or difpleafed. The only companions which the admitted into that retirement, was the goddefs Silence, who fat on her right-hand with her finger on her mouth; and on her left Contemplation, with her eyes fixed upon the heavens. Before her lay a celeftial globe, with feveral fchemes of mathematical theorems. She prevented my speech with the greatest affability in the world. Fear not,' faid fhe, I know your request before 'you speak it; you would be led to the mountain of the mufes; the only way to it lies through this place, and no one is so often employed in conducting perfons thither as myfelf.' When fhe had thus fpoken, fhe rose from her feat, and I immediately placed myself under her direction; but whilft I paffed through the grove, I could not help enquiring of her who were the perfons admitted into that fweet retirement. 'Surely, faid I, there can nothing enter here but virtue and virtuous thoughts; the whole wood feems de'figned for the reception and reward ' of fuch persons as have spent their ' lives according to the dictates of their confcience and the commands of the gods. You imagine right,' faid the; affure yourfelf this place was at firft defigned for no other: fuch it ⚫ continued to be in the reign of Saturn, when none entered here but holy priests, ⚫ deliverers of their country from oppreffion and tyranny, who repofed themselves here after their labours, and those whom the ftudy and love ⚫ of wisdom had fitted for divine converfation. But now it is become no lefs dangerous than it was before defirable: Vice has learned fo to mimic Virtue, that it often creeps in hither under it's difquife. See there! juft before you, Revenge ftalking by, habited in the robe of Honour. Obferve ⚫ not far from him Ambition ftanding alone; if you ask him his name, he will tell you it is Emulation or Glory. But the most frequent intruder we have is Luft, who fucceeds now the deity to whom in better days this grove was intirely devoted. Virtuous Love, with Hymen, and the graces attending him, once reigned in this happy place; a whole train of virtues waited on him, and no difhonourable thought durft prefume for admittance: but now, how is the whole prospect * changed! and how feldom renewed by fome few who dare defpife fordid wealth, and imagine themselves fit companions for fo charming a divinity!' The goddefs had no fooner faid thus, but we were arrived at the utmost boundaries of the wood, which lay contiguous to a plain that ended at the foot of the mountain. Here I kept clofe to my guide, being folicited by feveral phan toms, who affured me they would fhew me a nearer way to the mountain of the mufes. Among the reft Vanity was extremely importunate, having deluded infinite numbers, whom I faw wandering at the foot of the hill. I turned away from this defpicable troop with difdain, and addreffing myself to my guide, told her, that as I had fome hopes I fhould be able to reach up part of the afcent, so I defpaired of having ftrength enough to attain the plain on the top. But being informed by her that it was impoffible to ftand upon the fides, and that if I did not proceed onwards, I fhould irrevocably fall down to the lowest verge, I refolved to hazard any labour and hardship in the attempt: fo great a defire had I of enjoying the fatisfaction I hoped to meet with at the end of my enterprize! There were two paths, which led up by different ways to the fummit of the mountain; the one was guarded by the genius which prefides over the moment of our births. He had it in charge to examine the feveral pretenfions of thofe who defied to pafs that way, but to admit none excepting those only on whom Melpomene had looked with a propitious eye at the hour of their nativity. The other way was guarded by Diligence, to whom many of thofe perfons applied who had met with a denial the other way; but he was fo tedious in granting their requeft, and indeed after admittance the way was so very intricate and laborious, that many, after they had made fome progrefs, chofe rather to return back than proceed, and very few perfifted fo long as to arrive at the end they propofed. Befides thefe two paths, which at length severally led to the top of the mountain, there was a third made up of these two, which a little after the entrance joined in one. This carried thofe happy few, whose good fortune it was to find it, directly to the throne of Apollo. I do not know whether I should even now have 6 N had had the refolution to have demanded be his. A youth, who fat upon a throne entrance at either of thefe doors, had I not feen a peafant-like man (followed by a numerous and lovely train of youths of both fexes) infift upon entrance for all whom he led up. He put me in mind of the country clown who is painted in