The Spectator Volume Iii Part 75

On _Menander_, the Author unnamed.

'The very Bees, O sweet_ Menander, _hung To taste the_ Muses _Spring upon thy Tongue; The very_ Graces _made the Scenes you writ Their happy Point of fine Expression hit.

Thus still you live, you make your_ Athens _s.h.i.+ne, And raise its Glory to the Skies in thine.'

This Epigram has a respect to the Character of its Subject; for _Menander_ writ remarkably with a Justness and Purity of Language. It has also told the Country he was born in, without either a set or a hidden Manner, while it twists together the Glory of the Poet and his Nation, so as to make the Nation depend upon his for an Encrease of its own.

I will offer no more Instances at present, to shew that they who deserve Praise have it returned them from different Ages. Let these which have been laid down, shew Men that Envy will not always prevail.

And to the End that Writers may more successfully enliven the Endeavours of one another, let them consider, in some such Manner as I have attempted, what may be the justest Spirit and Art of Praise. It is indeed very hard to come up to it. Our Praise is trifling when it depends upon Fable; it is false when it depends upon wrong Qualifications; it means nothing when it is general; it is extreamly difficult to hit when we propose to raise Characters high, while we keep to them justly. I shall end this with transcribing that excellent Epitaph of Mr. _Cowley_, wherein, with a kind of grave and philosophick Humour, he very beautifully speaks of himself (withdrawn from the World, and dead to all the Interests of it) as of a Man really deceased. At the same time it is an Instruction how to leave the Publick with a good Grace.

Epitaphium Vivi Authoris.

'Hic, O Viator, sub Lare parvulo_ Couleius _hic est conditus, hic jacet Defunctus Humani Laboris Sorte, supervacuaque Vita, Non Indecora pauperie nitens, Et non inerti n.o.bilis Otio, Vanoque dilectis popello Divitiis animosus hostis.

Possis ut illum dicere mortuum En Terra jam nunc Quantula sufficit?

Exempta sit Curis, Viator, Terra sit illa laevis, precare.

Hic sparge Flores, sparge breves Rosas, Nam Vita gaudet Mortua Floribus, Herbisque Odoratis Corona Vatis adhuc Cinerem Calentem.'

[The Publication of these Criticisms having procured me the following Letter from a very ingenious Gentleman, I cannot forbear inserting it in the Volume, though it did not come soon enough to have a place in any of my single Papers.

_Mr_. SPECTATOR,

'Having read over in your Paper, No. 551. some of the Epigrams made by the _Grecian_ Wits, in commendation of their celebrated Poets, I could not forbear sending you another, out of the same Collection; which I take to be as great a Compliment to _Homer_, as any that has yet been paid him.

[Greek: Tis poth' ho tn Troiaes polemon, &c.]

Who first transcribed the famous_ Trojan _War, And wise_ Ulysses' _Acts, O_ Jove, _make known: For since 'tis certain, Thine those Poems are, No more let_ Homer _boast they are his own.

If you think it worthy of a Place in your Speculations, for ought I know (by that means) it may in time be printed as often in _English_, as it has already been in _Greek_, I am (like the rest of the World)

_SIR_,

_Your great Admirer_, G. R.

4th _Dec_.

The Reader may observe that the Beauty of this Epigram is different from that of any in the foregoing. An Irony is look'd upon as the finest Palliative of Praise; and very often conveys the n.o.blest Panegyrick under the Appearance of Satire. _Homer_ is here seemingly accused and treated as a Plagiary; but what is drawn up in the form of an Accusation is certainly, as my Correspondent observes, the greatest Compliment that could have been paid to that Divine Poet.]

