ΤΟ THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY BOYLE, ESQ. SIR, AS the profeft defign of this work is to enter tain it's readers in general, without giving offence to any particular perfon, it would be difficult to find out fo proper a patron for it as yourfelf, there being none whofe merit is more univerfally acknowledged by all parties, and who has made himself more friends, and fewer enemies. Your great abilities, and unquestioned integrity, in thofe high employments which you have paffed through, would not have been able to have raised you this general approbation, had they not been accompanied with that moderation in an high fortune, and that affability of manners, which are fo confpicuous through all parts of your life. Your averfion to any oftentatious arts of fetting to fhow those great fervices which you have done the publick, has not likewife a little contributed to that univerfal acknowledgment which is paid you by your country. The confideration of this part of your character, is that which hinders me from enlarging on thofe extraordinary talents, which have given you fo great a figure in the British Senate, as well as in that elegance and politeness which appear in your more retired conversation. I fhould be unpardonable, if, after what I have faid, I fhould longer detain you with an address of this nature: I cannot, however, conclude it without owning those great obligations which you have laid upon, SIR, your most obedient, humble Servant, The SPECTATOR. SPECTATOR. THE SPECTATOR. No. CLXX. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1711. In amore hæc omnia infunt vitia: injuriæ. Bellum, pax rurfum TER. All these inconveniences are incident to love: Reproaches, jealoufies, quarrels, reconcilements, war, and then peace. UPON looking over the letters of my female corref pondents, I find feveral from women complaining of jealous husbands, and at the fame time protesting their own innocence; and defiring my advice on this occafion. I fhall therefore take this fubject into my confideration; and the more willingly, because I find that the Marquis of Halifax, who, in his Advice to a Daughter, has inftructed a wife how to behave herself towards a falfe, an intemperate, a cholerick, a fullen, a covetous, or a filly husband, has not spoken one word of a jealous husband. Jealoufy is that pain which a man feels from the apprehenfion that he is not equally beloved by the perfon whom he intirely loves. Now becaufe our inward paffions and inclinations can never make themselves vifible, it is impoffible for a jealous man to be thoroughly cured of his fufpicions. His thoughts hang at beft in a state of doubtfulness and uncertainty; and are never capable of receiving any fatisfaction on the advantageous fide; fo that his inquiries are moft fuccefsful when they difcover nothing. His pleasure arifes from his dif appoint. appointments, and his life is fpent in purfuit of a fecret that deftroys his happiness if he chance to find it. An ardent love is always a ftrong ingredient in this paffion; for the fame affection which ftirs up the jealous man's defires, and gives the party beloved fo beautiful a figure in his imagination, makes him believe the kindles the fame paffion in others, and appears as amiable to all beholders. And as jealoufy thus arises from an extraordinary love, it is of fo delicate a nature, that it fcorns to take up with any thing lefs than an equal return of love. Not the warmest expreffions of affection, the fofteft and most tender hypocrify, are able to give any fatisfaction, where we are not perfuaded that the affection is real, and the fatisfaction mutual. For the jealous man wishes himfelf a kind of deity to the perfon he loves: He would be the only pleasure of her fenfes, the employment of her thoughts: and is angry at every thing the admires, or takes delight in, befides himself. Phædria's requeft to his miftrefs upon his leaving her for three days, is inimitably beautiful and natural. Cum milite ifto præfens, abfens ut fies: TER, "When you are in company with that foldier, behave as if you were abfent: But continue to love me by "day and by night: Want me: dream of me; ex"pect me; think of me; wifh for me; delight in me; Be wholly with me: In fhort, be my very foul, as I ❝ am your's." The jealous man's difeafe is of fo malignant a nature, that it converts all he takes into its own nourishment, A cool behaviour fets him on the rack, and is interpreted as an inftance of averfion or indifference; a fond one raifes his fufpicions, and looks too much like diffimulation |