"--Fallentis Semita Vitae."
Hor.
_Mr_. SPECTATOR,
"In a former Speculation you have observed, that true Greatness doth not consist in that Pomp and Noise wherein the Generality of Mankind are apt to place it. You have there taken Notice, that Virtue in Obscurity often appears more ill.u.s.trious in the Eye of superior Beings, than all that pa.s.ses for Grandeur and Magnificence among Men.
When we look back upon the History of those who have born the Parts of Kings, Statesmen, or Commanders, they appear to us stripped of those out-side Ornaments that dazzled their Contemporaries; and we regard their Persons as great or little, in Proportion to the Eminence of their Virtues or Vices. The wise Sayings, generous Sentiments, or disinterested Conduct of a Philosopher under mean Circ.u.mstances of Life, set him higher in our Esteem than the mighty Potentates of the Earth, when we view them both through the long Prospect of many Ages.
Were the Memoirs of an obscure Man, who lived up to the Dignity of his Nature, and according to the Rules of Virtue, to be laid before us, we should find nothing in such a Character which might not set him on a Level with Men of the highest Stations. The following Extract out of the private Papers of an honest Country-Gentleman will set this Matter in a clear Light. Your Reader will perhaps conceive a greater Idea of him from these Actions done in Secret, and without a Witness, than of those which have drawn upon them the Admiration of Mult.i.tudes.
_MEMOIRS_.
"In my 22d Year I found a violent Affection for my Cousin _Charles"s_ Wife growing upon me, wherein I was in danger of succeeding, if I had not upon that Account begun my Travels into foreign Countries.
"A little after my Return into _England_, at a private Meeting with my Uncle _Francis_, I refused the Offer of his Estate, and prevailed upon him not to disinherit his Son _Ned_.
"_Mem_. Never to tell this to _Ned,_, lest he should think hardly of his deceased Father; though he continues to speak ill of me for this very Reason.
"Prevented a scandalous Law-suit betwixt my Nephew _Harry_ and his Mother, by allowing her under-hand, out of my own Pocket, so much Money yearly as the Dispute was about.
"Procured a Benefice for a young Divine, who is Sister"s Son to the good Man who was my Tutor, and hath been dead Twenty Years.
"Gave Ten Pounds to poor Mrs.--, my Friend _H--_"s Widow.
"_Mem_. To retrench one Dish at my Table, till I have fetched it up again.
"_Mem_. To repair my House and finish my Gardens in order to employ poor People after Harvest time.
"Ordered _John_ to let out Goodman D--"s Sheep that were pounded, by Night: but not to let his Fellow-Servants know it.
"Prevailed upon _M. T._ Esq., not to take the Law of the Farmer"s Son for shooting a Partridge, and to give him his Gun again.
"Paid the Apothecary for curing an old Woman that confessed her self a Witch.
"Gave away my favourite Dog for biting a Beggar.
"Made the Minister of the Parish and a _Whig_ Justice of one Mind, by putting them upon explaining their Notions to one another.
"_Mem_, To turn off _Peter_ for shooting a Doe while she was eating Acorns out of his Hand.
"When my Neighbour _John_, who hath often injured me, comes to make his Request to Morrow:
"_Mem_. I have forgiven him.
"Laid up my Chariot and sold my Horses, to relieve the Poor in a Scarcity of Corn.
"In the same Year remitted to my Tenants a Fifth Part of their Rents.
"As I was airing to-day, I fell into a Thought that warmed my Heart, and shall, I hope, be the better for it as long as I live.
"_Mem_. To charge my Son in private to erect no Monument for me; but not to put this in my last Will.
No. 623. Monday, November 22, 1714. Addison [1].
"Sed mihi vel tellus optem prius ima dehiscat, Vel pater omnipotens adigat me fulmine ad umbras, Pallentes umbras Erebi noctemque profundam, Ante, pudor, quam te violem aut tua jura resolvam.
Ille meos, primos qui me sibi junxit, amores Abstulit: ille habeat sec.u.m, servetque sepulchro."
Virg.
I am obliged to my Friend, the _Love-Casuist_[2], for the following Curious Piece of Antiquity, which I shall communicate to the Publick in his own Words.
_Mr_. SPECTATOR,
"You may remember, that I lately transmitted to you an Account of an ancient Custom, in the Manors of East _and_ West-Enborne, _in the County of_ Berks, _and elsewhere. If a Customary Tenant die, the Widow shall have what the Law calls her_ Free-Bench _in all his Copyhold Lands_, dum sola et casta fuerit, _that is_, while she lives single and chaste; _but if she commits Incontinency, she forfeits her Estate; Yet if she will come into the Court riding backward upon a Black Ram, with his Tail in her Hand, and say the Words following, the Steward is bound by the Custom to re-admit her to her_ Free-Bench.
"Here I am, Riding upon a Black Ram, Like a Wh.o.r.e as I am; And, for my_ Crinc.u.m Cranc.u.m, _Have lost my_ Binc.u.m Banc.u.m; _And, for my Tail"s Game, Have done this worldly Shame; Therefore, I pray you Mr. Steward, let me have my Land again."
"After having informed you that my Lord _c.o.ke_ observes, that this is the most frail and slippery Tenure of any in _England_, I shall tell you, since the Writing of that Letter, I have, according to my Promise, been at great Pains in searching out the Records of the _Black Ram_; and have at last met with the Proceedings of the Court-Baron, held in that Behalf, for the s.p.a.ce of a whole Day. The Record saith, that a strict Inquisition having been made into the Right of the Tenants to their several Estates, by a crafty old Steward, he found that many of the Lands of the Manor were, by default of the several Widows, forfeited to the Lord, and accordingly would have enter"d on the Premises: Upon which the good Women demanded the Benefit of the Ram. The Steward, after having perused their several Pleas, adjourn"d the Court to _Barnaby-bright_ [3], that they might have Day enough before them.
"The Court being set, and filled with a great Concourse of People, who came from all Parts to see the Solemnity, the first who entered was the Widow _Frontly_, who had made her Appearance in the last Year"s Cavalcade. The Register observes, that finding it an easy Pad-Ram, and foreseeing she might have further Occasion for it, she purchased it of the Steward.
"Mrs. _Sarah Dainty_, Relict of Mr. _John Dainty_, (who was the greatest Prude in the Parish) came next in the Procession. She at first made some Difficulty of taking the Tail in her Hand; and was observed in p.r.o.nouncing the Form of Penance, to soften the two most emphatical Words into _Clinc.u.m Clanc.u.m_: But the Steward took care to make her speak plain _English_ before he would _let her have her Land again_.
"The third Widow that was _brought to this worldly Shame_, being mounted upon a vicious Ram, had the Misfortune to be thrown by him; upon which she hoped to be excused from going thro" the rest of the Ceremony: But the Steward being well versed in the Law, observed very wisely upon this Occasion, that the breaking of the Rope does not hinder the Execution of the Criminal.
"The fourth Lady upon Record was the Widow _Ogle_, a famous Coquette, who had kept half a Score young Fellows off and on for the s.p.a.ce of two Years; but having been more kind to her Carter _John_, she was introduced with the Huzza"s of all her Lovers about her.
"Mrs. _Sable_ appearing in her Weeds, which were very new and fresh, and of the same Colour with her whimsical _Palfrey_, made a very decent Figure in the Solemnity.