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deserve it. When I remonstrate with the greatest gentleness that is possible against unhandSome appearances, and that married persons are under particular rules; when he is in the best huinor to receive this, I am answered only, That I expose my own reputation and sense if I appear jealous. I wish, good Sir, you would take this into serious consideration, and admonish husbands and wives what terms they ought to keep toward each other. Your thoughts on this important subject will have the greatest reward. hat which descends on such as feel the sorrows he afflicted. Give me leave to subscribe myself,

"Your unfortunate humble servant,

"CELINDA."

speculations of wit and humor; the others are
those of a more solemn and sober turn, who find
no pleasure but in papers of morality and sound
sense. The former call everything that is serious,
stupid; the latter look upon everything as imper-
tinent that is ludicrous.
Were I always grave,
one half of my readers would fall off from me;
were I always merry, I should lose the other. I
make it, therefore, my endeavor to find out enter-
tainments for both kinds, and by that means, per-
haps, consult the good of both, more than I should
do, did I always write to the particular taste of
either. As they neither of them know what I
proceed upon, the sprightly reader, who takes up
my paper in order to be diverted, very often finds
himself engaged unawares in a serious and profit-

I had it in my thoughts, before I received the let-able course of thinking; as, on the contrary, the ter of this lady, to consider this dreadful passion in the mind of a woman; and the smart she seems to feel does not abate the inclination I had to recommend to husbands a more regular behavior, than to give the most exquisite of torments to those who love them, nay, whose torments would be abated if they did not love them.

It is wonderful to observe how little is made of this inexpressible injury, and how easily men get into a habit of being least agreeable, where they are most obliged to be so. But this subject deserves a distinct speculation, and I shall observe for a day or two the behavior of two or three hap: py pairs I am acquainted with, before I pretend to make a system of conjugal morality. I design in the first place to go a few miles out of town, and there I know where to meet one who practices all the parts of a fine gentleman in the duty of a husband. When he was a bachelor, much business made him particularly negligent in his habit; but now there is no young lover living so exact in the care of his person. One who asked why he was so long washing his mouth, and so delicate in the choice and wearing of his linen, was answered: "Because there is a woman of merit obliged to receive me kindly, and I think it incumbent upon me to make her inclination go along with her duty."

thoughtful man who, perhaps, may hope to find something solid, and full of deep reflection, is very often insensibly betrayed into a fit of mirth. In a word, the reader sits down to my entertainment without knowing his bill of fare, and has therefore at least the pleasure of hoping there may be a dish to his palate.

I must confess, were I left to myself, I would rather aim at instructing than diverting; but if we will be useful to the world, we must take it as we find it. Authors of professed severity discourage the looser part of mankind from having anything to do with their writings. A man must have virtue in him, before he will enter upon the reading of a Seneca or an Epictetus. The very title of a moral treatise has something in it austere and shocking to the careless and inconsiderate.

For this reason several unthinking persons fall in my way who would give no attention to lectures delivered with a religious, serious or a philosophic gravity. They are insnared into sentiments of wisdom and virtue when they do not think of it; and if by that means they arrive only at such a degree of consideration as may dispose them to listen to more studied and elaborate discourses, I shall not think my speculations useless. I might likewise observe, that the gloominess in which sometimes the minds of the best men are involved, very often stands in need of such little incitements to mirth and laughter, as are apt to disperse melancholy, and put our faculties in good humor. To which some will add, that the British climate, more than any other, makes entertainments of this nature in a manner necessary.

If a man would give himself leave to think, he would not be so unreasonable as to expect debauchery and innocence could live in commerce together or hope that flesh and blood is capable of so strict an alliance, as that a fine woman must go on to improve herself till she is as good and impassive as an angel, only to preserve fidelity to a If what I have here said does not recommend, brute and a satyr. The lady who desires me for it will at least excuse, the variety of my specu her sake to end one of my papers with the follow-lations. I would not willingly laugh but in order ing letter, I am persuaded thinks such a perseverance very impracticable: "HUSBAND,

"Stay more at home. I know where you visited at seven of the clock on Thursday evening. The colonel whom you charged me to see no more is in

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No. 179.] TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1711.

Centuræ scniorum agitant expertia frugis:
Celsi prætereunt austera poemata rhamnes,
Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci,
Lectorem delectando, pariterque monendo.
HOR., Ars. Poet., v, 341.

