there are myriads of islands behind those which able to reach, and in the Old Testament we find thou here discoverest, reaching further than thine several passages more elevated and sublime than eye, or even thine imagination, can extend itself. any in Homer. At the same time that we allow a These are the mansions of good men after death, greater and more daring genius to the ancients, we who, according to the degree and kinds of virtue must own that the greatest of them very much in which they excelled, are distributed among failed in, or, if you will, that they were much above these several islands, which abound with pleasures the nicety and correctness of the moderns. In of different kinds and degrees, suitable to the re- their similitudes and allusions, provided there was lishes and perfections of those who are settled in a likeness, they did not much trouble themselves them; every island is a paradise accommodated to about the decency of the comparison; thus Soloits respective inhabitants. Are not these, O Mir-mon resembles the nose of his beloved to the za, habitations worth contending for? Does life tower of Lebanon which looketh towards Damasappear miserable, that gives the opportunities of cus; as the coming of a thief in the night, is a siearning such a reward? Is death to be feared, that militude of the same kind in the New Testament." will convey thee to so happy an existence? Think It would be endless to make collections of this na not man was made in vain, who has such an eter- ture; Homer illustrates one of his beroes encomnity reserved for him." I gazed with inexpressi-passed with the enemy, by an ass in a field of corn, ble pleasure on these happy islands. "At length," that has his sides belaboured by all the boys of the said I, "show me now, I beseech thee, the secrets village, without stirring a foot for it; and another that lie hid under those dark clouds which cover of them tossing to and fro in his bed and burning the ocean on the other side of the rock of ada- with resentment, to a piece of flesh broiled on the mant." The Genius making me no answer, I coals. This particular failure in the ancients, turned about to address myself to him a second opens a large field of raillery to the little wits, time, but I found that he had left me; I then turn ed again to the vision which I had been so long contemplating; but instead of the rolling tide, the arched bridge, and the happy islands, I saw nothing but the long hollow valley of Bagdat, with oxen, sheep, and camels, grazing upon the sides of it.' The end of the first Vision of Mirza. · Cui mens divinior, atque os who can laugh at an indecency, but not relish the sublime in these sorts of writings. The present Emperor of Persia, conformable to this eastern way of thinking, amidst a great many pompous titles, denominates himself the son of glory' and the nutmeg of delight.' In short, to cut off all cavilling against the ancients, and particularly those of the warmer climates, who had most heat and life in their imaginations, we are to consider that the rule of observing what the French call the bienseance in an allusion, has been found out of later years, and in the colder regions of the world; where we could make some amends for our want of force and spirit, by a scrupulous nicety and exactness in our compositions. Our countryman Shakspeare was a remarkable instance of this first kind of great geniuses. I cannot quit this head without observing that Pindar was a great genius of the first class, who THERE is no character more frequently given to a was hurried on by a natural fire and impetuosity to writer, than that of being a genius. I have heard vast conceptions of things and noble sallies of ima many a little sonneteer called a fine genius. There gination. At the same time, can any thing be is not an heroic scribbler in the nation, that has more ridiculous, than for men of a sober and mo. not his admirers who think him a great genius: derate fancy to imitate this poet's way of writing and as for your smatterers in tragedy, there is in those monstrous compositions which go among scarce a man among them who is not cried up by us under the name of Pindarics? When I see peo. one or other for a prodigious genius. ple copying works, which, as Horace has repreMy design in this paper is, to consider what is sented them, are singular in their kind, and inimi properly a great genius, and to throw some thoughts together on so uncommon a subject. table; when I see men following irregularities by rule, and by the little tricks of art straining after the most unbounded flights of nature, I cannot but apply to them that passage in Terence: Incerta haec si tu postules Among great geniuses those few draw the admiration of all the world upon them, and stand up as the prodigies of mankind, who by the mere strength of natural parts, and without any assistance of art or learning, have produced works that were the delight of their own times, and the wonder of posterity. There appears something nobly wild and extravagant