[Footnote 1: This story is taken from Book I. of Cicero "De Natura Deorum".]
[Footnote 2: "Human Understanding", Book II. ch. xxiii. -- 33.]
[Footnote 3: [conceiving him.]]
[Footnote 4: Ecclus. xliii. 26-32.]
[Footnote 5: Bishop Burnet"s sermon at the funeral of the Hon. Robert Boyle (who died in 1691).]
No. 532. Monday, November 10, 1712. Steele.
"--Fungor vice cotis, acutum Reddere quae ferrum valet, exsors ipsa secandi."
Hor.
It is a very honest Action to be studious to produce other Men"s Merit; and I make no scruple of saying I have as much of this Temper as any Man in the World. It would not be a thing to be bragged of, but that it is what any Man may be Master of who will take Pains enough for it. Much Observation of the Unworthiness in being pained at the Excellence of another, will bring you to a Scorn of yourself for that Unwillingness: And when you have got so far, you will find it a greater Pleasure than you ever before knew, to be zealous in promoting the Fame and Welfare of the Praise-worthy. I do not speak this as pretending to be a mortified self-denying Man, but as one who has turned his Ambition into a right Channel. I claim to my self the Merit of having extorted excellent Productions from a Person of the greatest Abilities, [1] who would not have let them appear by any other Means; to have animated a few young Gentlemen into worthy Pursuits, who will be a Glory to our Age; and at all Times, and by all possible Means in my Power, undermined the Interests of Ignorance, Vice, and Folly, and attempted to subst.i.tute in their Stead, Learning, Piety, and good Sense. It is from this honest Heart that I find myself honoured as a Gentleman-Usher to the Arts and Sciences. Mr. _Tickell_ and Mr. _Pope_ have, it seems, this Idea of me.
The former has writ me an excellent Paper of Verses in Praise, forsooth, of my self; and the other enclosed for my perusal an admirable Poem, [2]
which, I hope, will shortly see the Light. In the mean time I cannot suppress any Thought of his, but insert his Sentiment about the dying Words of _Adrian_. I won"t determine in the Case he mentions; but have thus much to say in favour of his Argument, that many of his own Works which I have seen, convince me that very pretty and very sublime Sentiments may be lodged in the same Bosom without diminution to its Greatness.
_Mr._ SPECTATOR,
"I was the other day in Company with five or six Men of some Learning; where chancing to mention the famous Verses which the Emperor _Adrian_ spoke on his Death-bed, they were all agreed that "twas a Piece of Gayety unworthy that Prince in those Circ.u.mstances. I could not but dissent from this Opinion: Methinks it was by no means a gay, but a very serious Soliloquy to his Soul at the Point of his Departure: in which Sense I naturally took the Verses at my first reading them when I was very young, and before I knew what Interpretation the World generally put upon them:
"_Animula vagula, blandula, Hospes Comesque corporis, Quae nunc abibis in loca?
Pallidula, rigida, nudula, Nec (ut soles) dabis Joca!_
"_Alas, my Soul! thou pleasing Companion of this Body, thou fleeting thing that art now deserting it! whither art thou flying? to what unknown Region? Thou art all trembling, fearful, and pensive. Now what is become of thy former Wit and Humour? thou shall jest and be gay no more._
I confess I cannot apprehend where lies the Trifling in all this; "tis the most natural and obvious Reflection imaginable to a dying Man: and if we consider the Emperor was a Heathen, that Doubt concerning the Future Fate of his Soul will seem so far from being the Effect of Want of Thought, that "twas scarce reasonable he should think otherwise; not to mention that here is a plain Confession included of his Belief in its Immortality. The diminutive Epithets of _Vagula, Blandula_, and the rest, appear not to me as Expressions of Levity, but rather of Endearment and Concern; such as we find in _Catullus_, and the Authors of _Hendeca-syllabi_ after him, where they are used to express the utmost Love and Tenderness for their Mistresses--If you think me right in my Notion of the last Words of _Adrian_, be pleased to insert this in the _Spectator_; if not, to suppress it." [3]
_I am_, &c.
To the supposed Author of the "Spectator".
"In Courts licentious, and a shameless Stage, How long the War shall Wit with Virtue wage?
