some Time, I wonder, says he, that Sir Richard Baker No, 329. has said Nothing of her in his Chronicle. Tuesday, We were then convey'd to the two Coronation 1712, Chairs, where my old Friend, after having heard that the Stone underneath the most ancient of them, which was brought from Scotland, was called Jacob's Pillar, sat himself down in the Chair, and looking like the Figure of an old Gothic King, asked our Interpreter, What Authority they had to say, that Jacob had ever been in Scotland? The Fellow, instead of returning him an Answer, told him, that he hoped his Honour would pay his Forfeit. I could observe Sir ROGER a little ruffled upon being thus trapanned; but our Guide not insisting upon his Demand, the Knight soon_recovered his good Humour, and whispered in my Ear, that if WILL WIMBLE were with us, and saw those two Chairs, it would go hard but he would get a Tobacco-Stopper out of one or t'other of them. Sir ROGER, in the next Place, laid his Hand upon Edward III's Sword, and leaning upon the Pommel of it, gave us the whole History of the Black Prince; concluding, that in Sir Richard Baker's Opinion, Edward the Third was one of the greatest Princes that ever sate upon the English Throne, We were then shewn Edward the Confessor's Tomb; upon which Sir ROGER acquainted us, that he was the first who touched for the Evil; and afterwards Henry the Fourth's, upon which he shook his Head, and told us, there was fine Reading in the Casualties of that Reign, Our Conductor then pointed to that Monument, where there is the Figure of one of our English Kings without an Head; and upon giving us to know, that the Head, which was of beaten Silver, had been stolen away several Years since: Some Whig, I warrant you, says Sir ROGER; You ought to lock up your Kings better: They will carry off the Body too, if you don't take Care. The glorious Names of Henry the Fifth and Queen Elizabeth gave the Knight great Opportunities of shining, and of doing Justice to Sir Richard Baker, who, V. C as No. 329, as our Knight observed with some Surprize, had a great Tuesday, many Kings in him, whose Monuments he had not March 18, seen in the Abbey, 1712, For my own Part, I could not but be pleased to see the Knight shew such an honest Passion for the Glory of his Country, and such a respectful Gratitude to the Memory of its Princes, I must not omit, that the Benevolence of my good old Friend, which flows out towards every one he converses with, made him very kind to our Interpreter, whom he looked upon as an extraordinary Man; for which Reason he shook him by the Hand at Parting, telling him, that he should be very glad to see him at his Lodgings in Norfolk-Buildings, and talk over these Matters with him more at Leisure. No. 330, THE Wednesday, March 19, Maxima debetur pueris reverentia— -Juv. L HE following Letters, written by two very_con siderate Correspondents, both under twenty Years of Age, are very good Arguments of the Necessity of taking into Consideration the many Incidents which affect the Education of Youth, 'Sir, I have long expected, that in the Course of your Observations upon the several Parts of humane Life, you would one Time or other fall upon a Subject, which, since you have not, I take the Liberty to recommend to you. What I mean is the Patronage of young modest Men to such as are able to countenance and introduce them into the World. For Want of such Assistances, a Youth of Merit languishes in Obscurity or Poverty, when his Circumstances are low, and runs into Riot and Excess when his Fortunes are plentiful. I cannot make my self better understood, than by sending you an History of my self, which I shall desire you to insert in your Paper, it being the only Way I have of expressing my Gratitude for the highest Obligations imaginable, I March 19, I am the Son of a Merchant of the City of London, No. 330. who, by many Losses, was reduced from a very luxuri Wednes ant Trade and Credit to very narrow Circumstances, in day, Comparison to that of his former Abundance, This 1712, took away the Vigour of his Mind, and all Manner of Attention to a Fortune, which he now thought desperate, insomuch, that he died without a Will, having before buried my Mother in the Midst of his other Misfortunes. I was sixteen Years of Age when I lost my Father, and an Estate of 2001. a Year came into my Possession, without Friend or Guardian to instruct me in the Management or Enjoyment of it. The natural Conse quence of this, was, (though I wanted no Director, and soon had Fellows who found me out for a smart young Gentleman, and led me into all the Debaucheries of which I was capable) that my Companions and I could not well be supplied without running in Debt, which I did very frankly 'till I was arrested, and conveyed with a Guard strong enough for the most desperate Assassine, to a Bayliff's House, where I lay four Days, surrounded with very merry, but not very agreeable Company. As soon as I had extricated my self from this shameful Confinement, I reflected upon it with so much Horror, that I deserted all my old