in these great natural geniuses that is infinitely more beautiful than all the turn and polishing of what the French call a bel esprit, by which they would express a genius refin- with ed by conversation, reflection, and the reading of sarst the most polite authors. The greatest genius which runs through the arts and sciences, takes a kind of tincture from them, and falls unavoidably into imitation. Many of these great natural geniuses that were never disciplined and broken by rules of art, are to be found among the ancients, and in particular among those of the more eastern parts of the world. Homer has innumerable flights that Virgil was not In You may as well pretend to be mad and in your senses at the same time, as to think of reducing these uncertain things to any certainty by reason." short, a modern Pindaric writer, compared Pindar, is like a sister among the Cami compared with Virgil's Sibyl: there is the * Song of Solomon, vii. 4. Matt. xxiv. 43, &c. 1 Thess. v. 2. A set of French enthusiasts, who came into England about the year 1707. They called themselves French prophets, pre tended to inspiration and the gift of miracles, and deluded many soon detected as impostors: and, on the 18th of November, Elm people out of their money as well as their reason; but they were Marion, John Aude, and Nicholas Facio, were convicted as im postors and disturbers of the public peace; and the rest of them Jesuits in disguise. soon quitted the kingdom. They were generally considered as ment we sublime t at we e ancient Avery D e much awe modems led there e theme thus distortion, grimace, and outward figure, but no- man. There is another kind of great geniuses which I shall place in a second class, not as I think them Such was the life the frugal Sabines led; inferior to the first, but only for distinction's sake, I AM glad that my late going into the country has as they are of a different kind. This second class increased the number of my correspondents, one of great geniuses are those that have formed them-of whom sends me the following letter: selves by rules, and submitted the greatness of loved to their natural talents to the corrections and reards Danstraints of art. Such among the Greeks were Plato night, is and Aristotle; among the Romans, Virgil and Tully; among the English, Milton and Sir Francis Bacon. SIR, THOUGH you are pleased to retire from us so soon into the city, I hope you will not think the affairs of the country altogether unworthy of your inspection for the future. I had the honour of seeing The genius in both these classes of authors may your short face at Sir Roger de Coverley's, and be equally great, but shows itself after a different have ever since thought your person and writings manner. In the first, it is like a rich soil in a happy both extraordinary. Had you staid there a few climate, that produces a whole wilderness of noble days longer, you would have seen a country wake, plants rising in a thousand beautiful landscapes, which you know in most parts of England is the without any certain order or regularity. In the eve-feast of the dedication of our churches. I was e another, it is the same rich soil under the same happy last week at one of these assemblies, which was climate, that has been laid out in walks and par-held in a neighbouring parish; where I found their trel terres, and cut into shape and beauty by the skill Green covered with a promiscuous multitude of all he pr of the gardener. ages and both sexes, who esteem one another more The great danger in these latter kind of ge- or less the following part of the year, according as omniuses, is, lest they cramp their own abilities too they distinguish themselves at this time. The much by imitation, and form themselves altogether whole company were in their holiday clothes, and upon models, without giving the full play to their divided into several parties, all of them endeavourown natural parts. An imitation of the best au- ing to show themselves in those exercises wherein thors is not to compare with a good original; and 2 they excelled, and to gain the approbation of the I believe we may observe, that very few writers lookers-on. make an extraordinary figure in the world, who 'I found a ring of cudgel-players, who were have not something in their way of thinking or ex-breaking one another's heads, in order to make some impression on their mistresses' hearts. I observed a lusty young fellow, who had the misfortune of a broken pate; but what considerably added to the anguish of the wound was, his overhearing I once saw a shepherd,' says a famous Italian an old man, who shook his head and said, "That author, who used to divert himself in his solitudes he questioned now if Black Kate would marry, with tossing up eggs, and catching them again with him these three years." I was diverted from a out breaking them: in which he had arrived to so further observation of these combatants by a footgreat a degree of perfection, that he would keep ball match, which was on the other side of the