the map for leading Prince Eugene over the Alps. He had a bundle of papers in his hand, and produced feveral which, he faid, were given to him by hands which he knew Apollo would allow as paffes; among which, methought I faw fome of my own writing. The whole affembly was admitted, and gave, by their prefence, a new beauty and pleasure to thefe happy mantions. I found the man did not pretend to enter himself, but served as a kind of foreiter in the lawns to direct paffengers, who by their own merit, or inttructions he procured for them, had virtue enough to travel that way. I looked very attentively upon this kind homely bene. factor, and forgive me, Mr. Spectator, if I own to you I took him for yourfelf. We were no fooner entered, but we were fprinkled three times with the water of the fountain of Aganippe, which had power to deliver us from all harms, but only Envy, which reacheth even to the end of our journey. We had not proceeded far in the middle path when we arrived at the fummit of the bill, where there immediately appeared to us two figures, which extremely engaged my attention: the one was a young nymph in the prime of her youth and beauty; fhe ha 1 wings on her shoulders and feet, and was able to transport hertelf to the most diftant regions in the finallett (pace of time. She was con just between them, was their genuine Behind A little further I faw another groupe of figures; I made up to them, and found it was Socrates dictating to Xe nophon, and the fpirit of Plato; but most of all Mufæus had the greatest audience about him. I was at too great a diftance to hear what he faid, or to difcover the faces of his hearers; only I thought I now perceived Virgil, who had joined them, and food in a pofture full of admiration at the harmony of his words. tinually varying her drefs, fometimes into the most natural and becoming habits in the worl 1, and at others into the most wild and freakish garb that can be imagined. There ftood by her a man full aged and of great gravity, who corrected her inconfitencies by fhewing them in this mirrour, and still Aung her affected and unbecoming ornaments down the mountain, which fell in the plain below, and were gathered up and wore with great fatisfaction by thofe that inhabited it. The name of this nymph was Fancy, the daughter of Liberty, the mott heautiful. Lattly, at the very brink of the bill of all the mountain nymphs. The other 1 faw Boccalini fending difpatches to was Judgment, the offspring of Time, the world below of what happened upon and the only child he acknowledged to Parnaffas: but I perceived he did it without without leave of the mufes, and by ftealth, and was unwilling to have them revifed by Apollo. I could now from this height and ferene fky behold the infinite cares and anxieties with which mortals below fought out their way through the maze of life. I faw the path of virtue lie ftraight before them, whilft Intereft, or some malicious demon, ftill hurried them out of the way. I was at once touched with pleasure at my own happiness, and compaffion at the fight of their inextricable errors. Here the two contending paffions rose so high, that they were inconfittent with the sweet repofe I enjoyed, and awaking with a fudden ftart, the only gonfolation I could adinit of for my lofs, was the hopes that this relation of my dream will not displease you. T N° DXV. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21. PUDET ME ET MISERET, QUI HARUM MORES CANTABAT MIHI, MONUISSE FRUSTRA TER. HEAUT. ACT II. Sc. 2. I AM ASHAMED AND GRIEVED, THAT I NEGLECTED HIS ADVICE, WHO GAVE ME THE CHARACTER OF THESE CREATURES. ME. SPECTATOR, Am obliged to you for printing the account I lately fent you of a coquette who difturbed a fober congregation in the city of London. That intelligence ended at her taking a coach, and bidding the driver go where he knew. I could not leave her fo, but dogged her, as hard as the drove, to Paul's Churchyard, where there was a top of coaches attending company coming out of the cathedral. This gave me opportunity to hold up a crown to her coachman, who gave me the fignal, that he would hurry on, and make no hatte, as you know the way is when they favour a chace. By his many kind blunders, driving against other coaches, and flipping off fome of his tackle, I could keep up with him, and lodged my fine lady in the parish of St. James's. As I gueffed when I firft faw her at church, ker business is to win hearts and throw them away, regarding nothing but the triumph. I have had the happiness, by tracing her through all with whom I heard the was acquainted, to find one who was intimate with a friend of mine, and to be introduced to her notice. I have made fo good ufe of my time, as to procure from that intimate