crime with the moft diftinguishing part of the character; as pages are chaftized for the admonition of princes. When it is performed otherwife, the vicious are kept in credit, by placing men of merit in the fame accufation. But all the Pafquils, Lampoons, and Libels, we meet with now-a-days, are a fort of playing with the four and twenty letters, and throwing them into names and characters, without fenfe, truth, or wit. In this cafe, I am in great perplexity to know whom they mean, and fhould be in diftrefs for those they abuse, if I did not fee their judgment and ingenuity in thofe they commend. This is the true way of examining a Libel; and when men confider, that no one man living thinks the better of their heroes and patrons for the panegyric given them, "none can think themselves leffened by their invective. The hero or patron in a Libel, is but a fcavenger to carry off the dirt, and by that very employment is the Althieft creature in the ftreet. Dedications and Panegyrics are frequently ridiculous, let them be addressed where they will; but at the front, or in the body of a Libel, to commend a man, is faying to the perfons applauded, "My Lord, or Sir, I have pulled down all

men that the rest of the world think great and ho"nourable, and here is a clear ftage; you may as you please be valiant or wife; you may choose to be on

the military or civil lift; for there is no one brave "who commands, or juft who has power: You may "rule the world now it is empty, which exploded you

when it was full: I have knocked out the brains of "all whom mankind thought good for any thing; and "I doubt not, but you will reward that invention, which found out the only expedient to make your Lordship, or your Worship, of any confideration."

Had I the honour to be in a Libel, and had efcaped the approbation of the Author, Ifhould look upon it exactly in this manner. But though it is a thing thus perfectly indifferent, who is exalted or debafed in fuch performances, yet it is not fo with relation to the Authors of them; therefore I fhall, for the good of my country, hereafter take upon me to punish these wretches. What is really paffed may die away according to its nature, and continue in its present oblivion; but for the future,

I shall

I shall take notice of such enemies to honour and virtue, and preferve them to immortal infamy: Their names fhall give fresh offence many ages hence, and be detested a thousand years after the commiffion of their crime. It fhall not avail, that these children cf infamy publish their works under feigned names, or under none at all; for I am fo perfectly well acquainted with the ftyles of all my contemporaries, that I fhall not fail of doing them juftice, with their proper names, and at their full length. Let thefe mifcreants therefore enjoy their prefent act of oblivion, and take care how they offend hereafter.

But to avert our eyes from fuch objects, it is methinks but requifite, to fettle our opinion in the cafe of praise and blame: And I believe, the only true way to cure that fenfibility of reproach, which it a common weaknefs with the moft virtuous men, is to fix their regard firmly upon only what is ftrictly true, in relation to their advantage, as well as diminution. For if I am pleased

with commendation which I do not deserve, I fhall from the fame temper be concerned at fcandal I do not deferve. But he that can think of falfe applaufe with as much contempt as falfe detraction, will certainly be prepared for all adventures, and will become all occafions. Underferved praife can please only thofe who want merit, and undeferved reproach frighten only thofe who want fincerity. I have thought of this with fo much attention, that I fancy there can be no other method in nature found for the cure of that delicacy which gives good men pain urder calumny, but placing fatiffaction no where but in a juft fenfe of their own integrity, without regard to the opinion of others. If we have not fuch a foundation as this, there is no help againft fcandal, but being in obfcurity, which to noble minds it not being at all. The truth of it is, this love of praise dwells moft in great and heroic fpirits; and those who beft deferve it, have generally the most exquifite relish of it. Methinks I fee the renowned Alexander, after a painful and laborious march, amidst the heats of a parched foil and a burning climate, fitting over the head of a fountain, and, after a draught of water, pronounce that memorable faying, Oh Athenians!

How

How much do I fuffer, that you may speak well of me? The Athenians were at that time the Learned of the world, and their Libels against Alexander were written as he was a profeffed enemy of their State: But how monftrous would fuch invectives have appeared in Macedonians.

As love of reputation is a darling paffion in great men, fo the defence of them in this particular is the business of every man of honour and honefty. We should run on fuch an occafion, as if a public building was on fire, to their relief; and all who spread or publish such deteftable pieces as traduce their merit, fhould be ufed like incendiaries. It is the common caufe of our country to fupport the reputation of those who preferve it againft invaders; and every man is attacked in the perfon of that neighbour who deferves well of him."

j

From my own Apartment, November 9.

