her acquaintance as a woman of an agreeable person and conversation; but (whatever her husband may think of it) that is not sufficient for Honoria: she waives that title to respect as a mean acquisition, and demands veneration in the right of an idol; for this reason her natural desire of life is continually checked with an inconsistent fear of wrinkles and old age.

Emilia cannot be supposed ignorant of her personal charms, though she seems to be so; but she will not hold her happiness upon so precarious a tenure, whilst her mind is adorned with beauties of a more exalted and lasting nature. When in the full bloom of youth and beauty we saw her surrounded with a crowd of adorers, she took no pleasure in slaughter and destruction, gave no false deluding hopes which might increase the torments of her disappointed lovers; but having for some time given to the decency of a virgin coyness, examined the merit of their several pretensions, she at length gratified her own, by resigning herself to the ardent passion of Bromius. Bromius was then master of many good qualities and a moderate fortune, which was soon after unexpectedly increased to a plentiful estate. This for a good while proved his misfortune, as it furnished his inexperienced age with the opportunities of evil company and a sensual life. might have longer wandered in the labyrinths of vice and folly had not Emilia's prudent conduct won him over to the government of his reason. Her ingenuity has been constantly employed in humanising his passions and refining his pleasures. She has showed him by her own example that virtue is consistent with decent freedoms and good humour, or rather, that it cannot subsist without them. Her

He

259 good sense readily instructed her that a silent example and an easy unrepining behaviour will always be more persuasive than the severity of lectures and admonitions; and that there is so much pride interwoven into the make of human nature that an obstinate man must only take the hint from another, and then be left to advise and correct himself. Thus by an artful train of management and unseen persuasions, having at first brought him not to dislike, and at length to be pleased with that which otherwise he would not have bore to hear of, she then knew how to press and secure this advantage by approving it as his thought, and seconding it as his proposal. By this means she has gained an interest in some of his leading passions, and made them accessory to his reformation.

There is another particular of Emilia's conduct which I can't forbear mentioning: to some, perhaps, it may at first sight appear but a trifling inconsiderable circumstance; but for my part, I think it highly worthy of observation, and to be recommended to the consideration of the fair sex. I have often thought wrapping gowns and dirty linen, with all that huddled economy of dress which passes under the general name of a mob, the bane of conjugal love, and one of the readiest means imaginable to alienate the affection of an husband, especially a fond one. I have heard some ladies who have been surprised by company in such a deshabille, apologise for it after this manner: Truly I am ashamed to be caught in this pickle; but my husband and I were sitting all alone by ourselves, and I did not expect to see such good company.' This, by the way, is a fine compliment to the good man, which 'tis ten to one but he returns in dogged answers and

a churlish behaviour, without knowing what it is that puts him out of humour.

Emilia's observation teaches her, that as little inadvertences and neglects cast a blemish upon a great character, so the neglect of apparel, even among the most intimate friends, does insensibly lessen their regards to each other by creating a familiarity too low and contemptible. She understands the importance of those things which the generality account trifles, and considers everything as a matter of consequence that has the least tendency towards keeping up or abating the affection of her husband; him she esteems a fit object to employ her ingenuity in pleasing, because he is to be pleased for life.

By the help of these, and a thousand other nameless arts, which it is easier for her to practise than for another to express, by the obstinacy of her goodness and unprovoked submission, in spite of all her afflictions and ill usage, Bromius is become a man of sense and a kind husband, and Emilia a happy wife.

Ye guardian angels to whose care Heaven has entrusted its dear Emilia, guide her still forward in the paths of virtue, defend her from the insolence and wrongs of this undiscerning world; at length when we must no more converse with such purity on earth, lead her gently hence innocent and unreprovable to a better place, where by an easy transition from what she now is, she may shine forth an angel of light. T.

No. 303. Saturday, Feb. 16, 1712

I

[ADDISON.

Volet hæc sub luce videri,

Judicis argutum quæ non formidat acumen.

-HOR., Ars Poet. 363.

HAVE seen, in the works of a modern philosopher, a map of the spots in the sun. My last paper of the faults and blemishes in Milton's 'Paradise Lost' may be considered as a piece of the same nature. To pursue the allusion: as it is observed, that among the bright parts of the luminous body above mentioned there are some which glow more intensely, and dart a stronger light than others; so, notwithstanding I have already shown Milton's poem to be very beautiful in general, I shall now proceed to take notice of such beauties as appear to me more exquisite than the rest. Milton has proposed the subject of his poem in the following verses :

:

Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste

Brought death into the world and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, 'till one greater Man

Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,

Sing heavenly muse

1

These lines are perhaps as plain, simple, and unadorned as any of the whole poem, in which particular the author has conformed himself to the example of Homer, and the precept of Horace.2

His invocation to a work which turns in a great measure upon the creation of the world, is very 1 Paradise Lost,' i. 1-6. 2 Ars Poet.' 136.

properly made to the muse who inspired Moses in those books from whence our author drew his subject, and to the Holy Spirit who is therein represented as operating after a particular manner in the first production of nature. This whole exordium rises very happily into noble language and sentiment, as I think the transition to the fable is exquisitely beautiful and natural.

The nine days' astonishment in which the angels lay entranced after their dreadful overthrow and fall from heaven, before they could recover either the use of thought or speech, is a noble circumstance, and very finely imagined. The division of hell into seas of fire, and into firm ground impregnated with the same furious element, with that particular circumstance of the exclusion of hope from those infernal regions, are instances of the same great and fruitful invention.1

The thoughts in the first speech and description of Satan, who is one of the principal actors in this poem, are wonderfully proper to give us a full idea of him. His pride, envy and revenge, obstinacy, despair and impenitence, are all of them very artfully interwoven. In short, his first speech is a complication of all those passions which discover themselves separately in several other of his speeches in the poem. The whole part of this great enemy of mankind is filled with such incidents as are very apt to raise and terrify the reader's imagination. Of this nature, in the book now before us, is his being the first that awakens out of the general trance, with his posture on the burning lake, his rising from it, and the description of his shield and spear.

1 Paradise Lost,' i. 295, 66.

2 Ibid., i. 84 seq.