grateful but where it is regarded by him
who possesses it in the second place. The
best man that I know of, for heightening
the revel gaiety of a company, is Estcourt,
whose jovial humour diffuses itself from
the highest person at an entertainment to
the meanest waiter. Merry tales, accom-
panied with apt gestures and lively repre-

beguile the gravest mind into a consent to
be as humourous as himself. Add to this,
that when a man is in his good graces, he
has a mimickry that does not debase the
person he represents; but which, taking
from the gravity of the character, adds to
the agreeableness of it. This pleasant fel-
low gives one some idea of the ancient
pantomime, who is said to have given the
audience, in dumb-show, an exact idea of
any character or passion, or an intelligible
relation of any public occurrence, with no
other expression than that of his looks and
gestures. If all who have been obliged to
these talents in Estcourt will be at Love
for Love to-morrow night, they will but
pay him what they owe him, at so easy a
rate as being present at a play which no-
body would omit seeing, that had, or had
not, ever seen it before.
T.

and contributing to the pleasure of the whole company. When one considers such collections of companions in past times, and such as one might name in the present age, with how much spleen must a man needs reflect upon the awkward gaiety of those who affect the frolic with an ill grace! I have a letter from a correspondent of mine, who desires me to admonish all loud, mis-sentations of circumstances and persons, chievous, airy, dull companions, that they are mistaken in what they call a frolic. Irregularity in itself is not what creates pleasure and mirth; but to see a man, who knows what rule and decency are, descend from them agreeably in our company, is what denominates him a pleasant companion. Instead of that, you find many whose mirth consists only in doing things which do not become them, with a secret consciousness that all the world knows they know better: to this is always added something mischievous to themselves or others. I have heard of some very merry fellows among whom the frolic was started, and passed by a great majority, that every man should immediately draw a tooth: after which they have gone in a body and smoked a cobler. The same company, at another night, has each man burned his cravat; and one perhaps, whose estate would bear it, has thrown a long wig and hat into the same fire. Thus they have jested them-No. 359.] Tuesday, April 22, 1712. selves stark-naked, and run into the streets and frighted women very successfully. There is no inhabitant of any standing in Covent Garden, but can tell you a hundred good humours, where people have come off with a little bloodshed, and yet scoured all the witty hours of the night. I know a gentleman that has several wounds in the head by watch-poles, and has been thrice run through the body, to carry on a good jest. He is very old for a man of so much good humour; but to this day he is seldom merry but he has occasion to be valiant at the same time. But, by the favour of these gentlemen, I am humbly of opinion, that a man may be a very witty man, and never offend one statute of this kingdom, not excepting that of stabbing.

The writers of plays have what they call unity of time and place, to give a justness to their representation; and it would not be amiss if all who pretend to be companions would confine their actions to the place of meeting; for a frolic carried farther may be better performed by other animals than men. It is not to rid much ground, or do much mischief, that should denominate a pleasant fellow; but that is truly frolic which is the play of the mind, and consists of various and unforced sallies of imagination. Festivity of spirit is a very uncommon talent, and must proceed from an assemblage of agreeable qualities in the same person. There are some few whom I think peculiarly happy in it, but it is a talent one cannot name in a man, especially when one considers, that it is never very

Torva leæna lupum sequitur, lupus ipse capellam;
Florentem cytisum sequitur lasciva capella.

Virg. Ecl. vi. 63

Lions the wolves, and wolves the kids pursue,
The kids sweet thyme,-and still I follow you.

Warton.

As we were at the club last night, I observed that my old friend Sir Roger, contrary to his usual custom, sat very silent, and, instead of minding what was said by the company, was whistling to himself in a very thoughtful mood, and playing with a cork. I jogged Sir Andrew Freeport, who sat between us; and, as we were both observing him we saw the knight shake his head, and heard him say to himself, A foolish woman! I can't believe it.' Sir Andrew gave him a gentle pat upon the shoulder, and offered to lay him a bottle of wine that he was thinking of the widow. My old friend started, and, recovering out of his brown study, told Sir Andrew, that once in his life he had been in the right. In short, after some little hesitation, Sir Roger told us in the fulness of his heart, that he had just received a letter from his steward, which acquainted him that his old rival and antagonist in the country, Sir David Dundrum, had been making a visit to the widow. However,' says Sir Roger, 'I can never think that she will have a man that's half a year older than I am, and a noted republican into the bargain.'

