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upon our minds traces of reflection, which ac- |
company us whenever the like objects occur.
In short, excellent poetry and description dwell
upon us so agreeably, that all the readers of
them are made to think, if not write, like men
of wit. But it would be injury to detain you
longer from this excellent performance, which
is addressed to the earl of Dorset by Mr. Philips,
the author of several choice poems in Mr. Ton-
son's new Miscellany.

Copenhagen, March 9, 1709.

From frozen climes, and endless tracts of snow,
From streams that northern winds forbid to flow,
What present shall the muse to Dorset bring,
Or how, so near the pole, attempt to sing?
The hoary winter here conceals from sight
All pleasing objects that to verse invite.
The hills and dales, and the delightful woods,
The flowery plains, and silver-streaming floods,
By snow disguised, in bright confusion lie,
And with one dazzling waste fatigue the eye.

No gentle-breathing breeze prepares the spring,
No birds within the desert region sing:
The ships unmoved the boisterous winds defy,
While rattling chariots o'er the ocean fly.
The vast leviathan wants room to play,
And spout his waters in the face of day,

The starving wolves along the main sea prowl,
And to the moon in icy valleys howl.

For many a shining league the level main
Here spreads itself into a glassy plain :
There solid billows of enormous size,
Alps of green ice, in wild disorder rise.

And yet but lately have I seen, e'en here,
The winter in a lovely dress appear.
Ere yet the clouds let fall the treasured snow,
Or winds began through hazy skies to blow,
At evening a keen eastern breeze arose;
And the descending rain unsullied froze.
Soon as the silent shades of night withdrew,
The ruddy morn disclosed at once to view
The face of nature in a rich disguise,
And brightened every object to my eyes:
For every shrub, and every blade of grass,
And every pointed thorn, seemed wrought in glass;
In pearls and rubies rich the hawthorn's show,
While through the ice the crimson berries glow.
The thick-sprung reeds the watery marshes yield
Seem polished lances in a hostile field.
The stag, in limpid currents, with surprise,
Sees crystal branches on his forehead rise.
The spreading oak, the beech, and towering pine,
Glazed over, in the freezing æther shine.
The frighted birds the rattling branches shun,
That wave and glitter in the distant sun.

When, if a sudden gust of wind arise,
The brittle forest into atoms flies;
The crackling wood beneath the tempest bends,
And in a spangled shower the prospect ends;

Or, if a southern gale the region warm,

And by degrees unbind the wintery charm,

The traveller a miry country sees,

And journeys sad beneath the drooping trees.

Like some deluded peasant Merlin leads

decline giving you what I know; and apply
the following verses of Mr. Dryden, in the
second part of Almanzor,' to the present cir-
cumstances of things, without discovering what
my knowledge in astronomy suggests to me:-

When empire in its childhood first appears,
Till grown more strong it thrusts and stretches out,
A watchful fate o'ersees its tender years:
And elbows all the kingdoms round about.
The place thus made for its first breathing free,
It moves again for ease and luxury:
Till, swelling by degrees, it has possest
The greater space, and now crowds up the rest.
When from behind there starts some petty state,
And pushes on its now unwieldly fate:
Then down the precipice of time it goes,
And sinks in minutes, which in ages rose.

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MUCH hurry and business has to-day perplexed me into a mood too thoughtful for going into company; for which reason, instead of the tavern, I went to Lincoln's Inn walks; and, having taken a round or two, I sat down, according to the allowed familiarity of these places, on a bench; at the other end of which sat a venerable gentleman, who, speaking with a very affable air,- Mr. Bickerstaff,' said he, I take it for a very great piece of good fortune that you have found me out.' 'Sir,' said I, 'I had never, that I know of, the honour of seeing you before.' 'That,' replied he, is what I have often lamented; but, I assure you, I have for many years done you good offices, without being observed by you; or else, when you had any little glimpse of my being concerned in an affair, you have fled from me, and shunned me like an enemy; but, however, the part I am to act in the world is such, that I am to go on in doing good, though I meet with never so many repulses, even from those I oblige.' This, thought I, shows a great good-nature, but little judgment in the person upon whom he confers his favours. He immediately took notice to me, that he observed by my countenance I thought him indiscreet in his beneficence, and proceeded to tell me his quality in the following manner: I know thee, Isaac, to be so well versed in the occult sciences, that I need not

