yet it is tertain, that none of all these things could be done by him without the exercife of his skill in numbers. This is the economy of the merchant; and the conduct of the gentleman must be the fame, unless by scorning to be the steward, he refolves the fteward fhall be the gentleman. The gentleman, no more than the merchant, is able, without the help of numbers, to account for the fuccefs of any action, or the prudence of any adventure. If, for instance, the chace is his whole adventure, his only returns must be the ftag's horns in the great hall, and the fox's nose upon the ftable door. Without doubt Sir Roger knows the full value of these returns; and if beforehand he had computed the charges of the chace, a gentleman of his difcretion would certainly have hanged up all his dogs, he would never have brought back fo many fine horfes to the kennel, he would never have gone so often, like a blaft, over fields of corn. If fuch too had been the conduct of all his ancestors, he might truly have boafted at this day, that the antiquity of his family had never been fullied by a trade; a merchant had never been permitted with his whole eftate to purchase a room for his picture in the gallery of the Coverley's, or to claim his defcent from the maid of honour. But it is very happy for Sir Roger that the merchant paid fo dear for his ambition. It is the misfortune of many other gentlemen to turn out of the feats of their anceftors, to make way for fuch new mafters as have been more exact in their accounts than themfelves; and certainly he deferves the estate a great deal better, who has got it by his industry, than he who has loft it by his negligence. T . I Mr. SPECTATOR, AM a young gentleman of a competent fortune, and a fufficient tafte of learning, to fpend five or fix hours every day very agreeably among my books. That I might have nothing to divert me from my ftudies, and to avoid the noifes of coaches and chairmen, I have taken lodgings in a very narrow street not far from Whitehall; but it is my misfortune to be fo pofted, that my lodgings are directly oppofite to thofe of a Jezebel. You are to know, Sir, that a Jezebel (fo called by the neighbourhood from difplaying her pernicious charms at her window) appears constantly dressed at her fath, and has a thousand little tricks and fooleries to <attract the eyes of all the id young fellows in ⚫ the neighbourhood. I have feen more than fix perfons at once from their feveral windows obferving the Jezebel I am now complaning of I at firft looked on her myself with the higheft contempt, could divert myself with her airs for half an hour, and afterwards take up my Plu 'tarch with great tranquillity of mind; but was < a little vexed to find that in lefs than a month 'fhe had confiderably stolen upon my time, fo 'that I refolved to look at her no more. But the Jezebel, who, as I suppose, might think it a diminution to her honour, to have the number ' of her gazers leffened, refolved not to part with me fo, and began to play so many new tricks at her window, that it was impoffible for me to 'forbear obferving her. I verily believe the put herfelf to the expence of a new wax baby on purpose to plague me; the used to dandle and play with this figure as impertinently as if it 'had been a real child: Sometimes she would let fall a glove or a pin-cushion in the street, ' and fhut or open her cafement three or four 'times in a minute. When I had almoft weaned myself from this, the came in her shift sleeves, ⚫ and dreffed at the window. I had no way left but to let down my curtains, which I submitted to though it confiderably darkened my room, and was pleased to think that I had at last got the better of her; but was surprised the next mòrning to hear her talking out of her window quite cross the street, with another woman that 'lodges over me: I am fince informed, that she made her a vifit, and got acquainted with her within three hours after the fall of my window-curtains. Sir, I am plagued every moment in the day, one way or other, in my own chambers; and 'the Jezebel has the fatisfaction to know, that ⚫ though I am not looking at her, I am listening to her impertinent dialogues that pafs over my head. I would immediately change my lodgings, but that I think it might look like a plain 'confeffion, that I am conquered; and besides this, I am told that most quarters of the town are infefted with thefe creatures. If they are fo, I am fure it is fuch an abuse, as a lover of learning and filence ought to take notice of. I am, SIR, 'Yours, &c.' I am afraid, by fome lines in this letter, that my young student is touched with a diftemper which he hardly feems to dream of, and is too far gone in it to receive advice. However, I shall animadvert in due time on the abuse which he mentions, having myself obferved a neft of Jezebels near the Temple, who make it their diverfion to draw up the eyes of young Templars, that