Will Honeycomb, who looks upon love as his particular province, interrupting our friend with a jaunty laugh, I thought, knight,' said he, thou hadst lived long

had not come pouring in to her assistance from all parts of England; nay, I believe I should have got her at last, had not she been carried off by a hard frost.'

enough in the world not to pin thy happiness | one which I made some years since upon upon one that is a woman and a widow. I an old woman, whom I had certainly borne think that, without vanity, I may pretend away with flying colours, if her relations to know as much of the female world as any man in Great Britain; though the chief of my knowledge consists in this, that they are not to be known.' Will immediately, with his usual fluency, rambled into an account of his own amours. I am now,' says he, 'upon the verge of fifty.' (though by the way we all knew he was turned of three-score.) You may easily guess,' continued Will, that I have not lived so long in the world without having had some thoughts of settling in it, as the phrase is. To tell you truly, I have several times tried my fortune that way, though I cannot much boast of my success.

I made my first addresses to a young lady in the country; but, when I thought things were pretty well drawing to a conclusion, her father happening to hear that I had formerly boarded with a surgeon, the old put forbade me his house, and within a fortnight after married his daughter to a fox-hunter in the neighbourhood.

'I made my next application to a widow, and attacked her so briskly, that I thought myself within a fortnight of her. As I waited upon her one morning, she told me, that she intended to keep her ready-money and jointure in her own hand, and desired me to call upon her attorney in Lyon's-Inn, who would adjust with me what it was proper for me to add to it. I was so rebuffed by this overture, that I never inquired

either for her or her attorney afterwards.

As Will's transitions are extremely quick, he turned from Sir Roger, and, applying himself to me, told me there was a passage in the book I had considered last Saturday, which deserves to be writ in letters of gold: and taking out a pocket Milton, read the following lines, which are part of one of Adam's speeches to Eve after the fall.

-Oh! why did our

Creator wise! that peopled highest heaven
With spirits masculine, create at last
This novelty on earth, this fair defect
Of nature, and not fill the world at once
With men, as angels, without feminine?
Or find some other way to generate
Mankind? This mischief had not then befall'n,
And more that shall befall, innumerable
Disturbances on earth, through female snares,
And straight conjunction with this sex: for either
He shall never find out fit mate; but such
As some misfortune brings him, or mistake;
Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain,
Through her perverseness; but shall see her gain'd
By a far worse: or, if she love, withheld
By parents; or his happiest choice too late
Shall meet, already link'd and wedlock bound
To a fell adversary, his hate or shame :
Which infinite calamity shall cause

To human life, and household peace confound.'

Sir Roger listened to this passage with comb to fold down a leaf at the place, and great attention; and, desiring Mr. Honeylend him his book, the knight put it up in his pocket, and told us that he would read over

these verses again before he went to bed.

-De paupertate tacentes,

X.

'A few months after, I addressed myself to a young lady who was an only daughter, and of a good family. I danced with her at several balls, squeezed her by the hand, No. 360.] Wednesday, April 23, 1712. said soft things to her, and, in short, made no doubt of her heart; and, though my fortune was not equal to hers, I was in hopes that her fond father would not deny her the man she had fixed her affections upon. But as I went one day to the house, in order to break the matter to him, I found the whole family in confusion, and heard to my unspeakable surprise, that Miss Jenny was that very morning run away with the butler.

I then courted a second widow, and am at a loss to this day how I came to miss her, for she had often commended my person and behaviour. Her maid indeed told me one day, that her mistress said she never saw a gentleman with such a spindle pair of legs as Mr. Honeycomb.

After this I laid siege to four heiresses successively, and, being a handsome young dog in those days, quickly made a breach in their hearts, but I don't know how it came to pass, though I seldom failed of getting the daughter's consent, I could never in my life get the old people on my side.

I could give you an account of a thousand other unsuccessful attempts, particularly of

Plus poscente ferent. Hor. Ep. xvii. Lib. 1. 43.
The man who all his wants conceals,
Gains more than he who all his wants reveals.
Duncombe.

I HAVE nothing to do with the business of this day, any further than affixing the piece of Latin on the head of my paper; which I think a motto not unsuitable; since, if silence of our poverty is a recommendation, still more commendable is his modesty who conceals it by a decent dress.

