No 366. As for that Part of the Fair-Sex who stay in Town, I would advise them to be particularly cautious how they give themselves up to their most innocent Entertainments. If they cannot forbear the Play-houfe, I would recommend Tragedy to them, rather than Comedy; and fhould think the Puppet fhow much fafer for them than the Opera, all the while the Sun is in Gemini. THE Reader will obferve, that this Paper is written for the use of thofe Ladies who think it worth while to war against Nature in the Cause of Honour. As for that abandon'd Crew, who do not think Virtue worth contending for, but give up their Reputation at the firft Summons, fuch Warnings and Premonitions are thrown away upon them. A Proftitute is the fame eafy Creature in all Months of the Year, and makes no difference between May and December. X N° 366. Wednesday, April 30. T Pone me pigris ubi nulla campis Dulce loquentem. Hor. HERE are fuch wild Inconsistencies in the Thoughts of a Man in love, that I have often reflected there can be no reason for allowing him more Liberty than others poffeffed with Frenzy, but that his Diftemper has no Malevolence in it to any Mortal. That Devotion to his Miftrefs kindles in his Minda general Tenderness, which exerts it felf towards every Object as well as his Fair-one. When this Paffion is reprefented by Writers, it is common with them to endeavour at certain Quaintneffes and Turns of Imagination, which are apparently the Work of a Mind at eafe; but the Men of true Tafte can easily di Ringuish the Exertion of a Mind which overflows with .fender tender Sentiments, and the Labour of one which is only deferibing Distress. In Performances of this kind, the moft abfurd of all things is to be witty; every Sentiment muft grow out of the Occafion, and be suitable to the Circumftances of the Character. Where this Rule is tranfgreffed, the humble Servant, in all the fine things he fays, is but fhewing his Mistress how well he can drefs, inftead of faying how well he loves. Lace and Drapery is a much a Man, as Wit and Turn is Passion. Mr. SPECTATOR, Tland Love Song, which I met with in Scheffer's HE following Verfes are a Tranflation of a Lap Hiftory of that Country. I was agreeably furprized to find a Spirit of Tenderness and Poetry in a Region which I never fufpected for Delicacy. In hotter Climates, tho' altogether uncivilized, I had not wonder'd if I had found fome fweet wild Notes among the Natives, where they live in Groves of Oranges, and hear the Melody of Birds about them: But a Lapland Lyric, breathing Sentiments of Love and Poetry, not unworthy old Greece or Rome; a regular Ode from a Climate pinched with Froft, and curfed with Darkness so great a Part of the Year; where 'tis amazing that the poor Natives fhould get Food, or be tempted to propagate their Species: this, I confefs, feemed a greater Miracle to me, than the famous Stories of their Drums, their • Winds and Inchantments. -6 I am the bolder in commending this Northern Song, because I have faithfully kept to the Sentiments, without adding or diminishing; and pretend to no greater Praife from my Tranflation, than they who fmooth and clean the Furs of that Country which have fuffered by Carriage. The Numbers of the Original are as loofe and unequal, as thofe in which the British Ladies fport their • Pindaricks; and perhaps the fairest of them might not think it a difagreeable Prefent from a Lover: But I have < ventured to bind it in ftricter Measures, as being more proper for our Tongue, tho' perhaps wilder Graces may better fait the Gepius of the Laponian Language. • IT will be neceffary to imagine, that the Author of this Song, not having the Liberty of vifiting his Mistress ⚫ at her Father's House, was in hopes of spying her at a distance in the Fields. I. 'HOU rifing Sun, whofe gladfome Ray Difpel the Mift, and clear the skies, II. Oh! were I fure my Dear to view, What may for Strength with Steel compare ? VII. No VII. No longer then perplex thy Breaft, Mr. SPECTATOR, April the 10th Am one of thofe defpicable Creatures called a Chamber-Maid, and have lived with a Mistress for fome time, whom I love as my Life, which has made my • Duty and Pleafure infeparable. My greatest Delight has • been in being imploy'd about her Perfon; and indeed fhe is very feldom out of humour for a Woman of her Quality: But here lies my Complaint, Sir; To bear ' with me is all the Encouragement fhe is pleafed to bestow upon me; for the gives her caft-off Clothes from me to others: fome fhe is pleased to bestow in the Houfe to those that neither wants nor wears them, and fometo Hangers on, that frequents the Houfe daily, who comes dreffed out in them. This, Sir, is a very mortifying Sight to me, who am a little neceffitous for Clothes, and loves to appear what I am, and caufes an Uneafinefs, fo that I can't ferve with that Chearfulness as formerlys which my Mistress takes notice of, and calls Envy and Il-Temper at feeing others preferred before me. My Mistress has a younger Sifter lives in the Houfe with her, that is fome Thousands below her in Eftate, who is • continually heaping her Favours on her Maid; fo that fhe can appear every Sunday, for the first Quarter, in a fresh Suit of Clothes of her Mistress's giving, with all other things fuitable: All this I fee without envy⚫ing, but not without wishing my Miftrefs would a lit⚫tle confider what a Difcouragement it is to me to have my Perquifites divided between Fawners and Jobbers, which others enjoy entire to themfelves. I have spoke to my Miftrefs, but to little purpofe; I have defired to be difcharged (for indeed I fret my felf to nothing) but that the anfwers with Silence. I beg, Sir, K 3 your Di ⚫rection ⚫rection what to do, for I am fully refolved to follow your Counsel; who am Your Admirer, and bumble Servant, Conftantia Comb-brush. ⚫ I beg that you would put it in a better Drefs, and let it come abroad, that my Miftrefs, who is an Admirer of your Speculations, may fee it.. T No 367. Thursday, May 1. Peritura parcite charta. . Juv. Have often pleased my felt with confidering the two kinds of Benefits which accrue to the Publick from thefe my Speculations, and which, were I to speak after the manner of Logicians, I would diftinguish into the Material and the Formal. By the latter I understand thofe Advantages which my Readers receive, as their Minds are either improv'd or delighted by these my daily Labours; but having already feveral times defcanted on my Endeavours in this Light, I fhall at prefent wholly confine my felf to the Confideration of the former. By the Word Material I mean thofe Benefits which arife to the Publick from these my Speculations, as they confume a confiderable quantity of our Paper Manufacture, employ our Artifans in Printing, and find Business for great numbers of indigent Per fons. OUR Paper-Manufacture takes into it feveral mean Materials which could be put to no other use, and affords Work for feveral Hands in the collecting of them, which are incapable of any other Employment. Thofe poor Retailers, whom we fee fo bufy in every Street, deliver in their refpective Gleanings to the Merchant. The Merchant carries them in Loads to the Paper- Mill, where they pass thro' |