labour to seem to have it is lost. thing unnatural in painting, which a skilful eye will easily discern from native beauty and complexion. "It is hard to personate and act a part long; for where truth is not at the bottom, nature will always be endeavouring to return, and will peep out and betray herself one time or other. Therefore if any man think it convenient to seem good, let him be so indeed, and then his goodness will appear to every body's satisfaction; so that upon all accounts sincerity is true wisdom. Particularly as to the affairs of this world, integrity has many advantages over all the fine and artificial ways of dissimulation and deceit; it is much the plainer and easier, much the safer and more secure way of dealing in the world: it has less of trouble and difficulty, of entanglement "Indeed, if a man were only to deal in the world and perplexity, of danger and hazard in it; it is the for a day, and should never have occasion to conshortest and nearest way to our end, carrying us verse more with mankind, never more need their thither in a straight line, and will hold out and last opinion or good word, it were then no great matter longest. The arts of deceit and cunning do con- (speaking as to the concernments of this world) if tinually grow weaker and less effectual and service- a man spent his reputation all at once, and ventured able to them that use them; whereas integrity gains it at one throw: but if he be to continue in the strength by use, and the more and longer any man world, and would have the advantage of conversapractiseth it, the greater service it does him, by con- tion whilst he is in it, let him make use of truth and firming his reputation, and encouraging those with sincerity in all his words and actions; for nothing whom he hath to do to repose the greatest trust and but this will last and hold out to the end: all other confidence in him, which is an unspeakable advan-arts will fail, but truth and integrity will carry a tage in the business and affairs of life.

There is some-present advantage, nor forbear to seize upon it, though by ways never so indirect; they cannot see so far as to the remote consequences of a steady integrity, and the vast benefit and advantages which it will bring a man at last. Were but this sort of men wise and clear-sighted enough to discern this, they would be honest out of very knavery, not out of any love to honesty and virtue, but with a crafty design to promote and advance more effectually their own interests; and therefore the justice of the Divine Providence has hid this truest point of wisdom from their eyes, that bad men might not be on equal terms with the just and upright, and serve their own wicked designs by honest and lawful means.

"Truth is always consistent with itself, and needs nothing to help it out; it is always near at hand, and sits upon our lips, and is ready to drop out before we are aware; whereas a lie is troublesome, and sets a man's invention upon the rack, and one trick needs a great many more to make it good. It is like building upon a false foundation, which constantly stands in need of props to shore it up, and proves at last more chargeable than to have raised a substantial building at first upon a true and solid foundation; for sincerity is firm and substantial, and there is nothing hollow and unsound in it, and, because it is plain and open, fears no discovery; of which the crafty man is always in danger; and when he thinks he walks in the dark, all his pretences are so transparent, that he that runs may read them; he is the last man that finds himself to be found out; and whilst he takes it for granted that he makes fools of others, he renders himself ridiculous.

"Add to all this, that sincerity is the most compendious wisdom, and an excellent instrument for the speedy dispatch of business; it creates confidence in those we have to deal with, saves the labour of many inquiries, and brings things to an issue in few words. It is like travelling in a plain beaten road, which commonly brings a man sooner to his journey's end than by-ways, in which men often lose themselves. In a word, whatsoever convenience may be thought to be in falsehood and dissimulation, it is soon over; but the inconvenience of it is perpetual, because it brings a man under an everlasting jealousy and suspicion, so that he is not believed when he speaks truth, nor trusted when perhaps he means honestly. When a man has once forfeited the reputation of his integrity, he is set fast; and nothing will then serve his turn, neither truth nor falsehood.

"And I have often thought, that God hath, in his great wisdom, hid from men of false and dishonest minds the wonderful advantages of truth and integrity to the prosperity even of our worldly affairs: these men are so blinded by their covetousness and ambition, that they cannot look beyond a

man through, and bear him out to the last."-T.

"I take the liberty to send you a fourth letter upon the education of youth. In my last I gave you my thoughts upon some particular tasks, which I conceived it might not be amiss to mix with their usual exercises, in order to give them an early seasoning of virtue: I shall in this propose some others, which I fancy might contribute to give them a right turn for the world, and enable them to make their way in it.