at the fame time they may see them stumble in an unlucky gutter, which runs under the window. Mr. SPECTATOR, I' Have lately read the conclufion of your forty-feventh fpeculation upon Butts with great pleasure, and have ever fince been ' throughly perfuaded that one of thofe gentlemen is extremely neceffary to enliven converfation. I had an entertainment laft week upon the water for a lady to whom I make my addreffes, with feveral of our friends of both fexes. To divert the company in general, and to shew my mistress in particular, my genius for raillery, I took one of the most celebrated Butts in town along with me. It is with the utmoft fhame and confusion that I must acquaint you with the sequel of my adventure: As foon as we were got into the boat, I played a sentence or twe < Ac two at my Butt, which I thought very smart, was the newest fashion worn at court. when my ill genius, who verily believe cordingly the next Sunday we had feveral feinfpired him purely for my deftruction, fug-males, who came to church with their heads gefted to him fuch a reply, as got all the laughter on his fide. I was dafhed at fo unexpected a turn; which the Butt perceiving, refolved not to let me recover myfelf, and purfu-fame time we have a fet of gentlemen who take ing his victory, rallied and toffed me in a most un• merciful and barbarous manner until we came to Chelfea. I had fome fmall fuccefs while we were eating cheese-cakes: but coming home, he renewed his attacks with his former good fortune, and 4 equal diverfion to the whole company. In fhort, Sir, I moft ingenuously own that I was never fo handled in all my life; and to complete my misfortune, I am fince told that the Butt, flushed with his late victory, has made < a vifit or two to the dear object of my wishes, fo that I am at once in danger of lofing all 6 my pretenfions to wit, and my miftrefs into the bargain. This, Sir, is a true account of my prefent troubles, which you are the more obliged to affift me in, as you were yourself in a great measure the cause of them, by recommending to us an inftrument, and not inftructing us at the fame time how to play upon it. I have been thinking whether it might not be highly convenient that all Butts fhould wear an infcription affixed to fome part of their bodies, fhewing on which fide they are to be come at, and that if any of them are perfons of unequal tempers, there fhould be fome me thod taken to inform the world at what time it is fafe to attack them, and when you had I have, indeed, feen and heard of feveral young gentleman under the fame misfortune with my prefent correfpondent. The best rule I can lay down for them to avoid the like calamities for the future, is thoroughly to confider not only "Whether their companions are weak," but "Whether themselves are wits." The following letter comes to me from Exeter, and being credibly informed that what it contains is matter of fact, I fhall give it my reader as it was fent me. . Mr. SPECTATOR, You Exeter, Sept. 7. OU were pleafed in a late fpeculation to take notice of the inconvenience we lie under in the country, in not being able to keep pace with the fafhion: But there is another misfortune which we are fubject to, and is no lefs grievous than the former, which has hitherto escaped your obfervation. I mean, the having things palmed upon us for London fafhions, which were never once heard of there. A lady of this place had fome time fince a box of the neweft ribbons fent down by the coach: whether it was her own malicious in6 vention, or the wantonnefs of a London milliner, I am not able to inform you; but among the reft, there was one cherry-coloured ribbon, confifting of about half a dozen yards, made up in the figure of a finall head-drefs. The aforefaid lady had the affurance to affirm, a• midft a circle of female inquifitors, who were prefent at the opening of the box, that this dreffed wholly in ribbons, and looked like fo many victims ready to be facrificed. This is ftill a reigning mode among us. At the the liberty to appear in all public places without any buttons to their coats, which they fupply with feveral little filver hafps, though our fresheft advices from London, make no men tion of any fuch fafhion; and we are fomething thy of affording matter to the button-makers for a fecond petition. What I would humbly propofe to the public is, that there may be a fociety erected in London, to confift of the most fkilful perfons of both fexes, for the "Infpection of modes and fathions ;" and that hereafter no perfon or per fons fhall prefume to appear fingularly habited in any part of the country, without a teftimo nial from the aforefaid fociety, that their drefs is anfwerable to the mode at London. By this means, Sir, we fhall know a little whereabout • Mr. Spectator, Do not deny but you appear in many of your I papers to understand human life pretty well s but there are very many things