"nothing was wanting but to recommend him"felf to Apollo by a fpecimen of his accom66 plishments in mufic and poetry. A band of "minftrels were fummoned, who performed a "kind of prelude on their harps by way of "flourish before the master-artist began, when "Midas, ftarting from his feat as if with fudden "inspiration, seized his lyre, and ftruck up a ❝ftrain, which he accompanied with his voice, "whilft his felf-conceit infpired him to believe "he could rival Apollo himself in harmony, "and even provoke him to envy, "As foon as Midas laid down his lyre, the CC gods rofe up to depart; when inftead of thofe "applauses which he looked for, and expected as a tribute due to his art even from the im"mortals themselves, Jupiter, turning towards "him with a frown, which brought into his "countenance the inherent majesty of the thun derer, thus accofted him- Had you enterμε tained us, O Midas, in the manner I pre→ fcribed, and met the condefcenfion of the gods with the modefty that becomes a mortal, we had left a bleffing with our hoft, instead "of a reproof: But when you affected to dazzle "me, who am myself the difpenfer of all mortal "attainments, with the vain display of your wealth and wifdom; and when you rafhly "affailed "affailed the ears of Apollo himself, who pre"fides over mufic and poetry, with the barba❝rous jingle of your lyre, and the hoarfe un« tuneable diffonance of your voice, you foolishly "forgot both yourself and us; and by talking "and finging without intermiffion, when you "fhould rather have liftened to us with atten❝tion, you reverfe the application of those fa"culties I have beftowed upon you, not confi dering that when I gave to man two organs "of hearing, and only one of fpeech, I marked out the use he was to make of those difpen"fations: To remind you therefore of my defign, and your duty, I fhall curtail your "tongue, and lengthen your ears.'-Jupiter "ceafed fpeaking; and whilft the deities re"afcended to Olympus, the ears of the monarch fprouted up into the ears of an afs." The moral of the fable, and the perfonal application of it, were too obvious to be mistaken by any of the company. Vaneffa's fenfibility fuffered vifibly on the occafion; but the foon broke the painful filence, and addressing herself to the old gentleman-"I am obliged to you "for your fable," fays the," and fhall edify by the moral; but ftill I cannot help the weak"nefs of a woman, and muft feel a compaffion for poor Midas, whofe trefpafs, being of a "good "good-humoured fort, deferved more mercy "than it met with.-I confefs the art of being "agreeable, frequently mifcarries through the "ambition which accompanies it. Wit, learn ing, wifdom-what can more effectually con "duce to the profit and delight of society? "Yet I am fenfible that a man may be too "invariably wife, learned, or witty to be agree"able: And I take the reafon of this to be, "that pleasure cannot be bestowed by the "fimple and unmixed exertion of any one fa"culty or accomplishment; if every word a "man speaks is to be wit or wisdom, if he is never to relax either in look or utterance "from his fuperiority of character, fociety can"not endure it: The happy gift of being agree"able feems to confift not in one, but in an "affemblage of talents tending to communicate delight; and how many are there, who by "eafy manners, sweetness of temper, and a va"riety of other undefinable qualities, poffefs the power of pleafing without any vifible effort, "without the aids of wit, wisdom, or learning, is nay, as it fhould feem, in their defiance; and "this without appearing even to know that they poffefs it? Whilst another, by labouring "to entertain us too well, entertains us as poor "Midas did his vifitors." When When Vanessa had done speaking, the hour reminded me that I ought to take my leave, which I did with regret, repeating to myself as I walked homewards-This lady should never be feen in a circle. N° LXXI. SI was turning over a parcel of old papers fome time ago, I difcovered an original letter from Mr. Caswell, the mathematician, to the learned Dr. Bentley, when he was living in Bishop Stillingfleet's family, inclofing an account of an apparition taken from the mouth of a clergyman who faw it: In this account there are fome curious particulars, and I fhall therefore copy the whole narrative without any omiffion, except of the name of the deceased person who is fupposed to have appeared, for reasons that will be obvious. "To the Rev. Mr. Richard Bentley, at my "Lord Bishop of Worcester's House in Park "Street, in Weftminster, London. "SIR, "When I was in London, April laft, I fully "intended "intended to have waited upon you again, as "I faid, but a cold and lameness seized me next day; the cold took away my voice, and "the other my power of walking, fo I pre<c fently took coach for Oxford. I am much 66 your debtor, and in particular for your good "intentions in relation to Mr. D. though that, "as it has proved, would not have turned to my advantage: However, I am obliged to you upon that and other accounts, and if I had opportunity to fhew it, you fhould find how "much I am your faithful fervant. « "I have fent you inclofed a relation of an *apparition; the ftory I had from two perfons, "who each had it from the author, and yet "their accounts fomewhat varied, and paffing "through more mouths has varied much more; "therefore I got a friend to bring me to the "author at a chamber, where I wrote it down "from the author's mouth; after which I read "it to him, and gave him another copy; he “faid he could fwear to the truth of it, as far "as he is concerned: He is the Curate of "Warblington, Batchelour of Arts of Trinity "College in Oxford, about fix years ftanding "in the University; I hear no ill report of his "behaviour here: He is now gone to his Cu"racy; he has promifed to fend up the hands " of |