Acquaintance, and took Chambers in an Inn of Court, with a Resolu tion to study the Law with all possible Application. But I trifled away a whole Year in looking over a thousand Intricacies, without Friend to apply to in any Case of Doubt; so that I only lived there among Men, as little Children are sent to School before they are capable of Improvement, only to be out of Harm's Way, In the Midst of this State of Suspense, not knowing how to dispose of my self, I was sought for by Relation of mine, who, upon observing a good Inclina tion in me, used me with great Familiarity, and carried me to his Seat in the Country, When I came there he introduced me to all the good Company in the County, and the great Obligation I have to him for this kind Notice, and Residence with him ever since, has made so strong an Impression upon me, that he has an Authority of a Father over me, founded upon the 1712, No. 330, the Love of a Brother. I have a good Study of Books, Wednes a good Stable of Horses always at my Command; and day, March 19, though I am not now quite eighteen Years of Age, familiar Converse on his Part, and a strong Inclination to exert my self on mine, have had an Effect upon me that makes me acceptable wherever I go. Thus, Mr SPECTATOR, by this Gentleman's Favour and Patronage, it is my own Fault if I am not wiser and richer every Day I live, I speak this, as well by subscribing the initial Letters of my Name to thank him, as to incite others to an Imitation of his Virtue. It would be a worthy Work to shew what great Charities are to be done without Expence, and how many noble Actions are lost, out of Inadvertency in Persons capable of per forming them, if they were put in Mind of it. If a Gentleman of Figure in a County would make his Family a Pattern of Sobriety, good Sense, and Breeding, and would kindly endeavour to influence the Education and growing Prospects of the younger Gentry about him, I am apt to believe it would save him a great Deal of stale Beer on a publick Occasion, and render him the Leader of his Country from their Gratitude to him, instead of being a Slave to their Riots and Tumults in order to be made their Representative. The same Thing might be recommended to all who have made any Progress in any Parts of Knowledge, or arrived at any Degree in a Profession; others may gain Prefer ments and Fortunes from their Patrons, but I have, I hope, received from mine good Habits and Virtues. I repeat to you, Sir, my Request to print this, in Return for all the Evil an helpless Orphan shall ever escape, and all the Good he shall receive in this Life; both which are wholly owing to this Gentleman's Favour to, Sir. Your most obedient humble Servant, 'Mr. SPECTATOR, S. P.' I am a Lad of about fourteen. I find a mighty Pleasure in Learning, I have been at the Latin School four Years, I don't know I ever play'd Truant, or neglected any Task my my Master set me in my Life, I think on what I read No. 330. in School as I go home at Noon and Night, and so in Wednes tently, that I have often gone half a Mile out of my March 19, day, Way, not minding whither I went, Our Maid tells 1712. me, she often hears me talk Latin in my Sleep, And I dream, two or three Nights in the Week I am reading Juvenal and Homer. My Master seems as well pleased with my Performances as any Boy's in the same Class. I think, if I know my own Mind, I would chuse rather to be a Scholar, than a Prince without Learning. I have a very good affectionate Father; but, though very rich, yet so mighty near, that he thinks much of the Charges of my Education. He often tells me, he believes my Schooling will ruin him; that I cost him God knows what in Books, I tremble to tell him I want one, I am forced to keep my Pocket-Money, and lay it out for a Book now and then that he don't know of He has ordered my Master to buy no more Books for me, but says he will buy them himself. I asked him for Horace t'other Day, and he told me in a Passion, he did not believe I was fit for it, but only my Master had a Mind to make him think I had got a great Way in my Learning, I am sometimes a Month behind other Boys in getting the Books my Master gives Orders for, All the Boys in the School, but I, have the classick Authors in usum Delphini, gilt and letter'd on the Back, My Father is often reckoning up how long I have been at School, and tells me he fears I do little Good. My Father's Carriage so discourages me, that he makes me grow dull and melancholy, My Master wonders what is the Matter with me: I am afraid to tell him; for he is a Man that loves to encourage Learning, and would be apt to chide my Father, and, not knowing my Father's Temper, may make him worse. Sir, if you have any Love for Learning, I beg you would give me some Instructions in this Case, and perswade Parents to encourage their Children when they find them diligent and desirous of Learning, I have heard some Parents say, they would do any Thing for their Children, if they would but mind their Learning. I would be glad to be in their Place, Dear Sir, pardon my Boldness. If you |