only as they contribute to the exerting | who forced the trenches at Turin: but in those virtues. Such a man, if he is wise or general I can say, that he who beholds him valiant, knows it is of no consideration to will easily expect from him any thing that other men that he is so, but as he employs is to be imagined, or executed, by the wit those high talents for their use and service. or force of man. The prince is of that He who affects the applauses and addresses stature which makes a man most easily beof a multitude, or assumes to himself a come all parts of exercise; has height to be preeminence upon any other consideration, graceful on occasions of state and ceremomust soon turn admiration into contempt. ny, and no less adapted for agility and deIt is certain that there can be no merit in spatch: his aspect is erect and composed: any man who is not conscious of it; but the his eye lively and thoughtful, yet rather sense that it is valuable only according to vigilant than sparkling; his action and adthe application of it, makes that superi- dress the most easy imaginable, and his beority amiable, which would otherwise be haviour in an assembly peculiarly graceful invidious. In this light it is considered as in a certain art of mixing insensibly with a thing in which every man bears a share. the rest, and becoming one of the company, It annexes the ideas of dignity, power, and instead of receiving the courtship of it. fame, in an agreeable and familiar manner, The shape of his person, and composure of to him who is possessor of it; and all men his limbs, are remarkably exact and beauwho are strangers to him are naturally in- tiful. There is in his looks something subcited to indulge a curiosity in beholding lime, which does not seem to arise from the person, behaviour, feature, and shape his quality or character, but the innate of him in whose character, perhaps, each disposition of his mind. It is apparent that man had formed something in common with he suffers the presence of much company, himself.

instead of taking delight in it: and he apWhether such, or any other, are the peared in public, while with us, rather to causes, all men have a yearning curiosity to return good-will, or satisfy curiosity, than behold a man of heroic worth. I have had to gratify any taste he himself had of being many letters from all parts of this kingdom, popular. As his thoughts are never tumulthat request I would give them an exact ac- tuous in danger, they are as little discomcount of the stature, the mien, the aspect of posed on occasions of pomp and magnifithe prince who lately visited England, and cence. A great soul is affected, in either has done such wonders for the liberty, of case, no further than in considering the Europe. It would puzzle the most curious properest methods to extricate itself from to form to himself the sort of man my seve-them. If this hero has the strong incentives ral correspondents expect to hear of by the to uncommon enterprises that were reaction mentioned, when they desire à de- markable in Alexander, he prosecutes and scription of him. There is always some enjoys the fame of them with the justness, thing that concerns themselves, and growing propriety, and good sense of Cæsar. It is out of their own circumstances, in all their easy to observe in him a mind as capable inquiries. A friend of mine in Wales be- of being entertained with contemplation as seeches me to be very exact in my account enterprise; a mind ready for great exploits, of that wonderful man who had marched but not_impatient for occasions to exert an army and all its baggage over the Alps; itself. The prince has wisdom and valour and if possible, to learn whether the pea- in as high perfection as man can enjoy it; sant who showed him the way, and is which noble faculties, in conjunction, banish drawn in the map, be yet living. A gen- all vain-glory, ostentation, ambition, and tleman from the university, who is deeply all other vices which might intrude upon intent on the study of humanity, desires me his mind, to make it unequal. These hato be as particular, if I had an opportunity, bits and qualities of soul and body render in observing the whole interview between his personage so extraordinary, that he aphis highness and our late general. Thus do pears to have nothing in him but what every men's fancies work according to their se- man should have in him, the exertion of veral educations and circumstances; but all his very self, abstracted from the circumpay a respect, mixed with admiration, to stances in which fortune has placed him. this illustrious character. I have waited Thus, were you to see prince Eugene, and for his arrival in Holland, before I would were told he was a private gentleman, let my correspondents know that I have not you would say he is a man of modesty been so uncurious a Spectator as not to have and merit. Should you be told that was seen prince Eugene. It would be very prince Eugene, he would be diminished difficult, as I said just now, to answer every no otherwise, than that part of your disexpectation of those who have written to tant admiration would turn into a familiar me on that head; nor is it possible for me good-will. to find words to let one know what an art- This I thought fit to entertain my reader ful glance there is in his countenance who with, concerning a hero who never was surprised Cremona; how daring he appears equalled but by one man:f over whom a.so

Mittite

he has this advantage, that he has had an tised by Mr. Dryden, who, if he was not opportunity to manifest an esteem for him the best writer of tragedies in his time, was in his adversity.

