Warton.

warrant she does not run into dairies, but half an hour, as would serve a courtier for reads upon the nature of plants; she has a a week. There is infinitely, more to do glass bee-hive, and comes into the garden about place and precedency in a meeting out of books to see them work, and observe of justices' wives, than in an assembly of the policies of their commonwealth. She duchesses. understands every thing. I would give ten This rural politeness is very troublesome pounds to hear her argue with my friend to a man of my temper, who generally take Sir Andrew Freeport about trade. No, the chair that is next me, and walk first or no, for all she looks so innocent, as it were, last, in the front or in the rear, as chance take my word for it she is no fool.' T. directs. I have known my friend Sir Ro

ger's dinner almost cold before the company

could adjust the ceremonial, and be preNo. 119.] Tuesday, July 17, 1711. vailed upon to sit down: and have heartily

pitied my old friend, when I have seen him Urbem quam dicunt Romam, Melibee, putavi forced to pick and cull his guests as they Stultus ego huic nostræ similem

Virg. Ecl. i. 20.

sat at the several parts of his table, that he The city men call Rome, unskilful clown,

might drink their healths according to their I thought resembled this our humble town. respective ranks and qualities. Honest Will

Wimble, who I should have thought had The first and most obvious reflections been altogether uninfected with ceremony, which arise in a man who changes the city gives me abundance of trouble in this parfor the country, are upon the different man- ticular. Though he has been fishing all the ners of the people whom he meets with in morning, he will not help himself at dinner those two different scenes of life. By man- until I am served. When we are going out ners I do not mean morals, but behaviour of the hall, he runs behind me; and last and good-breeding, as they show them- night, as we were walking in the fields, selves in the town and in the country.

stopped short at a stile until I came up to And here, in the first place, I must ob- it, and upon my making signs to him to get serve a very great revolution that has over, told me with a serious smile, that happened in this article of good-breeding sure I believed they had no manners in the Several obliging deferences, condescensions, country. and submissions, with many outward forms There has happened another revolution and ceremonies that accompany them, were in the point of good-breeding, which relates first of all brought up among the politer to the conversation among men of mode, part of mankind, who lived in courts and and which I cannot but look upon as very cities, and distinguished themselves from extraordinary. It was certainly one of the the rustic part of the species (who on all first distinctions of a well-bred man to exoccasions acted bluntly and naturally) by press every thing that had the most remote such a mutual complaisance and intercourse appearance of being obscene, in modest of civilities. These forms of conversation terms and distant phrases; whilst the clown by degrees multiplied and grew trouble who had no such delicacy of conception and some; the modish world found too great a expression, clothed his ideas in those plain, constraint in them, and have therefore homely terms that are the most obvious thrown most of them aside. Conversation, and natural. This kind of good-manners te like the Romish religion, was so encum- was perhaps carried to an excess, so as to the bered with show and ceremony, that it make conversation too stiff, formal, and stood in need of a reformation to retrench precise: for which reason, (as hypocrisy in its superfluities, and restore it to its natural one age is generally succeeded by atheism good sense and beauty. At present there in another,) conversation is in a great meafore an unconstrained carriage, and a cer- sure relapsed into the first extreme; so tain openness of behaviour, are the height that at present several of our men of the of good-breeding. The fashionable world is town, and particularly those who have been grown free and easy; our manners sit more polished in France, make use of the most loose upon us. . Nothing is so modish as an coarse uncivilized words in our language, agreeable negligence. "In a word, good- and utter themselves often in such a manbreeding shows itself most, where to an ner as a clown would blush to hear. ordinary eye it appears the least.

'This infamous piece of good-breeding, If after this we look on the people of which reigns among the coxcombs of the mode in the country, we find in them the town, has not yet made its way into the manners of the last age. They have no country; and as it is impossible for such an sooner fetched themselves up to the fashions irrational way of conversation to last long of the polite world, but the town has drop- among a people that make any profession ped them, and are nearer to the first state of religion, or show of modesty, if the counof nature than to those refinements which try gentlemen get into it, they will certainly formerly reigned in the court, and still pre- be left in the lurch. Their good-breeding vail in the country.

One may now know a will come too late to them, and they will man that never conversed in the world, by be thought a parcel of lewd clowns, while his excess of good-breeding. A polite coun- they fancy themselves talking together like try 'squire shall make you as many bows in men of wit and pleasure.

