WHEN Sir ROGER faw Andromache's obftinate Refufal to her Lover's Importunities, he whisper'd me in the Ear, that he was fure fhe would never have him; to which he added, with a more than ordinary Vehemence, you can't imagine, Sir, what 'tis to have to do with a Widow. Upon Pyrrhus his threatning afterwards to leave her the Knight fhook his Head, and muttered to himself, Ay, do if you can. This Part dwelt fo much upon my Friend's Imagination, that at the Close of the Third Act, as I was thinking of fomething elfe, he whispered in my Ear, These Widows, Sir, are the most perverfe Creatures in the World. But pray, fays he, you that are a Critick, is this Play according to your Dramatick Rules, as you call them? Should your People in Tragedy always talk to be understood? Why, there is not a fingle Sentence in this Play that I do not know the Meaning of. The Fourth Act very luckily begun before I had time to give the old Gentleman an Anfwer: Well, fays the Knight, fitting down with great Satisfaction, I fuppofe we are now to fee Hector's Ghoft. He then renewed his Attention, and, from time to time, fell a praising the Widow. He made, indeed, a little Miftake as to one of her Pages, whom at his firft entring, he took for Aftyanax ; but he quickly fet himself right in that Particular, though, at the fame time, he owned he fhould have been very glad to have seen the little Boy, who, fays he, muft needs be a very fine Child by the Account that is given of him. Upon Hermione's going off with a Menace to Pyrrhus, the Audience gave a loud Clap; to which Sir ROGER added, On my Word, a notable young Baggage! AS there was a very remarkable Silence and Stilness in the Audience during the whole Action, it was natural for them to take the Opportunity of the Intervals between the A&s, to express the Opinion of the Players, and of their refpective Parts. Sir ROGER hearing a Cluster of them praise Oreftes, ftruck in with them, and told them, that he thought his Friend Pylades was a very fenfible Man; as they were afterwards applauding Pyrrhus, Sir ROGER put in a fecond time; And let me tell you, fays he, though he speaks but little, I like the old Fellow he, at the End of Norfolkftreet, where I doubled the Corner, and got fhelter in my Lodgings before they could imagine what was become of me. However, fays the Knight, if Captain SENTRY will make one with us to-morrow night, and if you will both of you call upon me about four a-clock, that we may be at the Houfe before it is full, I will have my own Coach in readiness to attend you, for John tells me he has got the ForeWheels mended. THE Captain, who did not fail to meet me there at the appointed Hour, bid Sir ROGER fear nothing, for that he had put on the fame Sword which he made ufe of at the Battel of Steenkirk. Sir ROGER's Servants, and among the reft my old Friend the Butler, had, I found, provided themfelves with good Oaken Plants, to attend their Master upon this occafion. When we had placed him in his Coach, with my felf at his Left-Hand, the Captain before him, and his Butler at the Head of his Footmen in the Rear, we convoy'd him in fafety to the Playhoufe, where, after having marched up the Entry in good order, the Captain and I went in with him, and feated him betwixt us in the Pit. As foon as the Houfe was full, and the Candles lighted, my old Friend ftood up and looked about him with that Pleasure, which a Mind feafoned with Humanity naturally feels in its felf, at the fight of a Multitude of People who feem pleafed with one another, and partake of the fame common Entertainment. I could not but fancy to my felf, as the old Man ftood up in the middle of the Pit, that he made a very proper Center to a tragick Audience. Upon the entring of Pyrrhus, the Knight told me, that he did not believe the King of France himfelf had a better Strut. I was indeed very attentive to my old Friend's Remarks, because I looked upon them as a Piece of natural Criticism, and was well pleased to hear him at the Conclufion of almost every Scene, telling me that he could not imagine how the Play would end. One while he appeared much concerned for Andromache; and a little while after as much for Hermione: and was extremely puzzled to think what would become of Pyrrhus. WHEN if WHEN Sir ROGER faw Andromache's obftinate Refufal to her Lover's Importunities, he whisper'd me in the Ear, that he was fure fhe would never have him; to which he added, with a more than ordinary Vehemence, you can't imagine, Sir, what 'tis to have to do with a Widow. Upon Pyrrhus his threatning afterwards to leave her the Knight fhook his Head, and muttered to himself, Ay, do you can. This Part dwelt fo much upon my Friend's Imagination, that at the Close of the Third Act, as I was thinking of fomething else, he whispered in my Ear, These Widows, Sir, are the most perverfe Creatures in the World. But pray, fays he, you that are a Critick, is this Play according to your Dramatick Rules, as you call them? Should your People in Tragedy always talk to be