authors, that Socrates, notwithstanding he lived in Athens during that great plague, which has made fo much noife through all ages, and has been celebrated at different times by fuch eminent hands; I fay, notwithstanding that he lived in the time of this devouring peftilence, he never caught the leaft infection, which thefe writers unanimously afcribe to that uninterrupted temperance which he always obferved. And here I cannot but mention an obfervation which I have often made, upon reading the lives of the philofophers, and comparing them with any fcries of kings or great men of the fame number. If we confider thefe ancient fages, a great part of whofe philofophy confifted in a temperate and abftemious courfe of life, one would think the life of a philofopher and the life of a man were of two different dates. For we find that the generality of these wife men were nearer an hundred than fixty years of age at the time of their respective deaths. But the most remarkable infance of the efficacy of temperance towards the procuring of long life, is what we meet with in a little book published by Lewis Cornaro the Ve netian; which I the rather mention, because it is of undoubted credit, as the late Venetian ambaffador, who was of the fame family, attefted more than once in converfation, when he refided in England. Cornaro, who was the author of the little treatife I am mentioning, was of an infirm conftitution, until about forty, when by obftinately perfifting in an exact courfe of temperance, he recovered a perfect state of health; infomuch that at fourícore he published his book, which has been tranflated into English under the title of "Sure and certain methods of attaining a long and healthy life." He lived to give a third and fourth edition of it, and after having paffed his hundredth year, died without pain or agony, and like one who falls afleep. The treatise I mention has been taken notice of by feveral eminent authors, and is written with fuch a spirit of chearfulness, religion, and good fenfe, as are the natural concomitants of temperance and fobriety. The mixture of the old man in it is rather a re commendation than a difcredit to it. Having defigned this paper as a fequel to that upon exercife, I have not here confidered temperance as it is a moral virtue, which I fhall make the subject of a future fpeculation, but only as it is the means of health. No 196. MONDAY, OCTOBER 15. L Eft Ulubris, animus fi te non deficit æquus. True happiness is to no place confin'd, • Mr. Spectator, TH HERE is a particular fault which I have obferved in the most of the moralifts in all ages, and that is, that they are always pro⚫feffing themselves and teaching others to be happy. This ftate is not to be arrived at in this life, therefore I would recommend to you to talk in an humbler strain than your predeces, fors have done, and instead of prefuming to be happy, inftru&t us only to be easy. The thoughts of him who would be discreet and aim at practicable things, fhould turn upon allaying ' our pain rather than promoting our joy. Great inquietude is to be avoided, but great felicity is not to be attained. The great leffon is aquanimity, a regularity of spirit, which is a little above chearfulnefs and below mirth. Chearfulnefs is always to be fupported if a man is out of pain, but mirth to a prudent man should always be accidental: it fhould naturally arife out of the occafion, and the occafion feldom be laid for it; for thofe tempers who want mirth to be pleafed, are like the conflitutions which flag without the ufe of brandy. Therefore, I fay, let your precept be, Be eafy. That mind is diffolute and ungoverned, which muft be hurried out of itself by loud laughter or fcnfual pleasure, or elfe be wholly unactive. There are a couple of old fellows of my ac<quaintance who meet every day and smoke a pipe, and by their mutual love to each other, though they have been men of bufincfs and buftle in the world, enjoy a greater tranquility than cither could have worked himself into by any chapter of Seneca. Indolence of body and mind, when we aim at no more, is very frequently enjoyed; but the very inquiry after happiness has fomething reftlefs in it, which a man who lives in a feries of temperate meals, friendly converfations, and eafy flumbers, gives himfelf no trouble about. While men of refine→ 'ment are talking of tranquility, he poffeffes it. What I would by these broken expreffions recommend to you, Mr. Sp Bator, is, that you 'would fpeak of the way of life, which plain 6 men may purfue, to fill up the spaces of time. with fatisfaction. It is a lamentable circum< ftance, that wifdom, or, as you call it, philofophy, fhould furnish ideas only for the learn ed; and that a man muft be a philofopher to know how to pass away his time agreeably. It would therefore be worth your pains to place in an handfome light the relations and affinities among men, which render their conversation with each other fo grateful, that the higheft talents give but an impotent pleafure in