Through fragrant bowers, and through delicious meads; much preface, or make long preparations to gain

While bere enchanted gardens to him rise,
And airy fabrics there attract his eyes,
His wandering feet the magic paths pursue;

And while he thinks the fair illusion true,
The trackless scenes disperse in fluid air,

And woods, and wilds, and thorny ways appear:
A tedious road the weary wretch returns,
And as he goes, the transient vision mourns.

From my own Apartment, May 6.

There has a mail this day arrived from Holland; but the matter of the advices importing rather what gives us great expectations, than any positive assurances, I shall, for this time

your faith that there are airy beings who are employed in the care and attendance of men, as nurses are to infants, until they come to an age in which they can act of themselves. These beings are usually called amongst men, guardian-angels; and, Mr. Bickerstaff, I am to acquaint you, that I am to be yours for some time to come; it being our orders to vary our stations, and sometimes to have one patient under our protection, and sometimes another, with a power of assuming what shape we please, to ensnare our wards into their own good. I have of late been upon such hard duty, and

·

THE TATLER.

[No. 13.

know you have so much work for me, that I get's cheeks, that she grew downright in love think fit to appear to you face to face, to desire with him; for, it is always to be understood, you will give me as little occasion for vigilance that a lady takes all you detract from the rest as you can.' 'Sir,' said I, it will be a great of her sex to be a gift to her. In a word, things instruction to me in my behaviour, if you please went so far, that I was dismissed, and she will to give me some account of your late employ- remember that evening, nine months from the ments, and what hardships or satisfactions you sixth of April, by a very remarkable token. The have had in them, that I may govern myself next, as I said, I went to, was a common swearaccordingly.' He answered, To give you an example of the drudgery we go through, I will when I came first to view his brain: half of it er: never was a creature so puzzled as myself, entertain you only with my three last stations; I was worn out, and filled up with mere expletives, was on the first of April last put to mortify a that had nothing to do with any other parts of great beauty, with whom I was a week; from the texture; therefore, when he called for his her I went to a common swearer, and have been clothes in a morning, he would cry, 'John !'— last with a gamester. When I first came to my John does not answer. lady, I found my great work was to guard well body there? What the devil, and rot me, John, her eyes and ears; but her flatterers were so for a lazy dog as you are!' 'What a plague! nonumerous, and the house, after the modern way, cure him, but by writing down all he said one I knew no way to so full of looking-glasses, that I seldom had her morning as he was dressing, and laying it besafe but in her sleep. Whenever we went fore him on the toilet when he came to pick his abroad, we were surrounded by an army of teeth. The last recital I gave him of what he enemies when a well-made man appeared, he said for half an hour before was,What, a pox was sure to have a side glance of observation; rot me! where is the wash-ball? call the chairif a disagreeable fellow, he had a full face, out men: damn them, I warrant they are at the of mere inclination to conquests. But at the alehouse already! zounds, and confound them!' close of the evening, on the sixth of the last When he came to the glass, he takes up my month, my ward was sitting on a couch, read-note-Ha! this fellow is worse than I :ing Ovid's Epistles; and as she came to this line of Helen to Paris,

