No. 335. ence, You can't imagine, Sir, what 'tis to have to do Tuesday, with a Widow. Upon Pyrrhus his threatning after March 25, wards to leave her, the Knight shook his Head, and 1712. muttered to himself, Ay, do if you can, This Part dwelt so much upon my Friend's Imagination, that at the Close of the Third Act, as I was thinking of some thing else, he whispered in my Ear, These Widows, Sir, are the most perverse Creatures in the World. But pray, says he, you that are a Critick, is the Play according to your Dramatick Rules, as you call them? Should your People in Tragedy always talk to be understood? Why, there is not a single Sentence in this Play that I do not know the Meaning of The Fourth Act very luckily begun before I had Time to give the old Gentleman an Answer; Well, says the Knight, sitting down with great Satisfaction, I suppose we are now to see Hector's Ghost. He then renewed his Attention, and, from Time to Time, fell a praising the Widow. He made, indeed, a little Mis take as to one of her Pages, whom, at his first Entring, he took for Astyanax; but he quickly set himself right in that Particular, though, at the same time, he owned he should have been very glad to have seen the little Boy, who, says he, must needs be a very fine Child by the Account that is given of him. Upon Hermione's going off with a Menace to Pyrrhus, the Audience gave a loud Clap, to which Sir ROGER added, On my Word, a notable young Baggage. As there was a very remarkable Silence and Stillness in the Audience during the whole Action, it was natural for them to take the Opportunity of these Intervals between the Acts, to express their Opinion of the Players, and of their respective Parts Sir ROGER hear ing a Cluster of them praise Orestes, struck in with them, and told them, that he thought his Friend Pylades was a very sensible Man; As they were afterwards applauding Pyrrhus, Sir ROGER put in a second time, And let me tell you, says he, though he speaks but little, I like the old Fellow in Whiskers as well as any of them. Captain SENTRY, seeing two or three Waggs who sat near us lean with an attentive Ear towards r ROGER, and fearing lest they should smoak the No. 335. night, pluck'd him by the Elbow, and whispered Tuesday, March 25, omething in his Ear, that lasted till the Opening of 1712. he Fifth Act. The Knight was wonderfully attentive the Account which Orestes gives of Pyrrhus his Death, and at the Conclusion of it, told me it was such bloody Piece of Work, that he was glad it was not one upon the Stage. Seeing afterwards Orestes in his aving Fit, he grew more than ordinary serious, and ook Occasion to moralize (in his Way) upon an evil Conscience, adding, that Orestes, in his Madness, looked as if he saw something. As we were the first that came into the House, so we were the last that went out of it; being resolved to have a clear Passage for our old Friend, whom we did not care to venture among the Justling of the Crowd. Sir ROGER went out fully satisfy'd with his Entertainment, and we guarded him to his Lodgings in the same manner that we brought him to the Play house; being highly pleased, for my own Part, not only with the Performance of the excellent Piece which had been presented, but with the Satisfaction which it had given to the good old Man. No. 336, Wednesday, March 26, Clament períísse pudorem Cuncti paene patres; ea cum reprehendere coner, 'Mr. SPECTATOR, As L -Hor, lib. 2, Ep. 1. v. 80, S you are the daily Endeavourer to promote Learning and good Sense, I think my self obliged to suggest to your Consideration whatever may promote or prejudice them. There is an Evil which has pre vailed from Generation to Generation, which grey Hairs and tyrannical Custom continue to support; I hope your Spectatorial Authority will give a seasonable Check to the Spread of the Infection; I mean old Men's over bearing 1712. No. 336. bearing the strongest Sense of their Juniors by th Wednes meer Force of Seniority; so that for a young Man i day, the Bloom of Life and Vigour of Age to give a reason March 26, able Contradiction to his Elders, is esteemed an un pardonable Insolence, and regarded as a reversing the Decrees of Nature, I am a young Man I confess, yet honour the grey Head as much as any one; however when in Company with old Men I hear them speak obscurely, or reason preposterously (into which Absurdi ties, Prejudice, Pride, or Interest will sometimes throw the wisest) I count it no Crime to rectify their Reason ings, unless Conscience must truckle to Ceremony, and Truth fall a Sacrifice to Complaisance. The strongest Arguments are enervated, and the brightest Evidence disappears, before those tremendous Reasonings and dazzling Discoveries of venerable old Age: You are young giddy-headed Fellows, you have not yet had Experience of the World. Thus we young Folks find our Ambition cramp'd, and our Laziness indulged, since, while young, we have little Room to display our selves; and, when old, the Weakness of Nature must pass for Strength of Sense, and we hope that hoary Heads will raise us above the Attacks of Contradiction. Now, Sir, as you would enliven our Activity in the pursuit of Learning, take our Case into Consideration; and, with a Gloss on brave Elihu's Sentiments, assert the Rights of Youth, and prevent the pernicious Encroachments of Age, The generous Reasonings of that gallant Youth would adorn your Paper; and I beg you would insert them, not doubting but that they will give good Entertainment to the most intelligent of your Readers, Also So these three Men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own Eyes, Then was kindled the Wrath of Elihu the Son of Barachel the Buzite, of the Kindred of Ram: Against Job was his Wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God, against his three Friends was his Wrath kindled, because they had found no Answer, and yet had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. When Elihu saw there here was no Answer in the Mouth of these three No. 336. Men, then his Wrath was kindled. And Elihu the Son Wednes of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, March 26, day, and ye are very old, wherefore I was afraid, and durst 1712. hot shew you mine Opinion. I said, Days should speak, and Multitude of Years should teach Wisdom, But here is a Spirit in Man: and the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth them Understanding, Great Men are not always wise: Neither do the aged understand Judgment. Therefore I said, hearken to me, I also will shew mine Opinion. Behold I waited for your Words; I gave ear to your Reasons, whilst you searched but what to say, Yea, I attended unto you: And behold there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his Words: Lest ye should say, we have found out Wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not Man. Now he hath not directed his Words against me: Neither will I answer him with your Speeches. They were amazed, they answered no more: They left off speaking. When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still and answered no more,) I said, I will answer also my Part, I also will shew mine Opinion. For I am full of Matter, the Spirit within Me constraineth me. Behold, my Belly is as Wine which hath no Vent, it is ready to burst like new Bottles. I will speak that I may be refreshed: I will open my Lips, and answer, and answer. Let me not, I pray you, accept any Man's Person, neither let me give flattering Titles unto Man. For I know not to give flattering Titles, in so doing my Maker would soon take me away,' 'Mr. SPECTATOR, I have formerly read with great Satisfaction your Papers about Idols, and the Behaviour of Gentlemen in those Coffee houses where Women officiate, and im patiently waited to see you take India and China Shops into Consideration: But since you have pass'd us over in Silence, either that you have not as yet thought us worth your Notice, or that the Grievances we lie under have escaped your discerning Eye, I must make my Complaints No. 336. Wednes day, March 26, 1712. Complaints to you, and am encouraged to do it becaus March the 22d. Your constant Reader, and very humble Servant, Rebecca the Distress'd. Thursday |