The Spectator Volume Iii Part 41

This Pa.s.sion towards each other, when once well fixed, enters into the very Const.i.tution, and the Kindness flows as easily and silently as the Blood in the Veins. When this Affection is enjoy'd in the most sublime Degree, unskilful Eyes see nothing of it; but when it is subject to be chang'd, and has an Allay in it that may make it end in Distaste, it is apt to break into Rage, or overflow into Fondness, before the rest of the World.

_Uxander_ and _Viramira_ are amorous and young, and have been married these two Years; yet do they so much distinguish each other in Company, that in your Conversation with the Dear Things you are still put to a Sort of Cross-Purposes. Whenever you address your self in ordinary Discourse to _Viramira_, she turns her Head another way, and the Answer is made to the dear _Uxander_: If you tell a merry Tale, the Application is still directed to her Dear; and when she should commend you, she says to him, as if he had spoke it, That is, my Dear, so pretty--This puts me in mind of what I have somewhere read in the admired Memoirs of the famous _Cervantes_, where, while honest _Sancho Panca_ is putting some necessary humble Question concerning _Rozinante_, his Supper, or his Lodgings, the Knight of the Sorrowful Countenance is ever improving the harmless lowly Hints of his Squire to the poetical Conceit, Rapture and Flight, in Contemplation of the dear _Dulcinea_ of his Affections.

On the other side, _Dictamnus_ and _Moria_ are ever squabbling, and you may observe them all the time they are in Company in a State of Impatience. As _Uxander_ and _Viramira_ wish you all gone, that they may be at freedom for Dalliance; _Dictamnus_ and _Moria_ wait your Absence, that they may speak their harsh Interpretations on each other's Words and Actions during the time you were with them.

It is certain that the greater Part of the Evils attending this Condition of Life, arises from Fas.h.i.+on. Prejudice in this Case is turn'd the wrong way, and instead of expecting more Happiness than we shall meet with in it, we are laugh'd into a Prepossession, that we shall be disappointed if we hope for lasting Satisfactions.

With all Persons who have made good Sense the Rule of Action, Marriage is describ'd as the State capable of the highest human Felicity. _Tully_ has Epistles full of affectionate Pleasure, when he writes to his Wife, or speaks of his Children. But above all the Hints of this kind I have met with in Writers of ancient date, I am pleas'd with an Epigram of _Martial_ [1] in honour of the Beauty of his Wife _Cleopatra_.

Commentators say it was written the day after his Wedding-Night. When his Spouse was retir'd to the Bathing-room in the Heat of the Day, he, it seems, came in upon her when she was just going into the Water. To her Beauty and Carriage on this occasion we owe the following Epigram, which I shew'd my Friend WILL. HONEYCOMB in _French_, who has translated it as follows, without understanding the Original. I expect it will please the _English_ better than the _Latin_ Reader.

'When my bright Consort, now nor Wife nor Maid, Asham'd and wanton, of Embrace afraid, Fled to the Streams, the Streams my Fair betray'd; To my fond Eyes she all transparent stood, She blush'd, I smil'd at the slight covering Flood.

Thus thro' the Gla.s.s the Lovely Lilly glows, Thus thro' the ambient Gem s.h.i.+nes forth the Rose.

I saw new Charms, and plung'd to seize my Store, Kisses I s.n.a.t.c.h'd, the Waves prevented more.'

My Friend would not allow that this luscious Account could be given of a Wife, and therefore used the Word _Consort_; which, he learnedly said, would serve for a Mistress as well, and give a more Gentlemanly Turn to the Epigram. But, under favour of him and all other such fine Gentlemen, I cannot be persuaded but that the Pa.s.sion a Bridegroom has for a virtuous young Woman, will, by little and little, grow into Friends.h.i.+p, and then it is ascended to [a [2]] higher Pleasure than it was in its first Fervour. Without this happens, he is a very unfortunate Man who has enter'd into this State, and left the Habitudes of Life he might have enjoy'd with a faithful Friend. But when the Wife proves capable of filling serious as well as joyous Hours, she brings Happiness unknown to Friends.h.i.+p itself. _Spencer_ speaks of each kind of Love with great Justice, and attributes the highest Praise to Friends.h.i.+p; and indeed there is no disputing that Point, but by making that Friends.h.i.+p take [Place [3]] between two married Persons.

'Hard is the Doubt, and difficult to deem, When all three kinds of Love together meet, And to dispart the Heart with Power extreme, Whether shall weigh the Ballance down; to wit, The dear Affection unto Kindred sweet, Or raging Fire of Love to Womenkind, Or Zeal of Friends combin'd by Virtues meet.

But, of them all, the Band of virtuous Mind Methinks the gentle Heart should most a.s.sured bind.

