No. 606. Wednesday, October 13, 1714.
"--longum cantu solata laborem Arguto Conjux percurrit pectine Telas."
Virg.
_Mr._ SPECTATOR,
"I have a couple of Nieces under my Direction, who so often run gadding abroad, that I don"t know where to have them. Their Dress, their Tea, and their Visits take up all their Time, and they go to Bed as tired with doing nothing, as I am after quilting a whole Under-Petticoat. The only time they are not idle, is while they read your SPECTATORS; which being dedicated to the Interests of Virtue, I desire you to recommend the long neglected Art of Needle-work. Those Hours which in this Age are thrown away in Dress, Play, Visits, and the like, were employ"d, in my time, in writing out Receipts, or working Beds, Chairs, and Hangings for the Family. For my Part, I have ply"d my Needle these fifty Years, and by my good Will would never have it out of my Hand. It grieves my Heart to see a couple of proud idle Flirts sipping their Tea, for a whole Afternoon, in a Room hung round with the Industry of their Great Grandmother. Pray, Sir, take the laudable Mystery of Embroidery into your serious Consideration, and as you have a great deal of the Virtue of the last Age in you, continue your Endeavours to reform the present."
_I am_, &c.
In Obedience to the Commands of my venerable Correspondent, I have duly weigh"d this important Subject, and promise my self, from the Arguments here laid down, that all the fine Ladies of _England_ will be ready, as soon as their Mourning is over, [1] to appear covered with the Work of their own Hands.
What a delightful Entertainment must it be to the Fair s.e.x, whom their native Modesty, and the Tenderness of Men towards them, exempts from Publick Business, to pa.s.s their Hours in imitating Fruits and Flowers, and transplanting all the Beauties of Nature into their own Dress, or raising a new Creation in their Closets and Apartments. How pleasing is the Amus.e.m.e.nt of walking among the Shades and Groves planted by themselves, in surveying Heroes slain by their Needle, or little Cupids which they have brought into the World without Pain!
This is, methinks, the most proper way wherein a Lady can shew a fine Genius, and I cannot forbear wishing, that several Writers of that s.e.x had chosen to apply themselves rather to Tapestry than Rhime. Your Pastoral Poetesses may vent their Fancy in Rural Landskips, and place despairing Shepherds under silken Willows, or drown them in a Stream of Mohair. The Heroick Writers may work up Battles as successfully, and inflame them with Gold or stain them with Crimson. Even those who have only a Turn to a Song or an Epigram, may put many valuable St.i.tches into a Purse, and crowd a thousand Graces into a Pair of Garters.
If I may, without breach of good Manners, imagine that any pretty Creature is void of Genius, and would perform her Part herein but very awkardly, I must nevertheless insist upon her working, if it be only to keep her out of Harm"s way.
Another Argument for busying good Women in Works of Fancy, is, because it takes them off from Scandal, the usual Attendant of Tea-Tables, and all other unactive Scenes of Life. While they are forming their Birds and Beasts, their Neighbours will be allowed to be the Fathers of their own Children: And _Whig_ and _Tory_ will be but seldom mentioned, where the great Dispute is, whether Blue or Red is the more proper Colour. How much greater Glory would _Sophronia_ do the General, if she would chuse rather to work the Battle of _Blenheim_ in Tapestry, than signalize her self with so much Vehemence against those who are _Frenchmen_ in their Hearts.
A Third Reason that I shall mention, is the Profit that is brought to the Family where these pretty Arts are encouraged. It is manifest that this way of Life not only keeps fair Ladies from running out into Expences, but is at the same time an actual Improvement. How memorable would that Matron be, who should have it Inscribed upon her Monument, "that she Wrought out the whole Bible in Tapestry, and died in a good old Age, after having covered three hundred Yards of Wall in the Mansion-House."
The Premises being consider"d, I humbly submit the following Proposals to all Mothers in _Great Britain_.
I. That no young Virgin whatsoever be allow"d to receive the Addresses of her first Lover, but in a Suit of her own Embroidering.
II. That before every fresh Servant, she be oblig"d to appear with a new Stomacher at the least.
III. That no one be actually married, till she hath the Child-bed Pillows, &c. ready St.i.tched, as likewise the Mantle for the Boy quite finished.
These Laws, if I mistake not, would effectually restore the decay"d Art of Needle-work, and make the Virgins of _Great Britain_ exceedingly Nimble-finger"d in their Business.
