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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/78492-0.txt b/78492-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9ba1f51 --- /dev/null +++ b/78492-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2661 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78492 *** + + + + +TEN CENT POCKET SERIES NO. 328 +Edited by E. Haldeman-Julius + +Joseph Addison +and His Time + +Charles J. Finger + +HALDEMAN-JULIUS COMPANY +GIRARD, KANSAS + + + + +Copyright, 1922, +Haldeman-Julius Company + + + + +JOSEPH ADDISON AND HIS TIME. + + + + +I. + +THE MAN AND HIS FRIEND. + + +The main facts in Addison’s life could be compressed within the compass +of an ordinary telegram, thus: + + Joseph Addison was born in Wiltshire, England, in 1672, had a grammar + school education, and went to Oxford University. Between the ages of + twenty-seven and thirty-one he traveled in Europe. Later, he held + public offices, but, in 1710 devoted himself seriously to literature, + and, in five years, gained lasting fame. He died in 1719. + +If, in the style of the modern journalist, you chose to add a spice +of mild scandal, you might say that he was married to the Countess of +Warwick, but the union was not a happy one. Should a little extra tang +be required, it would be quite in order to say that on occasion he +drank too much. + +Or, supposing that you were very narrow and chose to run a dark smear +across his name, you might make much of the fact that he sometimes +loaned money to his best friend, Richard Steele, and on one such +occasion, sent the sheriff’s officer with an order for the debtor’s +arrest, two days after the loan had been made. This story, be it said, +you may not find in any existing biography, at least I have not been +able to find it, but, nevertheless, it is true, for Dick Steele told it +to his friend Richard Savage the poet, who, in turn, told it to Doctor +Johnson. Then, of course, James Boswell got hold of it and gave it to +the world. + +Still, as you know and as I know, and as Nietzsche said, men’s +wickedness is much less than the fame of it, so, rightly understood and +fairly told, even this, which might be denounced by the thoughtless +as an act of base treachery, turns out to be a very ordinary affair, +the like of which might easily have befallen me. For the fact is that +Richard Steele was Richard Steele, a mighty good fellow, as also was +Addison. You see the character of the man as soon as you look at his +picture. Ruddy and strong, full of boisterous health is he, one in +whom the sap of life rises swiftly. At a glance you see that he can +laugh heartily, like Rabelais, like Scarron. If you are supersensitive, +if you are timid, you would not go abroad with him, for he is, it is +plain to be seen, one who would take you into taverns, into baignoires +on occasion, into places where are jovial companions who love a good +song, or a jolly story over a bottle. With his kind, you may wind up +the night with either a broken head or a belly full, but which ever it +was, you would have had a good time. And Addison, a quieter sort, a +fine, sensitive type, liked his Irish friend. They had been school boys +together, and, later, college chums. They were the same age, too. It +was a friendship like that of William of Orange for Bentick, or Queen +Anne for Lady Churchill. But Dick Steele was not born with a silver +spoon in his mouth, and being a genius, was bold, reckless of life, of +health, of which the unco’ guid call honor. So his wealthy relative +cast him off before he had graduated from college, and he became a kind +of vagrant. He joined the army, soon tired of the discipline, bought +himself out, and lived by his wits. He loved women and he loved wine, +but he loved wine more than women. He was an easy going, good natured +adventurer with a strong literary gift and a tremendous imagination. +Like _Tom Jones_, he lived his life in a manner far from perfect, knew +it and regretted it. He had spurts of virtue, he made good resolutions, +then straightway forgot all about them and went on in the same old way. +Give him a guinea and immediately he went about to find a friend to +share it. A good meal and an evening spent in jolly company seemed to +him a far more attractive way to dispose of gold than the uninteresting +payment of tradesmen’s bills. Besides, do what he would, at one time in +his career, to pay off all that he owed seemed an utter impossibility. +So, as a palliative measure, he would borrow from Peter to pay Paul. + +But Richard Steele was also a letter writer. His winning personality, +his charm of manner shone on the written page. He was as irresistible +as _Micawber_, as charming as _Esmond_. Judge for yourself. I take, +almost at random, four letters of twenty. They are written to his wife, +and, as most men know, to write to a wife is not easy, and less so when +one is long overdue, or too late for dinner, and, to boot, a little far +gone in one’s cups. Then it requires both dexterity and diplomacy. The +letters are, of course, of subsequent date to the Addison loan affair, +but serve to show the peculiar, persuasive qualities of the writer. + +_To Mrs. Steele._ + + Monday, seven at night, + Sept. 27, 1708. + + Dear Prue: + + You see you are obeyed in everything, and that I write overnight + for the following day. I shall now in earnest, by Mr. Clay’s good + conduct, manage my business with that method as shall make me easy. + The news, I am told, you had last night, of the taking of Lille, + does not prove true; but I hope we shall have it soon. I shall send + by tomorrow’s coach. I am, dear Prue, a little in drink, but at all + times your faithful husband, + + RICH STEELE. + +Or this: + +_To Mrs. Steele_ (lately Mrs. Scurlock). + + Dec. 22, 1707. + + My dear, dear wife: + + I write to let you know that I do not come home to dinner, being + obliged to attend to some business abroad, of which I shall give you + an account (when I see you in the evening), as becomes your dutiful + and obedient husband. + + RICH STEELE. + +It is a little significant that nine out of ten letters written to his +wife, are graceful notes of apology because of his absence from home. +Here is another. + +_To Mrs. Steele._ + + Eleven at night, Jan. 5, 1708. + + Dear Prue: + + I was going home two hours ago, but was met by Mr. Griffith, who has + kept me ever since meeting me, as he came from Mr. Lambert’s. I will + come within a pint of wine. + + RICH STEELE. + + (We drank your health, and Mr. Griffith is your servant.) + +One more will be sufficient, especially as it seems to show that Mrs. +Steele was by no means pleased to have messengers knocking at her door +at all hours of the night with letters from the errant Richard. + + June 7, 1708. + + Dear Prue: + + I enclose you a guinea for your pocket. I dine with Lord Halifax. + I wish I knew how to court you into good humor, for two or three + quarrels will dispatch me quite. If you have any love for me, + believe I am always pursuing our mutual good. Pray consider that all + my little fortune is to (be) settled this month, and that I have + inadvertently made myself liable to impatient people, who take all + advantages. If you have (not) patience, I shall transact my business + rashly, and lose a very great sum to quicken the time of your being + rid of all people you do not like. Yours ever, + + RICH STEELE. + +On that I rest my case, as the lawyers say, as having amply proved the +persuasive powers of Richard Steele. Such letters would turn a heart of +stone. + +One day, when Addison was in funds, there came to him a touching letter +from his old school fellow. Dick was in trouble again. The letter told +all. His flint-hearted creditors pressed. His grate was fireless and +there was not as much as a candle in the house. Butcher and baker cast +a cold eye upon him. The wolf was at the door, and, eke, the bailiff +with a writ. “Impatient people who take all advantage” beset him. For +twenty-four hours he had fasted, and starvation stared him in the face. +A hundred pounds would save his life. + +Picture Addison his friend, a man of wealth and position; Under +Secretary of State; a little king surrounded by his circle of admirers; +a coffee-house wit; a conversationalist able to keep a “few friends +listening and laughing around a table from the time when a play ended +till the clock of St. Paul’s struck four o’ the morning”; the guest of +the brilliant Lady Mary Montague; collector of Elzevirs and ancient +medals. He read the letter once, twice, thrice. There is a rabble of +reasons why he should help Dick and a rabble why he should not. He +ponders awhile in doubt.... But it is his old Irish school friend in +trouble again. It is Dick the luckless. But here is sincere repentance, +and, anyway, Dick is under a cloud. Moreover, he is through with “the +well-fed wits” who batten on him. So the messenger is called in, +presently leaves with the money and Addison sleeps well. + +But not with monetary aid alone is Addison satisfied. He has some +knowledge of life in Grub Street--a knowledge also possessed by +Goldsmith who told how the luckless author in dark days + + views with keen desire + The rusty grate unconscious of a fire; + With beer and milk arrears the freeze is scored + And five cracked tea cups dress the chimney board; + A night cap dress his brows instead of bay, + A cap by night--a stocking all the day! + +So, the next day, Addison climbs Steele’s stairway. He is astonished +to find porters running up and down bearing trays loaded with soups, +fish, entrees and sweetmeats. He, himself, is elbowed out of the way +by servants. There are lights everywhere and, from within, the sound +of fiddles. It is long past sunset and no black-hearted bailiff may do +his full work. Through the open door is seen the long, crowded table, +piled high with wines and meats, champagnes and burgundies, and at the +head, brimming with happiness and good humor, without a present care in +the world, sits Dick Steele. Small wonder then that the good nature of +Addison received a shock and that he determined to give Steele and his +“well-fed wits” a lesson. + +But big men find it easy to forgive. Vindictiveness is for small +minds alone. Indeed, Addison the gentleman never told the story. He, +doubtless, soon considered it a closed incident and so forgot all about +it. It was Steele the gentleman who gave the tale to the world, and, as +a gentleman should, to illustrate his friend’s generosity. + +One day a notion struck Steele. He decided to publish a journal on a +new plan. It is true there were news sheets in plenty, but, the times +were, in some respects, very like our own, and the self-imposed task of +the journalist seemed then, as now, to be to provide the weak-minded +section of the public with a new variety of mental dissipation each +day. Then, as now, too, the spirit of sensationalism was abroad. Then, +as now, there was a very active championship of bad causes and the +only care of the journal’s owner was to increase his circulation and +keep out of the clutches of the law. Every blind popular prejudice and +every brutal fanaticism was seized upon avidly and every consideration +of decency disregarded. To cater to the baser appetites, the lowest +curiosities, the shallowest mind, was the rule. Today, picturing the +people of England as of then, from the current news sheets, you see +a nation of Yahoos that hate each other, tear each other with their +talons with hideous contortions and yells. You see, very much as you +see today with us, foul sheets doing lip service, darkening counsel by +words without knowledge, fawning on the wealthy, flattering the men in +power. To use Swift’s picture as applicable, (Gulliver’s Travels, Part +4, chap. 7): + + In most herds there was a sort of ruling Yahoo who was always more + deformed in body, and mischievous in disposition, than any of the + rest; that this ruler had usually a favorite as like himself as he + could get, whose employment was to lick his master’s feet ... and + drive the female yahoos to his kennel; for which he was now and then + rewarded with a piece of ass’s flesh.... + +I can well imagine Dick Steele, his mind busy with the idea of some +new play perhaps, turning into some coffee-house to rest, or, if +possible, to find some companion with whom he could have a pleasant +talk. It is the Cocoa Tree that he chooses, and it has a back room, +long, and low, and brown paneled, and through the window is to be seen +the red-walled rose garden. There he finds gathered company. Steele +notes the general picture, the browns and grays, here and there a coat +of brighter color, this face strongly illuminated and that in shadow, +and he also notes that there is a great deal of “goose gabble” by way +of conversation. Nothing there to interest him. He picks up the news +sheet. It is _Dawk’s Protestant Mercury_, a popular paper. It has been +well read as the coffee stains and finger marks show. He turns it over, +passing impatiently the two columns of flamboyant boastings which tell +how at any time, “one Englishman can beat three Frenchmen,” scanning +swiftly, and rejecting impatiently, its pretended statements of facts +as entirely unworthy; then his eye falls on the stirring item of the +day, the item to which men first turn as children of a low order of +intellect turn today to the funny sheet of a Sunday supplement, and he +reads this: + + + A MAN EATS A LIVE COCK ETC. + + On Tuesday last a fellow at Sadler’s Wells, near Islington, after + he had dined heartily on a buttock of beef, for the lucre of five + guineas, eat a live cock, feathers, guts and all, with only a plate + of oil and vinegar to wash it down, and afterwards preferred to lay + five guineas more, that he could do the same again in two hours time. + +The banality, the stupidity of it all startled him. It held him all +that day, and soon the idea filled Steele’s mind that a decent and +dignified journalism was possible. He was idealist enough to believe, +and optimist enough to hope that a decent paper might become a potent +agency of enlightenment and that intelligent citizens everywhere would +be only too glad to look to it for light and leading. It might contain +foreign news, dramatic reports and the literary gossip of Will’s and +the Grecian, the two coffee houses where the wits foregathered. So, +full of the idea, he wrote to Addison of his plan. No sooner did +Addison, then in Ireland, learn of it than he was all eagerness to +join in. His unexpected decision almost swept Steele off his feet. “I +fared,” he said, “like a distressed prince who calls in a powerful +neighbor to his aid. I was undone by my auxiliary. When I had once +called him in, I could not subsist without dependence on him.” And in +another place he wrote: “This paper was advanced indeed. It was raised +to a greater thing than I intended it.” + +Shortly after the paper was started, the circulation was a little short +of three thousand, but in a short time, nine or ten thousand copies +of each issue were sold, and, as Addison said each issue was read by +twenty people. Of the essays, in all, two hundred and seventy-four were +written by Addison and two hundred and thirty-six by Richard Steele. + +The plan involved the creation of a fictitious character, one known +as the _Spectator_, a gentleman who had been a studious youth, and, +after some travel on classic ground, took up the study of men and +manners. He was a kind of sublime _Pickwick_. And, like that later +glorious creation of Dickens, he was a good listener. Fixing his +residence in London, he goes hither and yon, to coffee houses, to +theaters, to churches and to notable gatherings, and, in the pages of +the _Spectator_, records his impressions and his thoughts. As Dickens +gave _Samuel Pickwick_ his lesser lights, his _Tupper_, and _Winkle_ +and _Snodgrass_, so the _Spectator_ has a few friends: a templar, a +clergyman, a soldier and a merchant, but the high lights are thrown +upon Sir Roger de Coverly, the old country baronet, and Will Honeycomb, +an old town rake, and through the eyes of these, as through a focussing +glass, was shown the life of the day. Soon, readers everywhere became +eager to know the doings of the famous club which Sir Roger visited, +the sessions of which were recorded by the _Spectator_. + +The first outline of Sir Roger was made by Steele in No. 2, of the +_Spectator_, March 2, 1711, and thereafter Addison used the character, +indeed almost seems to have identified himself with it. “We were born +for one another,” he wrote. + + “The first of our society is a gentleman of Worcestershire of an + ancient descent, a baron, his name, Sir Roger de Coverly. His + grandfather was inventor of the famous dance which is called after + him. All who know that satire, are very well acquainted with the + parts and merits of Sir Roger. He was a gentleman that is very + singular in his behavior, but his singularities proceed from a good + sense, and are contradictions to the manners of the world, only as + he thinks the world is in the wrong. However, this humor creates him + no enemies, for he does nothing with sourness or obstinacy, and his + being unconfined to modes and forms makes him but the readier and the + more capable to please and oblige all who know him. When he is in + town he lives in Soho Square. It is said he keeps himself a bachelor + by reason he was crossed in love by a perverse beautiful widow of the + next county to him. Before his disappointment, Sir Roger was what you + call a fine gentleman, had often supped with my Lord Rochester and + Sir George Etheridge, fought a duel on his first coming to town, and + kicked Bully Dawson in the coffee house for calling him youngster; + but being ill-used by the said widow, he was very serious for a year + and a half; and, though, his temper being naturally jovial, he at + last got over it, he grew careless of himself, and never dressed + afterwards. He continues to wear a coat and a doublet of the same cut + that were in fashion at the time of his repulse, which, in his merry + humors he tells us twelve times since he first wore it. He is now + in his 56th year, cheerful, gay and hearty; keeps a good house both + in town and country; a great lover of mankind; but there is such a + skilful cast in his behavior, that he is rather beloved than esteemed. + + “His tenants grow rich, his servants look satisfied, all the young + women profess to love him, and the young men are glad of his company. + When he comes into a house he calls the servants by their names, and + talks all the way upstairs to a visit. I must not omit that Sir Roger + is Justice to the Quorum, that he fills the chair at quarter sessions + with great ability, and three months ago gained universal applause by + explaining a passage in the Gane Act.” + + * * * * * + +Thus, and with that fictitious character as a nucleus, began the +greatest literary partnership in the history of literature. Thus, +also, Addison found himself. Until he wrote in the _Spectator_, he +had, or seems to have had, no knowledge of his powers. He did not know +himself. Perhaps Steele knew Addison though; knew of the vast hidden +mine of wealth and thus deliberately tapped the inexhaustible vein. +True, Addison had written before the advent of the _Spectator_, for +at college he had been distinguished in a small way, and, later, he +had written his poem, the _Campaign_ (1704). That in itself was an +excellent model of a becoming and classical style, easily and correctly +written, but, alone, it had not the excellence to ensure its author +immortality. As it turns out, as we see it from this distance, it was +the _Spectator_ that made him, as it gave him an audience to hearten +him. And through the character of Sir Roger, he set out to make +morality fashionable, and, later, by means of the essay made it his +task to reconcile virtue with elegance and to make pleasure subservient +to reason. As a by-product there came a mighty literary influence that +passed down the ages. For it was upon Addison that Benjamin Franklin +founded his style. That prince of living essayists, Michael Monahan, +has been strongly affected by the same hand. His influence has touched +such widely diverse characters as Oliver Goldsmith, Charles Lamb, +Washington Irving, Oliver Wendell Holmes, W. H. Hudson, Ford Maddox +Hueffer, Cunningham Grahame, Hilaire Belloc, H. M. Tomlinson, William +Marion Reedy. More still. The very existence of these Haldeman-Julius +booklets is, in a measure, due to the ideals promulgated by Addison, +or, at any rate, at bottom the same notion that moved Steele’s friend +moved the editor of this series. In proof, I quote from _Spectator_ No. +10, March 12, 1710: + +“It was said of Socrates that he brought Philosophy down from heaven +to inhabit among men; and I shall be ambitious to have it said of +me, that I have brought Philosophy out of closets and libraries, +schools and colleges, to dwell in clubs and assemblies, at tea tables +and coffee houses. I would, therefore, in a very particular manner, +recommend these, my speculations, to well regulated families, and +set apart an hour in every morning for tea, and bread and butter; +and would earnestly advise them for their good to order this paper +to be punctually served up, and to be looked upon as a part of the +tea-equipage.” + +If I were asked to choose from all that Addison had written in the +pages of the _Spectator_, to take a single essay which might be +adduced as evidence that posterity would assign to him the reputation +he coveted, I would at once name his Vision of Mirza. To my notion it +is the most intensely beautiful thing he wrote. I transcribe it, well +remembering the thrill with which I first read it when a mere boy. It +seemed to me then the most fantastically beautiful thing ever written. + + +No. 159 + +Spectator) (Addison + +Saturday, September 1, 1711. + +When I was at Grand Cairo, I picked up several Oriental manuscripts, +which I have still by me. Among others I met with one entitled the +Visions of Mirza, which I have read over with pleasure. I intend to +give it to the public when I have no other entertainment for them; and +shall begin with the first vision, which I have translated word by word +as follows: + +“On the fifth day of the moon, which according to the custom of my +forefathers I always keep holy, after having washed myself and offered +up my morning devotions, I ascended the high hills of the Bagdad, in +order to pass the rest of the day in meditation and prayer. As I was +here airing myself on the top of the mountains, I fell into a profound +contemplation upon the vanity of human life; and passing from one +thought to another, ‘Surely,’ said I, ‘man is but a shadow, and life a +dream.’ While I was thus musing, I cast my eyes toward the summit of a +rock that was not far from me, where I discovered one in the habit of +a shepherd, with a little musical instrument in his hand. As I looked +upon him he applied it to his lips, and began to play upon it. The +sound of it was so exceedingly sweet, and wrought into a variety of +tunes that were inexpressibly melodious, and altogether different from +anything I had ever heard. They put me in mind of those heavenly airs +that are played to the departed souls of good men upon their arrival in +Paradise, to wear out the impressions of the last agonies, and qualify +them for the pleasure of that happy place. My heart melted away in +secret raptures. + +“I had been often told that the rock before me was the haunt of genius; +and that several had been entertained by music who had passed it, but +never heard that the musician had before made himself visible. When +he had raised my thought by those transporting airs which he played, +to taste the pleasure of his conversation, as I looked upon him like +one astonished, he beckoned me and by waving his hand directed me to +approach the place where he sat. I drew near with that reverence which +is due a superior nature; and as my heart was entirely subdued by the +captivating strains I had heard, I fell down at his feet and wept. The +genius smiled upon me with a look of compassion and affability that +familiarized him to my imagination, and at once dispelled all fears +and apprehensions with which I approached him. He lifted me from the +ground, and taking me by the hand, ‘Mirza,’ said he, ‘I have heard +thee in thy soliloquies; follow me.’ + +“He then led me to the highest pinnacle of the rock, and placing me on +the top of it--‘Cast thy eyes eastward,’ said he, ‘and tell me what +thou seest.’ ‘I see,’ said I, ‘a huge valley, and a prodigious tide of +water rolling through it.’ ‘The valley that thou seest,’ said he, ‘is +the Vale of Misery, and the tide of water that thou seest is part of +the great tide of eternity.’ ‘What is the reason,’ said I, ‘that the +tide I see rises out of a thick mist at one end, and again loses itself +in a thick mist at the other.’ ‘What thou seest,’ said he, ‘is that +portion of eternity which is called time, measured out by the sun, and +reaching from the beginning of the world to its consummation.’ ‘Examine +now,’ said he, ‘this sea that is bounded with darkness at both ends, +and tell me what thou discoverest in it.’ ‘I see a bridge,’ said I, +‘standing in the midst of the tide.’ ‘The bridge thou seest,’ said he, +‘is human life; consider it attentively.’ Upon a more leisurely survey +of it, I saw that it consisted of threescore and ten entire arches, +with several broken arches, which added to those that were entire, made +up the number about a hundred. As I was counting the arches, the genius +told me that this bridge consisted first of about a thousand arches, +but that a great flood swept away the rest, and left the bridge in the +ruinous condition I now beheld it. ‘But tell me further,’ said he, +‘what thou discoverest on it.’ ‘I see multitudes of people passing over +it,’ said I, ‘and a black cloud hanging on each end of it.’ As I looked +more attentively I saw several of the passengers dropping through the +bridge into the great tide that flowed underneath it; and upon further +examination, perceived that there were innumerable trap doors that lay +concealed in the bridge, which the passengers no sooner trod upon, but +that they fell through them into the tide and immediately disappeared. +These hidden pitfalls were set very thick at the entrance to the +bridge, so that throngs of people no sooner broke through the cloud, +but many of them fell into them. They grew thinner toward the middle, +but multiplied and came closer together toward the end of the arches +that were entire. + +“There were indeed some persons, but their number was very small, that +continued a kind of hobbling march upon the broken arches, but fell +through one after another, being quite tired and spent with so long a +walk. + +“I passed some time in contemplation of this wonderful structure, and +the great variety of objects which it presented. My heart was filled +with deep melancholy to see several dropping unexpectedly in the midst +of mirth and jollity, and catching at everything that stood by them to +save themselves. Some were looking up toward heaven in a thoughtful +posture, and in the midst of a speculation stumbled and fell out +of sight. Multitudes were very busy in the pursuit of bubbles that +glittered in their eyes and danced before them; but often when they +thought themselves within reach of them, their footing failed, and down +they sank. In this confusion of objects, I observed some with scimitars +in their hands, and others with urinals, who ran to and fro upon the +bridge, thrusting several persons on trap doors which did not seem to +lie in their way, and which they might have escaped had they not thus +been forced upon them. + +“The genius seeing me indulge myself in this melancholy prospect, told +me that I had dwelt long enough on it. ‘Take thine eyes off of the +bridge,’ said he, ‘and tell me if thou seest anything thou dost not +comprehend.’ Upon looking up, ‘What mean,’ said I, ‘those great flights +of birds that are perpetually hovering about the bridge, and settling +on it from time to time? I see vultures, harpies, ravens, cormorants, +and among many other feathered creatures several little winged boys, +that perch in great numbers on the middle arches.’ ‘These,’ said the +genius, ‘are Envy, Avarice, Superstition, Despair, Love, with the like +cares and passions that infest human life.’ + +“Here I fetched a deep sigh. ‘Alas,’ said I, ‘man was made in vain! +how is he given away to misery and mortality! tortured in life, and +swallowed up in death!’ The genius, being moved with compassion towards +me, bid me quit so uncomfortable a prospect. ‘Look no more,’ said +he, ‘on man in the first stages of his existence, his setting out +for eternity; but cast thine eye onto that thick mist into which the +tide bears the several generations of mortals that fall into it.’ I +directed my sight as I was ordered, and (whether or no the good genius +strengthened it with supernatural force, or dissipated part of the mist +that was before too thick for the eye to penetrate) I saw the valley +opening at the farther end, and spreading forth into an immense ocean, +that had a huge rock of adamant running through the midst of it, and +dividing it into equal parts. The clouds still rested on one-half of +it, in so much that I could discover nothing in it: but the other +appeared to me a vast ocean planted with innumerable islands, that were +covered with fruits and interwoven with a thousand little shining seas +that ran among them. I could see people dressed in glorious habits +with garlands upon their heads, passing among the trees, lying down +by the sides of fountains, or resting on beds of flowers; and could +hear a confused harmony of singing birds, falling waters, human voices, +and musical instruments. Gladness grew within me upon the discovery +of so delightful a scene. I wished for the wings of an eagle, that I +might fly away to those happy seats: but the genius told me that there +was no passage to them, except through the gates of death that I saw +opening every moment upon the bridge. ‘The islands,’ said he, ‘that +lie so fresh and green before thee, and with which the whole face of +the ocean appears spotted as far as thou canst see, are more in number +than the sands on the seashore; there are myriads of islands behind +those which thou discoverest, reaching farther than thine eye, or even +thine imagination can extend itself. These are the mansions of good +men after death, who according to the degree and kinds of virtue in +which they excelled, are distributed among these several islands; which +abound with pleasures of different kinds and degrees, suitable to the +relish and perfection of those who are settled in them; every island is +a paradise accommodated to its respected inhabitants. Are not these, +O Mirza, habitations worth contending for? Does life appear miserable +that gives the opportunities of earning such a reward? Is death to be +feared that will convey thee to so happy an existence? Think not man +was made in vain, who has such an eternity reserved for him.’ I gazed +with inexpressible pleasure on these happy islands. ‘At length,’ said +I, ‘show me now, I beseech thee, the secrets that lie hid under those +dark clouds which cover the ocean on the other side of the rock of +adamant.’ The genius making me no answer I turned about to address +myself to him a second time, but I found that he had left me: I then +turned again to the vision which I had been so long contemplating, but +instead of the rolling tide, the arched bridge, and the happy islands, +I saw nothing but the long hollow valley of Bagdad, with oxen, sheep, +and camels, grazing upon the sides of it.” + +Remembering the peculiar habits of thought of that day, some indication +of which you will find in the chapter that follows, it will be +seen that Addison’s aim was a high one. Yet he has the modesty of +earnestness. There is no blatant claim to originality, nor verbal +pyrotechnics. You sense the quiet of the scholar with a real literary +background. “I have,” he wrote, “raised to myself so great an audience, +I shall spare no pains to make their instruction agreeable and their +diversion useful. For which reason I shall endeavor to enliven morality +with wit, and to temper wit with morality, that my readers may, if +possible, both ways find their account in the speculation of the day. +And to the end that their virtue and discretion may not be short, +transient, intermitting starts of thought, I have resolved to refresh +their memories from day to day till I have recovered them out of that +desperate state of vice and folly into which the age has fallen.” +(Spec. No. 10.) + + + + +II. + +THE DAYS HE LIVED IN. + + +The London of Addison and Steele can be very easily reconstructed, from +a reading of the _Spectator_. It did not differ from the London of +Hogarth, except in very minor details, nor from the London of Johnson +of which, in 1768, Benjamin Franklin wrote in his Memoirs, (111, 315). + + Even this capital is now a daily scene of lawless riot. Mobs + patrolling the streets at noonday, some knocking down all who will + not roar for Wilkes and liberty; courts of justice afraid to give + judgment against him; coal heavers and porters pulling down the + houses of coal merchants that refuse to give them more wages; sawyers + destroying saw mills; sailors unrigging all the outward bound ships + and suffering none to sail till merchants agreed to raise their pay; + watermen destroying private boats and threatening bridges, soldiers + firing among the mobs and killing men, women and children.... While + I am writing a great mob of coal porters fill the street, carrying a + wretch of their business upon poles to be ducked for working at the + old wages. + +That paragraph, of course, paints a special picture and goes to show +that in some respects there were incidents afoot very similar to those +we know in our day. Always there have been labor troubles and those who +would grind the faces of the poor, and interfering efficiency experts +in the camps of both parties. + +While the streets were narrow with a single kennel in the middle, +the narrow ways being impeded by coaches, sedan-chairs, carts and +barrows, it is well to bear in mind that it was but a short walk in +any direction to the suburban or genuine open country. A breath of +fresh air was thus within easy reach of workers and tradesmen. In one +direction indeed, it was a little over a mile from the most crowded +part of the city to the famous Bagnigge Wells, established on an old +residence of Nell Gwynn, where was a pump room, a formal garden, pond +and fountains and three rustic bridges crossed the Fleet River. Here +was a place open to all + + Where the frail nymphs in amorous dalliance rove, + Where prentice youths enjoy the Sunday feast, + And city madams boast their Sunday best, + Where unfledged Templars first as fops parade, + And new made ensigns sport their first cockade. + + --Gay. + +The wealthy and fortunate, with a view to getting polish, were sent to +Paris. What they saw there was not vastly different from conditions +in their native country. There would be a furtive visit to the Rue du +Haut Pave looking toward the Pantheon--a crooked, evil street, an old +and murderous street, a vile and dishonored street where murderers and +brigands puffed cigarettes in the Cafe Vachette. Or the old Pont Neuf, +heavy and forbidding, which one crossed to the gambling house to see, +perhaps on one occasion, the famous Vicomte Nucingens on suicide bent, +after having staked his all on a last card. Or the Rue de Fossoyeurs at +night, with lights swaying and flickering, as citizens abroad carried +their lanterns to awe robbers. The swift _D’Artagnan_ lived there, +you may remember, and highwaymen carried off young girls over their +shoulders, and assassins cared little whose throats they cut. + +But what of the _haut ton_ in those days? For Addison, and those in his +circle, climbed high, socially. I quote from the Journal of Madam de +Maintenon, January 22, 1713. + + As a matter of politeness, the Duc de Bourgogne and his two brothers + had been taught to eat with a fork. But when they were admitted to + sup with the king, he would not hear of it, and forbade them to do + it. He never forbade me to do anything of the kind, for all my life I + have never used anything to eat my food save my knife and my fingers. + +A Father Tixier tells of being present as spectator at a royal meal +and, “every time Marie-Terese spoke to the English King, he lifted +his hat to her, and by the end of the meal his hat was most terribly +greasy.” + +I quote Jacques Boulanger in conclusion. “... access to the royal +residences was not difficult to obtain. At Versailles there were +beggars and hucksters selling trifles on the landings and stairways. +Thieves plied their trade, and one rogue went so far, one day, as to +steal the diamonds on the hat the King had just laid on the table.” + +The gambling mania told of by Pepys in an earlier day had by no +means decreased. It culminated in the sublime madness of the South +Sea Bubble and the equally glorious Mississippi Scheme. On a famous +day in February, 1771, Charles James Fox set the pace. In Parliament +he delivered a speech on a religious question after having prepared +himself, as Gibbon put it, “by passing twenty-two hours in the pious +exercise of hazard.” During the game, he lost steadily at the rate +of five hundred pounds sterling per hour. On the next day he won six +thousand pounds, but, later in the week, he dropped twenty-one thousand +pounds in two sittings. The young Lord Stavordale, then eighteen, won +eleven thousand pounds in a single day and commented upon what would +have been the result had he “played deep.” One day, during the progress +of an extended game at Brooks’ gambling club, a new invention was born +in this wise. The Earl of Sandwich, one of the players, had sat for +several hours without interruption. Unwilling to leave the game, but +being hungry, he ordered the servant to bring him some meat without a +plate, suggesting that a slice of beef be placed between two slices of +bread. By such easy means it is given to some to achieve fame, to pass +a name to posterity! + +The most remarkable social product of the age was the coffee-house. +Coffee was known in England a century before tobacco. A passage in +Evelyn’s diary of May 10, 1637, reads: “I saw one, Nathaniel Coniopos, +a Greek, the first I ever saw drink coffee, (which custom came not into +England until thirty years after).” + +The earliest two coffee houses in England were established in 1652 +and 1656, the second, being one James Farr’s. Admission to the coffee +house cost a penny, and a cup of tea or coffee, two pence. Favored and +regular customers had their own tables and as soon as one of these +appeared, the waiting man carried to him the latest gazette or news +sheet. Hence, the statement that Addison made that his _Spectator_ +reached twenty more people than bought it, would not appear to be +extravagant. + +In a few years coffee houses spread over the whole of London and it was +currently thought that they were established on granite foundation, +but thirty years ago they had declined so that only two or three +survived fairly unchanged. I recall going to one one night and meeting +there that strange saturnine figure of the 1880’s, Lothrop Withington, +reputed to have a very extensive knowledge of Elizabethan England. It +was in Tottenham Court Road and Gissing used to frequent the place. +We sat in a long room with neatly sanded floor. The tables were bare +topped, each with a straight bench on either side, with high partitions +between each