1

om

As the two points of good-breeding, which the crocodile, and ostrich: others hatch I have hitherto insisted upon, regard be their eggs, and tend the birth until it is able haviour and conversation, there is a third to shift for itself. which turns upon dress. In this too the What can we call the principle which country are very much behind-hand. The directs every different kind of bird to obrural beaux are not yet got out of the fashion serve a particular plan in the structure of that took place at the time of the revolu- its nest, and directs all the same species to tion, but ride about the country in red coats work after the same model? It cannot be and laced hats, while the women in many imitation; for though you hatch a crow unparts are still trying to outvie one another der a hen, and never let it see any of the in the height of their head-dresses. works of its own kind, the nest it makes

But a friend of mine, who is now upon the shall be the same, to the laying of a stick, western circuit, having promised to give with all the other nests of the same species. me an account of the several modes and It cannot be reason; for were animals enfashions that prevail in the different parts dowed with it, to as great a degree as man, of the nation through which he passes, I their buildings would be as different as ours, shall defer the enlarging upon this last according to the different conveniences that topic till I have received a letter from him, they would propose to themselves. which I expect every post.

L. Is it not remarkable that the same tem

per of weather, which raises this genial

warmth in animals, should cover the trees No. 120. ] Wednesday, July 18, 1711.

with leaves, and the fields with grass, for

their security and concealment, and pro-Equidem credo, quia sit divinitus illis duce such infinite swarms of insects for the Ingenium

Virg. Georg. i. 451.

support and sustenance of their respective -I deem their breasts inspir'd With a divine sagacity.

broods?

Is it not wonderful that the love of the My friend Sir Roger is very often merry parent should be so violent while it lasts, with me upon my passing so much of my and that it should last no longer than is netime among his poultry. He has caught me cessary for the preservation of the young? twice or thrice looking after a bird's-nest, The violence of this natural love is exand several times sitting an hour or two emplified by a very barbarous experiment; together near a hen and chickens. He tells which I shall quote at length, as I find it in me he believes I am personally acquainted an excellent author, and hope my readers with every fowl about his house; calls such will pardon the mentioning such an instance a particular cock my favourite;

and fre- of cruelty, because there is nothing can şo quently complains

that his ducks apkd geese effectually show the strength of that princihave more of my company than himself

. I must confess I am infinitel delighted

ple in animals of which I am here speaking.

A person who was well skilled in diswith those speculations of natur to be made in a country-life

vhich are section opened a bitch, and as she lay in the reading has very much lain a

d as my most exquisite tortures, offered her one of natural history, I cannot for

books of her young puppies, which she immediately

recollect- fell á licking: and for the time seemed ining upon this occasion the s which I have met with i

remarks sensible of her own pain. On the removal comparing them with wha

hors, and she kept her eyes fixed on it, and began a own observation: the argu

under my wailing sort of cry, which seemed rather to dence drawn from the

for Provi- proceed from the loss of her young one, animals being in my opini

history of than the sense of her own torments.' The make of every kir

nstrative. But notwithstanding this natural love in

mal is dif- brutes is much more violent and intense ferent from that of ever

kind: and than in rational creatures, Providence has yet there is not the least

e muscles taken care that it should be no longer trouor twist in the fibres of not render them more

hich does blesome to the parent than it is useful to the ticular animal's way

that par- young; for so soon as the wants of the latter cast or texture of the

any other cease, the mother withdraws her fondness, The most violenta

ve been. and leaves them to provide for themselves; tures are lust and h

all crea- and what is a very remarkable circumperpetual call upon t

e first is a stance in this part of instinct, we find that kind; the latter to pr

gate their the love of the parent may be lengthened It is astonishing to

selves. out beyond its usual time, if the preservadegrees of care thatd

different tion of the species requires it: as we may to the young, so far

the parent see in birds that drive away their young as sary for the leaving a

ely neces- soon as they are able to get their livelihood, tures cast their eggs

ome crea- but continue to feed them if they are tied to and think of them no

ects them, the nest, or confined within a cage, or by several kinds of fis)

nsects and any other means appear to be out of a conframe, find out prop

of a nicer dition of supplying their own necessities.