understood? Why, there is not a fingle Sentence in this Play that I do not know the Meaning of. The Fourth Act very luckily begun before I had time to give the old Gentleman an Anfwer: Well, fays the Knight, fitting down with great Satisfaction, I fuppofe we are now to fee Hector's Ghoft. He then renewed his Attention, and, from time to time, fell a praifing the Widow. He made, indeed, a little Miftake as to one of her Pages, whom at his firft entring, he took for Aftyanax ; but he quickly fet himself right in that Particular, though, at the fame time, he owned he should have been very glad to have seen the little Boy, who, fays he, muft needs be a very fine Child by the Account that is given of him. Upon Hermione's going off with a Menace to Pyrrhus, the Audience gave a loud Clap; to which Sir ROGER added, On my Word, a notable young Baggage! AS there was a very remarkable Silence and Stilness in the Audience during the whole Action, it was natural for them to take the Opportunity of the Intervals between the A&s, to exprefs the Opinion of the Players, and of their respective Parts. Sir ROGER hearing a Cluster of them praise Oreftes, ftruck in with them, and told them, that he thought his Friend Pylades was a very fenfible Man; as they were afterwards applauding Pyrrhus, Sir ROGER put in a fecond time; And let me tell you, fays he, though he speaks but little, I like the old Fellow in Whiskers as well as any of them. Captain SENTRY, feeing two or three Waggs who fat near us, lean with an attentive Ear towards Sir ROGER, and fearing left they should smoke the Knight, pluck'd him by the Elbow, and whisper'd fomething in his Ear, that lafted till the Opening of the fifth A&t. The Knight was wonderfully attentive to the Account which Oreftes gives of Pyrrhus his Death, and at the Conclufion of it, told me it was such a bloody Piece of Work, that he was glad it was not done upon the Stage. Seeing afterwards Oreftes in his raving Fit, he grew more than ordinary ferious, and took occafion to moralize (in his way) upon an evil Confcience, adding, that Oreftes, in his Madness, looked as if he faw fomething. AS we were the first that came into the House, so we were the last that went out of it; being refolved to have a clear Paffage for our old Friend, whom we did not care to venture among the juftling of the Crowd. Sir ROGER went out fully fatisfied with his Entertainment, and we guarded him to his Lodgings in the fame manner that we brought him to the Play-houfe; being highly pleased, for my own part, not only with the Performance of the excellent Piece which had been prefented, but with the Satiffaction which it had given to the good old Man. No 336. Wednesday, March 26. -Clament periiffe pudorem L Cuncti penè patres, ea cum reprehendere coner, Mr. SPECTATOR, S you are the daily Endeavourer to promote LearnC ing and good Senfe, I think my felf obliged to fuggeft to your Confideration whatever may promote ⚫ or 6 or prejudice them. There is an Evil which has pre⚫vailed from Generation to Generation, which grey Hairs and tyrannical Cuftom continue to fupport; I hope your Spectatorial Authority will give a feasonable Check to the Spread of the Infection; I mean old Mens ⚫ overbearing the ftrongeft Senfe of their Juniors by the mere Force of Seniority; fo that for a young Man in the Bloom of Life and Vigour of Age to give a reasonable • Contradiction to his Elders, is esteemed an unpardonable Infolence, and regarded as a reverfing the Decrees of • Nature. I am a young Man, I confefs, yet I honour the grey Head as much as any one; however, when in Company with old Men, I hear them fpeak obfcurely, or reafon prepofterously (into which Abfurdities, Prejudice, Pride, or Intereft, will fometimes throw the wifeft) I count it no Crime to rectify their Reasonings, unless • Confcience muft truckle to Ceremony, and Truth fall a Sacrifice to Complaifance. The ftrongeft Arguments are enervated, and the brightest Evidence difappears, be⚫fore thofe tremendous Reafonings and dazling Difco• veries of venerable old Age: You are young giddy⚫ headed Fellows, you have not yet had Experience of ⚫ the World. Thus we young Folks find our Ambition cramp'd, and our Lazinefs indulged, fince, while young we have little room to difplay our felves; and, when old, ⚫ the Weakness of Nature muft pafs for Strength of Senfe, and we hope that hoary Heads will raife us above the At⚫tacks of Contradiction. Now, Sir, as you would enliven our Activity in the purfuit of Learning, take our Cafe into Confideration; and, with a Glofs on brave Elihu's • Sentiments, affert the Rights of Youth, and prevent the ⚫ pernicious Incroachments of Age. The generous Reafonings of that gallant Youth would adorn your Paper; and I beg you would infert them, not doubting but that they will give good Entertainment to the most intelli: gent of your Readers. So thefe three Men ceafed to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own Eyes. Then was kindled the Wrath of Elihu the Son of Barachel the Buzite, of : the |