_Dear Mr_. SPECTATOR,

I am a Gentleman of a pretty good Fortune, and of a Temper impatient of any thing which I think an Injury; however I always quarrelled according to Law, and instead of attacking my Adversary by the dangerous Method of Sword and Pistol, I made my a.s.saults by that more secure one of Writ or Warrant. I cannot help telling you, that either by the Justice of my Causes, or the Superiority of my Counsel, I have been generally successful; and to my great Satisfaction I can say it, that by three Actions of Slander, and half a dozen Trespa.s.ses, I have for several Years enjoy'd a perfect Tranquility in my Reputation and Estate. By these means also I have been made known to the Judges, the Serjeants of our Circuit are my intimate Friends, and the Ornamental Counsel pay a very profound Respect to one who has made so great a Figure in the Law. Affairs of Consequence having brought me to Town, I had the Curiosity t'other day to visit _Westminster-Hall_; and having placed my self in one of the Courts, expected to be most agreeably entertained. After the Court and Counsel were, with due Ceremony, seated, up stands a learned Gentleman, and began, When this _Matter_ was last _stirr'd_ before your Lords.h.i.+p: The next humbly moved to _quash_ an _Indictment_; another complain'd that his Adversary had _snapp'd_ a _Judgment_; the next informed the Court that his Client was _stripp'd_ of his _Possession_; another begg'd Leave to acquaint his Lords.h.i.+p, that they had been _saddled_ with Costs. At last up got a grave Serjeant, and told us his Client had been _hung up_ a whole Term by a _Writ of Error_. At this I could bear it no longer, but came hither, and resolv'd to apply my self to your Honour to interpose with these Gentlemen, that they would leave off such low and unnatural Expressions: For surely tho' the Lawyers subscribe to hideous _French_ and false _Latin_, yet they should let their Clients have a little decent and proper _English_ for their Money. What Man that has a Value for a good Name would like to have it said in a publick Court, that Mr. such-a-one was _stripp'd, saddled_ or _hung up_? This being what has escaped your Spectatorial Observation, be pleas'd to correct such an illiberal Cant among profess'd Speakers, and you'll infinitely oblige _Your humble Servant_, Philonicus.

Joe's _Coffee-house_, Novemb. 28.

No. 552. Wednesday, December 3, 1712. Steele.

'--Quae praegravat artes Infra se positas extinctus amabitur idem.'

Hor.

As I was tumbling about the Town the other Day in an Hackney-Coach, and delighting my self with busy Scenes in the Shops of each Side of me, it came into my Head, with no small Remorse, that I had not been frequent enough in the Mention and Recommendation of the industrious Part of Mankind. It very naturally, upon this Occasion, touched my Conscience in particular, that I had not acquitted my self to my Friend Mr. _Peter Motteux_. [1] That industrious Man of Trade, and formerly Brother of the Quill, has dedicated to me a Poem upon Tea. It would injure him, as a Man of Business, if I did not let the World know that the Author of so good Verses writ them before he was concern'd in Traffick. In order to expiate my Negligence towards him, I immediately resolv'd to make him a Visit. I found his s.p.a.cious Warehouses fill'd and adorn'd with Tea, _China_ and _Indian_ Ware. I could observe a beautiful Ordonnance of the whole; and such different and considerable Branches of Trade carried on, in the same House, I exulted in seeing dispos'd by a Poetical Head. In one place were exposed to view Silks of various Shades and Colours, rich Brocades, and the wealthiest Products of foreign Looms.

Here you might see the finest Laces held up by the fairest Hands, and there examin'd by the beauteous Eyes of the Buyers, the most delicate Cambricks, Muslins, and Linnens. I could not but congratulate my Friend on the humble, but, I hoped, beneficial Use he had made of his Talents, and wished I could be a Patron to his Trade, as he had been pleased to make me of his Poetry. The honest Man has, I know, that modest Desire of Gain which is peculiar to those who understand better Things than Riches: and I dare say he would be contented with much less than what is called Wealth at that Quarter of the Town which he inhabits, and will oblige all his Customers with Demands agreeable to the Moderation of his Desires.

Among other Omissions of which I have been also guilty, with relation to Men of Industry of a superior Order, I must acknowledge my Silence towards a Proposal frequently enclosed to me by Mr. _Renatus Harris, Organ-Builder_. The ambition of this Artificer is to erect an Organ in St. _Paul's_ Cathedral, over the West Door, at the Entrance into the Body of the Church, which in Art and Magnificence shall transcend any Work of that kind ever before invented. The Proposal in perspicuous Language sets forth the Honour and Advantage such a Performance would be to the _British_ Name, as well as that it would apply the Power of Sounds in a manner more amazingly forcible than, perhaps, has yet been known, and I am sure to an End much more worthy. Had the vast Sums which have been laid out upon Opera's without Skill or Conduct, and to no other Purpose but to suspend or vitiate our Understandings, been disposed this Way, we should now perhaps have an Engine so formed as to strike the Minds of half a People at once in a Place of Wors.h.i.+p with a Forgetfulness of present Care and Calamity, and a Hope of endless Rapture, Joy, and Hallelujah hereafter.

