I think may be drawn from the foregoing heads; two that dwelt in sorcery, and were considerations, which is this, that we should, famous for bewitching people with the love in all dubious points, consider any ill con- of themselves. To these repaired a multisequences that may arise from them, sup- tude from every side, by two different paths posing they should be erroneous, before we which lead towards each of them. Some give up our assent to them.

who had the most assuming air went directly For example, In that disputable point of of themselves to Error, without expecting persecuting men for conscience sake, be- a conductor; others of a softer nature went sides the embittering their minds with first to Popular Opinion, from whence, as hatred, indignation, and all the vehemence she influenced and engaged them with their of resentment, and ensnaring them to pro- own praises, she delivered them over to his fess what they do not believe, we cut them government. off from the pleasures and advantages of When we had ascended to an open part society, afflict their bodies, distress their of the summit where Opinion abode, we fortunes, hurt their reputations, ruin their found her entertaining several who had arfamilies, make their lives painful, or put rived before us. Her voice was pleasing; an end to them. Sure when I see such she breathed odours as she spoke. She dreadful consequences rising from a princi- seemed to have a tongue for every one; ple, I would be as fully convinced of the every one thought he heard of something truth of it, as of a mathematical demonstra- that was valuable in himself, and expected a tion, before I would venture to act upon it, paradise which she promised as the reward or make it a part of my religion.

of his merit. Thus were we drawn to folIn this case the injury done our neighbour low her, till she should bring us where it is plain and evident; the principle that puts was to be bestowed; and it was observable us upon doing it, of a dubious and disputable that, all the way, we went, the company nature. Morality seems highly violated by was either praising themselves in their the one; and whether or no a zeal for what qualifications, or one another for those a man thinks the true system of faith may qualifications which they took to be conjustify it, is very uncertain. I cannot but spicuous in their own characters, or disthink, if our religion produces charity as praising others for wanting theirs, or vying well as zeal, it will not be for showing itself in the degrees of them. by such cruel instances. But to conclude At last we approached a bower, at the with the words of an excellent author, We entrance of which Error was seated. The have just enough of religion to make us trees were thick woven, and the place hate, but not enough to make us love one where he sat artfully contrived to darken another.'

him a little. He was disguised in a whitish robe, which he had put on, that he might

appear to us with a nearer resemblance to No. 460.) Monday, August 18, 1712. Truth; and as she has a light whereby she

manifests the beauties of nature to the eyes Decipimur specie fecti- Hor. Ars poet. v. 25.

of her adorers, so he had provided himself Deluded by a seeming excellence.- Roscommon.

with a magical wand, that he might do OUR defects and follies are too often un- something in imitation of it, and please with known to us; nay, they are so far from being delusions. This he lifted solemnly, and, known to us, that they pass for demonstra- muttering to himself, bid the glories which tions of our worth. This makes us easy in he kept under enchantment to appear bethe midst of them, fond to show them, fond fore us. Immediately we cast our eyes on to improve them, and to be esteemed for that part of the sky to which he pointed, them. Then it is that a thousand unac- 'and observed a thin blue prospect, which countable conceits, gay inventions, and ex- cleared as mountains in a summer morning travagant actions, must afford us pleasures, when the mist goes off, and the palace of and display us to others in the colours which Vanity appeared to sight. we ourselves take a fancy to glory in. In- The foundation seemed hardly a foundadeed there is something so amusing for the tion, but a set of curling clouds, which it time in this state of vanity and ill-grounded stood upon by magical contrivance. The satisfaction, that even the wiser world has way by which we ascended was painted chosen an exalted word to describe its en- like a rainbow; and as we went, the breeze chantments and called it, “The Paradise that played about us bewitched the senses. of Fools.'

The walls were gilded all for show; the Perhaps the latter part of this reflection lowest set of pillars were of the slight fine may seem a false thought to some, and bear Corinthian order, and the top of the buildanother turn than what I have given; but it ing being rounded, bore so far the resemis at present none of my business to look blance of a bubble. after it, who am going to confess that I have At the gate the travellers neither met been lately amongst them in a vision. with a porter, nor waited till one should

