possible to return without strong impressions of honour and humanity. On these occasions, distress is laid before us with all its causes and consequences, and our resentment placed according to the merit of the persons afflicted. Were dramas of this nature more acceptable to the taste of the town, men who have genius would bend their studies to excel in them. How forcible an effect this would have on our minds, one needs no more than to observe how strongly we are touched by mere pictures. Who can see Le Brun's picture of the battle of Porus, without entering into the character of that fierce gallant man, and being accordingly spurred to an emulation of his constancy and courage? When he is falling with his wound, the features are at the same time very terrible and languishing; and there is such a stern faintness diffused through all his look, as is apt to move a kind of horror, as well as pity, in the beholder. This, I say, is an effect wrought by mere lights and shades; consider also a representation made by words only, as in an account given by a good writer: Catiline, in Sallust, makes just such a figure as Porus by Le Brun. It is said of him, Catilina vero longe a suis inter hostium cadavera repertus est; paululum etiam spirans, ferocitatemque animi, quam vivus habuerat, in vultu retinens. Catiline was found killed far from his own men, among the dead bodies of the enemy: he seemed still to breathe, and still retained in his face the same fierceness he had when he was living.' You have in that one sentence a lively impression of his whole life and actions. What I would insinuate from all this is, that if the painter and the historian can do thus much in colours and language, what may not be performed by an excellent poet, when the character he draws is presented by the person, the manner, the look, and the motion, of an accomplished player? If a thing painted or related can irresistibly enter our hearts, what may not be brought to pass by seeing generous things performed before our eyes? Eugenio ended his discourse, by recommending the apt use of a theatre, as the most agreeable and easy method of making a polite and moral gentry; which would end in rendering the rest of the people regular in their behaviour, and ambitious of laudable undertakings. St. James's Coffee-house, April 27. Letters from Naples of the ninth instant, N. S. advise, that cardinal Grimani had ordered the regiment commanded by general Pate to march towards Final, in order to embark for Catalonia; whither also a thousand horse are to be transported from Sardinia, besides the troops which come from the Milanesc. An English man-ofwar has taken two prizes, one a vessel of Malta, the other of Genoa, both laden with goods of the enemy. They write from Florence of the thirteenth, that his majesty of Denmark had received a courier from the Hague, with an account of some matters relating to the treaty of a peace, upon which he declared, that he thought it necessary to hasten to his own dominions. Letters from Switzerland inform us, that the effects of the great scarcity of corn in France were felt at Geneva; the magistrates of which city had appointed deputies to treat with the cantons of Bern and Zurich, for leave to buy up such quantities of grain, within their territories, as should be thought necessary. The protestants of Tockenburg are still in arms about the convent of St. John, and have declared, that they will not lay them down, until they shall have sufficient security from the Roman Catholics, of living unmolested in the exercise of their religion. In the mean time, the deputies of Bern and Tockenburg have frequent conferences at Zurich with the regency of that canton, to find out methods for quieting these disorders. Letters from the Hague, of the third of May, advise, that the president Rouille, after his last conference with the deputies of the States, had retired to Bodegrave, five miles distant from Worden, and expected the return of a courier from France on the fourth, with new instructions. It is said, if his answer from the French court shall not prove satisfactory, he will be desired to withdraw out of these parts. In the mean time it is also reported, that his equipage, as an ambassador on this great occasion, is actually on the march towards him. They write from Flanders, that the great convoy of provisions, which set out from Ghent, is safely arrived at Lisle. Those advices add, that the enemy had assembled near Tournay a considerable body of troops, drawn out of the neighbouring garrisons. Their high mightinesses having sent orders to their ministers at Hamburgh and Dantzic, to engage the magistrates of those cities to forbid the sale of corn to the French, and to signify to them, that the Dutch merchants will buy up as much of that commodity as they can spare; the Hamburghers have accordingly contracted with the Dutch, and refused any commerce with the French on that occasion. From my own Apartment. After the lassitude of a day, spent in the strolling manner which is usual