comparifon with them. You may find defcriptions and difcourfes which will render the fire-fide of an honest artificer as entertaining as your own club is to you. Good-nature has an endlefs fource of pleasures in it; and the reprefentation of domeftic life filled with its natural gratifications, (instead of the neceffary vexations which are generally infifted upon in the writings of the witty) will be a very good office to fociety. The viciffitudes of labour and reft in the lower part of mankind make their being pafs ' away with that fort of relifh which we exprefs by the word comfort; and fhould be treated of by you, who are a Spectator, as well as such subjects which appear indeed more fpeculative, but are lefs inftructive. In a word, Sir, I would have you turn your thoughts to the advantage of fuch as want you moft; and fhew that fimplicity, innocence, industry, and tem< perance, are arts which lead to tranquility, as much as learning, wifdom, knowledge, and ⚫ contemplation. 'I am, SIR, Your most humble Servant, T. B. • Mr. ‹ Mr. Spe&ator, I Hackney, October 12. Am the young woman whom you did fo much justice to fome time ago, in acknowledging that I am perfc& miftrefs of the fan, and ufe it with the utmost knowledge and dexterity. Indeed the world, as malicious as it is, 'will allow, that from an hurry of laughter I recollect myself the moft fuddenly, make a curtefy, and let fall my hands before me, clofing my fan at the fame inftant, the beft of any wo· man in England. I am not a little delighted that I have had your notice and approbation; and however other young women may rally me out of envy, I triumph in it, and demand a place in your friendfhip. You must therefore permit me to lay before you the prefent state of my mind. I was reading your Spectator of the ninth inftant, and thought the circumstance of the afs divided between two bundles of hay which equally affected his fenfes, was a lively ⚫ representation of my prefent condition: for you are to know that I am extremely enamoured 'with two young gentlemen who at this time pretend to me. One must hide nothing when one is afking advice, therefore I will own to you that I am very amorous and very covetous. My lover Will is very rich, and my lover Tom very handfome. I can have either of them when I pleafe: but when I debate the question in my own mind. I cannot take Tom for fear of lofing Will's eftate, nor enter upon Will's 'eftate, and bid adieu to Tom's perfon. I am very young, and yet no one in the world, dear Sir, has the main chance more in her head than myfelf. Tom is the gayeft, the blitheft creature! He dances well, is very civil and diverting at all hours and feafons. Oh he is the joy of my eyes! But then again, Will is fo very rich and careful of the main. How many 6 pretty dreffes does Tom appear in to charm me! But then it immediately occurs to me, that a · man of his circumftances is fo much the poorer. Upon the whole, I have at laft examined both thefe defires of love and avarice, and upon ftri&ly weighing the matter I begin to think I fhall be covetous longer than fond; therefore, if you have nothing to fay to the contrary, I fhall take Will. Alas, poor Tom! Your humble fervant, No. 197. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16. Hor. Ep, 18. lib. 1. ver. 15. Or Docilis, or Caftor, knowing most : CREECH. VERY age a man paffes through, and way of life he engages in, has fome particular vice or imperfection naturally cleaving to it, which it will require his niceft care to avoid. The feveral weakneffes, to which youth, old age, and manhood are expofed, have long fince been fet down by many both of the poets and philofophers; but I do not remember to have met with any author who has treated of thofe ill habits men are fubject to, not fo much by reason of their different ages and tempers, as the particular profeffion or bufinefs in which they were educacated and brought up. I am the more furprised to find this subject so little touched on, fince what I am here speaking of is fo apparent, as not to escape the most vulgar obfervation. The bufinefs men are chiefly converfant in, does not only give a certain caft or turn to their minds, but is very often apparent in their outward behaviour, and some of the moft indifferent actions of their lives. It is this air diffufing itself over the whole man, which helps us to find out a perfon at his first appearance; fo that the most careless obferver fancies he can fcarce be mistaken in the carriage of a feaman or the gait of a taylor. The liberal arts, though they may poffibly have lefs effect on our external mien and behaviour, make fo deep an impreffion on the mind, as is very apt to bend it wholly one way. The mathematician will take little lefs than demonftration in the most common difcourfe, and the fchool-man is as great a friend to defininitions and fyllogifms. The physician and divine are often heard to dictate in private companies with the fame authority which they exercife over their patients and difciples; while