Footnote 1:
A Proclamation appeared the day before this Paper, ordaining a Thanksgiving for King George's Accession to be observed on the 20th of January.
return to footnote mark
ContentsContents, p. 8
—Simplex Munditiis—Hor.translation
I had occasion to go a few Miles out of Town, some Days since, in a Stage-Coach, where I had for my Fellow-Tavellers a dirty Beau, and a pretty young Quaker-Woman. Having no Inclination to Talk much at that time, I placed my self backward, with a design to survey them, and pick a Speculation out of my two Companions. Their different Figures were sufficient of themselves to draw my Attention. The Gentleman was dressed in a Suit, the Ground whereof had been Black, as I perceived from some few Spaces, that had escaped the Powder,
which
was Incorporated with the greatest part of his Coat: His Perriwig, which cost no small Sum
1
, was after so slovenly a manner cast over his Shoulders, that it seemed not to have been combed since the Year 1712; his Linnen, which was not much concealed, was daubed with plain
Spanish
from the Chin to the lowest Button, and the Diamond upon his Finger (which naturally dreaded the Water) put me in Mind how it sparkled amidst the Rubbish of the Mine, where it was first discovered. On the other hand, the pretty Quaker appeared in all the Elegance of Cleanliness. Not a Speck was to be found on her. A clear, clean oval Face, just edged about with little thin Plaits of the purest Cambrick, received great Advantages from the Shade of her black Hood; as did the Whiteness of her Arms from that sober-coloured Stuff, in which she had Cloathed her self. The Plainness of her Dress was very well suited to the Simplicity of her Phrases; all which put together, though they could not give me a great Opinion of her Religion, they did of her Innocence.
This Adventure occasioned my throwing together a few hints upon
Cleanliness
, which I shall consider as one of the
Half-Virtues
, as
Aristotle
calls them, and shall recommend it under the three following Heads, As it is a Mark of Politeness; As it produces Love; and As it bears Analogy to Purity of Mind.
First
, It is a Mark of Politeness. It is universally agreed upon, that no one, unadorn'd with this Virtue, can go into Company without giving a manifest Offence. The easier or higher any one's Fortune is, this Duty arises proportionably. The different Nations of the World are as much distinguished by their Cleanliness, as by their Arts and Sciences. The more any Country is civilized, the more they consult this part of Politeness. We need but compare our Ideas of a Female
Hottentot
and an
English
Beauty, to be satisfied of the Truth of what hath been advanced.
In the next Place, Cleanliness may be said to be the Foster-Mother of Love. Beauty indeed most commonly produces that Passion in the Mind, but Cleanliness preserves it. An indifferent Face and Person, kept in perpetual Neatness, had won many a Heart from a pretty Slattern. Age it self is not unamiable, while it is preserved clean and unsullied: Like a piece of Metal constantly kept smooth and bright, we look on it with more Pleasure than on a new Vessel that is canker'd with Rust.
I might observe farther, that as Cleanliness renders us agreeable to others, so it makes us easie to our selves; that it is an excellent Preservative of Health; and that several Vices, destructive both to Mind and Body, are inconsistent with the Habit of it. But these Reflections I shall leave to the Leisure of my Readers, and shall observe in the Third Place, that it bears a great Analogy with Purity of Mind, and naturally inspires refined Sentiments and Passions.
We find from Experience, that through the Prevalence of Custom, the most vicious Actions lose their Horror, by being made familiar to us. On the contrary, those who live in the Neighbourhood of good Examples, fly from the first Appearances of what is shocking. It fares with us much after the same Manner, as to our Ideas. Our Senses, which are the Inlets to all the Images conveyed to the Mind, can only transmit the Impression of such things as usually surround them. So that pure and unsullied Thoughts are naturally suggested to the Mind, by those Objects that perpetually encompass us, when they are beautiful and elegant in their kind.
In the East, where the Warmth of the Climate makes Cleanliness more immediately necessary than in colder Countries, it is made one Part of their Religion: The
Jewish
Law, (and the
Mahometan
, which in some things copies after it) is filled with Bathings, Purifications, and other Rites of the like Nature. Though there is the above-named convenient Reason to be assigned for these Ceremonies, the chief Intention undoubtedly was to typifie inward Purity and Cleanness of Heart by those outward Washings. We read several Injunctions of this Kind in the Book of
Deuteronomy
, which confirm this Truth; and which are but ill accounted for by saying, as some do, that they were only instituted for Convenience in the Desart, which otherwise could not have been habitable for so many Years.
