The Spectator, Volume 2.

istotle lays down his main principles. Here after treating of the Fable and the

hatever marks the Character of the Persons. By Sentiments, whatever the

lude whatever is the Object of speech, Diction (§ 23-25) the words the

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explains, magnifies

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in his treatise on the Epic, pu

ride upon such a steed. But heretofore this Animal was in better repute: Kings and princes did not disdain the best so much as mere tradesman do in our time. 'Tis just the same with many other smiles which in Homer's time were allowable. We should now pity a Poet that should be so silly an

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Sublime, I. § 9. of Discor

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combat of the Gods, the description of Neptune

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the Criticks, as a point of Wit. It is in his ninth Book, where Juno, speaking of the Troj

copi, num incense

r they were Captives, or did Tro

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he title of Homeromastix. Circe's men turned into swine Zoilus ridiculed as weeping porkers. When he asked sustenance of Ptolemy he was told that Homer sustained many thousa

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Colbert, and after his retirement from that office, published in 1690 his Parallel between the Ancients and Moderns, taking the side of t

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e 12: S

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liad, Bk. i.,

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14: Iliad

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5: Bk. v.,

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6: Odyssey

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&c. Milton meant that the devils should be

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ents

.

January

ee

uisse viris non

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ed for Pleasing, that it is no matter what he is doing or saying, that is to say, that there need no Manner of Importance in it, to make him gain upon every Body who hears or beholds him. This Felicity is not the Gift of Nature only, but must be attended with happy Circumstances, which add a Dignity to the familiar Behaviour which distinguishes him whom we call an agreeable Man. It is from this that every Body loves and esteems Polycarpus. He is in the Vigour of his Age and the Gayety of Life, but has passed through very conspicuous Scenes in it; though no Soldier, he has shared the Danger, and acted with great Gallantry and Generosity on a decisive Day of Battle. To have those Qualities which only make other Men conspicuous in the World as it were supernumerary to him, is a Circumstance which gives Weight to his most indifferent Actions; for as a known Credit is ready Cash to a Trader, so is acknowledged Merit immediate Distinction, and serves in the Place of Equip

of the Sentence at the Head of this Paper, was an excellent Judge of human Life, and passed his own in Company the most agreeable that ever was in the World. Augustus lived amongst his Friends as if he had his Fortune to make in his own Court: Candour and Affability, accompanied with as much Power as ever Mortal was vested with, were what made him in the utmost Manner agreeable among a Set of admirable Men, who had Thoughts too high for Ambition, and Vie

Rules for Conduct in Conversation with Men of Power; but he speaks it with an Air of one who had no Need of such an Application for any thing which related to himself. It shews he understood what it was to be a skilful Courtier, by just Admonitions against Importunity, and shewing how forcible it was to speak Mo

ks, and have heard was someway employed about the Army, made it a Maxim, That good Wigs, delicate Linen, and a chearful Air, were to a poor Dependent the same that working Tools are to a poor Artificer. It was no small Entertainment to me, who knew his Circumstances, to see him, who had fasted two Days, attribute the Thinness they told h

ere are Crowds who have, in City, Town, Court, and Country, arrived at considerable Acquisitions, and yet seem incapable of acting in any constant Tenour of Life, but have gone on from one successful Error to another: Therefore I think I

ote 1

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ents

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January

di

ians spirantia

i

on that Occasion; I shall here, according to my Promise, enter upon the Dissection of a Coquet's Hea

ate with me to make an Example of the Coquet, as I have already done of the Beau. It is therefore in Compliance with the Request of Friends, that I h

his Art more difficult than to lay open the Heart of a Coquet, by reason of the many Labyrinths a

scern'd in it Millions of little Scars, which seem'd to have been occasioned by the Points of innumerable Darts and Arrows, that from time to time ha

from the Vapours which exhale out of the Heart, and, being stopt here, are condensed into this watry Substance. Upon examining this Li

ing him with the Variations of the Atmosphere, it shewed him the Qualities of those Persons who entered the Room where it stood. He affirmed also, that it rose at the Approach of a Plume of Feathers, an embroidered Coat, or a Pair of fringed Gloves; and that it fell as soon as an ill-shaped Perriwig, a clumsy Pair of Shoes, or an un

self. The outward Surface of it was extremely slippery, and the Mufro, or Point, so very cold withal

found in other Hearts; insomuch that the whole Heart was wound up together in a Gordian Knot, an

ing all the Vessels which came into it or issued out of it, we

rt which are affected by the Sentiments of Love, Hatred, and other Passions, did not

ties running one within another, as our Historians describe the Apartments of Rosamond's Bower. Several of these little Hollows were stuffed with innumerable sorts of Trifles, which I shall forbear givi

ldings of the Heart; but to our great Surprize not a single Print of this nature discovered it self till we came into the very Core and Center of it. We there observed a little Figure, which, upon applying our Glasses to it, appeared dressed in a very fantastick manner. The more I looked upon it, the more I thought I had seen the Face before, but could not possibly r

Substance, which differ'd in so many Particulars from that of the Heart in other Females. Accordingly we laid it into a Pan of burning Coals, when we ob

r Crack, and dispersed all at once in Smoke and Vapour. This imaginary Noise, which methought was louder than the burst of a C