1711. the Dead. When the Iniquity of the Times brought No. 133, Socrates to his Execution, how great and wonderful Thursday, is it to behold him, unsupported by any thing but the August 2, Testimony of his own Conscience and Conjectures of Hereafter, receive the Poison with an Air of Mirth and good Humour, and as if going on an agreeable Journey bespeak some Deity to make it fortunate. When Phocion's good Actions had met with the like Reward from his Country, and he was led to Death with many others of his Friends, they bewailing their Fate, he walking composedly towards the place of Execu ion, how gracefully does he support his Illustrious Character to the very last Instant. One of the Rabble spitting at him as he passed, with his usual Authority he called to know if no one was ready to teach this Fellow how to behave himself. When a Poor-spirited Creature that dyed at the same time for his Crimes bemoaned himself unmanfully, he rebuked him with this Question, Is it no Consolation to such a Man as thou art to dye with Phocion? At the instant when he was to Dye they asked what Commands he had for his Son, he answer'd, To forget this Injury of the Athenians. Niocles, his Friend, under the same Sentence, desired he might Drink the Potion before him; Phocion said because he never had denyed him any thing he would not even this, the most difficult Request he had ever made. These Instances were very noble and great, and the Reflections of those Sublime Spirits had made Death to them what it is really intended to be by the Author of Nature, a Relief from a various Being ever subject to Sorrows and Difficulties, Epaminondas the Theban General, having receiv'd in fight a Mortal Stab with a Sword, which was left in his Body, lay in that posture till he had Intelligence that his Troops had obtained the Victory, and then permitted it to be drawn out, at which instant he express'd himself in this manner. This is not the end of my Life, my Fellow Soldiers; it is now your Epaminondas is born, who dies in so much Glory. It were an endless Labour to collect the Accounts with No. 133. which all Ages have filled the World of Noble and Thursday, Heroick Minds that have resigned this Being, as if the August 2, termination of Life were but an ordinary Occurrence of it. 1711 This common-place way of Thinking I fell into from an awkward Endeavour to throw off a real and fresh Affliction, by turning over Books in a melancholy Mood; but it is not easy to remove Griefs which touch the Heart, by applying Remedies which only entertain the Imagination. As therefore this Paper is to consist of any thing which concerns Human Life, I cannot help letting the present Subject regard what has been the last Object of my Eyes, tho' an Entertainment of Sorrow. I went this Evening to visit a Friend, with a design to rally him, upon a Story I had heard of his intend ing to steal a Marriage without the Privity of us his intimate Friends and Acquaintance. I came into his Apartment with that Intimacy which I have done for very many Years, and walked directly into his Bed chamber, where I found my Friend in the Agonies of Death. What could I do? The innocent Mirth in my Thoughts struck upon me like the most flagitious Wickedness: I in vain called upon him; he was sense less, and too far spent to have the least Knowledge of my Sorrow, or any Pain in himself. Give me leave then to transcribe my Soliloquy, as I stood by his Mother Dumb, with the weight of Grief for a Son who was her Honour, and her Comfort, and never till that Hour since his Birth had been an Occasion of a Moment's Sorrow to her. 'How surprising is this Change from the Possession of vigorous Life and Strength, to be reduced in a few Hours to this fatal Extremity! Those Lips which look so pale and livid, within these few Days gave Delight to all who heard their Utterance: It was the Business, the Purpose of his Being, next to Obeying him to whom he is going, to please and instruct, and that for no other end but to please and instruct. Kindness was the motive of his Actions, and with all the Capacity requisite for making a Figure in a con tentious tentious World, Moderation, Good Nature, Affability, No. 133. Temperance and Chastity, were the Arts of his Excel Thursday, ent Life. There as he lies in helpless Agony, no August 2, Wise Man who knew him so well as I, but would resign all the World can bestow to be so near the End of such a Life. Why does my Heart so little obey my Reason as to lament thee, thou excellent Man -Heav'n receive him, or restore him. Thy beloved Mother, ty obliged Friends, thy helpless Servants stand around thee without Distinction. How much wouldst thou, hadst thou thy Senses, say to each of us. But now that good Heart bursts, and he is at rest -with that Breath Expired a Soul who never indulged a Passion unfit for the Place he is gone to Where are now thy Plans of Justice, of Truth, of Honour? of what use the Volumes