I shall conclude this Essay, with a Story which I have somewhere read in an Account of
Mahometan
Superstitions.
A
Dervise
of great Sanctity one Morning had the Misfortune as he took up a Chrystal Cup, which was consecrated to the Prophet, to let it fall upon the Ground, and dash it in Pieces. His Son coming in, some time after, he stretched out his Hands to bless him, as his manner was every Morning; but the Youth going out stumbled over the Threshold and broke his Arm. As the old Man wondered at these Events, a Caravan passed by in its way from
Mecca.
The
Dervise
approached it to beg a Blessing; but as he stroaked one of the Holy Camels, he received a Kick from the Beast, that sorely bruised him. His Sorrow and Amazement increased upon him, till he recollected that through Hurry and Inadvertency he had that Morning come abroad without washing his Hands.
Footnote 1:
Duumvir's fair wig cost 40 guineas.
Tatler
, No. 54.
return to footnote mark
ContentsContents, p. 8
—Explebo numerum, reddarque tenebris—Virg.translation
The Love of Symmetry and Order, which is natural to the Mind of Man, betrays him sometimes into very whimsical Fancies.
This noble Principle,
says a
French
Author,
loves to amuse it self on the most trifling Occasions. You may see a profound Philosopher
, says he,
walk for an Hour together in his Chamber, and industriously treading, at every Step, upon every other Board in the Flooring.
Every Reader will recollect several Instances of this Nature without my Assistance. I
think
it was
Gregorio Leti
who had published as many Books as he was Years old
1
; which was a Rule he had laid down and punctually observed to the Year of his Death. It was, perhaps, a Thought of the like Nature which determined
Homer
himself to divide each of his Poems into as many Books, as there are Letters in the
Greek
Alphabet.
Herodotus
has in the same manner adapted his Books to the Number of the
Muses
, for which Reason many a Learned man hath wished there had been more than Nine of that Sisterhood.
Several
Epic
Poets have religiously followed
Virgil
as to the Number of his Books; and even
Milton
is thought by many to have changed the Number of his Books from Ten to Twelve, for no other Reason; as
Cowley
tells us, it was his Design, had he finished his
Davideis
, to have also imitated the
Æneid
in this Particular. I believe every one will agree with me, that a Perfection of this Nature hath no Foundation in Reason; and, with due Respect to these great Names, may be looked upon as something whimsical.
I mention these great Examples in Defence of my Bookseller, who occasioned this Eighth Volume of
Spectators
, because, as he said, he thought Seven a very Odd Number. On the other Side, several grave Reasons were urged on this important Subject; as in particular, that Seven was the precise Number of the Wise Men, and that the most Beautiful Constellation in the Heavens was composed of Seven Stars. This he allowed to be true, but still insisted, that Seven was an Odd Number; suggesting at the same time that if he were provided with a sufficient Stock of leading Papers, he should find Friends ready enough to carry on the Work. Having by this means got his Vessel launched and set afloat, he hath committed the Steerage of it, from time to time, to such as he thought capable of conducting it.
The Close of this Volume, which the Town may now expect in a little time, may possibly ascribe each Sheet to its proper Author.
It were no hard Task to continue this Paper a considerable Time longer, by the Help of large Contributions sent from unknown Hands.
I cannot give the Town a better Opinion of the
Spectator's
Correspondents, than by publishing the following Letter, with a very fine Copy of Verses upon a Subject perfectly new.