'She half consents who silently denies ;** entered Philander,† who is the most skilful of all men in an address to women. He is arrived at the perfection of that art which gains them, which is, to talk like a very miserable man, but look like a happy one.' I saw Dictinna blush at his entrance, which gave me the alarm; but he immediately said something so agreeably on her being at study, and the novelty of finding a lady employed in so grave a manner, that he on a sudden became very familiarly a man of no consequence; and in an instant laid all her suspicions of his skill asleep, as he had almost done mine, until I observed him very dangerously turn his discourse upon the elegance of her dress, and her judgment in the choice of that very pretty mourning. Having had women before under my care, I trembled at the apprehension of a man of sense who could talk upon trifles, and resolved to stick to my post with all the circumspection imaginable. In short, I prepossessed her against all he could say to the advantage of her dress and person; but he turned again the discourse, where I found I had no power over her, on the abusing her friends and acquaintance. He allowed, indeed, that Flora had a little beauty, and a great deal of wit; but

what, docs he swear with pen and ink! But, reading on, he found them to be his own words. The stratagem had so good an effect upon him, learning to speak without an oath, which makes that he grew immediately a new man, and is him extremely short in his phrases; for, as I observed before, a common swearer has a brain without any idea on the swearing side; therefore my ward has yet mighty little to say, and is forced to substitute some other vehicle of nonsense, to supply the defect of his usual expletives. When I left him, he made use of

and so forth; which gave me hopes of his reOdsbodikins! Oh me! and never stir alive!" covery. So I went to the next I told you of, the gamester. When we at first take our place about a man, the receptacles of the pericranium are immediately searched. In his I found no one ordinary trace of thinking; but strong passion, violent desires, and a continued series of different changes, had torn it to pieces. There appeared no middle condition; the triumph of a prince, or the misery of a beggar, were his alternate states. I was with him no longer than one day, which was yesterday. In the morning at twelve, we were worth four thousand pounds; at three, we were arrived at six thousand; half an hour after, we were reduced to one thousand; at four of the clock, we were down to two hundred; at five, to fifty; at six, to five; at seven,

haviour then she was so ungainly in her be- to one guinea; the next bet, to nothing. This

such a laughing hoyden!-Pastorella had, with him, the allowance of being blameless; but what was that towards being praise-worthy? To be only innocent, is not to be virtuous! He afterwards spoke so much against Mrs. Dipple's forehead, Mrs. Prim's mouth, Mrs. Dentrifice's teeth, and Mrs. Fid

This line occurs in a joint translation of Helen's Epistle to Paris.' by the Earl of Mulgrave and Dryden, in the edition of Ovid's Epistles,' 1709. † Supposed to be lord Halifax.

morning he borrowed half-a-crown of the maid who cleans his shoes; and is now gaming in Lincoln's Inn Fields among the boys for farthings and oranges, until he has made up three pieces, and then he returns to White's into the best company in town.'

Thus ended our first discourse; and, it is hoped, you will forgive me that I have picked view. In the next, it is possible, he may tell me more pleasing incidents; for though he is a faso little out of my companion at our first intermiliar, he is not an evil spirit.

St. James's Coffee-house, May 9.

No. 14.]

Thursday, May 12, 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.

From my own Apartment, May 10.

P.

HAD it not been that my familiar had ap

We hear from the Hague, of the fourteenth instant, N. S. that monsieur de Torcy hath had frequent conferences with the grand pensioner, and the other ministers who were heretofore commissioned to treat with monsieur Rouille. The preliminaries of a peace are almost settled, and the proceedings wait only for the arrival of the duke of Marlborough; after whose appeared to me, as I told you in my last, in perprobation of the articles proposed, it is not doubted but the methods of the treaty will be publicly known. In the mean time, the States have declared an abhorrence of taking any step in this great affair, but in concert with the court of Great Britain, and other princes of the alliance. The posture of affairs in France does necessarily oblige that nation to be very much in earnest in their offers; and monsieur de Torcy hath professed to the grand pensioner, that he will avoid all occasions of giving him the least jealousy of his using any address in private conversation for accomplishing the ends of his embassy. It is said, that as soon as the preliminaries are adjusted, that minister is to return to the French court. The states of Holland have resolved to make it an instruction to all their men-of-war and privateers, to bring into their ports whatever neutral ships they shall meet with, laden with corn, and bound for France; and, to avoid all cause of complaint from the potentates to whom these ships shall belong, their full demand for their freight shall be paid them there. The French Protestants residing in that country have applied themselves to their respective magistrates, desiring that there may be an article in the treaty of peace, which may give liberty of conscience to the Protestants in France. Monsieur Bosnage, minister of the Walloon church at Rotterdam, has been at the Hague, and hath had some conferences with the deputies of the States on that subject. It is reported there, that all the French refugees in those dominions are to be naturalized, that they may enjoy the same good effects of the treaty with the Hollanders themselves, in respect of France.