which you cannot poffibly have a truc notion of, in a single life; thefe are fuch as refpect the married ftate; otherwife I cannot account for your hav ⚫ing overlooked a very good fort of people, which are commonly called, in fcorn, the Hen peckt. You are to understand that I am one of thofe innocent mortals who fuffer derifion under that word, for being governed by the best wives. It would be worth your confideration to enter into the nature of affection itself, and tell us, according to your philofophy, why it is that our Dears fhould do what they will with us, fhall be froward, ill-natured, afluming, fometimes whine, at others rail, then fwoon " away, then come to life, have the ufe of speech to the greatest fluency imaginable, and then fink away again, and all because they fear we do not love them enough; that is, the poor things love us fo heartily, that they cannot think it poffible we fhould be able to love them in fo great a degree, which makes them take on fo. I fay, Sir, a true good natured man, whom rakes and libertines call Hen-peckt, thall fall into all thefe different moods with his dear • life, life, and at the fame time fee they are wholly put on; and yet, not be hard-hearted enough to tell the dear good creature that she is an hypocrite. This fort of good men is very frequent in the populous and wealthy city of London, and is the true Hen-peckt man; the kind creature cannot break through his kindneffes fo far as to come to an explanation with the tender foul, and therefore goes on to comfort her when nothing ails her, to appeafe her when he is not angry, and to give her his cafh when he knows the does not want it; rather than be uneafy for a whole month, which is computed by hard-hearted men, the fpace of time which afroward woman takes to come to herfelf, if you have courage to ftand out. There are indeed feveral other fpecies of the Hen-peckt, and in my opinion they are certainly the best fubjects the Queen, has; and for that reafon I take it to be your duty to keep us above contempt. "her handfome. I dare not upon this occafion laugh; but though I am one of the warmest churchmen in the kingdom, I am forced to rail at the times, becaufe the is a violent whig. Upon this we talk politics fo long, that the is convinced I kifs her for her wifdom. It. is a common practice with me to ask her fome question concerning the conftitution, which the anfwers me in general out of Harrington's Oceana: then I commend her ftrange memory, and her arm is immediately locked in mine. While I keep her in this temper the plays be'fore me, fometimes dancing in the midst of the room, fometimes ftriking an air at her fpinnet, varying her posture and her charms in fuch a manner that I am in continual pleasure : She will play the fool if I allow her to be wife; but if the fufpects I like her for trifling the immediately grows grave. Thefe are the toils in which I am taken, and I carry off my fervitude as well as most men; but my application to you is in behalf of the hen-peckt in general, and I defire a differtation from you in defence of us. You have, as I ano am informed, very good authorities in favour, and hope you will not omit the men◄ tion of the renowned Socrates, and his philofophic refignation to his wife Xantippe. This would be a very good office to the world in general, for the Hen-peckt are powerful in their quality and numbers, not only in cities but in courts; in the latter they are ever the moft obfequious, in the former the most wealthy of all men, When you have confidered wedlock thoroughly, you ought to enter into the fuburbs of matrimony, and give us an ac count of the thraldom of kind keepers, and irrefolute lovers; the keepers who cannot quit their fair ones, though they fee their ap¬ proaching ruin; the lovers who dare not marry though they know they never fhall be happy without the mistreffes whom they cannot purchafe on other terms. I do not know whether I make myfelf understood in the reprefentation of an hen-peckt life, but I fhall take leave to give you an account of myfelf, and my own poufe. You are to know that I am reckoned no fool, have on feveral occafions been tried whether I will take illufage, and the event has been to my advantage; and yet there is not fuch a flave in Turkey as I am to my Dear. She has a good fhare of wit, and is what you call a very fpretty agreeable woman. I perfectly doat on her, and my affection to her gives me all the anxieties imaginable but that of jealousy. My being thus 'confident of her, I take, as much as I can judge of my heart, to be the reafon, that whatever fhe does, though it be never fo much against my inclination, there is still left fomething in her manner that is amiable. She will fometimes look at me with an affumed grandeur, and pretend to refent that I have not had respect enough for her opinion in fuch an infance in company. I cannot but smile at the pretty anger fhe is