up four at a time for several minutes together play- Green: where Tom Short behaved himself so well, ing in the air, and falling into his hand by turns. that most people seemed to agree, it was imI think,' says the author, I never saw a greater possible that he should remain a bachelor until the severity than in this man's face; for by his wonder- next wake." Having played many a match my. ful perseverance and application, he had contracted self, I could have looked longer on this sport, had the seriousness and gravity of a privy-counsellor; I not observed a country girl, who was posted on and I could not but reflect with myself, that the an eminence at some distance from me, and was same assiduity and attention, had they been rightly making so many odd grimaces, and writhing and applied, might have made him a greater mathema- distorting her whole body in so strange a manner, tician than Archimedes.' as made me very desirous to know the meaning of it. Upon my coming up to her, I found that she was overlooking a ring of wrestlers, and that her sweetheart, a person of small stature, was contending with a huge brawny fellow, who twirled No 161. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1711. him about, and shook the little man so violently, Ipse dies agitat festos: fususque per herbam, Himself, in rustic pomp, on holy-days, To rural powers a just oblation pays; And on the green his careless limbs displays; The cheerful fire, provoke his health in goblets crown'd, The groom his fellow-groom at buts defies, And bends his bow, and levels with his eyes: that, by a secret sympathy of hearts, it produced As You Like it, Act i. Sc. 2. wrestlers seldom entered the ring until some one tells me each sex endeavours to recommend itself was grown formidable by having thrown two or to the other, since nothing seems more likely to three of his opponents; but kept themselves, as it promise a healthy offspring, or a happy cohabi were, in a reserved body to defend the hat, which tation. And I believe I may assure my country is always hung up by the person who gets it in one friend, that there has been many a court lady who of the most conspicuous parts of the house, and would be contented to exchange her crazy young looked upon by the whole family as something re- husband for Tom Short, and several men of quadounding much more to their honour than a coat lity who would have parted with a tender yoke. of arms. There was a fellow who was so busy in fellow for Black Kate. regulating all the ceremonies, and seemed to carry I am the more pleased with having love made such an air of importance in his looks, that I could the principal end and design of these meetings, as not help inquiring who he was, and was immedi- it seems to be most agreeable to the intent for ately answered, "That he did not value himself which they were at first instituted, as we are in. upon nothing, for that he and his ancestors had won formed by the learned Dr. Kennet, with whose so many hats, that his parlour looked like a haber-words I shall conclude my present paper. dasher's shop." However, this thirst of glory in them all, was the reason that no one man stood "lord of the ring" for above three falls while 1 was among them. The young maids, who were not lookers-on at these exercises, were themselves engaged in some diversion; and upon my asking a farmer's son of my own parish what he was gazing at with so much attention, he told me, "That he was seeing Betty Welch," whom I knew to be his sweetheart, "pitch a bar." 'These wakes,' says he, were in imitation of the ancient agarra, or love-feasts; and were first established in England by Pope Gregory the Great, who, in an epistle to Melitus the abbot, gave order that they should be kept in sheds or arbories made up with branches and boughs of trees round the church.' He adds, that this laudable custom of wakes prevailed for many ages, until the nice puritans began to exclaim against it as a remnant of popery; and by degrees the precise humour grew so popu lar, that at an Exeter assize the Lord Chief Baron Walter made an order for the suppression of all wakes; but on Bishop Laud's complaining of this innovating humour, the king commanded the order In short, I found the men endeavoured to show the women they were no cowards, and that the whole company strived to recommend themselves to each other, by making it appear that they were all in a perfect state of health, and fit to undergo to be reversed.' any fatigues of bodily labour. Your judgment upon this method of love and gallantry, as it is at present practised among us in the country, will very much oblige, 'SIR, yours, &c.' BUDGELL. N° 162. