II. When in the fultry Glebe I faint, The' in the Paths of Death I tread, Tho' in a bare and rugged Way, с N° 442. Monday, July 28. Scribimus Indocti Doctique. Hor. Do not know whether I enough explained my felf to the World, when I invited all Men to be affiftant to me in this my Work of Speculation; for I have not yet acquainted my Readers, that befides the Letters and valuable Hints I have from Time to Time received from my Correfpondents, I have by me feveral curious and extraordinary Papers fent with a Defign (as no one will doubt when they are published) that they might be printed intire, and without any Alteration, by way of Spectator. I must acknowledge alfo, that I my felf being the firft Projector of the Paper, thought I had a Right to make them my my own, by dreffing them in my own Stile, by leaving out what would not appear like mine, and by adding whatever might be proper to adapt them to the Character and Genius of my Paper, with which it was almost impoffible thefe could exactly correfpond, it being certain that hardly two Men think alike, and therefore fo many Men fo many Spectators. Befides, I must own my Weaknefs for Glory is fuch, that if I confulted that only, I might be fo far fway'd by it, as almoft to wifh that no one could write a Spectator befides my felf; nor can I deny, but upon the firft Perufal of thofe Papers, I felt fome fecret Inclinations of Ill-will towards the Perfons who wrote them. This was the Impreflion I had upon the first reading them; but upon a late Review (more for the Sake of Entertainment than Ufe) regarding them with another Eye than I had done at firl (for by converting them as well as I could to my own Ufe, I thought I had utterly difabled them from ever offending me again as Spectators) I found my felf moved by a Pallion very different from that of Envy; fenfibly touched with Pity, the fofteft and moft generous of all Paffions, when I reflected what a cruel Difappointment the Neglect of thofe Papers must needs have been to the Writers who impatiently longed to fee them appear in Print, and who, no doubt, triumphed to themfelves in the Hopes of having a Share with me in the Applaufe of the Publick; a Pleafure fo great, that none but thofe who have experienced it can have a Senfe of it. In this Manner of viewing thofe Papers, I really found I had not done them Juftice, there being fomething fo extremely natural and peculiarly good in fome of them, that I will appeal to the World whether it was poffible to alter a Word in them withouc doing them a manifeft Hurt and Violence; and whether they can ever appear rightly, and as they ought, but i their own native Drefs and Colours: And therefore I think I fhould not only wrong them, but deprive de World of a confiderable Satisfaction, fhould I any longer delay the making them publick. AFTER I have published a few of thefe Spe Farm doubt not but I fhall find the Succefs of thera to cq1, if not furpafs, that of the beft of my own. An Ambon fhould take all Methods to humble himself in the Opinion he has of his own Performances. When thefe Papers appear to the World, I doubt not but they will be followed by many others; and I fhall not repine, though I my felf fhall have left me but very few Days to appear in Publick: But preferring the general Weal and Advantage to any Confiderations of my felf, I am refolved for the Future to publifh any Spectator that deferves it, entire, and without any Alteration; affuring the World (if there can be Need of it) that it is none of mine; and if the Authors think fit to fubfcribe their Names, I will add them. I think the best way of promoting this generous and ufeful Defign, will be by giving out Subjects or Themes of all Kinds whatfoever, on which (with a Preamble of the extraordinary Benefit and Advantage that may accrue thereby to the Publick) I will invite all manner of Perfons, whether Scholars, Citizens, Courtiers, Gentlemen of the Town or Country, and all Beaux, Rakes, Smarts, Prudes, Coquettes, Housewives, and all Sorts of Wits, whether Male or Female, and however diftinguifhed, whether they be True Wits, Whole, or Half Wits, or whether Arch, Dry, Natural, Acquired, Genuine, or Deprav'd Wits; and Perfons of all forts of Tempers and Complexions, whether the Severe, the Delightful, the Impertinent, the Agreeable, the