T. allowed by every one to have the happiest

turn for a prologue, or an epilogue. The

epilogues to Cleomenes, Don Sebastian, No. 341.] Tuesday, April 1, 1712.

The duke of Guise, Aurengzebe, and Love

Triumphant, are all precedents of this -Revocate animos, maestumque timorem nature.

Virg. Æn. i. 206.

I might further justify this practice by Resume your courage, and dismiss your fear.

that excellent epilogue which was spoken, Dryden.

a few years since, after the tragedy of HAVING, to oblige my correspondent Phædra and Hippolytus;* with a great Physibulus, printed his letter last Friday, many others, in which the authors have in relation to the new epilogue, he cannot endeavoured to make the audience merry. take it amiss if I now publish

another, which If they have not all succeeded so well as the I have just received from a gentleman who writer of this, they have however shown does not agree with him in his sentiments that it was not for the want of good-will. upon that matter.

I must further observe, that the gaiety "Sir, I am amazed to find an epilogue at the end of a French play; since every

of it may be still the more proper, as it is attacked in your last Friday's paper, which has been só generally applauded by the esteemed to have as polite a taste as any

one knows that nation, who are generally town, and received such honours as were in Europe, always close their tragic ennever before given to any in an English tertainment with what they call a petite theatre.

• The audience would not permit Mrs. niece, which is purposely designed to raise Oldfield to go off the stage the first night mirth, and send away the audience well till she had repeated it twice; the

second pleased. The same person who has supnight the noise of ancora was as loud as be- ported the chief character in the tragedy fore, and she was obliged again to speak it very often plays the principal part in the twice: the third night it was still called for petite piece; so that

I have myself seen, at a second time; and, in short, contrary to all Paris, Orestes and Lubin acted the same other epilogues, which are dropped after night by the

same man.

• Tragi-comedy, indeed, you have yourthe third representation of the play, this

self in a former speculation, found fault with has already been repeated nine times. 'I must own, I am the more surprised to very justly, because

it breaks the tide of the find this censure in opposition to the whole passions while they are yet flowing; but this town, in a paper which has hitherto been is nothing at all to the present case, where famous for the candour of its criticisms.

they have already had their full course.

As the new epilogue is written conformI can by no means allow your melancholy correspondent, that the new epilogue is not such a one, which, as the duke of

ably to the practice of our best poets, so it is unnatural because it is gay. If I had a Buckingham says in his Rehearsal, might mind to be learned, I could tell him that the prologue and epilogue were real parts out of the occurrences of the piece it was

serve for any other play; but wholly rises of the ancient tragedy; but every one knows, that, on the British stage, they are

composed for. distinct performances by themselves,

pieces spondent gives against this facetious epi,

• The only reason your mournful correentirely detached from the play, and no

logue, as he calls it, is, that he has a mind way essential to it.

The moment the play ends, Mrs. Old- to go home melancholy. I wish the gentlefield is no more Andromache but Mrs. man may not be more grave than wise. Oldfield; and though the poet had left An- For my own part, I must confess, I think dromache stone-dead upon the stage, as fictitious piece remain upon me while it is

it very sufficient to have the anguish of a your ingenious correspondent phrases it, representing; but I love to be sent home Mrs. Oldfield might still have spoken a to bed in a good humour. If Physibulus is, merry epilogue. We have an instance of however, resolved to be inconsolable, and this in a tragedy where there is not only a not to have his tears dried up, he need only death, but a martyrdom. St. Catherine was there personated by Nell Gwin; she had his half-crown's worth of sorrow, slink

continue his old custom, and when he has lies stone-dead upon the stage, but upon out before the epilogue begins. those gentlemen's offering to remove her body, whose business it is to carry off the cal genius complaining of the great mis

It is pleasant enough to hear this tragislain in our English tragedies, she breaks

chief Andromache had done him. What out into that abrupt beginning of what was a very ludicrous, but at the same time was that? Why she made him laugh. The thought a very good epilogue:

poor gentleman's sufferings put me in mind

of Harlequin's case, who was tickled to * Hold! are you mad ? you damn'd confounded dog, I am to rise and speak the epilogue.'