"The design of learning is, as I take it, either to render a man an agreeable companion to himself, and teach him to support solitude with pleasure; or, if he is not born to an estate, to supply that defect, and furnish him with the means of acquiring one. A person who applies himself to learning with the first of these views, may be said to study for ornament; as he who proposes to himself the second, properly studies for use. The one does it to raise himself a fortune; the other, to set off that which he is already possessed of. But as far the greater part of mankind are included in the latter class, I shall only propose some methods at present for the service of such who expect to advance them selves by their learning. In order to which I shall premise, that many more estates have been acquired by little accomplishments than by extraordinary ones; those qualities which make the greatest figure in the eye of the world, not being always the most useful in themselves, or the most advantageous to their owners.

"The posts which require men of shining and uncommon parts to discharge them are so very few, that many a great genius goes out of the world with

out ever having had an opportunity to exert itself; hitherto chiefly insisted upon these things for such whereas persons of ordinary endowments meet with boys as do not appear to have any thing extraordiOccasions fitted to their parts and capacities everynary in their natural talents, and consequently are day in the common occurrences of life.

"I am acquainted with two persons who were formerly school-fellows, and have been good friends ever since. One of them was not only thought an impenetrable blockhead at school, but still maintained his reputation at the university; the other was the pride of his master, and the most celebrated person in the college of which he was a member. The man of genius is at present buried in a country parsonage of eightscore pounds a-year; while the other, with the bare abilities of a common scrivener, has got an estate of above a hundred thousand pounds.

"I fancy, from what I have said, it will almost appear a doubtful case to many a wealthy citizen, whether or no he ought to wish his son should be a great genius: but this I am sure of, that nothing is more absurd than to give a lad the education of one, whom nature has not favoured with any particular marks of distinction.

"The fault therefore of our grammar-schools is, that every boy is pushed on to works of genius; whereas it would be far more advantageous for the greatest part of them to be taught such little practical arts and sciences as do not require any great share of parts to be master of them, and yet may come often into play during the course of a man's life. "Such are all the parts of practical geometry. I have known a man contract a friendship with a minister of state upon cutting a dial in his window: and remember a clergyman who got one of the best benefices in the west of England, by setting a country gentleman's affairs in some method, and giving him an exact survey of his estate.

"While I am upon this subject, I cannot forbear mentioning a particular which is of use in every station of life, and which, methinks, every master should teach his scholars; I mean the writing of English letters. To this end, instead of perplexing them with Latin epistles, themes, and verses, there might be a punctual correspondence established between two boys, who might act in any imaginary parts of business, or be allowed sometimes to give a range to their own fancies, and communicate to each other whatever trifles they thought fit, provided neither of them ever failed at the appointed time to answer his correspondent's letter.

"I believe I may venture to affirm, that the generality of boys would find themselves more adantaged by this custom, when they come to be men, than by all the Greek and Latin their masters can teach them in seven or eight years.

"The wart of it is very visible in many learned persons, who, while they are admiring the styles of Demosthenes or Cicero, want phrases to express themselves on the most common occasions. I have seen a letter from one of these Latin orators which would have been deservedly laughed at by a com

mon attorney.

"Under this head of writing, I cannot omit accounts and short-hand, which are learned with little pains, and very properly come into the number of sach arts as I have been here recommending. * You must doubtless, Sir, observe, that I have

Swift and Mr. Stratford, a merchant.

"Stratford is worth a pluri, and is now lending the government 40.0001. yet we were educated together at the same school and university." Sw's Works, vol. xau. p. 10. cr. 8vo.-Stratford was afterwards a bankrupt.

not qualified for the finer parts of learning; yet I believe I might carry this matter still further, and venture to assert, that a lad of genius has sometimes occasion for these little acquirements, to be as it were the forerunners of his parts, and to introduce him into the world.

66

History is full of examples of persons who, though they have had the largest abilities, have been obliged to insinuate themselves into the favour of great men by these trivial accomplishments; as the complete gentleman, in some of our modern comedies, makes his first advances to his mistress under the disguise of a painter or a dancing-master.

