance that satisfaction before her. The unwillingness to receive good tidings is a quality as inseparable from a scandal-bearer, as the readiness to divulge bad. But, alas! how wretchedly low and contemptible is that

state of mind, that cannot be pleased but by what is the subject of lamentation. This temper has ever been, in the highest degree, odious to gallant spirits. The Persian soldier, who was heard reviling Alexander the Great, was well admonished by his officer, Sir, you are paid to fight against Alexander, and not to rail at him.'

so well as this old lady does to disperse it. She does not know the author of any thing that is told her, but can readily repeat the matter itself; therefore, though she exposes all the whole town, she offends no one body in it. She is so exquisitely restless and peevish, that she quarrels with all about her, and sometimes in a freak will instantly change her habitation. To indulge this humour, she is led about the grounds belonging to the same house she is in; and the persons to whom she is to remove being in the plot, are ready to receive her at her own chamber again. At stated times the gentlewoman at whose house she supposes she is at the time, is sent for to quarrel with, according to her common custom. When they have a mind to drive the jest, she is immediately urged to that degree, that she will board in a family with which she has never yet been; and away she will go this instant, and tell them all that the rest have been saying of them. By this means she has been an inhabitant of every house in the place, without stirring from the same habitation: and the many stories which every body furnishes her with, to favour the deceit, make her the general intelligencer of the town of all that can be said by one woman against another. Thus groundless stories die away, and sometimes truths are smothered under the general word, when they have a mind to discountenance a thing, 'Oh! that is in my lady Bluemantle's Memoirs.'

Cicero, in one of his pleadings, defending his client from general scandal, says very handsomely, and with much reason, There are many who have particular engagements to the prosecutor; there are many who are known to have ill-will to him for whom I appear; there are many who are naturally addicted to defamation, and envious of any good to any man, who may have contributed to spread reports of this kind; for nothing is so swift as scandal, nothing is more easily set abroad, nothing received with more welcome, nothing diffuses itself so universally. I shall not desire, that if any report to our disadvantage has any ground for it, you would overlook or extenuate it: but if there be any thing advanced, without a person who can say whence he had it, or which is attested by one who forgot who told him it, or who had it from one of so little consideration that he did not think it worth his notice, all such testimonies as these, I know, you will think too slight to have any credit against the innocence and honour of your fellow citizens.' When an ill report is traced, it very often vanishes among such as the orator has here recited. And how despicable a creature Whoever receives impressions to the dismust that be, who is in pain for what passes advantage of others, without examination, is among so frivolous a people! There is a to be had in no other credit for intelligence town in Warwickshire, of good note, and than this good lady Bluemantle, who is subformerly pretty famous for much animosity jected to have her ears imposed upon for and dissention, the chief families of which want of other helps to better information. have now turned all their whispers, back- Add to this, that other scandal-bearers bitings, envies, and private malices, into suspend the use of these faculties which mirth and entertainment, by means of a she has lost, rather than apply them to do peevish old gentlewoman, known by the title justice to their neighbours: and I think, for of the lady Bluemantle. This heroine had, the service of my fair readers, to acquaint for many years together outdone the whole them, that there is a voluntary lady Bluesisterhood of gossips in invention, quick mantle at every visit in town. utterance, and unprovoked malice. This good body is of a lasting constitution, though No. 428.] Friday, July 11, 1712. extremely decayed in her eyes, and decrepid in her feet. The two circumstances of being always at home, from her lameness, and very attentive from her blindness, make her lodgings the receptacle of all that passes in town, good or bad; but for the latter she seems to have the better memory. There is another thing to be noted of her, which is, that, as it is usual with old people, she has a livelier memory of things which passed when she was very young than of late years. Add to all this, that she does not only not love any body, but she hates every body. The statue in Rome* does not serve to vent malice half

Occupet extremum scabies.

T.