with men of pleasure in this town, and with a head full of a million of impertinences, which had danced round it for ten hours together, I came to my lodging, and hastened to bed. My valet de chambre knows my university-trick of reading there; and he, being a good scholar for a gentleman, ran over the names of Horace, Tibullus, Ovid, and others, to know which I would have. Bring Virgil,' said I; and if I fall asleep, take care of the candle.' I read the sixth book over with the most exquisite delight, and had gone half through it a second time, when the pleasing ideas of Elysian fields, deceased worthics walking in them, true lovers enjoying their languishment without pain, compassion for the unhappy spirits who had misspent their short day-light, and were exiled from the seats of bliss for ever; I say, I was deep again in my reading, when this mixture of images had taken place of all others in my imagination before, and lulled me into a dream, from which I am just awake, to my great disadvantage. The happy mansions of Elysium, by degrees, seemed to be wafted from me, and bearing on his left arm a shield, on which was engraven the image of victory, and in his right hand a branch of olive. His visage was at once so winning and so awful, that the shield and the olive seemed equally suitable to his genius. the very traces of my late waking thoughts be- | gan to fade away, when I was cast by a sudden whirlwind upon an island, encompassed with a roaring and troubled sea, which shaked its very centre, and rocked its inhabitants as in a cradle. The islanders lay on their faces, without offer- When this illustrious person* touched on the ing to look up or hope for preservation; all her shore, he was received by the acclamations of harbours were crowded with mariners, and tall the people, and followed to the palace of the vessels of war lay in danger of being driven to heroine. No pleasure in the glory of her arms, pieces on her shores. Bless me!' said I, why or the acclamations of her applauding subjects, have I lived in such a manner, that the convul- were ever capable to suspend her sorrow for one sion of nature should be so terrible to me, when moment, till she saw the olive-branch in the I feel in myself that the better part of me is to hand of that auspicious messenger. At that sight, survive it? Oh! may that be in happiness!' as heaven bestows its blessings on the wants and A sudden shriek, in which the whole people on importunities of mortals, out of its native bounty, their faces joined, interrupted my soliloquy, and and not to increase its own power or honour, in turned my eyes and attention to the object that compassion to the world, the celestial mourner had given us that sudden start, in the midst of was then first seen to turn her regard to things an inconsolable and speechless affliction. Im- below; and, taking the branch out of the warmediately the winds grew calm, the waves sub-rior's hand, looked at it with much satisfaction, sided, and the people stood up, turning their and spoke of the blessings of peace, with a voice faces upon a magnificent pile in the midst of and accent, such as that in which guardian the island. There we beheld a hero of a come- spirits whisper to dying penitents assurances of ly and erect aspect, but pale and languid, sitting happiness. The air was hushed, the multitude under a canopy of state. By the faces and dumb attentive, and all nature in a pause while she sorrow of those who attended, we thought him was speaking. But as soon as the messenger of in the article of death. At a distance sat a lady peace had made some low reply, in which, mewhose life seemed to hang upon the same thread thought, I heard the word Iberia, the heroine, with his; she kept her eyes fixed upon him, and assuming a more severe air, but such as spoke seemed to smother ten thousand thousand name-resolution without rage, returned him the olive, less things, which urged her tenderness to clasp and again veiled her face. Loud cries and clashhim in her arms; but her greatness of spiriting of arms immediately followed, which forced overcame those sentiments, and gave her power to forbear disturbing his last moment; which immediately approached. The hero looked up with an air of negligence, and satiety of being, rather than of pain to leave it; and, leaning back his head, expired. me from my charming vision, and drove me back to these mansions of care and sorrow. *Mr. Bickerstaff thanks Mr. Quarterstaff for his kind and instructive letter dated the twenty-sixth instant. No. 9.] Saturday, April 30, 1709. Quicquid agunt homines -nostri est farrago libelli. Juv. Sat. i. 85, 86. Whate'er men do, or say, or think, or dream, Our motley paper seizes for its theme. Will's Coffee-house, April 28. P. When the heroine, who sat at a distance, saw his last instant come, she threw herself at his feet, and, kneeling, pressed his hand to her lips, in which posture she continued, under the agony of an unutterable sorrow, until conducted from our sight by her attendants. That