"The difference is, that in a lad of genius these are only so many accomplishments, which in another are essentials; the one diverts himself with them, the other works at them. In short, I look upon a great genius with these little additions, in the same light as I regard the Grand Seignior, who is obliged, by an express command in the Alcoran, to learn and practise some handicraft trade: though I need not to have gone for my instance further than Germany, where several emperors have voluntarily done the same thing. Leopold the last worked in wood: and I have heard there are several handicraft works of his making to be seen at Vienna, so neatly turned, that the best joiner in Europe might safely own them without any disgrace to his profession.*

"I would not be thought, by any thing I have said, to be against improving a boy's genius to the utmost pitch it can be carried. What I would endeavour to show in this essay is, that there may be methods taken to make learning advantageous even to the meanest capacities. X

66

I am, Sir, yours," &c.

No. 354.] WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1712.
-Cum magnis virtutibus affers
Grande supercilium-
Juv. Sat. vi. 168.
Their signal virtues hardly can be borne,
Dash'd as they are with supercilious scorn.

"MR. SPECTATOR,

"You have in some of your discourses described most sort of women in their distinct and proper classes, as the ape, the coquette, and many others; but I think you have never yet said any thing of a devotee. A devotee is one of those who disparage religion by their indiscreet and unseasonable introduction of the mention of virtue on all occasions.

She professes she is what nobody ought to doubt she is; and betrays the labour she is put to, to be She lives in the world, and denies herself none of what she ought to be with cheerfulness and alacrity. the diversions of it, with a constant declaration how herself but at church; there she displays her virtue, insipid all things in it are to her. She is never and is so fervent in her devotions, that I have frequently seen her pray herself out of breath. While other young ladies in the house are dancing, or playing at questions and commands, she reads aloud in her closet. She says, all love is ridiculous, except it be celestial; but she speaks of the passion of one mortal to another with too much bitterness for one that had no jealousy mixed with her contempt

*The instance of Czar Peter is still more recent, and more ¡ remarkable.

These

of it. If at any time she sees a man warm in his who are acquainted with these objects, ridicule his addresses to his mistress, she will lift up her eyes to rusticity. I have known a fellow with a burden on heaven, and ery, What nonsense is that fool talk- his head steal a hand down from his load, and slily ing! Will the bell never ring for prayers?' We twirl the cock of a squire's hat behind him: while have an eminent lady of this stamp in our country, the offended person is swearing, or out of counte who pretends to amusements very much above the nance, all the wag-wits in the highway are grinning rest of her sex. She never carries a white shock-in applause of the ingenious rogue that gave him dog with bells under her arm, nor a squirrel or dor- the tip, and the folly of him who had not eyes all mouse in her pocket, but always an abridged piece round his head to prevent receiving it. of morality, to steal out when she is sure of being things arise from a general affectation of smartness, observed. When she went to the famous ass-race wit, and courage. Wycherley somewhere rallies (which I must confess was but an odd diversion to the pretensions this way, by making a fellow say, be encouraged by people of rank and figure), it was 'Red breeches are a certain sign of valour;' and not, like other ladies, to hear those poor animals Otway makes a man, to boast his agility, trip up a bray, nor to see fellows run naked, or to hear coun- beggar on crutches. From such hints I beg a spetry 'squires in bob-wigs and white girdles make love culation on this subject: in the mean time I shall at the side of a coach, and cry, Madam, this is do all in the power of a weak old fellow in my own dainty weather.' Thus she describes the diversion; defence; for as Diogenes, being in quest of an for she went only to pray heartily that nobody might honest man, sought for him when it was broad be hurt in the crowd, and to see if the poor fellow's day-light with a lantern and candle, so I intend face, which was distorted with grinning, might any for the future to walk the streets with a dark way be brought to itself again. She never chats lantern, which has a convex crystal in it; and if over her tea, but covers her face, and is supposed any man stares at me, I give fair warning that I in an ejaculation before she tastes a sup. This will direct the light full into his eyes. Thus, deostentatious behaviour is such an offence to true spairing to find men modest, I hope by this means sanctity, that it disparages it, and makes virtue not to evade their impudence. only unamiable, but also ridiculous. The sacred writings are full of reflections which abhor this kind of conduct; and a devotee is so far from promoting goodness, that she deters others by her example. Folly and vanity in one of these ladies is like vice in a clergyman: it does not only debase him, but makes the inconsiderate part of the world think the worse of religion.

"I am, Sir, your humble Servant,
"HOTSPUR."

T.