Methought I was transported to a hill, appear; every one thought his merits a sufgreen, flowery, and of an easy ascent. ficient passport, and pressed forward. In Upon the broad top ot it resided squint-eyed the hall we met with several phantoms, Error, and Popular Opinion with many that roved amongst us, and ranged the company according to their sentiments, and I heard it firmly resolved, that he There was decreasing Honour, that had should be used no better wherever they nothing to show but an old coat of his an- met with him hereafter. cestor's achievements. There was Ostenta- I had already seen the meaning of most tion, that made himself his own constant part of that warning which he had given, subject; and Gallantry strutting upon his and was considering how the latter words tiptoes. At the upper end of the hall stood should be fulfilled, when a mighty noise a throne, whose canopy glittered with all was heard without, and the door was blackthe riches that gayety could contrive to ened by a numerous train of harpies crowdlavish on it; and between the gilded arms ing in upon us. Folly and Broken-Credit sat Vanity, decked in the peacock's fea- were seen in the house before they entered. thers, and acknowledged for another Venus Trouble, Shame, Infamy, Scorn, and Poby her votaries. The boy who stood beside verty, brought up the rear. Vanity, with her for a Cupid, and who made the world her "Cupid and Graces, disappeared; her to bow before her, was called Self-Conceit. subjects ran into holes and corners; but His eyes had every now and then a cast many of them were found and carried off inwards, to the neglect of all objects about (as I was told by one who stood near me) him; and the arms which he made use of either to prisons or cellars, solitude, or little for conquest, were borrowed from those company, the mean arts or the viler crafts against whom he had a design. The arrow of life. But these,' added he, with a diswhich he shot at the soldier, was fledged dainful air, ‘are such who would fondly live from his own plume of feathers; the dart here, when their merits neither matched he directed against the man of wit, was the lustre of the place, nor their riches its winged from the quills he writ with; and expenses. We have seen such scenes as that which he sent against those who pre- these before now; the glory you saw will all sumed upon their riches, was headed with return when the hurry is over.' I thanked gold out of their treasuries. He made nets him for his information; and believing him for statesmen from their own contrivances; so incorrigible as that he would stay till it he took fire from the eyes of the ladies, was his turn to be taken, I made off to the with which he melted their hearts; and door, and overtook some few, who, though lightning from the tongues of the eloquent, they would not hearken to Plain-Dealing, to inflame them with their own glories. At were now terrified to good purpose by the the foot of the throne sat three false Graces; example of others. But when they had Flattery with a shell of paint, Affectation touched the threshold, it was a strange with a mirror to practise at, and Fashion shock to them to find that the delusion of ever changing the posture of her clothes. Error was gone, and they plainly discerned These applied themselves to secure the the building to hang a little up in the air conquests which Self-Conceit had gotten, without any real foundation. “At first we and had each of them their particular saw nothing but a desperate leap remained polities. Flattery gave new colours and for us, and I a thousand times blamed my complexions to all things; Affectation new unmeaning curiosity that had brought me airs and appearances, which, as she said, into so much danger. But as they began to were not vulgar; and Fashion both con- sink lower in their own minds, methought cealed some home defects, and added some the palace sunk along with us, till they foreign external beauties.

were arrived at the due point of esteem As I was reflecting upon what I saw, I which they ought to have for themselves, heard a voice in the crowd bemoaning the then the part of the building in which they condition of mankind, which is thus managed stood touched the earth, and we departing by the breath of Opinion, deluded by Error, out, it retired from our eyes. Now, whether fired by. Self-Conceit, and given up to be they who stayed in the palace were sensible trained in all the courses of Vanity, till of this descent, I cannot tell: it was then Scorn or Poverty come upon us. These ex- my opinion that they were not. However pressions were no sooner handed about, but it be, my dream broke up at it, and has f immediately saw a general disorder, till given me occasion all my life to reflect upon at last there was a parting in one place, and the fatal consequences of following the suga grave old man, decent and resolute, was gestions of Vanity. led forward to be punished for the words he had uttered. He appeared inclined to have • Mr. SPECTATOR,—- I write to you to despoken in his own defence, but I could not sire that you would again touch upon a cerobserve that any one was willing to hear tain enortnity, which is chiefly in use among him. Vanity cast a scornful smile at him; the politer and better-bred part of mankind; Self-Conceit was angry; Flattery, who I mean the ceremonies, bows, courtesies, knew him for Plain-Dealing, put on a whisperings, smiles, winks, nods, with vizard, and turned away; Affectation tossed other familiar arts of salutation, which take her fan, made mouths, and called him Envy up in our churches so much time that might or Slander: and Fashion would have it, that be better employed, and which seem so at least he must be Ill-manners. Thus utterly inconsistent with the duty and true slighted and despised by all, he was driven intent of our entering into those religious out for abusing people of merit and figure; assemblies. The resemblance which this bears to our indeed proper behaviour in reform the taste of a profane age; and pertheatres, may be some instance of its in- suade us to be entertained with divine congruity in the above-mentioned places. poems, whilst we are distinguished by so In Roman-catholic churches and chapels many thousand humours, and split into so abroad, I myself have observed, more than many different sects and parties; yet peronce, persons of the first quality, of the sons of every party, sect, and humour, are nearest relation, and intimatest acquaint- fond of conforming their taste to yours. ance, passing by one another unknowing as You can transfuse your own relish of a it were, and unknown, and with so little poem into all your readers, according to notice of each other, that it looked like their capacity to receive; and when you having their minds more suitably and more recommend the pious passion that reigns solemnly engaged; at least it was an ac- in the verse, we seem to feel the devotion, knowledgment that they ought to have been and grow proud and pleased inwardly, that so. I have been told the same even of we have souls capable of relishing what the Mahometans, with relation to the propriety Spectator approves. of their demeanour in the conventions of Upon reading the hymns that you have their erroneous worship; and I cannot but published in some late papers, I had a mind think either of them sufficient laudable to try yesterday whether I could write one. patterns for our imitation in this particular. The cxivth psalm appears to me an ad