Dublin, Nov.30, 1714.Mr.SPECTATOR,'You lately recommended to your Female Readers, the good old Custom of their Grandmothers, who used to lay out a great Part of their Time in Needle-work: I entirely agree with you in your Sentiments, and think it would not be of less Advantage to themselves, and their Posterity, than to the Reputation of many of their good Neighbours, if they past many of those Hours in this innocent Entertainment, which are lost at the Tea-Table. I would, however, humbly offer to your Consideration, the Case of the Poetical Ladies; who, though they may be willing to take any Advice given them by the SPECTATOR, yet can't so easily quit their Pen and Ink, as you may imagine. Pray allow them, at least now and then, to indulge themselves in other Amusements of Fancy, when they are tired with stooping to their Tapestry. There is a very particular kind of Work, which of late several Ladies here in our Kingdom are very fond of, which seems very well adapted to a Poetical Genius: It is the making ofGrotto's.I know a Lady who has a very Beautiful one, composed by her self, nor is there one Shell in it not stuck up by her own Hands. I here send you a Poem to the fair Architect, which I would not offer to herself, till I knew whether this Method of a Lady's passing her Time were approved of by theBritishSPECTATOR, which, with the Poem, I submit to your Censure, who am,Your Constant Reader, and Humble Servant,A. B.To Mrs. — on herGrotto.AGrottoso compleat, with such Design,What Hands, Calypso, cou'd have form'd but Thine?Each chequer'd Pebble, and each shining Shell,So well proportion'd, and dispos'd so well,Surprizing Lustre from thy Thought receive,Assuming Beauties more than Nature gave.To Her their various Shapes, and glossy Hue,Their curious Symmetry they owe to You.Not fam'dAmphion'sLute,—whose powerful CallMade Willing Stones dance to theThebanWall,In more harmonious Ranks cou'd make them fall.Not Ev'ning Cloud a brighter Arch can show,Nor richer Colours paint the heav'nly Bow.Where can unpolished Nature boast a Piece,In all her Mossie Cells exact as This?At the gay parti-color'd Scene—we start,For Chance too regular, too rude for Art,Charmed with the sight, my ravish'd Breast is fir'dWith Hints like those which ancient Bards inspir'd;All the feign'd Tales by Superstition told,All the bright Train of fabled Nymphs of Old,Th' enthusiastick Muse believes are true,Thinks the Spot sacred, and its Genius You.Lost in wild Rapture, wou'd she fain disclose,How by degrees the pleasing Wonder rose:Industrious in a faithful Verse to traceThe various Beauties of the lovely Place;And while she keeps the glowing Work in View,Thro' ev'ry Maze thy Artful Hand pursue.Oh were I equal to the bold Design,Or cou'd I boast such happy Art as Thine!That cou'd rude Shells in such sweet Order place,Give common Objects such uncommon Grace!Like them my well-chose Words in ev'ry Line,As sweetly temper'd should as sweetly shine.So just a Fancy shou'd my Numbers warm,Like the gay Piece shou'd the Description charm.Then with superior Strength my Voice I'd raise,The echoingGrottoshou'd approve my Lays,Pleas'd to reflect the well-sung Founder's Praise.
To Mrs. — on herGrotto.AGrottoso compleat, with such Design,What Hands, Calypso, cou'd have form'd but Thine?Each chequer'd Pebble, and each shining Shell,So well proportion'd, and dispos'd so well,Surprizing Lustre from thy Thought receive,Assuming Beauties more than Nature gave.To Her their various Shapes, and glossy Hue,Their curious Symmetry they owe to You.Not fam'dAmphion'sLute,—whose powerful CallMade Willing Stones dance to theThebanWall,In more harmonious Ranks cou'd make them fall.Not Ev'ning Cloud a brighter Arch can show,Nor richer Colours paint the heav'nly Bow.Where can unpolished Nature boast a Piece,In all her Mossie Cells exact as This?At the gay parti-color'd Scene—we start,For Chance too regular, too rude for Art,Charmed with the sight, my ravish'd Breast is fir'dWith Hints like those which ancient Bards inspir'd;All the feign'd Tales by Superstition told,All the bright Train of fabled Nymphs of Old,Th' enthusiastick Muse believes are true,Thinks the Spot sacred, and its Genius You.Lost in wild Rapture, wou'd she fain disclose,How by degrees the pleasing Wonder rose:Industrious in a faithful Verse to traceThe various Beauties of the lovely Place;And while she keeps the glowing Work in View,Thro' ev'ry Maze thy Artful Hand pursue.Oh were I equal to the bold Design,Or cou'd I boast such happy Art as Thine!That cou'd rude Shells in such sweet Order place,Give common Objects such uncommon Grace!Like them my well-chose Words in ev'ry Line,As sweetly temper'd should as sweetly shine.So just a Fancy shou'd my Numbers warm,Like the gay Piece shou'd the Description charm.Then with superior Strength my Voice I'd raise,The echoingGrottoshou'd approve my Lays,Pleas'd to reflect the well-sung Founder's Praise.