For natural Affection soon doth cease, And quenched is with_ Cupid's _greater Flame; But faithful Friends.h.i.+p doth them both suppress, And them with mastering Discipline does tame, Through Thoughts aspiring to eternal Fame.

For as the Soul doth rule the Earthly Ma.s.s, And all the Service of the Body frame; So Love of Soul doth Love of Body pa.s.s, No less than perfect Gold surmounts the meanest Bra.s.s.'

T.

[Footnote 1: Lib. iv. ep. 22.]

[Footnote 2: an]

[Footnote 3: its Place]

No. 491. Tuesday, September 23, 1712. Steele.

'Digna satis fortuna revisit.'

Virg.

It is common with me to run from Book to Book to exercise my Mind with many Objects, and qualify my self for my daily Labours. After an Hour spent in this loitering Way of Reading, something will remain to be Food to the Imagination. The Writings that please me most on such Occasions are Stories, for the Truth of which there is good Authority. The Mind of Man is naturally a Lover of Justice, and when we read a Story wherein a Criminal is overtaken, in whom there is no Quality which is the Object of Pity, the Soul enjoys a certain Revenge for the Offence done to its Nature, in the wicked Actions committed in the preceding Part of the History. This will be better understood by the Reader from the following Narration [1] it self, than from any thing which I can say to introduce it.

When _Charles_ Duke of _Burgundy_, surnamed _The Bold_, reigned over s.p.a.cious Dominions now swallowed up by the Power of _France_, he heaped many Favours and Honours upon _Claudius Rhynsault_, a _German_, who had serv'd him in his Wars against the Insults of his Neighbours. A great part of _Zealand_ was at that time in Subjection to that Dukedom. The Prince himself was a Person of singular Humanity and Justice.

_Rhynsault_, with no other real Quality than Courage, had Dissimulation enough to pa.s.s upon his generous and unsuspicious Master for a Person of blunt Honesty and Fidelity, without any Vice that could bias him from the Execution of Justice. His Highness prepossessed to his Advantage, upon the Decease of the Governour of his chief Town of _Zealand_, gave _Rhynsault_ that Command. He was not long seated in that Government, before he cast his Eyes upon _Sapphira_, a Woman of Exquisite Beauty, the Wife of _Paul Danvelt_, a wealthy Merchant of the City under his Protection and Government. _Rhynsault_ was a Man of a warm Const.i.tution, and violent Inclination to Women, and not unskilled in the soft Arts which win their Favour. He knew what it was to enjoy the Satisfactions which are reaped from the Possession of Beauty, but was an utter Stranger to the Decencies, Honours and Delicacies that attend the Pa.s.sion towards them in elegant Minds. However he had so much of the World, that he had a great share of the Language which usually prevails upon the weaker Part of that s.e.x, and he could with his Tongue utter a Pa.s.sion with which his Heart was wholly untouch'd. He was one of those brutal Minds which can be gratified with the Violation of Innocence and Beauty, without the least Pity, Pa.s.sion or Love to that with which they are so much delighted. Ingrat.i.tude is a Vice inseparable to a l.u.s.tful Man; and the Possession of a Woman by him who has no thought but allaying a Pa.s.sion painful to himself, is necessarily followed by Distaste and Aversion. _Rhynsault_ being resolv'd to accomplish his Will on the Wife of _Danvelt_, left no Arts untried to get into a Familiarity at her House; but she knew his Character and Disposition too well, not to shun all Occasions that might ensnare her into his Conversation. The Governor despairing of Success by ordinary Means, apprehended and Imprisoned her Husband, under pretence of an Information that he was guilty of a Correspondence with the Enemies of the Duke, to betray the Town into their Possession. This Design had its desired Effect; and the Wife of the unfortunate _Danvelt_, the day before that which was appointed for his Execution, presented herself in the Hall of the Governor's House, and as he pa.s.s'd thro' the Apartment, threw her self at his Feet, and holding his Knees, beseeched his Mercy. _Rhynsault_ beheld her with a dissembled Satisfaction, and a.s.suming an Air of Thought and Authority, he bid her arise, and told her she must follow him to his Closet; and asking her whether she knew the Hand of the Letter he pulled out of his Pocket, went from her, leaving this Admonition aloud, _If you will save your Husband, you must give me an account of all you know without Prevarication; for every body is satisfied he was too fond of you to be able to hide from you the Names of the rest of the Conspirators, or any other Particulars whatsoever_.

