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No 624. tive to fuch means, as fhall be propofed to them for that end. The idle, who are neither wife for this world, nor the next, are emphatically called by Dr Tillotson, fools at large. They propofe to themselves no end, but run adrift with every wind. Advice therefore would be but thrown away upon them, fince they would scarce take the pains to read it. I fhall not fatigue any of this worthlefs tribe with a long harangue, but will leave them with this fhort faying of Plath, that labour is preferable to idlenefs, as brightness to ruft.

THE purfuits of the active part of mankind are either in the paths of religion and virtue; or, on the other hand, in the roads to wealth, honours, or pleafure. I fhalk therefore compare the pursuits of avarice, ambition, and fenfual delight, with their oppofite virtues; and fhall confider which of these principles engages men in a course of the greatest labour, fuffering, and affiduity. Most men, in their cool reafonings, are willing to allow, that a course of virtue will in the end be rewarded the most amply; but reprefent the way to it as rugged and narrow. therefore it can be made appear, that men ftruggle through as many troubles to be miferable, as they do to be happy, my readers may perhaps be perfuaded to be good, when they find they fhall lofe nothing by it.

If

FIRST, for avarice. The mifer is more induftrious than the faint: the pains of getting, the fears of losing, and the inability of enjoying his wealth, have been the mark of fatire in all ages. Were his repentance upon his neglect of a good bargain, his forrow for being overreached, his hope of improving a fun, and his fear of falling into want, directed to their proper objects; they would make fo many different Chriftian graces and virtues. He may apply to himself a great part of St Paul's catalogue of fufferings. In journeying often; in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils among falfe brethren. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in faftings often-At how much lefs expenfe might he lay up to himself treafures in heaven? or if I may, in this place, be allowed to add the faying of a great philofopher, he may provide fuch poffeffions, as fear neither arms, nor men, nor Jove himself.

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IN the fecond place, if we look upon the toils of ambition, in the fame light as we have confidered those of avarice, we shall readily own that far lefs trouble is requifite to gain lafting glory, than the power and reputation of a few years; or, in other words, we may with more ease deserve honour, than obtain it. tious man fhould remember Cardinal Wolfey's complaint. Had I ferved God, with the fame application, where'with I ferved my king, he would not have forfaken me • in my old age.' The cardinal here foftens his ambition by the fpecious pretence of ferving his king: whereas his words, in the proper conftruction, imply, that if instead of being acted by ambition, he had been acted by religion, he fhould now have felt the comforts of it, when the whole world turned its back upon him.

THIRDLY, Let us compare the pains of the fenfual, · with thofe of the virtuous, and fee which are heavier in the balance. It may feem ftrange, at the first view, that the men of pleafure fhould be advised to change their courfe, because they lead a painful life. Yet when we fee them fo active and vigilant in queft of delight; under fo many difquiets, and the sport of fuch various paffions; let them anfwer, as they can, if the pains they undergo do not outweigh their enjoyments. The infidelities on the one part between the two fexes, and the caprices on the other, the debafement of reafon, the pangs of expectation, the disappointments in poffeffion, the ftings of remorfe, the vanities and vexations attending even the moft refined delights that make up this bufinefs of life, render it fo filly and uncomfortable, that no man is thought wife till he hath got over it, or happy, but in proportion as he hath cleared himself from it.

THE fum of all is this. Man is made an active being. Whether he walks in the paths of virtue or vice, he is fure to meet with many difficulties to prove his patience, and excite his induftry. The fame, if not greater labour, is required in the service of vice and folly, as of virtue and wisdom: and he hath this eafy choice left him, whether, with the ftrength he is mafter of, he will purchafe happiness or repentance.

NO

N° 625. Friday, November 26.

Amores

De tenero meditatur ungui.

Hor. Od. 6. 1. 3. v. 23.

Love, from her tender years, her thoughts employ'd.

