the chapman, I have often looked for it, but cannot find it; it is certainly loft, and I know not to whom I lent it, it is fo many years ago;' then, fir, here is the other volume, I will fend you home that, and please to pay for both. My friend, replied he, can't thou be fo fenfelefs as not to know that one volume is as imperfect in my library as in your shop?' Yes, fir. but it is you have loft the first volume, and to be fhort I will be paid.' Sir,' answered the chapman, you are a young man, your book is loft, and learn by this little lofs to bear much greater adverfities, which you muft expect to meet with.'' Yes, fir, I will bear when I muft, but I have not loft now, for I fay you have it and fhall pay me.' Friend,

'cannot bear this trifle.'

reed of bearing, for you fir, I have not the book.

you grow warm, I tell you the book is loft, and Í forefee in the courfe even of a profperous life, that you will meet afflictions to make you mad, if you Sir, there is in this cafe no have the book.' I fay But your paffion will not let you hear enough to be informed that I have it not. Learn refignation of yourself to the diftreffes of this life: nay do not fret and fume, it is my duty to tell you that you are of an impatient fpirit. and an • Was ever in patient fpirit is never without wo.' any thing like this? many things like this.

Yes, fir, there have been The lofs is but a trifle, but your temper is wanton, and incapable of the leaft pain; therefore let me advise you be patient, the book is loft, but do not you for that reafon lofe your• felf.'

T.

N° 439

Thursday, July 24.

Hi narrata ferunt aliò: menfuraque fili
Crefcit;& auditis aliquid novus, adjicit au&or.
OVID. Met. 1. 12. v. 57.

Some tell what they have heard, or tales devife ;
Each fiction still improv'd with added lies.

OVID defcribes the palace of Fame as fituated

the very center of the univerfe, and perforated with fo many windows and avenues as gave her the fight of every thing that was done in the heavens, in the earth, and in the fea. The ftructure of it was contrived in fo admirable a manner, that it echoed every word which was spoken in the whole compafs of nature; fo that the palace, fays the poet, was always filled with a confufed hubbub of low dying founds, the voices being almoft spent and worn out before they arrived at this general rendezvous of fpeeches and whispers.

I confider courts with the fame regard to the governments which they fuperintend, as Ovid's palace of Fame with regard to the univerie. The eyes of a watchful minifter run through the whole p.ople. There is fcarce a murmur or complaint that does not reach his ears. They have news-gathers and intelligencers diftributed into their feveral walks and quarters, who bring in their respective quotas, and make them acquainted with the difcourfe and converfation of the whole kingdom or commonwealth where they are employed. The wifeft of kings, alluding to thee invifible and unfufpected fpies, who are planted by kings and rulers over their fellow-citizens, as well as to thofe voluntary informers, that are buzzing about the ears of a great man, ard making their court by fuch fecret methods of intelligence, has given us a very prudent caution: Curfe not the king, no not in thy thought, and curfe not VOL. VI.

H

the rich in thy bed-chamber: for a bird of the air fhall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall

⚫ tell the matter.'

As it is abfolutely neceffary for rulers to make use of other people's eyes and ears, they fhould take particular care to do it in fuch a manner, that it may not bear too hard on the perfon whofe life and converfation are inquired into. A man who is capable of fo infamous a calling as that of a ipy, is not very much to be relied upon. He can have no great ties of honour, or checks of confcience, to refrain him in thofe covert evidences, where the perfon accufed has no opportunity of vindicating himfelf. He will be more induftrious to carry that which is grateful than that which is true. There will be no eccafion for him if he does not hear and fee things worth ci covery; fo that he naturally inflames every word and eircumftance, aggravates what is faulty, perverts what is good, and mifreprefents what is indifferent. Nor is it to be doubted but that fuch ignominious wretches let their private paffions into thefe their clandeftine informations, and often wreak their particular fpite and malice against the perfon whom they are fet to watch. It is a pleasant scene enough, which an Italian author describes between a fpy and a cardinal who employed him. The cardinal is reprefented as minuting down every thing that is told to him. The fpy begins with a low voice. Such an one, the advocate, whispered to one of his friends, within my hearing, that your eminence was a very great poltron ; and after having given his patron time to take it down, adds, that another called him a mercenary rafcal in a public converfation. The cardinal replies, very well, and bids him go on. The fpy proceeds and loads him with reports of the fame nature, till the cardinal rifes in great wrath, calls him an impudent fcoundrel, and kicks him out of the room.