Footnote 1:
His boast was that he had been the author of a book and father of a child for 20 years successively.
return to footnote mark
ContentsContents, p. 8
Omnia profecto, cum se à cœlestibus rebus referet ad humanas, excelsius magnificentiusque et dicet et sentiet.Cicer.translation
The following Discourse is printed, as it came to my Hands, without Variation.
Cambridge, Dec.12.'It was a very common Enquiry among the Ancients why the Number of excellent Orators, under all the Encouragements the most flourishing States could give them, fell so far short of the Number of those who excelled in all other Sciences. A Friend of mine used merrily to apply to this Case an Observation ofHerodotus, who says, That the most useful Animals are the most fruitful in their Generation; whereas the Species of those Beasts that are fierce and mischievous to Mankind are but scarcely continued. The Historian instances in a Hare, which always either breeds or brings forth; and a Lioness, which brings forth but once, and then loses all Power of Conception. But, leaving my Friend to his Mirth, I am of Opinion, that in these latter Ages we have greater Cause of Complaint than the Ancients had. And since that solemn Festival is approaching, which calls for all the Power of Oratory, and which affords as noble a Subject for the Pulpit as any Revelation has taught us, the Design of this Paper shall be to show, that our Moderns have greater Advantages towards true and solid Eloquence, than any which the celebrated Speakers of Antiquity enjoy'd.'The first great and substantial Difference is, that their Common-Places, in which almost the whole Force of Amplification consists, were drawn from the Profit or Honesty of the Action, as they regarded only this present State of Duration. But Christianity, as it exalts Morality to a greater Perfection, as it brings the Consideration of another Life into the Question, as it proposes Rewards and Punishments of a higher Nature, and a longer Continuance, is more adapted to affect the Minds of the Audience, naturally inclined to pursue what it imagines its greatest Interest and Concern. IfPericles, as Historians report, could shake the firmest Resolutions of his Hearers, and set the Passions of allGreecein a Ferment, when the present Welfare of his Country, or the Fear of hostile Invasions, was the Subject: What may be expected from that Orator, who warns his Audience against those Evils which have no Remedy, when once undergone, either from Prudence or Time? As much greater as the Evils in a future State are than these at present, so much are the Motives to Persuasion under Christianity greater than those which meer moral Considerations could supply us with. But what I now mention relates only to the Power of moving the Affections. There is another Part of Eloquence, which is indeed its Master-piece; I mean the Marvellous or Sublime. In this the Christian Orator has the Advantage beyond Contradiction. Our Ideas are so infinitely enlarged by Revelation, the Eye of Reason has so wide a Prospect into Eternity, the Notions of a Deity are so worthy and refined, and the Accounts we have of a State of Happiness or Misery so clear and evident, that the Contemplation of such Objects will give our Discourse a noble Vigour, an invincible Force, beyond the Power of any human Consideration.Tullyrequires in his Perfect Orator some Skill in the Nature of Heavenly Bodies, because, says he, his Mind will become more extensive and unconfined; and when he descends to treat of human Affairs, he will both think and write in a more exalted and magnificent Manner. For the same Reason that excellent Master would have recommended the Study of those great and glorious Mysteries which Revelation has discovered to us; to which the noblest Parts of this System of the World are as much inferiour, as the Creature is less excellent than its Creator. The wisest and most knowing among the Heathens had very poor and imperfect Notions of a future State. They had indeed some uncertain Hopes, either received by Tradition, or, gathered by Reason, that the Existence of virtuous Men would not be determined by the Separation of Soul and Body: But they either disbelieved a future State of Punishment and Misery, or upon the same Account thatApellespaintedAntigonuswith one Side only towards the Spectator, that the Loss of his Eye might not cast a Blemish upon the whole Piece; so these represented the Condition of Man in its fairest View, and endeavoured to conceal what they thought was a Deformity to human Nature. I have often observed, that whenever the abovementioned Orator in his Philosophical Discourses is led by his Argument to the Mention of Immortality, he seems like one awaked out of Sleep, rous'd and alarm'd with the Dignity of the