thou hast collated, the Arguments thou hast invented, the Examples thou hast followed? Poor vere the Expectations of the studious, the Modest and he Good, if the Reward of their Labours were only to be Expected from Man. No, my Friend, thy intended leadings, thy intended Good Offices to thy Friends, thy intended Services to thy Country, are already performed as to thy Concern in them) in his sight before whom the past, present, and future appear at one view. While others with thy Talents were tormented with Ambition, with vain Glory, with Envy, with Emulation, how well idst thou turn thy Mind to its own Improvement in hings out of the Power of Fortune; in Probity, in Integrity, in the Practice and Study of Justice; how silent thy Passage, how private thy Journey, how Glorious thy End! Many have I known more Famous, some more knowing, not one so Innocent,' R 1711 URING my Absence in the Country several Packets have been left for me, which were not forwarded to me, because I was expected every Day in Town. The 1711 No. 134. The Author of the following Letter dated from Tower Friday, hill, having some times been entertain'd with some August 3, Learned Gentlemen in Plush Doublets, who have Vended their Wares from a Stage in that Place, has pleasantly enough addressed to Me, as no less a Sage in Morality, than those are in Physick. To comply with his kind Inclination to make my Cures famous, I shall give you his Testimonial of my great Abilities at large in his own Words, • Sir, Your saying t'other Day there is something wonder ful in the Narrowness of those Minds, which can be pleas'd, and be barren of Bounty to those who please them, makes me in pain that I am not a Man of Power: If I were, you should soon see how much I approve your Speculations. In the mean time I beg leave to supply that Inability with the empty Tribute of an honest Mind, by telling you plainly I love and thank you for your daily Refreshments. I constantly peruse your Paper as I smoke my Morning's Pipe (tho' I can't forbear reading the Motto before I fill and light), and really it gives a grateful Relish to every Whif; each Paragragh is freight either with useful or delightful Notions, and I never fail of being highly diverted or improv'd. The Variety of your Subjects surprizes me as much as a Box of Pictures did formerly, in which there was only one Face, that by pulling some Pieces of Isinglass over it, was chang'd into a grave Senator or a Merry Andrew, a Patch'd Lady or a Nun, a Beau or a Black-a-moor, a Prude or a Coquet, a Country 'Squire or a Conjurer, with many other different Representations very entertaining (as you are) tho' still the same at the Bottom. This was a childish Amusement when I was carried away with outward Appearance, but you make a deeper Impression, and affect the secret Springs of the Mind; you charm the Fancy, sooth the Passions, and insensibly lead the Reader to that Sweetness of Temper that you so well describe; you rouse Generosity with that Spirit, and inculcate Humanity with that Ease, that he must be miserably 1711. miserably Stupid that is not affected by you. I can't No. 134. ay indeed that you have put Impertinence to Silence, Friday, Vanity out of Countenance; but methinks you have August 3, id as fair for it, as any Man that ever appear'd upon Publick Stage; and offer an infallible Cure of Vice and Folly, for the Price of one Penny, And since it usual for those who receive Benefit by such famous Operators, to publish an Advertisement, that others may eap the same Advantage, I think my self obliged to declare to all the World, that having for a long time en splenatick, ill-natur'd, froward, suspicious and un ociable, by the Application of your Medicines, taken only with half an Ounce of right Virginia Tobacco for successive Mornings, I am become open, obliging, ficious, frank and hospitable, lower-hill, I am, Your humble Servant, This careful Father and humble Petitioner hereafter entioned, who are under Difficulties about the just Management of Fans, will soon receive proper Advertise ments relating to the Professors in that behalf, with heir Places of Abode and Methods of Teaching, 'Sir, July the 5th, 1711. In your Spectator of June the 7th you Transcribe a etter sent to you from a new_sort of Muster-master, ho teaches Ladies the whole Exercise of the Fan; I ave a Daughter just come to Town, who tho' she as always held a Fan in her Hand at proper times, et she knows no more how to use it according to ue Discipline, than an awkward School-boy does to hake use of his new Sword: I have sent for her on urpose to learn the Exercise, she being already very ell accomplished in all other Arts which are necessary r a young Lady to understand; my Request is, that ou will speak to your Correspondent on my behalf; ad in your next Paper let me know what he expects, ther by the Month, or the Quarter, for teaching; and here he keeps his place of Rendezvous, I have a Son |