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1711 -Servetur ad imum Qualis ab incepto processerit, et sibi constet. HOR. Ars Poet. ver. 126. Preserve consistency throughout the whole. If I would here put on the scholar and politician, I might inform my readers how these bodily exercises or games were formerly encouraged in all the commonwealths of Greece; from whence the Romans afterwards borrowed their pentathlum, which was composed of running, wrestling, leaping, NOTHING that is not a real crime makes a man ap. throwing, and boxing, though the prizes were ge- pear so contemptible and little in the eyes of the nerally nothing but a crown of cypress or parsley, world as inconstancy, especially when it regards hats not being in fashion in those days: that there religion or party. In either of these cases, though is an old statute, which obliges every man in Eng-a man perhaps does but his duty in changing his land, having such an estate, to keep and exercise side, he not only makes himself hated by those be the long-bow; by which means our ancestors ex-left, but is seldom heartily esteemed by those he celled all other nations in the use of that weapon, comes over to. and we had all the real advantages, without the In these great articles of life, therefore, a man's inconvenience of a standing army and that I conviction ought to be very strong; and if possible once met with a book of projects, in which the so well timed, that worldly advantages may seem author, considering to what noble ends that spirit to have no share in it, or mankind will be ill-naof emulation, which so remarkably shows itself tured enough to think he does not change sides out among our common people in these wakes, might of principle, but either out of levity of temper, be directed, proposes that for the improvement or prospects of interest. Converts and renegadoes of all our handicraft trades there should be an- of all kinds should take particular care to let the nual prizes set up for such persons as were most world see they act upon honourable motives; or excellent in their several arts. But laying aside whatever approbations they may receive from all these political considerations,which might tempt themselves, and applauses from those they conme to pass the limits of my paper, I confess the verse with, they may be very well assured that greatest benefit and convenience that I can ob- they are the scorn of all good men, and the public serve in these country festivals, is the bringing marks of infamy and derision. young people together, and giving them an oppor- Irresolution on the schemes of life which offer tunity of showing themselves in the most advan-themselves to our choice, and inconstancy in pur tageous light. A country fellow that throws his suing them, are the greatest and most universal rival upon his back, has generally as good success causes of all our disquiet and unhappiness. When with their common mistress; as nothing is more ambition pulls one way, interest another, inclinausual than for a nimble-footed wench to get a hus- tion a third, and perhaps reason contrary to all, band at the same time she wins a smock. Love a man is likely to pass his time but ill who has and marriages are the natural effects of these an- so many different parties to please. When the niversary assemblies. I must therefore very much approve the method by which my correspondent ▪ 'Parochial Antiquities,' by Dr. White Kennet, 4to, 1895. more likt & Court her crazy eral men do Quidquam proficeret: si collibuisset, ab ovo HOR. 1 Sat. iii. mind hovers among such a variety of allurements, one had better settle on a way of life that is not app the very best we might have chosen, than grow old without determining our choice, and go out of the world as the greatest part of mankind do, before we have resolved how to live in it. There is but one method of setting ourselves at rest in this para teadeticular, and that is by adhering stedfastly to one great end as the chief and ultimate aim of all our vigere pursuits. If we are firmly resolved to live up to the dictates of reason, without any regard to wealth, reputation, or the like considerations, any more than as they fall in with our principal design, we Instead of translating this passage in Horace, I may go through life with steadiness and pleasure; shall entertain my English reader with the descripbut if we act by several broken views, and will not tion of a parallel character, that is wonderfully only be virtuous, but wealthy, popular, and every well finished by Mr. Dryden, and raised upon the thing that has a value set upon it by the world, we same foundation: = Greg shall live and die in misery and repentance. the abOne would take more than ordinary care to guard shes one's self against this particular imperfection, begas cause it is that which our nature very strongly inclines us to; for if we examine ourselves thoroughly, we shall find that we are the most changeniceable beings in the universe. In respect of our unmanto pderstanding, we often embrace and reject the very same opinions; whereas beings above and beneath us have probably no opinions at all, or at least no wavering and uncertainties in those they have. Our superiors are guided by intuition, and our in paper. and stom Ch "In the first rank of these did Zimrit stand: ADDISON. feriors by instinct. In respect of our wills, we fall N° 163. