" ferved in Homer, that his Achilles is placed in the greatest point of Glory and Succefs, though his Character is 'morally vicious, and only poetically good, if I may ufe the Phrafe of our 'modern Criticks. The Eneid is filled with innocent, unhappy Perfons. Nifus and Eurialus, Laufus and Pallas come all to unfortunate ends. The Poet takes notice in particular, that in the Sacking of Troy, Ripheus fell, who was the moft juft Man among • the Trojans. Cadit & Ripheus juftiffimus unus, Qui fuit in Teucris & fervantissimus Æqui: Diis aliter vifum est And that Pantheus could neither be preferved by his tranfcendent Piety, nor by the holy Fillets of Apollos whofe Priest he was. Nec Te tua plurima Pantheu Labentem pietas, nec Apollinis infula texit. Æn. 1. 2. "I might here mention the Practice of the ancient Tragick Poets, both Greek and Latin; but as this Particular is • touched touched upon in the Paper abovementioned, I fhall pass it over in Silence. I could produce Paffages out of Ariftotle in favour of my Opinion, ' and if in one place he fays that an abfolutely virtuous Man fhould not be reprefented as unhappy, this does not justify any one who fhall think fit to bring in an abfolutely virtuous Man upon the Stage. Thofe who are acquainted with that Author's 6 way of writing, know very well, that to take the whole Extent of his Subject into his Divifions of it, he often makes ufe of fuch Cafes as are. imaginary, and not reducible to Practice: He himself declares that fuch Tragedies as ended unhappily bore 6 away the Prize in Theatrical Contentions, from thofe which ended happily; and for the Fortieth Spe'culation, which I am now confidering, as it has given Reasons why 'these are more apt to please an Audience, so it only proves that these are generally preferable to the other, though at the fame time it affirms that many excellent Tragedies have and may be written in both kinds. ..6 1 "I I fhall conclude with obferving, that though the Spectator above-mentioned is fo far against the Rule of Poetical Justice, as to affirm, that good Men may meet with an unhappy Catastrophe in Tragedy, it does not fay that ill Men may go off unpunished. The Reason for this Diftinction is very plain, namely because the best of Men are vicious enough to justify Providence for any Misfortunes and Afflictions which may befal them, but there are many Men fo criminal that they can have no 'Claim or Pretence to Happiness. The best of Men may deferve Punishment, but the worst of Men cannot deferve Happiness. Saturday, N° $49. Saturday, November 29. Quamvis digreffu veteris confufus amici, Juv. Believe moft People begin the World with a Refolution to withdraw from it into a ferious kind of Soli tude or Retirement, when they have made themfelves eafy in it. Our Unhappiness is, that we find out fome Excufe or other for deferring fuch our good Refolutions till our intended Retreat is cut off by Death. But among all kinds of People there are none who are fo hard to part with the World, as thofe who are grown old in the heaping up of Riches. Their Minds are fo warp'd with their conftant. Attention to Gain, that it is very difficult for them to give their Souls another Bent, and convert them towards thofe Objects, which, though they are proper for every Stage of Life, are fo more especially for the laft. Horace de fcribes fcribes an old Ufurer as fo charm'd with the Pleasures of a Country Life, that in order to make a Purchase he called in. all his Money; but what was the Event of it? Why in a very few Days after he put it out again. I am engaged in this Series of Thought by a Difcourfe which I had laft Week with my worthy Friend Sir ANDREW FREEPORT, a Man of fo much natural Eloquence, good Senfe, and Probity of Mind, that I always hear him with a particular Pleasure. As we were fitting together, being the fole remaining Members of our Club, Sir ANDREW gave me an Account of the many bufy Scenes of Life in which he had been engaged, and at the fame time reckoned up to me abundance of thofe lucky Hits, which at another tithe he would have called pieces of good Fortune, but in the Temper of Mind he was then, he termed them Mercies, Favours of Providence, and Bleffings upon an honest Industry. Now, fays he, you must know, my good Friend, I am fo ufed. to confider my felf as Creditor and Debtor, that I often ftate my Accounts after the fame manner with regard to Heaven and my own Soul. In this 6 . cafe, |