commanding awe, which accompanies the grief of great minds, restrained the multitude while in her presence; but as soon as she retired, they gave way to their distraction, and all the islanders called upon their deceased hero. To him, me- Old Bachelor,f a comedy of deserved reputa THIS evening we were entertained with The thought, they cried out, as to a guardian being; tion. In the character which gives name to and-I gathered from their broken accents, that the play, there is excellently represented the it was he who had the empire over the ocean reluctance of a battered debauchee to come into and its powers, by which he had long protected the trammels of order and decency; he neither the island from shipwreck and invasion. They languishes nor burns, but frets for love. The now give a loose to their moan, and think themselves exposed without hopes of human or divine gentlemen of more regular behaviour are drawn assistance. While the people ran wild, and ex-duced, by the dialogue of the first scene, with with much spirit and wit, and the drama intropressed all the different forms of lamentation, methought a sable cloud overshadowed the whole land, and covered its inhabitants with darkness; no glimpse of light appeared, except one ray from heaven upon the place in which the heroine now secluded herself from the world, with her eyes fixed on those abodes to which her consort was ascended. Methought a long period of time had passed away in mourning and in darkness, when a twilight began by degrees to enlighten the hemisphere; and, looking round me, I saw a boat rowed towards the shore, in which sat a personage adorned with warlike trophies, of Fondlewife is a lively image of the unseauncommon, yet natural conversation. The part sonable fondness of age and impotence. But, instead of such agreeable works as these, the town has for half an age been tormented with insects called Easy Writers, whose abilities Mr. Wycherly one day described excellently well in one word: That,' says he, among these fellows is called Easy Writing, which any one . from Holland, with the preliminaries of a peace. By Congreve. His first play, and first acted in 1693. Now hardly here and there an hackney coach may easily write.' Such janty scribblers are | make use of; but will not encroach upon the so justly laughed at for their sonnets on Phillis above-mentioned adepts, or any other. At the and Chloris, and fantastical descriptions in them, same time, I shall take all the privileges I may, that an ingenious kinsman of mine, of the as an Englishman, and will lay hold of the late family of the Staffs, Mr. Humphrey Wagstaff by act of naturalization to introduce what I shall name, has, to avoid their strain, run into a way think fit from France. The use of that law may, perfectly new, and described things exactly as I hope, be extended to people the polite world they happen; he never forms fields, or nymphs, with new characters, as well as the kingdom or groves, where they are not; but makes the itself with new subjects. Therefore an author incidents just as they really appear. For an of that nation, called La Bruyere, I shall make example of it: I stole out of his manuscript the bold with on such occasions. The last person following lines; they are a description of the I read of in that writer was lord Timon. Timon, morning, but of the morning in town; nay, of says my author, is the most generous of all men ; the morning at this end of the town, where my but is so hurried away with that strong impulse kinsman at present lodges: of bestowing, that he confers benefits without distinction, and is munificent without laying obligations. For all the unworthy, who receive from him, have so little sense of this noble infirmity, that they look upon themselves rather as partners in a spoil, than partakers of a bounty. The other day, coming into Paris, I met Timon going out on horseback, attended only by one servant. It struck me with a sudden damp, to see a man of so excellent a disposition, and who understood making a figure so well, so much shortened in his retinue. But, passing by his house, 1 saw his great coach break to pieces before his door, and, by a strange enchantment, immediately turned into many different vehicles. The first was a very pretty chariot, into which All that I apprehend is, that dear Numps will stepped his lordship's secretary. The second was hung a little heavier; into that strutted the be angry I have published these lines; not that fat steward. In an instant followed a chaise, he has any reason to be ashamed of them, but which was entered by the butler. The rest of for fear of those rogues, the bane to all excellent the body and wheels were forthwith changed performances, the imitators. Therefore, beforehand, I bar all descriptions of the evening; as and brats of the rest of the family. What makes into go-carts, and run away with by the nurses a medley of verses signifying grey peas are now these misfortunes in the affairs of Timon the cried warm; that wenches now begin to amble