of her's one of her letters, which the writ to her when in the country. This epistle of her own may ferve to. alarm the world against all her ordinary life, as mine, I hope, did those who shall behold her at church. The letter was written last winter to the lady who gave it me; and I doubt not but you will find it the foul of an happy felf-loving dame, that takes all the admiration fhe can meet with, and returns none of it in love to her admirers. I DEAK JENNY, Am glad to find you are likely to be difpofed of in marriage fo much to your approbation as you tell me. You fay you are afraid only of me, for I hall laugh at your spouse's airs. I beg of you not to fear it, for I am too nice a difcerner to laugh at any but whom most other people think fine fellows; fo that your dear may bring you hither as foon as his horfes are in cafe enough to appear in town, and you will be very fafe against any raillery you may apprehend from me; for I am furrounded with coxcombs of my own making, who are all ridiculous in a manner your good man, I prefume, cannot exert himself. As men who cannot raife their fortunes, and are uneafy under the incapacity of fhining in courts, rail at ambition; fo do aukward and infipid women, who cannot warm the hearts and charm the eyes of men, rail at affectation: but she that has the joy of feeing a man's heart leap into his eyes at beholding her, is in no pain for want of elteem among a crew of that part of her own sex, who have no fpirit but that of envy, and no language but that of malice. I do not in this, I hope, exprefs myfelf infenfible of the merit of Leodacia, who lowers her beauty to all but her husband, and never fpreads her charms but to gladden him who has a right in them; I fay, I do honour to those who can be coquettes, and are not fuch; but I defpife all who would be fo, and in defpair of arriving at it themselves, hate and vilify all thofe who can. But, be that as it will, in answer to your defire of knowing my hiftory: one of my chief prefent pleafures is in country-dances; and, in obedience to me, as well as the pleasure of coming up to me with a good grace, fhewing themselves in their addrefs to others in my prefence, and the like opportunities, they are all proficients that way and I had the happinefs of being the other night where we made fix couple, and every woman's partner a professed lover of mine. The wildelt imagination cannot form to itself, on any occation, higher delight than I acknowledge myfelf to have been in all that evening. I chofe out of my admirers a fet of men who molt love me, and gave them partners of fuch of my own fex who moft envied me. fenfe turning fool for our fakes; but this happened to our friend, and I expect his attendance whenever I go to church, to court, to the play, or the park. This is a facrifice due to us women of genius, who have the eloquence of beauty, an eafy mien. I mean by an eafy mien, one which can be on occafion eafily affected: for I must tell you, dear Jenny, I hold one maxim, which is an uncommon one, to wit, that our greatest charms are owing to affectation. It is to that our arms can lodge fo quietly juft over our hips, and the fan can play without any force or motion, but just of the wrift. It is to affectation we owe the penfive attention of Deidamia at a tragedy, the fcornful approbation of Dulcimara at a comedy, and the lowly afpect of Lanquicelfa at a fermon. To tell you the plain truth, I know no pleasure but in being admired, and have yet never failed of attaining the approbation of the man whofe regard I had a mind to. You see all the men who make a figure in the world (as wife a look as they are pleased to put upon the matter) are moved by the fame vanity as I am. What is there in ambition, but to make other people's wills depend upon your's? This indeed is not to be aimed at by one who has a genius I at no higher than to think of being a very good housewife in a country gentleman's family. The care of poultry and pigs are great enemies to the countenance; the vacant look of a fine lady is not to be preferved, if the admits any thing to take up her thoughts but her own dear perfon. But I interrupt you too long from your cares, and myself from my conquefts. I am, Madam, My way is, when any man who is my admirer, pretends to give himfelf airs of merit, as at this time a certain gentleman you know did, to mortify him by favouring in his prefence the moft infignificant creature I can find. At this ball I was led into the company by pretty Mr. Fanfly, who, you know, is the moft obfequious, well fhaped, well-bred woman's man in town. firft entrance declared him my partner if I danced at all; which put the whole affembly into a grin, as forming no terrors from fuch a rival. But we