Enchanted by this prost.i.tuted Fair, Our Youth run headlong in the fatal Snare; In height of Rapture clasp unheeded Pains, And suck Pollution thro" their tingling Veins.
Thy spotless Thoughts unshock"d the Priest may hear, And the pure Vestal in her Bosom wear.
To conscious Blushes and diminish"d Pride, Thy Gla.s.s betrays what treach"rous Love would hide; Nor harsh thy Precepts, but infused by stealth, Please while they cure, and cheat us into Health.
Thy Works in_ Chloe"s _Toilet gain a part, And with his Tailor share the the Fopling"s Heart: Lash"d in thy Satire, the penurious Cit Laughs at himself, and finds no harm in Wit: From Felon Gamesters the raw Squire is free, And _Britain_ owes her rescu"d Oaks to thee.
His Miss the frolick Viscount dreads to toast, Or his third Cure the shallow Templar boast; And the rash Fool who scorn"d the beaten Road, Dares quake at Thunder, and confess his G.o.d.
The brainless Stripling,--who, expell"d to Town, d.a.m.n"d the stiff College and pedantick Gown, Aw"d by thy Name, is dumb, and thrice a Week Spells uncouth _Latin,_ and pretends to _Greek._
A sauntring Tribe! such born to wide Estates, With Yea and No in Senates hold Debates: At length despis"d, each to his Fields retires, First with the Dogs, and King amidst the Squires; From Pert to Stupid sinks supinely down, In Youth a c.o.xcomb, and in Age a Clown.
Such Readers scorned, thou wings"t thy daring Flight Above the Stars, and tread"st the Fields of Light; Fame, Heav"n and h.e.l.l, are thy exalted Theme, And Visions such as _Jove_ himself might dream; Man sunk to Slav"ry, tho" to Glory born, Heaven"s Pride when upright, and depraved his Scorn.
Such Hints alone could _British Virgil_ lend, And thou alone deserve from such a Friend: A Debt so borrow"d, is ill.u.s.trious Shame, And Fame when shar"d with him is double Fame.
So flush"d with Sweets, by Beauty"s Queen bestow"d, With more than mortal Charms. _aeneas_ glow"d.
Such genrous Strifes _Eugene_ and _Marlbro"_ try, And as in Glory, so in Friendship vie.
Permit these Lines by Thee to live--nor blame A Muse that pants and languishes for Fame; That fears to sink when humbler Themes she sings, Lost in the Ma.s.s of mean forgotten things.
Receiv"d by Thee, I prophesy my Rhymes The Praise of Virgins in succeeding Times: Mix"d with thy Works, their Life no Bounds shall see, But stand protected, as inspir"d by thee.
So some weak Shoot, which else would poorly rise, _Jove"s_ Tree adopts, and lifts him to the Skies; Through the new Pupil fost"ring Juices flow, Thrust forth the Gems, and give the Flow"rs to blow Aloft; immortal reigns the Plant unknown, With borrow"d Life, and Vigour not his own." [4]
_To the_ SPECTATOR-GENERAL.
_Mr._ John Sly _humbly sheweth,_
"That upon reading the Deputation given to the said Mr. _John Sly_, all Persons pa.s.sing by his Observatory behaved themselves with the same Decorum, as if your Honour your self had been present.
That your said Officer is preparing, according to your Honour"s secret Instructions, Hats for the several kind of Heads that make Figures in the Realms of _Great Britain_, with c.o.c.ks significant of their Powers and Faculties.
That your said Officer has taken due Notice of your Instructions and Admonitions concerning the Internals of the Head from the outward Form of the same. His Hats for Men of the Faculties of Law and Physick do but just turn up, to give a little Life to their Sagacity; his military Hats glare full in the Face; and he has prepared a familiar easy c.o.c.k for all good Companions between the above-mentioned Extreams. For this End he has consulted the most Learned of his Acquaintance for the true Form and Dimensions of the _Lepidum Caput_, and made a Hat fit for it.
Your said Officer does further represent, That the young Divines about Town are many of them got into the c.o.c.k Military, and desires your Instructions therein.
That the Town has been for several Days very well behaved; and further your said Officer saith not.