the lawyer is putting cafes and raifing matter for difputation out of every thing that occurs. I may poffibly fome time or other animadvert more at large on the particular fault each profeffion is most infected with; but shall at prefent wholly apply myself to the cure of what I last mentioned, namely that spirit of ftrife and contention in the converfations of gentlemen of the long robe. This is the more ordinary, because these gentlemen regarding argument as their own proper province, and very often making ready-money of it, think it unfafe to yield before company. They are fhewing in common talk how zealously they could defend a caufe in court, and therefore frequently forget to keep that temper which is abfolutely requifite to render conversation pleasant and inftructive. Captain Sentry pushes this matter fo far, that I have heard him fay, "He has known but few "pleaders that were tolerable company." The Captain, who is a man of good sense, but dry converfation, was last night giving me an account of a difcourfe, in which he had lately been engaged with a young wrangler in the law. I was giving my opinion, fays the Captain, without apprehending any debate that might arife from it, of a general's behaviour in a battle that was fought fome years before either the Templar or myself were born. The young lawyer immediately took me up, and by reasoning above a quarter of an hour upon a fubject which I faw he understood nothing of, endeavoured to shew me that my opinions were ill-grounded. Upon which, fays the Captain, to avoid any farther contests, I told him, That truly I had not confidered those feveral arguments which he had brought against me, and that there might be a great deal in them, Ay, but fays my antagonist, who 1 who would not let me escape fo, there are feveral things to be urged in favour of your opinion, which you have omitted; and thereupon begun to fhine on the other fide of the question. Upon this, fays the Captain, I came over to my firft fentiments and intirely acquiefced in his reafons for my fo doing. Upon which the Templar again recovered his former pofture, and confuted both himfelf and me a third time. In fhort, fays my friend, I found he was refolved to keep me at fword's length, and never let me clofe with him, fo that I had nothing left but to hold my tongue, and give my antagonist free leave to fmile at his victory, who I found, like Hudibras, "could ftill change "fides, and ftill confute." For my own part, I have ever regarded our inns of court as nurseries of ftatefmen and law-givers, which makes me often frequent that part of the town with great pleasure. Upon my calling in lately at one of the moft noted Temple coffee-houfes, I found the whole room, which was full of young ftudents, divided into feveral parties, each of which was deeply engaged in fome controversy. The management of the late miniftry was attacked and defended with great vigour; and feveral preliminaries to the peace were propofed by fome and rejected by others; the demolishing of Dunkirk was fo eagerly infifted on, and so warmly controverted, as had like to have produced a challenge. In fhort, I obferved that the defire of victory, whetted with the little prejudices of party and intereft, generally carried the argument to fuch a height, as made the difputants infenfibly conceive an averfion towards each other, and part with the highest diffatisfaction on both fides. The managing an argument handfomely being fo nice a point, and what I have feen fo very few excel in, I shall here fet down a few rules on that head, which, among other things, I gave in writing to a young kinfman of mine, who had made fo great a proficiency in the law, that he began to plead in company upon every subject that was started. Having the intire manufcript by me, I may, perhaps, from time to time, publifh fuch parts of it as I fhall think requifite for the inftruction of the British youth. What regards my present purpofe is as follows: Avoid difputes as much as poffible. In order to appear easy and well-bred in converfation, you may affure yourself that it requires more wit, as well as more good-humour, to improve than to contradict the notions of another: but if you are at any time obliged to enter on an argument, give your reasons with the utmoft coolness and modefty, two things which fearce ever fail of making an impreffion on the hearers. Befides, if you are neither dogmatical, nor fhew either by your actions or words, that you are full of yourself, all will the more heartily rejoice at your. victory. Nay, fhould you be pinched in your argument, you may make your retreat with a very good grace: you were never pofitive, and are now glad to be better informed. This has made fome approve the Socratical way of reasonyou can hardly be caught in an abfurdity, and though poffibly you are endeavouring to bring over another to your opinion, which is firmly fixed, you feem only to defire information from him. In order to keep that temper which is fo difficult, and yet fo neceffary