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1711. into crimes and recover out of them, are amiable or odious in the eyes of our great Judge, and pass our whole life in offending and asking pardon. On the contrary, the beings underneath us are not capable of sinning, nor those above us of repenting. The one is out of the possibilities of duty, and the other fixed in an eternal course of sin, or an eternal course of virtue. Si quid ego adjuvero, curamve levasso, ENN. apud TULLIUM. Say, will you thank me if I bring you rest, There is scarce a state of life or stage in it which does not produce changes and revolutions in the INQUIRIES after happiness, and rules for attaining mind of man. Our schemes of thought in infancy it, are not so necessary and useful to mankind as are lost in those of youth; these too take a diffe-the arts of consolation, and supporting one's self rent turn in manhood, until old age often leads us this world is contentment; if we aim at any thing under affliction. The utmost we can hope for in back into our former infancy. A new title or an unexpected success throws us out of ourselves, and higher we shall meet with nothing but grief and a manner destroys our identity. A cloudy day, disappointment. A man should direct all his stuor a little sun-shine, have as great an influence on dies and endeavours at making himself easy now, many constitutions, as the most real blessings or and happy hereafter. misfortunes. A dream varies our being, and The truth of it is, if all the happiness that is changes our condition while it lasts; and every dispersed through the whole race of mankind in passion, not to mention health and sickness, and the this world were drawn together, and put into the greater alterations in body and mind, makes us ap- possession of any single man, it would not make a pear almost different creatures. If a man is so dis- very happy being, Though, on the contrary, if the tinguished among other beings by this infirmity, miseries of the whole species were fixed in a sinwhat can we think of such as make themselves re- gle person, they would make a very miserable markable for it even among their own species? It is one, a very trifling character to be one of the most vaI am engaged in this subject by the following riable beings of the most variable kind, especially letter, which, though subscribed by a fictitious if we consider that He who is the great standard of name, I have reason to believe is not imaginary. perfection has in him no shadow of change, but is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.' 'MR. SPECTATOR, As this mutability of temper and inconsistency I AM one of your disciples, and endeavour to live with ourselves is the greatest weakness of human up to your rules, which I hope will incline you to nature, so it makes the person who is remarkable pity my condition. I shall open it to you in a for it in a very particular manner more ridiculous very few words. About three years since a genthan any other infirmity whatsoever, as it sets him tleman, whom, I am sure, you yourself would. in a greater variety of foolish lights, and distin- have approved, made his addresses to me. He had guishes him from himself by an opposition of party- that my friends, who all of them applauded his every thing to recommend him but an estate; so coloured characters. The most humorous character in Horace is founded upon the unevenness of tem- person, would not for the sake of both of us faper and irregularity of conduct: vour his passion. For my own part, I resigned • Sardus habebat le Tigellius hoc: Cesar, qui cogere posset, Si peteret per amicitiam patris, atque suam, non * In his Absalom and Achitophel." This character was designed for George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. myself up entirely to the direction of those who ness, or the death of a friend, are such trifles when know the world much better than myself, but still we consider whole kingdoms laid in ashes, families lived in hopes that some juncture or other would put to the sword, wretches shut up in dungeons, make me happy in the man, whom, in my heart, and the like calamities of mankind, that we are I preferred to all the world; being determined, if out of countenance for our own weakness, if we I could not have him, to have nobody else. About sink under such little strokes of fortune. three months ago I received a letter from him, ac- Let the disconsolate Leonora consider, that at quainting me, that by the death of an uncle he the very time in which she languishes for the loss had a considerable estate left him, which he said of her deceased lover, there are persons in several was welcome to him upon no other account, but parts of the world just perishing in shipwreck; as he hoped it would remove all difficulties that lay others crying out for mercy in the terrors of a in the way to our mutual happiness. You may death-bed repentance; others lying under the torwell suppose, sir, with how much joy I received tures of an infamous execution, or the like dreadful