MR. SPECTATOR,-There is an evil under the sun, which has not yet come within your speculation, and is the censure, disesteem, and contempt, which some young fellows meet with from particular persons, for the reasonable methods they take to avoid them in general. This is by appearing in a better dress than may seem to a relation regularly consistent with a small fortune; and therefore may occasion a judgment of a suitable extravagance in other particulars; but the disadvantage with which the man of narrow circumstances acts and speaks, is so feelingly set forth in a little

book called the Christian Hero, that the appearing to be otherwise is not only pardonable, but necessary. Every one knows the hurry of conclusions that are made in contempt of a person that appears to be calamitous; which makes it very excusable to prepare one's self for the company of those that are of a superior quality and fortune, by appearing to be in a better condi tion than one is, so far as such appearance shall not make us really of worse.

hat to a person whose air and attire hardly entitle him to it! for whom nevertheless the other has a particular esteem, though he is ashamed to have it challenged in so public a manner. It must be allowed, that any young fellow that affects to dress and appear genteelly, might with artificial management, save ten pounds a-year; as instead of fine holland he might mourn in sack-cloth, and in other particulars be proportionably shabby: but of what service would this sum be 'It is a justice due to the character of to avert any misfortune, whilst it would one who suffers hard reflections from any leave him deserted by the little good acparticular person upon this account, that quaintance he has, and prevent his gaining such persons would inquire into his manner any other? As the appearance of an easy of spending his time; of which, though no fortune is necessary towards making one, I further information can be had than that don't know but it might be of advantage he remains so many hours in his chamber, sometimes to throw into one's discourse yet if this is cleared, to imagine that a rea- certain exclamations about bank stock, and sonable creature, wrung with a narrow for to show a marvellous surprise upon its fall, tune, does not make the best use of this as well as the most affected triumph upon retirement, would be a conclusion extremely its rise. The veneration and respect which uncharitable. From what has, or will be the practice of all ages has preserved to said, I hope no consequence can be extorted, appearances, without doubt suggested to implying, that I would have any young fel- our tradesmen that wise and politic custom, low spend more time than the common to apply and recommend themselves to the leisure which his studies require, or more public by all those decorations upon their money than his fortune or allowance may sign-posts and houses which the most emiadmit of, in the pursuit of an acquaintance nent hands in the neighbourhood can furnish with his betters: for as to his time, the them with. What can be more attractive gross of that ought to be sacred to more to a man of letters, than that immense erusubstantial acquisitions; for each irrecove-dition of all ages and languages, which a rable moment of which he ought to believe skilful bookseller, in conjunction with a he stands religiously accountable. As to his painter, shall image upon his column, and dress, I shall engage myself no further than the extremities of his shop? The same in the modest defence of two plain suits a spirit of maintaining a handsome appearyear: for being perfectly satisfied in Eu- ance reigns among the grave and solid aptrapelus's contrivance of making a Mohock prentices of the law (here I could be partiof a man, by presenting him with laced and cularly dull in proving the word apprentice embroidered suits, I would by no means be to be significant of a barrister,) and you may thought to controvert the conceit, by insiasily distinguish who has most lately made nuating the advantages of foppery. It is an his pretensions to business, by the whitest assertion which admits of much proof, that and most ornamental frame of his window; a stranger of tolerable sense, dressed like a if indeed the chamber is a ground-room, and gentleman, will be better received by those has rails before it, the finery is of necessity of quality above him, than one of much bet- more extended and the pomp of business ter parts, whose dress is regulated by the better maintained. And what can be a rigid notions of frugality. A man's ap-greater indication of the dignity of dress, pearance falls within the censure of every one that sees him; his parts and learning very few are judges of; and even upon these few they cannot at first be well intruded; for policy and good-breeding will counsel him to be reserved among strangers, and to support himself only by the common spirit of conversation. Indeed among the injudicious, the words, "delicacy, idiom, fine images, structure of periods, genius, fire," and the rest, made use of with a frugal and comely gravity, will maintain the figure of immense reading, and the depth of criti cism.

than that burdensome finery which is the regular habit of our judges, nobles, and bishops, with which upon certain days we see them incumbered? And though it may be said, this is lawful, and necessary for the dignity of the state, yet the wisest of them have been remarkable, before they arrived at their present stations, for being very well dressed persons. As to my own part, I am near thirty; and since I left school have not been idle, which is a modern phrase for having studied hard. I brought off a clean system of moral philosophy, and a tolerable jargon of metaphysics, from the university; since that I have been engaged in the clearing part of the perplexed style and matter of the law, which so hereditarily descends to all its professors. To all which severe studies I have thrown in, at proper interims, the pretty learning of the classics. Notwithstanding which, I am what Shak

speare calls a fellow of no mark or likeli- | very well, that musical instruments took hood, which makes me understand the their first rise from the notes of birds, and more fully that since the regular methods other melodious animals; and what,' says of making friends and a fortune by the he, was more natural than for the first mere force of a profession is so very slow ages of mankind to imitate the voice of a and uncertain, a man should take all rea-cat, that lived under the same roof with sonable opportunities, by enlarging a good acquaintance, to court that time and chance which is said to happen to every man.