to preferve, you may please to confider, that nothing can be more un juft or ridiculous, than be angry with another because he is not of your opinion. The interests, education, and means by which men attain their knowledge are fo very different, that it is impoffible they fhould all think alike; and he has at leaft as much reafon to be angry with you, as you with him. Sometimes, to keep yourself cool, it may be of fervice to ask yourself fairly, Whay might have been your opinion, had you all the biafes of education and intereft your adversary may poffibly have? But if you contend for the honour of victory alone, you may lay down this as an infallible maxim, That you car.not make a more falfe ftep, or give your antagonists a greater advantage over you, than by falling into a paffion. When an argument is over, how many weighty reafons does a man recollect, which his heat and violence made him utterly forget? It is yet more abfurd to be angry with a man becaufe he does not apprehend the force of your reafons, or give weak ones of his own. If you argue for reputation, this makes your victory the eafter; he is certainly in all respects an object of your pity, rather than anger; and if he cannot comprehend what you do, you ought to thank nature for her favours, who has given you fo much the clearer understanding. You may please to add this confideration, That among your equals no one values your anger, which only preys upon its master; and perhaps you may find it is not very confiftent either with prudence or your eafe, to punish yourself whenever you meet with a fool or a knave. Laftly, If you propofe to yourself the true end of argument, which is information, it may be a -feafonable check to your paffion; for if you fearch purely after truth, it will be almost indifferent to you where you find it. I cannot in this place omit an obfervation which I have often made, namely, That nothing procures a man more esteem and lefs envy from the whole company, than if he choofes the part of moderator, without engaging directly on either fide in a dif pute. This gives him the character of impartial, furnishes him with an opportunity of fifting things to the bottom, fhewing his judgment, and of fometimes making handfome compliments to each of the contending parties. I fhall close this fubject with giving you one caution: when you have gained a victory, do not push it too far; it is fufficient to let the company and your adverfary fee it is in your power, but that you are too generous to make use of it. X N° 198. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17. We, like the ftag, the brinded wolf provoke, T ANON. HERE is a fpecies of women, whom I fhall Now a Salamander is a kind of heroine in chaftity, that treads upon fire, and lives in the midst of flames without being hurt. A Salamander knows no diftinction of fex in thofe fhe converfes with, grows familiar with a stranger at first fight, and is not fo narrow-fpirited as to obferve whether the perfon fhe talks to, be in breeches or petti coats, der lives in an invincible ftate of fimplicity and innocence; her conftitution is preferved in a kind, of natural froft; the wonders what people mean -by temptations, and defies mankind to do their worft. Her chastity is engaged in a conftant ordeal, or fiery trials: like good Queen Emma, the pretty innocent walks blindfold among burning plough-fhares, without being scorched, or finged by them. It is not therefore for the use of the Salamander, whether in a married or fingle ftate of life, that I defign the following paper; but for fuch females only as are made of flesh and blood, and find themfelves fubject to human frailties. As for this part of the fair fex who are not of the Salamander kind, I would moft earnestly advise them to obferve a quite different conduct in their behaviour; and to avoid as much as poffible what religion calls temptations, and the world opportu nities. Did they but know how many thousands of their fex have been gradually betrayed from innocent freedoms to ruin and infamy; and how many millions of ours have begun with flatteries, proteftations, and endearments, but ended with proaches, perjury, and perfidioufnefs; they would Thun like death the very first approaches of one that might lead them into inextricable labyrinths of guilt and mifery. I must fo far give up the cause of the male world, as to exhort the female fex in the language of Chamons in the Orphan': "Truft not a man, we are by nature false, Diffembling, fubtle, cruel, and unconftant; "When a man talks of love,with caution trust him: "But if he fwears, he'll certainly deceive thee. I might very much enlarge upon this fubject, but fhall conclude it with a story which I lately heard from one of our Spanish officers, and which may thew the danger a woman incurs by too great familiarities with a male companion. An inhabitant of the kingdom of Caftile, being a man of more than ordinary prudence, and of a grave compofed behaviour, determined about the fiftieth year of his age to