posit them This natural love is not observed in aniin, and there leave

e serpent, mals to ascend from the young to the parent, which is not at all necessary for the con- other species;

and when the birth appears tinuance of the species: nor indeed in rea- of never so different a bird, will cherish it sonable creatures does it rise in any propor- for her own. In all these circumstances, tion, as it spreads itself downward; for in all which do not carry an immediate regard to family affection, we find protection granted the subsistence of herself or her species, and favours bestowed, are greater motives she is a very idiot. to love and tenderness, than safety, benefits, There is not, in my opinion, any thing or life received.

more mysterious in nature than this inOne would wonder to hear sceptical men stinct in animals, which thus rises above disputing for the reason of animals, and reason and falls infinitely short of it. It telling us it is only our pride and prejudices cannot be accounted for by any properties that will not allow them the use of that in matter, and at the same time works faculty.

after so odd a manner, that one cannot think Reason shows itself in all occurrences of it the faculty of an intellectual being. For life; whereas the brute makes no discovery my own part, I look upon it as upon the of such a talent, but in what immediately principle of gravitation in bodies, which is regards his own preservation or the con- not to be explained by any known qualities tinuance of his species. Animals in their inherent in the bodies themselves, nor from generations are wiser than the sons of men; the laws of mechanism, but, according to but their wisdom is confined to a few par- the best notions of the greatest philosoticulars, and lies in a very narrow compass. phers, is an immediate impression from the Take a brute out of his instinct, and you first mover, and the divine energy acting find him wholly deprived of understanding in the creatures.

L, To use an instance that comes often under observation,

With what caution does the hen provide No. 121.] Thursday, July 19, 1711. herself a nest in places unfrequented, and free from noise and disturbance! When

Jovis omnia plena. Virg. Ecl. iii. 60. she has laid her eggs in such a manner

-All things are full of Jove. that she can cover them, what care does As I was walking this morning in the she take in turning them frequently that great yard that belongs to my friend's all parts may partake of the vital warmth! country-house, I was wonderfully pleased When she leaves them, to provide for her to see the different workings of instinct in a necessary sustenance, how punctually does hen followed by a brood of ducks. The she return before they have time to cool, young upon the sight of a pond, immediand become incapable of producing an ani- ately ran into it; while the step-mother, mal! In the summer you see her giving her- with all imaginable anxiety, hovered about self greater freedoms, and quitting her care the borders of it, to call them out of an for above two hours together; but in win- elementy t appeared to her so dangerous ter, when the rigour of the season would and dese ve. As the different principle chill the principles of life, and destroy the which; ar

In these different animals can-young one, she grows more assiduous in her not bmong

reason, so, when we call it attendance, and stays away but half the Insti bear time. When the birth approaches, with kno'everal

an something we have no

To me, as I hinted in my how much nicety and attention does she lastn aut ems the immediate direchelp the chick to break its prison! not to tiont falls

te, and such an operation take notice of her covering it from the in- of iments eing, as that which deterjuries of the weather, providing it proper matural

tions of matter to their nourishment, and teaching it to help itself; Pion demo

A modern philosopher, nor to mention her forsaking the nest, if qid of anir

ir Bayle in his learned after the usual time of reckoning the young Iy other

Souls of Brutes, delivers one does not make its appearance. At turn in th

hough in a bolder form chymical operation could not be followed any one, w

says, Deus est anima with greater art or diligence than is seen proper for

imself is the soul of in the hatching of a chick; though there are f life than

ell what to call that many other birds that show an infinitely 1 would ha

imals, which directs greater sagacity in all the forementioned ppetites in

is proper for them, particulars.

ally avoid whatever

nger. Th But at the same time the hen, that has m to propa

ome? Tully has oball this seeming ingenuity (which is indeed erve them

sooner falls from its absolutely necessary for the propagation Insider the

ely and of its own of the species,) considered in other re- cend from

to the teat. Damspects, is without the least glimmering of 1 is absolut

cells us, that when thought or common sense. She mistakes Isterity. S

pon any of the una piece of chalk for an egg, and sits upon bhance dir

ca, they never venit in the same manner. She is insensible trther; as i

ny tree, how temptof any increase or diminution in the num- in Others,

ar, unless they obber of those she lays. She does not distin- sheds to de

with the pecking guish between her own and those of an- om; as th

without any fear or apprehension where the birds have been placed it, and there receive the afflux of before them.

