Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Converfation with men of a polite genius is another method for improving our natural tafte. It is impoffible for a man of the greatest parts to confider any thing in its whole extent, and in all its variety of lights. Every man, befides thofe general obfervations. which are to be made upon an author, forms feveral reflexions that are peculiar to his own manner of thinking; fo that converfation will naturally furnish us with hints which we did not attend to, and make us enjoy other mens parts and reflexions as well as our own. This is the best reason I can give for the obfervation which feveral have made, that men of great genius in the fame way of writing, feldom rife up fingly, but at certain periods of time appear together, and in a body; as they did at Rome in the reign of Auguftus, and in Greece about the age of Socrates. I cannot think that Corneille, Racine, Moliere, Boileau, la Fontaine, Bruyere, Boffu, or the Daciers, would have written fo well as they have done, had they not been friends and contempo- raries.

It is likewife neceffary for a man who would form to himself a finifhed tafte of good writing, to be well verfed in the works of the best Critics both ancient and modern. I must confefs that I could wish there were authors of this kind, who, befide the mechanical rules which a man of very little tafte may difcourfe upon, would enter into the very spirit and foul of fine writing, and fhew us the feveral fources of that pleasure which rifes in the mind upon the perufal of a noble work. Thus although in poetry it be abfolutely neceffary that the unities of time, place and action, with other points of the fame nature, fhould be thoroughly explained and underfood; there is fomething more effential to the art, something that elevates and aftonishes the fancy, and gives a greatnefs of mind to the reader, which few of the critics befides Longinus have confidered.

Our general talte in England is for epigram, turns of wit, and forced conceits, which have no manner of influence, either for the bettering or enlarging the mind. of him who reads them, and have been carefully avoided by the greatest writers, both among the ancients and moderns. I have endeavoured in feveral of my fpeculations to banish this Gothic tafte, which has taken poffeffion among

C-5

*

[ocr errors]

among us. I entertained the town for a week together with an effay upon wit, in which I endeavoured to detect feveral of thofe falfe kinds which have been admired in the different ages of the world; and at the same time to fhew wherein the nature of true wit confifts. I afterwards gave an inftance of the great force which lies in a natural fimplicity of thought to affect the mind of the reader, from fuch vulgar pieces as have little else befides this fingle qualification to recommend them. I have likewife examined the works of the greatest poet which our nation or perhaps any other has produced, and particularized most of those rational and manly beauties which give a value to that divine work. I fhall next Saturday enter upon an effay on the pleasures of the imagination, which though it shall confider that fubject at large, will perhaps fuggeft to the reader what it is that gives a beauty to many paffages of the fineft writers both in profe and verfe, As an undertaking of this nature is entirely new, I queftion not but it will be received with candour. O.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Dum foris funt, nihil videtur mundius,
Nec magis compofitum quidquam, nec magis e'egans:
Quæ, cum amatore fuo cùm cænant, liguriunt.
Harum videre ingluviem, fordes, inopiam,
Quàm inhonefta jolæ fint domi, atque avide cibi,
Quo pacto ex jure befterno parem atrum vorent:
Noffe omnia hæc, falus eft adolefcentulis.

Ter. Eun. A&t. 5.- Sc. 4.

When they are abroad, nothing fo clean, and nicely dreffed; and when at fupper with a gallant, they do but piddle, and pick the choiceft bits: but, to fee their naftinefs and poverty at home, their gluttony, and how they devour black crufts dipped in yesterday's broth, is a perfect antidote againft wenching.

WH

ILL HONEYCOM в, who disguises his present decay by vifiting the wenches of the town only by way of humour, told us, that the laft rainy