Old age is only fond of moral truth,
Lectures too grave disgust aspiring youth;
But he who blends instruction with delight,
Wins every reader, nor in vain shall write.-P.

I MAY cast my readers under two general divis ions, the mercurial and the saturnine. The first are the gay part of my disciples, who require

to instruct, or if I may sometimes fail in this
point, when my mirth ceases to be innocent. A
scrupulous conduct in this particular has, perhaps,
more merit in it than the generality of readers
imagine; did they know how many thoughts oc-
cur in a point of humor, which a discreet author
in modesty suppresses; how many strokes of rail
lery present themselves, which could not fail to
please the ordinary taste of mankind, but are
stifled in their birth by reason of some remote
tendency which they carry in them to corrupt the
minds of those who read them: did they know
how many glances of ill-nature are industriously
avoided for fear of doing injury to the reputation
of another, they would be apt to think kindly of
those writers who endeavor to make themselves
diverting, without being immoral. One may ap-
ply to these authors that passage of Waller:

Poets lose half the praise they would have got,
Were it but known what they discreetly blot.

As nothing is more easy thar to be a wit, with all the above-mentioned liberties, it requires some

genius and invention to appear such without | naturally as to produce the most yawns among

them.

What I have here said is not only in regard to the public, but with an eye to my particular correspondent, who has sent me the following letter, which I have castrated in some places upon these considerations:

"SIR;

the spectators, carries home the cheese. If you handle this subject as you ought, I question not but your paper will set half the kingdom a yawning, though I dare promise you it will never make anybody fall asleep."-L.

No. 180.] WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26, 1711.
-Delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi.

HOR. 1 Ep. ii, 14.

The monarch's folly makes the people rue.-P. THE following letter has so much weight and good sense, that I cannot forbear inserting it, though it relates to a hardened sinner, whom I have very little hopes of reforming, viz: Louis XIV, of France.

"MR. SPECTATOR,

"Having lately seen your discourse upon a match of grinning, I cannot forbear giving you an account of a whistling match, which, with many others, I was entertained with about three years since at the Bath. The prize was a guinea, to be conferred upon the ablest Whistler, that is, on him who could whistle clearest, and go through his time without laughing, to which at the same time he was provoked by the antic postures of a merry; andrew, who was to stand upon the stage and play his tricks in the eye of the performer. There were three competitors for the guinea. The first "Amidst the variety of subjects of which you was a plowman of a very promising aspect; his have treated, I could wish it had fallen in your features were steady, and his muscles composed way to expose the vanity of conquests. This in so inflexible stupidity, that upon his first ap- thought would naturally lead one to the French pearance every one gave the guinea for lost. The king, who has been generally esteemed the greatpickled-herring however found the way to shake est conqueror of our age, till her majesty's armies him; for upon his whistling a country jig, this un-had toru from him so many of his countries, and lucky wag danced to it with such a variety of dis- deprived him of the fruit of all his former victories. tortions and grimace, that the countryman could For my own part, if I were to draw his picture, I not forbear smiling upon him, and by that means should be for taking him no lower than to the spoiled his whistle, and lost the prize. peace of Ryswick, just at the end of his triumphs, and before his reverse of fortune: and even then I should not forbear thinking his ambition had been vain, and unprofitable to himself and his people.

"The next that mounted the stage was an undercitizen of the Bath, a person remarkable among the inferior people of that place for his great wisdom, and his broad band. He contracted his mouth with much gravity, and, that he might dispose his mind to be more serious than ordinary, began the tune of the Children in the Wood. He went through part of it with good success, when on a sudden the wit at his elbow, who had appeared wonderfully grave and attentive for some time, gave him a touch upon the left shoulder, and stared him in the face with so bewitching a grin. that the whistler relaxed his fibers into a kind of simper, and at length burst out into an open laugh. The third who entered the lists was a footman, who in defiance of the merry-andrew and all his arts, whistled a Scotch tune, and an Italian sonata, with so settled a countenance that he bore away the prize to the great admiration of some hundreds of persons, who, as well as myself, were present at this trial of skill. Now, Sir, I humbly conceive, what you bave determined of the grinners, the whistlers ought to be encouraged, not only as their art is practice without distortion, but as it improves country-music, promotes gravity, and teaches ordinary people to keep their countenances, if they see anything ridiculous in their betters; beside that it seems an entertainment very particularly adapted to the Bath, as it is usual for a rider to whistle to his horse when he would make his water pass.