Letters from Paris say, the people conceive great hopes of a sudden peace, from monsieur Torcey's being employed in the negotiation; he being a minister of too great weight in that court, to be sent on any employment in which his master would not act in a manner wherein he might justly promise himself success. The French advices add, that there is an insurrection in Poictou, three thousand men having taken up arms, and beaten the troops which were appointed to disperse them; three of the mutineers, being taken, were immediately executed; and as many of the king's party were used after the same manner.

Our late act of naturalization hath had so great an effect in foreign parts, that some princes have prohibited the French refugees in their dominions to sell or transfer their estates to any other of their subjects; and, at the same time, have granted them greater immunities than they hitherto enjoyed. It has been also thought necessary to restrain their own subjects from leaving their country on pain of death.

son, I had certainly been unable to have found even words without meaning, to keep up my intelligence with the town; but he has checked me severely for my despondence, and ordered me to go on in my design of observing upon things, and forbearing persons; for, said he, the age you live in is such, that a good picture of any vice or virtue will infallibly be misrep resented; and though none will take the kind descriptions you make so much to themselves, as to wish well to the author, yet all will resent the ill characters you produce, out of fear of their own turn in the licence you must be obliged to take, if you point at particular persons. I took his admonition kindly, and immediately promised him to beg pardon of the author of the Advice to the Pocts,' for my raillery upon his work; though I aimed at no more in that examination, but to convince him, and all men of genius, of the folly of laying themselves out on such plans as are below their characters. I hope too it was done without ill breeding, and nothing spoken below what a civilian (as it is allowed I am,) may utter to a physician.* After this preface, all the world may be safe from my writings; for, if I can find nothing to commend, I am silent, and will forbear the subject: for, though I am a reformer, I scorn to be an inquisitor.

It would become all men, as well as me, to lay before them the noble character of Verus the magistrate,† who always sat in triumph over, and contempt of, vice: he never searched after it, or spared it when it came before him: at the same time he could see through the hypocrisy and disguise of those, who have no pretence to virtue themselves, but by their severity to the vicious. The same Verus was, in times past, chief justice (as we call it amongst us,) in Felicia. He was a man of profound knowledge of the laws of his country, and as just an ob server of them in his own person. He considered justice as a cardinal virtue, not as a trade for maintenance. Wherever he was judge, he never forgot that he was also counsel. The criminal before him was always sure he stood before his country, and, in a sort, a parent of it. The prisoner knew, that though his spirit was broken with guilt, and incapable of language to defend itself, all would be gathered from him which could conduce to his safety; and that his judge would wrest no law to destroy him, nor conceal any that could save him. In this time there was a nest of pretenders to justice, who

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happened to be employed to put things in a actions of the puritan, the epicure, the gamemethod for being examined before him at his ster, and the trader; and that all their endeausual sessions: these animals were to Verus, vours, how differently soever they seem to tend, as monkeys are to men, so like, that you can centre only in that one point of gain, shows he hardly disown them; but so base, that you are had, to a great perfection, that discernment of ashamed of their fraternity. It grew a phrase, spirit which constitutes a genius for comedy. 'Who would do justice on the justices? That certainly would Verus. I have seen an old trial White's Chocolate-house, May 11. where he sat judge on two of them; one was called Trick-track, the other Tear-shift: one It is not to be imagined, how far the viowas a learned judge of sharpers; the other the lence of our desires will carry us towards our quickest of all men at finding out a wench. own deceit in the pursuit of what we wish for. Trick-track neyer spared a pick-pocket, but A gentleman here this evening was giving me was a companion to cheats: Tear-shift would an account of a dumb fortune-teller who outmake compliments to wenches of quality, but does Mr. Partridge, myself, or the Unborn doccertainly commit poor ones. If a poor rogue tor,t for predictions; all his visitants come to wanted a lodging, Trick-track sent him to him full of expectations, and pay his own rate gaol for a thief: if a poor whore went only for the interpretations they put upon his shrugs with one thin petticoat, Tear-shift would im- and nods. There is a fine rich city-widow stole prison her for being loose in her dress. These thither the other day (though it is not six weeks patriots infested the days of Verus, while they since her husband's departure from her comalternately committed and released each other's pany to rest,) and with her trusty maid de. prisoners. But Verus regarded them as crimi- mandod of him, whether she should marry nals, and always looked upon men as they again, by holding up two fingers like horns on stood in the eye of justice, without respecting her forehead. The wizard held up both his whether they sat on the bench, or stood at hands forked. The relict desired to know, the bar.