"I am, Sir, your humble Servant,
"SOPHROSENIUS."

No 355.] THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1712.
Non ego mordaci distrinxi carmine quenquam.
Ovid. Trist. ii. 553.

I ne'er in gall dipp'd my envenom'd pen,
Nor branded the bold front of shameless men.

I HAVE been very often tempted to write invectives upon those who have detracted from my works, "MR. SPECTATOR, or spoken in derogation of my person; but I look "Xenophon, in his short account of the Spartan upon it as a particular happiness, that I have always commonwealth, speaking of the behaviour of their hindered my resentments from proceeding to this young men in the streets, says, "There was so much extremity. I once had gone through half a satire, modesty in their looks, that you might as soon have but found so many motions of humanity rising in turned the eyes of a marble statue upon you as me towards the persons whom I had severely treated, theirs; and that in all their behaviour they were that I threw it into the fire without ever finishing it. more modest than a bride when put to bed upon her I have been angry enough to make several little wedding-night.' This virtue, which is always sub-epigrams and lampoons; and, after having admired joined to magnanimity, had such an influence upon them a day or two, have likewise committed them their courage, that in battle an enemy could not to the flames. These I look upon as so many salook them in the face, and they durst not but die crifices to humanity, and have received much greater for their country. satisfaction from the suppressing such performances, than I could have done from any reputation they might have procured me, or from any mortification they might have given my enemies, in case I had made them public. If a man has any talent in writing, it shows a good mind to forbear answering calumnies and reproaches in the same spirit of bitterness in which they are offered. But when a man has been at some pains in making suitable returns to an enemy, and has the instruments of revenge in his hands, to let drop his wrath, and stifle his resentments, seems to have something in it great and heroical. There is a particular merit in such a way of forgiving an enemy; and the more violent and unprovoked the offence has been, the greater still is the merit of him who thus forgives it.

"Whenever I walk into the streets of London and Westminster, the countenances of all the young fellows that pass by me make me wish myself in Sparta: I meet with such blustering airs, big looks, and bold fronts, that, to a superficial observer, would bespeak a courage above those Grecians. I am arrived to that perfection in speculation, that I understand the language of the eyes, which would be a great misfortune to me had I not corrected the testiness of old age by philosophy. There is scarce a man in a red coat, who does not tell me, with a full stare, he is a bold man: I see several swear inwardly at me, without any offence of mine, but the oddness of my person: I meet contempt in every street, expressed in different manners by the scornful look, the elevated eyebrow, and the swelling nostrils of the proud and prosperous. The 'prentice speaks his disrespect by an extended finger, and the porter by stealing out his tongue. If a country gentleman appears a little curious in observing the edifices, signs, clocks, coaches, and dials, it is not to be imagined how the polite rabble of this town,

I never met with a consideration that is more finely spun, and what has better pleased me, than one in Epictetus, which places an enemy in a new light, and gives us a view of him altogether different from that in which we are used to regard him. The sense of it is as follows: "Does a man reproach [thee for being proud or ill-natured, envious or con

ceited, ignorant or detracting? Consider with thy-veller, who was so pestered with the noise of grassself whether his reproaches are true. If they are hoppers in his ears, that he alighted from his horse not, consider that thou art not the person whom he in great wrath to kill them all. "This," says the reproaches, but that he reviles an imaginary being, author, "was troubling himself to no manner of and perhaps loves what thou really art, though he purpose. Had he pursued his journey without taking hates what thou appearest to be. If his reproaches notice of them, the troublesome insects would have are true, if thou art the envious, ill-natured man he died of themselves in a very few weeks, and he takes thee for, give thyself another turn, become would have suffered nothing from them,"-L. mild, affable, and obliging, and his reproaches of thee naturally cease. His reproaches may indeed continue, but thou art no longer the person whom he reproaches."

No. 356.1 FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1712. '.

-Aptissima quæque dabunt dii.

Charior est illis homo quam sibi.-Juv. Sat. x. 349.
-The gods will grant

What their unerring wisdom sees they want:
In goodness, as in greatness. they excel;
Ah! that we lov'd ourselves but half as well!
DRYDEN.