HE love-cafuift hath referred to me the following

Tletter of queries, with his anfwers to each queftion, for my approbation. I have accordingly confidered the feveral matters therein contained, and hereby confirm and ratify his anfwers, and require the gentle querift to conform herself thereunto.

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SIR,

W AS thirteen the ninth of November last, and must now begin to think of fettling myself in the world, • and fo I would humbly beg your advice, what I must do with Mr Fondle, who makes his addreffes to me. He is a very pretty man, and hath the blackest eyes and whiteft teeth you ever faw. Though he is but a younger brother, he dresses like a man of quality, and nobody comes into a room like him. I know he hath refused great offers, and if he cannot marry me, he will never have any body elfe. But my father hath forbid him the houfe, because he fent me a copy of verses; for he is one of the greatest wits in town. My eldest fister, who, with her good-will, would call me Mifs as long as I live, must be married before me, they fay. She tells them, that Mr Fondle makes a fool of me, and will spoil the child, as fhe calls me, like a confident thing as fhe is. In short, I am refolved to marry Mr Fondle, if it be but to fpite her. But because I would do nothing that is imprudent, I beg of you to give me your anfwers to fome questions I will write down, and defire you to get them printed in the SPECTATOR, and I do not doubt but you will give fuch advice, as, I am fure, I fhall follow.

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WHEN Mr Fondle looks upon me for half an hour together, and calls me angel, is he not in love?

Anfwer,

Anfwer, No.

May not I be certain he will be a kind husband, that has promifed me half my portion in pin-money, and to keep me a coach and fix in the bargain?

No.

Whether I, who have been acquainted with him this whole year almoft, am not a better judge of his merit, than my father and mother, who never heard him talk, ⚫ but at table?

mel No.

Whether I am not old enough to chufe for myfelf?

No.

Whether it would not have been rude in me to refufe a lock of his hair?

No.

'Should not I be a very barbarous creature, if I did not pity a man who is always fighing for my fake?

No.

• Whether would not you

the poor man?

No.

advife me to run away with

Whether you do not think, that if I won't have him, "he won't drown himfelf?

No.

What fhall I fay to him the next time he asks me if 'I will marry him?

No.

The following letter requires neither introduction nor anfwer.

I

Mr SPECTATOR,

WONDER that, in the present situation of affairs, you can take pleasure in writing any thing but news: for in a word, who minds any thing else? The pleafure of increafing in knowledge, and learning fomething new every hour of life, is the nobleft entertainment of 6 rational creature. I' have a very good ear for a fecret, and am naturally of a communicative temper; by ' which means I am capable of doing you great fervices.

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in this

way. In order to make myself useful, I am early in the antichamber, where I thruft my head into the thick of the prefs, and catch the news, at the opening of the door, while it is warm. Sometimes I ftand by the beef-eaters, and take the buz as it paffes by me. At other times I lay my ear close to the wall, and fuck ' in many a valuable whisper, as it runs in a straight line from corner to corner. When I am weary with standing, I repair to one of the neighbouring coffeehouses, 'where I fit fometimes for a whole day, and have the news as it comes from court fresh and fresh. In fhort,

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Sir, I fpare no pains to know how the world goes.

A

piece of news lofes its flavour when it hath been an hour • in the air. I love, if I may fo fpeak, to have it fresh from the tree; and to convey it to my friends before it is faded. Accordingly my expences in coach-hire make no fmall article; which you may believe, when I affure you, that I poft away from coffeehoufe to coffeehouse, * and forestal the evening-poft by two hours. There is a certain gentleman, who hath given me the flip twice or thrice, and hath been beforehand with me at Child's. • But I have played him a trick. I have purchased a pair of the best coach-horfes I could buy for money, and now let him outftrip me if he can. Once more, Mr

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Spectator, let me advise

you to deal in news. You may depend on my affiftance. But I must break off abruptly, ⚫ for I have twenty letters to write.

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Eufden.

With fweet novelty your tafte I'll please.

HAVE feen a little work of a learned man, confifting of extemporary Weculations, which any do their

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