table and its neighbor. At the end of the room was the +open fire-place with a couple of shining steaming kettles at which +presided a neat woman in a print frock. There was no bill of fare and +no variety in the course served. You had a mutton chop with coffee and +bread, or nothing. Entering, a lad brought you a new, long clay pipe +called a church-warden. The surroundings were conducive to conversation +and the prices charged were extremely modest. + +At such coffee houses the affairs of the nation and universe were +settled and unsettled; clubs and social groups were formed, and, on +occasions, political plots hatched. An amusing account of the various +London resorts of this nature in the days of Addison was given in _A +Brief and Merry History of Great Britain_, and, for the information +of intellectual strangers, the subjects usually discussed at each was +listed and classified thus: + + At those Coffee Houses, near the Court, called White’s, St. + James’, William’s, the conversation turns chiefly upon Equipages, + Horse Matches, Mode of Mortgages: The Cocoa Tree upon Bribery and + Corruption, Evil Ministers, Errors and Mistakes in Government: the + Scotch Coffee-Houses towards Charing Cross, on Places and Pensions; + the Tilt Yard and Young Man’s on Affronts, Honor, Satisfaction, + Duels and Recounters.... In these Coffee-Houses about the Temple + the subjects are generally on Causes, Costs, Demurrers, Rejoiners + and Exceptions; David’s the Welch Coffee-House on Fleet Street, + on Births, Pedigrees, and Descents; Child’s and the Chapter, upon + Globes, Tithes, Rectories, and Lectureships; ... Hamlin’s, Infant + Baptism, Lay Ordination, Free Will, Election, Reprobation; ... and + all those about the Exchange, where the merchants meet to transact + their affairs, are in a perpetual hurry about Stock Jobbing, Lying, + Cheating, Tricking Widows and Orphans, and committing Spoil and + Rapine on the Publick. + +Says the _Spectator_, having in mind the atmosphere intellectual of +this coffee house and that: + + I have passed my latter years in this city, where I am frequently + seen in most public places, though there are not above half a dozen + of my select friends that know me; of whom my next paper shall give a + more particular account. There is no place of general resort wherein + I do not make my appearance; sometimes I am seen thrusting my head + into a round of politicians at Will’s, and listening with great + attention to the narratives that are made in those little circular + audiences; sometimes I smoke a pipe at Child’s, and, while I seem + attentive to nothing but the Postman, overhear the conversation of + every table in the room. I appear on Sunday nights at St. James’ + Coffee House and sometimes join the little committee in the inner + room, as one who comes there to hear and improve. My face is likewise + very well known at the Grecian, the Cocoa Tree, and in the theaters + both of Drury Lane and the Haymarket. (_Spectator_ No. 1.) + +That the coffee house was not at all times a cave of harmony is +evidenced in many places. We recall that _Sir Roger de Coverley_ had +“kicked Bully Dawson in a coffee house for calling him a youngster.” +Then, too, a letter written by Colley Cibber to Mr. Pope would seem to +show that the irascible and waspish temper of the Twickenham poet had +got him into trouble. + + “When you used to pass your hours at Button’s,” writes Cibber in + 1742, p. 65, “you were even then remarkable for your satirical itch + of provocation; scarce was there a gentleman of any pretention to + wit, whom your unguarded temper had fallen upon in some biting + epigram, among which you once caught a pastoral tartar, whose + resentment, that your punishment might be proportionate to the smart + of your poetry, had stuck up a birchen rod in the room to be ready + whenever you might come within reach of it; and at this rate, you + writ and rallied and writ on, till you rhymed yourself quite out of + the coffee-house.” + +Pope, obviously was made for a coffee house career. Dryden, Addison, +Steele and Savage on the other hand were in their glories at such +gatherings. Once, at St. James’ Coffee House, Addison and his friends +had noticed for several days a singular parson, who put his hat on the +table, walked up and down the sanded floor for half an hour without +speaking to any one, paid his money and left. They dubbed him the “mad +parson.” One day Addison saw this “mad parson” step up to a new arrival +who appeared to have come from the country, and heard him say, without +any introduction: + +“Pray sir, do you know any good weather in the world?” + +“Yes, sir,” replied the other, “thank God I remember a great deal of +good weather in my time.” + +“That is more than I can say,” grumbled the “mad” one. “I never +remember any weather that was not too hot or too cold, too dry or too +wet; but however God Almighty contrives it, at the end of the year ’tis +all very well.” + +That was the first time Addison and Swift met. + +We gather that occasional dead beats walked the world even as with us. +In the _Spectator_ of March 28, 1711, appears the following: + +ADVERTISEMENT. + + To prevent all mistakes that may happen among gentlemen of the other + end of the town, who come but once a week to St. James’ Coffee House, + either by miscalling the servants, or requiring things from them + as are not properly within their provinces; this is to give notice + that Kidney, keeper of the book debts of the outlying customers, and + observer of those who go off without paying, having resigned that + employment, is succeeded by John Sowton; to whose place of enterer + of messages and first coffee grinder, William Bird is promoted; and + Samuel Burdock comes as shoe cleaner in the room of said Bird. + +Again, to all men who believe that human nature changes and that only +in these latter and effete days are we burdened with bores, dogmatists, +pedants and prigs, read what follows. It is Richard Steele writing in +No. 145, and under date of August 16, 1711: + + You cannot employ yourself more usefully than in adjusting the laws + of disputation in coffee-houses and accidental companies, as well + as in more formal debates. Among many other things which your own + experience must suggest to you, it will be very obliging if you + will take notice of wagerers. I will not here repeat what Hudibras + says of such disputants, which is so true, that it is almost + proverbial but shall only acquaint you with a set of fellows on the + inns-of-court whose fathers have provided them so plentifully, that + they need not be anxious to get law into their heads for the service + of their country at the bar; but are of those who are sent (as the + phrase of parents is) to the temple to know how to keep their own. + One of these gentlemen is very loud and captious at a coffee house + which I frequent, and being in his nature troubled with a humor of + contradiction, though withal excessively ignorant, he has found a + way to indulge this temper, go on in idleness and ignorance, and + yet still give himself the air of a very learned and knowing man + by the strength of his pocket. The misfortune of the thing is, I + have, as it happens sometimes, a greater stock of learning than + of money. The gentleman I am speaking of takes advantage of the + narrowness of my circumstances in such a manner that he has read all + that I can pretend to, and runs me down with a positive air, and + with such powerful arguments that from a very learned person I am + thought a mere pretender. Not long ago, I was relating that I had + read a passage in Tacitus; up starts my gentleman in company, and + pulling out his purse offered to lay me ten guineas, to be staked + immediately to that gentleman’s hands, (pointing to one smoking at + another table), that I was utterly mistaken. I was dumb for want + of ten guineas.... There are several of this sort of fellows in + town, who wager themselves into statesmen, historians, geographers, + mathematicians and every other art.... + +Like any other man of cultivated taste and cosmopolitan training, +Addison had the contempt of enlightened persons for the fanaticisms +of his time. For then, as now, there was political mistrust and +suspicion and fanatics were abroad. The changes were rung upon all the +familiar phrases of political oratory, gold and pinchbeck alike, and +the political rhetorician recklessly indulged in sentiments to which +the whole tenor of his career gave the lie. The coffee houses swarmed +with those who smelt treason where none existed, who scented plots +where were none, who saw in innocent remarks dangerous tendencies, and +beheld, in the sweet fiction of the _Spectator’s_ club a diabolical +contrivance for intrigue. Very magnificently Addison handles the +situation in _Spectator_ No. 46, of April 23, 1711, and we get +incidentally a pretty side light on coffee house society. + + +ON SUSPICION. + +NO. 46, SPECTATOR--ADDISON. + +When I want material for this paper, it is my custom to go abroad in +quest of game; and when I meet any proper subject, I take the first +opportunity of setting down a hint of it upon paper. At the same time, +I look into the letters of my correspondents, and if I find anything +suggested in them that may afford matter of speculation, I likewise +enter a minute of it in my collection of materials. By this means I +frequently carry about with me a whole sheetful of hints, that would +look like a rhapsody of nonsense to anyone but myself. There is nothing +in them but obscurity and confusion, raving and inconsistency. In +short, they are my speculations in the first principles, that (like the +world in its chaos) are void of all light, distinction and order. + +About a week since, there happened to me a very odd accident, by reason +of one of these my papers of minutes which I had accidentally dropped +at Lloyd’s coffee house, where the auctions are usually kept. Before +I missed it, there was a cluster of people who had found it, and were +diverting themselves with it at one end of the coffee house. It had +raised so much laughter among them before I had observed what they were +about, that I had not the courage to own it. The boy of the coffee +house, when they had done with it, carried it about in his hand, asking +everybody if they had dropped a written paper; but nobody challenging +it, he was ordered by those merry gentlemen who had before perused it, +to get up into the auction pulpit, and read it to the whole room, that +if anyone would own it, they might. The boy accordingly mounted the +pulpit, and with a very audible voice read as follows: + +MINUTES. + + Sir Roger de Coverly’s country seat--yes, for I hate + long speeches--Query, if a good Christian may be a + conjurer--Childermas day, salt cellar, house-dog, screech-owl, + cricket--Mr. Thomas Inkle of London, in the good ship called + the Achilles--Yarico--=Aehrescitque medendo=--Ghosts--The + Lady’s Library--Lion by trade a tailor--Dromedary called + Bucephalus--Equipage the Lady’s =summum bonum=--Charles Lillie to + be taken notice of--Short face a relief to envy--Redundancies in + three professions--King Latinus a recruit--Jew devouring a ham + of bacon--Westminster Abbey--Grand Cairo--Procrastination--April + fools--Blue boars, red lions, hogs in armor--Enter a king and + two fiddlers =soius=--Admission into the Ugly Club--Beauty how + improvable--Families of true and false humor--The parrot’s + school-mistress--Face half Pict half British--No man can be a hero of + a tragedy under six foot--Club of Sighers--Letters from flower-pots, + elbow chairs, tapestry-figures, lion, thunder--The bell rings to + the puppet-show--Old woman with a beard married to a smock-faced + boy--My next coat to be turned up with blue--Fable of tongs and + gridiron--Flower dyers--The soldier’s prayer--Thank ye for nothing, + says the gallipot--Pactolus in the stockings with golden clocks to + them--Bamboos, cudgels, drum-sticks--Slip of my landlady’s eldest + daughter--The black mare with a star in her forehead--The barber’s + pole--Will Honeycomb’s coat-pocket--Caesar’s behavior and my own + in parallel circumstances--Poems in patchwork--=Nulli gravi est + percussus Achilles=--The female conventicler--The ogle-master. + +The reading of this paper made the whole coffee house very merry; +some of them concluded it was written by a mad man, and others by +somebody that had been taking notes out of the _Spectator_. One, who +had the appearance of a very substantial citizen, told us, with several +political winks and nods, that he wished there was no more in the +paper than what was expressed in it: that for his part, he looked upon +the dromedary, the gridiron, and the barber’s pole, to signify more +than was usually meant by those words: and that he thought that the +coffee man could not do better than to carry the paper to one of the +secretaries of state. He farther added, that he did not like the name +of the outlandish man with the golden clock in his stockings. A young +Oxford scholar who chanced to be with his uncle at the coffee house, +discovered to us who this Pactolus was: and by that means turned the +whole scheme of this worthy citizen into ridicule. While they were +making their several conjectures upon this innocent paper, I reached +out my arm to the boy as he was coming out of the pulpit, to give it to +me; which he did accordingly. This drew the eyes of the whole company +upon me; but after having cast a cursory glance over it, and shook my +head twice or thrice at the reading of it, I twisted it into a kind +of match, and lighted my pipe with it. My profound silence, together +with the steadiness of my countenance, and the gravity of my behavior +during this whole transaction, raised a very loud laugh on all sides of +me; but as I had escaped all suspicion of being the author, I was very +well satisfied, and applying myself to my pipe and the Postman, took no +further notice of anything that passed about me. + + * * * * * + +In No. 9, March 19, 1710, we find an account of a Social Club formed by +a few in a certain ale house. It is of a lower social strata. + + _Rules to be observed in the Two-Penny Club erected in this place + for the preservation of friendship and good neighborhoods._ + + 1. Every member at his first coming shall lay down his two-pence. + + 2. Every member shall fill his pipe out of his own box. + + 3. If any member absent himself, he shall forfeit a penny for the use + of the club, unless in case of sickness or imprisonment. + + 4. If any member curses or swears, his neighbor may give him a kick + upon the shins. + + 5. If any member tells stories in the club that are not true, he + shall forfeit for every third lie a half penny. + + 6. If any member strikes another wrongfully, he shall pay his club + for him. + + 7. If any member brings his wife into the club, he shall pay for + whatever she drinks or smokes. + + 8. If any member’s wife comes to fetch him home from the club, she + shall speak to him without the door. + + 9. If any member calls another a cuckold, he shall be turned out of + the club. + + 10. None shall be permitted into the club that is of the same trade + with any member of it. + + 11. None of the club shall have his clothes or shoes made or mended + but by a brother member. + + 12. No non-juror shall be capable of being a member. + + * * * * * + +In those days there were lively happenings. Dick Turpin on his bonny +Black Bess frightened travelers on Hounslow Heath, made his famous +ride from London to York, in twenty-four hours, and, one gray day in +November of 1714, died at Tyburn, dressed in his gayest attire with a +rose at his button hole. Nor would the crowd allow his body to be given +to the surgeons, for, seeing it taken from the gallows, they rescued +it, carried it through the town in triumph, then buried it in a deep +grave that night. + +Claude Duval, too, was a popular hero, the pink of politeness, the +gentleman thief it was an honor to be robbed by. He would stop a coach +to dance a Sarabandi with the lady, and then rob her escort. He + + Taught the wild Arabs of the road + To rob in a more gentle mode; + Take prizes more obligingly than those + Who never had been bred =filous=; + And how to hang in a more graceful fashion + Than e’er was known before to the dull English nation. + + * * * * * + +There was a period of insane speculation commencing with the South Sea +Company originated by Harley, Earl of Oxford, with a view to restore +public credit. Visions of ingots danced before everyone’s eyes, and +stock in any scheme rose rapidly. One bright genius, forerunner of +a Ponzi, announced the formation of a company “for carrying on an +undertaking of great advantage, but nobody to know what it is.” The +prospectus announced that it required a capital of a half million +pounds, of 5,000 shares of a hundred pounds each with a deposit of two +pounds on application. Each subscriber paying his initial deposit would +be entitled to a hundred pounds per annum per share. The following +morning after the prospectus had gone forth, he opened his office in +Cornhill, and when he closed that day at three, he was the winner of +two thousand pounds clear, so did not re-open his office, nor stay in +the country. + +In the papers of the period are to be found advertisements and notices, +all kinds of mad money-making propositions, as filed at the Council +Chamber Whitehall. To name a few: + + Petition for a wheel for perpetual motion. + + For the philosopher’s stone. (Steele was interested in this question.) + + Petition for incorporation to carry on a whale fishery. + + On paving London Streets. Capital two million pounds. + + For trading in human hair. + + For the transmutation of quicksilver into malleable fine metal. + + For changing lead into gold. + + * * * * * + +Duelling was very prevalent. Addison and Steele in the _Spectator_ +were untiring in the reprobation of it. Steele constantly exposed +the absurdity of the practice and endeavored to bring his readers to +his way of thinking. His comedy, _The Conscious Lover_, contains an +admirable exposure of the abuse of the word honor, which led men to so +fanatic an absurdity. Swift, in his own savage way, remarked that he +could “see no harm in rogues and fools shooting one another.” Addison +summed up nearly all that could be said on the subject in the following +powerful paragraph: + +“A Christian and a gentleman are made inconsistent appellations of +the same person. You are not to expect eternal life if you are not to +forgive injuries, and your mortal life is rendered uncomfortable if you +are not ready to commit a murder in resentment of an affront; for good +sense, as well as religion, is so utterly banished in the world that +men glory in their very passions, and pursue trifles with the utmost +vengeance, so little do they know that to forgive is the most arduous +pitch human nature can arrive at. A coward has often fought--a coward +has often conquered, but a coward never forgave.” + +Again in No. 99, June 23, 1711, Addison writes: + +“The placing the point of honor in this false kind of courage, has +given occasion to the very refuse of mankind, who have neither virtue +nor common sense, to set up for men of honor. An English peer who has +not long been dead, (this was William Cavendish, the first duke of +Devonshire, who died August 18, 1707) used to tell a pleasant story of +a French gentleman that visited him early one morning at Paris, and +after great professions of respect, let him know that he had it in his +power to oblige him; which in short, amounted to this--that he believed +that he could tell his lordship the person’s name who jostled him as he +came out from the opera: but before he would proceed, he begged his +lordship that he would not deny him the honor of making him his second. +The English Lord to avoid being drawn into a very foolish affair, told +him that he was under engagements for his two next duels to a couple +of particular friends; upon which the gentleman immediately withdrew, +hoping his lordship would not take it ill if he meddled no further in +an affair from whence he was to receive no advantage. + +“The beating down of this false notion of honor in so vain and lively +a people as those of France, is deservedly looked upon as one of the +most glorious parts of their present king’s reign. It is a pity but +the punishment of these mischievous notions should have in it some +particular circumstance of shame or infamy: that those who are slaves +to them may see, that instead of advancing their reputations, they lead +them to ignominy and dishonor. + +“Death is not sufficient to deter men who make it their glory to +despise it; but if every one that fought a duel were to stand in the +pillory, it would quickly lessen the number of these imaginary men of +honor, and put an end to so absurd a practice. + +“When honor is to support virtue’s principles, and runs parallel to +the laws of God and our country, it cannot be too much cherished and +encouraged: but when the dictates of honor are contrary to those of +religion and equity, they are the greatest depravations of human +nature, by giving wrong ambitions and ideas of what is good and +laudable; and should therefore be exploded by all governments, and +driven out of the bane and plague of human society.” + + * * * * * + +The article was penned in consequence of an affair on the 8th of May, +1711, when Sir Cholmely Deering, M.P., for the county of Kent, was +slain in a duel by Mr. Richard Thornhill, also member of the House +of Commons. Three days after, by the efforts of Addison, Sir Peter +King brought the subject under the notice of the Legislature, and +after dwelling at considerable length on the alarming increase of the +practice, obtained leave to bring in a bill for the prevention and +punishment of duelling. + +As an Irishman, fighting against duelling, Steele was going contrary +to all the traditions of his countrymen. In Ireland, not only military +men, but men of every profession had to work a way to eminence with +pistol or sword. Each political party had its regular corps of fire +eaters who qualified themselves for the position by spending their +whole time at target practice. They boasted that they could hit upon an +opponent in any part of his body they pleased, and made up their minds +before the encounter began whether they should kill him, disable him, +or disfigure him for life. + +We have it on the authority of Sir Jonah Barrington in his “Personal +Sketches of His Own Time” that “no young fellow could finish his +education till he had exchanged shots with some of his acquaintances. +The first questions always asked as to a young man’s respectability +and qualifications, particularly when he proposed for a lady-wife +were--‘What family is he of?’ ‘Did he ever blaze?’” + +Everywhere, as you see, there are coarse things, great and gross +sensuality, wild animality, unrestrained joy and not a little bestial +pleasure. Virtue had the semblance of puritanism and the memory of +the days under the rule of the kill-joys was a nightmare. So, men who +wrote the news sheets of the day saw nothing for it but to foster +that brutal bloody impulse that seemed to sway the masses of their +readers. If it was necessary to feed them, then the fare given was raw +flesh, violence, blood. This must be borne in mind in order to fully +appreciate the wonderful change brought about in five short years by +two men of fine tastes and delicate sensibilities. Steele in No. cxxxiv +of the _Tatler_, condemning the cruelty of the age, says he has “often +wondered that we do not lay outside a custom which makes us appear +barbarous to nations much more rude and unpolished than ourselves. Some +French writers have represented this diversion of the common people +much to our disadvantage, and imputed it to natural fierceness and +cruelty of temper, as they do some other entertainments peculiar to +our nation. I mean these elegant diversions and bull baiting and prize +fighting, with the like ingenious recreation of the Bear-garden. I wish +I knew how to answer this reproach that is cast upon us, and excuse the +death of many innocent cocks, bulls, dogs, and bears, as have been set +together by the ears, or died untimely deaths, only to make us sport.” + +Bearing that in mind, I call your attention to an advertisement of the +time which I copy from the Harlean MSS. 5931,46. Here it is, word for +word: + + At the Bear Garden in Hockley in the Hole, 1710. This is to give + notice to all Gentlemen, Gamesters, and Others, that on this present + Monday is a match to be fought by two dogs, one from Newgate Market + against one from Honey Lane Market, at a Bull, for a Guinea to be + spent. Five Let goes out off Hand, which goes fairest and farthest + in, wins all; likewise a Green Bull to be baited, which was never + baited before, and a Bull to be turned loose with fireworks all over + him; also a Mad Ass to be baited; with variety of Bull Baiting, and + Bear Baiting, and a dog to be drawn up with Fireworks. + +One named Mission, a writer of the day, describes a bull fight as +follows: + + They tie a rope to the foot of the ox or bull, and fasten the other + end of the cord to an iron ring fix’d to a stake driven into the + ground, so that this cord being 15 feet long, the bull is confined + to a sphere of about 30 foot diameter. Several butchers or other + gentlemen, that are desirous to exercise their dogs, stand round + about, each holding his own by the ears; and, when the sport begins, + they let loose one of the dogs; the dog runs at the bull. The bull + immovable, looks down upon the dog with an eye of scorn, and only + turns a horn to him to hinder him from coming under; the dog is not + daunted at this, he turns round him, and tries to get beneath his + belly, in order to seize him by the muzzle, or the dew lap or the + pendant glands; the bull then puts himself in a Posture of Defense; + he beats the ground with his feet, which he joins together as close + as possible, and his chief aim is not to gore the dog with the + point of his horn, but to slide one of them into the dog’s belly + (who creeps close to the ground to hinder it) and to throw him so + high in the air that he may break his neck in the fall. This often + happens; when the dog thinks he is sure of fixing his teeth, a turn + of the horn which seems to be done with all the negligence in the + world, gives him a sprawl thirty foot high, and puts him in danger + of a damnable squelch when he comes down. This danger would be + unavoidable, if the dog’s friends were not ready beneath him, some + with their backs to give him a soft reception, and others with long + poles which may offer him slant ways, to the intent that, sliding + down them, he may break the force of his fall. Notwithstanding all + this care a toss generally makes him sing to a very scurvy tune and + draw his phiz into a pitiful grimace; but, unless he is totally + stunned with the fall, he is sure to crawl again towards the bull, + with his old antipathy, come on’t what will. Some times a second + frisk into the air disables him forever from playing his old tricks; + but, some times, too, he fastens on his enemy, and when he has seized + him with his eye teeth, he sticks to him like a leech, and would + sooner die than leave his hold. The bull bellows and bounds, and + kicks about to shake off the dog; by his leaping, the dog seems to + be no matter of weight to him though in all appearances he puts him + to great pain. In the end, either the dog tears out the piece he + has laid hold of, and falls, or else remains fixed to him, with an + obstinacy that would never end, if they did not put him off. To call + him away would be in vain; to give him a hundred blows would be as + much so; you might cut him to pieces joint by joint before he would + let him loose. What is to be done then? While some hold the bull, + others thrust staves into the dog’s mouth and open it by main force. + That is the only way to part them. + + * * * * * + +I copy the advertisement that follows from the Harl. MSS. 5931,50: + + At the Bear Garden in the Hockley-in-the-Hole. + + A Trial of Skill to be performed between two Profound Masters of the + Noble Science of Defense on Wednesday next, being the 13th inst. + July, 1709 at two of the clock precisely. + + I, George Gray, born in the City of Norwich, who has fought in most + parts of the West Indies, viz., Jamaica, Baradoes, and several other + parts of the world, in all twenty-five times upon a stage and never + yet was worsted, and now come to London, do invite James Harris, to + meet and exercise at these following weapons, viz.: + + Back Sword + Sword and Dagger + Sword and Buckler + Single Falchion and + Case of Falchions. + + I, James Harris, Master of the Noble Science of Defense, who formerly + was in the Horse Guards, and hath fought a 110 prizes, and never left + a stage to any man, will not fail God willing, to meet this brave and + bold inviter, at the time and place appointed desiring sharp swords, + and from him no favor. + + =Note.=--No persons to be upon the stage but the seconds. =Vivat + Regina.= + +There is report of a similar entertainment by the hand of Steele in No. +436 of the _Spectator_, July 21, 1712. Steele does not plunge into the +blood and the filth; he passes through on tiptoe and so daintily that +the mire does not stick. + +“Being a person of insatiable curiosity, I could not forbear going +on Wednesday last to a place of no small renown for the gallantry +of the lower order of Britons, namely, the Bear-garden, at +Hockley-in-the-Hole; where, (as a whitish-brown paper, put into my +hands in the street, informed me) there was to be a trial of skill +exhibited between two masters of the noble science of defense, at two +of the clock precisely. I was not a little charmed at the solemnity of +the challenge, which ran thus: + + I, James Miller, sergeant (lately come from the frontiers of + Portugal), master of the noble science of defense, hearing in most + places where I have been of the fame of Timothy Buck, of London, + master of the said science, do invite him to meet me and exercise at + the several weapons following, viz.: + + Back Sword + Sword and Dagger + Sword and Buckler + Single Falchion + Case of Falchions + Quarter Staff. + +“If the generous ardor of James Miller to dispute the reputation of +Timothy Buck had something resembling the old heroes of romance, +Timothy Buck returned answer in the same paper with the light spirit, +adding a little indignation at being challenged, and seeming to +condescend to fight James Miller, not in regard of Miller himself, but +in that, as the fame went out, he had fought Parkes of Coventry. The +acceptance of the combat ran in these words: + + I, Timothy Buck, of Clare-market, master of the noble science of + defense, hearing he did fight Mr. Parkes of Coventry, will not + fail, God willing, to meet this fair inviter at the time and place + appointed, desiring a clear stage and no favor. =Vivat Regina.= + +“I shall not here look back on the spectacles of the Greeks and Romans +of this kind, but must believe that this custom took its rise from the +ages of knight-errantry; from those who loved one woman so well that +they hated all men and women else; from those who would fight you, +whether you were or were not of their mind; from those who demanded +the combat of their contemporaries both for admiring their mistress +or discommending her. I cannot therefore but lament that the terrible +part of the ancient fight is preserved, when the amorous side of it is +forgotten. We have retained the barbarity but not the gallantry of the +old combatants. I could wish, me thinks, these gentlemen had consulted +me in the promulgation of the conflict. I was obliged by a fair young +maid, whom I understood to be called Elizabeth Preston, daughter of the +keeper of the garden, with a glass of water; who I imagined might have +been, for form’s sake, the general representative for the lady fought +for, and from her beauty the proper Amaryllis on these occasions. It +would have run better in the challenge, ‘I, James Miller, sergeant, +who have traveled parts abroad, and came last from the frontiers of +Portugal, for the love of Elizabeth Preston, do assert that the said +Elizabeth is the fairest of women.’ Then the answer, ‘I, Timothy Buck, +who have stayed in Great Britain during all the war in foreign parts +for the sake of Susannah Page, do deny that Elizabeth Preston is so +fair as the said Susannah Page. Let Susannah Page look on, and I desire +no favor of James Miller.’ + +“This would give the battle quite another turn; and a proper station +for the ladies whose complexion was disputed by the sword, would +animate the disputants with a more gallant incentive than the +expectation of money from the spectators; though I would not have that +neglected, but thrown to that fair one whose lover was approved by the +donor. + +“Yet considering the thing wants such amendments, it was carried with +great order. James Miller came on first, preceded by two disabled +drummers, to show, I suppose, that the prospect of maimed bodies did +not in the least deter him. There ascended with the daring Miller +a gentleman, whose name I could not learn, with a dogged air, as +unsatisfied that he was not principal. This son of anger lowered at the +whole assembly, and, weighing himself as he marched around from side +to side, with a stiff knee and shoulder, he gave intimations of the +purpose he smothered till he saw the issue of this encounter. Miller +had a blue ribbon tied around the sword arm; which ornament I conceive +to be the remain of that custom of wearing a mistress’s favor on such +occasions of old. + +“Miller is a man of six foot eight inches in height, of a kind but +bold aspect, well fashioned, and ready of his limbs, and such a +readiness as spoke his ease in them was obtained from a habit of motion +in military exercise. + +“The expectation of the spectators was now almost at its height; and +the crowd pressing in, several active persons thought they were placed +rather according to their fortune than their merit, and took it in +their heads to prefer themselves from the open area or pit to the +galleries. This dispute between desert and property brought many to +the ground, and raised others in proportion to seats by turns, for the +space of ten minutes till Timothy Buck came on, and the whole assembly +giving up their disputes, turned their eyes upon the champions. Then +it was that every man’s affections turned from one or the other +irresistibly. A judicious gentleman near me said, ‘I could methinks +be Miller’s second, but I had rather have Buck for mine.’ Miller had +an audacious look that took the eye; Buck had a perfect composure +that engaged the judgment. Buck came on in a plain coat, and kept all +his air till the instant of engaging, at which time he undressed to +his shirt, his arm adorned with a bandage of red ribbon. No one can +describe the sudden concern in the whole assembly; the most tumultuous +crowd in nature was as still and as much engaged as if all their lives +depended upon the first blow. The combatants met in the middle of the +stage, and shaking hands, as removing all malice, with much grace to +the extremities of it; from whence they immediately faced about, and +approached each other, Miller with a heart full of resolution, Buck +with a watchful, untroubled countenance: Buck regarding principally his +own defense, Miller chiefly thoughtful of annoying his opponent. It +is not easy to describe the many escapes and imperceptible defenses +between two men of quick eyes and ready limbs. But Miller’s heat +laid him open to the rebuke of the calm Buck, by a large cut on the +forehead. Much effusion of blood covered his eyes in a moment, and the +huzzas of the crowd undoubtedly quickened the anguish. The assembly was +divided into parties upon their different ways of fighting; while a +poor nymph in one of the galleries apparently suffered for Miller, and +burst into a flood of tears. As soon as his wound was wrapped up, he +came on again with a little rage, which disabled him further. But what +brave man can be wounded into more caution and patience? The next was a +warm, eager onset, which ended in a decisive stroke on the left leg of +Miller. The Lady in the gallery during this second strife, covered her +face, and for my part, I could not keep my thoughts from being mostly +employed on the consideration of her most unhappy circumstance that +moment, hearing the clash of swords, and apprehending life or victory +concerned her lover in every blow, but not daring to satisfy herself +on whom they fell. The wound was exposed to the view of all who could +delight in it, and sewed up on the stage. The surly second of Miller +declared at this time that he would that day fortnight fight Mr. Buck +at the same weapons, declaring himself the master of the renowned +Gorman; but Buck denied him the honor of that courageous disciple, +and, asserting that he himself had taught that champion, accepted the +challenge. + +“There is something in human nature very unaccountable on such +occasions, when we see the people take a painful gratification in +beholding these encounters. Is it cruelty that administers this sort of +delight? Or is it a pleasure that is taken in the exercise of pity? It +was, methought, pretty remarkable that the business of the day being a +trial of skill, the popularity did not run so high as one would have +expected on the side of Buck. Is it that the people’s passions have +their rise in self love, and thought themselves (in spite of all the +courage they had) liable to the fate of Miller, but could not so easily +think themselves qualified like Buck? + +“Tully speaks of this custom with less horror than one would expect, +though he confesses it was much abused in his time, and seems directly +to approve of it under its first regulations, when criminals only +fought before the people. _Crudele gladiatorum spectaculum et inhumanum +nonnullis videri solet; et haud scio annon ita sit ut nunc fit; cum +vero sontes ferro depugnabant, auribus fortasse multa, oculis quidem +nulla, poterat esse fortior contra dolorem et mortem disciplina._ The +shows of gladiators may be thought barbarous and inhuman, and I know +not but it is so as it is now practiced; but in those times when only +criminals were combatants, the ear might perhaps receive many better +instructions, but it is impossible that anything which affects our eyes +should fortify us so well against pain and death.” + + * * * * * + +But brave, bellicose, blood-thirsty as was the Briton in the days of +Addison, he was very fearful of unseen things. He feared a witch as we +fear a microbe. He was full of morbid possibilities, his nerves were +strangely susceptible. As a man in our day will fight the daily fight +fearlessly, will declare his intellectual independence, will be bold +in the expression of his opinions, yet quail and cringe at the name of +the unseen Mrs. Grundy, so those who yelled at bull fights, glorified +in the bloodshed of the ring side or went forth in the street to do +battle for a political cause, feared with a most lively fear dark +demoniac powers who worked by occult means and subtle fascinations of +evil. + +In the paper that next follows, there is an exquisite touch when Sir +Roger catches sight of a cat and the broomstick behind the old woman’s +door. That to him seems to be proof positive of dark and nefarious +doings--proof as positive as, not so long ago, it was considered +proof positive by an excited crowd in a small town, when an old woman +with a German name was found to have in her house a blue print of a +railroad bridge. That it might have a perfectly legitimate origin was, +to illogical minds, unthinkable. No. There was a blue print, and blue +prints were sometimes used by spies. Germany had spies, and the old +woman had a German name. So she went to jail. What further proof was +needed? And who dare object to summary proceedings, lest he also be +judged tainted? + + +ON WITCHCRAFT. + +NO. 117, SPECTATOR--ADDISON. + +“There are some opinions in which man should stand neuter, without +engaging his assent to one side or the other. Such a hovering faith as +this, which refuses to settle upon his determination, is absolutely +necessary in a mind that is careful to avoid errors and prepossessions. +When the arguments press equally on both sides in matters that are +indifferent to us, the safest method is to give up ourselves to neither. + +“It is with this temper of mind that I consider the subject of +witchcraft. Whenever I hear the relations that are made from all parts +of the world, not only from Norway and Lapland, from the East and West +Indies, but from every particular nation in Europe, I cannot forbear +thinking that there is such an intercourse and commerce with evil +spirits, as that which we express by the name of witchcraft. But when +I consider that the ignorant and credulous parts of the world abound +most in these relations, and the persons among us who are supposed to +engage in such an infernal commerce, are people of weak understanding +and crazed imagination--and at the same time reflect upon the many +impostures and delusions of this nature that I have detected in all +ages, I endeavor to suspend my belief till I hear more certain accounts +than any which have yet come to my knowledge. In short, when I consider +the question, whether there are such persons in the world as those we +call witches, my mind is divided between two opposite opinions, or +rather (to speak my thoughts freely) I believe there is, and has been, +such a thing as witchcraft; at the same time can give no credit to any +particular instance of it. + +“I am engaged in this speculation, by some occurrences that I met with +yesterday, which I shall give my reader an account of at large. As I +was walking with my friend Sir Roger by the side of one of his woods, +an old woman applied herself to me for charity. Her dress and figure +put me in the mind of the following description in Otway: + + In a close lane as I pursu’d my journey + I spied a wrinkled hag, with age grown double, + Picking dry sticks, and mumbling to herself. + Her eyes with scalding rheum were gall’d and red; + Cold palsy shook her head; her hands seemed wither’d; + And on her crooked shoulders had she wrapt + The tatter’d remnant of an old striped hanging, + Which served to keep her carcass from the cold: + So there was nothing of a piece about her. + Her lower weeds were all o’er coarsely patch’d + With different colored rags, black, red, white, yellow, + And seemed to speak variety of wretchedness. + +“As I was musing on this description, and comparing it with the object +before me, the knight told me, that this very old woman had the +reputation of a witch all over the country; that her lips were observed +to be always in motion; and that there was not a switch about her house +which her neighbors did not believe had carried her several hundred +miles. If she chanced to stumble, they always found sticks or straws +that lay in the figure of a cross before her. If she made any mistake +at church, and cried amen in the wrong place, they never failed to +conclude that she was saying her prayers backward. There was not a maid +in the parish that would take a pin of her, though she should offer a +bag of money with it. She goes by the name of Moll White, and has made +the country ring with several imaginary exploits which are palmed upon +her. If the dairy-maid does not make her butter come so soon as she +would have it, Moll White is at the bottom of the churn. If a horse +sweats in the stable, Moll White has been upon his back. If a hare +makes an unexpected escape from the hounds, the huntsman curses Moll +White. ‘Nay,’ says Sir Roger, ‘I have known the master of the pack, +upon such an occasion, send one of his servants to see if Moll White +had been out that morning.’ + +“This account raised my curiosity so far, that I begged my friend Sir +Roger to go with me into her hovel, which stood in a solitary corner +under the side of the wood. Upon our first entering, Sir Roger winked +to me, and pointed to something that stood behind the door, which upon +looking that way, I found to be an old broom-staff. At the same time he +whispered to me in the ear to take notice of a tabby cat that sat in +the chimney corner, which, as the old knight told me, lay under as bad +a report as Moll herself; for beside that Moll is said to accompany her +in the same shape, the cat is reported to have spoken twice or thrice +in her life, and to have played several pranks above the capacity of an +ordinary cat. + +“I was secretly concerned to see human nature in so much wretchedness +and disgrace, but at the same time could not forbear smiling to hear +Sir Roger, who is a little puzzled about the old woman, advising her as +a justice of peace to avoid all communication with the devil, and never +to hurt any of her neighbors’ cattle. We concluded our visit with a +bounty which was very acceptable. + +“In our return Sir Roger told me that Moll had been often brought +before him for making children spit pins, and giving maids the +nightmare; and that the country people would be tossing her into a pond +and trying experiments with her every day, if it was not for him and +his chaplain. + +“I have since found upon inquiry that Sir Roger was several times +staggered with the reports that had been brought him concerning this +old woman, and would frequently have bound her over to the county +sessions, had not his chaplain with much ado persuaded him to the +contrary. + +“I have been the more particular in this account, because I hear there +is scarcely a village in England that has not a Moll White in it. +When an old woman begins to doat, and grow chargeable to a parish, she +is generally turned into a witch, and fills the whole country into +extravagant fancies, imaginary distempers, and terrifying dreams. In +the meantime, the poor wretch that is the innocent occasion of so many +evils, begins to be frightened at herself, and sometimes confesses +secret commerces and familiarities that her imagination forms in a +delirious old age. This frequently cuts off charity from the greatest +objects of compassion, and inspires people with a malevolence towards +those poor discrepit parts of our species, in whom human nature is +defaced by infirmity and dotage.” + + * * * * * + +A word of explanation here seems necessary. At the time of Sir Roger’s +supposed movements, memory of the great Matthew Hopkins was lively in +many places, and, now and then, imitators sprang up, just as today, +while the idea is generally discarded and thrown on the scrap heap of +exploded opinions, you will find in back country districts, “water +witches” who will undertake to locate water or minerals and tell the +depth at which they are to be found. + +Matthew Hopkins lived in Essex and had made himself conspicuous in +discovering the devil’s mark on many witches. He had a peculiar +monopoly for a time, and, being a specialist, was much sought after, +aiding the judges with his knowledge of “such cattle” as he called +them, whenever a witch was suspected. Lesser lights in the way of +specialists soon appeared. + +Later, he assumed the title of “Witch Finder General” and traveled +through the central counties witch hunting. In one year, he brought +more than sixty old women to the stake. His favorite method was that +advocated by King James in his “Demonologie.” The hands and feet of +the suspected one were cross tied, then, wrapped in a blanket, they +were laid on their backs in a pond. If they sank, they were adjudged +innocent, but if they floated for a short time, as was often the case, +especially when they were laid carefully on the water, they were judged +guilty and burned. + +Another test was to make the suspected one repeat the Lord’s Prayer +and the Creed. If a word was missed or wrongly pronounced, she was +accounted guilty. It was said that witches could not weep more than +three tears, and those only from the left eye. Thus, the natural +excitement and its effect became a proof of guilt. + +Hopkins traveled through his counties like a man of consideration, +attended by two assistants, put up at the chief inn of the place, +and always at the cost of the authorities. His charges were twenty +shillings a town, his expenses of living while there, and his +transportation. This he claimed whether he found witches or not. If he +found any, he charged twenty shillings a head in addition when they +were brought to execution. For three years he carried on this infamous +trade, success making him so insolent and rapacious, that high and +low became his enemies. The Rev. Mr. Gaul, a clergyman of Houghton, +in Huntingdonshire, wrote a pamphlet accusing him of being a common +nuisance. Hopkins replied in an angry letter to the mayor of Houghton, +stating his intention of visiting their town, but desiring to know +whether it held many such sticklers for witchcraft as Mr. Gaul, and +asking whether they were willing to receive and entertain him with +the customary hospitality. He added by way of threat, that in case +he did not receive a satisfactory reply, “He would waive their shire +altogether and betake himself to such places where he might do and +punish, not only without control, but with thanks and recompense.” + +Mr. Gaul describes, in his pamphlet, one of the modes employed by +Hopkins. It was proof even more atrocious than the swimming test. He +says, that the “witch-finding general” used to take the suspected +witch and place her in the middle of a room, upon a stool or table, +cross-legged, or in some other uneasy posture. If she refused to sit +in this manner, she was bound with strong cords. Hopkins then placed +persons to watch her, for four and twenty hours, during which time she +was to be kept with meat and drink. It was supposed that one of her +imps would come during that interval, and suck her blood. As the imp +might come in the shape of a wasp, a moth, a fly or other insect, a +hole was made in the door or window to let it enter. The watchers were +ordered to keep a sharp lookout, and endeavor to kill any insect that +appeared in the room. If any fly escaped, or if they could not kill it, +the woman was guilty; the fly was her imp, and she was sentenced to be +burned, and twenty shillings went into the pockets of master Hopkins. +In this manner he made one old woman confess because four flies had +appeared in the room, that she was attended by four imps, named +“Ilemazar,” “Pyewackett,” “Peck-in-the-crown,” and “Grizel-Greedigut.” + +Hopkins was eventually caught in his own trap. Suspected presently, +he was beset by a mob in the village of Suffolk, and accused of being +himself a wizard. An old reproach was brought against him, that he had, +by means of sorcery, cheated the devil out of a certain memorandum +book, in which Satan had entered the names of all the witches in +England. “Thus,” said someone, “you find out witches, not by God’s +aid, but by the devil’s.” In vain he denied his guilt. The crowd put +him to his own test. He was stripped and given the swimming test. Some +say that he floated, was taken out, tried and executed upon no other +proof of his guilt. Others assert that he was drowned. As no judicial +entry of his trial and execution is found in any register, it appears +most probable that he was killed. + + +SIR ROGER DE COVERLEY. + +We come to Sir Roger himself, the character that Addison loved as +Dickens loved _Pickwick_, as Cervantes loved _Don Quixote_, as Rabelais +loved his _Pantagruel_. Sir Roger was no wooden puppet, no dummy +stuffed with straw. He lived. He had his faults, his opinions, his +character. His is a type that has passed away. The county squire, +in his position as magistrate, land owner, benefactor, respected +authority, no longer exists. Be it remembered, there was, as William +Morris used to point out, much of good, as well as much of evil, in +the feudal system. In that day the land owner’s domain, was a little +state, paternally governed. We have freed ourselves from that, to +become institution governed. A Sir Roger scolded his tenants, knew +their affairs, gave them advice, assistance, orders. There was indeed, +a “mixture of the father and the master of the family” in him. He lived +with his people and was respected, obeyed, loved; the simplicity of +his tastes put him on something very near a level with them. That was +something, as it is always something to see authority face to face. + + * * * * * + + +A VISIT TO SIR ROGER. + +NO. 106, SPECTATOR, JULY 2, 1711--ADDISON. + +“Having often received an invitation from my friend Sir Roger de +Coverley to pass away a month, with him in the country, I last week +accompanied him hither, and am settled with him for some time at his +country-house. Sir Roger, who is well acquainted with my humor, lets me +rise and go to bed when I please; dine at his own table or in my own +chamber as I see fit; sit still and say nothing without bidding me be +merry. When the gentlemen of the country come to see him, he only shows +me at a distance: as I have been walking in his field I have observed +them stealing a sight of me over an hedge, and have heard the knight +desiring them not to let me see them, for that I hated to be stared at. + +“I am the more at ease in Sir Roger’s family, because it consists of +sober and staid persons: for, as the knight is the best master in the +world, he seldom changes his servants; and, as he is beloved by all +about him, his servants never care for leaving him; by this means his +domestics are all in years, and grown old with their master. You would +take his valet-de-chambre for his brother; his butler is gray-headed, +his groom is one of the gravest men I have ever seen, and his coachman +has the looks of a privy-counsellor. You see the goodness of the master +even in the old house dog, and in a gray pad that is kept in the stable +with great care and tenderness out of regard to his past services, +though he has been useless for several years. + +“I could not but observe with a great deal of pleasure the joy that +appeared in the countenances of these ancient domestics upon my +friend’s arrival at his country seat. Some of them could not refrain +from tears at the sight of their old master! every one of them pressed +forward to do something for him, and seemed discouraged if they were +not employed. At the same time the old knight, with a mixture of the +father and master of the family, tempered the inquiries after his +own affairs with several kind questions relating to themselves. This +humanity and good nature engages everybody to him, so that, when he is +pleasant upon any of them, all his family are in good humour, and none +so much as the person whom he diverts himself with: on the contrary, +if he coughs, or betrays any infirmity of old age, it is easy for a +bystander to observe a secret concern in the looks of all his servants. + +“My worthy friend has put me under the particular care of his +butler, who is a very prudent man, and as well as the rest of his +fellow-servants, wonderfully desirous of pleasing me, because they have +often heard their master talk of me as his particular friend. + +“My chief companion, when Sir Roger is diverting himself in the woods +or in the fields, is a very venerable man who is ever with Sir Roger, +and has lived in his house in the nature of a chaplain above thirty +years. This gentleman is a person of good sense and some learning, of +a very regular life and obliging conversation: he heartily loves Sir +Roger, and knows that he is very much in the old knight’s esteem, so +that he lives in the family rather as a relation than a dependent. + +“I have observed in several of my papers, that my friend Sir Roger, +amidst all his good qualities, is something of a humorist; and that +his virtues, as well as his imperfections, are, as it were, tinged +by a certain extravagance, which makes them particularly his, and +distinguishes them from those of other men. This cast of mind, as it +is generally very innocent in itself, so it renders his conversation +highly agreeable, and more delightful than the same degree of sense +and virtue would appear in their common colours. As I was walking +with him last night, he asked me how I liked the good man whom I have +just mentioned; and without staying for my answer, told me that he +was afraid of being insulted with Latin and Greek at his own table; +for which he desired a particular friend of his at the university to +find him out a clergyman rather of plain sense than much learning, of +a good aspect, a clear voice, a sociable temper; and, if possible, +a man that understood a little of the back-gammon. My friend, says +Sir Roger, found me out this gentleman, who, besides the endowments +required of him, is, they tell me, a good scholar, though he does not +show it. I have given him the parsonage of the parish; and, because I +know his value, have settled upon him a good annuity for life. If he +outlives me, he shall find that he was higher in my esteem than perhaps +he thinks he is. He has now been with me thirty years; and, though he +does not know I have taken notice of it, has never in all that time +asked anything of me for himself, though he is every day soliciting +me for something in behalf of one or the other of my tenants, his +parishioners. There has not been a law-suit in the parish since he has +lived among them; if any dispute arises they apply themselves to him +for the decision; if they do not acquiesce in his judgment, which I +think never happened above once or twice at the most, they appeal to +me. At his first settling with me, I made him a present of all the good +sermons which have been printed in English, and only begged of him that +every Sunday he would pronounce one of them in the pulpit. Accordingly +he has digested them into such a series, that they follow one another +naturally, and make a continued system of practical divinity. + +“As Sir Roger was going on in his story, the gentleman we were talking +of came up to us; and, upon the knight’s asking him who preached +tomorrow, (for it was Saturday night,) told us, the Bishop of St. +Asaph in the morning, and Dr. South in the afternoon. He then showed +us a list of preachers for the whole year, where I saw with a great +deal of pleasure Archbishop Tillotson, Bishop Sanderson, Dr. Barrow, +Dr. Calamy, with several living authors who have published discourses +of practical divinity. I no sooner saw this venerable man in the +pulpit, but I very much approved of my friend’s insisting upon the +qualifications of a good aspect and a clear voice; for I was so charmed +with the gracefulness of his figure and delivery, as well as with the +discourses he pronounced, that I think I never passed any time more +to my satisfaction. The sermon repeated after this manner is like the +composition of a poet in the mouth of a graceful actor. + +“I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow +this example; and, instead of wasting their spirits in laborious +compositions of their own, would endeavor after a handsome elocution, +and all those other talents that are proper to enforce what has +been penned by greater masters. This would not only be more easy to +themselves, but more edifying to the people.” + + * * * * * + +The peculiar relations between landowner and tenant as pictured by +Addison, seem to be confirmed quite independently by that crusted old +Tory, Sir Jonah Barrington. He writes: + +“At the great house all disputes among the tenants were then settled, +quarrels reconciled, old debts arbitrated; a kind Irish landlord +reigned despotic in the ardent affections of the tenantry, their pride +and pleasure being to obey and support him. + +“But there existed a happy reciprocity of interest. The landlord of +that period protected the tenant by his influence; any wanton injury to +a tenant being considered as an insult to a landlord; and if either of +the landlord’s sons were grown up, no time was lost by him in demanding +satisfaction from any gentleman, for maltreating even his father’s +blacksmith. + +“No gentleman of this degree ever distrained a tenant for rent: indeed +the parties appeared to be quite united and knit together. The greatest +abhorrence, however, prevailed as to tithe protectors, coupled with +no great predilection for the clergy who employed them. These latter +certainly were, in principle and practice, the real country tyrants of +that day, and first caused the assembling of the White Boys. + +“I have heard it often said that at the time I speak of, every estated +gentleman in the Queen’s county was _honored_ by the gout. I have since +considered that its extraordinary prevalence was not difficult to be +accounted for, by the disproportionate quantity of acid contained in +their seductive beverage, called rum-shrub, which was then universally +drunk in quantities incredible, generally from supper time till +morning, by all country gentlemen, as they said, to keep down their +claret. + +“My grandfather could not refrain, and therefore he suffered well; +he piqued himself on procuring, through the interests of Batty Lodge +(a follower of the family who had married a Dublin grocer’s widow), +the very first importation of oranges and lemons to the Irish capital +every season. Horse loads of these packed boxes, were immediately sent +to the great house of Cullenaghmore; and no sooner did they arrive, +than the good news of _fresh fruit_ was communicated to the colonel’s +neighboring friends, accompanied by the usual invitation. + +“Night after night the revel afforded uninterrupted pleasure to the +joyous gentry: the festivity being subsequently renewed at some other +mansion, till the gout thought proper to put the whole party _hors de +combat_; having the satisfaction of making cripples for a few months of +each as he did not kill. + +“While the convivials bellowed with only toe or finger agonies, it was +a mere bagatelle; but when Mr. Gout marched up the country, and invaded +the head or the stomach, it was then called _no joke_; and Drogheda +usquebaugh, the hottest distilled drinkable liquor ever invented, was +applied to for aid, and generally drove the tormentor in a few minutes +to his former quarters. It was, indeed, counted specific; and I allude +to it more particularly, as my poor grandfather was finished thereby. + +“It was his custom to sit under a very large branching bay-tree in his +armchair, placed in a fine, sunny aspect at the entrance to the garden. +I particularly remember his cloak, for I kept it twelve years after his +death; it was called a _cartouche_ cloak, from a famous French gang +who, it was said, invented it for his gang for the purpose of evasion. +It was made of very fine broadcloth, of a bright blue color on one +side, and a bright scarlet on the other; so that on being turned, it +might deceive even a vigilant pursuer. + +“There my grandfather used to sit of a hot sunny day, receive any rents +he could collect, and settle any accounts which his indifference on +that head permitted him to think of. + +“At one time he suspected a young rogue of having slipped some money +off his table when paying rent; and therefore, when afterwards the +tenants began to count out their money, he used to throw the focus +of his large reading glass upon their hands: the smart, without any +visible cause, astonished the ignorant creatures! they shook their +hands, and thought it must be the devil who was scorching them. The +priest was let into the secret: he seriously told them all it _was_ +the devil, who had mistaken them for the fellow that had stolen the +money from the colonel; but that if he (the priest) was _properly +considered_, he would say as many masses as would bother fifty devils, +were it necessary. The priest got his fee; and another farthing never +was taken from my grandfather.” + + * * * * * + +Addison is too true an artist to give the impression that his +character, his Sir Roger, is a type of the squire in general. Lightly, +at the close of the essay on Sir Roger at church, he sketches another +sort of man, the country squire full of pride and prejudice, who +like Fielding’s _Squire Western_ in _Tom Jones_, is a good fellow in +the main, but hard, violent, dogmatic. Such a man is like a bull, +headstrong, sometimes offensive, quick to anger, always ready to give +battle. He is like a badly broken horse and ready to rear and kick +at the least sign of opposition to his own will. He will storm and +rage, then, of a sudden there is a change and he is swiftly at the +other extreme. Consider that glorious creation of Fielding’s, _Squire +Western_, a contemporary of Sir Roger. + +He is told that _Tom Jones_ has dared to fall in love with his +daughter. Then the storm breaks: + + It’s well for ’un I could not get at ’un; I’d a licked ’un; I’d a + spoiled his caterwaulin; I’d ha’ taught the son of a whore to meddle + with meat for his master. He shan’t ever have a morsel o’ meat o’ + mine, or a farden to buy it. If she will have ’un, one smock shall be + her portion. I’d sooner give my estate to the sinking fund that it + may be sent to Hanover to corrupt our nation with. + +Then, soon, there is the change. He is reconciled to _Tom_. He becomes +as full of love as he was formerly of hate. The marriage shall not be +delayed a day: + + To her, boy, to her, go to her. Hath she appointed the day, boy? + What, shall it be tomorrow or the next day? I shan’t be put off a + minute longer than the next day, I am resolved.... I tell thee it’s + all flim flam. Zoodikers! she’d have the wedding tonight with all + her heart. Woulds’t not Sophy?... Where the devil is Allworthy?... + Harkee, Allworthy, I bet thee five pounds to a crown, we have a + boy tomorrow nine months. But prithee, tell me what wut ha? Wut ha + Burgandy, Champagne, or what? For please Jupiter, we’ll make a night + on’t. + +Nor again must it be supposed that the picture which Addison gives +of the well kept church is actually representative of the condition +of all church buildings in that day. Sir Roger, interested in his +surroundings, was at no time unwilling to spend time and money on +improvements. Others did not. There was another side to the picture. +Cowper, writing an article for the _Connoiseur_, (No. 26, August 19, +1756) says: + +“The ruinous condition of some of these edifices gave me great +offence; and I could not help wishing that the honest vicar, instead +of indulging his genius for improvements, by inclosing his gooseberry +bushes within a Chinese rail, and converting half an acre of his +globe land into a bowling green, would have applied part of his +income to the more laudable purpose of sheltering his parishioners +from the weather, during their attendance on the divine service. It +is no uncommon thing to see the parsonage house well thatched, and in +exceeding good repair, while the church, perhaps, has scarce any other +roof than the ivy that grows upon it. The noise of owls, bats and +magpies, makes the principal part of the church music in many of these +ancient edifices; and the walls, like a large map, seem to be portioned +out into capes, seas and promontories, by the various colors by which +the damps have stained them. Sometimes, the foundation being too weak +to support the steeple any longer, it has been expedient to pull down +that part of the building, and to hang the bells under a wooden shed on +the ground beside it. This is the case in a parish in Norfolk, through +which I lately passed, and where the clerk and the sexton, like the two +figures in St. Dunstan’s, serve the bells in capacity of clappers, by +striking them alternately with a hammer. + +“In other churches I have observed that nothing unseemly or ruinous is +to be found, except in the clergyman, and the appendages of his person. +The squire of the parish or his ancestors, perhaps, to testify their +devotion, and leave a lasting memorial of their magnificence, have +adorned the altar piece with the richest crimson velvet, embroidered +with vine leaves and ears of wheat; and have dressed up the pulpit +with the same splendor and expense; while the gentleman who fills it, +is exalted in the midst of all this finery, with a surplice as dirty +as a farmer’s frock, and a periwig that seems to have transferred its +faculty of curling to the band which appears in full buckle beneath it. + +“But if I was concerned to see several distressed pastors, as well +as many of our country churches in a tottering condition, I was more +offended with the indecency of worship in others. I could wish that the +clergy would inform their congregations, that there is no occasion to +scream themselves hoarse in making the responses; that the town crier +is not the only person qualified to pray with due devotion; and that he +who bawls the loudest may, nevertheless, be the wickedest fellow in the +parish. The old women, too, in the aisle might be told that their time +would be better employed in attending to the sermon than in fumbling +over their tattered testaments till they have found the text; by which +time the discourse is drawing to its conclusion.... + +“The good old practice of psalm singing is, indeed, wonderfully +improved in many country churches since the days of Sternhold and +Hopkins; and there is scarce a parish clerk who has so little taste +as not to pick his staves out of the New Version. This has occasioned +great complaints in some places, where the clerk has been forced to +bawl by himself, because the rest of the congregation cannot find the +psalm at the end of the prayer book; while others are highly disgusted +with the innovation, and stick as obstinately to the Old Version as +to the Old Style. The tunes themselves have also been set to jiggish +measures; and the sober drawl, which used to accompany the two first +staves of the 100th psalm with the _Gloria patri_, is now split into +as many quavers as an Italian air. For this purpose there is in every +county an itinerant band of vocal musicians, who make it their business +to go round to all the churches in their turns, and, after a prelude +with the pitch pipe, astonish the audience with hymns set to the new +Winchester measure and anthems of their own composing. As these new +fashioned psalmodists are necessarily made up of young men and maids, +we may naturally suppose that there is a perfect concord and symphony +between them; and, indeed, I have known it happen that these sweet +singers have more than once been brought into disgrace by too close +unison between the thorough bass and the treble. + +“... The Squire, like the King, may be styled Head of the Church in +his own parish. If the benifice be in his own gift, the vicar is his +creature, and of consequence entirely at his devotion; or, if the care +of the church be left to a curate, the Sunday fees of roast beef and +plum pudding, and a liberty to shoot in the manor, will bring him as +much under the Squire’s command as his dogs and horses. For this reason +the bell is often kept tolling, and the people waiting in the church +yard an hour longer than the usual time; nor must the service begin +till the Squire has strutted up the aisle, and seated himself in the +great pew in the chancel. The length of the sermon is also measured +by the will of the Squire, as formerly by the hour glass; and I know +one parish where the preacher has always the complaisance to conclude +his discourse, however abruptly, the minute that the Squire gives the +signal, by rising up after his nap.... + +“... The ladies, immediately on their entrance, breathe a pious +ejaculation through their fan sticks, and the beaux very gravely +address themselves to the haberdasher’s bills glued upon the lining of +their hats....” + + * * * * * + +One incident of Addison’s boyhood is particularly interesting as +exemplifying the conflict of opinion on matters religious. All pleasure +had been barred under the Puritan rule, and the nation oppressed as +never before under a religious despotism. Then, under Charles II, the +pendulum swung too far in the other direction and sensual pleasure was +exalted into a worship, and impiety into a creed. The aftermath of all +that had its effect. + +So we have a key to what follows, taken from an essay by Addison in +_Spectator_ No. 125: + + The worthy knight, being but a stripling, had occasion to inquire + which was the way to St. Anne’s Lane, upon which, the person he spoke + to instead of answering his question called him a young Popish cur, + and asked him who made Anne a saint. The boy, in some confusion, + inquired of the next he met which was the way to Anne’s Lane, but was + called a prick ear’d cur, for his pains, and, instead of being shown + the way, was told that she had been a saint before he was born and + would be one after he was hanged. “Upon this,” said Sir Roger, “I did + not see fit to repeat the former question, but going into every lane + of the neighborhood, asked what they called the name of that lane.” + +Again in a _Spectator_ of an earlier date, we find a semi-humorous +letter setting forth the troubles of a man, a member of the Established +Church, whose wife has become a dissenter. Thus: + + I am one of the most unhappy men that are plagued with a gospel + gossip so common among dissenters (especially friends). Lectures in + the morning, church-meetings at noon, and preparation sermons at + night, take up so much of her time, it is very rare she knows what we + have for dinner, unless when the preacher is to be at it. With him, + come a tribe, all brothers and sisters it seems; while others, really + such, are deemed no relations. If at any time I have her company + alone, she is a mere sermon pop-gun, repeating and discharging texts, + proofs, and applications so perpetually, that however weary I may to + bed, the noise in my head will not let me sleep till toward morning. + The misery of my case, and great numbers of such sufferers, plead + your pity and speedy relief; otherwise, I must expect in a little + time, to be lectured, preached, and prayed into want, unless the + happiness of being sooner talked to death prevent it. I am, etc., + + R. G. + + * * * * * + + +SIR ROGER AT CHURCH. + +NO. 112, SPECTATOR, JULY 9, 1711--ADDISON. + +I am always very well pleased with a country Sunday, and think, if +keeping holy the seventh day were only a human institution, it would +be the best method that could have been thought of for the polishing +and civilizing of mankind. It is certain the country people would soon +degenerate into a kind of savage and barbarians, were there not such +frequent returns of a stated time in which the whole village meet +together with their best faces and in their cleanliest habits, to +converse with one another upon different subjects, hear their duties +explained to them, and join together in adoration of the Supreme Being. +Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week, not only as it refreshes +in their minds the notion of religion, but as it puts both the sexes +upon appearing in their most agreeable forms, and exerting all such +qualities as are apt to give them a figure in the eye of the village. A +country fellow distinguishes himself as much in the church-yard, as a +citizen does upon the Change, the whole parish politics being generally +discussed in that place either after sermon or before the bell rings. + +My friend Sir Roger, being a good churchman, has beautified the inside +of his church with several texts of his own choosing; he has likewise +given a handsome pulpit-cloth, and railed-in the communion table at his +own expense. He has often told me that, at his coming to his estate, he +found his parishioners very irregular; and that, in order to make them +kneel and join in the responses, he gave every one of them a hassock +and a common prayer book; and, at the same time, employed an itinerant +singing-master, who goes about the country for that purpose, to +instruct them rightly in the tunes of the psalms; upon which they very +much value themselves, and indeed outdo most of the country churches +that I have ever heard. + +As Sir Roger is landlord to the whole congregation, he keeps them in +very good order, and will suffer nobody to sleep in it besides himself; +for if by chance he has been surprised into a short nap at sermon, upon +recovering out of it he stands up and looks about him, and, if he sees +anybody else nodding, either wakes them himself or sends his servants +to them. Several other of the old knight’s peculiarities break out upon +these occasions; sometimes he will be lengthening out a verse in the +singing-psalms, half a minute after the rest of the congregation have +done with it; sometimes, when he is pleased with the matter of his +devotion, he pronounces _Amen_ three or four times in the same prayer; +and sometimes stands up when everybody else is upon their knees, to +count the congregation, or see if any of his tenants are missing. + +I was yesterday very much surprised to hear my friend, in the midst +of the service, calling out to one John Matthews to mind what he was +about, and not disturb the congregation. This John Matthews, it seems, +is remarkable for being an idle fellow, and at that time was kicking +his heels for diversion. This authority of the knight, though exerted +in that odd manner which accompanies him in all circumstances in life, +has had very good effect upon the parish, who are not polite enough to +see anything ridiculous in his behaviour; besides that the general good +sense and worthiness of his character makes his friends observe these +little singularities as foils that rather set off than blemish his good +qualities. + +As soon as the sermon is finished, nobody presumes to stir until Sir +Roger is gone out of the church. The knight walks down from his seat +in the chancel between a double row of his tenants, that stand bowing +to him on each side; and every now and then inquires how such-an-one’s +wife, or mother, or son, or father do, whom he does not see at church; +which is understood as a secret reprimand to the person that is absent. + +The chaplain has often told me, that upon a catechising day, when Sir +Roger has been pleased with a boy that answers well, he has ordered a +bible to be given to him next day for his encouragement; and sometimes +accompanies it with a fitch of bacon to his mother. Sir Roger has +likewise to add five pounds a year to the clerk’s place; and, that +he may encourage the young fellows to make themselves perfect in the +church service, has promised, upon the death of the present incumbent, +who is very old, to bestow it according to merit. + +This fair understanding between Sir Roger and his chaplain, and their +mutual concurrence in doing good, is the more remarkable, because the +very next village is famous for the differences and contentions that +arise between the parson and the squire, who live in a perpetual state +of war. The parson is always preaching at the squire, and the squire, +to be revenged on the parson, never comes to church. The squire has +made all his tenants atheists and tithe-stealers; while the parson +instructs them every Sunday in the dignity of his order, and insinuates +to them in almost every sermon that he is a better man than his patron. +In short, matters have come to such an extremity, that the squire has +not said his prayers either in public or private this half-year; and +that the parson threatens him, if he does not mend his