Subject, he stretches his Imagination to conceive something uncommon, and with the greatness of his Thoughts, casts, as it were, a Glory round the Sentence; Uncertain and unsettled as he was, he seems fired with the Contemplation of it. And nothing but such a Glorious Prospect could have forced so great a Lover of Truth, as he was, to declare his Resolution never to part with his Persuasion of Immortality, though it should be proved to be an erroneous one. But had he lived to see all that Christianity has brought to Light, how would he have lavished out all the Force of Eloquence in those noblest Contemplations which humane Nature is capable of, the Resurrection and the Judgment that follows it? How had his Breast glowed with Pleasure, when the whole Compass of Futurity lay open and exposed to his View? How would his Imagination have hurried him on in the Pursuit of the Mysteries of the Incarnation? How would he have enter'd, with the Force of Lightning, into the Affections of his Hearers, and fixed their Attention, in spite of all the Opposition of corrupt Nature, upon those glorious Themes which his Eloquence hath painted in such lively and lasting Colours?'This Advantage Christians have; and it was with no small Pleasure I lately met with a Fragment ofLonginus, which is preserv'd, as a Testimony of that Critick's Judgment, at the Beginning of a Manuscript of the New Testament in theVaticanLibrary. After that Author has number'd up the most celebrated Orators among theGrecians, he says,Add to thesePaulofTarsus,the Patron of an Opinion not yet fully proved. As a Heathen, he condemns the Christian Religion; and, as an impartial Critick, he judges in Favour of the Promoter and Preacher of it. To me it seems, that the latter Part of his Judgment adds great Weight to his Opinion of St.Paul'sAbilities, since, under all the Prejudice of Opinions directly opposite, he is constrained to acknowledge the Merit of that Apostle. And, no doubt, such asLonginusdescribes St.Paul, such he appeared to the Inhabitants of those Countries which he visited and blessed with those Doctrines was divinely commissioned to preach. Sacred Story gives us, in one Circumstance, a convincing Proof of his Eloquence, when the Men ofLystracalled himMercury, because he was the chief Speaker, and would have paid Divine Worship to him, as to the God who invented and presided over Eloquence. This one Account of our Apostle sets his Character, consider'd as an Orator only, above all the celebrated Relations of the Skill and Influence ofDemosthenesand his Contemporaries. Their Power in Speaking was admired, but still it was thought human: Their Eloquence warmed and ravished the Hearers, but still it was thought the Voice of Man, not the Voice of God. What Advantage then had St.Paulabove those ofGreece, orRome? I confess I can ascribe this Excellence to nothing but the Power of the Doctrines he delivered, which may have still the same Influence on the Hearers; which have still the Power, when preached by a skilful Orator, to make us break out in the same Expressions, as the Disciples who met our Saviour in their Way toEmmaus, made use of;Did not our Hearts burn within us, when he talked to us by the Way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? I may be thought bold in my Judgment by some; but I must affirm, That no one Orator has left us so visible Marks and Footsteps of his Eloquence as our Apostle. It may perhaps be wondered at, that in his Reasonings upon Idolatry atAthens, where Eloquence was born and flourished, he confines himself to strict Argument only; but my Reader may remember what many Authors of the best Credit have assured us, That all Attempts upon the Affections and Strokes of Oratory were expressly forbidden, by the Laws of that Country, in Courts of Judicature. His want of Eloquence therefore here, was the Effect of his exact Conformity to the Laws. But his Discourse on the Resurrection to theCorinthians, his Harangue beforeAgrippaupon his own Conversion and the Necessity of that of others, are truly Great, and may serve as full Examples to those excellent Rules for the Sublime, which the best of Criticks has left us. The Sum of all this Discourse is, That our Clergy have no farther to look for an Example of the Perfection they may arrive at, than to St.Paul's Harangues; that when he, under the Want of several Advantages of Nature (as he himself tells us) was heard, admired, and made a Standard to succeeding Ages by the best Judge of a different Persuasion in Religion, I say our Clergy may learn, That, however instructive their Sermons are, they are capable of receiving a great Addition; which St.Paulhas given them a noble Example of, and the Christian Religion has furnished them with certain Means of attaining to.'