in, and then the pretends the is ufed like a child. In a word, our great debate is, which has the fuperiority in point of understanding, She is eternally forming an argument of debate; to which I indolently anfwer, thou art mighty pretty. To this the anfwers, all the world, but you think I have as much fenfe as yourfelf. I repeat to her, indeed you are pretty. Upon this there is no patience; the will throw down any thing about her, ftamp and pull off her head-cloaths. Fy, my dear, fay I; how can a woman of your fenfe fall into fuch an intemperate rage? this is an argument which never fails. Indeed, my dear, fays the, you make me mad fometimes, fo you do, with the filly way you have of treating me like a pretty idiot. Well, what have I got by putting her into good humour? Nothing, but that I must convince her of my good opinion by my practice; and then I am to give her poffeffion of my little ready-money, and, for a day and a half following, diflike all the diflikes, and extol every thing the approves. I am fo exquifitely fond of this darling, that I feldom fee any of my friends, am uneafy in all companies until I fee her again; and when I come home fhe is in the dumps becaufe, the fays, the fure I came fo foon only because I think I fhall now fpeak of it as it is a moral vir What will be a great embellishment to your difcourfe, will be, that you may find inftances of the haughty, the proud, the frolic, the tubborn, who are each of them in fecret downright flaves to their wives or miftreffes. I must beg of you in the laft place to dwell upon this, that the wife and valiant in all ages have been Hen-peckt: and that the sturdy tempers who are not flaves to affection, owe that exemption to their being enthralled by ambition, avarice, or fome meaner paffion. I have ten thousand thousand things more to fay, but my wife fees me writing, and will, according to cuftom, be confulted, if I do not feal this immediately.' T. No 177 Yours, Nathaniel Henrooft.' SATURDAY, SEPTEM. 22, Arcana, qualem Cereris vult effe facerdos, Juv. Sat. 15. ver. 140, N one of my laft week's papers I treated of IN tue. The first may make a man easy to himself and agreeable to others, but implies no merit in him that is poffeffed of it. A man is no more to be praifed upon this account, than becaufe he has a regular pulfe or a good digeftion. This good-nature however in the conftitution, which Mr. Dryden fomewhere calls a "Milkinefs of blood," is an adinirable ground-work for the other. In order therefore to try our goodnature, whether it arites from the body or the mind, whether it be founded in the animal or rational part of our nature; in a word, whether it be fuch as is intitled to any other reward, befides that fecret fatisfaction and contentment of mind which is effential to it, and the kind reception it procures us in the world, we must examine it by the following rules. Firft, whether it acts with fteadiness and uniformity in ficknets and in health, in profperity and in adverfity; if otherwife, it is to be looked upon as nothing else but an irradiation of the mind from fome new fupply of fpirits, or a more kindly circulation of the blood. Sir Francis Bacon mentions a cunning Solicitor, who would never afk a favour of a great man before dinner; but took care to prefer his petition at a time when the party petitioned had his mind free from care, and his appetites in good humour. Such a tranfient temporary good-nature as this, is not that Philanthropy, that love of mankind, which deferves the title of a moral yirtue. The next way of a man's bringing his good nature to the teft, is to confider whether it operates according to the rules of reafon and duty: for if, notwithstanding its general benevolence to mankind, it makes no diftin&tion between its objects, if it exerts itfelf promifcuoufly towards the deferving and undeferving, if it relieves alike the idle and the indigent, if it gives itself up to the firft petitioner, and lights upon any one rather by accident than choice, it may pafs for an amiable inftinct, but must not affume the name of a moral virtue. The third trial of good-nature will be, the examining ourselves, whether or no we are able to exert it to our own difadvantage, and employ it on proper objects, notwithstanding any little pain, want, or inconvenience which may arife to ourselves from it: in a word, whether we are willing to risk any part of our fortune, our reputation, or health or eafe, for the benefit of mankind. Among all thefe expreflions of good-nature, fall fingle out that which goes under the general name of charity, as it confifts in relieving the indigent; that being a trial of this kind which offers itfelf to us almoft at all times and in every place. I fhould propofe it as a rule to every one who is provided with any competency of fortune more than fufficient for the neceffaries of life, to lay afide a certain proportion of his income for