manners, to pray +for him in the face of the whole congregation. + +Feuds of this nature, though too frequent in the country, are very +fatal to the ordinary people; who are so used to be dazzled with +riches, that they pay as much difference to the understanding of a man +of an estate, as of a man of learning; and are very hardly brought to +regard any truth, how important soever it may be, that is preached to +them, when they know there are several men of five hundred a-year who +do not believe it. + + * * * * * + +Without any doubt whatsoever, the outstanding characteristic of our +present day life is the extreme lack of sociability. It is the more +apparent to me, because I have lived in countries at times, especially +in Patagonia, where, in some respects, the manners and the customs of +the people closely approached the manners and customs of the early +eighteenth century. There were scandalous roisterers and hard drinkers +there, and vice was in fashion, nor was it a delicate kind of vice. +Many of the ladies would lend an ear to obscene ballads, on occasions +swear and blaspheme very prettily, and consider as a good joke, the +coarse words and oaths that flowed through their lovers’ conversation +like filth through a sewer. We were never in a hurry and a horseback +journey was an occasion for sociability. It was much so in the Addison +days. People on the highway had a will to companionship. _Will Wimble_, +as you see in the paper that follows, “joined a couple of plain men who +rode before,” and “conversed with them.” It was always so. You pick up +your Fielding to see _Tom Jones_ traveling mile after mile in company +with a chance acquaintance. _Joseph Andrews_ is carried on his way +by a man with a spare horse. _Peregrine Pickle_ on the road to Dover +overtakes and journeys with all sorts and conditions of sociable men +and _Roderick Random_ never lacks a chance friend. + +Indeed, in the days when men were not so eager to save time which, when +saved, they knew not what to do with, to encounter a fellow wayfarer +was counted a high and joyful privilege. It meant companionship and +a “God be wi’ ye” at parting. If fellowship is Heaven, as Morris put +it, and the lack of fellowship is hell, then indeed we of today are +much further advanced along the downward path that is paved with +good intentions. Your present-day autoist is far more prone to knock +the wayfarer down than to pick him up, or to insult his ears with a +derisive fanfare on his klaxon than he is to bid him “God speed.” And +so to Sir Roger. + + +SIR ROGER AT THE ASSIZES. + +NO. 122, 1711, SPECTATOR--ADDISON. + +A man’s first care should be to avoid the reproaches of his own heart; +his next, to escape the censures of the world; if the last interferes +with the former, it ought to be entirely neglected; but otherwise there +cannot be a greater satisfaction to an honest mind than to see those +approbations which it gives itself seconded by the applauses of the +public: a man is more sure of his conduct, when the verdict which he +passes upon his own behavior is thus warranted and confirmed by the +opinion of all that know him. + +My worthy friend Sir Roger is one of those who is not only at peace +within himself, but beloved and esteemed by all about him. He receives +a suitable tribute for his universal benevolence to mankind, in the +returns of affection and good will, which are paid him by every one +that lives within his neighborhood. I lately met with two or three +odd instances of that respect which is shown to the good old knight. +He would needs carry Will Wimble and myself with him to the country +assizes: as we were upon the road Will Wimble joined a couple of plain +men who rode before us, and conversed with them for some time; during +which my friend Sir Roger acquainted me with their characters. + +“The first of them,” says he, “that has a spaniel by his side, is a +yeoman of about a hundred pounds a year, an honest man: he is just +within the Game-Act, and qualified to kill an hare or a pheasant: he +knocks down a dinner with his gun twice or thrice a week; and by that +means lives much cheaper than those that have not so good an estate +as himself. He would be a good neighbor if he did not destroy so many +partridges: in short, he is a very sensible man; shoots flying; and has +been several times foreman of the petty jury. + +“The other that rides along with him is Tom Touchy, a fellow for taking +the law of everybody. There is not one in the town where he lives that +he has not sued at quarter-sessions. The rogue had once the impudence +to go to law with the Widow. His head is full of costs, damages, and +ejectments; he plagued a couple of gentlemen so long for a trespass in +breaking one of his hedges, till he was forced to sell the ground it +enclosed to defray the charges of the prosecution: his father left him +fourscore pounds a year; but he has cast and been cast so often, that +is not now worth thirty. I suppose he is going upon the old business of +the willow-tree.” + +As Sir Roger was giving me this account of Tom Touchy, Will Wimble and +his two companions stopped short until we came up to them. Will it +seems had been giving his fellow traveler an account of his angling one +day in such a hole; when Tom Touchy, instead of hearing out his story, +told him, that Mr. Such-an-one, if he pleased, might take the law of +him for fishing in that part of the river. My friend Sir Roger heard +them both upon a round trot; and, after having paused some time, told +them, with the air of a man who would not give his judgment rashly, +that _much might be said on both sides_. They were neither of them +dissatisfied with the knight’s determination, because neither of them +found himself in the wrong by it; and upon which we made the best of +our way to the assizes. + +The court was set before Sir Roger came, but notwithstanding all the +justices had taken their places upon the bench, they made room for +the old knight at the head of them; who, for his reputation in the +country, took occasion to whisper in the judge’s ear, _that he was +glad his lordship had met with so much good weather in his circuit_. +I was listening to the proceedings of the court with much attention, +and infinitely pleased with the great appearance of solemnity which so +properly accompanies such a public administration of our laws; when, +after about an hour’s sitting, I observed to my great surprise, in the +midst of a trial, that my friend Sir Roger was getting up to speak. I +was in some pain for him till I found he had acquitted himself of two +or three sentences, with a look of much business and great intrepidity. + +Upon his first rising the court was hushed, and a general whisper ran +among the country people that Sir Roger _was up_. The speech he made +was so little to the purpose, that I shall not trouble my readers with +an account of it; and I believe was not so much designed by the knight +himself to inform the court, as to give him a figure in my eye, and +keep up his credit in the country. + +I was highly delighted, when the court rose, to see the gentlemen of +the country gathering about my old friend, and striving who should +compliment him the most; at the same time that the ordinary people +gazed upon him at a distance, not a little admiring his courage, that +was not afraid to speak to the judge. + +In our return home we met with a very odd accident; which I cannot +forbear relating, because it shows how desirous all who know Sir Roger +are of giving him marks of their esteem. When we reappeared upon the +verge of his estate, we stopped at a little inn to rest ourselves and +our horses. The man of the house had, it seems, been formerly a servant +in the knight’s family; and, to do honor to his old master, had some +time since, unknown to Sir Roger, put him up in a sign-post before the +door; so that the _Knight’s Head_ had hung out upon the road a week +before he himself knew anything of the matter. As soon as Sir Roger was +acquainted with it, finding that the servant’s indiscretion proceeded +wholly from affection and good-will, he only told him that he had made +him too high a compliment; and, when the fellow seemed to think that +hardly could be, added with a more decisive look, that it was too great +an honor for any man under a duke; but told him at the same time, that +it might be altered with a very few touches, and that he himself would +be at the charge of it. Accordingly they got a painter by the knight’s +directions to add a pair of whiskers to the face, and by a little +aggravation of the features to change it into the _Saracen’s Head_. +I should not have known this story, had not the innkeeper, upon Sir +Roger’s alighting, told him in my hearing, that his Honor’s head was +brought back last night with the alterations that he had ordered to be +made in it. Upon this my friend with his usual cheerfulness related the +particulars above mentioned, and ordered the head to be brought into +the room. I could not forbear discovering greater expressions of mirth +than ordinary upon the appearance of this monstrous face, under which, +notwithstanding it was made to frown and stare in a most extraordinary +manner, I could still discover a distant resemblance of my old friend. +Sir Roger, upon seeing me laugh, desired me to tell him truly if I +thought it possible for the people to know him in that disguise. I +at first kept my usual silence; but, upon the knight conjuring me to +tell him whether it was not still more like himself than a Saracen, I +composed my countenance in the best manner I could, and replied, _that +much might be said on both sides_. + +These several adventures, with the knight’s behavior in them, gave me +as pleasant a day as ever I met with in any of my travels. + + * * * * * + +If you went abroad at night in those days, it was better to carry a +stout cudgel than a walking cane. Says the poet Gay, in his “Trivia, +or the Art of Walking the Streets of London” Part III, ii, 326, + + Who has not trembled at the Mohock’s name? + Was there a watchman took his hourly rounds, + Safe from their blows or new invented wounds? + I pass their desperate deeds and mischief done, + Where from Snow hill black steepy torrents run; + How matrons, hoop’d within the hogshead womb, + Were tumbled furious hence. + +The young men of the age, like everyone else, mistook brutality for +pleasure just as do shallow minds today. The difference is, that +whereas we take it out at second hand, looking at blood letting in a +moving picture, or wasting time on a so-called funny sheet where the +humor turns on someone being hurt, they were more sincere and honest +about it. Gay, in his “hogshead womb” refers to the curious practice +of the Mohocks, (which seemed to have something in common with our Ku +Klux Klans in a love for cruelty and mob work), by which they caught a +woman, packed her in a barrel, and set her rolling down a steep hill. +You have seen, and perhaps enjoyed that kind of thing in a screen +“comedy.” As the screen men at times picture impossible cowboys making +innocent citizens dance by firing revolvers close to their feet, so +the Mohocks made them dance by pricking their legs with their swords. +Sometimes they went further, and, like latter day self-appointed +patriotic leagues, killed those they tortured. Of the Mohocks, Swift +writes, in his Journal to Stella, “Did I tell you of a race of rakes, +called the Mohocks, that play the devil about this town every night, +slit people’s noses and beat them? Faith, they shan’t cut mine; I like +it better as it is. The dogs will cost me at least a crown a week in +chairs.” + +The good knight had sufficient reason for his fear, for the Mohocks +at one time were a very serious menace. Eustace Bludgell in No. 347 +of the _Spectator_, of April 8, 1712, has a paper on the subject. The +fellows who banded themselves together to terrorize quiet citizens, +sometimes worked upon the superstitious fears of the ignorant, “like +those specters and apparitions which frighten several towns and +villages in her majesty’s dominions,” says Bludgell. The Mohocks tried +to form a sort of invisible empire, like the Ku Klux Klan of today. +They had their Emperor of the Mohocks, who sent anonymous letters of +a threatening nature, which were signed, ridiculously enough “Taw +Waw Eben Zan Kalader.” They pretended to constitute themselves into +guardians of law and order, issuing manifestoes setting forth that +“We have received information, from sundry quarters of this great and +populous city, of several outrages committed” and so on. They were, +of course, full of the sentimentality that finds absurd expression in +proclamations that they were defenders of the honor of women. Read +this, from Bludgell’s paper: + + And whereas, we have nothing more at our imperial heart than the + reformation of the cities of London and Westminster, which to our + unspeakable satisfaction we have in some measure already affected. + We do hereby earnestly pray and exhort all husbands, fathers, + housekeepers and masters of families ... not only to repair + themselves to their habitations at early and seasonable hours, but + also to keep their daughters, wives, sons, servants and apprentices, + from appearing in the streets at those times and seasons which may + expose them to military discipline as it is practiced by our good + subjects the Mohocks; and we do further promise on our imperial word, + that as soon as the reformation aforesaid shall be brought about. We + will forthwith cause all hostilities to cease. + + Given from our Court at the Devil Tavern, March 15th, 1712. + + +SIR ROGER AT THE THEATRE. + +SPECTATOR, NO. 335, MARCH 1712--ADDISON. + +My friend Sir Roger De Coverley, when we last met together at the +club, told me that he had a great mind to see the new tragedy with me, +assuring me, at the same time, that he had not been at a play these +twenty years. “The last I saw,” said Sir Roger, “was the Committee, +which I should not have gone to neither, had I not been told beforehand +that it was a good Church of England comedy.” He then proceeded to +inquire of me who this distressed mother was; and upon hearing that +she was Hector’s widow, he told me that her husband was a brave man, +and that when he was a school boy he had read his life at the end of +the dictionary. My friend asked me, in the next place, if there would +not be some danger in coming home late, lest the Mohocks should be +abroad. “I assure you,” says he, “I thought I had fallen into their +hands last night; for I observed two or three lusty black men that +followed me half way up Fleet Street, and mended their pace behind me, +in proportion as I put on to get away from them. You must know,” said +the Knight with a smile, “I fancied they had a mind to hunt me; for I +remember an honest gentleman in my neighborhood, who was served such a +trick in King Charles the Second’s time; for which reason he has not +ventured himself in town ever since. I might have shown them very good +sport, had this been their design; for as I am an old fox hunter, I +should have turned and dodged, and have played them a thousand tricks +they had never seen in their lives before.” Sir Roger added, that if +these gentlemen had any such intention, they did not succeed very well +in it; “for I threw them out,” says he, “at the end of Norfolk Street, +where I doubled the corner and got shelter in my lodgings before they +could imagine what had become of me, however,” says the knight, “if +Captain Sentry will make one with us tomorrow night, and you will both +call on me about four o’clock, that we may be at the house before it +is full, I will have my own coach in readiness to attend you, for John +tells me he has got the fore wheels mended.” + +The Captain, who did not fail to meet me there at the appointed hour, +bid Sir Roger fear nothing, for that he had put on the same sword +which he made use of at the battle of Steenkirk. Sir Roger’s servants, +and among the rest my old friend the butler, had, I found, provided +themselves with good oaken plants, to attend their master on this +occasion. When he had placed him in the coach, with myself at his +left hand, the Captain before him, and his butler at the head of his +footmen in the rear, we convoyed him in safety to the play house, +where, after having marched up the entry in good order, the Captain +and I went in with him, and seated him betwixt us in the pit. As soon +as the house was full, and the candles were lighted, my old friend +stood up and looked about him with that pleasure, which a mind seasoned +with humanity naturally feels in itself, at the sight of a multitude +of people who seem pleased with one another, and partake of the same +common entertainment, I could not but fancy to myself as the old man +hearing a cluster of them praise Orestes, struck in with them, and told +them, that he thought his friend Pylades was a very sensible man; as +they were afterwards applauding Pyrrhus Sir Roger put in a second time: +“And let me tell you,” says he, “though he speaks but little, I like +the old fellow in whiskers as well as any of them.” Captain Sentry +seeing two or three wags, who sat near us, lean with an attentive +ear toward Sir Roger, and fearing lest they should smoke the knight, +plucked him by the elbow, and whispered something in his ear, that +lasted till the opening of the fifth act. The knight was wonderfully +attentive to the account which Orestes gives of Pyrrhus’s death; and +at the conclusion of it, told me it was such a bloody piece of work +that he was glad it was not done upon the stage. Seeing afterwards +Orestes in his raving fit, he grew more than ordinary serious, and took +occasion to moralize (in his way) upon an evil conscience; adding that +Orestes in his madness, looked as if he saw something. + +As we were the first that came into the house, so we were the last +that went out of it; being resolved to have a clear passage for our +old friend, whom we did not care to venture among the justling of the +crowd. Sir Roger went out fully satisfied with his entertainment, and +we guarded him to his lodging in the same manner that we brought him to +the playhouse; being highly pleased, for my own part, not only with the +performance of the excellent piece which had been presented, but with +the satisfaction which it had given the old man. + + * * * * * + +_Note._ Much as the simple knight seemed to have been pleased with the +play, _The Distrest Mother_ was a dull version by Ambrose Philips of +Racine’s _Andromaque_. Fielding made a burlesque of it in his _Covent +Garden Tragedy_, 1712. The _Committee_, to which Sir Roger refers, had +a sub-title by which it was better known, _The Faithful Irishman_. +It was written by Robert Howard, Dryden’s brother-in-law, and first +produced in 1665. + + * * * * * + +A country cousin could no more pass a week in London in those days +without going to Vauxhall, than could a countryman stay any length of +time in New York without finding his way to Coney Island. The earliest +mention of the place is in Evelyn’s diary, 2nd July, 1661, when he went +to see the “New Spring Garden at Lambeth; a pretty contrived plantation +where sometimes they would have music and sit upon barges on the +water.” Charles II, who missed nothing in the line of gaiety, had built +for him “a fine room, the inside all of looking glass, and fountains +very pleasant to behold,” which, the grave Morland, his Master Mechanic +reports, was for the reception of “the King and his ladies.” + +Later, little improvements were made and there was an artificial +cascade, a water mill, a bridge with a mail coach passing over it, a +cottage scene with animated figures drinking and smoking by machinery. +Samuel Pepys, who missed nothing, says, “July 27, 1688--So over the +water with my wife and Deb and Mercer, to Spring Garden, and there +ate and walked, and observed how rude some of the young gallants of +the town are become, to go into people’s arbors, where there are not +men, and almost gore the women--which troubled me to see the vice +and confidence of the age.” Tom Brown, a little later, speaks of the +close walks and wildernesses, which “are so intricate, that the most +experienced mothers have often lost themselves looking for their +daughters.” + +In the days of Sir Roger, the fashionable way of going to the gardens +was by water, and an evening there, with a glass of ale and a slice of +hung beef was the usual course. Walpole, in a letter of 1750, gives +an interesting account of a Vauxhall party: “I had a card from Lady +Petersham to go with her to Vauxhall. I went accordingly to her house +and found her and the little Asche, or the Pollard Ashe as they call +her; they had just finished their last layer of red, and looked as +handsome as crimson could make them.... We marched to our barge, with +a boat of French horns attending, and little Ashe singing. We paraded +some time up the river and at last debarked at Vauxhall.... Here we +picked up Lord Granby, arrived very drunk from Jenny Whim’s (a tavern +between Chelsea and Pimlico). At last we assembled in our booth, Lady +Caroline in the front, with the visor of her hat erect, and looking +gloriously handsome. She had fetched my brother Orford from the next +box, where he was enjoying himself with his _petite partie_, to help +us to mince the chickens. We minced seven chickens in a china dish, +which Lady Caroline stewed over a lamp with three pats of butter and +a flagon of water, stirring and rattling and laughing, and we, every +minute, expecting the dish to fly about our ears. She had brought +Betty the fruit girl, with hampers of strawberries and cherries, from +Roger’s, and made her wait on table and then made her sit by herself at +a little table.... In short, the air of our party was sufficient, as +you will easily imagine, to take up the whole attention of the gardens; +so much so, that from eleven o’clock to half an hour after one, we had +the whole concourse round our booth. At last they came into the little +garden of each booth on the sides of ours, till Harry Vane took up a +bumper, and drank their healths, and was proceeding to treat them with +greater freedom. It was three o’clock before we got home.” + +Oliver Goldsmith in his “Beau Tibbs at Vauxhall” makes his hero say, +significantly, “As for virgins, it is true they are a fruit that don’t +much abound in our gardens here: but if ladies, as plenty as apples in +autumn, and as complying as any _houri_ of them all, can content you, I +fancy we have no need to go to heaven for paradise.” + + +SIR ROGER AT VAUXHALL GARDENS. + +SPECTATOR NO. 383, MAY, 1712--ADDISON. + +As I was sitting in my chamber, and thinking on a subject for my next +_Spectator_, I heard two or three irregular bounces at my landlady’s +door, and, upon the opening of it, a loud cheerful voice inquiring +whether the philosopher was at home. The child who went to the door +answered very innocently, that he did not lodge there. I immediately +recollected that it was my good friend Sir Roger’s voice; and that I +had promised to go with him on the water to Spring-garden, in case it +proved a good evening. The knight put me in mind of my promise from +the bottom of the staircase, but told me, that if I was speculating, +he would stay below till I had done. Upon my coming down, I found all +the children of the family got about my old friend, and my landlady +herself, who is a notable prating gossip, engaged in a conference with +him; being mightily pleased with his stroking her little boy upon the +head, and bidding him be a good child, and mind his book. + +We were no sooner come to the Temple-stairs, but we were surrounded +with a crowd of watermen, offering us their respective services. Sir +Roger, after having looked about him very attentively, spied one with a +wooden leg, and immediately gave him orders to get his boat ready. As +we were walking toward it, “You must know,” said Sir Roger, “I never +make use of anybody to row me, that has not either lost a leg or an +arm. I would rather bate him a few strokes of his oar than not employ +an honest man that has been wounded in the Queen’s service. If I was +a lord or a bishop, and kept a barge, I would not put a fellow in my +livery that had not a wooden leg.” + +My old friend, after having seated himself and trimmed the boat with +his coachman, who, being a very sober man, always serves for ballast +on these occasions, we made the best of our way for Vauxhall. Sir +Roger obliged the waterman to give us the history of his right leg; +and, hearing that he had left it at La Hogne, with many particulars +which passed in that glorious action, the knight, in the triumph of +his heart, made several reflections as to the greatness of the British +nation; as, that one Englishman could beat three Frenchmen; that we +could never be in danger of popery so long as we took care of our +fleet; that the Thames was the noblest river in Europe; that London +bridge was a greater piece of work than any of the seven wonders of the +world; with many other honest prejudices which naturally cleave to the +heart of a true Englishman. + +After some short pause, the old knight, turning about his head twice or +thrice, to take a survey of this great metropolis, bid me observe how +thick the city was with churches, and that there was scarce a single +steeple on this side Temple-bar. “A most heathenish sight!” says Sir +Roger: “there is no religion at this end of the town. The fifty new +churches will very much mend the prospect: but church-work is slow, +church-work is slow.” + +I do not remember I have anywhere mentioned, in Sir Roger’s character, +his custom of saluting everybody that passes by him with a good-morrow +or good-night. This the old man does out of the overflowings of his +humanity, though at the same time it renders him so popular among all +his country neighbours, that it is thought to have gone a good way in +making him once or twice knight of the shire. He cannot forbear this +exercise of benevolence even in town, when he meets with any one in his +morning or evening walk. It broke from him to several boats that passed +by upon the water; but to the knight’s great surprise, as he gave the +good-night to two or three of the young fellows a little before our +landing, one of them, instead of returning the civility, asked us what +queer old put we had in the boat, and whether he was not ashamed to go +a-wenching at his years; with a great deal of the like Thames ribaldry. +Sir Roger seemed a little shocked at first; but, at length assuming a +face of magistracy, told us, “That if we were a Middlesex justice, he +would make such vagrants know that her Majesty’s subjects were no more +to be abused by water than by land.” + +We were now arrived at Spring-garden, which is exquisitely pleasant +at this time of the year. When I consider the fragrancy of the walks +and bowers, with the choirs of birds that sung upon the trees, and the +loose tribe of people that walked under the shades, I could not but +look upon the place as a kind of Mahometan paradise. Sir Roger told me +it put him in mind of a little coppice by his house in the country, +which his chaplain used to call an aviary of nightingales. “You must +understand,” says the knight, “there is nothing in the world that +pleases a man in love so much as your nightingales. Ah, Mr. Spectator! +the many moonlight nights that I have walked by myself, and thought +on the Widow by the music of the nightingale!” He here fetched a deep +sigh, and was falling into a fit of musing, when a mask, who came +behind him, gave him a gentle tap upon the shoulder, and asked him if +he would drink a bo mead with her. But the knight, being startled by +so unexpected a familiarity, and displeased to be interrupted in his +thoughts of the Widow, told her, _She was a wanton baggage_, and bid +her go about her business. + +We concluded our walk with a glass of Burton ale, and a slice of hung +beef. When we had done eating, ourselves, the knight called a waiter to +him, and bid him carry the remainder to the waterman that had but one +leg. I perceived that the fellow stared upon him at the oddness of the +message, and was going to be saucy; upon which I ratified the knight’s +commands with a peremptory look. + +As we were going out of the garden, my old friend thinking himself +obliged, as a member of the _quorus_, to animadvert upon the morals of +the place, told the mistress of the house, who sat at the bar, that +he should be a better customer to her garden, “if there were more +nightingales and fewer improper persons.” + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber’s note + + +Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice. Hyphenation +and italicization were standardized. + +Spelling was retained as in the original except for the following +change: + + Page 3: “smear acros his” “smear across his” + Page 4: “Rabelias, like Scarron” “Rabelais, like Scarron” + Page 4: “bagnois on occasion” “baignoires on occasion” + Page 5: “He was irresistible” “He was as irresistible” + Page 7: “under Secretary of State” “Under Secretary of State” + Page 7: “collector of Elizivirs and” “collector of Elzevirs and” + Page 14: “Hilare Belloc, H. M.” “Hilaire Belloc, H. M.” + Page 22: “sawyers dstroying saw” “sawyers destroying saw” + Page 24: “at Brook’s gambling” “at Brooks’ gambling” + Page 27: “atention to the narratives” “attention to the narratives” + Page 27: “a letter writer by” “a letter written by” + Page 31: “Thomas Incl of London” “Thomas Inkle of London” + Page 35: “formation af a company” “formation of a company” + Page 37: “would quickly lesson” “would quickly lessen” + Page 40: “tried to get beneath” “tries to get beneath” + Page 42: “Hockley-inthe-Hole; where” “Hockley-in-the-Hole; where” + Page 64: “figures in St. Dustan’s” “figures in St. Dunstan’s” + Page 66: “pleasuse had been” “pleasure had been” + Page 76: “Acordingly they got” “Accordingly they got” + Page 76: “himself than a Sarcacen” “himself than a Saracen” + Page 77: “so the Mohawks made” “so the Mohocks made” + Page 78: “only to repair thmselves” “only to repair themselves” + Page 81: “applauding Pyrrhu Sir” “applauding Pyrrhus Sir” + Page 81: “gives of Pyrrhu’s death” “gives of Pyrrhus’s death” + Page 86: “work that any” “work than any” + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78492 *** diff --git a/78492-h/78492-h.htm b/78492-h/78492-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fa7da9a --- /dev/null +++ b/78492-h/78492-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4227 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no,date=no,address=no,email=no,url=no"> + <title> + Joseph Addison and his time | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .5em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .5em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} +table.autotable { border-collapse: collapse; } +table.autotable td, +table.autotable th { padding: 0.25em; } + +.tdl {text-align: left;} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + +blockquote { + margin-top: 0; + margin-bottom: 0; + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} + +figcaption {font-weight: bold;} +figcaption p {margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: .2em; text-align: inherit;} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +/* Poetry */ +/* uncomment the next line for centered poetry */ +.poetry-container {display: flex; justify-content: center;} +.poetry-container {text-align: center;} +.poetry {text-align: left; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%;} +.poetry .stanza {margin: 1em auto;} +.poetry .verse {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em;} + +.author { + text-align: right; + margin-right: 20% + } + +.author2 { + text-align: right; + margin-right: 40% + } + +.x-ebookmaker body {margin: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker-drop {color: inherit;} + +.ph3, .ph4 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; } +.ph3 { font-size: large; margin: .83em auto; } +.ph4 { font-size: medium; margin: 1.12em auto; } + +p.hanging-indent1 { + padding-left: 2.25em; + text-indent: -2.25em; +} + +.tnote {border: dashed 1px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; +padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; padding-left: .5em; +padding-right: .5em;} + +/* Poetry indents */ +.poetry .indent0 {text-indent: -3.0em;} +.poetry .indent8 {text-indent: 1.0em;} + +.float-right {float: right;} +.float-left {float: left;} +.x-ebookmaker .float-right {float: right;} +.x-ebookmaker .float-left {float: left;} +.height {height: 2em;} + + </style> +</head> + +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78492 ***</div> + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="ph3"> +TEN CENT POCKET SERIES NO. 328</p> +<p class="ph4"> +Edited by E. Haldeman-Julius +</p> + + +<h1>Joseph Addison +and His Time</h1> + +<p class="ph3">Charles J. Finger</p> + +<p class="ph3">HALDEMAN-JULIUS COMPANY +GIRARD, KANSAS</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p class="ph3">Copyright, 1922,<br> +Haldeman-Julius Company</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="JOSEPH_ADDISON_AND_HIS_TIME"> + JOSEPH ADDISON AND HIS TIME. + </h2> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter"> + <h2 class="nobreak" id="I"> + I. + <br> + THE MAN AND HIS FRIEND. + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The main facts in Addison’s life could be +compressed within the compass of an ordinary +telegram, thus:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>Joseph Addison was born in Wiltshire, +England, in 1672, had a grammar school +education, and went to Oxford University. +Between the ages of twenty-seven and +thirty-one he traveled in Europe. Later, +he held public offices, but, in 1710 devoted +himself seriously to literature, and, in five +years, gained lasting fame. He died in +1719.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>If, in the style of the modern journalist, you +chose to add a spice of mild scandal, you might +say that he was married to the Countess of +Warwick, but the union was not a happy one. +Should a little extra tang be required, it would +be quite in order to say that on occasion he +drank too much.</p> + +<p>Or, supposing that you were very narrow +and chose to run a dark smear across his name, +you might make much of the fact that he sometimes +loaned money to his best friend, Richard +Steele, and on one such occasion, sent the +sheriff’s officer with an order for the debtor’s +arrest, two days after the loan had been made. +This story, be it said, you may not find in any +existing biography, at least I have not been +able to find it, but, nevertheless, it is true, for +Dick Steele told it to his friend Richard Savage +the poet, who, in turn, told it to Doctor +Johnson. Then, of course, James Boswell got +hold of it and gave it to the world.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</span></p> + +<p>Still, as you know and as I know, and as +Nietzsche said, men’s wickedness is much less +than the fame of it, so, rightly understood and +fairly told, even this, which might be denounced +by the thoughtless as an act of base treachery, +turns out to be a very ordinary affair, +the like of which might easily have befallen +me. For the fact is that Richard Steele was +Richard Steele, a mighty good fellow, as also +was Addison. You see the character of the +man as soon as you look at his picture. Ruddy +and strong, full of boisterous health is he, one +in whom the sap of life rises swiftly. At a +glance you see that he can laugh heartily, like +Rabelais, like Scarron. If you are supersensitive, +if you are timid, you would not go +abroad with him, for he is, it is plain to be +seen, one who would take you into taverns, into +baignoires on occasion, into places where are jovial +companions who love a good song, or a jolly +story over a bottle. With his kind, you may +wind up the night with either a broken head +or a belly full, but which ever it was, you would +have had a good time. And Addison, a quieter +sort, a fine, sensitive type, liked his Irish +friend. They had been school boys together, +and, later, college chums. They were the same +age, too. It was a friendship like that of +William of Orange for Bentick, or Queen Anne +for Lady Churchill. But Dick Steele was not +born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and +being a genius, was bold, reckless of life, of +health, of which the unco’ guid call honor. So +his wealthy relative cast him off before he had +graduated from college, and he became a kind +of vagrant. He joined the army, soon tired of +the discipline, bought himself out, and lived +by his wits. He loved women and he loved +wine, but he loved wine more than women. +He was an easy going, good natured adventurer +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span>with a strong literary gift and a tremendous +imagination. Like <i>Tom Jones</i>, he lived his life +in a manner far from perfect, knew it and +regretted it. He had spurts of virtue, he made +good resolutions, then straightway forgot all +about them and went on in the same old way. +Give him a guinea and immediately he went +about to find a friend to share it. A good meal +and an evening spent in jolly company seemed +to him a far more attractive way to dispose of +gold than the uninteresting payment of tradesmen’s +bills. Besides, do what he would, at one +time in his career, to pay off all that he owed +seemed an utter impossibility. So, as a palliative +measure, he would borrow from Peter to +pay Paul.</p> + +<p>But Richard Steele was also a letter writer. +His winning personality, his charm of manner +shone on the written page. He was as irresistible +as <i>Micawber</i>, as charming as <i>Esmond</i>. +Judge for yourself. I take, almost at random, +four letters of twenty. They are written to +his wife, and, as most men know, to write to +a wife is not easy, and less so when one is +long overdue, or too late for dinner, and, to +boot, a little far gone in one’s cups. Then it +requires both dexterity and diplomacy. The +letters are, of course, of subsequent date to +the Addison loan affair, but serve to show the +peculiar, persuasive qualities of the writer.</p> + +<p><i>To Mrs. Steele.</i></p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="author"> + Monday, seven at night,<br> + Sept. 27, 1708.<br></p> + <p> + Dear Prue: +</p> + +<p>You see you are obeyed in everything, and +that I write overnight for the following day. +I shall now in earnest, by Mr. Clay’s good conduct, +manage my business with that method as +shall make me easy. The news, I am told, you +had last night, of the taking of Lille, does not +prove true; but I hope we shall have it soon. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span>I shall send by tomorrow’s coach. I am, dear +Prue, a little in drink, but at all times your +faithful husband,</p> + +<p class="author"> + RICH STEELE. +</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Or this:</p> + +<p><i>To Mrs. Steele</i> (lately Mrs. Scurlock).</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="author"> + Dec. 22, 1707.</p> + <p> + My dear, dear wife: +</p> + +<p>I write to let you know that I do not come +home to dinner, being obliged to attend to some +business abroad, of which I shall give you an +account (when I see you in the evening), as +becomes your dutiful and obedient husband.</p> + +<p class="author"> + RICH STEELE. +</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>It is a little significant that nine out of ten +letters written to his wife, are graceful notes +of apology because of his absence from home. +Here is another.</p> + +<p><i>To Mrs. Steele.