Will's Coffee-house, May 11.

whether he meant, by his holding up both hands, to represent that she had one husband before, and that she should have another? or, that he intimated she should have two more ?

Yesterday we were entertained with the The cunning man looked a little sour, upon tragedy of the Earl of Essex*; in which there which Betty jogged her mistress, who gave the is not one good line, and yet a play which was other guinea; and he made her understand, she never scen without drawing tears from some should positively have two more; but shaked part of the audience; a remarkable instance his head, and hinted that they should not live that the soul is not to be moved by words, but long with her. The widow sighed, and gave things; for the incidents in this drama are laid him the other half-guinea. After this prepostogether so happily, that the spectator makes session, all that she had next to do was to make the play for himself, by the force which the sallies to our end of the town, and find out who circumstance has upon his imagination. Thus, it is her fate to have. There are two who frein spite of the most dry discourses, and expres- quent this place, whom she takes to be men of sions almost ridiculous with respect to pro- vogue, and of whom her imagination has given priety, it is impossible for one unprejudiced to her the choice. They are both the appearances see it, untouched with pity. I must confess, of fine gentlemen, to such as do not know when this effect is not wrought on such as examine they see persons of that turn; and, indeed they why they are pleased; but it never fails to are industrious enough to come at that characappear on those who are not too learned in ter, to deserve the reputation of being such. But nature, to be moved by her first suggestions. this town will not allow us to be the things we It is certain, the person and behaviour of Mr. seem to aim at, and is too discerning to be fobbed Wilks has no small share in conducing to the off with pretences. One of these pretty fellows popularity of the play; and when a handsome fails by his laborious exactness; the other, by fellow is going to a more coarse exit than be- his as much studied negligence. Frank Careheading, his shape and countenance make every less, as soon as his valet has helped on and adtender one reprieve him with all her heart, with-justed his clothes, goes to his glass, sets his wig out waiting until she hears his dying words. awry, tumbles his cravat; and, in short, unThis evening, The Alchymist was played.t dresses himself to go into company. Will Nice This comedy is an example of Ben Jonson's is so little satisfied with his dress, that all the extensive genius, and penetration into the pas. time he is at a visit, he is still mending it, and sions and follies of mankind. The scene in is for that reason the more insufferable; for he the fourth act, where all the cheated people who studies carelessness has, at least, his work oppose the man that would open their eyes, has the sooner done of the two. The widow is dissomething in it so inimitably excellent, that it is certainly as great a master-piece as has ever appeared by any hand. The author's great address in showing covetousness, the motive of the

* By John Banks, 4to. 1685; the prologue and the epilogue by Dryden.

The Alchymist' was first acted in 1610, and pub lished in 4to. the same year

tracted whom to take for her first man; for Nice is every way so careful, that she fears his length of days; and Frank is so loose, that she has ap

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prehensions for her own health with him. I am | Wagstaff; all which relate chiefly to their being puzzled how to give a just idea of them; but in left out in the genealogy of the family lately a word, Careless is a coxcomb, and Nice a fop: published; but my cousin who writ that both, you will say, very hopeful candidates for a draught, being a clerk in the Herald's office, gay young woman just set at liberty. But there and being at present under the displeasure of is a whisper, her maid will give her to Tom Ter- the chapter; it is feared, if that matter should ror the gamester. This fellow has undone so be touched upon at this time, the young genmany women, that he will certainly succeed if tleman would lose his place for treason against he is introduced; for nothing so much prevails the king of arms. with the vain part of that sex, as the glory of deceiving them who have deceived others.

