No, 201, to keep our Reason as cool as possible, and to guard Saturday, our selves in all Parts of Life against the Influence of Passion, Imagination, and Constitution. October 20, 1711, Devotion, when it does not lie under the check of Reason, is very apt to degenerate into Enthusiasm. When the Mind finds her self very much inflamed with her Devotions, she is too much inclined to think they are not of her own kindling, but blown up by something Divine within her, If she indulges this Thought too far, and humours the growing Passion, she at last flings her self into imaginary Raptures and Extasies; and when once she fancies her self under the Influence of a Divine Impulse, it is no wonder if she slights Human Ordinances, and refuses to comply with any established Form of Religion, as thinking her self directed by a much superior Guide, As Enthusiasm is a kind of Excess in Devotion, Superstition is the Excess not only of Devotion, but of Religion in general, according to an old Heathen Saying, quoted by Aulus Gellius, Religentem esse oportet, Religiosum nefas: A Man should be Religious, not Superstitious For as the Author tells us, Nigidius observed upon this Passage, that the Latin Words which terminate in osus generally imply vitious Characters, and the having of any Quality to an Excess, An Enthusiast in Religion is like an obstinate Clown, a Superstitious Man like an insipid Courtier. Enthusiasm has something in it of Madness, Superstition of Folly. Most of the Sects that fall short of the Church of England, have in them strong Tinctures of Enthusiasm, as the Roman Catholick Religion is one huge overgrown Body of childish and idle Superstitions. The Roman Catholick Church seems indeed irrecoverably lost in this Particular. If an absurd Dress or Behaviour be introduced in the World, it will soon be found out and discarded: On the contrary, a Habit or Ceremony, though never so ridiculous, which has taken Sanctuary in the Church, sticks in it for ever. A Gothic Bishop, perhaps, thought it proper to repeat such a Form. in such particular Shoes or Slippers. Another fancied it would be very decent if such a Part of publick Devotions were were performed with a Mitre on his Head, and a Crosier No. 201. in his Hand. To this a Brother Vandal, as wise as the Saturday, others, adds an antick Dress, which he conceived would October 20, 1711, allude very aptly to such and such Mysteries, till by Degrees the whole Office has degenerated into an empty Show, Their Successors see the Vanity and Inconvenience of these Ceremonies, but instead of reforming, perhaps add others, which they think more significant, and which take Possession in the same manner, and are never to be driven out after they have been once ad mitted. I have seen the Pope officiate at Saint Peter's, where, for two Hours together, he was busied in putting on or off his different Accoutrements, according to the different Parts he was to act in them, Nothing is so glorious in the Eyes of Mankind, and ornamental to Human Nature, setting aside the infinite Advantages which arise from it, as a strong steady masculine Piety; but Enthusiasm and Superstition are the Weaknesses of Human Reason, that expose us to the Scorn and Derision of Infidels, and sink us even below the Beasts that perish, Idolatry may be looked upon as another Error arising from mistaken Devotion; but because Reflections on that Subject would be of no use to an English Reader, I shall not enlarge upon it No. 202. Monday, October 22. L Saepe decem vitiis instructior odit & horret.-Hor. HE other Day as I passed along the Street, I saw a sturdy Prentice-Boy Disputing with an Hackney Coachman; and in an Instant, upon some word of Provocation, throw off his Hat and Perriwig, clench his Fist, and strike the Fellow a Cut on the Face; at the same time calling him Rascal, and telling him he was a Gentleman's Son. The young Gentle man was, it seems, bound to a Blacksmith; and the Debate arose about Payment for some Work done about a Coach, near which they fought. His Master, No. 202, during the Combat, was full of his Boy's Praises; and Monday, as he called to him to play with Hand and Foot, and October throw in his Head, he made all us who stood round 22, 1711, him of his Party, by declaring the Boy had very good Friends, and he could trust him with untold Gold. As I am generally in the Theory of Mankind, I could not but make my Reflections upon the sudden Popularity which was raised about the Lad; and perhaps, with my Friend Tacitus, fell into Observations upon it which were too great for the Occasion; or ascribed this general Favour to Causes which had nothing to do towards it. But the young Blacksmith's being a Gentleman was, methought, what created him good Will from his present equality with the Mob about him: Add to this, that he was not so much a Gentleman, as