</i></p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="author"> + Eleven at night, Jan. 5, 1708.</p> + <p> + Dear Prue: +</p> + +<p>I was going home two hours ago, but was +met by Mr. Griffith, who has kept me ever since +meeting me, as he came from Mr. Lambert’s. I +will come within a pint of wine.</p> + +<p class="author"> + RICH STEELE. +</p> + +<p>(We drank your health, and Mr. Griffith is +your servant.)</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>One more will be sufficient, especially as it +seems to show that Mrs. Steele was by no +means pleased to have messengers knocking +at her door at all hours of the night with +letters from the errant Richard.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="author"> + June 7, 1708.</p> + <p> + Dear Prue: +</p> + +<p>I enclose you a guinea for your pocket. I +dine with Lord Halifax. I wish I knew how +to court you into good humor, for two or three +quarrels will dispatch me quite. If you have +any love for me, believe I am always pursuing +our mutual good. Pray consider that all my little +fortune is to (be) settled this month, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span>that I have inadvertently made myself liable +to impatient people, who take all advantages. +If you have (not) patience, I shall transact my +business rashly, and lose a very great sum to +quicken the time of your being rid of all people +you do not like. Yours ever,</p> + +<p class="author"> + RICH STEELE. +</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>On that I rest my case, as the lawyers say, +as having amply proved the persuasive powers +of Richard Steele. Such letters would turn a +heart of stone.</p> + +<p>One day, when Addison was in funds, there +came to him a touching letter from his old +school fellow. Dick was in trouble again. The +letter told all. His flint-hearted creditors pressed. +His grate was fireless and there was not +as much as a candle in the house. Butcher +and baker cast a cold eye upon him. The wolf +was at the door, and, eke, the bailiff with a +writ. “Impatient people who take all advantage” +beset him. For twenty-four hours he +had fasted, and starvation stared him in the +face. A hundred pounds would save his life.</p> + +<p>Picture Addison his friend, a man of wealth +and position; Under Secretary of State; a little +king surrounded by his circle of admirers; a +coffee-house wit; a conversationalist able to +keep a “few friends listening and laughing +around a table from the time when a play ended +till the clock of St. Paul’s struck four o’ +the morning”; the guest of the brilliant Lady +Mary Montague; collector of Elzevirs and ancient +medals. He read the letter once, twice, +thrice. There is a rabble of reasons why he +should help Dick and a rabble why he should +not. He ponders awhile in doubt.... But +it is his old Irish school friend in trouble again. +It is Dick the luckless. But here is sincere +repentance, and, anyway, Dick is under a cloud. +Moreover, he is through with “the well-fed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span>wits” who batten on him. So the messenger +is called in, presently leaves with the money +and Addison sleeps well.</p> + +<p>But not with monetary aid alone is Addison +satisfied. He has some knowledge of life in +Grub Street—a knowledge also possessed by +Goldsmith who told how the luckless author in +dark days</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent8">views with keen desire</div> + <div class="verse indent0">The rusty grate unconscious of a fire;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">With beer and milk arrears the freeze is scored</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And five cracked tea cups dress the chimney board;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">A night cap dress his brows instead of bay,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">A cap by night—a stocking all the day!</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>So, the next day, Addison climbs Steele’s stairway. +He is astonished to find porters running +up and down bearing trays loaded with soups, +fish, entrees and sweetmeats. He, himself, is +elbowed out of the way by servants. There are +lights everywhere and, from within, the sound +of fiddles. It is long past sunset and no black-hearted +bailiff may do his full work. Through +the open door is seen the long, crowded table, +piled high with wines and meats, champagnes +and burgundies, and at the head, brimming +with happiness and good humor, without a present +care in the world, sits Dick Steele. Small +wonder then that the good nature of Addison +received a shock and that he determined to +give Steele and his “well-fed wits” a lesson.</p> + +<p>But big men find it easy to forgive. Vindictiveness +is for small minds alone. Indeed, Addison +the gentleman never told the story. He, +doubtless, soon considered it a closed incident +and so forgot all about it. It was Steele the +gentleman who gave the tale to the world, and, +as a gentleman should, to illustrate his friend’s +generosity.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span></p> + +<p>One day a notion struck Steele. He decided +to publish a journal on a new plan. It is true +there were news sheets in plenty, but, the +times were, in some respects, very like our +own, and the self-imposed task of the journalist +seemed then, as now, to be to provide the weak-minded +section of the public with a new variety +of mental dissipation each day. Then, as +now, too, the spirit of sensationalism was +abroad. Then, as now, there was a very active +championship of bad causes and the only care +of the journal’s owner was to increase his +circulation and keep out of the clutches of the +law. Every blind popular prejudice and every +brutal fanaticism was seized upon avidly and +every consideration of decency disregarded. +To cater to the baser appetites, the lowest +curiosities, the shallowest mind, was the rule. +Today, picturing the people of England as of +then, from the current news sheets, you see +a nation of Yahoos that hate each other, tear +each other with their talons with hideous +contortions and yells. You see, very much as you +see today with us, foul sheets doing lip service, +darkening counsel by words without knowledge, +fawning on the wealthy, flattering the +men in power. To use Swift’s picture as applicable, +(Gulliver’s Travels, Part 4, chap. 7):</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>In most herds there was a sort of ruling +Yahoo who was always more deformed in body, +and mischievous in disposition, than any of the +rest; that this ruler had usually a favorite as +like himself as he could get, whose employment +was to lick his master’s feet ... and drive +the female yahoos to his kennel; for which he +was now and then rewarded with a piece of +ass’s flesh....</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>I can well imagine Dick Steele, his mind +busy with the idea of some new play perhaps, +turning into some coffee-house to rest, or, if +possible, to find some companion with whom +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span>he could have a pleasant talk. It is the Cocoa +Tree that he chooses, and it has a back room, +long, and low, and brown paneled, and through +the window is to be seen the red-walled rose +garden. There he finds gathered company. +Steele notes the general picture, the browns +and grays, here and there a coat of brighter +color, this face strongly illuminated and that +in shadow, and he also notes that there is a +great deal of “goose gabble” by way of +conversation. Nothing there to interest him. He +picks up the news sheet. It is <i>Dawk’s Protestant +Mercury</i>, a popular paper. It has been +well read as the coffee stains and finger marks +show. He turns it over, passing impatiently +the two columns of flamboyant boastings which +tell how at any time, “one Englishman can +beat three Frenchmen,” scanning swiftly, and +rejecting impatiently, its pretended statements +of facts as entirely unworthy; then his eye +falls on the stirring item of the day, the item +to which men first turn as children of a low +order of intellect turn today to the funny sheet +of a Sunday supplement, and he reads this:</p> + + +<blockquote> + +<p class="center">A MAN EATS A LIVE COCK ETC.</p> + + +<p>On Tuesday last a fellow at Sadler’s Wells, +near Islington, after he had dined heartily on a +buttock of beef, for the lucre of five guineas, eat +a live cock, feathers, guts and all, with only +a plate of oil and vinegar to wash it down, and +afterwards preferred to lay five guineas more, +that he could do the same again in two hours +time.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>The banality, the stupidity of it all startled +him. It held him all that day, and soon the +idea filled Steele’s mind that a decent and dignified +journalism was possible. He was idealist +enough to believe, and optimist enough to +hope that a decent paper might become a +potent agency of enlightenment and that intelligent +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span>citizens everywhere would be only too +glad to look to it for light and leading. It +might contain foreign news, dramatic reports +and the literary gossip of Will’s and the Grecian, +the two coffee houses where the wits +foregathered. So, full of the idea, he wrote to +Addison of his plan. No sooner did Addison, +then in Ireland, learn of it than he was all +eagerness to join in. His unexpected decision +almost swept Steele off his feet. “I fared,” +he said, “like a distressed prince who calls in +a powerful neighbor to his aid. I was undone +by my auxiliary. When I had once called him +in, I could not subsist without dependence on +him.” And in another place he wrote: “This +paper was advanced indeed. It was raised to +a greater thing than I intended it.”</p> + +<p>Shortly after the paper was started, the +circulation was a little short of three thousand, +but in a short time, nine or ten thousand copies +of each issue were sold, and, as Addison said +each issue was read by twenty people. Of the +essays, in all, two hundred and seventy-four +were written by Addison and two hundred and +thirty-six by Richard Steele.</p> + +<p>The plan involved the creation of a fictitious +character, one known as the <i>Spectator</i>, a gentleman +who had been a studious youth, and, +after some travel on classic ground, took up +the study of men and manners. He was a kind +of sublime <i>Pickwick</i>. And, like that later glorious +creation of Dickens, he was a good listener. +Fixing his residence in London, he goes hither +and yon, to coffee houses, to theaters, to +churches and to notable gatherings, and, in the +pages of the <i>Spectator</i>, records his impressions +and his thoughts. As Dickens gave <i>Samuel +Pickwick</i> his lesser lights, his <i>Tupper</i>, and +<i>Winkle</i> and <i>Snodgrass</i>, so the <i>Spectator</i> has a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span>few friends: a templar, a clergyman, a soldier +and a merchant, but the high lights are thrown +upon Sir Roger de Coverly, the old country +baronet, and Will Honeycomb, an old town rake, +and through the eyes of these, as through a focussing +glass, was shown the life of the day. +Soon, readers everywhere became eager to +know the doings of the famous club which Sir +Roger visited, the sessions of which were recorded +by the <i>Spectator</i>.</p> + +<p>The first outline of Sir Roger was made by +Steele in No. 2, of the <i>Spectator</i>, March 2, 1711, +and thereafter Addison used the character, indeed +almost seems to have identified himself +with it. “We were born for one another,” he +wrote.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>“The first of our society is a gentleman of +Worcestershire of an ancient descent, a baron, +his name, Sir Roger de Coverly. His grandfather +was inventor of the famous dance which +is called after him. All who know that satire, +are very well acquainted with the parts and +merits of Sir Roger. He was a gentleman that +is very singular in his behavior, but his singularities +proceed from a good sense, and are +contradictions to the manners of the world, +only as he thinks the world is in the wrong. +However, this humor creates him no enemies, +for he does nothing with sourness or obstinacy, +and his being unconfined to modes and forms +makes him but the readier and the more capable +to please and oblige all who know him. +When he is in town he lives in Soho Square. +It is said he keeps himself a bachelor by reason +he was crossed in love by a perverse beautiful +widow of the next county to him. Before +his disappointment, Sir Roger was what +you call a fine gentleman, had often supped +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span>with my Lord Rochester and Sir George Etheridge, +fought a duel on his first coming to +town, and kicked Bully Dawson in the coffee +house for calling him youngster; but being ill-used +by the said widow, he was very serious +for a year and a half; and, though, his temper +being naturally jovial, he at last got over +it, he grew careless of himself, and never +dressed afterwards. He continues to wear a +coat and a doublet of the same cut that were +in fashion at the time of his repulse, which, +in his merry humors he tells us twelve times +since he first wore it. He is now in his 56th +year, cheerful, gay and hearty; keeps a good +house both in town and country; a great lover +of mankind; but there is such a skilful cast +in his behavior, that he is rather beloved than +esteemed.</p> + +<p>“His tenants grow rich, his servants look satisfied, +all the young women profess to love +him, and the young men are glad of his company. +When he comes into a house he calls the +servants by their names, and talks all the +way upstairs to a visit. I must not omit that +Sir Roger is Justice to the Quorum, that he +fills the chair at quarter sessions with great +ability, and three months ago gained universal +applause by explaining a passage in the Gane +Act.”</p> +</blockquote> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Thus, and with that fictitious character as +a nucleus, began the greatest literary partnership +in the history of literature. Thus, also, +Addison found himself. Until he wrote in the +<i>Spectator</i>, he had, or seems to have had, no +knowledge of his powers. He did not know +himself. Perhaps Steele knew Addison though; +knew of the vast hidden mine of wealth and +thus deliberately tapped the inexhaustible vein. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span>True, Addison had written before the advent +of the <i>Spectator</i>, for at college he had been +distinguished in a small way, and, later, he had +written his poem, the <i>Campaign</i> (1704). That +in itself was an excellent model of a becoming +and classical style, easily and correctly +written, but, alone, it had not the excellence +to ensure its author immortality. As it turns +out, as we see it from this distance, it was the +<i>Spectator</i> that made him, as it gave him an +audience to hearten him. And through the +character of Sir Roger, he set out to make +morality fashionable, and, later, by means of +the essay made it his task to reconcile virtue +with elegance and to make pleasure subservient +to reason. As a by-product there came a mighty +literary influence that passed down the ages. +For it was upon Addison that Benjamin Franklin +founded his style. That prince of living +essayists, Michael Monahan, has been strongly +affected by the same hand. His influence has +touched such widely diverse characters as Oliver +Goldsmith, Charles Lamb, Washington Irving, +Oliver Wendell Holmes, W. H. Hudson, Ford +Maddox Hueffer, Cunningham Grahame, Hilaire +Belloc, H. M. Tomlinson, William Marion Reedy. +More still. The very existence of these Haldeman-Julius +booklets is, in a measure, due to +the ideals promulgated by Addison, or, at any +rate, at bottom the same notion that moved +Steele’s friend moved the editor of this series. +In proof, I quote from <i>Spectator</i> No. 10, March +12, 1710:</p> + +<p>“It was said of Socrates that he brought +Philosophy down from heaven to inhabit among +men; and I shall be ambitious to have it said +of me, that I have brought Philosophy out of +closets and libraries, schools and colleges, to +dwell in clubs and assemblies, at tea tables +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span>and coffee houses. I would, therefore, in a very +particular manner, recommend these, my speculations, +to well regulated families, and set +apart an hour in every morning for tea, and +bread and butter; and would earnestly advise +them for their good to order this paper to be +punctually served up, and to be looked upon as +a part of the tea-equipage.”</p> + +<p>If I were asked to choose from all that Addison +had written in the pages of the <i>Spectator</i>, +to take a single essay which might be adduced +as evidence that posterity would assign to him +the reputation he coveted, I would at once name +his Vision of Mirza. To my notion it is the +most intensely beautiful thing he wrote. I +transcribe it, well remembering the thrill with +which I first read it when a mere boy. It +seemed to me then the most fantastically beautiful +thing ever written.</p> + + +<p class="center">No. 159</p> + +<div class="height"> +<p class="float-left"><span class="float-left">Spectator)</span></p> + +<p class="float-right"><span class="float-left">(Addison</span></p> + +</div> + + +<p class="center">Saturday, September 1, 1711.</p> + + +<p>When I was at Grand Cairo, I picked up several +Oriental manuscripts, which I have still by +me. Among others I met with one entitled +the Visions of Mirza, which I have read over +with pleasure. I intend to give it to the public +when I have no other entertainment for +them; and shall begin with the first vision, +which I have translated word by word as follows:</p> + +<p>“On the fifth day of the moon, which according +to the custom of my forefathers I always +keep holy, after having washed myself and +offered up my morning devotions, I ascended +the high hills of the Bagdad, in order to pass +the rest of the day in meditation and prayer. +As I was here airing myself on the top of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span>mountains, I fell into a profound contemplation +upon the vanity of human life; and passing +from one thought to another, ‘Surely,’ said +I, ‘man is but a shadow, and life a dream.’ +While I was thus musing, I cast my eyes toward +the summit of a rock that was not far +from me, where I discovered one in the habit +of a shepherd, with a little musical instrument +in his hand. As I looked upon him he applied +it to his lips, and began to play upon it. The +sound of it was so exceedingly sweet, and +wrought into a variety of tunes that were inexpressibly +melodious, and altogether different +from anything I had ever heard. They put +me in mind of those heavenly airs that are +played to the departed souls of good men upon +their arrival in Paradise, to wear out the impressions +of the last agonies, and qualify them +for the pleasure of that happy place. My heart +melted away in secret raptures.</p> + +<p>“I had been often told that the rock before +me was the haunt of genius; and that several +had been entertained by music who had passed +it, but never heard that the musician had before +made himself visible. When he had raised +my thought by those transporting airs which he +played, to taste the pleasure of his conversation, +as I looked upon him like one astonished, +he beckoned me and by waving his hand directed +me to approach the place where he sat. +I drew near with that reverence which is due +a superior nature; and as my heart was entirely +subdued by the captivating strains I had +heard, I fell down at his feet and wept. The +genius smiled upon me with a look of compassion +and affability that familiarized him to +my imagination, and at once dispelled all fears +and apprehensions with which I approached +him. He lifted me from the ground, and taking +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span>me by the hand, ‘Mirza,’ said he, ‘I have +heard thee in thy soliloquies; follow me.’</p> + +<p>“He then led me to the highest pinnacle of +the rock, and placing me on the top of it—‘Cast +thy eyes eastward,’ said he, ‘and tell me +what thou seest.’ ‘I see,’ said I, ‘a huge valley, +and a prodigious tide of water rolling +through it.’ ‘The valley that thou seest,’ said +he, ‘is the Vale of Misery, and the tide of water +that thou seest is part of the great tide of +eternity.’ ‘What is the reason,’ said I, ‘that +the tide I see rises out of a thick mist at one +end, and again loses itself in a thick mist at +the other.’ ‘What thou seest,’ said he, ‘is that +portion of eternity which is called time, measured +out by the sun, and reaching from the +beginning of the world to its consummation.’ +‘Examine now,’ said he, ‘this sea that is bounded +with darkness at both ends, and tell me what +thou discoverest in it.’ ‘I see a bridge,’ said I, +‘standing in the midst of the tide.’ ‘The bridge +thou seest,’ said he, ‘is human life; consider +it attentively.’ Upon a more leisurely survey +of it, I saw that it consisted of threescore and +ten entire arches, with several broken arches, +which added to those that were entire, made up +the number about a hundred. As I was counting +the arches, the genius told me that this +bridge consisted first of about a thousand +arches, but that a great flood swept away the +rest, and left the bridge in the ruinous condition +I now beheld it. ‘But tell me further,’ +said he, ‘what thou discoverest on it.’ ‘I see +multitudes of people passing over it,’ said I, +‘and a black cloud hanging on each end of it.’ +As I looked more attentively I saw several +of the passengers dropping through the bridge +into the great tide that flowed underneath it; +and upon further examination, perceived that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span>there were innumerable trap doors that lay +concealed in the bridge, which the passengers +no sooner trod upon, but that they fell through +them into the tide and immediately disappeared. +These hidden pitfalls were set very +thick at the entrance to the bridge, so that +throngs of people no sooner broke through the +cloud, but many of them fell into them. They +grew thinner toward the middle, but multiplied +and came closer together toward the end of the +arches that were entire.</p> + +<p>“There were indeed some persons, but their +number was very small, that continued a kind +of hobbling march upon the broken arches, but +fell through one after another, being quite tired +and spent with so long a walk.</p> + +<p>“I passed some time in contemplation of this +wonderful structure, and the great variety of +objects which it presented. My heart was filled +with deep melancholy to see several dropping +unexpectedly in the midst of mirth and jollity, +and catching at everything that stood by them +to save themselves. Some were looking up toward +heaven in a thoughtful posture, and in +the midst of a speculation stumbled and fell +out of sight. Multitudes were very busy in the +pursuit of bubbles that glittered in their eyes +and danced before them; but often when they +thought themselves within reach of them, their +footing failed, and down they sank. In this +confusion of objects, I observed some with +scimitars in their hands, and others with urinals, +who ran to and fro upon the bridge, +thrusting several persons on trap doors which +did not seem to lie in their way, and which +they might have escaped had they not thus +been forced upon them.</p> + +<p>“The genius seeing me indulge myself in this +melancholy prospect, told me that I had dwelt +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span>long enough on it. ‘Take thine eyes off of the +bridge,’ said he, ‘and tell me if thou seest anything +thou dost not comprehend.’ Upon looking +up, ‘What mean,’ said I, ‘those great flights +of birds that are perpetually hovering about +the bridge, and settling on it from time to +time? I see vultures, harpies, ravens, cormorants, +and among many other feathered creatures +several little winged boys, that perch in great +numbers on the middle arches.’ ‘These,’ said +the genius, ‘are Envy, Avarice, Superstition, +Despair, Love, with the like cares and passions +that infest human life.’</p> + +<p>“Here I fetched a deep sigh. ‘Alas,’ said I, +‘man was made in vain! how is he given away +to misery and mortality! tortured in life, and +swallowed up in death!’ The genius, being +moved with compassion towards me, bid me +quit so uncomfortable a prospect. ‘Look no +more,’ said he, ‘on man in the first stages of +his existence, his setting out for eternity; but +cast thine eye onto that thick mist into which +the tide bears the several generations of mortals +that fall into it.’ I directed my sight as +I was ordered, and (whether or no the good +genius strengthened it with supernatural force, +or dissipated part of the mist that was before +too thick for the eye to penetrate) I saw the +valley opening at the farther end, and spreading +forth into an immense ocean, that had a +huge rock of adamant running through the +midst of it, and dividing it into equal parts. +The clouds still rested on one-half of it, in +so much that I could discover nothing in it: +but the other appeared to me a vast ocean +planted with innumerable islands, that were +covered with fruits and interwoven with a thousand +little shining seas that ran among them. +I could see people dressed in glorious habits +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span>with garlands upon their heads, passing among +the trees, lying down by the sides of fountains, +or resting on beds of flowers; and could hear +a confused harmony of singing birds, falling +waters, human voices, and musical instruments. +Gladness grew within me upon the discovery +of so delightful a scene. I wished for the +wings of an eagle, that I might fly away to +those happy seats: but the genius told me that +there was no passage to them, except through +the gates of death that I saw opening every +moment upon the bridge. ‘The islands,’ said +he, ‘that lie so fresh and green before thee, +and with which the whole face of the ocean +appears spotted as far as thou canst see, are +more in number than the sands on the seashore; +there are myriads of islands behind +those which thou discoverest, reaching farther +than thine eye, or even thine imagination can +extend itself. These are the mansions of good +men after death, who according to the degree +and kinds of virtue in which they excelled, are +distributed among these several islands; which +abound with pleasures of different kinds and +degrees, suitable to the relish and perfection +of those who are settled in them; every island +is a paradise accommodated to its respected inhabitants. +Are not these, O Mirza, habitations +worth contending for? Does life appear miserable +that gives the opportunities of earning +such a reward? Is death to be feared that will +convey thee to so happy an existence? Think +not man was made in vain, who has such an +eternity reserved for him.’ I gazed with inexpressible +pleasure on these happy islands. ‘At +length,’ said I, ‘show me now, I beseech thee, +the secrets that lie hid under those dark clouds +which cover the ocean on the other side of the +rock of adamant.’ The genius making me no +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span>answer I turned about to address myself to +him a second time, but I found that he had +left me: I then turned again to the vision which +I had been so long contemplating, but instead +of the rolling tide, the arched bridge, and the +happy islands, I saw nothing but the long hollow +valley of Bagdad, with oxen, sheep, and +camels, grazing upon the sides of it.”</p> + +<p>Remembering the peculiar habits of thought +of that day, some indication of which you will +find in the chapter that follows, it will be seen +that Addison’s aim was a high one. Yet he +has the modesty of earnestness. There is no +blatant claim to originality, nor verbal pyrotechnics. +You sense the quiet of the scholar +with a real literary background. “I have,” he +wrote, “raised to myself so great an audience, +I shall spare no pains to make their instruction +agreeable and their diversion useful. For +which reason I shall endeavor to enliven morality +with wit, and to temper wit with morality, +that my readers may, if possible, both ways +find their account in the speculation of the +day. And to the end that their virtue and discretion +may not be short, transient, intermitting +starts of thought, I have resolved to refresh +their memories from day to day till I +have recovered them out of that desperate state +of vice and folly into which the age has fallen.” +(Spec. No. 10.)</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + <h2 class="nobreak" id="II"> + II. + <br> + THE DAYS HE LIVED IN. + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The London of Addison and Steele can be +very easily reconstructed, from a reading of +the <i>Spectator</i>. It did not differ from the London +of Hogarth, except in very minor details, +nor from the London of Johnson of which, in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span>1768, Benjamin Franklin wrote in his Memoirs, +(111, 315).</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>Even this capital is now a daily scene of lawless +riot. Mobs patrolling the streets at noonday, +some knocking down all who will not roar +for Wilkes and liberty; courts of justice afraid +to give judgment against him; coal heavers and +porters pulling down the houses of coal merchants +that refuse to give them more wages; +sawyers destroying saw mills; sailors unrigging +all the outward bound ships and suffering none +to sail till merchants agreed to raise their pay; +watermen destroying private boats and threatening +bridges, soldiers firing among the mobs +and killing men, women and children.... +While I am writing a great mob of coal porters +fill the street, carrying a wretch of their business +upon poles to be ducked for working at +the old wages.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>That paragraph, of course, paints a special +picture and goes to show that in some respects +there were incidents afoot very similar to those +we know in our day. Always there have been +labor troubles and those who would grind the +faces of the poor, and interfering efficiency experts +in the camps of both parties.</p> + +<p>While the streets were narrow with a single +kennel in the middle, the narrow ways being +impeded by coaches, sedan-chairs, carts and +barrows, it is well to bear in mind that it was +but a short walk in any direction to the suburban +or genuine open country. A breath of +fresh air was thus within easy reach of workers +and tradesmen. In one direction indeed, +it was a little over a mile from the most +crowded part of the city to the famous Bagnigge +Wells, established on an old residence of +Nell Gwynn, where was a pump room, a formal +garden, pond and fountains and three rustic +bridges crossed the Fleet River. Here was a +place open to all</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span></p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">Where the frail nymphs in amorous dalliance rove,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Where prentice youths enjoy the Sunday feast,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And city madams boast their Sunday best,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Where unfledged Templars first as fops parade,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And new made ensigns sport their first cockade.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class="author2"> + —Gay. +</p> + +<p>The wealthy and fortunate, with a view to +getting polish, were sent to Paris. What they +saw there was not vastly different from conditions +in their native country. There would +be a furtive visit to the Rue du Haut Pave looking +toward the Pantheon—a crooked, evil street, +an old and murderous street, a vile and dishonored +street where murderers and brigands +puffed cigarettes in the Cafe Vachette. Or the +old Pont Neuf, heavy and forbidding, which one +crossed to the gambling house to see, perhaps +on one occasion, the famous Vicomte Nucingens +on suicide bent, after having staked his all on +a last card. Or the Rue de Fossoyeurs at night, +with lights swaying and flickering, as citizens +abroad carried their lanterns to awe robbers. +The swift <i>D’Artagnan</i> lived there, you may remember, +and highwaymen carried off young +girls over their shoulders, and assassins cared +little whose throats they cut.</p> + +<p>But what of the <i>haut ton</i> in those days? For +Addison, and those in his circle, climbed high, +socially. I quote from the Journal of Madam +de Maintenon, January 22, 1713.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>As a matter of politeness, the Duc de Bourgogne +and his two brothers had been taught to +eat with a fork. But when they were admitted +to sup with the king, he would not hear of it, +and forbade them to do it. He never forbade +me to do anything of the kind, for all my life +I have never used anything to eat my food save +my knife and my fingers.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>A Father Tixier tells of being present as +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span>spectator at a royal meal and, “every time +Marie-Terese spoke to the English King, he +lifted his hat to her, and by the end of the meal +his hat was most terribly greasy.”</p> + +<p>I quote Jacques Boulanger in conclusion. +“... access to the royal residences was not difficult +to obtain. At Versailles there were beggars +and hucksters selling trifles on the landings +and stairways. Thieves plied their trade, +and one rogue went so far, one day, as to steal +the diamonds on the hat the King had just +laid on the table.”</p> + +<p>The gambling mania told of by Pepys in an +earlier day had by no means decreased. It +culminated in the sublime madness of the South +Sea Bubble and the equally glorious Mississippi +Scheme. On a famous day in February, +1771, Charles James Fox set the pace. In Parliament +he delivered a speech on a religious +question after having prepared himself, as Gibbon +put it, “by passing twenty-two hours in the +pious exercise of hazard.” During the game, +he lost steadily at the rate of five hundred +pounds sterling per hour. On the next day he +won six thousand pounds, but, later in the +week, he dropped twenty-one thousand pounds +in two sittings. The young Lord Stavordale, +then eighteen, won eleven thousand pounds in +a single day and commented upon what would +have been the result had he “played deep.” One +day, during the progress of an extended game +at Brooks’ gambling club, a new invention was +born in this wise. The Earl of Sandwich, one +of the players, had sat for several hours without +interruption. Unwilling to leave the game, +but being hungry, he ordered the servant to +bring him some meat without a plate, suggesting +that a slice of beef be placed between +two slices of bread. By such easy means it is +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span>given to some to achieve fame, to pass a name +to posterity!</p> + +<p>The most remarkable social product of the +age was the coffee-house. Coffee was known in +England a century before tobacco. A passage +in Evelyn’s diary of May 10, 1637, reads: “I +saw one, Nathaniel Coniopos, a Greek, the first +I ever saw drink coffee, (which custom came +not into England until thirty years after).”</p> + +<p>The earliest two coffee houses in England +were established in 1652 and 1656, the second, +being one James Farr’s. Admission to the coffee +house cost a penny, and a cup of tea or +coffee, two pence. Favored and regular customers +had their own tables and as soon as +one of these appeared, the waiting man carried +to him the latest gazette or news sheet. +Hence, the statement that Addison made that +his <i>Spectator</i> reached twenty more people than +bought it, would not appear to be extravagant.</p> + +<p>In a few years coffee houses spread over +the whole of London and it was currently +thought that they were established on granite +foundation, but thirty years ago they had declined +so that only two or three survived fairly +unchanged. I recall going to one one night +and meeting there that strange saturnine figure +of the 1880’s, Lothrop Withington, reputed to +have a very extensive knowledge of Elizabethan +England. It was in Tottenham Court Road +and Gissing used to frequent the place. We +sat in a long room with neatly sanded floor. +The tables were bare topped, each with a +straight bench on either side, with high partitions +between each table and its neighbor. At +the end of the room was the open fire-place +with a couple of shining steaming kettles at +which presided a neat woman in a print frock. +There was no bill of fare and no variety in the +course served. You had a mutton chop with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span>coffee and bread, or nothing. Entering, a lad +brought you a new, long clay pipe called a +church-warden. The surroundings were conducive +to conversation and the prices charged +were extremely modest.</p> + +<p>At such coffee houses the affairs of the nation +and universe were settled and unsettled; +clubs and social groups were formed, and, on +occasions, political plots hatched. An amusing +account of the various London resorts of this +nature in the days of Addison was given in +<i>A Brief and Merry History of Great Britain</i>, +and, for the information of intellectual strangers, +the subjects usually discussed at each was +listed and classified thus:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>At those Coffee Houses, near the Court, called +White’s, St. James’, William’s, the conversation +turns chiefly upon Equipages, Horse Matches, +Mode of Mortgages: The Cocoa Tree upon +Bribery and Corruption, Evil Ministers, Errors +and Mistakes in Government: the Scotch Coffee-Houses +towards Charing Cross, on Places and +Pensions; the Tilt Yard and Young Man’s on +Affronts, Honor, Satisfaction, Duels and Recounters.... +In these Coffee-Houses about +the Temple the subjects are generally on Causes, +Costs, Demurrers, Rejoiners and Exceptions; +David’s the Welch Coffee-House on Fleet Street, +on Births, Pedigrees, and Descents; Child’s and +the Chapter, upon Globes, Tithes, Rectories, and +Lectureships; ... Hamlin’s, Infant Baptism, +Lay Ordination, Free Will, Election, Reprobation; +... and all those about the Exchange, +where the merchants meet to transact their affairs, +are in a perpetual hurry about Stock Jobbing, +Lying, Cheating, Tricking Widows and +Orphans, and committing Spoil and Rapine on +the Publick.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Says the <i>Spectator</i>, having in mind the atmosphere +intellectual of this coffee house and +that:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>I have passed my latter years in this city, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span>where I am frequently seen in most public +places, though there are not above half a dozen +of my select friends that know me; of whom +my next paper shall give a more particular account. +There is no place of general resort +wherein I do not make my appearance; sometimes +I am seen thrusting my head into a round +of politicians at Will’s, and listening with great +attention to the narratives that are made in +those little circular audiences; sometimes I +smoke a pipe at Child’s, and, while I seem attentive +to nothing but the Postman, overhear the +conversation of every table in the room. I appear +on Sunday nights at St. James’ Coffee +House and sometimes join the little committee +in the inner room, as one who comes there to +hear and improve. My face is likewise very well +known at the Grecian, the Cocoa Tree, and in +the theaters both of Drury Lane and the Haymarket. +(<i>Spectator</i> No. 1.)