* Mr. Edmund Neal, alias Smith, 8vo. 1707. Addison

wrote a prologue to this play to ridicule the Italian • This diverting manner was always prac-l operas. The epilogue was written by Prior.

death. He tells us soon after, through a arose very much from the circumstances small mistake of sorrow for rage, that dure of my own life, who am a soldier, and exing the whole action he was so very sorry, pect every day to receive orders, which that he thinks he could have attacked half a will oblige me to leave behind me a wife score of the fiercest Mohocks in the excess that is very dear to me, and that very deof his grief. I cannot but look upon it as servedly. She is at present, I am sure, no an unhappy accident, that a man who is so way below your Asteria for conjugal affecbloody-minded in his affliction was diverted tion: but I see the behaviour of some wofrom this fit of outrageous melancholy. men so little suited to the circumstances The valour of this gentleman in his distress wherein my wife and I shall soon be, that brings to one's memory the Knight of the it is with a reluctance, I never knew besorrowful Countenance, who lays about him fore, I am going to my duty. What puts at such an unmerciful rate in an old ro- me to present pain is the example of a mance. I shall readily grant him that his young lady, whose story you shall have as soul, as he himself says, would have made well as I can give it you. Hortensius, an a very ridiculous figure, had it quitted the officer of good rank in his majesty's serbody, and descended to the poetical shades, vice, happened, in a certain part of Eng. in such an encounter.

land, to be brought to a country gentleman's • As to his conceit of tacking a tragic head house, where he was received with that with a comic tail, in order to refresh the more than ordinary welcome with which audience, it is such a piece of jargon, that men of domestic lives entertain such few I do not know what to make of it.

soldiers whom a military life, from the va• The elegant writer makes a very sud- riety of adventures, has not rendered overden transition from the playhouse to the bearing, but humane, easy, and agreeable. church, and from thence to the gallows. Hortensius staid here some time, and had

* As for what relates to the church, he is easy access at all hours, as well as unavoidof opinion that these epilogues have given able conversation, at some parts of the day, occasion to those merry jigs from the organ- with the beautiful Sylvana, the gentleman's loft, which have dissipated those good daughter. People who live in cities are thoughts and dispositions he has found in wonderfully struck with every little counhimself, and the rest of the pew, upon the try abode they see when they take the air; singing of two staves culled out by the judi- and it is natural to fancy they could live in cious and diligent clerk.

every neat cottage (by which they pass) • He fetches his next thought from Ty- much happier than in their present cirburn: and seems very apprehensive lest cumstances. The turbulent way of life there should happen any innovations in the which Hortensius was used to, made him tragedies of his friend Paul Lorrain. reflect with much satisfaction on all the

In the mean time, sir, this gloomy advantages of a sweet retreat one day; and, writer, who is so mightily scandalized at a among the rest, you will think it not imgay epilogue after a serious play, speaking probable it might enter into his thought, of the fate of those unhappy wretches who that such a woman as Sylvana would conare condemned to suffer an ignominious summate the happiness. The world is so death by the justice of our laws, endeavours debauched with mean considerations, that to make the reader merry on so improper Hortensius knew it would be received as an an occasion, by those poor burlesque ex- act of generosity, if he asked for a woman pressions of tragical dramas and monthly of the highest merit, without further quesperformances. I am, sir, with great re- tions, of a parent who had nothing to add spect, your most obedient, most humble to her personal qualifications. The wedservant,

PHILOMEDES.' ding was celebrated at her father's house. X.

When that was over, the generous husband did not proportion his provision for

her to the circumstances of her fortune, No. 342.] Wednesday, April 2, 1712. but considered his wife as his darling, his Justitiæ partes sunt non violare homines : verecun.

pride, and his vanity; or, rather, that it diæ, non offendere.

was in the woman he had chosen that a Justice consists in doing no injury to men: decency. with an excuse, and therefore adorned her

man of sense could show pride or vanity in giving them no offence. life in general, but more especially to be that he did his very utmost in this; that it As regard to decency is a great rule of with rich habits and valuable jewels. He

did not, however, omit to admonish her, consulted by the female world, I cannot was an ostentation he could not be guilty of overlook the following letter, which de- but to a woman he had so much pleasure scribes an egregious offender.

in, desiring her to consider it as such; and . MR. SpectATOR, I was this day look- begged of her also to take these matters ing over your papers, and reading, in that rightly, and believe the gems, the gowns, of December the 6th, with great delight, the laces, would still become her better, if the amiable grief of Asteria for the absence her air and behaviour was such, that it of her husband; it threw me into a great might appear she dressed thus rather in deal of reflection, I cannot say but this I compliance to his humour that way, than

Tuli.