I cannot help, upon this occasion, re- mirable ode, and I began to turn it into our marking on the excellent memories of language. As I was describing the journey those devotionists, who upon returning from of Israel from Egypt, and added the Divine church shall give a particular account how Presence amongst them, I perceived a two or three hundred people were dressed: beauty in this psalm which was entirely a thing, by reason of its variety, so difficult new to me, and which I was going to lose; to be digested and fixed in the head, that and that is that the poet utterly conceals it is a miracle to me how two poor hours the presence of God in the beginning of it, of divine service can be time sufficient for and rather lets a possessive pronoun go so elaborate an undertaking, the duty of without a substantive, than he will so much the place too being jointly, and no doubt as mention any thing of divinity there. oft pathetically, performed along with it. “ Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his Where it is said in sacred writ, that “the dominion or kingdom.' The reason now woman ought to have a covering on her seems evident, and this conduct necessary: head because of the angels,” the last word for, if God had appeared before, there is by some thought to be metaphorically could be no wonder why the mountains used, and to signify young men. "Allowing should leap and the sea retire: therefore, this interpretation to be right, the text that this convulsion of nature may be may not appear to be wholly foreign to our brought in with due surprise, his name is present purpose.

not mentioned till afterward; and then, When you are in a disposition proper with a very agreeable turn of thought, God for writing on such a subject, I earnestly is introduced at once in all his majesty. recommend this to you; and am, sir, your This is what I have attempted to imitate humble servant.'

T.

in a translation without paraphrase, and to preserve what I could of the spirit of the

sacred author. No. 461.] Tuesday, August 19, 1712. • If the following essay be not too incorri-Sed non ego credulis illus.

Virg. Ecl. ix. 34

gible, bestow upon it a few brightenings

from your genius, that I may learn how to But I discern their flatt'ry from their praise.

write better, or to write no more. Your Dryden.

daily admirer and humble servant, * &c.' For want of time to substitute something

PSALM CXIV. else in the room of them, I am at present obliged to publish compliments above my “When Israel, freed from Pharaoh's hand, desert in the following letters. It is no Left the proud tyrant and his land, small satisfaction to have given occasion to

The tribes with cheerful homage own

Their king, and Judah was his throne. ingenious men to employ their thoughts

II. upon sacred subjects from the approbation “ Across the deep their journey lay, of such pieces of poetry as they have seen The deep divides to make them way: in my Saturday's papers. I shall never

The streams of Jordan saw, and fledt

With backward current to their head. publish verse on that day but what is written by the same hand:* yet I shall not ac

I.