POSTSCRIPT.

"I am, Sir," etc.

"After having dispatched these two important points of grinning and whistling, I hope you will oblige the world with some reflections upon yawning, as I have seen it practiced on a twelfth-night among other Christmas gambols at the house of a very worthy gentleman, who always entertains bis enants at that time of the year. They yawn for a Cheshire cheese, and began about midnight, when the whole company is disposed to be drowsy. He that yawrs widest, and at the same time so

*In 1707.

"As for himself, it is certain he can have gained nothing by his conquests, if they have not rendered him master of more subjects, more riches, or greater power. What I shall be able to offer upon these heads, I resolve to submit to your consideration.

"To begin then with his increase of subjects. From the time he came of age, and has been a manager for himself, all the people he had ac quired were such only as he had reduced by his wars, and were left in his possession by the peace; he had conquered not above one-third of Flanders, and consequently no more than one-third part of the inhabitants of that province.

"About one hundred years ago the houses in that country were all numbered, and by a just computation the inhabitants of all sorts could not then exceed 750,000 souls. And if any man will consider the desolation by almost perpetual wars, the numerous armies that have lived almost ever since at discretion upon the people, and how much of their commerce has been removed for more security to other places, he will have little reason to imagine that their numbers have since increased; and therefore with one-third part of that province that prince can have gained no more than one-third part of the inhabitants, or 250,000 new subjects, even though it should be supposed they were all contented to live still in their native country, and transfer their allegiance to a new master.

"The fertility of this province, its convenient situation for trade and commerce, its capacity for furnishing employment and subsistence to great numbers, and the vast armies that have been maintained here, make it credible that the remaining two-thirds of Flanders are equal to all his other conquests; and consequently by all, he cannot have gained more than 750,000 new subjects, men, women, and children, especially if a reduction shall be made of such as have retired from the con queror, to live under their old masters.

"It is time now to set his loss against his profit, but that his revenue is a great deal less, his sub and to show for the new subjects he had acquired. jects are either poorer, or not so many to be how many old ones he had lost in the acquisition. plundered by constant taxes for his use? I think that in his wars he has seldom brought "It is well for him he had found out a way to less into the field, in all places, than 200,000 steal a kingdom;* if he had gone on conquering fighting men, beside what has been left in gar- as he did before, his ruin had been long since finrisons; and I think the common computation is, ished. This brings to my mind a saying of that of an army, at the end of a campaign, with- King Pyrrhus, after he had a second time beat the out sieges or battles, scarce four-fifths can be mus- Romans in a pitched battle, and was complitered of those that came into the field at the mented by his generals; Yes,' says he, such beginning of the year. His wars at several times, another victory, and I am quite undone.' Aud until the last peace, have held about twenty years; since I have mentioned Pyrrhus, I will end with and if 40,000 yearly lost, or a fifth part of his a very good, though known story of this ambitious armies, are to be multiplied by 20, he cannot have madman. When he had shown the utmost fondlost less than 800,000 of his old subjects, and all ness for his expedition against the Romans, able-bodied men; a greater number than the new Cineas, his chief minister, asked him what he subjects he had acquired. proposed to himself by this war? Why,' says "But this loss is not all. Providence seems to Pyrrhus, 'to conquer the Romans, and reduce all have equally divided the whole mass of mankind Italy to my obedience.' What then?' says Ciinto different sexes, that every woman may have neas. To pass over into Sicily,' says Pyrrhus, her husband, and that both may equally contribute and then all the Sicilians must be our subjects. to the continuance of the species. It follows then,And what does your majesty intend next?' that for all the men that have been lost, as many Why truly;' says the king, 'to conquer Carthage women must have lived single, and it were but and make myself master of all Africa.' And charity to believe, they have not done all the ser- what, Sir,' says the minister, is to be the end of vice they were capable of doing in their genera- all your expeditions? Why then,' says the tion. In so long a course of years great part of king, for the rest of our lives we will sit down them must have died, and all the rest must go off to good wine.' How, Sir,' replied Cineas, to at last, without leaving any representatives be better than we have now before us? Have we not hind. By this account he must have lost not only already as much as we can drink?' 800,000 subjects, but double that number, and all the increase that was reasonably to be expected from it.