night he with Sir ROGER DE COVERLEY was driven into the Temple Cloifter, whither had escaped also a lady moft exactly dreffed from head to foot. WILL made no fcruple to acquaint us, that fhe faluted him very familiarly by his name, and turning immediately to the knight, fhe faid, fhe fuppofed that was his good friend, Sir ROGER DE COVERLY: Upon which nothing lefs could follow than Sir ROGER'S approach to falu:ation, with, Madam, the fame at your fervice. She was dreffed in a black tabby mantua and petticoat, without ribbons; her linen ftriped muflin, and in the whole an agreeable fecond mourning; decert dreffes being often affected by the creatures of my town, at once confulting cheapnefs and the pretenfions to modesty. She went on with a familiar eafy air. Your friend, Mr. HONEYCOMB, is a little furprised to fee a woman here alone and unattended; but I difmiffed my coach at the gate, and tripped it down to my counfel's chambers; for lawyers fees take up too much of a fmall difputed jointure to admit any other expences but meer neceffaries. Mr. HONEYCOM в begged they might have the honour of setting her down, for Sir ROGER'S fervant was gone to call a coach. In the interim the footman returned, with no coach to be had ; and there appeared nothing to be done but trusting herself with Mr. HONEYCOMB and his friend to wait at the tavern at the gate for a coach, or to be fubjected to all the impertinence she must meet with in that public place. Mr. HONEYCOMB being a man of honour determined the choice of the firft, and Sir ROGER, as the better man, took the lady by the hand, leading her through all the shower, covering her with his hat, and galanting a familiar acquaintance through rows of young fellows, who winked at Sukey in the ftate fhe march'd off, WILL HONEYCOMB bringing up the rear.

Much importunity prevailed upon the fair one to admit of a collation, where, after declaring fhe had no ftomach, and eaten a couple of chickens, devoured a trufs of fallet, and drunk a full bottle to her share, the fung the Old Man's Wish to Sir ROGER. The Knight left the room for fome time after fupper, and writ the following billet, which he conveyed to Sukey, and Sukey

to

to her friend WILL HONEYCOME. WILL has given it to Sir ANDREW FREEPORT, who read it last night to the club.

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

I

Am not fo meer a country-gentleman, but I can guefs at the law bufinefs you had at the Temple. If you would go down to the country, and leave off all your vanities but your finging, let me know at my lodgings in Bow-Street, Covent-Garden, and you fhall be encouraged by

Your bumble fervant,

ROGER DE COVERLY.

My good friend could not well ftand the rallery which was rifing upon him; but to put a stop to it I deliver'd WILL HONEYCOMB the following letter, and defired him to read it to the board.

Mr. SPECTATOR,

H

AVING feen a tranflation of one of the chapters in the Canticles into English verfe inferted among your late papers, I have ventured to fend you the viith chapter of the Proverbs in a poetical drefs. If you think it worthy appearing among your fpeculations, it will be a fufficient reward for the trouble ⚫ of

[ocr errors]

Your conftant reader,

MY fon, tb'inftruction that my words impart,
Grave on the living tablet of thy heart;

And all the wholfom precepts that I give,
Obferve with firicteft reverence, and live.
Let all thy homage be to Wisdom paid,
Seek her protection and implore her aid;
That he may keep thy foul from harm fecure,
And turn thy footfieps from the barlot's door,
Who with curs'd charms lures the unwary in,
And fooths with flattery their fouls to fi

A. B.

Once

Once from my window as I caft mine eye
On those that pass'd in giddy numbers by,
A youth among the foolish youths IJpy'd,
Who took not jacred Wifdom for his guide.

Just as the fun withdrew his cooler light,
And evening foft led on the fhades of night,
He ftole in covert twilight to his fate,
And pass'd the corner near the harlot's gate;
When lo, a woman comes!-

Loofe her attire, and fuch her glaring dress,
As aptly did the barlot's mind express:
Subtle foe is, and practis'd in the arts
By which the wanton conquer heedless hearts:
Stubborn and loud fhe is; he hates her home,
Varying her place and form, she loves to roam:
Now he's within, now in the street does firay,
Now at each corner ftands, and waits her prey.
The youth fhe feiz'd; and laying now afide
All modefty, the female's jufteft pride,
She faid with an embrace, Here at my boufe
Peace-offerings are, this day I paid my vows..
I therefore came abroad to meet my dear,
And, lo, in happy hour I find thee here.

My chamber I've adorn'd, and o'er my bed
Are cov'rings of the richest tap ftry Spread,
With linen it is deck'd from Egypt brought,
And carvings by the curious artift wrought=
It wants no glad perfume Arabia yields
In all her citron groves, and Spicy fields;
Here all her flore of richest odours meets,
I'll lay thee in a wilderness of fweets,
Whatever to the fenfe can grateful be
I have collected there-I want but thee.
My husband's gone a journey far away,
Much gold be took abroad, and long will fay
He nam'd for his return a diftant day.

Upon her tongue did fuch smooth mischief dwell.
And from her lips fuch welcome flait'ry fell,
Th' unguarded youth, in filken fetters tyd,
Refign'd his reafon, and with eafe comply'd.
Thus does the ox to his own flaughter go,
And thus is fenfelefs of th' impending blow.

}

Thuk

« ZurückWeiter »