the ufe of the poor. This I would look upon as an offering to him who has a right to the whole, for the ufe of thofe whom, in the paffage hereafter mentioned, he has defcribed as his own reprefentatives upon earth. At the fame time we should manage our charity with fuch prudence and caution, that we may not hurt our own friends or relation, whilst we are doing good to thofe who are ftrangers to us. This may poffibly be explained better by an example than by a rule. Eugenius is a man of an univerfal good-natur, and generous beyond the extent of his fortune; but withal fo prudent, in the economy of his affairs, that what goes out in charity is made up by good management. Eugenius has what the world calls two hundred pounds a year; but never values himself above ninefcore, as not thinking he has a right to the tenth part, which he always apropriates to charitable fes. Τα this fum he frequently makes other voluntary additions, infomuch, that in a good year, for fuch he accounts thofe in which he has been able to make greater bounties than ordinary, he has given above twice that fum to he fickly and indigent. Eugenius profcribes to himfelf many particular days of fafting and abftinence, in order, to increafe his private bank of charity, and fets afide what would be the current expences of thofe times for the ufe of the poor. Ile often goes afcot where his bufinefs calls him, and at the end of his walk has given a fhilling, which in his ordinary methods of expence would have gone for coach-hire, to the first neceffitous perfon that has fallen in his way. I have known him when he has been going to a play or an opera, divert the money which was defigned for that purpose, upon an object of charity whom he has met with in the ftreet; and afterwards pafs his evening in a coffee-houfe, or at a friend's fire-fide, with much greater fatisfaction to himfelf than he could have received from the most exquifite entertainments of the theatre. By thefe means he is generous, without impoverishing himself, and enjoys his estate by making it the property of others. There are few men fo cramped in their private affairs, who may not be charitable after this manner, without any difadvantage to themfelves, or prejudice to their families. It is but fometimes facrificing a diverfion or convenience to the poor, and turning the ufual courfe of our expences into a better channel. This is, I think, not only the most prudent and convenient, but the most meritorious piece of charity, which we can put in practice. By this method we in fome meafure fhare the neceffities of the poor at the fame time that we relieve them, and make ourfelves not only their patrons, but their fellowfufferers. 66 Sir Thomas Brown, in the laft part of his Religio Medici, in which he defcribes his charity in feveral heroic inftances, and with a noble heat of fentiments, mentions that verfe in the proverbs of Solomon, "He that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord:"There is more rhetoric in that one fentence, fays he, than in a library of fermons; and indeed if thofe fentences were understood by the reader, with the fame emphafis as they are delivered by the author, we needed not thofe volumes of infiructions, but might be honeft by an epitome.'. This paflage in fcripture is indeed wonderfully perfuafive; but I think the fame thought is carred much farther in the New Teftament, where our Saviour tells us in the moft pathetic manner, that he thall hereafter regard the clothing of the naked, the feeding of the hungry, and the vifiting of the imprifoned, as offices done to himfelf, and reward them accordingly. Purfuant to thofe paffages in Holy Scripture, I have fomewhere met with the epitaph of a charitable man, which has very much pleafed me. I cannot recollect the words, but the fenfe of it is to this. Gg purpote: purpofe; What I fpent I loft; what I poffeffed is left to others; what I gave away remains with me. Since I am thus infenfibly engaged in facred writ, I cannot forbear making an extract of feveral paffages which I have always read with great delight in the book of Job. It is the account which that holy man gives of his behaviour in the days of his profperity, and if confidered only as a human compofition, is a finer picture of a charitable and good-natured man than is to be met with in any other author. "Oh that I were as in months paft, as in the "days when God preferved me: when his can"dle fhined upon my head, and when by his "light I walked through darknefs: when the "Almighty was yet with me; when my chil"dren were about me: when I washed my fteps with butter, and the rock poured out rivers of oil. 86 "When the ear heard me, then it bleffed me; " and when the eye faw me, it gave witnefs to me. Because I delivered the poor that cried, " and the fatherlefs, and him that had none to "help him. The bleffing of him that was rea"dy to perifh came upon me, and I caufed the "widow's heart to fing for joy. I was eyes to "the blind, and feet was I to the lame; I was rr a father to the poor, and the caufe which I "knew not I fearched out. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? Was not my foul "grieved for the poor? Let me be weighed in 46 an even balance, that God may know my in"tengrity. If I did defpife the caufe of my "man-fervant or of my maid- fervant when they " contended with me; what then fhall I do when "God rifeth up? and when he vifiteth, what "thall I anfwer him? Did not he that made me "in the womb, make him? and did not one "fafhion us in the womb? If I have withheld "the poor from their defire, or have caufed the "eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my "morfel myfelf alone, and the fatherk fs have "not eaten thereof: if I have seen any perish "for want of cloathing, or any poor without "covering: if his loins have not bleffed me, "and if he were not warmed with the fleece of "my fhcep: If I have lift up my hand again ft "the fatherlefs, when I faw my help in the gate; then let mine arm fall from my fhoulder"blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. "If I have rejoiced at the deftru&tion of him "that hated me, or lift up myfelf when evil "found him: neither have I fuffered my mouth to fin, by wifhing a curfe to his foul. "ftranger did not lodge in the ftreet; but I "opened my doors to the traveller. If my land "cry against me, or that the furrows likewife "thereof complain: if I have eaten the fruits "thereof without money, or have caufed the "owners thereof to lofe their life: let thiftles "grow instead of wheat, and cockle inftead of *barley." The ' thy of you to speak of that torture in the breaft of a man, and not to mention alfo the pangs of it in the heart of a woman. You have very 'judiciously, and with the greatest penetration imaginable, confidered it as woman is the creature of whom the diffidence is raifed: but 'not a word of a man, who is fo unmerciful as to move jealoufy in his wife, and not care whether fhe is fo or not. It is poffible you may not believe there are fuch tyrants in the world; but alas, I can tell you of a man who is ever out of humour in his wife's company, and the pleasanteft man in the world every where else; the greatest floven at home when he appears to none but his family, and moft exactly welldreffed in all other places. Alas, Sir, is it of 'course, that to deliver one's felf wholly into a 'man's power, without poffibility of appeal to any other jurifdiction but his own reflections, is fo little an obligation to a gentleman, that 'he can be offended and fall into a rage, becaufe my heart fwells tears into my eyes when I fee him in a cloudy mood? I pretend to no fuccour, and hope for no relief but from himfelf; and yet he that has fenfe and juftice in every thing elfe, never reflects, that to come home only to fleep off an intemperance, and spend all the time he is there as if it were a punishment, cannot but give the anguish of a jealous 'mind. He always leaves his home as if he were going to court, and returns as if he were ' entering a gao!. I could add to this, that from his company and his ufual difcourfe, he does not fcruple being thought an abandoned man, as to his morais. Your own imagination will fay enough to you concerning the condition of me his wife; and I wish you would be fo good as to reprefent to him, for he is not ill-natured, and reads you much, that the moment I hear the door fhut after him, throw myself upon < my bed, and drown the child he is fo fond of with my tears, and often frighten it with my cries; that I curfe my being; that I run to my 'glafs all over bathed in forrows, and help the utterance of my inward anguish by beholding the guth of my own calamities as my tears fall from my eyes. This looks like an imagined 'picture to tell you, but indeed this is one of my paftimes. Hitherto I have only told you the general temper of my mind, but how fhall I 'give you an account of the distraction of it? Could you but conceive how cruel I am one moment in my refentment, and at the enfuing minute, when I place him in the condition my 'anger would bring him to, how compaffionate; it would give you fome notion how miferable 'I am, and how little I deferve it. When I remonftrate with the greateft gentleness that is poffible againft unhandsome appearances, and that married perfons are under particular rules; when he is in the beft humour to receive this, 'I am answered only, that I expofe my own re'putation and fenfe if I appear jealous, I wish, good Sir, you would take this into ferious 'confideration, and admonish husbands and wives 'what terms they ought to keep towards each other. Your thoughts on this important fubject will have the greateft reward, that which defcends on fuch as feel the forrows of the af'flicted. Give me leave to subscribe myself, Your unfortunate, humble fervant, CELINDA.1 I had |