not, at the same time that he called himself such, to use as rough Methods for his Defence as his Antagonist. The Advantage of his having good Friends, as his Master expressed it, was not lazily urged; but he shewed himself Superior to the Coachman in his Personal Qualities of Courage and Activity, to confirm that of his being well Allyed, before his Birth was of any Service to him. If one might Moralize from this silly Story, a Man wou'd say, that whatever advantages of Fortune, Birth, or any other Good, People possess above the rest of the World, they should shew collateral Eminence besides those Distinctions; or those Distinctions will avail only to keep up common Decencies and Cere monies, and not to preserve a real place of Favour or Esteem in the Opinion and common Sense of their Fellow Creatures, The Folly of People's procedure, in imagining that nothing more is necessary than Property and superior Circumstances to support them in Distinction, appears in no way so much as in the Domestick part of Life, It is ordinary to feed their Humours into unnatural Excrescences, if I may so speak, and make their whole Being a wayward and uneasie Condition, for want of the obvious Reflection that all parts of Human Life is a Commerce, It is not only paying Wages, and giving Commands 22, 1711. * Commands, that Constitutes a Master of a Family; No, 202, but Prudence, equal Behaviour, with readiness to Monday, October * Protect and Cherish them, is what entitles a Man to that Character in their very Hearts and Sentiments. It is pleasant enough to observe, that Men expect from their Dependants, from their sole Motive of Fear, all the good Effects which a liberal Education, and affluent Fortune, and every other Advantage cannot produce in themselves. A Man will have his Servant just, diligent, sober, and chaste, for no other Reasons but the Terrour of losing his Master's Favour; when all the Laws Divine and Human cannot keep him whom he serves within Bounds with Relation to any one of those Virtues. But both in great and ordinary Affairs, all Superiority which is not founded on Merit and Virtue, is supported only by Artifice and Stratagem. Thus you see Flatterers are the Agents in Families of Humourists, and those who govern themselves by any thing but Reason Make-Bates, distant Relations, poor Kinsmen, and indigent Followers, are the Fry which support the Oeconomy of an humoursome rich Man, He is eternally whispered with Intelligence of who are true or false to him in 2 Matters of no Consequence; and he maintains twenty C Friends to defend him against the Insinuations of one who would perhaps cheat him of an old Coat, I shall not enter into further Speculation upon this Subject at present, but think the following Letters and Petition are made up of proper Sentiments on this Occasion, 'Mr. SPECTATOR, I am Servant to an old Lady who is governed by one she calls her Friend; who is so familiar an one, that she takes upon her to advise her without being I called to it, and makes her uneasie with all about her. Pray, Sir, be pleased to give us some Remarks upon voluntary Counsellors; and let these People I know, that to give any Body Advice, is to say to that Person I am your Betters. Pray, Sir, as near as you can, describe that eternal Flirt and Disturber of Famílies Mrs. October No. 202. Mrs. Taperty, who is always visiting, and putting Monday, People in a Way, as they call it. If you can make her stay at home one Evening, you will be a general Benefactor to all the Ladies' Women in Town, and particularly to 22, 1711, 'Mr. SPECTATOR, Your loving Friend, Susan Civil I am a Footman, and live with one of those Men, each of whom is said to be one of the best humoured Men in the World, but that he is passionate, Pray be pleased to inform them, that he who is passionate, and takes no Care to command his Hastiness, does more Injury to his Friends and Servants in one half Hour than whole Years can attone for. This Master of mine, who is the best Man alive in common Fame, disobliges Some-body every Day he lives; and strikes me for the next thing I do because he is out of Humour at it. If these Gentlemen know that they do all the Mischief that is ever done in Conversation, they would reform; and I who have been a Spectator of Gentlemen at Dinner for many Years, have seen that Indiscretion does ten times more Mischief than Ill-nature. But you will represent this better than Your abused Humble Servant, Thomas Smoaky,' 'To the SPECTATOR, The humble Petition of John Steward, Robert Butler, Harry Cook, and Abigail Chambers, in Behalf of themselves and their Relations, belonging to and dis persed in the several Services of most of the great Families within the Cities of London and West minster; Sheweth, THAT in many of the Families in which your Peti tioners live and are employed, the several Heads of them |