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stood before me, and introduced into the Walk where I lay this Drama and different Scenes of the Revolution of the Year, which whilft I then faw, even in my 'Dream, I refolved to write down, and fend to the SPECTATOR.

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'THE first Person whom I faw advancing towards me, was a Youth of a most beautiful Air and Shape, tho' he feemed not yet arrived at that exact Proportion and Symmetry of Parts which a little more Time ⚫ would have given him; but however, there was fuch • Bloom in his Countenance, fuch Satisfaction and Joy, that I thought it the moft defirable Form that I had ever feen. He was cloathed in a flowing Mantle of green Silk, interwoven with Flowers: He had a Chaplet of Rofes on his Head, and a Narciffus in his Hand; Primrofes and Violets fprang up under his Feet, and all Nature was cheer'd at his Approach. Flora was on one Hand and Vertumnus on the other in a Robe of changeable Silk. After this I was furprized to fee the • Moon-beams reflected with a fudden Glare from Armour, and to fee a Man compleatly armed advancing ' with his Sword drawn. I was foon informed by the • Genius it was Mars, who had long ufurp'd a Place among the Attendants of the Spring. He made Way for a fofter Appearance, it was Venus, without any Ornament but her own Beauties, not fo much as her own Ceftus, with which she had incompafs'd a Globe, which The held in her right Hand, and in her left fhe had a Sceptre of Gold. After her followed the Graces with their Arms intwined within one another, their Girdles were loofed, and they moved to the Sound of foft Mufick, ftriking the Ground alternately with their Feet: Then came up the three Months which belong to this Seafon. As March advanced towards me, there was methought in his Look a louring Roughnefs, which ill befitted a Month which was ranked in fo foft a Seafon; but as he came forwards his Features became infenfibly more mild and gentle: He fmooth'd his Brow, and looked with fo fweet a Countenance that I could not but lament his Departure, though he made way for April. He appeared in the greatest Gaiety imaginable, and had a thousand Pleasures to attend him.. Mis Look

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117 was frequently clouded, but immediately return'd to its firft Compofure, and remained fixed in a Smile. Then came May attended by Cupid, with his Bow ftrung, and ina Pofture to let fly an Arrow: As he paffed by methought I heard a confufed Noife of foft Complaints, gentle Ecftafies, and tender Sighs of Lovers; Vows of Conftancy, and as many Complainings of Perfidioufnefs; all which the Winds wafted away as foon as they had reached my Hearing. After these I saw a Man advance in the full Prime and Vigour of his Age, his Complexion was fanguine and ruddy, his Hair black, and fell down in beautiful Ringlets not beneath his Shoul ders, a Mantle of Hair-colour'd Silk hung loosely upon him: He advanced with a hafty Step after the Spring, and fought out the Shade and cool Fountains which plaid in the Garden. He was particularly well pleafed when a Troop of Zephyrs fanned him with their Wings: He had two Companions who walked on each Side that made him appear the moft agreeable, the one was Aurora with Fingers of Rofes, and her Feet dewy, attired in grey: The other was Vefper in a Robe of Azure befet with Drops of Gold, whofe Breath he caught whilft it paffed over a Bundle of Honey-Suckles and Tuberofes which he held in his Hand. Pan and Ceres followed them with four Reapers, who danced a Morrice to the Sound of Oaten Pipes and Cymbals. Then " came the Attendant Months. June retained ftill fome fmall Likeness of the Spring; but the other two seemed to ftep with a lefs vigorous Tread, efpecially August, who feem'd almoft to faint whilft for half the Steps he took the Dog-ftar levelled his Rays full at his Head: They paffed on and made Way for a Perfon that feemed to bend a little under the Weight of Years; his Beard ' and Hair, which were full grown, were compofed of an equal Number of black and grey; he wore a Robe 'which he had girt round him of a yellowish Caft, not ' unlike the Colour of fallen Leaves, which he walked upon. I thought he hardly made Amends for expelling the foregoing Scene by the large Quantity of Fruits which he bore in his Hands. Plenty walked by his Side with an healthy fresh Countenance, pouring out from an Horn all the various Product of the Year. Pomona