"It is said in the last war there was a famine in his kingdom which swept away two millions of his people. This is hardly credible. If the loss was only one-fifth part of that sum, it was very great. But it is no wonder there should be famine, where so much of the people's substance is taken away for the king's use, that they have not sufficient left to provide against accidents where so many of the men are taken from the plow to serve the king in his wars, and a great part of the tillage is left to the weaker hands of so many women and children. Whatever was the loss, it must undoubtedly be placed to the account of his ambition.

"And so must also the destruction or banishment of 3 or 400,000 of his reformed subjects; he could have no other reasons for valuing those lives so very cheap but only to recommend himself to the bigotry of the Spanish nation.

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"Riot and excess are not the becoming characters of princes; but if Pyrrhus and Louis had debanched like Vitellius, they had been less hurtful to their people. "Your humble servant,

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'Among all the distresses which happen in families, I do not remember that you have touched upon the marriage of children without the consent of their parents. I am one of these unfortunate "How should there be industry in a country persons. I was about fifteen when I took the lib. where all property is precarious? What subject erty to choose for myself; and have ever since will sow his fand, that his prince may reap the languished under the displeasure of an inexorable whole harvest? Parsimony and frugality must father, who, though he sees me happy in the bes: be strangers to such a people; for will any man of husbands, and blessed with very fine children, save to-day, what he has reason to fear will be can never be prevailed upon to forgive me. He taken from him to-morrow? And where is the was so kind to me before this unhappy accident, encouragment for marrying? Will any man think that indeed it makes my breach of duty in some of raising children without any assurance of cloth-measure inexcusable; and at the same time creates ing for their backs, or so much as food for their bellies? And thus, by his fatal ambition, he must have lessened the number of his subjects, not only by slaughter and destruction, but, by preventing their very births, he has done as much as was possible toward destroying posterity itself.

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Is this then the great, the invincible Louis? This the immortal man, the tout puissant, or the almighty, as his flatterers have called him? Is this the man that is so celebrated for his conquests? For every subject he has acquired, has he not lost three that were his inheritance? Are not his troops fewer, and those neither so well fed, or clothed, or paid, as they were formerly, though he has now so much greater cause to exert himself? And what cau be the reason of all this,

in me such a tenderness toward him, that I love him above all things, and would die to be reconciled to him. I have thrown myself at his feet, and besought him with tears to pardon me; but he always pushes me away, and spurns me from him. I have written several letters to him, but he will neither open nor receive them. About two years ago I sent my little boy to him, dressed in new apparel; but the child returned to me crying, be cause he said his grandfather would not see him, and had ordered him to be put out of his house My mother is won over to my side, but dares not

his grandson, as left him by the will of Charles II, which the *The kingdom of Spain, seized by Louis XIV, in 1701, for enemies of France looked upon as forged, or made when Charles was "non compos."

mention me to my father, for fear of provoking him. About a month ago he lay sick upon his bed, and in great danger of his life; I was pierced to the heart at the news, and could not forbear going to inquire after his health. My mother took this opportunity of speaking in my behalf: she told him, with abundance of tears, that I was come to see him, that I could not speak to her for weeping, and that I should certainly break my heart if he refused at that time to give me his blessing, and be reconciled to me. He was so far from relenting toward me, that he bid her speak no more of me, unless she had a mind to disturb him in his last moments; for, Sir, you must know that he has the reputation of an honest and religicus man, which makes my misfortune so much the greater. God be thanked he has since recovered: but his severe usage has given me such a blow that I shall soon sink under it, unless I may be relieved by any impressions which the reading of this in your paper may make upon him.

"I am," etc.

of succeeding by any other, and shall therefore conclude my paper with a very remarkable story, which is recorded in an old chronicle published by Freher, among the writers of the German history.