There is a memorable Custom of the _Grecian_ Ladies in this particular, preserv"d in _Homer_, which I hope will have a very good Effect with my Country-women. A Widow in Ancient Times could not, without Indecency, receive a second Husband, till she had Woven a Shrowd for her deceased Lord, or the next of Kin to him. Accordingly, the Chaste _Penelope_ having, as she thought, lost _Ulysses_ at Sea, she employed her time in preparing a Winding-sheet for _Laertes_, the Father of her Husband. The Story of her Web being very Famous, and yet not sufficiently known in its several Circ.u.mstances, I shall give it to my Reader, as _Homer_ makes one of her Wooers relate it.
"Sweet Hope she gave to every Youth apart, With well-taught Looks, and a deceitful Heart: A Web she wove of many a slender Twine, Of curious Texture, and perplext Design; My Youths, she cry"d, my Lord but newly dead, Forbear a while to court my widow"d Bed, "Till I have wov"n, as solemn Vows require, This Web, a Shrowd for poor_ Ulysses" _Sire.
His Limbs, when Fate the Hero"s Soul demands, Shall claim this Labour of his Daughter"s Hands: Lest all the Dames of Greece my Name despise, While the great King without a Covering lies.
Thus she. Nor did my Friends mistrust the Guile.
All Day she sped the long laborious Toil: But when the burning Lamps supply"d the Sun, Each Night unravell"d what the Day begun.
Three live-long Summers did the Fraud prevail.
The Fourth her Maidens told th" amazing Tale.
These Eyes beheld, as close I took my Stand, The backward Labours of her faithless Hand: "Till watch"d at length, and press"d on every Side, Her Task she ended, and commenc"d a Bride."
[Footnote 1: Public Mourning for Q. Anne, who died Aug. 1, 1714.]
No. 607. Friday, October 15, 1714.
"Dicite Io Paean, et Io bis dicite Paean: Decidit in ca.s.ses praeda pet.i.ta meos."
Ovid.
_Mr._ SPECTATOR,
"Having in your Paper of _Monday_ last [1] published my Report on the Case of Mrs. _f.a.n.n.y Fickle_, wherein I have taken Notice, that Love comes after Marriage; I hope your Readers are satisfied of this Truth, that as Love generally produces Matrimony, so it often happens that Matrimony produces Love.
"It perhaps requires more Virtues to make a good Husband or Wife, than what go the finishing any the most shining Character whatsoever.
"Discretion seems absolutely necessary, and accordingly we find that the best Husbands have been most famous for their Wisdom. _Homer_, who hath drawn a perfect Pattern of a prudent Man, to make it the more compleat, hath celebrated him for the just Returns of Fidelity and Truth to his _Penelope_; insomuch that he refused the Caresses of a G.o.ddess for her sake, and to use the Expression of the best of Pagan Authors, _vetulam suam praetulit Immortalitati_, his old Woman was dearer to him than Immortality.
"Virtue is the next necessary Qualification for this domestick Character, as it naturally produces Constancy and mutual Esteem. Thus _Brutus_ and _Porcia_ were more remarkable for Virtue and Affection than any others of the Age in which they lived.
"Good-Nature is a third necessary Ingredient in the Marriage-State, without which it would inevitably sower upon a thousand Occasions.
When Greatness of Mind is joined with this amiable Quality, it attracts the Admiration and Esteem of all who behold it. Thus _Caesar_, not more remarkable for his Fortune and Valour than for his Humanity, stole into the Hearts of the _Roman_ People, when breaking through the Custom, he p.r.o.nounced an Oration at the Funeral of his first and best beloved Wife.
"Good-Nature is insufficient, unless it be steady and uniform, and accompanied with an Evenness of Temper, which is, above all things, to be preserved in this Friendship contracted for Life. A Man must be easie within himself, before he can be so to his other self.
_Socrates_, and _Marcus Aurelius_, are Instances of Men, who, by the Strength of Philosophy, having entirely composed their Minds, and subdued their Pa.s.sions, are celebrated for good Husbands, notwithstanding the first was yoked with _Xantippe_, and the other with _Faustina_. If the wedded Pair would but habituate themselves for the first Year to bear with one another"s Faults, the Difficulty would be pretty well conquer"d. This mutual Sweetness of Temper and Complacency, was finely recommended in the Nuptial Ceremonies among the Heathens, who, when they sacrificed to _Juno_ at that Solemnity, always tore out the Gaul from the Entrails of the Victim, and cast it behind the Altar.
"I shall conclude this Letter with a Pa.s.sage out of Dr. _Plot"s Natural History of Staffordshire_, not only as it will serve to fill up your present Paper; but if I find my self in the Humour, may give Rise to another; I having by me an old Register, belonging to the Place here under-mentioned."