colder or warmer, clean or foul water, as But notwithstanding animals have no- it happens to come to it?' thing like the use of reason, we find in I shall add to this instance out of Mr. them all the lower parts of our nature, the Locke another out of the learned Dr. More, passions and senses, in their greatest who cites it from Cardan, in relation to anstrength and perfection. And here it is other animal which Providence has left deworth our observation, that all beasts and fective, but at the same time has shown its birds of prey are wonderfully subject to wisdom in the formation of that organ in anger, malice, revenge and all the other which it seems chiefly to have failed. violent passions that may animate them in What is more obvious and ordinary than search of their proper food; as those that a mole? and yet what more palpable arguare incapable of defending themselves, or ment of Providence than she? The memannoying others, or whose safety lies chiefly bers of her body are so exactly fitted to her in their flight, are suspicious, fearful, and nature and manner of life: for her dwelling apprehensive of every thing they see or being under ground, where nothing is to be hear: whilst others that are of assistance seen, nature has so obscurely fitted her and use to man, have their natures softened with eyes, that naturalists can scarce agree with something mild and tractable, and by whether she have any sight at all, or no, that means are qualified for a domestic life. But for amends, what she is capable of for In this case the passions generally corres- her defence and warning of danger, she has pond with the make of the body.' We do very eminently conferred upon her; for she not find the fury of a lion in so weak and is exceeding quick of hearing. And then defenceless an animal as a lamb; nor the her short tail and short legs, but broad meekness of a lamb in a creature so armed fore-feet armed with sharp claws; we see for battle and assault as the lion. In the by the event to what purpose they are, she same manner, we find that particular ani- só swiftly working herself under ground, mals have a more or less exquisite sharp- and making her way so fast in the earth, as ness and sagacity in those particular senses they that behold it cannot but admire it. which most turn to their advantage, and Her legs therefore are short, that she need in which their safety and welfare is the dig no more than will serve the mere thickmost concerned.

ness of her body; and her fore-feet are Nor must we here omit that great variety broad, that she may scoop away much of arms with which nature has differently earth at a time; and little or no tail she has, fortified the bodies of several kinds of ani- because she courses it not upon the ground mals, such as claws, hoofs, horns, teeth, like the rat or mcuse, of whose kindred she and tusks, a tail, a sting, a trunk, or a pro- is; but lives under the earth, and is fain to boscis. It is likewise observed by natural- dig herself a dwelling there. And she ists, that it must be some hidden principle, making her way thrcugh so thick an eledistinct from what we call reason, which ment, which will not yield easily as the air instructs ani mals in the use of these their or the water, it had been dangerous to have arms, and teaches them to manage them to drawn so long a train behind her; for her the best advantage; because they naturally enemy might fall upon her rear, and fetch defend themselves with that part in which her out before she had completed or got their strength lies, before the weapon be full possession of her works?' formed in it; as is remarkable in lambs, I cannot forbear mentioning Mr. Boyle's which, though they are bred within doors, remark upon this last creature, who I reand never saw the actions of their own member somewhere in his works observes, species, push at those who approach them that though the mole be not totally blind with their foreheads, before the first bud-(as it is commonly thought) she has not ding of a horn appears.

sight enough to distinguish particular obI shall add to these general observations jects. Her eye is said to have but one huan instance, which Mr. Locke has given us, mour in it, which is supposed to give her of Providence even in the imperfections of the idea of light, but of nothing else, and a creature which seems the meanest and is so formed that this idea is prchably painthe most despicable in the whole animal ful to the animal. Whenever she comes world. We may,' says he, from the up into broad day she might be in danmake of an oyster or cockle, conclude that ger of being taken, unless she were thus it has not so many nor so quick senses as a affected by a light striking upon her eye, man, or several other animals; nor if it and immediately warning her to bury herhad, wculd it, in that state and incapacity self in her proper element. More sight of transferring itself from one place to an- would be useless to her, as none at all other, be bettered by them. What good might be fatal. would sight and hearing do to a creature, I have only instanced such animals as that cannot move itself to or from the ob- seem the most imperfect works of nature; ject, wherein at a distance it perceives and if Providence shows itself even in the good or evil? And would not quickness of blemishes of these creatures, how much more sensation be an inconvenience to an animal does it discover itself in the several endowthat must be still where chance has once I ments which it has variously bestowed upon

such creatures as are more or less finished and confirmed by the opinion of all that and completed in their several faculties, know him. according to the condition of life in which My worthy friend, Sir Roger, is one of they are posted.