Eginhart, who was secretary to Charles the Great, became exceedingly popular by his behavior in that post. His great abilities gained him the favor of his master, and the esteem of the whole court. Imma, the daughter of the emperor, was so pleased with his person and conversation, that she fell in love with him. As she was one of the greatest beauties of the age, Eginhart answered her with a more than equal return of passion. They stifled their flames for some time, under the apprehension of the fatal consequences that might ensue. Eginhart at length resolving to hazard all rather than live deprived of one whom his heart was so much set upon, conveyed himself one night into the princess's apartment, and knocking gently at the door, was admitted as a person who had something to communicate to her from the emperor. He was with her in private Of all hardnesses of heart there is none so in- most part of the night; but upon his preparing to excusable as that of parents toward their children. go away about break of day, he observed that An obstinate, inflexible, unforgiving temper is there had fallen a great snow during his stay with odious upon all occasions; but here it is unnatu- the princess. This very much perplexed him, ral. The love, tenderness, and compassion which lest the prints of his feet in the snow might make are apt to arise in us toward those who depend discoveries to the king, who often used to visit upon us, is that by which the whole world of life his daughter in the morning. He acquainted the is upheld. The supreme Being, by the transcen- Princess Imma with his fears: who after some dent excellency and goodness of his nature, ex- consultations upon the matter, prevailed upon tends his mercy toward all his works; and because him to let her carry him through the snow upon her his creatures have not such a spontaneous benevo- own shoulders. It happened that the emperor, not lence and compassion toward those who are under being able to sleep, was at that time up and walktheir care and protection, he has implanted in them ing in his chamber, when upon looking through an instinct, that supplies the place of this inhe- the window he perceived his daughter tottering rent goodness. I have illustrated this kind of under her burden and carrying his first minister instinct in former papers, and have shown how it across the snow; which she had no sooner done, runs through all the species of brute creatures, as but she returned again with the utmost speed to indeed the whole animal creation subsists by it. her own apartment. The emperor was exceedThis instinct in man is more general and uncir- ingly troubled and astonished at this accident; cumscribed than in brutes, as being enlarged by but resolved to speak nothing of it until a proper the dictates of reason and duty. For if we con- opportunity. In the meantime, Eginhart knowsider ourselves attentively, we shall find that we ing that what he had done could not be long a are not only inclined to love those who descend secret, determined to retire from court; and in from us, but that we bear a kind of natural affec-order to it begged the emperor that he would be tion to everything which relies upon us for its good and preservation. Dependence is a perpetual call upon humanity, and a greater incitement to tenderness and pity, than any other motive

whatsoever.

The man, therefore, who, notwithstanding any passion or resentment, can overcome this powerful instinct, and extinguish natural affection, debases his mind even below brutality, frustrates, as much as in him lies, the great design of Providence, and strikes out of his nature one of the most divine principles that is planted in it.

Among innumerable arguments which might be brought against such an unreasonable proceeding, I shall only insist on one. We make it the condition of our forgiveness that we forgive others. In our very prayers we desire no more than to be treated by this kind of retaliation. The case therefore before us seems to be what they call a "case in point;" the relation between the child and father, being what comes nearest to that between a creature and its Creator. If the father is inexorable to the child who has offended, let the offense be of never so high a nature, how will he address himself to the supreme Being, under the tender appellation of a father, and desire of him such a forgiveness as he himself refuses to grant ? To this I might add many other religious, as well as many prudential considerations; but if the last inentioned motive does not prevail, I despair

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pleased to dismiss him, pretending a kind of discontent at his not having been rewarded for his long services. The emperor would not give a direct answer to his petition, but told him he would think of it, and appointed a certain day when he would let him know his pleasure. He then called together the most faithful of his counselors, and acquainting them with his secretary's crime, asked them their advice in so delicate an affair. They most of them gave their opinion that the person could not be too severely punished, who had thus dishonored his master. Upon the whole debate, the emperor declared it was his opinion, that Eginhart's punishment would rather increase than diminish the shame of his family, and that therefore he thought it the most advisable to wear out the memory of the fact, by marrying him to his daughter. Accordingly Eginhart was called in, and acquainted by the emperor, that he should no longer have any pretense of complaining his services were not rewarded, for that the Princess Imma should be given him in marriage, with a dower suitable to her quality which was soon after performed accordingly.-L.

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"It is wonderful to me, that among the many enormities which you have treated of, you have not mentioned that of wenching, and particularly the ensnaring part. I mean that it is a thing very fit for your pen, to expose the villany of the practice of deluding women. You are to know, Sir, that I myself am a woman who have been one of the unhappy that have fallen into this misfortune, and that by the insinuation of a very worthless fellow, who served others in the same manner, both before my ruin and since that time. I had, as soon as the rascal left me, so much indignation and resolution as not to go upon the town, as the phrase is, but took to work for my living in an obscure place, out of the knowledge of all with whom I was before acquainted.