ד

The chat I had to-day at White's about fame and fcandal, put me in mind of a perfon who has often writ to me unregarded, and has a very moderate ambition in this particular. His name it feems is Charles Lillie, and he recommends himself to my obfervation as one that fold fnuff next door to the Fountain Tavern in the Strand, and was burnt out when he began to have a reputation in his way.

Mr. BICKERSTAFF,

Suppofe, through a hurry of business, you have either forgot me, or loft my laft of this nature, which was to beg the favour of being advantageoufly "expofed in your Paper, chiefly for the reputation of "fnuff. Be pleased to pardon this trouble from, Sir,

Your very humble fervant,

C. L.

I am a perfumer, at the corner of Beauford: Buildings

in the Strand.

This fame Charles leaves it to me to fay what I will of him; and I am not a little pleafed with the ingenuous manner of his addrefs. Taking fnuff is what I have declared againft; but as his Holinefs the Pope allows whoring for the taxes raifed by the ladies of pleasure; fo I, to repair the lofs of an unhappy trader, indulge all perfons in that custom who buy of Charles. There is fomething fo particular in the requeft of the man, that I fhall fend for him before me, and I believe, I shall find he has a genius for bawbles: If fo, I fhall, for aught I know, at his fhop, give licensed canes to thofe who are really lame, and tubes to thofe who are unfeignedly fhort fighted; and forbid all others to vend the fame..

N° 93. Saturday, November 12, 1709.

Will's Coffee-house, November 11.

HE French humour of writing Epistles, and publishing their fulfome compliments to each other, is a thing I frequently complain of in this place. It is, methinks, from the prevalence of this filly custom, that there is fo little inftruction in the converfation of our diftant friends: For which reafon, during the whole course of my life, I have defired my acquaintance, when they write to me, rather to fay fomething which should make me with my felf with them, than make me compliments that they wished themselves with me. By this means, I have by me a collection of Letters from moft parts of the world, which are as naturally of the growth of the place, as any herb, tree, or plant, of the foil. This I take to be the proper use of an epiftolary commerce. To defire to know how Damon goes on with his courtship to Sylvia, or how the wine taftes at the Old Devil, are thread bare fubjects, and cold treats, which our abfent friends might have given us without going out of town for them. A friend of mine who

went

went to travel, ufed me far otherwife; for he gave me a profpect of the place, or an account of the people, from every country through which he paffed. Among others which I was looking over this evening, I am not a little delighted with this which follows:

Dear Sir,

Believe this is the firft Letter that was ever fents you from the middle region, where I am at this "prefent writing. Not to keep you in fufpenfe, it "comes to you from the top of the higheft mountain in "Switzerland, where I am now fhivering among the "eternal frofts and fnows. I can fcarce forbear dating "it in December, though they call it the firft of Auguft 66 at the bottom of the mountain. I affure you, I can "hardly keep my ink from freezing in the middle of "the dog-days. I am here entertained with the prettieft "variety of fnow-prospects that you can imagine; and have feveral pits of it before me, that are very near as old as the mountain itfelf; for, in this country, it is as lafting as marble. I am now upon a spot of it, "which they tell me fell about the reign of Charlemain, or King Pepin. The inhabitants of the country are as great curiofities as the country itself: They generally hire themselves out in their youth, and if they are mufket-proof until about fifty, they bring home "the money they have got, and the limbs they have left, "to pafs the reft of their time among their native moun"tains. One of the Gentlemen of the place, who is "come off with the lofs of an eye only, told me by way

66

of boaft, that there were now feven wooden legs in his family; and that for thefe four generations, there had "not been one in his line that carried a whole body with "him to the grave. I believe you will think the style "of this Letter a little extraordinary: but the Rehearfal "will tell you, That people in clouds must not be con"fined to speak fenfe; and I hope we that are above "them may claim the fame privilege. Where-ever I am, I fhall always be, Sir,

Your moft obedient, moft humble fervant.

I think