more astonishing is, that he has better underround the passages of the play-house: or of noon; standing than those who cheat him; so that a as, that fine ladies and great beaux are just man knows not which more to wonder at, the yawning out of their beds, and windows in Pall-indifference of the master, or the impudence of mall, and so forth. I forewarn also all persons the servant. from encouraging any draughts after my cousin ; and foretel any man who shall go about to imitate him, that he will be very insipid. The family-stock is embarked in this design, and we And brick-dust Moll had screamed thro' half a street: The watchful bailiffs take their silent stands; will not admit of counterfeits. Dr. Andersont and his heirs enjoy his pills; Sir William Readt has the cure of eyes, and monsieur Rosselliğ only can cure the gout. We pretend to none of these things; but to examine who and who are together, to tell any mistaken man he is not what he believes he is, to distinguish merit, and expose false pretences to it, is a liberty our family has by law in them, from an intermarriage with the daughter of Mr. Scoggin, the famous droll of the last century. This right I design to "Henley would fain have me to go with Steele and Rowe, &c. to an invitation at Sir William Read's. Surely you have heard of him. He has been a mountebank, and is the queen's oculist; he makes admirable punch, and treats you in gold vessels. But I am engaged, and won't go; neither indeed am I fond of the jaunt." April 11, 1711-Swift's Works, vol. xxii. p. 20. White's Chocolate-house, April 29. beaux and oglers, what it is that can have made It is a matter of much speculation among the so sudden a change, as has been of late observed, in the whole behaviour of Pastorella, who never she has now exceeded by two months. Her sat still a moment until she was eighteen, which aunt, who has the care of her, has not been al ways so rigid as she is at this present date; but and falsehood of man, that she resolved on all so good a sense of the frailty of woman, manner of methods to keep Pastorella, if possible, in safety, against herself and all her admir has ers. At the same time the good lady knew by long experience, that a gay inclination, curbed too rashly, would but run to the greater excesses for that restraint; she therefore intended to watch her, and take some opportunity of engaging her insensibly in her own interests, without the anguish of an admonition. You ing and ogling, had also naturally a strong curiare to know, then, that miss, with all her flirt It is said that the queen's oculist, though he was won-osity in her, and was the greatest eaves-dropper derfully successful, could neither read nor write. Rosselli, sufficiently known from the Romance of his life, which was written by himself. Scoggin was a buffoon in the reign of king James I. breathing. Parisatis (for so her prudent aunt is called) observed this humour, and retires one day to her closet, into which she knew Pastorella THE TATLER. would peep, and listen to know how she was employed. It happened accordingly; and the young lady saw her good governante on her knees, and, after a mental behaviour, break into these words, As for the dear child committed to my care, let her sobriety of carriage, and severity of behaviour, be such as may make that noble lord who is taken with her beauty, turn his designs to such as are honourable.' Here Parisatis heard her neice nestle closer to the key-hole she then goes on: Make her the joyful mother of a numerous and wealthy offspring; and let her carriage be such, as may make this noble youth expect the blessings of a happy marriage, from the singularity of her life, in this loose and censorious age.' Miss, having heard enough, sneaks off for fear of discovery, and immediately at her glass alters the sitting of her head; then pulls up her tucker, and forms herself into the exact manner of Lindamira; in a word, becomes a sincere convert to every thing that is commendable in a fine young lady; and two or three such matches as her aunt feigned in her devotions, are at this day in her choice. This is the history and original cause of Pastorella's conversion from coquetry. The prudence in the management of this young lady's temper, and good judgment of it, is hardly to be exceeded. I scarce remember a greater instance of forbearance of the usual peevish way with which the aged treat the young than this, except that of our famous Noy, whose good nature went so far as to make him put off his admonitions to his son, even until after his death; and did not give him his thoughts of him, until he came to read that me. morable passage in his will: All the rest of my estate,' says he, 'I leave to my son Edward (who is executor to this my will) to be squandered as he shall think fit; I leave it him for that purpose, and hope no better for him.' A generous disdain, and reflection upon how little he deserved from so excellent a father, reformed the young man, and made Edward, from an arrant rake, become a fine