Desunt multa.

'Castabella's complaint is come to hand.'

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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.

From my own Apartment, May 12.

P.

I HAVE taken a resolution hereafter, on any want of intelligence, to carry my familiar abroad with me, who has promised to give me very proper and just notices of persons and things, to make up the history of the passing day. He is wonderfully skilful in the know

St. James's Coffee-house, May 11. Letters from Berlin, bearing date May the eleventh, N. S. inform us, that the birth-day of her Prussian majesty has been celebrated there with all possible magnificence; and the king made her, on that occasion, a present of jewels to the value of thirty-thousand crowns. The marquis de Quesne, who has distinguished himself by his great zeal for the Protestant interest, was, at the time of the despatch of these letters, at that court, soliciting the king to take care, that an article in behalf of the refugees, admitting their return to France, should be inserted in the treaty of peace. They write from Han-ledge of men and manners, which has made me of the fourteenth, that his electoral highness had received an express from count Merci, representing how necessary it was to the common cause, that he would please to hasten to the Rhine; for that nothing but his presence could quicken the measures towards bringing the imperial army into the field. There are very many speculations upon the intended in. terview of the king of Denmark and king Augustus. The latter has made such preparations for the reception of the other, that it is said, his Danish majesty will be entertained in Saxony with much more elegance than he met with in Italy itself.

over,

Letters from the Hague, of the eighteenth instant, N. S. say, that his grace the duke of Marlborough landed the night before at the Brill, after having been kept out at sea, by adverse winds, two days longer than is usual in that passage. His excellency the lord Townshend, her majesty's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the States-general, was driven into the Veer in Zealand on Thursday last, from whence he came to the Hague within a few hours after the arrival of his grace. The duke, soon after his coming to the Hague, had a visit from the pensioner of Holland. All things relative to the peace were in suspense until this interview; nor is it yet known what resolutions will be taken on that subject; for the troops of the allies have fresh orders despatched to them, to move from their respective quarters, and march with all expedition to the frontiers, where the enemy are making their utmost efforts for the defence of their country. These advices further inform us, that the marquis de Torey had received an answer from the court of France, to his letters which he had sent thither by an express on the Friday before.

'Mr. Bickerstaff has received letters from Mr. Colstaff, Mr. Whipstaff, and Mrs. Rebecca

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more than ordinary curious to know how he came to that perfection, and I communicated to him that doubt. Mr. Pacolet,' said I, 'I am mightily surprised to see you so good a judge of our nature and circumstances, since you are a mere spirit, and have no knowledge of the bodily part of us.' He auswered, smiling, You are mistaken; I have been one of you, and lived a month amongst you, which gives me an exact sense of your condition. You are to know, that all, who enter into human life, have a certain date or stamen given to their being, which they only who die of age may be said to have arrived at; but it is ordered sometimes by fate, that such as die infants are, after death, to attend mankind to the end of that stamen of being in themselves, which was broke off by sickness or any other disaster. Thesc are proper guardians to men, as being sensible of the infirmity of their state. You are philosopher enough to know, that the difference of men's understandings proceeds only from the various dispositions of their organs; so that he who dies at a month old, is in the next life as knowing, though more innocent, as they who live to fifty; and after death, they have as perfect a memory and judgment of all that passed in their lifetime, as I have of all the revolutions in that uneasy turbulent condition of yours; and you would say I had enough of it in a month, were I to tell you all my misfortunes.' 'A life of a month cannot have, one would think, much variety. But pray,' said I, 'let us have your story.'

Then he proceeds in the following manner: 'It was one of the most wealthy families in Great Britain into which I was born, and it was a very great happiness to me that it so

*See a humourous genealogical account of the Staffian family, No. 11.

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