Thoughtful, Bufy, or Careless; the Serene or Cloudy, Jovial or Melancholy, Untowardly or Eafy, the Cold, Temperate, or Sanguine; and of what Manners or Difpofitions foever, whether the Ambitious or Humble-minded, the Proud or Pitiful, Ingenious or Bafe-minded, Good or Ill-natur'd, Publickfpirited or Selfifh; and under what Fortune or Circumftance foever, whether the Contented or Miferable, Happy or Unfortunate, High or Low, Rich or Poor (whether fo through Want of Money, or Defire of more) Healthy or Sickly, Married or Single; nay, whether Tall or Short, Fat, or Lean; and of what Trade, Occupation, Profeffion, Station, Country, Faction, Party, Perfuafion, Quality, Age or Condition foever, who have ever made Thinking a Part of their Bufinefs or Diverfion, and have any thing worthy to impart on thefe Subjects to the World, according to these feveral and refpective Talents or Genius's, and as the Subject given out hits their Tem pers, pers, Humours, or Circumftances, or may be made profitable to the Publick by their particular Knowledge or Experience in the Matter propofed, to do their utmost on them by fuch a Time; to the End they may receive the inexpreffible and irrefiftible Pleasure of feeing their Effay allowed of and relifhed by the rest of Mankind. I will not prepoffefs the Reader with too great Expectation of the extraordinary Advantages which muft redound to the Publick by thefe Effays, when the different Thoughts and Obfervations of all Sorts of Perfons according to their Quality, Age, Sex, Education, Profelfions, Humours, Manners and Conditions, &c. fhall be fet out by themselves in the cleareft and moft genuine Light, and as they themselves would wish to have them appear to the World. THE Thefis propos'd for the prefent Exercife of the Adventurers to write Spectators, is MONEY, on which Subject all Perfons are defired to fend in their Thoughts within Ten Days after the Date hereof. T 443. Tuesday, July 29. No 443. Sublatam ex oculis Quærimus invidi. Camilla to the SPECTATOR. Mr. SPECTATOR, I Hor. Venice, July 10. N. S. Take it extremely ill, that you do not reckon confpicuous Perfons of your Nation are within your' Cognizance, tho' out of the Dominions of Great Britain. I little thought in the green Years of my Life, that I fhould ever call it an Happiness to be out of dear England; but as I grew to Woman, I found my felf lefs acceptable in Proportion to the Increase of my Merit. Their Ears in Italy are fo differently formed from the Make of yours in England, that I never come upon the Stage, but a general Satisfaction appears in every Countenance of the whole People. When I dwell upon a Note, I behold all the Men accompanying me with H S • Heads Heads inclining and falling of their Persons on one Side, as dying away with me. The Women too do Juftice to my Merit, and no ill-natured worthless Creature cries, The vain Thing, when I am rapt up in 'the Performance of my Part, and fenfibly touched with the Effect my Voice has upon all who hear me. I ⚫ live here distinguished as one whom Nature has been ⚫ liberal to in a graceful Perfon, an exalted Mien, and Heavenly Voice. These Particularities in this ftrange Country, are Arguments for Refpect and Generofity to her who is poffeffed of them. The Italians fee a thoufand Beauties I am fenfible I have no Pretence to, and abundantly make up to me the Injuftice I received in my own Country, of difallowing me what I really had. • The Humour of Hiffing, which you have among you, "I do not know any thing of; and their Applaufes are ⚫ uttered in Sighs, and bearing a Part at the Cadences of Voice with the Perfons who are performing. I am. often put in mind of thofe complaifant Lines of my own Countryman, when he is calling all his Faculties together to hear Arabella: ་ Let all be buf'd, each fofteft Motion, ceafe, Be calm, as in the Arms of Death: Let me be all but my Attention dead. The whole City of Venice is as ftill when I am finging, as this Polite Hearer was to Mrs. Hunt. But when they • break that Silence, did you know the Pleasure I am in, when every Man utters his Applaufe, by calling me ⚫ aloud the Dear Creature, the Angel, the Venus; What • Attitude fhe moves with! -Hub, fhe fings again! -We ⚫ have no boiftrous Wits who dare disturb an Audience, and break the p blick Peace meerly to fhew they dare. • Mr. 6 |