Why did ye leap ye little hills?

certain carelessness, that constantly at And whence the fright that Sinal feels ?

tends all his actions, carries him on with V.

greater success than diligence and assiduity " Let every mountain, every flood, Retire, and know th' approaching God,

does others who have no share in this enThe King of Israel. See him here;

dowment. Dacinthus breaks his word upon Tremble, thou earth, adore and fear.

all occasions, both trivial and important; VI.

and, when he is sufficiently railed at for “ He thunders—and all nature mourns ; The rock to standing pools he turns.

that abominable quality, they who talk of Flints spring with fountains at his word,

him end with, After all, he is a very And fires and seas confess their Lord."

pleasant fellow.' Dacinthus is an ill-natur•Mr. SPECTATOR,—There are those ed husband, and yet the very women end who take the advantage of your putting

a their freedom of discourse upon this subhalfpenny value upon yourself, above the ject, Byt, after all

, he is very pleasant rest of our daily writers, to defame you in company.' Dacinthus is neither, in point public conversation, and strive to make

of honour, civility, good-breeding, or good

you unpopular upon the account of this said nature, unexceptionable; and yet all is anhalfpenny. But, if I were you, I would in- swered, For he is a very pleasant fellow.' sist upon that small acknowledgment for When this

quality is conspicuous in a man the superior merit of yours, as being a work who has, to accompany it, manly and virof invention. Give me leave, therefore, to tuous sentiments, there cannot certainly be do you justice, and say in your behalf, any thing which can give so pleasing a what you cannot yourself, which is, that gratification as the gayety of such a person; your writings have made learning a more

but when it is alone, and serves only to gild necessary part of good-breeding than it was

a crowd of ill qualities, there is no man so before you appeared; that modesty is be- much to be avoided as your pleasant fellow. come fashionable, and impudence stands in A very pleasant fellow'shall turn your good need of some wit, since you have put them name to a jest, make your character conboth in their proper lights. Profaneness, temptible, debauch your wife or daughter, lewdness, and debauchery, are not now with welcome wherever he appears. It is

and yet be received by the rest of the world fine gentleman, though he is neither a very ordinary with those of this character keeper nor an infidel.

to be attentive only to their own satisfac* I would have you tell the town the story tions, and have very little bowels for the of the Sibyls, if they deny giving you two concerns or sorrows of other men; nay, pence. Let them know, that those sacred they are capable of purchasing their own papers were valued at the same rate after pleasures at the expense of giving pain two thirds of them were destroyed, as when to others. But they who do not consider there was the whole set. There are so

this sort of men thus carefully, are irremany of us who will give you your own

sistibly exposed to their insinuations. The price, that you may acquaint your non-con

author of the following letter carries the formist readers, that they shall not have it, matter so high, as to intimate that the liberexcept they come in within such a day, ties of England have been at the mercy of under three pence. I do not know but you

a prince, merely as he was of this pleasant

character, might bring in the Date Obolum Belisario with a good grace. The witlings come in clusters to two or three coffee-houses

MR. SPECTATOR,- There is no one which have left you off; and I hope you give into as pride, or any other passion

passion which all mankind so naturally will make us, who fine to your wit, merry which appears in such different disguises: with their characters who stand out against it is to be found in all habits and comit. I am your most humble servant. •P. S. I have lately got the ingenious | does more harm or good in the world; and

plexions. It is not a question, whether it authors of blacking for shoes, powder for if there be not such a thing as what we may colouring the hair, pomatum for the hands, call a virtuous and laudable pride? cosmetic for the face, to be your constant • It is this passion alone, when misapcustomers; so that your advertisements will plied, that lays us so open to flatterers; and as much adorn the outward man, as your he who can agreeably condescend to soothe paper does the inward.'

T.

our humour or temper, finds always an

open avenue to our soul; especially if the No. 462.] Wednesday, August 20, 1712.

flatterer happen to be our superior.

“One might give many instances of this Nil ego prætulerim jocundo sanus amico.

in a late English monarch, under the title Nothing so grateful as a pleasant friend.

of “The gayeties of king Charles II.”

This prince was by nature extremely faPeople are not aware of the very great miliar, of very easy access, and much deforce which pleasantry in company has lighted to see and be seen, and this happy upon all those with whom a man of that temper, which in the highest degree gratalent converses. His faults are generally tified his people's vanity, did him more overlooked by all his acquaintance; and a service with his loving subjects than all

Hor. Sat. v. Lib. 1. 44.