gentleman. St. James's Coffee-house, April 29. [No. 10. and this day a mail is come in with letters from Brussels of the sixth of May, N.S. which advise, that the enemy had drawn together a body, consisting of 20,000 men, with a design, as was supposed, to intercept the great convoy arrived at Menin and Courtray, in its way to on the march towards Lisle, which was safely that place, the French having retired without making any attempt. the first quality is arrived in the Low Countries We hear from the Hague, that a person of from France, in order to be a plenipotentiary in an ensuing treaty of peace. sieur Bernard has made no higher offers of saLetters from France acknowledge, that montisfaction to his creditors than of thirty-five pounds per cent. monsieur Torcy (who distinguished himself forThese advices add, that the marshal Boufflers, merly, by advising the court of France to adhere court (who negotiated with cardinal Portocarto the treaty of partition,) and monsieur d'Harrero for the succession of the crown of Spain in the house of Bourbon,) are all three joined in a commission for a treaty of peace. The marshal is come to Ghent the other two are arrived at the Hague. honourable the lord Townshend is to go with It is confidently reported here, that the right his grace the duke of Marlborough into Holland. of Mrs. Rebecca Wagstaff, Timothy Pikestaff, *Mr. Bickerstaff has received the epistles and Wagstaff, which he will acknowledge farther as occasion shall serve. No. 10.] Tuesday, May 3, 1709. Juv. Sat. i. 85, 86. Quicquid agunt homines- From my own Apartment, May 1. P. Letters from Portugal of the eighteenth in- to go out of town, ordered me to take upon me My brother Isaac, having a sudden occasion stant, dated from Estremos, say, that on the the despatch of the next advices from home, sixth the earl of Galway arrived at that place, with liberty to speak in my own way: not and had the satisfaction to see the quarters well doubting the allowances which would be given furnished with all manner of provisions, and a to a writer of my sex. quantity of bread sufficient for subsisting the dertook it with much satisfaction; and I confess, troops for sixty days, besides biscuit for twenty- I am not a little pleased with the opportunity of You may be sure I unfive days. The enemy give out, that they shall running over all the papers in his closet, which bring into the field fourteen regiments of horse, he has left open for my use on this occasion. and twenty-four battalions. The troops in the The first that I lay my hands on, is a treatise service of Portugal will make up 14,000 foot, and concerning the empire of beauty,' and the ef 4000 horse. On the day these letters were dis- fects it has had in all nations of the world, upon patched, the earl of Galway received advice, that the public and private actions of men; with the marquis de Bay was preparing for some enterprise, by gathering his troops together on the scheme for governing his wife.' The first thing an appendix, which he calls, 'The Bachelor's frontiers. Whereupon his excellency resolved he makes this gentleman propose, is, that she to go that same night to Villa Viciosa, to assem-shall be no woman; for she is to have an averble the troops in that neighbourhood, in order to disappoint his designs. Yesterday, in the evening, captain Foxton, aid-de-camp to major-general Cadogan, arrived here express from the duke of Marlborough; sion to balls, to operas, to visits; she is to think life with great satisfaction; she is never to behis company sufficient to fill up all the hours of lieve any other man wise, learned, or valiant; or at least, but in a second degree. In the next place, he intends she shall be a cuckold; but expects, that he himself must live in perfect security from that tenor. He dwells a great while on instructions for her discreet behaviour, in case of his falsehood. I have not patience with these unreasonable expectations, therefore turn back to the treatise itself. Here, indeed, my brother deduces all the revolutions among men from the passion of love; and in his preface answers that usual observation against us, that there is no quarrel without a woman in it,' with a gallant assertion, that there is nothing else worth quarrelling for.' My brother is of a complexion truly amorous; all his thoughts and actions carry in them a tincture of that obliging inclination; and this turn has opened his eyes to see, that we are not the inconsiderable creatures which unlucky pretenders to our favour would insinuate. He observes that no man begins to make any tolerable figure until he sets out with the hopes of pleasing some one of us. No sooner he takes that in hand, but he pleases every one else by the byc. It has an immediate effect upon his behaviour. There is colonel Ranter, who never spoke without an oath, until he saw the lady Betty Modish; now, never gives his man an order, but it is 'Pray Tom, do it.' The drawers where he drinks, live in perfect happiness. He asked Will at the George the other day, how he