this letter, which was followed by several others calamities; and she will find her sorrows vanish filled with those expressions of love and joy, which at the appearance of those which are so much I verily believe nobody felt more sincerely, nor greater and more astonishing. knew better how to describe, than the gentleman I would further propose to the consideration of I am speaking of. But, sir, how shall I be able my afflicted disciple, that possibly what she now to tell it you! by the last week's post I received a looks upon as the greatest misfortune, is not really letter from an intimate friend of this unhappy gen-such in itself. For my own part, I question not tleman, acquainting me, that as he had just settled but our souls in a separate state will look back on his affairs, and was preparing for his journey, he their lives in quite another view, than what they fell sick of a fever and died. It is impossible to had of them in the body; and that what they now express to you the distress I am in upon this occa- consider as misfortunes and disappointments, will sion. I can only have recourse to my devotions; very often appear to have been escapes and bless. and to the reading of good books for my consola-ings. tion; and as I always take a particular delight in those frequent advices and admonitions which you give the public, it would be a very great piece of charity in you to lend me your assistance in this conjuncture. If after the reading of this letter you find yourself in a humour, rather to rally and ridicule, than to comfort me, I desire you would throw it into the fire, and think no more of it; but if you are touched with my misfortune, which is greater than I know how to bear, your counsels may very much support, and will infinitely oblige the afflicted ' LEONORA.”* I The mind that hath any cast towards devotion, naturally flies to it in its affliction. When I was in France I heard a very remark. able story of two lovers, which I shall relate at length in my to-morrow's paper, not only because the circumstances of it are extraordinary, but be cause it may serve as an illustration to all that can be said on this last head, and show the power of religion in abating that particular anguish which seems to lie so heavy on Leonora. The story was told me by a priest, as I travelled with him in a stage-coach. I shall give it my reader, as well as can remember, in his own words, after having premised, that if consolations may be drawn from A disappointment in love is more hard to get a wrong religion and a misguided devotion, they over than any other; the passion itself so softens cannot but flow much more naturally from those and subdues the heart, that it disables it from which are founded upon reason, and established in struggling or bearing up against the woes and dis-good sense. tresses which befal it. The mind meets with other misfortunes in her whole strength; she stands collected within herself, and sustains the shock with all the force which is natural to her; but a heart in love has its foundation sapped, and immediately sinks under the weight of accidents that are disagreeable to its favourite passion. ADDISON. N° 164. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1711. L. Illa, quis et me, inquit, miseram, et te perdidit, Orpheu? Then thus the bride: What fury siez'd on thee, In afflictions men generally draw their consolations out of books of morality, which indeed are of great use to fortify and strengthen the mind against the impressions of sorrow. Monsieur St. Evremont, who does not approve of this method, recommends authors who are apt to stir up mirth in the mind of the readers, and fancies Don Quixote can give more relief to a heavy heart than Plutarch or Seneca, as it is much easier to divert CONSTANTIA was a woman of extraordinary wit grief than to conquer it. This doubtless may have and beauty, but very unhappy in a father, who, its effects on some tempers. I should rather have having arrived at great riches by his own industry, recourse to authors of a quite contrary kind, that took delight in nothing but his money. Theodo give us instances of calamities and misfortunes, sius was the younger son of a decayed family, and show human nature in its greatest distresses. of great parts and learning, improved by a genteel If the afflictions we groan under be very heavy, and virtuous education. When he was in the twen we shall find some consolation in the society of as tieth year of his age he became acquainted with great sufferers as ourselves, especially when we Constantia, who had not then passed her fifteenth. and our companions men of virtue and merit. If As he lived but a few miles distant from her faour afflictions are light, we shall be comforted by ther's house, he had frequent opportunities of seethe comparison we make between ourselves and our fellow-sufferers. A loss at sea, a fit of sick. • Miss Shepheard. The Correspondence of Theodosius and Constantia,' by Dr. Langhorne, was avowedly founded on this paper of the Spee tator. |