It is obferved of great and heroic minds, that they have not only fhewn a particular difregard to thofe unmerited reproaches which have been cait upon them, but have been altogether free from that impertinent curiofity of enquiring after them, or the poor revenge of refenting them. The hiftories of Alexander and Cæfar are full of this kind of inftances. Vulgar fouls are of a quite

contrary character. Dionyfius, the tyrant of Sicily, had a dungeon which was a very curious piece of architecture; and of which, as I am informed, there are ftill to be seen some remains in that island. It was called Dionyfius's Ear, and built with feveral little windings and labyrinths in the form of a real csr. The ftructure of it. made it a kind of a whifpering place, but fuch a one as gathered the voice of him who fpoke into a funnel, which was placed at the very top of it. The tyrant ufed to lodge all his ftate criminals, or those whom he fuppofed to be engaged together in any evil defigns проп him in this dungeon. He had at the fame time an apartment over it, where he used to apply himself to the funnel, and by that means overheard every thing that was whispered in the dungeon. I believe one may venture to affirm that a Cæfar or an Alexander would have rather died by the treason than have ufed fuch difingenuous means for the detecting it.

A man who in ordinary life is very inquifitive after every thing which is fpoken ill of him, paffes his time but very indifferently. He is wounded by every arrow that is shot at him, and puts it in the power of every infignificant enemy to difquiet him. Nay, he will fuffer from what has been faid of him, when it is forgotten by thofe who faid or heard it. For this reafon I could never bear one of thofe officious friends, that would be telling every malicious report, every idle cenfure that paffed upon me. The tongue of man is fo petulant, and his thoughts fo variable, that one fhould not lay too great a ftrefs upon any prefent fpeeches and opinions. Praife and obloquy proceed very frequently out of the fame mouth upon the fame perfon, and upon the fame occafion. A generous enemy will fometimes bestow commendations, as the dearest friend cannot fometimes refrain from speaking ill. The man who is indifferent in either of thefe refpects, gives his opinion at random, and praises or difapproves as he finds himself in humour,

I fhall conclude this effay with part of a character which is finely drawn by the earl of Clarendon in the first book of his hiftory, and which gives us the lively picture of a great man teazing himself with an abfurd curiofity.

He had not that application and submission, and reverence for the queen as might have been expected from his wifdom and breeding; and often croffed her pretences and defires with more rudeness than was natural to him. Yet he was impertinently folicitous to know what her majefty faid of him in private, and what refentments the had towards him. And when by fome confidents, who had their ends upon him 'from thofe offices, he was informed of some bitter expreffions fallen from her majefty, he was fo exceedingly afflicted and tormented with the sense of it, that fometimes by paffionate complaints and representations to the king; fometimes by more dutiful addreffes and expoftulations with the queen in bewailing his miffortune; he frequently expofed himfelf, and leit his condition worfe than it was before, and the eclairciffeinent commonly ended in the discovery of the perfons from whom he had received his moft fecret intelligence.'

C.

N° 440.

Friday, July 25.

Vivere fi rectè nefcis, difcede peritis.

HOR. Ep. 2. 1. 2. v. 213.

Learn to live well, or fairly make your will. POPE.

I HAVE already given my reader an account of a fet

of merry fellows who are palling their fummer together in the country, being provided with a great houfe, where there is not only a convenient apartment for every particular perfon, but a large infirmary for the reception of fuch of them as are any way indifpofed or out of humour. Having lately received a letter from the fecretary of this fociety, by order of the whole fraternity, which acquaints me with their behaviour during the last weck, I shall here make a prefent of it to the public.