had not been long in the room, before I overheard the meritorious gentleman abovementioned fay with an oath-' There is no raillery in the thing, the certainly loves the puppy. My gentleman, when we were dancing, took an occafion to be very foft in his oglings upon a lady he danced with, and whom he knew of all women I love moft to outshine. The conteft began who should plague the other moft. I, who do not care a farthing for him, had no hard talk to outvex him. I made Fanfly, with a very little encouragement, cut capers coupée, and then fink with all the air and tenderness imaginable. When he performed this, I oblerved the gentleman you know of fall into the fame way, and imitate as well as he could the defpifed Fanfy. I cannot well give you, who are fo grave a country lady, the idea of the joy we have when we fee a ftubborn heart breaking, or a man of Your most humble fervant. Give me leave, Mr. Spectator, to add her friend's answer to this epiftle, who is a very discreet ingenious woman. DEAR GATTY, Take your raillery in very good part, and am obliged to you for the free air with which you fpeak of your own gaieties. But this is but a barren fu perficial pleature. Indeed, Gatty, we are made for man, and in serious fadness I must tell you, whether you yourfelf know it or no, all thefe gallantries tend to no other end but to be a wife and a mother as fast as you can. Iama, Madam, Your most obedient fervant. N N° DXVI. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22 F IMMORTALE ODIUM ET NUNQUÂM SÀNABILE VULNUS, I Juv. SAT. XV. VER. 34m •A GRUDGE, TIME OUT OF MIND, BEGUN, TATE. Of all the monftrous paffions and called, The Chriftian Hero, published opinions which have crept into the world, there is none fo wonderful as that thefe who profefs the common name of Christians, thould purfue each other with rancour and hatred for differences in their way of following the example of their Saviour. It feems fo natural that all who pursue the steps of any leader fhould form themselves after his manner, that it is impoffible to account for effects fo different from what we might expect from thofe who profefs themfelves followers of the higheit patworld, men who have maintained a in 1701, what I find there in honour of the renowned hero, William III. who refcued that nation from the repetition of the fame difafters. His late Majesty, of glorious memory, and the Most Chriftian King, are confidered at the conclufion of that treatise as heads of the Proteftant and Roman Catholic world in the following manner. tern of meeknefs and charity, but by afcribing fuch effects to the ambition and corruption of those who are so audacious, with fouls full of fury, to ferve at the altars of the God of peace. The maflacres to which the church of Rome has animated the ordinary people, are dreadful inftances of the truth of this obfervation; and whoever reads the hiftory of the Irish rebellion, and the cruelties which enfued thereupon, will be fufficiently convinced to what rage poor ignorants may be worked up by thofe who profefs holiness, to become incendiaries, and, under the dispensation of grace, promote evils abhorrent to nature. This fubject and catastrophe, which deferve fo well to be remarked by the proteftant world, will, I doubt not, be confidered by the reverend and learned prelate that preaches to-morrow before many of the defcendents of thofe who perifhed on that lamentable day, in a manner suitable to the occafion, and worthy his own great virtue and eloquence. I shall not dwell upon it any further, but only tranfcribe out of a little tract, There were not ever, before the entrance of the chriftian name into the more renowned carriage, than the two great rivals who poflefs the full fame of the prefent age, and will be the ⚫ theme and examination of the future. They are exactly formed by nature for thofe ends to which Heaven feems to have fent them amongit us: both animated with a restless desire of glory, but purfue it by different means, and with different motives. To one it confifts in an extenfive undifputed empire over his fubjects, to the other in their rational and voluntary obedience: 'one's happiness is founded in their want of power, the other's in their want of defire to oppofe him. The one enjoys the fummit of fortune with the luxury of a Perfian, the other with the moderation of a Spartan: one is made to opprefs, the other to relieve the oppreffed: the one is satisfied with the pomp and oftentation of power to prefer and debafe his inferiors, the other delighted only with the caufe and foundation of it to cherish and protect them. To one, therefore, religion is but a convenient difguife, to the other a vigorous motive of action. For without fuch ties of real and • folid |