enter upon wedlock. In order to make himself eafy in it, he caft his eye upon a young woman who had nothing to recommend her but her beauty and her education, her parents having been reduced to great poverty by the wars, which for fome years have laid that whole country wafte. The Caftilian having made his addreffes to her and married her, they lived together in perfect happinefs for fome time; when at length the bufband's affairs made it neceffary for him to take a voyage to the kingdom, of Naples, where a great part of his eftate lay. The wife loved him too tenderly to be left behind him. They had not been a fhipboard above a day, when they unluckily fell into the hands of an Algerine pirate, who carried the whole company on thore, and made them flaves. The Caftilian and his wife had the comfort to be under the fame mafier; who feeing how dearly they loved one another, and gafhed after their liberty, demanded a moft exorbitant price for their ransom. The Caftilian, though he would rather have died in flavery himself, than have paid fuch a fum as he found would go near to ruin him, was fo moved with compaffion towards his wife, that he fent repeated orders to his friend in Spain (who happened to be his next relation) to fell his eftate, and tranfmit the money to him. His friend hoping that the terms of his ranfom might be made more reasonable, and unwilling to fell an estate which he himself had some prospect of inheriting, formed fo many delays, that three whole years paffed away without any thing being done for the fetting them at liberty, There happened to live a French renegado in the fame place where the Caftilian and his wife were kept prifoners. As this fellow had in him all the vivacity of his nation, he often entertained the captives with accounts of his own adventures; to which he fometimes added a fong or a dance, or fome other piece of mirth, to divert them during their confinement. His acquaintance with the mammers of the Algerines enabled him likewife to do them feveral good offices. The Caftilian as he was one day in conversation with this renegado, difcovered to him the negligence and treachery of his correfpondent in Caftile, and at the fame time afked his advice how he should behave himself in that exigency: he further told the renegadɔ, that he found it would be impofible for him to raife the money, unless he himself might go over to difpofe of his eftate. The renegado, after having reprefented to him that his Algerine mafter would never confent to his releafe upon fuch a pretence, at length contrived a method for the Caftilian to make his escape,in the habit of a feamen. The Caftilian fucceeded in his attempt; and having fold his eftate, being afraid left the money fhould mifcarry by the way, and determining to perish with it rather than lofe one who was much dearer to him than his life, he returned himself in a little veffel that was going to Algiers. It is impoffible to defcribe the Joy he felt upon this occafion, when he confidered that he should foon fee the wife whom he fo much loved, and endear himself more to her by this uncommon piece of generofity. The renegado, during the hufband's abfence, so infinuated himself into the good graces of his young wife, and fo turned her head with ftories of gallantry, that he quickly thought him the fineft gentleman fhe had ever converfed with. To be brief, her mind was quite alienated from the honeft Caftilian, whom he was taught to look upon as a formal old fellow, unworthy the poffeffion of fo charming a creature. She had been inftru&ted by the renegado how to manage herself upon his arrival; fo that the received him with the appearance of the utmoft love and gratitude, and at length perfuaded him to truft their common friend the renegado with the money he had brought over for their ranfom; as not questioning but he would beat down the terms of it, and negotiate the affair more to their advantage than they themfelves could do. The good man admired her prudence, and followed her advice. wish I could conceal the fequel of this ftory, but fince I cannot, I fhall difpatch it in as few words as poffible. The Caftilian having flept longer than ordinary the next morning, upon his awaking found his wife had left him: he immediately arofe and inquired after her, but was told that he was foen with the renegado about break of day. In a word, I < • Mr. Spectator, T HOUGH you are every where in your writings a friend to women, I I do not remember that you have directly confidered the mercenary practice of men in the choice of wives. If you would pleafe to employ your thoughts upon that fubject, you would easily conceive the miferable condition many of us are in, who not only from the laws of cuftom and modesty are reftrained from making any advances towards our wishes, but are alfo from the circumftance of fortune, out of all hope of being addreffed to by thofe whom we love. Under all these difadvantages, I am obliged to apply myself to you, and hope I fhall prevail with you to print in your