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⚫ followed with a Glafs of Cyder in her Hand, with Bac• thus in a Chariot drawn by Tygers, accompanied by a whole Troop of Satyrs, Fauns, and Sylvans. September, who came next, feem'd in his Looks to promile a new < Spring, and wore the Livery of thofe Months. The fucceeding Month was all foiled with the Juice of Grapes, as if he had just come from the Wine-Prefs. November, though he was in this Divifion, yet, by the many Stops he made feemed rather inclined to the Winter, which fol ⚫lowed close at his Heels. He advanced in the Shape of an old Man in the Extremity of Age: The Hair he had was fo very white it feem'd a real Snow; his Eyes were red and piercing, and his Beard hung with a great Quantity of Icicles: He was wrapt up in Furrs, but yet fo pinched with Excefs of Cold that his Limbs were all contracted and his Body bent to the Ground, fo that he could not have fupported himself had it not ⚫ been for Comus the God of Revels, and Neceffity the • Mother of Fate, who fuftained him on each fide. The Shape and Mantle of Comus was one of the things that moft furprized me; as he advanced towards me, his • Countenance feemed the most desirable I had ever feen: On the fore Part of his Mantle was pictured Joy, Delight, and Satisfaction, with a thoufand Emblems of Merriment, and Jefts with Faces looking two Ways at once; but as he paffed from me I was amazed at a Shape fo little correfpondent to his Face: His Head was bald, and all the rest of his Limbs appeared old and deformed, On the hinder Part of his Mantle was reprefented Mur<der with disheveled Hair and a Dagger all bloody, Anger in a Robe of Scarlet, and Sufpicion fquinting with both Eyes; but above all the most confpicuous was the Battel of the Lapitha and the Centaurs. I detefted fo hideous a Shape, and turned my Eyes upon Saturn, who was frealing away behind him with a Scythe in one Hand and an Hour-glafs in t'other unobferved. Behind Neceffity was Vefta the Goddefs of Fire with a Lamp which was perpetually fupply'd with Oyl; and whofe Flame was eternal. She cheered the rugged Brow of Neceffity, and warmed her fo far as almoft to make her affume the Features and Likenefs of Choice. December, January, and February, paffed on after the reft all in Furrs

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there was little Diftinction to be made amongst them, and they were only more or lefs difpleafing as they dif covered more or lefs Hafte towards the grateful Return of Spring.

N° 426. Wednesday, July 9.

A

·Quid non mortalia Peffora cogis

Auri facra fames

Virg.

Very agreeable Friend of mine, the other Day, carrying me in his Coach into the Country to Dinner, fell into Difcourfe concerning the Care of Parents due to their Children, and the Piety of Children towards their Parents. He was reflecting upon the Succeffion of particular Virtues and Qualities there might be preferved from one Generation to another, if thefe Regards were reciprocally held in Veneration: But as he never fails to mix an Air of Mirth and good Humour with his good Senfe and Reasoning, he entered into the following Relation.

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Will not be confident in what Century, or under what Reign it happened, that this Want of mutual Confidence and right Understanding between Father and Son was fatal to the Family of the Valentines in Germany. Bafilius Valentinus was a Person who had arrived at the utmoft Perfection in the Hermetick Art, and initiated his Son Alexandrinus in the fame Myfteries: But as you know they are not to be attained but by the Painful, the Pious, the Chafte, and Pure of Heart, Bafilius did not open to him, becaufe of his Youth, and the Deviations too natural to it, the greatest Secrets of which he was Mafter, as well knowing that the Operation would fail in the Hands of a Man fo liable to Errors in Life as Alexandrinus. But believing, from a certain Indifpofition of Mind as well as Body, his Diffolution was drawing

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nigh, he called Alexandrinus to him, and as he lay on a Couch, over-againft which his Son was feated, and prepared by fending out Servants one after another, and Admonition to examine that no one over-heard them, he revealed the most important of his Secrets with the Solemnity and Language of an Adept. My Son, faid he, many have been the Watchings, long the Lucubrations, conftant the Labours of thy Father, not only to gain a great and plentiful Eftate to his Pofterity, but alfo to take Care that he fhould have no Pofterity. Be not amazed, my Child; I do not mean that thou fhalt be taken from me, but that I will never leave thee, and confequently cannot be faid to have Pofterity. Behold, my dearest Alexandrinus, the Effect of what was propagated in nine Months: We are not to contradi&t Nature but to follow and to help her; juft as long as an Infant is in the Womb of its Parent, fo long are thefe Medicines of Revification in preparing. Obferve this small Phial, and this little Gallipot, in this an Unguent, in the other a Liquor. thefe, my Child, are collected fuch Powers, as fhall revive the Springs of Life when they are yet but just ceased, and give new Strength, new Spirits, and, in a Word, wholly restore all the Organs and Senfes of the human Body to as great a Duration, as it had before enjoyed from its Birth to the Day of the Application of thefe my Medicines. But, my beloved Son, Care must be taken to apply them within ten Hours after the Breath is out of the Body, while yet the Clay is warm with its late Life, and yet capable of Refufcitation. I find my Frame grown crafie with perpetual Toil and Meditation; and I conjure you, as foon as I am dead, to anoint me with this Unguent; and when you fee me begin to move, pour into my Lips this ineftimable Liquor, elfe the Force of the Ointment will be ineffectual. By this Means you will give me Life as I have you, and we will from that Hour mutually lay afide the Authority of having beftowed Life on each other, but live as Brethren, and prepare new Medicines against fuch another Period of Time as will demand another Application of the fame Reftoratives. In a few Days after these wonderful Ingredients were delivered to Alexandrinus, Bafilius departed this Life. But fuch was the pious Sorrow of the Son at the Lofs of fo excellent

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