N° 473 Tuesday, September 2. Quid? fi quis vultu torvo ferus & pede nudo," Hor. Ep. 19. 1. 1. v. 12. Suppofe a man the coarsest gown should wear, SIR, I To the SPECTATOR. CREECH. Am now in the country, and employ most of my time in reading, or thinking upon what I have read. Your paper comes conftantly down to me, and it affects me fo much, that I find my thoughts run into your way; and I recommend to you a fubject upon which you have not yet touched, and that is the fatisfaction fome men feem to take in their imperfections: I think one may call it glorying in their infufficiency. A certain great author is of opinion it is the contrary to envy, tho' perhaps it may proceed from it. Nothing is fo common as to hear men of this fort, fpeaking of themfelves, add to their own merit (as they think) by impairing it, in praifing themfelves for their defects, freely allowing they com⚫ mit fome few frivolous errors, in order to be eíleemed perfons of uncommon talents and great qualifications. They are generally profeffing an injudicious neglect of dancing, fencing and riding, as alfo an unjuft contempt for travelling and the modern languages; as for their part (they fay) they never valued or trou⚫bled their heads about them. This panegyrical fatire ⚫ on ' on themselves certainly is worthy of your animadverfion. I have known one of thefe gentlemen think ⚫ himself obliged to forget the day of an appointment, ⚫ and fometimes even that you fpoke to him, and when you fee 'em, they hope you'll pardon 'em, for they have the worft memory in the world. One of 'em ftarted up t'other day in fome confufion and faid, Now I think on't, I am to meet Mr. Mortmain the attorney about fome bufinefs, but whether it is to-day, or tomorrow, faith, I can't tell. Now to my certain knowledge he knew his time to a moment, and was there accordingly. Thefe forgetful perfons have, to heighten their crime, generally the best memories of any people, as I have found out by their remembring fometimes through inadvertency. Two or three of • 'em that I know can fay moft of our modern tragedies by heart. I afk'd a gentleman the other day that is famous for a good carver, (at which acquifition he is out of countenance, imagining it may detract from • fome of his more effential qualifications) to help me to fomething that was near him; but he excufed himfelf, and blufhing told me, Of all things he could never " carve in his life; though it can be proved upon him that he cuts up, disjoints, and uncafes with incomparable dexterity. I would not be understood as if I thought it laudable for a man of quality and fortune to rival the acquifitions of artificers, and endeavour to excel in little handy qualities; no, I argue only against being afham'd at what is really praife-worthy. As thefe pretences to ingenuity fhew themfelves several ways, you'll often fee a man of this temper afham'd to be clean, and fetting up for wit only from negligence in his habit. Now I am upon this head, I can't help obferving alfo upon a very different folly proceeding from the fame caufe. As thefe above-mentioned ⚫arife from affecting an equality with men of greater talents from having the fame faults, there are others that would come at a parallel with thofe above them, by poffeffing little advantages which they want. I heard a young man not long ago, who has fenfe, ⚫ comfort himself in his ignorance of Greek, Hebrew, and the Orientals: At the fame time that he pub • lifted lished his averfion to thofe languages, he said that the knowledge of them was rather a diminution than an • advancement of a man's character: tho' at the fame time I know he languishes and repines he is not mafter of them himself. Whenever I take any of these fine perfons thus detracting from what they don't underitand, I tell them I will complain to you, and fay I am fure you will not allow it an exception against a thing, that he who contemns it is an ignorant in it. I am, SIR, Mr. SPECTATOR, Your most humble servant, S. T. Am a man of a very good eftate, and am honourably in love. I hope you will allow, when the ultimate purpose is honeft, there may be, without trefpafs against innocence, fome toying by the way. People of condition are perhaps too diftant and formal on thofe occafions; but however that is, I am to confefs to you that I have writ fome verfes to atone for my offence. You profefs'd authors are a little fevere upon us, who write like gentlemen: But if you are a friend to love, you will infert my poem. You ⚫ cannot imagine how much service it would do me with my fair one as well as reputation with all my friends, to have fomething of mine in the Spectator. My crime " was, that I fnatch'd a kiss, and my poetical excufe as follows: I. Belinda, fee from yonder flow'rs II. So, tho I robb'd you of a kifs, III. 'T III, 'Tis by this cunning I contrive, I am, SIR, SIR, Your humble fervant, Timothy Stanza, Aug. 23, 1712. H AVING a little time upon my hands, I could not think of bestowing it better, than in writ ⚫ing an epistle to the SPECTATOR, which I now do, and am, SIR, your humble fervant, BOB SHORT. P. S. If you approve of my file, I am likely enough to become your correfpondent. I defire your opinion of it. I defign it for that I defign it for that way of writing ⚫ called by the judicious the familiar. T THE THE INDE X. A. ACETUS, his character, Number 422. Admiration, a pleafing motion of the mind, N. 413. Affectation, the misfortune of it, N. 404, Described, 450. Almighty, his power over the imagination, N. 421. Ariftotle's laying of his being, 465. Allegories, like light to a difcourfe, N. 421. Eminent writers faulty in them, ibid. Allufions the great art of a writer, N. 421. Amazons, their commonwealth, N. 433. How they educated their children, 434. Their wars, ibid, They marry their male-allies, ibid. Americans ufed painting instead of writing, N. 416. Amity between agreeable perfons of different fexes dangerous, N. 400. Amoret the jilt reclaimed by Philander, N. 401. Anne Boleyne's laft letter to King Henry VIII. N. 397. Applaufe (publick) its pleafure, N. 442. Arabella, verfes on her finging, N. 443: Architecture, the ancients perfection in it, N. 415. The greatness of the manner how it ftrikes the fancy, ibid. Of the manner of both ancients and moderns, |