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be carried off, to her lover s man, who came with the signal to receive them. Thus I followed afte. to the coach, where when I saw his master take them in, 1 cried out, thieves! thieves! and the constable with his attendants seized my expecting lover. I kept myself unobserved until I saw the crowd sufficiently increased, and then appeared to declare the goods to be mine; and had the satisfaction to see my man of mode put into the round-house, with the stolen wares by him, to be produced in evidence against him the next morning. This matter is notoriously known to be fact; and I have been contented to save my 'prentice, and take a year's rent of this mortified lover, not to appear further in the matter. This was some penance; but, Sir, is this enough for a villany of much more pernicious consequence than the trides for which he was to have been indicted? Should not you, and all men of any parts or honor, put things upon so right a foot, as that such a rascal should not laugh at the imputation of what he was really guilty, and dread being accused of that for which he was arrested.

In a word, Sir, it is in the power of you, and such as I hope you are, to make it as infamous to rob a poor creature of her honor as her clothes. I leave this to your consideration, only take leave (which I camiot do without sighing) to remark to you that if this had been the sense of mankind thirty years ago, I should have avoided a life spent in poverty and shame.

"I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
"ALICE THREADNEEDLE."
Round House, Sept. 9.

"MR. SPECTATOR,

"I am a man of pleasure about town, but by the stupidity of a dull rogue of a justice of peace, and an insolent constable, upon the oath of an old harridan, am imprisoned here for theft, when I designed only fornication. The midnight magistrate, as he conveyed me along, had you in his mouth, and said this would make a pure story for the Spectator. I hope, Sir, you won't pretend to wit, and take the part of dull rogues of business. The world is so altered of late years, that there was not a man who would knock down a watchman in my behalf, but I was carried off with as much triumph as if I had been a pickpocket. At this rate there is an end of all the wit and humor in the world. The time was, when all the honest whoremasters in the neighborhood would have rose against the cuckolds in my rescue. If forni. cation is to be scandalous, half the fine things that have been written by most of the wits of the last age may be burned by the common hangman. Harkee, Mr. Spec., do not be queer: after having done some things pretty well, don't begin to write at that rate that no gentleman can read thee. Be true to love, and burn your Seneca. You do not expect me to write my name from hence, but I am, T. Your unknown, humble servant," etc.

"It is the ordinary practice and business of life with a set of idle fellows about this town to write letters, send messages, and form appointments with little raw unthinking girls, and leave them after possession of them, without any mercy, to shame, infamy, poverty, and disease. Were you to read the nauseous impertinences which are written on these occasions, and to see the silly creatures sighing over them, it could not but be matter of mirth as well as pity. A little 'prentice girl of mine has been for some time applied to by an Irish fellow, who dresses very fine, and struts in a lace coat, and is the admiration of seamstresses, who are under age in town. Ever since I had some knowledge of the matter, I have debarred my 'prentice from pen, ink, and paper. But the other day he bespoke some cravats of me: I went out of the shop, and left his mistress to put them up in a band-box in order to be sent to him when his man called. When I came into the shop again, I took occasion to send her away, and found in the bottom of the box written these words, Why would you ruin a harmless creature that loves you? then in the lid, 'There is no resisting Strephon :' I searched a little further, and found in the rim of the box, 'At eleven o'clock at night come in a hackney-coach at the end of our street.' This was enough to alarm me; I sent away the things, and took my measures accordingly. An hour or two before the appointed time, I examined my young lady, and found her trunk stuffed with impertinent letters and an old scroll of parchment in Latin, which her lover had sent her as a settlement of fifty pounds a year. Among other things, there was also the best lace I had in my shop to make him a present for cravats. I No. 183.] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1711. was very glad of this latter circumstance, because I could very conscientiously swear against him that he had enticed my servant away, and was her accomplice in robbing me: I procured a warrant against him accordingly. Everything was now prepared, and the tender hour of love approaching, I who had acted for myself in my youth the same senseless part, knew how to manage accordingly; therefore, after having locked up my maid, and not being so much unlike her in height and shape, as in a huddled way not to pass for her, I delivered the bundle designed to

66

Sometimes fair truth in fiction we disguise;
Sometimes present her naked to men's eyes.
POPE'S HOY.

their appearance in the world, and have been still
FABLES were the. first pieces of wit that made
highly valued, not only in times of the greatest
simplicity, but among the most polite ages of
mankind. Jotham's fable of the trees* is the old-
est that is extant, and as beautiful as any which
have been made since that time. Nathan's fable

*Judges ix, 8-15.

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