</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>That the coffee house was not at all times +a cave of harmony is evidenced in many places. +We recall that <i>Sir Roger de Coverley</i> had +“kicked Bully Dawson in a coffee house for +calling him a youngster.” Then, too, a letter +written by Colley Cibber to Mr. Pope would +seem to show that the irascible and waspish +temper of the Twickenham poet had got him +into trouble.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>“When you used to pass your hours at Button’s,” +writes Cibber in 1742, p. 65, “you were +even then remarkable for your satirical itch +of provocation; scarce was there a gentleman +of any pretention to wit, whom your unguarded +temper had fallen upon in some biting epigram, +among which you once caught a pastoral tartar, +whose resentment, that your punishment might +be proportionate to the smart of your poetry, +had stuck up a birchen rod in the room to be +ready whenever you might come within reach +of it; and at this rate, you writ and rallied and +writ on, till you rhymed yourself quite out of +the coffee-house.”</p> +</blockquote> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span></p> + +<p>Pope, obviously was made for a coffee house +career. Dryden, Addison, Steele and Savage on +the other hand were in their glories at such +gatherings. Once, at St. James’ Coffee House, +Addison and his friends had noticed for several +days a singular parson, who put his hat +on the table, walked up and down the sanded +floor for half an hour without speaking to any +one, paid his money and left. They dubbed +him the “mad parson.” One day Addison saw +this “mad parson” step up to a new arrival who +appeared to have come from the country, and +heard him say, without any introduction:</p> + +<p>“Pray sir, do you know any good weather in +the world?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir,” replied the other, “thank God I +remember a great deal of good weather in my +time.”</p> + +<p>“That is more than I can say,” grumbled the +“mad” one. “I never remember any weather +that was not too hot or too cold, too dry or too +wet; but however God Almighty contrives it, +at the end of the year ’tis all very well.”</p> + +<p>That was the first time Addison and Swift +met.</p> + +<p>We gather that occasional dead beats walked +the world even as with us. In the <i>Spectator</i> +of March 28, 1711, appears the following:</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="center">ADVERTISEMENT.</p> + + +<p>To prevent all mistakes that may happen +among gentlemen of the other end of the town, +who come but once a week to St. James’ Coffee +House, either by miscalling the servants, or requiring +things from them as are not properly +within their provinces; this is to give notice +that Kidney, keeper of the book debts of the +outlying customers, and observer of those who +go off without paying, having resigned that +employment, is succeeded by John Sowton; to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>whose place of enterer of messages and first +coffee grinder, William Bird is promoted; and +Samuel Burdock comes as shoe cleaner in the +room of said Bird.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Again, to all men who believe that human +nature changes and that only in these latter +and effete days are we burdened with bores, +dogmatists, pedants and prigs, read what follows. +It is Richard Steele writing in No. 145, +and under date of August 16, 1711:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>You cannot employ yourself more usefully +than in adjusting the laws of disputation in +coffee-houses and accidental companies, as well +as in more formal debates. Among many other +things which your own experience must suggest +to you, it will be very obliging if you will take +notice of wagerers. I will not here repeat what +Hudibras says of such disputants, which is so +true, that it is almost proverbial but shall only +acquaint you with a set of fellows on the inns-of-court +whose fathers have provided them so +plentifully, that they need not be anxious to get +law into their heads for the service of their +country at the bar; but are of those who are +sent (as the phrase of parents is) to the temple +to know how to keep their own. One of these +gentlemen is very loud and captious at a coffee +house which I frequent, and being in his +nature troubled with a humor of contradiction, +though withal excessively ignorant, he has +found a way to indulge this temper, go on in +idleness and ignorance, and yet still give himself +the air of a very learned and knowing man +by the strength of his pocket. The misfortune +of the thing is, I have, as it happens sometimes, +a greater stock of learning than of money. The +gentleman I am speaking of takes advantage of +the narrowness of my circumstances in such a +manner that he has read all that I can pretend +to, and runs me down with a positive air, and +with such powerful arguments that from a very +learned person I am thought a mere pretender. +Not long ago, I was relating that I had read +a passage in Tacitus; up starts my gentleman +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span>in company, and pulling out his purse offered +to lay me ten guineas, to be staked immediately +to that gentleman’s hands, (pointing to one +smoking at another table), that I was utterly +mistaken. I was dumb for want of ten guineas.... +There are several of this sort of fellows +in town, who wager themselves into statesmen, +historians, geographers, mathematicians and +every other art....</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Like any other man of cultivated taste and +cosmopolitan training, Addison had the contempt +of enlightened persons for the fanaticisms +of his time. For then, as now, there was +political mistrust and suspicion and fanatics +were abroad. The changes were rung upon +all the familiar phrases of political oratory, +gold and pinchbeck alike, and the political rhetorician +recklessly indulged in sentiments to +which the whole tenor of his career gave the +lie. The coffee houses swarmed with those +who smelt treason where none existed, who +scented plots where were none, who saw in +innocent remarks dangerous tendencies, and beheld, +in the sweet fiction of the <i>Spectator’s</i> +club a diabolical contrivance for intrigue. Very +magnificently Addison handles the situation in +<i>Spectator</i> No. 46, of April 23, 1711, and we get +incidentally a pretty side light on coffee house +society.</p> + + +<p class="ph3">ON SUSPICION.</p> + +<p class="ph4">NO. 46, SPECTATOR—ADDISON.</p> + +<p>When I want material for this paper, it is +my custom to go abroad in quest of game; and +when I meet any proper subject, I take the +first opportunity of setting down a hint of it +upon paper. At the same time, I look into the +letters of my correspondents, and if I find anything +suggested in them that may afford matter +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span>of speculation, I likewise enter a minute +of it in my collection of materials. By this +means I frequently carry about with me a +whole sheetful of hints, that would look like a +rhapsody of nonsense to anyone but myself. +There is nothing in them but obscurity and +confusion, raving and inconsistency. In short, +they are my speculations in the first principles, +that (like the world in its chaos) are void of +all light, distinction and order.</p> + +<p>About a week since, there happened to me a +very odd accident, by reason of one of these +my papers of minutes which I had accidentally +dropped at Lloyd’s coffee house, where the +auctions are usually kept. Before I missed +it, there was a cluster of people who had found +it, and were diverting themselves with it at one +end of the coffee house. It had raised so much +laughter among them before I had observed +what they were about, that I had not the courage +to own it. The boy of the coffee house, +when they had done with it, carried it about +in his hand, asking everybody if they had dropped +a written paper; but nobody challenging +it, he was ordered by those merry gentlemen +who had before perused it, to get up into the +auction pulpit, and read it to the whole room, +that if anyone would own it, they might. The +boy accordingly mounted the pulpit, and with a +very audible voice read as follows:</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p class="center">MINUTES.</p> + + +<p>Sir Roger de Coverly’s country seat—yes, for +I hate long speeches—Query, if a good Christian +may be a conjurer—Childermas day, salt cellar, +house-dog, screech-owl, cricket—Mr. Thomas +Inkle of London, in the good ship called the +Achilles—Yarico—<b>Aehrescitque medendo</b>—Ghosts—The +Lady’s Library—Lion by trade a tailor—Dromedary +called Bucephalus—Equipage the +Lady’s <b>summum bonum</b>—Charles Lillie to be +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span>taken notice of—Short face a relief to envy—Redundancies +in three professions—King Latinus +a recruit—Jew devouring a ham of bacon—Westminster +Abbey—Grand Cairo—Procrastination—April +fools—Blue boars, red lions, hogs +in armor—Enter a king and two fiddlers <b>soius</b>—Admission +into the Ugly Club—Beauty how +improvable—Families of true and false humor—The +parrot’s school-mistress—Face half Pict +half British—No man can be a hero of a tragedy +under six foot—Club of Sighers—Letters from +flower-pots, elbow chairs, tapestry-figures, lion, +thunder—The bell rings to the puppet-show—Old +woman with a beard married to a smock-faced +boy—My next coat to be turned up with +blue—Fable of tongs and gridiron—Flower +dyers—The soldier’s prayer—Thank ye for nothing, +says the gallipot—Pactolus in the stockings +with golden clocks to them—Bamboos, cudgels, +drum-sticks—Slip of my landlady’s eldest daughter—The +black mare with a star in her forehead—The +barber’s pole—Will Honeycomb’s coat-pocket—Caesar’s +behavior and my own in parallel +circumstances—Poems in patchwork—<b>Nulli +gravi est percussus Achilles</b>—The female +conventicler—The ogle-master.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>The reading of this paper made the whole +coffee house very merry; some of them concluded +it was written by a mad man, and others +by somebody that had been taking notes out +of the <i>Spectator</i>. One, who had the appearance +of a very substantial citizen, told us, with +several political winks and nods, that he wished +there was no more in the paper than what was +expressed in it: that for his part, he looked +upon the dromedary, the gridiron, and the barber’s +pole, to signify more than was usually +meant by those words: and that he thought +that the coffee man could not do better than +to carry the paper to one of the secretaries of +state. He farther added, that he did not like +the name of the outlandish man with the golden +clock in his stockings. A young Oxford +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span>scholar who chanced to be with his uncle at +the coffee house, discovered to us who this +Pactolus was: and by that means turned the +whole scheme of this worthy citizen into ridicule. +While they were making their several +conjectures upon this innocent paper, I reached +out my arm to the boy as he was coming out +of the pulpit, to give it to me; which he did +accordingly. This drew the eyes of the whole +company upon me; but after having cast a +cursory glance over it, and shook my head +twice or thrice at the reading of it, I twisted +it into a kind of match, and lighted my pipe +with it. My profound silence, together with the +steadiness of my countenance, and the gravity +of my behavior during this whole transaction, +raised a very loud laugh on all sides of me; +but as I had escaped all suspicion of being the +author, I was very well satisfied, and applying +myself to my pipe and the Postman, took no +further notice of anything that passed about +me.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>In No. 9, March 19, 1710, we find an account +of a Social Club formed by a few in a certain +ale house. It is of a lower social strata.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="hanging-indent1"><i>Rules to be observed in the Two-Penny Club +erected in this place for the preservation of +friendship and good neighborhoods.</i></p> + + +<p>1. Every member at his first coming shall +lay down his two-pence.</p> + +<p>2. Every member shall fill his pipe out of +his own box.</p> + +<p>3. If any member absent himself, he shall +forfeit a penny for the use of the club, unless +in case of sickness or imprisonment.</p> + +<p>4. If any member curses or swears, his +neighbor may give him a kick upon the shins.</p> + +<p>5. If any member tells stories in the club +that are not true, he shall forfeit for every +third lie a half penny.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span></p> + +<p>6. If any member strikes another wrongfully, +he shall pay his club for him.</p> + +<p>7. If any member brings his wife into the +club, he shall pay for whatever she drinks or +smokes.</p> + +<p>8. If any member’s wife comes to fetch him +home from the club, she shall speak to him +without the door.</p> + +<p>9. If any member calls another a cuckold, +he shall be turned out of the club.</p> + +<p>10. None shall be permitted into the club +that is of the same trade with any member of it.</p> + +<p>11. None of the club shall have his clothes +or shoes made or mended but by a brother member.</p> + +<p>12. No non-juror shall be capable of being +a member.</p> +</blockquote> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>In those days there were lively happenings. +Dick Turpin on his bonny Black Bess frightened +travelers on Hounslow Heath, made his +famous ride from London to York, in twenty-four +hours, and, one gray day in November of +1714, died at Tyburn, dressed in his gayest +attire with a rose at his button hole. Nor +would the crowd allow his body to be given +to the surgeons, for, seeing it taken from the +gallows, they rescued it, carried it through the +town in triumph, then buried it in a deep grave +that night.</p> + +<p>Claude Duval, too, was a popular hero, the +pink of politeness, the gentleman thief it was +an honor to be robbed by. He would stop a +coach to dance a Sarabandi with the lady, and +then rob her escort. He</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">Taught the wild Arabs of the road</div> + <div class="verse indent0">To rob in a more gentle mode;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Take prizes more obligingly than those</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Who never had been bred <b>filous</b>;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And how to hang in a more graceful fashion</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Than e’er was known before to the dull English nation.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span></p> + +<p>There was a period of insane speculation +commencing with the South Sea Company originated +by Harley, Earl of Oxford, with a view +to restore public credit. Visions of ingots +danced before everyone’s eyes, and stock in +any scheme rose rapidly. One bright genius, +forerunner of a Ponzi, announced the formation +of a company “for carrying on an undertaking +of great advantage, but nobody to know +what it is.” The prospectus announced that it +required a capital of a half million pounds, of +5,000 shares of a hundred pounds each with a +deposit of two pounds on application. Each +subscriber paying his initial deposit would be +entitled to a hundred pounds per annum per +share. The following morning after the prospectus +had gone forth, he opened his office in +Cornhill, and when he closed that day at three, +he was the winner of two thousand pounds +clear, so did not re-open his office, nor stay in +the country.</p> + +<p>In the papers of the period are to be found +advertisements and notices, all kinds of mad +money-making propositions, as filed at the +Council Chamber Whitehall. To name a few:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>Petition for a wheel for perpetual motion.</p> + +<p>For the philosopher’s stone. (Steele was interested +in this question.)</p> + +<p>Petition for incorporation to carry on a whale +fishery.</p> + +<p>On paving London Streets. Capital two million +pounds.</p> + +<p>For trading in human hair.</p> + +<p>For the transmutation of quicksilver into +malleable fine metal.</p> + +<p>For changing lead into gold.</p> +</blockquote> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Duelling was very prevalent. Addison and +Steele in the <i>Spectator</i> were untiring in the +reprobation of it. Steele constantly exposed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span>the absurdity of the practice and endeavored +to bring his readers to his way of thinking. +His comedy, <i>The Conscious Lover</i>, contains an +admirable exposure of the abuse of the word +honor, which led men to so fanatic an absurdity. +Swift, in his own savage way, remarked +that he could “see no harm in rogues and fools +shooting one another.” Addison summed up +nearly all that could be said on the subject in +the following powerful paragraph:</p> + +<p>“A Christian and a gentleman are made inconsistent +appellations of the same person. You +are not to expect eternal life if you are not +to forgive injuries, and your mortal life is +rendered uncomfortable if you are not ready +to commit a murder in resentment of an affront; +for good sense, as well as religion, is +so utterly banished in the world that men +glory in their very passions, and pursue trifles +with the utmost vengeance, so little do they +know that to forgive is the most arduous pitch +human nature can arrive at. A coward has +often fought—a coward has often conquered, +but a coward never forgave.”</p> + +<p>Again in No. 99, June 23, 1711, Addison +writes:</p> + +<p>“The placing the point of honor in this false +kind of courage, has given occasion to the very +refuse of mankind, who have neither virtue +nor common sense, to set up for men of honor. +An English peer who has not long been dead, +(this was William Cavendish, the first duke +of Devonshire, who died August 18, 1707) used +to tell a pleasant story of a French gentleman +that visited him early one morning at Paris, +and after great professions of respect, let him +know that he had it in his power to oblige +him; which in short, amounted to this—that +he believed that he could tell his lordship the +person’s name who jostled him as he came out +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span>from the opera: but before he would proceed, +he begged his lordship that he would not deny +him the honor of making him his second. The +English Lord to avoid being drawn into a very +foolish affair, told him that he was under engagements +for his two next duels to a couple of +particular friends; upon which the gentleman +immediately withdrew, hoping his lordship +would not take it ill if he meddled no further +in an affair from whence he was to receive no +advantage.</p> + +<p>“The beating down of this false notion of +honor in so vain and lively a people as those +of France, is deservedly looked upon as one +of the most glorious parts of their present +king’s reign. It is a pity but the punishment +of these mischievous notions should have in +it some particular circumstance of shame or +infamy: that those who are slaves to them may +see, that instead of advancing their reputations, +they lead them to ignominy and dishonor.</p> + +<p>“Death is not sufficient to deter men who +make it their glory to despise it; but if every +one that fought a duel were to stand in the +pillory, it would quickly lessen the number +of these imaginary men of honor, and put an +end to so absurd a practice.</p> + +<p>“When honor is to support virtue’s principles, +and runs parallel to the laws of God +and our country, it cannot be too much cherished +and encouraged: but when the dictates +of honor are contrary to those of religion and +equity, they are the greatest depravations of +human nature, by giving wrong ambitions and +ideas of what is good and laudable; and should +therefore be exploded by all governments, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span>driven out of the bane and plague of human +society.”</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>The article was penned in consequence of an +affair on the 8th of May, 1711, when Sir +Cholmely Deering, M.P., for the county of +Kent, was slain in a duel by Mr. Richard +Thornhill, also member of the House of Commons. +Three days after, by the efforts of Addison, +Sir Peter King brought the subject under +the notice of the Legislature, and after dwelling +at considerable length on the alarming increase +of the practice, obtained leave to bring +in a bill for the prevention and punishment +of duelling.</p> + +<p>As an Irishman, fighting against duelling, +Steele was going contrary to all the traditions +of his countrymen. In Ireland, not only military +men, but men of every profession had +to work a way to eminence with pistol or +sword. Each political party had its regular +corps of fire eaters who qualified themselves +for the position by spending their whole time +at target practice. They boasted that they +could hit upon an opponent in any part of his +body they pleased, and made up their minds +before the encounter began whether they should +kill him, disable him, or disfigure him for life.</p> + +<p>We have it on the authority of Sir Jonah +Barrington in his “Personal Sketches of His +Own Time” that “no young fellow could finish +his education till he had exchanged shots with +some of his acquaintances. The first questions +always asked as to a young man’s respectability +and qualifications, particularly when he +proposed for a lady-wife were—‘What family is +he of?’ ‘Did he ever blaze?’”</p> + +<p>Everywhere, as you see, there are coarse +things, great and gross sensuality, wild animality, +unrestrained joy and not a little bestial +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span>pleasure. Virtue had the semblance of puritanism +and the memory of the days under the +rule of the kill-joys was a nightmare. So, men +who wrote the news sheets of the day saw +nothing for it but to foster that brutal bloody +impulse that seemed to sway the masses of +their readers. If it was necessary to feed +them, then the fare given was raw flesh, +violence, blood. This must be borne in mind +in order to fully appreciate the wonderful +change brought about in five short years by +two men of fine tastes and delicate sensibilities. +Steele in No. cxxxiv of the <i>Tatler</i>, +condemning the cruelty of the age, says he +has “often wondered that we do not lay outside +a custom which makes us appear barbarous +to nations much more rude and unpolished +than ourselves. Some French writers +have represented this diversion of the common +people much to our disadvantage, and +imputed it to natural fierceness and cruelty +of temper, as they do some other entertainments +peculiar to our nation. I mean these +elegant diversions and bull baiting and prize +fighting, with the like ingenious recreation +of the Bear-garden. I wish I knew how to +answer this reproach that is cast upon us, and +excuse the death of many innocent cocks, bulls, +dogs, and bears, as have been set together +by the ears, or died untimely deaths, only to +make us sport.”</p> + +<p>Bearing that in mind, I call your attention +to an advertisement of the time which I copy +from the Harlean MSS. 5931,46. Here it is, +word for word:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>At the Bear Garden in Hockley in the Hole, +1710. This is to give notice to all Gentlemen, +Gamesters, and Others, that on this present +Monday is a match to be fought by two dogs, +one from Newgate Market against one from +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span>Honey Lane Market, at a Bull, for a Guinea to +be spent. Five Let goes out off Hand, which +goes fairest and farthest in, wins all; likewise +a Green Bull to be baited, which was never +baited before, and a Bull to be turned loose with +fireworks all over him; also a Mad Ass to be +baited; with variety of Bull Baiting, and Bear +Baiting, and a dog to be drawn up with Fireworks.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>One named Mission, a writer of the day, +describes a bull fight as follows:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>They tie a rope to the foot of the ox or +bull, and fasten the other end of the cord to an +iron ring fix’d to a stake driven into the ground, +so that this cord being 15 feet long, the bull +is confined to a sphere of about 30 foot diameter. +Several butchers or other gentlemen, +that are desirous to exercise their dogs, stand +round about, each holding his own by the ears; +and, when the sport begins, they let loose one +of the dogs; the dog runs at the bull. The bull +immovable, looks down upon the dog with an +eye of scorn, and only turns a horn to him to +hinder him from coming under; the dog is not +daunted at this, he turns round him, and tries +to get beneath his belly, in order to seize him +by the muzzle, or the dew lap or the pendant +glands; the bull then puts himself in a Posture +of Defense; he beats the ground with his feet, +which he joins together as close as possible, +and his chief aim is not to gore the dog with +the point of his horn, but to slide one of them +into the dog’s belly (who creeps close to the +ground to hinder it) and to throw him so high +in the air that he may break his neck in the +fall. This often happens; when the dog thinks +he is sure of fixing his teeth, a turn of the +horn which seems to be done with all the negligence +in the world, gives him a sprawl thirty +foot high, and puts him in danger of a damnable +squelch when he comes down. This danger +would be unavoidable, if the dog’s friends were +not ready beneath him, some with their backs +to give him a soft reception, and others with +long poles which may offer him slant ways, to +the intent that, sliding down them, he may +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span>break the force of his fall. Notwithstanding all +this care a toss generally makes him sing to +a very scurvy tune and draw his phiz into a +pitiful grimace; but, unless he is totally stunned +with the fall, he is sure to crawl again towards +the bull, with his old antipathy, come +on’t what will. Some times a second frisk into +the air disables him forever from playing his +old tricks; but, some times, too, he fastens on +his enemy, and when he has seized him with +his eye teeth, he sticks to him like a leech, and +would sooner die than leave his hold. The bull +bellows and bounds, and kicks about to shake +off the dog; by his leaping, the dog seems to +be no matter of weight to him though in all +appearances he puts him to great pain. In +the end, either the dog tears out the piece he has +laid hold of, and falls, or else remains fixed +to him, with an obstinacy that would never +end, if they did not put him off. To call him +away would be in vain; to give him a hundred +blows would be as much so; you might cut +him to pieces joint by joint before he would +let him loose. What is to be done then? While +some hold the bull, others thrust staves into +the dog’s mouth and open it by main force. +That is the only way to part them.</p> +</blockquote> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>I copy the advertisement that follows from +the Harl. MSS. 5931,50:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>At the Bear Garden in the Hockley-in-the-Hole.</p> + +<p>A Trial of Skill to be performed between two +Profound Masters of the Noble Science of Defense +on Wednesday next, being the 13th inst. +July, 1709 at two of the clock precisely.</p> + +<p>I, George Gray, born in the City of Norwich, +who has fought in most parts of the West Indies, +viz., Jamaica, Baradoes, and several other +parts of the world, in all twenty-five times upon +a stage and never yet was worsted, and now +come to London, do invite James Harris, to +meet and exercise at these following weapons, +viz.:</p> + +<p> + Back Sword<br> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span> Sword and Dagger<br> + Sword and Buckler<br> + Single Falchion and<br> + Case of Falchions. +</p> + +<p>I, James Harris, Master of the Noble Science +of Defense, who formerly was in the Horse +Guards, and hath fought a 110 prizes, and never +left a stage to any man, will not fail God +willing, to meet this brave and bold inviter, at +the time and place appointed desiring sharp +swords, and from him no favor.</p> + +<p><b>Note.</b>—No persons to be upon the stage but +the seconds. <b>Vivat Regina.</b></p> +</blockquote> + +<p>There is report of a similar entertainment +by the hand of Steele in No. 436 of the <i>Spectator</i>, +July 21, 1712. Steele does not plunge into +the blood and the filth; he passes through on +tiptoe and so daintily that the mire does not +stick.</p> + +<p>“Being a person of insatiable curiosity, I +could not forbear going on Wednesday last +to a place of no small renown for the gallantry +of the lower order of Britons, namely, +the Bear-garden, at Hockley-in-the-Hole; where, +(as a whitish-brown paper, put into my hands +in the street, informed me) there was to be a +trial of skill exhibited between two masters +of the noble science of defense, at two of the +clock precisely. I was not a little charmed +at the solemnity of the challenge, which ran +thus:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>I, James Miller, sergeant (lately come from +the frontiers of Portugal), master of the noble +science of defense, hearing in most places where +I have been of the fame of Timothy Buck, of +London, master of the said science, do invite +him to meet me and exercise at the several +weapons following, viz.:</p> + +<p> + Back Sword<br> + Sword and Dagger<br> + Sword and Buckler<br> + Single Falchion<br> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span> Case of Falchions<br> + Quarter Staff. +</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>“If the generous ardor of James Miller to +dispute the reputation of Timothy Buck had +something resembling the old heroes of romance, +Timothy Buck returned answer in the +same paper with the light spirit, adding a +little indignation at being challenged, and seeming +to condescend to fight James Miller, not in +regard of Miller himself, but in that, as the +fame went out, he had fought Parkes of Coventry. +The acceptance of the combat ran in +these words:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>I, Timothy Buck, of Clare-market, master of +the noble science of defense, hearing he did fight +Mr. Parkes of Coventry, will not fail, God willing, +to meet this fair inviter at the time and +place appointed, desiring a clear stage and no +favor. <b>Vivat Regina.</b></p> +</blockquote> + +<p>“I shall not here look back on the spectacles +of the Greeks and Romans of this kind, but +must believe that this custom took its rise +from the ages of knight-errantry; from those +who loved one woman so well that they hated +all men and women else; from those who would +fight you, whether you were or were not of +their mind; from those who demanded the +combat of their contemporaries both for admiring +their mistress or discommending her. +I cannot therefore but lament that the terrible +part of the ancient fight is preserved, +when the amorous side of it is forgotten. We +have retained the barbarity but not the gallantry +of the old combatants. I could wish, me +thinks, these gentlemen had consulted me in +the promulgation of the conflict. I was obliged +by a fair young maid, whom I understood to +be called Elizabeth Preston, daughter of the +keeper of the garden, with a glass of water; +who I imagined might have been, for form’s +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span>sake, the general representative for the lady +fought for, and from her beauty the proper +Amaryllis on these occasions. It would have +run better in the challenge, ‘I, James Miller, +sergeant, who have traveled parts abroad, and +came last from the frontiers of Portugal, for +the love of Elizabeth Preston, do assert that +the said Elizabeth is the fairest of women.’ +Then the answer, ‘I, Timothy Buck, who have +stayed in Great Britain during all the war in +foreign parts for the sake of Susannah Page, +do deny that Elizabeth Preston is so fair as +the said Susannah Page. Let Susannah Page +look on, and I desire no favor of James Miller.’</p> + +<p>“This would give the battle quite another +turn; and a proper station for the ladies whose +complexion was disputed by the sword, would +animate the disputants with a more gallant incentive +than the expectation of money from the +spectators; though I would not have that neglected, +but thrown to that fair one whose lover +was approved by the donor.</p> + +<p>“Yet considering the thing wants such amendments, +it was carried with great order. James +Miller came on first, preceded by two disabled +drummers, to show, I suppose, that the prospect +of maimed bodies did not in the least deter +him. There ascended with the daring Miller a +gentleman, whose name I could not learn, with +a dogged air, as unsatisfied that he was not +principal. This son of anger lowered at the +whole assembly, and, weighing himself as he +marched around from side to side, with a stiff +knee and shoulder, he gave intimations of the +purpose he smothered till he saw the issue of +this encounter. Miller had a blue ribbon tied +around the sword arm; which ornament I conceive +to be the remain of that custom of wearing +a mistress’s favor on such occasions of old.</p> + +<p>“Miller is a man of six foot eight inches in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span>height, of a kind but bold aspect, well fashioned, +and ready of his limbs, and such a readiness +as spoke his ease in them was obtained +from a habit of motion in military exercise.</p> + +<p>“The expectation of the spectators was now +almost at its height; and the crowd pressing +in, several active persons thought they were +placed rather according to their fortune than +their merit, and took it in their heads to prefer +themselves from the open area or pit to +the galleries. This dispute between desert and +property brought many to the ground, and +raised others in proportion to seats by turns, +for the space of ten minutes till Timothy Buck +came on, and the whole assembly giving up +their disputes, turned their eyes upon the champions. +Then it was that every man’s affections +turned from one or the other irresistibly. +A judicious gentleman near me said, ‘I could +methinks be Miller’s second, but I had rather +have Buck for mine.’ Miller had an audacious +look that took the eye; Buck had a perfect +composure that engaged the judgment. Buck +came on in a plain coat, and kept all his air +till the instant of engaging, at which time he +undressed to his shirt, his arm adorned with +a bandage of red ribbon. No one can describe +the sudden concern in the whole assembly; the +most tumultuous crowd in nature was as still +and as much engaged as if all their lives depended +upon the first blow. The combatants +met in the middle of the stage, and shaking +hands, as removing all malice, with much grace +to the extremities of it; from whence they immediately +faced about, and approached each +other, Miller with a heart full of resolution, +Buck with a watchful, untroubled countenance: +Buck regarding principally his own defense, +Miller chiefly thoughtful of annoying his opponent. +It is not easy to describe the many +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span>escapes and imperceptible defenses between two +men of quick eyes and ready limbs. But Miller’s +heat laid him open to the rebuke of the +calm Buck, by a large cut on the forehead. +Much effusion of blood covered his eyes in a +moment, and the huzzas of the crowd undoubtedly +quickened the anguish. The assembly was +divided into parties upon their different ways +of fighting; while a poor nymph in one of the +galleries apparently suffered for Miller, and +burst into a flood of tears. As soon as his +wound was wrapped up, he came on again with +a little rage, which disabled him further. But +what brave man can be wounded into more +caution and patience? The next was a warm, +eager onset, which ended in a decisive stroke +on the left leg of Miller. The Lady in the +gallery during this second strife, covered her +face, and for my part, I could not keep my +thoughts from being mostly employed on the +consideration of her most unhappy circumstance +that moment, hearing the clash of +swords, and apprehending life or victory concerned +her lover in every blow, but not daring +to satisfy herself on whom they fell. The +wound was exposed to the view of all who +could delight in it, and sewed up on the stage. +The surly second of Miller declared at this +time that he would that day fortnight fight +Mr. Buck at the same weapons, declaring himself +the master of the renowned Gorman; but +Buck denied him the honor of that courageous +disciple, and, asserting that he himself had +taught that champion, accepted the challenge.</p> + +<p>“There is something in human nature very +unaccountable on such occasions, when we see +the people take a painful gratification in beholding +these encounters. Is it cruelty that +administers this sort of delight? Or is it +a pleasure that is taken in the exercise of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span>pity? It was, methought, pretty remarkable +that the business of the day being a trial of +skill, the popularity did not run so high as +one would have expected on the side of Buck. +Is it that the people’s passions have their rise +in self love, and thought themselves (in spite +of all the courage they had) liable to the +fate of Miller, but could not so easily think +themselves qualified like Buck?</p> + +<p>“Tully speaks of this custom with less horror +than one would expect, though he confesses +it was much abused in his time, and seems +directly to approve of it under its first regulations, +when criminals only fought before the +people. <i>Crudele gladiatorum spectaculum et +inhumanum nonnullis videri solet; et haud +scio annon ita sit ut nunc fit; cum vero sontes +ferro depugnabant, auribus fortasse multa, +oculis quidem nulla, poterat esse fortior contra +dolorem et mortem disciplina.</i> The shows of +gladiators may be thought barbarous and inhuman, +and I know not but it is so as it is +now practiced; but in those times when only +criminals were combatants, the ear might perhaps +receive many better instructions, but it +is impossible that anything which affects our +eyes should fortify us so well against pain +and death.”</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>But brave, bellicose, blood-thirsty as was the +Briton in the days of Addison, he was very +fearful of unseen things. He feared a witch +as we fear a microbe. He was full of morbid +possibilities, his nerves were strangely susceptible. +As a man in our day will fight the daily +fight fearlessly, will declare his intellectual independence, +will be bold in the expression of +his opinions, yet quail and cringe at the name +of the unseen Mrs. Grundy, so those who yelled +at bull fights, glorified in the bloodshed of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span>ring side or went forth in the street to do battle +for a political cause, feared with a most +lively fear dark demoniac powers who worked +by occult means and subtle fascinations of +evil.