T.

his other virtues, though it must be con- and did the crown many and great services; fessed he had many. He delighted, though and it was owing to this humour of the king a mighty king, to give and take a jest, as that his family had so great a fortune shut they say: and a prince of this fortunate dis- up in the exchequer of their pleasant position, who were inclined to make an ill sovereign. The many good-natured condeuse of his power, may have any thing of scensions of this prince are vulgarly known; his people, be it never so much to their and it is excellently said of him, by a great prejudice. But this good king made gene- handt which writ his character, « That he rally a very innocent use, as to the public was not a king a quarter of an hour togeof this ensnaring, temper; for, it is well ther in his whole reign. He would reknown he pursued pleasure more than am-ceive visits even from fools and half madbition. He seemed to glory in being the men, and at times I have met with people first man at cock-matches, horse-races, who have boxed, fought at back-sword, balls, and plays; he appeared highly de- and taken poison before king Charles II. lighted on those occasions, and never failed In a word, he was so pleasant a man, that to warm and gladden the heart of every no one could be sorrowful under his governspectator. He more than once dined with ment. This made him capable of baffling, his good citizens of London on their lord- with the greatest ease imaginable, all sugmayor's day, and did so the year that Sir gestions of jealousy; and the people could Robert Viner was mayor. Sir Robert was not entertain notions of any thing terrible a very loyal man, and, if you will allow the in him, whom they saw every way agreeexpression, very fond of his sovereign; but, able. This scrap of the familiar part of what with the joy he felt at heart for the that prince's history I thought fit to send honour done him by his prince, and through you, in compliance to the request you lately the warmth he was in with continual toast- made to your correspondents. I am, sir, ing healths to the royal family, his lordship your most humble servant.' grew a little fond of his majesty, and entered into a familiarity not altogether so graceful in so public à place. The king understood very well how to extricate him- No. 463.] Thursday, August 21, 1712. self in all kinds of difficulties, and, with a hint to the company to avoid ceremony,

Omnia quæ sensu volvuntur vota diurno,

Pectore sopito reddit amica quies. stole off and made towards his coach, Venator defessa toro cum membra reponit, which stood ready for him in Guildhall- Mens tamen ad sylvas et sua lustra redit: yard. Put the mayor liked his company so

Judicibus lites, aurigæ somnia currus.

Vanaque yocturnis meta cavetur equis. well, and was grown so intimate, that he Me quoque Musarum studium sub nocte silenti pursued him hastily, and catching him fast Artibus assuetis solicitare solet. by the hand, cried out with a vehement In sleep when fancy is let loose to play, oath and accent, “Sir, you shall stay and

Our dreams repeat i he wishes of the day. take t'other bottle.” The airy monarch

Though farther toils his tired limbs refise,

The dreaming hunter still the chase pursues. looked kindly at him over his shoulder, and The judge a-bed dispenses still the laws with a smile and graceful air (for I saw him

And sleeps again o'er the unfinish'd cause. at the time, and do now) repeated this line

The dozing racer hears his chariot roll,

Smacks the vain whip, and shuns the fancy'd goal, of the old song:

Me too the Muses, in the silent night, “He that is drunk is as great as a king ;"

With wonted chimes of Jingling verse delight. and immediately turned back and complied

I was lately entertaining myself with with his landlord.

comparing Homer's balance, in which Ju“I give you this story, Mr. Spectator, piter is represented as weighing the fates because, as I said, I saw the passage; and of Hector and Achilles, with a passage of I assure you it is very true, and yet no com

Virgil, wherein that deity is introduced as mon one; and when I tell you the sequel, weighing the fates of Turnus and Æneas. vou will say I have a better reason for it! I then considered how the same way of This very mayor,afterwards erected a statue thinking prevailed in the eastern parts of of his merry monarch in Stocks-market, * the world, as in those noble passages of

Scripture, wherein we are told, that the *"The Mansion-house and many adjacent buildings, great king of Babylon, the day before his stand on the site of Stocks-market; which took its death, had been "weighed in the balance, name from a pair of stocks for the punishment of of

. and been found wanting.' In cther places early as the year 1231. This was the great market of of the holy writings, the Almighty is dethe city during many centuries

. In it stood the famous scribed as weighing the mountains in scales, equestrian statue erected in honour of Charles II. by making the weight for the winds, knowing Fortunately his lordship diseovered one (made at Leg: the balancings of the clouds; and in others, horn) of John Sobieski, King of Poland, trampling on a as weighing the actions of men, and laying Turk. The good knight caused some alterations to be their calamities together in a balance. made, and christened the Polish Monarch by the name of Charles, and bestowed on the turbaned Turk that of Oliver Cromwell; and thus, new named, it arose on common-council, on Robert Viner, Esq. who removed this spot in honour of his convivial monarch. The it to grace his country-spat.- Pennant's London, p. 368. statue was removed in 1738, to make room for the | Shetħeld duke of Buckingham, who said, that, on a Mansion house. It remained many years afterward premeditation, Charles II. could not act the part of 4 in an inn yard; and in 1779 it was bestowed, by the king for a moment.

Claud,