I often apply this rule to myself; and when I hear of a satirical speech or writing that is aimed at me, I examine my own heart, whether I deserve it or not. If I bring in a verdict against myself, I endeavour to rectify my conduct for the future in those particulars which have drawn the censure upon me; but if the whole invective be grounded upon a It is owing to pride, and a secret affectation of a falsehood, I trouble myself no further about it, and certain self-existence, that the noblest motive for look upon my name at the head of it to signify no action that ever was proposed to man is not ac more than one of those fictitious names made use of knowledged the glory and happiness of their being. by an author to introduce an imaginary character. The heart is treacherous to itself, and we do not let Why should a man be sensible of the sting of a reour reflections go deep enough to receive religion as proach, who is a stranger to the guilt that is implied the most honourable incentive to good and worthy in it? or subject himself to the penalty, when he actions. It is our natural weakness to flatter ourknows he has never committed the crime? This is selves into a belief, that if we search into our inmost a piece of fortitude which every one owes to his own thoughts, we find ourselves wholly disinterested, innocence, and without which it is impossible for a and divested of any views arising from self-love and man of any merit or figure to live at peace with him- vain-glory. But however spirits of a superficial self, in a country that abounds with wit and liberty. greatness may disdain at first sight to do any thing, The famous Monsieur Balzac, in a letter to the but from a noble impulse in themselves, without any Chancellor of France, who had prevented the publi- stricter inquiry they will find, to act worthily, and future regards in this or any other being; upon cation of a book against him, has the following words, which are a lively picture of the greatness expect to be rewarded only in another world, is as of mind so visible in the works of that author: "If heroic a pitch of virtue as human nature can arrive it was a new thing, it may be I should not be dis-at. If the tenour of our actions have any other mopleased with the suppression of the first libel that should abuse me; but since there are enough of them to make a small library, I am secretly pleased to see the number increased, and take delight in raising a heap of stones that envy has cast at me without doing me any harm."

The author here alludes to those monumentst of the eastern nations, which were mountains of stones raised upon the dead bodies by travellers, that used to cast every one his stone upon it as they passed by. It is certain that no monument is so glorious as one which is thus raised by the hands of envy. For my part, I admire an author for such a temper of mind as enables him to bear an undeserved reproach without resentment, more than for all the wit of any the finest satirical reply.

Thus far I thought necessary to explain myself in relation to those who have animadverted on this paper, and to show the reasons why I have not thought fit to return them any formal answer. I st further add, that the work would have been of very little use to the public had it been filled with personal reflections and debates; for which reason I never once turned out of my way to observe those little cavils which have been made against it by envy or ignorance. The common fry of scribblers, who have no other way of being taken notice of but by attacking what has gained some reputation in the world, would have furnished me with business enough, had they found me disposed to enter the lists with them.

I shall conclude with the fable of Boccalini's tra

Epiet Ench. cap. 48 and 61, ed. Berk. 1670. 8vo.
There are abundant monuments of the same kind in North
Brain, where they are called" cairns."

tive than the desire to be pleasing in the eye of the Deity, it will necessarily follow that we must be

more than men, if we are not too much exalted in
But the

prosperity and depressed in adversity.
Christian world has a Leader, the contemplation of
whose life and sufferings must administer comfort in
affliction, while the sense of his power and omni-
potence must give them humiliation in prosperity.

It is owing to the forbidding and unlovely con straint with which men of low conceptions act when they think they conform themselves to religion, as that the word Christian does not carry with it at well as to the more odious conduct of hypocrites, first view all that is great, worthy, friendly, generous, and heroic. The man who suspends his hopes of the reward of worthy actions till after death, who can bestow unseen, who can overlook hatred, do good to his slanderer, who can never be angry at his friend, never revengeful to his enemy, is certainly formed for the benefit of society. Yet these are so far from heroic virtues, that they are but the ordinary duties of a Christian.

When a man with a steady faith looks back on the great catastrophe of this day, with what bleeding emotions of heart must he contemplate the life and sufferings of his Deliverer! When his agonics occur to him, how will he weep to reflect that he has often forgot them for the glance of a wanton, for the applause of a vain world, for a heap of fleeting past pleasures, which are at present aching sorrows!

How pleasing is the contemplation of the lowly. steps our Almighty Leader took in conducting us to his heavenly mansions!. In plain and apt parable, similitude, and allegory, our great Master enforced

This paper was published on Good Friday, 1712.