</p> + +<p>In the paper that next follows, there is an exquisite +touch when Sir Roger catches sight of +a cat and the broomstick behind the old woman’s +door. That to him seems to be proof positive +of dark and nefarious doings—proof as +positive as, not so long ago, it was considered +proof positive by an excited crowd in a small +town, when an old woman with a German name +was found to have in her house a blue print of +a railroad bridge. That it might have a perfectly +legitimate origin was, to illogical minds, +unthinkable. No. There was a blue print, and +blue prints were sometimes used by spies. Germany +had spies, and the old woman had a German +name. So she went to jail. What further +proof was needed? And who dare object to summary +proceedings, lest he also be judged +tainted?</p> + + +<p class="ph3">ON WITCHCRAFT.</p> + +<p class="ph4">NO. 117, SPECTATOR—ADDISON.</p> + + +<p>“There are some opinions in which man +should stand neuter, without engaging his assent +to one side or the other. Such a hovering +faith as this, which refuses to settle upon his +determination, is absolutely necessary in a +mind that is careful to avoid errors and prepossessions. +When the arguments press equally +on both sides in matters that are indifferent to +us, the safest method is to give up ourselves to +neither.</p> + +<p>“It is with this temper of mind that I consider +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span>the subject of witchcraft. Whenever I +hear the relations that are made from all parts +of the world, not only from Norway and Lapland, +from the East and West Indies, but from +every particular nation in Europe, I cannot +forbear thinking that there is such an intercourse +and commerce with evil spirits, as that +which we express by the name of witchcraft. +But when I consider that the ignorant and credulous +parts of the world abound most in these +relations, and the persons among us who are +supposed to engage in such an infernal commerce, +are people of weak understanding and +crazed imagination—and at the same time reflect +upon the many impostures and delusions +of this nature that I have detected in all ages, +I endeavor to suspend my belief till I hear +more certain accounts than any which have +yet come to my knowledge. In short, when I +consider the question, whether there are such +persons in the world as those we call witches, +my mind is divided between two opposite opinions, +or rather (to speak my thoughts freely) +I believe there is, and has been, such a thing as +witchcraft; at the same time can give no credit +to any particular instance of it.</p> + +<p>“I am engaged in this speculation, by some +occurrences that I met with yesterday, which +I shall give my reader an account of at large. +As I was walking with my friend Sir Roger by +the side of one of his woods, an old woman applied +herself to me for charity. Her dress and +figure put me in the mind of the following description +in Otway:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">In a close lane as I pursu’d my journey</div> + <div class="verse indent0">I spied a wrinkled hag, with age grown double,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Picking dry sticks, and mumbling to herself.</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Her eyes with scalding rheum were gall’d and red;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Cold palsy shook her head; her hands seemed wither’d;</div> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span> <div class="verse indent0">And on her crooked shoulders had she wrapt</div> + <div class="verse indent0">The tatter’d remnant of an old striped hanging,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Which served to keep her carcass from the cold:</div> + <div class="verse indent0">So there was nothing of a piece about her.</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Her lower weeds were all o’er coarsely patch’d</div> + <div class="verse indent0">With different colored rags, black, red, white, yellow,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And seemed to speak variety of wretchedness.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>“As I was musing on this description, and +comparing it with the object before me, the +knight told me, that this very old woman had +the reputation of a witch all over the country; +that her lips were observed to be always in motion; +and that there was not a switch about her +house which her neighbors did not believe had +carried her several hundred miles. If she +chanced to stumble, they always found sticks +or straws that lay in the figure of a cross before +her. If she made any mistake at church, +and cried amen in the wrong place, they never +failed to conclude that she was saying her prayers +backward. There was not a maid in the +parish that would take a pin of her, though +she should offer a bag of money with it. She +goes by the name of Moll White, and has made +the country ring with several imaginary exploits +which are palmed upon her. If the +dairy-maid does not make her butter come so +soon as she would have it, Moll White is at +the bottom of the churn. If a horse sweats in +the stable, Moll White has been upon his back. +If a hare makes an unexpected escape from +the hounds, the huntsman curses Moll White. +‘Nay,’ says Sir Roger, ‘I have known the master +of the pack, upon such an occasion, send +one of his servants to see if Moll White had +been out that morning.’</p> + +<p>“This account raised my curiosity so far, that +I begged my friend Sir Roger to go with me +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span>into her hovel, which stood in a solitary corner +under the side of the wood. Upon our first entering, +Sir Roger winked to me, and pointed to +something that stood behind the door, which +upon looking that way, I found to be an old +broom-staff. At the same time he whispered +to me in the ear to take notice of a tabby cat +that sat in the chimney corner, which, as the +old knight told me, lay under as bad a report +as Moll herself; for beside that Moll is said +to accompany her in the same shape, the cat is +reported to have spoken twice or thrice in her +life, and to have played several pranks above +the capacity of an ordinary cat.</p> + +<p>“I was secretly concerned to see human nature +in so much wretchedness and disgrace, but +at the same time could not forbear smiling to +hear Sir Roger, who is a little puzzled about +the old woman, advising her as a justice of +peace to avoid all communication with the +devil, and never to hurt any of her neighbors’ +cattle. We concluded our visit with a bounty +which was very acceptable.</p> + +<p>“In our return Sir Roger told me that Moll +had been often brought before him for making +children spit pins, and giving maids the nightmare; +and that the country people would be +tossing her into a pond and trying experiments +with her every day, if it was not for him and +his chaplain.</p> + +<p>“I have since found upon inquiry that Sir +Roger was several times staggered with the +reports that had been brought him concerning +this old woman, and would frequently have +bound her over to the county sessions, had not +his chaplain with much ado persuaded him to +the contrary.</p> + +<p>“I have been the more particular in this account, +because I hear there is scarcely a village +in England that has not a Moll White in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span>it. When an old woman begins to doat, and +grow chargeable to a parish, she is generally +turned into a witch, and fills the whole country +into extravagant fancies, imaginary distempers, +and terrifying dreams. In the meantime, +the poor wretch that is the innocent occasion +of so many evils, begins to be frightened +at herself, and sometimes confesses secret commerces +and familiarities that her imagination +forms in a delirious old age. This frequently +cuts off charity from the greatest objects of +compassion, and inspires people with a malevolence +towards those poor discrepit parts of our +species, in whom human nature is defaced by +infirmity and dotage.”</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>A word of explanation here seems necessary. +At the time of Sir Roger’s supposed movements, +memory of the great Matthew Hopkins +was lively in many places, and, now and then, +imitators sprang up, just as today, while the +idea is generally discarded and thrown on the +scrap heap of exploded opinions, you will find +in back country districts, “water witches” who +will undertake to locate water or minerals and +tell the depth at which they are to be found.</p> + +<p>Matthew Hopkins lived in Essex and had +made himself conspicuous in discovering the +devil’s mark on many witches. He had a peculiar +monopoly for a time, and, being a specialist, +was much sought after, aiding the +judges with his knowledge of “such cattle” as +he called them, whenever a witch was suspected. +Lesser lights in the way of specialists +soon appeared.</p> + +<p>Later, he assumed the title of “Witch Finder +General” and traveled through the central counties +witch hunting. In one year, he brought +more than sixty old women to the stake. His +favorite method was that advocated by King +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span>James in his “Demonologie.” The hands and +feet of the suspected one were cross tied, then, +wrapped in a blanket, they were laid on their +backs in a pond. If they sank, they were adjudged +innocent, but if they floated for a short +time, as was often the case, especially when +they were laid carefully on the water, they +were judged guilty and burned.</p> + +<p>Another test was to make the suspected one +repeat the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed. If a +word was missed or wrongly pronounced, she +was accounted guilty. It was said that witches +could not weep more than three tears, and those +only from the left eye. Thus, the natural excitement +and its effect became a proof of guilt.</p> + +<p>Hopkins traveled through his counties like +a man of consideration, attended by two assistants, +put up at the chief inn of the place, +and always at the cost of the authorities. His +charges were twenty shillings a town, his expenses +of living while there, and his transportation. +This he claimed whether he found +witches or not. If he found any, he charged +twenty shillings a head in addition when they +were brought to execution. For three years he +carried on this infamous trade, success making +him so insolent and rapacious, that high +and low became his enemies. The Rev. Mr. +Gaul, a clergyman of Houghton, in Huntingdonshire, +wrote a pamphlet accusing him of +being a common nuisance. Hopkins replied in +an angry letter to the mayor of Houghton, stating +his intention of visiting their town, but +desiring to know whether it held many such +sticklers for witchcraft as Mr. Gaul, and asking +whether they were willing to receive and +entertain him with the customary hospitality. +He added by way of threat, that in case he did +not receive a satisfactory reply, “He would +waive their shire altogether and betake himself +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span>to such places where he might do and punish, +not only without control, but with thanks +and recompense.”</p> + +<p>Mr. Gaul describes, in his pamphlet, one of +the modes employed by Hopkins. It was proof +even more atrocious than the swimming test. +He says, that the “witch-finding general” used +to take the suspected witch and place her in +the middle of a room, upon a stool or table, +cross-legged, or in some other uneasy posture. +If she refused to sit in this manner, she was +bound with strong cords. Hopkins then placed +persons to watch her, for four and twenty hours, +during which time she was to be kept with +meat and drink. It was supposed that one of +her imps would come during that interval, and +suck her blood. As the imp might come in the +shape of a wasp, a moth, a fly or other insect, +a hole was made in the door or window to let +it enter. The watchers were ordered to keep a +sharp lookout, and endeavor to kill any insect +that appeared in the room. If any fly escaped, +or if they could not kill it, the woman was +guilty; the fly was her imp, and she was sentenced +to be burned, and twenty shillings went +into the pockets of master Hopkins. In this +manner he made one old woman confess because +four flies had appeared in the room, that +she was attended by four imps, named “Ilemazar,” +“Pyewackett,” “Peck-in-the-crown,” and +“Grizel-Greedigut.”</p> + +<p>Hopkins was eventually caught in his own +trap. Suspected presently, he was beset by a +mob in the village of Suffolk, and accused of +being himself a wizard. An old reproach was +brought against him, that he had, by means of +sorcery, cheated the devil out of a certain memorandum +book, in which Satan had entered the +names of all the witches in England. “Thus,” +said someone, “you find out witches, not by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span>God’s aid, but by the devil’s.” In vain he denied +his guilt. The crowd put him to his own +test. He was stripped and given the swimming +test. Some say that he floated, was taken out, +tried and executed upon no other proof of his +guilt. Others assert that he was drowned. As +no judicial entry of his trial and execution is +found in any register, it appears most probable +that he was killed.</p> + + +<p class="ph3">SIR ROGER DE COVERLEY.</p> + + +<p>We come to Sir Roger himself, the character +that Addison loved as Dickens loved <i>Pickwick</i>, +as Cervantes loved <i>Don Quixote</i>, as Rabelais +loved his <i>Pantagruel</i>. Sir Roger was no wooden +puppet, no dummy stuffed with straw. He +lived. He had his faults, his opinions, his +character. His is a type that has passed away. +The county squire, in his position as magistrate, +land owner, benefactor, respected authority, +no longer exists. Be it remembered, there +was, as William Morris used to point out, much +of good, as well as much of evil, in the feudal +system. In that day the land owner’s domain, +was a little state, paternally governed. We +have freed ourselves from that, to become institution +governed. A Sir Roger scolded his tenants, +knew their affairs, gave them advice, assistance, +orders. There was indeed, a “mixture +of the father and the master of the family” in +him. He lived with his people and was respected, +obeyed, loved; the simplicity of his +tastes put him on something very near a level +with them. That was something, as it is always +something to see authority face to face.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + + +<p class="ph3">A VISIT TO SIR ROGER.</p> + +<p class="ph4">NO. 106, SPECTATOR, JULY 2, 1711—ADDISON.</p> + + +<p>“Having often received an invitation from my +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span>friend Sir Roger de Coverley to pass away a +month, with him in the country, I last week accompanied +him hither, and am settled with +him for some time at his country-house. Sir +Roger, who is well acquainted with my humor, +lets me rise and go to bed when I please; dine +at his own table or in my own chamber as I see +fit; sit still and say nothing without bidding +me be merry. When the gentlemen of the country +come to see him, he only shows me at a +distance: as I have been walking in his field +I have observed them stealing a sight of me +over an hedge, and have heard the knight desiring +them not to let me see them, for that I +hated to be stared at.</p> + +<p>“I am the more at ease in Sir Roger’s family, +because it consists of sober and staid persons: +for, as the knight is the best master in the +world, he seldom changes his servants; and, as +he is beloved by all about him, his servants +never care for leaving him; by this means his +domestics are all in years, and grown old with +their master. You would take his valet-de-chambre +for his brother; his butler is gray-headed, +his groom is one of the gravest men I +have ever seen, and his coachman has the looks +of a privy-counsellor. You see the goodness of +the master even in the old house dog, and in a +gray pad that is kept in the stable with great +care and tenderness out of regard to his past +services, though he has been useless for several +years.</p> + +<p>“I could not but observe with a great deal +of pleasure the joy that appeared in the countenances +of these ancient domestics upon my +friend’s arrival at his country seat. Some of +them could not refrain from tears at the sight +of their old master! every one of them pressed +forward to do something for him, and seemed +discouraged if they were not employed. At +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span>the same time the old knight, with a mixture +of the father and master of the family, tempered +the inquiries after his own affairs with +several kind questions relating to themselves. +This humanity and good nature engages everybody +to him, so that, when he is pleasant upon +any of them, all his family are in good humour, +and none so much as the person whom +he diverts himself with: on the contrary, if +he coughs, or betrays any infirmity of old age, +it is easy for a bystander to observe a secret +concern in the looks of all his servants.</p> + +<p>“My worthy friend has put me under the +particular care of his butler, who is a very +prudent man, and as well as the rest of his +fellow-servants, wonderfully desirous of pleasing +me, because they have often heard their +master talk of me as his particular friend.</p> + +<p>“My chief companion, when Sir Roger is diverting +himself in the woods or in the fields, +is a very venerable man who is ever with Sir +Roger, and has lived in his house in the nature +of a chaplain above thirty years. This gentleman +is a person of good sense and some learning, +of a very regular life and obliging conversation: +he heartily loves Sir Roger, and +knows that he is very much in the old knight’s +esteem, so that he lives in the family rather +as a relation than a dependent.</p> + +<p>“I have observed in several of my papers, that +my friend Sir Roger, amidst all his good qualities, +is something of a humorist; and that his +virtues, as well as his imperfections, are, as it +were, tinged by a certain extravagance, which +makes them particularly his, and distinguishes +them from those of other men. This cast of +mind, as it is generally very innocent in itself, +so it renders his conversation highly +agreeable, and more delightful than the same +degree of sense and virtue would appear in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span>their common colours. As I was walking with +him last night, he asked me how I liked the +good man whom I have just mentioned; and +without staying for my answer, told me that +he was afraid of being insulted with Latin +and Greek at his own table; for which he +desired a particular friend of his at the university +to find him out a clergyman rather +of plain sense than much learning, of a good +aspect, a clear voice, a sociable temper; and, +if possible, a man that understood a little of the +back-gammon. My friend, says Sir Roger, +found me out this gentleman, who, besides +the endowments required of him, is, they tell +me, a good scholar, though he does not show +it. I have given him the parsonage of the +parish; and, because I know his value, have +settled upon him a good annuity for life. If +he outlives me, he shall find that he was +higher in my esteem than perhaps he thinks he +is. He has now been with me thirty years; and, +though he does not know I have taken notice +of it, has never in all that time asked anything +of me for himself, though he is every +day soliciting me for something in behalf of +one or the other of my tenants, his parishioners. +There has not been a law-suit in the +parish since he has lived among them; if any +dispute arises they apply themselves to him +for the decision; if they do not acquiesce in +his judgment, which I think never happened +above once or twice at the most, they appeal +to me. At his first settling with me, I made +him a present of all the good sermons which +have been printed in English, and only begged +of him that every Sunday he would pronounce +one of them in the pulpit. Accordingly he has +digested them into such a series, that they +follow one another naturally, and make a continued +system of practical divinity.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span></p> + +<p>“As Sir Roger was going on in his story, +the gentleman we were talking of came up to +us; and, upon the knight’s asking him who +preached tomorrow, (for it was Saturday +night,) told us, the Bishop of St. Asaph in the +morning, and Dr. South in the afternoon. He +then showed us a list of preachers for the +whole year, where I saw with a great deal of +pleasure Archbishop Tillotson, Bishop Sanderson, +Dr. Barrow, Dr. Calamy, with several +living authors who have published discourses +of practical divinity. I no sooner saw this +venerable man in the pulpit, but I very much +approved of my friend’s insisting upon the +qualifications of a good aspect and a clear +voice; for I was so charmed with the gracefulness +of his figure and delivery, as well as with +the discourses he pronounced, that I think I +never passed any time more to my satisfaction. +The sermon repeated after this manner is like +the composition of a poet in the mouth of a +graceful actor.</p> + +<p>“I could heartily wish that more of our +country clergy would follow this example; and, +instead of wasting their spirits in laborious +compositions of their own, would endeavor +after a handsome elocution, and all those +other talents that are proper to enforce what +has been penned by greater masters. This +would not only be more easy to themselves, +but more edifying to the people.”</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>The peculiar relations between landowner +and tenant as pictured by Addison, seem to be +confirmed quite independently by that crusted +old Tory, Sir Jonah Barrington. He writes:</p> + +<p>“At the great house all disputes among the +tenants were then settled, quarrels reconciled, +old debts arbitrated; a kind Irish landlord +reigned despotic in the ardent affections of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span>the tenantry, their pride and pleasure being +to obey and support him.</p> + +<p>“But there existed a happy reciprocity of interest. +The landlord of that period protected +the tenant by his influence; any wanton injury +to a tenant being considered as an insult +to a landlord; and if either of the landlord’s +sons were grown up, no time was lost by him +in demanding satisfaction from any gentleman, +for maltreating even his father’s blacksmith.</p> + +<p>“No gentleman of this degree ever distrained +a tenant for rent: indeed the parties appeared +to be quite united and knit together. The +greatest abhorrence, however, prevailed as to +tithe protectors, coupled with no great predilection +for the clergy who employed them. +These latter certainly were, in principle and +practice, the real country tyrants of that day, +and first caused the assembling of the White +Boys.</p> + +<p>“I have heard it often said that at the time +I speak of, every estated gentleman in the +Queen’s county was <i>honored</i> by the gout. I +have since considered that its extraordinary +prevalence was not difficult to be accounted +for, by the disproportionate quantity of acid +contained in their seductive beverage, called +rum-shrub, which was then universally drunk +in quantities incredible, generally from supper +time till morning, by all country gentlemen, as +they said, to keep down their claret.</p> + +<p>“My grandfather could not refrain, and +therefore he suffered well; he piqued himself +on procuring, through the interests of Batty +Lodge (a follower of the family who had married +a Dublin grocer’s widow), the very first +importation of oranges and lemons to the Irish +capital every season. Horse loads of these +packed boxes, were immediately sent to the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span>great house of Cullenaghmore; and no sooner +did they arrive, than the good news of <i>fresh +fruit</i> was communicated to the colonel’s neighboring +friends, accompanied by the usual invitation.</p> + +<p>“Night after night the revel afforded uninterrupted +pleasure to the joyous gentry: the +festivity being subsequently renewed at some +other mansion, till the gout thought proper to +put the whole party <i>hors de combat</i>; having +the satisfaction of making cripples for a few +months of each as he did not kill.</p> + +<p>“While the convivials bellowed with only +toe or finger agonies, it was a mere bagatelle; +but when Mr. Gout marched up the country, +and invaded the head or the stomach, it was +then called <i>no joke</i>; and Drogheda usquebaugh, +the hottest distilled drinkable liquor ever invented, +was applied to for aid, and generally +drove the tormentor in a few minutes to his +former quarters. It was, indeed, counted specific; +and I allude to it more particularly, as +my poor grandfather was finished thereby.</p> + +<p>“It was his custom to sit under a very large +branching bay-tree in his armchair, placed in +a fine, sunny aspect at the entrance to the +garden. I particularly remember his cloak, for I +kept it twelve years after his death; it was +called a <i>cartouche</i> cloak, from a famous French +gang who, it was said, invented it for his +gang for the purpose of evasion. It was made +of very fine broadcloth, of a bright blue color +on one side, and a bright scarlet on the other; +so that on being turned, it might deceive even +a vigilant pursuer.</p> + +<p>“There my grandfather used to sit of a hot +sunny day, receive any rents he could collect, +and settle any accounts which his indifference +on that head permitted him to think of.</p> + +<p>“At one time he suspected a young rogue of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span>having slipped some money off his table when +paying rent; and therefore, when afterwards +the tenants began to count out their money, he +used to throw the focus of his large reading +glass upon their hands: the smart, without +any visible cause, astonished the ignorant +creatures! they shook their hands, and thought +it must be the devil who was scorching them. +The priest was let into the secret: he seriously +told them all it <i>was</i> the devil, who had mistaken +them for the fellow that had stolen the +money from the colonel; but that if he (the +priest) was <i>properly considered</i>, he would say +as many masses as would bother fifty devils, +were it necessary. The priest got his fee; +and another farthing never was taken from +my grandfather.”</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Addison is too true an artist to give the +impression that his character, his Sir Roger, +is a type of the squire in general. Lightly, +at the close of the essay on Sir Roger at +church, he sketches another sort of man, the +country squire full of pride and prejudice, who +like Fielding’s <i>Squire Western</i> in <i>Tom Jones</i>, +is a good fellow in the main, but hard, violent, +dogmatic. Such a man is like a bull, headstrong, +sometimes offensive, quick to anger, +always ready to give battle. He is like a +badly broken horse and ready to rear and kick +at the least sign of opposition to his own will. +He will storm and rage, then, of a sudden +there is a change and he is swiftly at the +other extreme. Consider that glorious creation +of Fielding’s, <i>Squire Western</i>, a contemporary +of Sir Roger.</p> + +<p>He is told that <i>Tom Jones</i> has dared to fall in +love with his daughter. Then the storm +breaks:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>It’s well for ’un I could not get at ’un; I’d +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span>a licked ’un; I’d a spoiled his caterwaulin; I’d +ha’ taught the son of a whore to meddle with +meat for his master. He shan’t ever have a +morsel o’ meat o’ mine, or a farden to buy it. +If she will have ’un, one smock shall be her +portion. I’d sooner give my estate to the sinking +fund that it may be sent to Hanover to +corrupt our nation with.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Then, soon, there is the change. He is reconciled +to <i>Tom</i>. He becomes as full of love +as he was formerly of hate. The marriage +shall not be delayed a day:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>To her, boy, to her, go to her. Hath she appointed +the day, boy? What, shall it be tomorrow +or the next day? I shan’t be put off +a minute longer than the next day, I am resolved.... +I tell thee it’s all flim flam. +Zoodikers! she’d have the wedding tonight with +all her heart. Woulds’t not Sophy?... +Where the devil is Allworthy?... Harkee, +Allworthy, I bet thee five pounds to a crown, +we have a boy tomorrow nine months. But +prithee, tell me what wut ha? Wut ha Burgandy, +Champagne, or what? For please Jupiter, +we’ll make a night on’t.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Nor again must it be supposed that the picture +which Addison gives of the well kept +church is actually representative of the condition +of all church buildings in that day. +Sir Roger, interested in his surroundings, was +at no time unwilling to spend time and money +on improvements. Others did not. There was +another side to the picture. Cowper, writing +an article for the <i>Connoiseur</i>, (No. 26, August +19, 1756) says:</p> + +<p>“The ruinous condition of some of these +edifices gave me great offence; and I could +not help wishing that the honest vicar, instead +of indulging his genius for improvements, +by inclosing his gooseberry bushes +within a Chinese rail, and converting half an +acre of his globe land into a bowling green, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span>would have applied part of his income to the +more laudable purpose of sheltering his parishioners +from the weather, during their attendance +on the divine service. It is no +uncommon thing to see the parsonage house +well thatched, and in exceeding good repair, +while the church, perhaps, has scarce any other +roof than the ivy that grows upon it. The +noise of owls, bats and magpies, makes the +principal part of the church music in many of +these ancient edifices; and the walls, like a +large map, seem to be portioned out into capes, +seas and promontories, by the various colors +by which the damps have stained them. Sometimes, +the foundation being too weak to support +the steeple any longer, it has been expedient +to pull down that part of the building, and +to hang the bells under a wooden shed on the +ground beside it. This is the case in a parish +in Norfolk, through which I lately passed, and +where the clerk and the sexton, like the two +figures in St. Dunstan’s, serve the bells in +capacity of clappers, by striking them alternately +with a hammer.</p> + +<p>“In other churches I have observed that +nothing unseemly or ruinous is to be found, +except in the clergyman, and the appendages +of his person. The squire of the parish or his +ancestors, perhaps, to testify their devotion, +and leave a lasting memorial of their magnificence, +have adorned the altar piece with the +richest crimson velvet, embroidered with vine +leaves and ears of wheat; and have dressed +up the pulpit with the same splendor and expense; +while the gentleman who fills it, is +exalted in the midst of all this finery, with +a surplice as dirty as a farmer’s frock, and a +periwig that seems to have transferred its +faculty of curling to the band which appears +in full buckle beneath it.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</span></p> + +<p>“But if I was concerned to see several distressed +pastors, as well as many of our country +churches in a tottering condition, I was +more offended with the indecency of worship +in others. I could wish that the clergy would +inform their congregations, that there is no +occasion to scream themselves hoarse in making +the responses; that the town crier is not +the only person qualified to pray with due devotion; +and that he who bawls the loudest +may, nevertheless, be the wickedest fellow in +the parish. The old women, too, in the aisle +might be told that their time would be better +employed in attending to the sermon than in +fumbling over their tattered testaments till +they have found the text; by which time the +discourse is drawing to its conclusion....</p> + +<p>“The good old practice of psalm singing is, +indeed, wonderfully improved in many country +churches since the days of Sternhold and +Hopkins; and there is scarce a parish clerk +who has so little taste as not to pick his +staves out of the New Version. This has occasioned +great complaints in some places, where +the clerk has been forced to bawl by himself, +because the rest of the congregation cannot +find the psalm at the end of the prayer book; +while others are highly disgusted with the innovation, +and stick as obstinately to the Old +Version as to the Old Style. The tunes themselves +have also been set to jiggish measures; +and the sober drawl, which used to accompany +the two first staves of the 100th psalm +with the <i>Gloria patri</i>, is now split into as +many quavers as an Italian air. For this +purpose there is in every county an itinerant +band of vocal musicians, who make it their +business to go round to all the churches in +their turns, and, after a prelude with the +pitch pipe, astonish the audience with hymns +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</span>set to the new Winchester measure and anthems +of their own composing. As these new +fashioned psalmodists are necessarily made up +of young men and maids, we may naturally +suppose that there is a perfect concord and +symphony between them; and, indeed, I have +known it happen that these sweet singers have +more than once been brought into disgrace by +too close unison between the thorough bass and +the treble.</p> + +<p>“... The Squire, like the King, may be +styled Head of the Church in his own parish. +If the benifice be in his own gift, the vicar is +his creature, and of consequence entirely at +his devotion; or, if the care of the church be +left to a curate, the Sunday fees of roast beef +and plum pudding, and a liberty to shoot in +the manor, will bring him as much under the +Squire’s command as his dogs and horses. For +this reason the bell is often kept tolling, and +the people waiting in the church yard an hour +longer than the usual time; nor must the service +begin till the Squire has strutted up the aisle, +and seated himself in the great pew in the +chancel. The length of the sermon is also +measured by the will of the Squire, as formerly +by the hour glass; and I know one +parish where the preacher has always the +complaisance to conclude his discourse, however +abruptly, the minute that the Squire gives +the signal, by rising up after his nap....</p> + +<p>“... The ladies, immediately on their entrance, +breathe a pious ejaculation through +their fan sticks, and the beaux very gravely +address themselves to the haberdasher’s bills +glued upon the lining of their hats....”</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>One incident of Addison’s boyhood is particularly +interesting as exemplifying the conflict +of opinion on matters religious. All pleasure +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</span>had been barred under the Puritan rule, +and the nation oppressed as never before under +a religious despotism. Then, under Charles +II, the pendulum swung too far in the other +direction and sensual pleasure was exalted into +a worship, and impiety into a creed. The aftermath +of all that had its effect.</p> + +<p>So we have a key to what follows, taken +from an essay by Addison in <i>Spectator</i> No. 125:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>The worthy knight, being but a stripling, had +occasion to inquire which was the way to St. +Anne’s Lane, upon which, the person he spoke +to instead of answering his question called him +a young Popish cur, and asked him who made +Anne a saint. The boy, in some confusion, inquired +of the next he met which was the way +to Anne’s Lane, but was called a prick ear’d +cur, for his pains, and, instead of being shown +the way, was told that she had been a saint +before he was born and would be one after he +was hanged. “Upon this,” said Sir Roger, “I +did not see fit to repeat the former question, +but going into every lane of the neighborhood, +asked what they called the name of that lane.”</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Again in a <i>Spectator</i> of an earlier date, we +find a semi-humorous letter setting forth the +troubles of a man, a member of the Established +Church, whose wife has become a dissenter. +Thus:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>I am one of the most unhappy men that are +plagued with a gospel gossip so common among +dissenters (especially friends). Lectures in the +morning, church-meetings at noon, and preparation +sermons at night, take up so much of her +time, it is very rare she knows what we have +for dinner, unless when the preacher is to be +at it. With him, come a tribe, all brothers and +sisters it seems; while others, really such, are +deemed no relations. If at any time I have her +company alone, she is a mere sermon pop-gun, +repeating and discharging texts, proofs, and applications +so perpetually, that however weary I +may to bed, the noise in my head will not +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</span>let me sleep till toward morning. The misery +of my case, and great numbers of such sufferers, +plead your pity and speedy relief; otherwise, +I must expect in a little time, to be lectured, +preached, and prayed into want, unless the happiness +of being sooner talked to death prevent +it. I am, etc.,</p> + +<p class="author"> + R. G. +</p> +</blockquote> + +<hr class="tb"> + + +<p class="ph3">SIR ROGER AT CHURCH.</p> + +<p class="ph4">NO. 112, SPECTATOR, JULY 9, 1711—ADDISON.</p> + + +<p>I am always very well pleased with a country +Sunday, and think, if keeping holy the seventh +day were only a human institution, it would be +the best method that could have been thought +of for the polishing and civilizing of mankind. +It is certain the country people would +soon degenerate into a kind of savage and +barbarians, were there not such frequent returns +of a stated time in which the whole village +meet together with their best faces and +in their cleanliest habits, to converse with +one another upon different subjects, hear their +duties explained to them, and join together +in adoration of the Supreme Being. Sunday +clears away the rust of the whole week, not +only as it refreshes in their minds the notion +of religion, but as it puts both the sexes upon +appearing in their most agreeable forms, and +exerting all such qualities as are apt to give +them a figure in the eye of the village. A +country fellow distinguishes himself as much +in the church-yard, as a citizen does upon the +Change, the whole parish politics being generally +discussed in that place either after sermon +or before the bell rings.