You

out of any value she herself had for the tri-jaddition to what is truly commendable, files. To this lesson, too hard for a woman, where can this end, but as it frequently Hortensius added, that she must be sure to does, in their placing all their industry, stay with her friends in the country till his pleasure, and ambition, on things which return. As soon as Hortensius departed, will naturally make the gratifications of Sylvana saw in her looking-glass, that the life last, at best, no longer than youth and love he conceived for her was wholly owing good fortune? When we consider the least to the accident of seeing her; and she was ill consequence, it can be no less than lookconvinced it was only her misfortune the ing on their own condition, as years adrest of mankind had not beheld her, or men vance, with a disrelish of life, and falling of much greater quality and merit had con- into contempt of their own persons, or being tended for one so genteel, though bred in the derision of others: But when they conobscurity; so very witty, though never ac- sider themselves as they ought, no other quainted with court or town. She there- than an additional part of the species (for fore resolved not to hide so much excel- their own happiness and comfort, as well lence from the world; but, without any as that of those for whom they were born,) regard to the absence of the most generous their ambition to excel will be directed acman alive, she is now the gayest lady about cordingly; and they will in no part of their this town, and has shut out the thoughts of lives want opportunities of being shining her husband, by a constant retinue of the ornaments to their fathers, husbands, brovainest young fellows this age has pro- thers, or children.

T, duced; to entertain whom, she squanders away all Hortensius is able to supply her with, though that supply is purchased with No. 343. ] Thursday, April 3, 1712. no less difficulty than the hazard of his life.”

-Errat, et illinc

Huc venit, hinc illuc, et quoslibet occupat artus Now, Mr. Spectator, would it not be a

Spiritus; eque feris humana in corpora transit, work becoming your office, to treat this Inque feras nostercriminal as she deserves? You should give

Ovid. Met. Lib. xv. 165. it the severest reflections you can.

-All things are but alter'd; nothing dies;

And here and there the unbody'd spirit flies, should tell women, that they are more ac- By time, or force, or sickness, dispossess'd, countable for behaviour in absence, than And lodges, where it lights, in man or beast. after death. The dead are not dishonoured

Dryden. by their levities; the living may return, and WILL HONEYCOMB, who loves to show be laughed at by empty fops, who will not upon occasion all the little learning he has fail to turn into ridicule the good man, who picked up, told us yesterday at the club, is so unseasonable as to be still alive, and that he thought there might be a great come and spoil good company. I am, sir, deal said for the transmigration of souls; your most obedient humble servant.' and that the eastern parts of the world be

lieved in that doctrine to this day. Sir All strictness of behaviour is so unmerci- Paul Rycaut,' says he, gives us an account fully laughed at in our age, that the other of several well-disposed Mahometans that much worse extreme is the more common purchase the freedom of any little bird they folly. But let any woman consider, which see confined to a cage, and think they merit of the two offences a husband would the as much by it as we should do here by ranmore easily forgive, that of being less en- soming any of our countrymen from their tertaining than she could to please compa- captivity at Algiers. You must know,' says ny, or raising the desires of the whole room Will, the reason is, because they consider to his disadvantage; and she will easily be every animal as a brother or sister in disable to form her conduct. We have indeed guise; and therefore think themselves obli.carried women's characters too much into ged to extend their charity to them, though public life, and you shall see them now-a- under such mean circumstances. They'll days affect a sort of fame: but I cannot help tell you,' says Will, 'that the soul of a man, venturing to disoblige them for their ser- when he dies, immediately passes into the vice, by telling them, that the utmost of a body of another man, or of some brute, woman's character is contained in domestic which he resembled in his humour, or his life; she is blameable or praise worthy ac- fortune, when he was one of us.' cording as her carriage affects the house of As I was wondering what this profusion her father or her husband. All she has to of learning would end in, Will told us, that do in this world, is contained within the Jack Freelove, who was a fellow of whim, duties of a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a made love to one of those ladies who throw mother. All these may be well performed, away all their fondness on parrots, monkeys, though a lady should not be the very finest and lap-dogs. Upon going to pay her a visit woman at an opera or an assembly. They one morning, he writ a very pretty epistle are likewise consistent with a moderate upon this hint. Jack,' says he, 'was conshare of wit, a plain dress, and a modest ducted into the parlour, where he diverted air. But when the very brains of the sex himself for some time with her favourite are turned, and they place their ambition monkey, which was chained in one of the on circumstances, wherein to excel is no windows; till at length observing a pen and

ink lie by him, he writ the following letter cessful in two or three chases, he gave me to his mistress in the person of the monkey, such a confounded gripe in his anger that I and upon her not coming down so soon as died of it. he expected, left it in the window, and • In my next transmigration, I was again went about his business.