those who is not only at peace within himI could wish cur Royal Society would self, but beloved and esteemed by all about compile a body of natural history, the best him. He receives a suitable tribute for that could be gathered together from books his universal benevolence to mankind, in and observations. If the several writers the returns of affection and good-will, which among them took each his particular spe- are paid him by every one that lives within cies, and gave us a distinct account of its his neighbourhood. I lately met with two original, birth, and education, its policies, or three odd instances of that general rehostilities, and alliances, with the frame spect which is shown to the good old knight. and texture of its inward and outward parts, He would needs carry Will Wimble and and particularly those that distinguish it myself with him to the county assizes. As from all other animals, with their peculiar we were upon the road Will Wimble joined aptitudes for the state of being in which a couple of plain men who rid before us, Providence has placed them, it would be and conversed with them for some time; one of the best services their studies could during which, my friend Sir Roger acdo mankind, and not a little redound to the quainted me with their characters. glory of the all-wise Contriver.

The first of them,' says he, 'that has It is true, such a natural history, after all a spaniel by his side, is a yeoman of about the disquisitions of the learned, would be an hundred pounds a year, an honest man. infinitely short and defective. Seas and He is just within the game-act, and qualified deserts hide millions of animals from our to kill a hare or a pheasant. He knocks observation. Innumerable artifices and down his dinner with his gun twice or stratagems are acted in the howling wil thrice a week; and by that means lives derness' and in the great deep,' that can much cheaper than those who have not so never come to our knowledge. Besides good an estate as himself. He would be a that there are infinitely more species of good neighbour if he did not destroy so creatures which are not to be seen without many partridges. In short, he is a very nor indeed with the help of the finest sensible man; shoots flying; and has been glasses, than of such as are bulky enough several times foreman of the petty-jury. for the naked eye to take hold of. How- “The other that rides along with him is ever, from the consideration of such ani- Tom Touchy, a fellow famous for “taking mals as lie within the compass of our know- the law” of every body. There is not one ledge, we might easily form a conclusion of in the town where he lives that he has not the rest, that the same variety of wisdom sued at a quarter sessions. The rogue had and goodness runs through the whole crea- once the impudence to go to law with the tion and puts every creature in a condition Widow. His head is full of costs, damages, to provide for its safety and subsistence in and ejectments. He plagued a couple of its proper station.

honest gentlemen so long for a trespass in Tully has given us an admirable sketch breaking one of his hedges, till he was of natural history in his second book con- forced to sell the ground it enclosed to decerning the Nature of the Gods; and that fray the charges of the prosecution; his in a style so raised by metaphors and de- father left him fourscore pounds a year; scriptions, that it lifts the subject above but he has cast and been cast so often, that raillery and ridicule, which frequently fall he is not now worth thirty: I suppose he on such nice observations when they pass is going upon the old business of the wilthrough the hands of an ordinary writer. low-tree."

L. As Sir Roger was giving me this account

of Tom Touchy, Will Wimble and his two

companions stopped short till we came No. 122.] Friday, July 20, 1711.

up to them. After having paid their re

spects to Sir Roger, Will told him that Mr. Comes jucundus in via pro vehiculo est.-- Publ. Syr. Touchy and he must appeal to him

upon a Frag.

dispute that arose between them. Will, it An agreable companion upon the road is as good seems, had been giving his fellow-traveller

an account of his angling one day in such a A man's first care should be to avoid the hole: when Tom Touchy, instead of hearreproaches of his own heart; his next, to ing out his story, told him that Mr. Suchescape the censures of the world. If the a-One, if he pleased, might 'take the law last interferes with the former, it ought to of him' for fishing in that part of the river. be entirely neglected; but otherwise there My friend Sir Roger heard them both, cannot be a greater satisfaction to an honest upon a round trot; and after having paused mind, than to see those approbations which some time, told them, with the air of a it gives itself seconded by the applauses of man who would not give his judgment the public. A man is more sure of his con- rashly, that much might be said on both duct, when the verdict which he passes sides.' They were neither of them disupon his own behaviour is thus warranted satisfied with the knight's determination,

as a coach.