</p> + +<p>My friend Sir Roger, being a good churchman, +has beautified the inside of his church +with several texts of his own choosing; he +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</span>has likewise given a handsome pulpit-cloth, +and railed-in the communion table at his own +expense. He has often told me that, at his +coming to his estate, he found his parishioners +very irregular; and that, in order to make +them kneel and join in the responses, he gave +every one of them a hassock and a common +prayer book; and, at the same time, employed +an itinerant singing-master, who goes about +the country for that purpose, to instruct them +rightly in the tunes of the psalms; upon which +they very much value themselves, and indeed +outdo most of the country churches that I have +ever heard.</p> + +<p>As Sir Roger is landlord to the whole congregation, +he keeps them in very good order, +and will suffer nobody to sleep in it besides +himself; for if by chance he has been surprised +into a short nap at sermon, upon recovering +out of it he stands up and looks +about him, and, if he sees anybody else nodding, +either wakes them himself or sends his +servants to them. Several other of the old +knight’s peculiarities break out upon these +occasions; sometimes he will be lengthening +out a verse in the singing-psalms, half a minute +after the rest of the congregation have +done with it; sometimes, when he is pleased +with the matter of his devotion, he pronounces +<i>Amen</i> three or four times in the same prayer; +and sometimes stands up when everybody else +is upon their knees, to count the congregation, +or see if any of his tenants are missing.</p> + +<p>I was yesterday very much surprised to hear +my friend, in the midst of the service, calling +out to one John Matthews to mind what he +was about, and not disturb the congregation. +This John Matthews, it seems, is remarkable +for being an idle fellow, and at that time was +kicking his heels for diversion. This authority +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</span>of the knight, though exerted in that odd +manner which accompanies him in all circumstances +in life, has had very good effect upon +the parish, who are not polite enough to see +anything ridiculous in his behaviour; besides +that the general good sense and worthiness of +his character makes his friends observe these +little singularities as foils that rather set off +than blemish his good qualities.</p> + +<p>As soon as the sermon is finished, nobody +presumes to stir until Sir Roger is gone out +of the church. The knight walks down from +his seat in the chancel between a double row +of his tenants, that stand bowing to him on +each side; and every now and then inquires +how such-an-one’s wife, or mother, or son, or +father do, whom he does not see at church; +which is understood as a secret reprimand to +the person that is absent.</p> + +<p>The chaplain has often told me, that upon a +catechising day, when Sir Roger has been +pleased with a boy that answers well, he has +ordered a bible to be given to him next day for +his encouragement; and sometimes accompanies +it with a fitch of bacon to his mother. +Sir Roger has likewise to add five pounds a +year to the clerk’s place; and, that he may +encourage the young fellows to make themselves +perfect in the church service, has promised, +upon the death of the present incumbent, +who is very old, to bestow it according +to merit.</p> + +<p>This fair understanding between Sir Roger +and his chaplain, and their mutual concurrence +in doing good, is the more remarkable, because +the very next village is famous for the +differences and contentions that arise between +the parson and the squire, who live in a perpetual +state of war. The parson is always +preaching at the squire, and the squire, to be +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</span>revenged on the parson, never comes to church. +The squire has made all his tenants atheists +and tithe-stealers; while the parson instructs +them every Sunday in the dignity of his order, +and insinuates to them in almost every sermon +that he is a better man than his patron. In +short, matters have come to such an extremity, +that the squire has not said his prayers either +in public or private this half-year; and that +the parson threatens him, if he does not mend +his manners, to pray for him in the face of +the whole congregation.</p> + +<p>Feuds of this nature, though too frequent in +the country, are very fatal to the ordinary +people; who are so used to be dazzled with +riches, that they pay as much difference to the +understanding of a man of an estate, as of a +man of learning; and are very hardly brought +to regard any truth, how important soever it +may be, that is preached to them, when they +know there are several men of five hundred +a-year who do not believe it.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Without any doubt whatsoever, the outstanding +characteristic of our present day life is +the extreme lack of sociability. It is the more +apparent to me, because I have lived in countries +at times, especially in Patagonia, where, +in some respects, the manners and the customs +of the people closely approached the manners +and customs of the early eighteenth century. +There were scandalous roisterers and hard +drinkers there, and vice was in fashion, nor +was it a delicate kind of vice. Many of the +ladies would lend an ear to obscene ballads, +on occasions swear and blaspheme very prettily, +and consider as a good joke, the coarse +words and oaths that flowed through their +lovers’ conversation like filth through a sewer. +We were never in a hurry and a horseback +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</span>journey was an occasion for sociability. It was +much so in the Addison days. People on the +highway had a will to companionship. <i>Will +Wimble</i>, as you see in the paper that follows, +“joined a couple of plain men who rode before,” +and “conversed with them.” It was always so. +You pick up your Fielding to see <i>Tom Jones</i> +traveling mile after mile in company with a +chance acquaintance. <i>Joseph Andrews</i> is carried +on his way by a man with a spare horse. +<i>Peregrine Pickle</i> on the road to Dover overtakes +and journeys with all sorts and conditions +of sociable men and <i>Roderick Random</i> +never lacks a chance friend.</p> + +<p>Indeed, in the days when men were not so +eager to save time which, when saved, they +knew not what to do with, to encounter a fellow +wayfarer was counted a high and joyful +privilege. It meant companionship and a “God +be wi’ ye” at parting. If fellowship is Heaven, +as Morris put it, and the lack of fellowship is +hell, then indeed we of today are much further +advanced along the downward path that is +paved with good intentions. Your present-day +autoist is far more prone to knock the wayfarer +down than to pick him up, or to insult +his ears with a derisive fanfare on his klaxon +than he is to bid him “God speed.” And so to +Sir Roger.</p> + + +<p class="ph3">SIR ROGER AT THE ASSIZES.</p> + +<p class="ph4">NO. 122, 1711, SPECTATOR—ADDISON.</p> + + +<p>A man’s first care should be to avoid the +reproaches of his own heart; his next, to escape +the censures of the world; if the last interferes +with the former, it ought to be entirely neglected; +but otherwise there cannot be a greater +satisfaction to an honest mind than to see those +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</span>approbations which it gives itself seconded by +the applauses of the public: a man is more sure +of his conduct, when the verdict which he +passes upon his own behavior is thus warranted +and confirmed by the opinion of all that +know him.</p> + +<p>My worthy friend Sir Roger is one of those +who is not only at peace within himself, but +beloved and esteemed by all about him. He receives +a suitable tribute for his universal benevolence +to mankind, in the returns of affection +and good will, which are paid him by +every one that lives within his neighborhood. +I lately met with two or three odd instances of +that respect which is shown to the good old +knight. He would needs carry Will Wimble +and myself with him to the country assizes: as +we were upon the road Will Wimble joined a +couple of plain men who rode before us, and +conversed with them for some time; during +which my friend Sir Roger acquainted me with +their characters.</p> + +<p>“The first of them,” says he, “that has a +spaniel by his side, is a yeoman of about a +hundred pounds a year, an honest man: he is +just within the Game-Act, and qualified to +kill an hare or a pheasant: he knocks down a +dinner with his gun twice or thrice a week; +and by that means lives much cheaper than +those that have not so good an estate as himself. +He would be a good neighbor if he did +not destroy so many partridges: in short, he +is a very sensible man; shoots flying; and has +been several times foreman of the petty jury.</p> + +<p>“The other that rides along with him is Tom +Touchy, a fellow for taking the law of everybody. +There is not one in the town where he +lives that he has not sued at quarter-sessions. +The rogue had once the impudence to go to law +with the Widow. His head is full of costs, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</span>damages, and ejectments; he plagued a couple +of gentlemen so long for a trespass in breaking +one of his hedges, till he was forced to sell +the ground it enclosed to defray the charges of +the prosecution: his father left him fourscore +pounds a year; but he has cast and been cast +so often, that is not now worth thirty. I suppose +he is going upon the old business of the +willow-tree.”</p> + +<p>As Sir Roger was giving me this account of +Tom Touchy, Will Wimble and his two companions +stopped short until we came up to +them. Will it seems had been giving his fellow +traveler an account of his angling one day +in such a hole; when Tom Touchy, instead of +hearing out his story, told him, that Mr. Such-an-one, +if he pleased, might take the law of +him for fishing in that part of the river. My +friend Sir Roger heard them both upon a round +trot; and, after having paused some time, told +them, with the air of a man who would not +give his judgment rashly, that <i>much might be +said on both sides</i>. They were neither of them +dissatisfied with the knight’s determination, +because neither of them found himself in the +wrong by it; and upon which we made the +best of our way to the assizes.</p> + +<p>The court was set before Sir Roger came, +but notwithstanding all the justices had taken +their places upon the bench, they made room +for the old knight at the head of them; who, +for his reputation in the country, took occasion +to whisper in the judge’s ear, <i>that he was +glad his lordship had met with so much good +weather in his circuit</i>. I was listening to the +proceedings of the court with much attention, +and infinitely pleased with the great appearance +of solemnity which so properly accompanies +such a public administration of our +laws; when, after about an hour’s sitting, I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</span>observed to my great surprise, in the midst +of a trial, that my friend Sir Roger was getting +up to speak. I was in some pain for him till +I found he had acquitted himself of two or three +sentences, with a look of much business and +great intrepidity.</p> + +<p>Upon his first rising the court was hushed, +and a general whisper ran among the country +people that Sir Roger <i>was up</i>. The speech he +made was so little to the purpose, that I shall +not trouble my readers with an account of it; +and I believe was not so much designed by the +knight himself to inform the court, as to give +him a figure in my eye, and keep up his credit +in the country.</p> + +<p>I was highly delighted, when the court rose, +to see the gentlemen of the country gathering +about my old friend, and striving who should +compliment him the most; at the same time +that the ordinary people gazed upon him at a +distance, not a little admiring his courage, that +was not afraid to speak to the judge.</p> + +<p>In our return home we met with a very odd +accident; which I cannot forbear relating, because +it shows how desirous all who know Sir +Roger are of giving him marks of their esteem. +When we reappeared upon the verge +of his estate, we stopped at a little inn to rest +ourselves and our horses. The man of the +house had, it seems, been formerly a servant +in the knight’s family; and, to do honor to his +old master, had some time since, unknown to +Sir Roger, put him up in a sign-post before +the door; so that the <i>Knight’s Head</i> had hung +out upon the road a week before he himself +knew anything of the matter. As soon as Sir +Roger was acquainted with it, finding that the +servant’s indiscretion proceeded wholly from +affection and good-will, he only told him that +he had made him too high a compliment; and, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</span>when the fellow seemed to think that hardly +could be, added with a more decisive look, that +it was too great an honor for any man under +a duke; but told him at the same time, that +it might be altered with a very few touches, +and that he himself would be at the charge of +it. Accordingly they got a painter by the +knight’s directions to add a pair of whiskers to +the face, and by a little aggravation of the +features to change it into the <i>Saracen’s Head</i>. +I should not have known this story, had not +the innkeeper, upon Sir Roger’s alighting, told +him in my hearing, that his Honor’s head was +brought back last night with the alterations +that he had ordered to be made in it. Upon +this my friend with his usual cheerfulness related +the particulars above mentioned, and ordered +the head to be brought into the room. +I could not forbear discovering greater expressions +of mirth than ordinary upon the appearance +of this monstrous face, under which, notwithstanding +it was made to frown and stare +in a most extraordinary manner, I could still +discover a distant resemblance of my old +friend. Sir Roger, upon seeing me laugh, desired +me to tell him truly if I thought it possible +for the people to know him in that disguise. +I at first kept my usual silence; but, +upon the knight conjuring me to tell him +whether it was not still more like himself than +a Saracen, I composed my countenance in the +best manner I could, and replied, <i>that much +might be said on both sides</i>.</p> + +<p>These several adventures, with the knight’s +behavior in them, gave me as pleasant a day +as ever I met with in any of my travels.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>If you went abroad at night in those days, +it was better to carry a stout cudgel than a +walking cane. Says the poet Gay, in his +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</span>“Trivia, or the Art of Walking the Streets of +London” Part III, ii, 326,</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">Who has not trembled at the Mohock’s name?</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Was there a watchman took his hourly rounds,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Safe from their blows or new invented wounds?</div> + <div class="verse indent0">I pass their desperate deeds and mischief done,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Where from Snow hill black steepy torrents run;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">How matrons, hoop’d within the hogshead womb,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Were tumbled furious hence.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>The young men of the age, like everyone else, +mistook brutality for pleasure just as do shallow +minds today. The difference is, that whereas +we take it out at second hand, looking at +blood letting in a moving picture, or wasting +time on a so-called funny sheet where the +humor turns on someone being hurt, they were +more sincere and honest about it. Gay, in +his “hogshead womb” refers to the curious +practice of the Mohocks, (which seemed to have +something in common with our Ku Klux Klans +in a love for cruelty and mob work), by which +they caught a woman, packed her in a barrel, +and set her rolling down a steep hill. You have +seen, and perhaps enjoyed that kind of thing +in a screen “comedy.” As the screen men at +times picture impossible cowboys making innocent +citizens dance by firing revolvers close +to their feet, so the Mohocks made them dance +by pricking their legs with their swords. Sometimes +they went further, and, like latter day +self-appointed patriotic leagues, killed those +they tortured. Of the Mohocks, Swift writes, +in his Journal to Stella, “Did I tell you of a +race of rakes, called the Mohocks, that play +the devil about this town every night, slit people’s +noses and beat them? Faith, they shan’t +cut mine; I like it better as it is. The dogs +will cost me at least a crown a week in chairs.”</p> + +<p>The good knight had sufficient reason for +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</span>his fear, for the Mohocks at one time were a +very serious menace. Eustace Bludgell in No. +347 of the <i>Spectator</i>, of April 8, 1712, has a +paper on the subject. The fellows who banded +themselves together to terrorize quiet citizens, +sometimes worked upon the superstitious fears +of the ignorant, “like those specters and apparitions +which frighten several towns and +villages in her majesty’s dominions,” says +Bludgell. The Mohocks tried to form a sort of +invisible empire, like the Ku Klux Klan of +today. They had their Emperor of the Mohocks, +who sent anonymous letters of a threatening +nature, which were signed, ridiculously +enough “Taw Waw Eben Zan Kalader.” They +pretended to constitute themselves into guardians +of law and order, issuing manifestoes setting +forth that “We have received information, +from sundry quarters of this great and populous +city, of several outrages committed” and +so on. They were, of course, full of the sentimentality +that finds absurd expression in proclamations +that they were defenders of the honor +of women. Read this, from Bludgell’s paper:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>And whereas, we have nothing more at our +imperial heart than the reformation of the +cities of London and Westminster, which to our +unspeakable satisfaction we have in some measure +already affected. We do hereby earnestly +pray and exhort all husbands, fathers, housekeepers +and masters of families ... not +only to repair themselves to their habitations at +early and seasonable hours, but also to keep +their daughters, wives, sons, servants and apprentices, +from appearing in the streets at those +times and seasons which may expose them to +military discipline as it is practiced by our +good subjects the Mohocks; and we do further +promise on our imperial word, that as soon as +the reformation aforesaid shall be brought +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</span>about. We will forthwith cause all hostilities +to cease.</p> + +<p>Given from our Court at the Devil Tavern, +March 15th, 1712.</p> +</blockquote> + + +<p class="ph3">SIR ROGER AT THE THEATRE.</p> + +<p class="ph4">SPECTATOR, NO. 335, MARCH 1712—ADDISON.</p> + + +<p>My friend Sir Roger De Coverley, when we +last met together at the club, told me that he +had a great mind to see the new tragedy with +me, assuring me, at the same time, that he +had not been at a play these twenty years. +“The last I saw,” said Sir Roger, “was the +Committee, which I should not have gone to +neither, had I not been told beforehand that +it was a good Church of England comedy.” He +then proceeded to inquire of me who this +distressed mother was; and upon hearing that +she was Hector’s widow, he told me that her +husband was a brave man, and that when he +was a school boy he had read his life at the +end of the dictionary. My friend asked me, in +the next place, if there would not be some +danger in coming home late, lest the Mohocks +should be abroad. “I assure you,” says he, “I +thought I had fallen into their hands last +night; for I observed two or three lusty black +men that followed me half way up Fleet Street, +and mended their pace behind me, in proportion +as I put on to get away from them. You +must know,” said the Knight with a smile, +“I fancied they had a mind to hunt me; for +I remember an honest gentleman in my neighborhood, +who was served such a trick in King +Charles the Second’s time; for which reason +he has not ventured himself in town ever since. +I might have shown them very good sport, had +this been their design; for as I am an old fox +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</span>hunter, I should have turned and dodged, and +have played them a thousand tricks they had +never seen in their lives before.” Sir Roger +added, that if these gentlemen had any such +intention, they did not succeed very well in it; +“for I threw them out,” says he, “at the end +of Norfolk Street, where I doubled the corner +and got shelter in my lodgings before they could +imagine what had become of me, however,” +says the knight, “if Captain Sentry will make +one with us tomorrow night, and you will both +call on me about four o’clock, that we may be +at the house before it is full, I will have my +own coach in readiness to attend you, for John +tells me he has got the fore wheels mended.”</p> + +<p>The Captain, who did not fail to meet me +there at the appointed hour, bid Sir Roger fear +nothing, for that he had put on the same sword +which he made use of at the battle of Steenkirk. +Sir Roger’s servants, and among the +rest my old friend the butler, had, I found, provided +themselves with good oaken plants, to +attend their master on this occasion. When +he had placed him in the coach, with myself +at his left hand, the Captain before him, and +his butler at the head of his footmen in the +rear, we convoyed him in safety to the play +house, where, after having marched up the entry +in good order, the Captain and I went in +with him, and seated him betwixt us in the pit. +As soon as the house was full, and the candles +were lighted, my old friend stood up and looked +about him with that pleasure, which a mind +seasoned with humanity naturally feels in itself, +at the sight of a multitude of people who +seem pleased with one another, and partake of +the same common entertainment, I could not +but fancy to myself as the old man hearing a +cluster of them praise Orestes, struck in with +them, and told them, that he thought his friend +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</span>Pylades was a very sensible man; as they were +afterwards applauding Pyrrhus Sir Roger put +in a second time: “And let me tell you,” says +he, “though he speaks but little, I like the old +fellow in whiskers as well as any of them.” +Captain Sentry seeing two or three wags, who +sat near us, lean with an attentive ear toward +Sir Roger, and fearing lest they should smoke +the knight, plucked him by the elbow, and +whispered something in his ear, that lasted till +the opening of the fifth act. The knight was +wonderfully attentive to the account which +Orestes gives of Pyrrhus’s death; and at the +conclusion of it, told me it was such a bloody +piece of work that he was glad it was not done +upon the stage. Seeing afterwards Orestes in +his raving fit, he grew more than ordinary +serious, and took occasion to moralize (in his +way) upon an evil conscience; adding that +Orestes in his madness, looked as if he saw +something.</p> + +<p>As we were the first that came into the +house, so we were the last that went out of it; +being resolved to have a clear passage for our +old friend, whom we did not care to venture +among the justling of the crowd. Sir Roger +went out fully satisfied with his entertainment, +and we guarded him to his lodging in the same +manner that we brought him to the playhouse; +being highly pleased, for my own part, not only +with the performance of the excellent piece +which had been presented, but with the satisfaction +which it had given the old man.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p><i>Note.</i> Much as the simple knight seemed to +have been pleased with the play, <i>The Distrest +Mother</i> was a dull version by Ambrose Philips +of Racine’s <i>Andromaque</i>. Fielding made a burlesque +of it in his <i>Covent Garden Tragedy</i>, 1712. +The <i>Committee</i>, to which Sir Roger refers, had +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</span>a sub-title by which it was better known, <i>The +Faithful Irishman</i>. It was written by Robert +Howard, Dryden’s brother-in-law, and first produced +in 1665.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>A country cousin could no more pass a week +in London in those days without going to Vauxhall, +than could a countryman stay any length +of time in New York without finding his way +to Coney Island. The earliest mention of the +place is in Evelyn’s diary, 2nd July, 1661, when +he went to see the “New Spring Garden at Lambeth; +a pretty contrived plantation where sometimes +they would have music and sit upon +barges on the water.” Charles II, who missed +nothing in the line of gaiety, had built for him +“a fine room, the inside all of looking glass, +and fountains very pleasant to behold,” which, +the grave Morland, his Master Mechanic reports, +was for the reception of “the King and +his ladies.”</p> + +<p>Later, little improvements were made and +there was an artificial cascade, a water mill, +a bridge with a mail coach passing over it, +a cottage scene with animated figures drinking +and smoking by machinery. Samuel Pepys, +who missed nothing, says, “July 27, 1688—So +over the water with my wife and Deb and Mercer, +to Spring Garden, and there ate and walked, +and observed how rude some of the young gallants +of the town are become, to go into people’s +arbors, where there are not men, and almost +gore the women—which troubled me to see +the vice and confidence of the age.” Tom +Brown, a little later, speaks of the close walks +and wildernesses, which “are so intricate, that +the most experienced mothers have often lost +themselves looking for their daughters.”</p> + +<p>In the days of Sir Roger, the fashionable +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</span>way of going to the gardens was by water, and +an evening there, with a glass of ale and a slice +of hung beef was the usual course. Walpole, +in a letter of 1750, gives an interesting account +of a Vauxhall party: “I had a card from Lady +Petersham to go with her to Vauxhall. I went +accordingly to her house and found her and +the little Asche, or the Pollard Ashe as they +call her; they had just finished their last layer +of red, and looked as handsome as crimson +could make them.... We marched to our barge, +with a boat of French horns attending, and little +Ashe singing. We paraded some time up +the river and at last debarked at Vauxhall.... +Here we picked up Lord Granby, arrived very +drunk from Jenny Whim’s (a tavern between +Chelsea and Pimlico). At last we assembled +in our booth, Lady Caroline in the front, with +the visor of her hat erect, and looking gloriously +handsome. She had fetched my brother +Orford from the next box, where he was enjoying +himself with his <i>petite partie</i>, to help us +to mince the chickens. We minced seven +chickens in a china dish, which Lady Caroline +stewed over a lamp with three pats of butter +and a flagon of water, stirring and rattling and +laughing, and we, every minute, expecting the +dish to fly about our ears. She had brought +Betty the fruit girl, with hampers of strawberries +and cherries, from Roger’s, and made +her wait on table and then made her sit by +herself at a little table.... In short, the air of +our party was sufficient, as you will easily +imagine, to take up the whole attention of the +gardens; so much so, that from eleven o’clock +to half an hour after one, we had the whole +concourse round our booth. At last they came +into the little garden of each booth on the sides +of ours, till Harry Vane took up a bumper, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</span>drank their healths, and was proceeding to +treat them with greater freedom. It was three +o’clock before we got home.”</p> + +<p>Oliver Goldsmith in his “Beau Tibbs at Vauxhall” +makes his hero say, significantly, “As for +virgins, it is true they are a fruit that don’t +much abound in our gardens here: but if ladies, +as plenty as apples in autumn, and as complying +as any <i>houri</i> of them all, can content +you, I fancy we have no need to go to heaven +for paradise.”</p> + + +<p class="ph3">SIR ROGER AT VAUXHALL GARDENS.</p> + +<p class="ph4">SPECTATOR NO. 383, MAY, 1712—ADDISON.</p> + + +<p>As I was sitting in my chamber, and thinking +on a subject for my next <i>Spectator</i>, I heard +two or three irregular bounces at my landlady’s +door, and, upon the opening of it, a loud cheerful +voice inquiring whether the philosopher +was at home. The child who went to the door +answered very innocently, that he did not lodge +there. I immediately recollected that it was +my good friend Sir Roger’s voice; and that I +had promised to go with him on the water to +Spring-garden, in case it proved a good evening. +The knight put me in mind of my promise from +the bottom of the staircase, but told me, that +if I was speculating, he would stay below till +I had done. Upon my coming down, I found +all the children of the family got about my old +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</span>friend, and my landlady herself, who is a notable +prating gossip, engaged in a conference +with him; being mightily pleased with his +stroking her little boy upon the head, and bidding +him be a good child, and mind his book.</p> + +<p>We were no sooner come to the Temple-stairs, +but we were surrounded with a crowd of watermen, +offering us their respective services. Sir +Roger, after having looked about him very attentively, +spied one with a wooden leg, and immediately +gave him orders to get his boat +ready. As we were walking toward it, “You +must know,” said Sir Roger, “I never make use +of anybody to row me, that has not either lost +a leg or an arm. I would rather bate him a +few strokes of his oar than not employ an honest +man that has been wounded in the Queen’s +service. If I was a lord or a bishop, and kept +a barge, I would not put a fellow in my livery +that had not a wooden leg.”</p> + +<p>My old friend, after having seated himself +and trimmed the boat with his coachman, who, +being a very sober man, always serves for ballast +on these occasions, we made the best of +our way for Vauxhall. Sir Roger obliged the +waterman to give us the history of his right +leg; and, hearing that he had left it at La +Hogne, with many particulars which passed in +that glorious action, the knight, in the triumph +of his heart, made several reflections as to the +greatness of the British nation; as, that one +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</span>Englishman could beat three Frenchmen; that +we could never be in danger of popery so long +as we took care of our fleet; that the Thames +was the noblest river in Europe; that London +bridge was a greater piece of work than any +of the seven wonders of the world; with many +other honest prejudices which naturally cleave +to the heart of a true Englishman.</p> + +<p>After some short pause, the old knight, turning +about his head twice or thrice, to take a +survey of this great metropolis, bid me observe +how thick the city was with churches, +and that there was scarce a single steeple on +this side Temple-bar. “A most heathenish sight!” +says Sir Roger: “there is no religion at this +end of the town. The fifty new churches will +very much mend the prospect: but church-work +is slow, church-work is slow.”</p> + +<p>I do not remember I have anywhere mentioned, +in Sir Roger’s character, his custom +of saluting everybody that passes by him with +a good-morrow or good-night. This the old man +does out of the overflowings of his humanity, +though at the same time it renders him so +popular among all his country neighbours, that +it is thought to have gone a good way in making +him once or twice knight of the shire. He +cannot forbear this exercise of benevolence even +in town, when he meets with any one in his +morning or evening walk. It broke from him +to several boats that passed by upon the water; +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</span>but to the knight’s great surprise, as he gave +the good-night to two or three of the young +fellows a little before our landing, one of them, +instead of returning the civility, asked us what +queer old put we had in the boat, and whether +he was not ashamed to go a-wenching at his +years; with a great deal of the like Thames +ribaldry. Sir Roger seemed a little shocked at +first; but, at length assuming a face of magistracy, +told us, “That if we were a Middlesex +justice, he would make such vagrants know +that her Majesty’s subjects were no more to +be abused by water than by land.”</p> + +<p>We were now arrived at Spring-garden, which +is exquisitely pleasant at this time of the year. +When I consider the fragrancy of the walks and +bowers, with the choirs of birds that sung upon +the trees, and the loose tribe of people that +walked under the shades, I could not but look +upon the place as a kind of Mahometan paradise. +Sir Roger told me it put him in mind of +a little coppice by his house in the country, +which his chaplain used to call an aviary of +nightingales. “You must understand,” says the +knight, “there is nothing in the world that +pleases a man in love so much as your nightingales. +Ah, Mr. Spectator! the many moonlight +nights that I have walked by myself, and +thought on the Widow by the music of the +nightingale!” He here fetched a deep sigh, and +was falling into a fit of musing, when a mask, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</span>who came behind him, gave him a gentle tap +upon the shoulder, and asked him if he would +drink a bo mead with her. But the knight, being +startled by so unexpected a familiarity, +and displeased to be interrupted in his thoughts +of the Widow, told her, <i>She was a wanton +baggage</i>, and bid her go about her business.</p> + +<p>We concluded our walk with a glass of Burton +ale, and a slice of hung beef. When we +had done eating, ourselves, the knight called a +waiter to him, and bid him carry the remainder +to the waterman that had but one leg. I perceived +that the fellow stared upon him at the +oddness of the message, and was going to be +saucy; upon which I ratified the knight’s commands +with a peremptory look.</p> + +<p>As we were going out of the garden, my old +friend thinking himself obliged, as a member +of the <i>quorus</i>, to animadvert upon the morals +of the place, told the mistress of the house, who +sat at the bar, that he should be a better customer +to her garden, “if there were more nightingales +and fewer improper persons.”</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="tnote"> + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Transcribers_note"> + Transcriber’s note + </h2> + + +<p>Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice. Hyphenation and italicization +were standardized.</p> + +<p>Spelling was retained as in the original except for the following +change:</p> + + +<table class="autotable"> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_3">3</a>: “smear acros his” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“smear across his” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_4">4</a>: “Rabelias, like Scarron” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“Rabelais, like Scarron” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_4">4</a>: “bagnois on occasion” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“baignoires on occasion” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_5">5</a>: “He was irresistible” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“He was as irresistible” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_7">7</a>: “under Secretary of State” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“Under Secretary of State” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_7">7</a>: “collector of Elizivirs and” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“collector of Elzevirs and” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_14">14</a>: “Hilare Belloc, H. M.” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“Hilaire Belloc, H. M.” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_22">22</a>: “sawyers dstroying saw” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“sawyers destroying saw” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_24">24</a>: “at Brook’s gambling” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“at Brooks’ gambling” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_27">27</a>: “atention to the narratives” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“attention to the narratives” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_27">27</a>: “a letter writer by” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“a letter written by” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_31">31</a>: “Thomas Incl of London” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“Thomas Inkle of London” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_35">35</a>: “formation af a company” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“formation of a company” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_37">37</a>: “would quickly lesson” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“would quickly lessen” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_40">40</a>: “tried to get beneath” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“tries to get beneath” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_42">42</a>: “Hockley-inthe-Hole; where” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“Hockley-in-the-Hole; where” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_64">64</a>: “figures in St. Dustan’s” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“figures in St. Dunstan’s” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_66">66</a>: “pleasuse had been” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“pleasure had been” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_76">76</a>: “Acordingly they got” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“Accordingly they got” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_76">76</a>: “himself than a Sarcacen” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“himself than a Saracen” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_77">77</a>: “so the Mohawks made” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“so the Mohocks made” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_78">78</a>: “only to repair thmselves” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“only to repair themselves” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_81">81</a>: “applauding Pyrrhu Sir” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“applauding Pyrrhus Sir” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_81">81</a>: “gives of Pyrrhu’s death” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“gives of Pyrrhus’s death” +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdl"> +Page <a href="#Page_86">86</a>: “work that any” +</td> +<td class="tdl"> +“work than any” +</td> +</tr> +</table> + +</div> +</div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78492 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/78492-h/images/cover.jpg b/78492-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..07c0e09 --- /dev/null +++ b/78492-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c72794 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1869394 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for eBook #78492 +(https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/78492) |