Hor Ars Poet. ver. 417. The devil take the hindmost! –English Proverbs. IT is an impertinent and unreasonable fault in conversation, for one man to take up all the discourse. It may possibly be objected to me myself, that I am guilty in this kind, in entertaining the town every day, and not giving so many able persons, who have it more in their power, and as much in their inclination, an opportunity to oblige mankind with their thoughts. "Besides,' said one whom I overheard the other day, why must this paper turn altogether upon topics of learning and morality? Why should it pretend only to wit, humour, or the like things which are useful only

quisitions, and discountenance luxury in the enjoyment of them.

ruptcy: how plenty, credit, cheerfulness, full hopes, and easy possessions, are in an instant turned into penury, feint aspects, diffidence, sorrow, and misery; how the man, who with an open hand the day before could administer to the extremities of others is shunned to-day by the friend of his bosom. It would be useful to show how just this is on the negligent, how lamentable on the industrious. A paper written by a merchant might give this island a true sense of the worth and importance of his character, it might be visible from what he could say, that no soldier entering a breach adventures more for honour, than the trader does for wealth to his country. In both cases, the adventurers have their own advantage; but I know no cases wherein every body else is a sharer in the success.

to men of literature, and superior educa- | what tracts of land have been purchased tion? I would have it consist also of all by a constant attendance within a walk of things which may be necessary or useful to thirty foot. If it could also be noted in the any part of society; and the mechanic arts equipage of those who are ascended from should have their place as well as the libe- the successful trade of their ancestors into ral. The ways of gain, husbandry, and figure and equipage, such accounts would thrift, will serve a greater number of peo-quicken industry in the pursuit of such acple than discourses upon what was well said or done by such a philosopher, hero, general, or poet.'-I no sooner heard this To diversify these kinds of information, critic talk of my works, but I minuted what the industry of the female world is not to be he had said; and from that instant resolved unobserved. She to whose household virto enlarge the plan of my speculations, by tues it is owing, that men do honour to her giving notice to all persons of all orders, husband, should be recorded with veneraand each sex, that if they are pleased to tion; she who has wasted his labours, with send me discourses, with their names and infamy. When we are come into domestic places of abode to them, so that I can be life in this manner, to awaken caution and satisfied the writings are authentic, such attendance to the main point, it would not be their labours shall be faithfully inserted in amiss to give now and then a touch of trathis paper. It will be of much more conse-gedy, and describe that most dreadful of quence to a youth, in his apprenticeship, all human conditions, the case of bankto know by what rules and arts such-a-one became sheriff of the city of London, than to see the sign of one of his own quality with a lion's heart in each hand. The world, indeed, is enchanted with romantic and improbable achievements, when the plain path to respective greatness and success, in the way of life a man is in, is wholly overlooked. Is it possible that a young man at present could pass his time better than in reading the history of stocks, and knowing by what secret springs they have had such sudden ascents and falls in the same day! Could he be better conducted in his way to wealth, which is the great article of life, than in a treaties dated from 'Change-alley by an able proficient there? Nothing certainly could be more useful, than to be well instructed in his hopes and fears; to be diffident when others exult; It is objected by readers of history, that and with a secret joy buy when others the battles in those narrations are scarce think it their interest to sell. I invite all ever to be understood. This misfortune is persons who have any thing to say for the to be ascribed to the ignorance of historians profitable information of the public, to take in the methods of drawing up, changing their turns in my paper: they are welcome the forms of a battalia, and the enemy refrom the late noble inventor of the longi- treating from, as well as approaching to, tude, to the humble author of straps for ra- the charge. But in the discourses from the zors. If to carry ships in safety, to give correspondents, whom I now invite, the help to a people tossed in a troubled sea, danger will be of another kind; and it is ne without knowing to what shores they bear, cessary to caution them only against using what rocks to avoid, or what coast to pray terms of art, and describing things that are for in their extremity, be a worthy labour, familiar to them in words unknown to the and an invention that deserves a statue; at reader. I promise myself a great harvest the same time, he who has found a means of new circumstances, persons, and things, to let the instrument which is to make your from this proposal; and a world, which visage less horrible, and your person more many think they are well acquainted with, snug, easy in the operation, is worthy of discovered as wholly new. This sort of insome kind of good reception. If things of telligence will give a lively image of the high moment meet with renown, those of chain and mutual dependance of human little consideration, since of any considera- society, take off impertinent prejudices, tion, are not to be despised. In order that enlarge the minds of those whose views are no merit may lie hid, and no art unim-confined to their own circumstances; and, proved, I repeat it, that I call artificers, as well as philosophers, to my assistance in the public service. It would be of great use if we had an exact history of the successes of every great shop within the city walls,

in short, if the knowing in several arts, professions, and trades, will exert themselves, it cannot but produce a new field of diversion and instruction, more agreeable than has yet appeared.

T.