set upon two legs, and became an Indian • The lady soon after coming into the tax-gatherer; but having been guilty of parlour and seeing her monkey look upon great extravagances, and being married to à paper with great earnestness, took it up, an expensive jade of a wife, I ran so cursedly and to this day is in some doubt,' says Will, in debt, that I durst not show my head. I • whether it was written by Jack or the could no sooner step out of my house but I monkey.'

was arrested by somebody or other that lay

in wait for me. As I ventured abroad one Madam,-Not having the gift of speech, night in the dusk of the evening, I was taken I have a long time waited in vain for an op- up and hurried into a dungeon, where I died portunity of making myself known to you; a few months after, and having at present the convenience of • My soul then entered into a flying-fish, pen, ink, and paper, by me, I gladly take and in that state led a most melancholy life the occasion of giving you my history in for the space of six years. Several fishes writing, which I could not do by word of of prey pursued me when I was in the mouth. You must know, madam, that water; and if I betook myself to my wings, about a thousand years ago I was an In- it was ten to one but I had a flock of birds dian brachman, and versed in all those aiming at me. As I was one day flying mysterious secrets which your European amidst a fleet of English ships, I observed philosopher, called Pythagoras, is said to a huge sea-gull whetting his bill, and hohave learned from our fraternity. I had sovering just over my head; upon my dipping ingratiated myself, by my great skill in the into the water to avoid him, I fell into the occult sciences, with a demon whom I used mouth of a monstrous shark, that swallowed to converse with, that he promised to grant me down in an instant. me whatever I should ask of him. I de- I was some years afterwards, to my sired that my soul might never pass into great surprise, an eminent banker in Lomthe body of a brute creature; but this, he bard-street; and, remembering how I had told me, was not in his power to grant me. formerly suffered for want of money, beI then begged, that, into whatever creature came so very sordid and avaricious, that I should chance to transmigrate, I should the whole town cried shame of me. still retain my memory, and be conscious | a miserable little old fellow to look upon; that I was the same person who lived in for I had in a manner starved myself, and different animals. This, he told me, was was nothing but skin and bone when I died. in his power, and accordingly promised, on I was afterwards very much troubled the word of a demon, that he would grant and amazed to find myself dwindled into an me what I desired. From that time forth, emmet. I was heartily concerned to make I lived so unblameably, that I was made so insignificant a figure, and did not know president of a college of brachmans, an but some time or other I might be reduced office which I discharged with great inte- to a mite, if I did not mend my manners. I grity until the day of my death.

therefore applied myself with great diliI was then shuffled into another human gence to the offices that were allotted to body, and acted my part so well in it, that me, and was generally looked upon as the I became first minister to a prince who notablest ant in the whole mole-hill. I was reigned upon the banks of the Ganges. I at last picked up as I was groaning under here lived in great honour for several years, a burden, by an unlucky cock-sparrow, but by degrees lost all the innocence of the that lived in the neighbourhood, and had brachman, being obliged to rifle and op-before made great depredations upon our press the people to enrich my sovereign; commonwealth. till at length I became so odious, that my “I then bettered my condition a little, and master, to recover his credit with his sub- lived a whole summer in the shape of a jects, shot me through the heart with an bee; but being tired with the painful and arrow, as I was one day addressing myself penurious life I had undergone in my two to him at the head of his army.

last transmigrations, I fell into the other • Upon my next remove, I found myself extreme, and turned drone. As I one day in the woods under the shape of a jačkal, headed a party to plunder a hive, we were and soon listed myself in the service of a received so warmly by the swarm which lion. I used to yelp near his den about defended it, that we were most of us left midnight, which was his time of rousing dead upon the spot. and seeking after prey. He always fol- I might tell you of many other transmilowed me in the rear, and when I had run grations which I went through: how I was down a fat buck, a wild goat, or a hare, a town-rake, and afterwards did penance after he had feasted very plentifully upon in a bay gelding for ten years; as also how it himself, would now and then throw me a I was a tailor, a shrimp, and a tom-tit. In bone that was but half-picked, for my en- the last of these my shapes, I was shot in couragement; but, upon my being unsuc- the Christmas holidays by a young jacka

I was