When I am doing this Justice, I am not to forget the best Mechanick of my Acquaintance, that useful Servant to Science and Knowledge, Mr. _John Rowley_; but I think I lay a great Obligation on the Publick, by acquainting them with his Proposals for a Pair of new Globes. After his Preamble, he promises in the said Proposals that,

_In the Celestial Globe,_

'Care shall be taken that the fixed Stars be placed according to their true Longitude and Lat.i.tude, from the many and correct Observations of _Hevelius, Ca.s.sini_, Mr. _Flamsteed_, Reg. Astronomer, Dr. _Halley Savilian_ Professor of Geometry in _Oxon_; and from whatever else can be procured to render the Globe more exact, instructive, and useful.

'That all the Constellations be drawn in a curious, new, and particular manner; each Star in so just, distinct, and conspicuous a Proportion, that its true Magnitude may be readily known by bare Inspection, according to the different _Light_ and _Sizes_ of the Stars. That the Track or Way of such Comets as have been well observ'd, but not hitherto expressed in any Globe, be carefully delineated in this.

_In the Terrestrial Globe._

'That by reason the Descriptions formerly made, both in the _English_ [and [2]] _Dutch_ great Globes, are erroneous, _Asia, Africa_, and _America_, be drawn in a Manner wholly new; by which means it is to be noted, that the Undertakers will be obliged to alter the Lat.i.tude of some Places in 10 Degrees, the Longitude of others in 20 Degrees: besides which great and necessary Alterations, there be many remarkable Countries, Cities, Towns, Rivers, and Lakes, omitted in other Globes, inserted here according to the best Discoveries made by our late Navigators. Lastly, That the Course of the Trade-Winds, the _Monsoons_, and other Winds periodically s.h.i.+fting between the Tropicks, be visibly express'd.

'Now in Regard that this Undertaking is of so universal Use, as the Advancement of the most necessary Parts of the Mathematicks, as well as tending to the Honour of the _British_ Nation, and that the Charge of carrying it on is very expensive; it is desired that all Gentlemen who are willing to promote so great a Work, will be pleased to subscribe on the following Conditions.

'I. The Undertakers engage to furnish each Subscriber with a Celestial and Terrestrial Globe, each of 30 Inches Diameter, in all Respects curiously adorned, the Stars gilded, the Capital Cities plainly distinguished, the Frames, Meridians, Horizons, Hour Circles and Indexes so exactly finished up, and accurately divided, that a Pair of these Globes will really appear in the Judgment of any disinterested and intelligent Person, worth Fifteen Pounds more than will be demanded for them by the Undertakers.

'II. Whosoever will be pleas'd to subscribe, and pay Twenty Five Pounds in the Manner following for a Pair of these Globes, either for their own Use, or to present them to any College in the Universities, or any publick Library or School, shall have his Coat of Arms, Name, t.i.tle, Seat, or Place of Residence, _&c._, inserted in some convenient Place of the Globe.

'III. That every Subscriber do at first pay down the Sum of Ten Pounds, and Fifteen Pounds more upon the delivery of each Pair of Globes perfectly fitted up. And that the said Globes be deliver'd within Twelve Months after the Number of Thirty Subscribers be compleated; and that the Subscribers be served with Globes in the Order in which they subscribed.

'IV. That a Pair of these Globes shall not hereafter to be sold to any Person but the Subscribers under Thirty Pounds.

'V. That if there be not thirty Subscribers within four Months after the first of _December_, 1712, the Money paid shall be return'd on Demand by Mr. _John Warner_ Gold-smith near _Temple-Bar_, who shall receive and pay the same according to the above-mention'd Articles.