He went to his Closet, and soon after the Lady was sent to for an Audience. The Servant knew his distance when Matters of State were to be debated; and the Governor, laying aside the Air with which he had appear'd in publick, began to be the Supplicant, to rally an Affliction, which it was in her Power easily to remove, and relieve an innocent Man from his Imprisonment. She easily perceiv'd his Intention, and, bathed in Tears, began to deprecate so wicked a Design. l.u.s.t, like Ambition, takes all the Faculties of the Mind and Body into its Service and Subjection. Her becoming Tears, her honest Anguish, the wringing of her Hands, and the many Changes of her Posture and Figure in the Vehemence of speaking, were but so many Att.i.tudes in which he beheld her Beauty, and further Incentives of his Desire. All Humanity was lost in that one Appet.i.te, and he signified to her in so many plain Terms, that he was unhappy till he had possess'd her, and nothing less shou'd be the Price of her Husband's Life; and she must, before the following Noon, p.r.o.nounce the Death or Enlargement of _Danvelt_. After this Notification, when he saw _Sapphira_ enough again distracted to make the Subject of their Discourse to common Eyes appear different from what it was, he called Servants to conduct her to the Gate. Loaded with insupportable Affliction, she immediately repairs to her Husband, and having signified to his Gaolers, that she had a Proposal to make to her Husband from the Governor, she was left alone with him, reveal'd to him all that had pa.s.s'd, and represented the endless Conflict she was in between Love to his Person, and Fidelity to his Bed. It is easie to imagine the sharp Affliction this honest Pair was in upon such an Incident, in Lives not us'd to any but ordinary Occurrences. The Man was bridled by Shame from speaking what his Fear prompted, upon so near an approach of Death; but let fall Words that signify'd to her, he should not think her polluted, though she had not yet confess'd to him that the Governor had violated her Person, since he knew her Will had no part in the Action. She parted from him with this oblique Permission to save a Life he had not Resolution enough to resign for the safety of his Honour.

The next Morning the unhappy _Sapphira_ attended the Governor, and being led into a remote Apartment, submitted to his Desires. _Rhynsault_ commended her Charms, claim'd a Familiarity after what had pa.s.s'd between them, and with an Air of Gaiety in the Language of a Gallant, bid her return, and take her Husband out of Prison: But, continu'd he, my Fair one must not be offended that I have taken care he should not be an Interruption to our future a.s.signations. These last Words foreboded what she found when she came to the Gaol, her Husband executed by the Order of _Rhynsault._

It was remarkable that the Woman, who was full of Tears and Lamentations during the whole Course of her Affliction, uttered neither Sigh nor Complaint, but stood fix'd with Grief at this Consummation of her Misfortunes. She betook herself to her abode, and after having in Solitude paid her Devotions to him who is the Avenger of Innocence, she repair'd privately to Court. Her Person and a certain Grandeur of Sorrow negligent of Forms gain'd her Pa.s.sage into the Presence of the Duke her Sovereign. As soon as she came into the Presence, she broke forth into the following words, _Behold, O mighty_ Charles, _a Wretch weary of Life, though it has always been spent with Innocence and Virtue. It is not in your power to redress my Injuries, but it is to avenge them. And if the Protection of the Distress'd, and the Punishment of Oppressors, is a Task worthy a Prince, I bring the Duke of_ Burgundy _ample matter for doing Honour to his own great Name, and wiping Infamy off of mine._

When she had spoke this, she deliver'd the Duke a Paper reciting her Story. He read it with all the Emotions that Indignation and Pity could raise in a Prince jealous of his Honour in the Behaviour of his Officers, and Prosperity of his Subjects.

Upon an appointed Day, _Rhynsault_ was sent for to Court, and in the Presence of a few of the Council, confronted by _Sapphira_: the Prince asking, _Do you know that Lady? Rhynsault_, as soon as he could recover his Surprize, told the Duke he would marry her, if his Highness would please to think that a Reparation. The Duke seem'd contented with this Answer, and stood by during the immediate Solemnization of the Ceremony.

At the Conclusion of it he told _Rhynsault, Thus far have you done as constrain'd by my Authority: I shall not be satisfied of your kind Usage of her, without you sign a Gift of your whole Estate to her after your Decease_. To the Performance of this also the Duke was a Witness. When these two Acts were executed, the Duke turn'd to the Lady, and told her, it now remains for me to put you in quiet Possession of what your Husband has so bountifully bestow'd on you; and order'd the immediate Execution of _Rhynsault_.

T.

[Footnote 1: Founded upon note N to the Memoir of Charles of Burgundy in Bayle's Dictionary, where the authorities cited are Pontus Heuterus and others. It is not in Comines.]

No. 492. Wednesday, September 24, 1712. Steele.

'Quicquid est boni moris Levitate extinguiter.'

Sen.

_Tunbridge, Sept. 18._

_Dear Mr._ SPECTATOR,