very next paper the following letter, which is a declaration of paffion to one who has made fome faint addreffes to me for fome time. I believe he ardently loves me, but the inequality of my fortune makes him think he cannot anfwer it to the world, if he pursues his defigns by way of marriage; and I believe, as he does not want difcernment, he discovered me looking at him the other day unin fuch a manner as has raifed his hopes awares, of gaining me on terms the men call eafier. But my heart was very full on this occafion, and if you know what love and honcur are, you will pardon me that I use no further arguments with you, but haften to my letter to him, whom I call Oroondates, becaufe if I do not fucceed, it fhall look like romance; and if I am regarded, you fhall receive a pair of gloves at my sent you under the name of Statira.' SIR, A To OROONDATES, dice? You all can obferve that riches alone do not make you happy, and yet give up every thing elfe when it ftands in competition with riches. Since the world is fo bad, that religion is left to us filly women, and you men act general y upon principles of profit and pleasure, I will talk to you without arguing from any thing but what may be moft to your advantage as a man of the world, And I will lay before C you the state of the cafe, fuppofing that you had it in your power to make me your mistress, or your wife, and hope to convince you that the latter is more for your intereft, and will contribute more to your pleasure. We will fuppofe then the fcene was laid, and you were now in expectations of the approaching evening wherein I was to meet you, and be 'carried to what convenient corner of the town you thought fit, to confummate all which your : wanton imagination has promifed you in the poffeffion of one who is in the bloom of youth, and in the reputation of innocence: you would foon have enough of me, as I am fprightly, young, gay, and airy. When fancy is fated, and finds all the promifes it made itfelf falfe, where is now the innocence which charmed you? The first hour you are alone you will find that the pleafure of a debauchee is only that of a destroyer; he blafts all the fruit he taftes, and, where the brute has been devouring, there is nothing left worthy the relifh of the man. Reafon refumes her place after imagination is cloyed; and I am, with the utmoft diftress and confufion, to behold myfelf the caufe of uneafy reflexions to you, to be vifited by ftealth, and dwell for the future with the two companions (the most unfit for each other in the world) foli tude and guilt. I will not infiftupon the fhameful obfcurity we thould pafs our time in, nor run over the little fhort fnatches of fresh air, and free commerce which all people must be fatisfied with, whofe actions will not bear exa mination, but leave them to your reflexions, who have seen of that life, of which I have but a mere idea. On the other hand, if you can be fo good and generous as to make me your wife, you may 'promife yourfelf all the obedience and tendernefs with which gratitude can inspire a virtuwedding,ous woman. Whatever gratifications you may promise yourself from an agreeable perfon, whatever compliances from an cafy temper, 'whatever confolations from a fincere friendfhip, you may expect as the duc of your generofity. What at prefent in your ill view you promife yourself from me, will be followed by diftafe and fatiety; but the transports cf a vir tuous love are the leaft part of its happiness. The raptures of innocent paffion are but like 'lightening to the day, they rather interrupt than advance the pleasure of it. How happy then is that life to be, where the higheft pleafures of fenfe are but the lowest parts of its felicity? FTER very much perplexity in myself, and revolving how to acquaint you with my own fentiments, and expoftulate with you concerning yours, I have chofen this way, by which means I can be at once revealed to you, or, if you pleafe, lie concealed. If I do not within a few days find the effect which I hope from this, the whole affair fhall be buried in oblivion. But alas! what am I going to do, when I am about to tell you that I love you? • But after have done fo, I am to affure you, that with all the paffion which ever entered a tender heart, I know I can banish you from my fight for ever, when I am convinced that you have no inclinations towards me but to my dishonour. But alas! Sir! why fhould you facri'fice the real and effential happiness of life, to the opinion of a world, that moves upon no other foundation but profeffed error and preju Now I am to repeat to you the unnatural I know request of taking me in direct terms. there ftands between me and that happiness, the haughty daughter of a man who can give you fuitably to your fortune. But if you weigh the attendance and behaviour of her who comes to you in partnership of your fortune, and ex'pects an equivalent, with that of her who enters your house as honoured and obliged Ly that permifon, whom of the two will you K k 2 • choote? |