did? Where he used to say, Damn it, it is so;' he now believes there is some mistake; he must confess, he is of another opinion; but, however, he will not insist.' Every temper, except downright insipid, is to be animated and softened by the influence of beauty; but of this untractable sort is a lifeless handsome fellow that visits us, whom I have dressed at this twelvemonth; but he is as insensible of all the arts I use, as if he conversed all that time with his nurse. He outdoes our whole sex in all the faults our enemies impute to us; he has brought laziness into an opinion, and makes his indolence his philosophy insomuch that no longer ago than yesterday in the evening he gave me this account of himself: I am, madam, perfectly unmoved at all that passes among men, and seldom give myself the fatigue of going among them; but when I do, I always appear the same thing to those whom I converse with. My hours of existence, or being awake, are from eleven in the morning to eleven at night; half of which I live to myself, in picking my teeth, washing my hands, paring my nails, and looking in the glass. The insignificancy of my manners to the rest of the world,† makes the laughers call me a Quidnunc, a phrase which I neither understand, nor shall ever inquire what they mean by it. The last of me each *There is probably an allusion here to the celebrated Mrs. Anne Oldfield and brigadier-general Churchill. Mrs. O. played at this time inimitably well the character of Lady Betty Modish in the Careless Husband,' which the author, Mr. Cibber, acknowledges was not only written for her, but copied from her, so that she was both the player, and the original of the character. Biog. Brit. Art. Oldfield. What follows is inserted as a farther specimen of the manner of the Annotator on the Tatler, and of the nature of his remarks. See Tatler, Nos. 5, and 7. Noth ing is more apropos, than to talk in a dialect that is not English, of a phrase that is not sense.' Annotations on the Tatler, part i. p. 85. night is at St. James's coffee-house, where I converse, yet never fall into a dispute on any occasion; but leave the understanding I have, passive of all that goes through it, without entering into the business of life. And thus, madam, have I arrived by laziness, to what others pretend to by philosophy, a perfect neglect of the world." Sure, if our sex had the liberty of frequenting public houses and conversations, we should put these rivals of our faults and follies out of countenance. However, we shall soon have the pleasure of being acquainted with them one way or other; for my brother Isaac designs, for the use of our sex, to give the exact characters of all the chief politicians, who frequent any of the coffee-houses from St. James's to the Exchange; but designs to begin with that cluster of wise-heads, as they are found sitting every evening from the left side of the fire, at the Smyrna, to the door. This will be of great service for us, and I have authority to promise an exact journal of their deliberations; the publication of which I am to be allowed for pin-money. In the meantime, I cast my eye upon a new book, which gave me more pleasing entertainment, being a sixth part of Miscellany Poems published by Jacob Tonson, which, I find, by my brother's notes upon it, no way inferior to the other volumes. There is, it seems, in this, a collection of the best pastorals that have hithcrto appeared in England; but among them, none superior to that dialogue between Sylvia and Dorinda, written by one of my own sex;† where all our little weaknesses are laid open in a manner more just, and with truer raillery, than ever man yet hit upon. Only this I now discern, Froin the things thou'dst have me learn, But to reassume my first design, there cannot be a greater instance of the command of females, than in the prevailing charms of the heroine in the play, which was acted this night, called, All for Love; or The World well Lost.'t The enamoured Anthony resigns glory and power to the force of the attractive Cleopatra, whose charms were the defence of her diadem against a people otherwise invincible. It is so natural for women to talk of themselves, that it is to be hoped, all my own sex at least will pardon me, that I could fall into no other discourse. If we have their favour, we give ourselves very little anxiety for the rest of our readers. I believe I see a sentence of Latin in my brother's day-book of wit, which seems applicable on this occasion, and in contempt of the critics Tristitiam et metus No boding fears shall break my rest, *Usually called Dryden's Collection.' † By Mrs. Elizabeth Singer, celebrated by Prior in many parts of his poems, and afterwards Mrs. Rowe. By Dryden, first acted in the year 1678. The humour of Mrs. Jenny Distaff's Latin quotation stands in need of some illustration. It rises out of the similarity between the words Cretecum and Criticum, which are sufficiently alike to mislead a lady unskilled in the Latin language, into this misapplication of the passage. |