ContentsContents, p. 8
Greek: Ho elachístôn deómenos éggista theôn. Socrates apud Xen.translation
It was the common Boast of the Heathen Philosophers, that by the Efficacy of their several Doctrines, they made Humane Nature resemble the Divine. How much mistaken soever they might be in the several Means they proposed for this End, it must be owned that the Design was great and glorious. The finest Works of Invention and Imagination are of very little Weight, when put in the Balance with what refines and exalts the rational Mind.
Longinus
excuses
Homer
very handsomely, when he says the Poet made his Gods like Men, that he might make his Men appear like the Gods: But it must be allowed that several of the ancient Philosophers acted, as
Cicero
wishes
Homer
had done; they endeavoured rather to make Men like Gods, than Gods like Men.
According to this general Maxim in Philosophy, some of them have endeavoured to place Men in such a State of Pleasure, or Indolence at least, as they vainly imagined the Happiness of the Supreme Being to consist in. On the other Hand, the most virtuous Sect of Philosophers have created a chimerical wise Man, whom they made exempt from Passion and Pain, and thought it enough to pronounce him All-sufficient.
This last Character, when divested of the Glare of Humane Philosophy that surrounds it, signifies no more, than that a Good and Wise Man should so arm himself with Patience, as not to yield tamely to the Violence of Passion and Pain; that he should learn so to suppress and contract his De
Sir
es as to have few Wants; and that he should cherish so many Virtues in his Soul, as to have a perpetual Source of Pleasure in himself.
The Christian Religion requires, that, after having framed the best Idea, we are able, of the Divine Nature, it should be our next Care to conform our selves to it, as far as our Imperfections will permit. I might mention several Passages in the sacred Writings on this Head, to which I might add many Maxims and wise Sayings of Moral Authors among the
Greeks
and
Romans
.
I shall only instance a remarkable Passage, to this Purpose, out of
Julian's Cæsars
. The Emperor having represented all the
Roman
Emperors, with
Alexander
the Great, as passing in Review before the Gods, and striving for the Superiority, lets them all drop, excepting
Alexander
,
Julius Cæsar
,
Augustus Cæsar
,
Trajan
,
Marcus Aurelius
, and
Constantine
. Each of these great Heroes of Antiquity lays in his Claim for the upper Place; and, in Order to it, sets forth his Actions after the most advantageous Manner. But the Gods, instead of being dazzled with the Lustre of their Actions, enquire, by
Mercury
, into the proper Motive and governing Principle that influenced them throughout the whole Series of their Lives and Exploits.
Alexander
tells them, That his Aim was to conquer:
Julius Cæsar
, that his was to gain the highest Post in his Country;
Augustus
, To govern well;
Trajan
, That His was the same as that of
Alexander
, namely, To conquer. The Question, at length, was put to
Marcus Aurelius
, who replied, with great Modesty, That
it had always been his Care to imitate the Gods
. This Conduct seems to have gained him the most Votes and best Place in the whole Assembly.
Marcus Aurelius
being afterwards asked to explain himself declares, That, by imitating the Gods, he endeavoured to imitate them in the Use of his Understanding, and of all other Faculties; and, in particular, That it was always his Study to have as few Wants as possible in himself, and to do all the Good he could to others.
Among the many Methods by which Revealed Religion has advanced Morality, this is one, That it has given us a more just and perfect Idea of that Being whom every reasonable Creature ought to imitate. The young Man, in a Heathen Comedy, might justify his Lewdness by the Example of
Jupiter
; as, indeed, there was scarce any Crime that might not be countenanced by those Notions of the Deity which prevailed among the common People in the Heathen World. Revealed Religion sets forth a proper Object for Imitation, in that Being who is the Pattern, as well as the Source, of all spiritual Perfection.
While we remain in this Life, we are subject to innumerable Temptations, which, if listen'd to, will make us deviate from Reason and Goodness, the only Things wherein we can imitate the Supreme Being. In the next Life we meet with nothing to excite our Inclinations that doth not deserve them. I shall therefore dismiss my Reader with this Maxim, viz.