What this learned gentleman supposes in speculation, I have known actually verified in practice. The cat-call has struck a damp into generals, and frighted heroes off the stage. At the first sound of it I have seen a crowned head tremble, and a princess fall into fits. The humourous lieutenant himself could not stand it; nay, I am told that even Almanzor looked like a mouse, and trembled at the voice of this terrifying instrument.

As it is of a dramatic nature, and peculiarly appropriated to the stage, I can by no means approve the thought of that angry lover, who, after an unsuccessful pursuit of some years, took leave of his mistress in a serenade of cat-calls.

instrument that shall sink the spirits and of private families, or the clubs of honest shake the nerves, and curdle the blood, fellows. I cannot imagine how a Spectator and inspire despair, and cowardice, and can be supposed to do his duty, without consternation, at a surprising rate. 'Tis frequent resumption of such subjects as probable the roaring of lions, the warbling concern our health, the first thing to be of cats and screech-owls, together with a regarded, if we have a mind to relish any mixture of the howling of dogs, judiciously thing else. It would, therefore, very well imitated and compounded, might go a great become your spectatorial vigilance, to give way in this invention. Whether such anti-it in orders to your officer for inspecting music as this might not be of service in a signs, that in his march he would look into camp, I shall leave to the military men to the itinerants who deal in provisions, and consider.' inquire where they buy their several wares. Ever since the decease of Colly-Molly-Puff, of agreeable and noisy memory, I cannot say I have observed any thing sold in carts, or carried by horse, or ass, or, in fine, in any moving market, which is not perished or putrefied; witness the wheel-barrows of rotten raisins, almonds, figs, and currants, which you see vended by a merchant dressed in a second-hand suit of a foot soldier. You should consider that a child may be poisoned for the worth of a farthing; but except his poor parents send him to one certain doctor in town, they can have no advice for him under a guinea. When poisons are thus cheap, and medicines thus dear, how can you be negligent in inspecting what we eat and drink, or take no notice of such as the above-mentioned citizens, who have been so serviceable to us of late in that particular? It was a custom among the old Romans, to do him particular honours who had saved the life of a citizen. How much more does the world owe to those who prevent the death of multitudes! As these men deserve well of your office, so such as act to the detriment of our health, you ought to represent to themselves and their fellow-subjects in the colours which they deserve to wear. I think it would be for the public good, that all who vend wines should be under oath in that behalf. The chairman at the quarter-sessions should inform the country, that the vintner who mixes wine to his customers, shall (upon proof that the drinker thereof died within a year and a day after taking it,) be deemed guilty of wilful murder, and the jury shall be instructed to inquire and present such delinquents accordingly. It is no mitigation of the crime, nor will it be conceived that it can be brought in chancemedley, or man-slaughter, upon proof that it shall appear wine joined to wine, or right Herefordshire poured into Port O Port: but his selling it for one thing, knowing it to be another, must justly bear the foresaid guilt of wilful murder: for that he, the said vintner, did an unlawful act willingly in the false mixture, and is therefore with equity liable to all the pains to which a man would be, if it were proved that he designed only to run a man through the arm whom he whipped through the lungs. This is my third year at the Temple, and this is, or should be, law. An ill intention, well proved, should meet with no alleviation, because it outran itself. There cannot be too great

I must conclude this paper with the account I have lately received of an ingenious artist, who has long studied this instrument, and is very well versed in all the rules of the drama. He teaches to play on it by book, and to express by it the whole art of criticism. He has his bass and his treble cat-call; the former for tragedy, the latter for comedy; only in tragi-comedies they may both play together in concert. He has a particular squeak, to denote the violation of each of the unities, and has different sounds to show whether he aims at the poet or the player. In short, he teaches the smut-note, the fustian-note, the stupid-note, and has composed a kind of air that may serve as an act-tune to an incorrigible play, and which takes in the whole compass of the cat-call. L.

No. 352.] Friday, April 25, 1712.

Laudibus arguitur vini vinosus

Hor. Ep. xix. Lib. 1. 6. He praises wine; and we conclude from thence, He lik'd his glass, on his own evidence.

'Temple, April 24. 'MR. SPECTATOR,--Several of my friends were this morning got over a dish of tea in very good health, though we had celebrated yesterday with more glasses that we could have dispensed with, had we not been beholden to Brooke and Hellier. In gratitude, therefore, to those citizens, I am, in the name of the company, to accuse you of great negligence in overlooking their merit, who have imported true and generous wine, and taken care that it should not be adulterated by the retailers before it comes to the tables