Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση

It is not unworthy Obfervation, that fuperftitious Enquiries into future Events prevail more or less, in Proportion to the Improvements of liberal Arts and useful Knowledge in the feveral Parts of the World. Accordingly we find, that magical Incantations remain in Lapland, in the more remote Parts of Scotland they have their fecond Sight, and feveral of our own Countrymen fee abundance of Fairies. In Afia this Credu lity is ftrong; and the greatest Part of refined Learning there confifts in the Knowledge of Amulets, Talismans, occult Numbers, and the like.

WHEN I was at Grand Cairo, I fell into the Acquaintance of a good natured Muffulman, who promised me many good Offices, which he defigned to do me when he became the Prime Minifter, which was a Fortune beflowed on his Imagination by a Do&tor very deep in the curious Sciences. At his repeated Sollicitations I went to learn my Destiny of this wonderful Sage. For a fmall Sum I had his Promife, but was required to wait in a dark Apartment till he had run thro' the preparatory Ceremonies. Having a ftrong Propenfity, even then, to Dreaming, I took a Nap upon the Sofa where I was placed, and had the following Vifion, the Particulars whereof I picked up the other Day among my Papers.

I found myfelf in an unbounded Plain, where methought the whole World, in feveral Habits and with different Tongues was affembled. The Multitude glided swiftly along, and I found in myself a ftrong Inclination to mingle in the Train. My Eyes quickly fingled out fome of the moft fplendid Figures. Several in rich Caftans and glittering Turbans buftled through the Throng, and trampled over the Bodies of those they threw down; till to my great Surprize I found that the great Pace they went only haitned them to a Scaffold or a Bow-ftring. Many beautiful Damfels on the other Side moved forward with great Gaiety; fome danced till they fell all along; and others painted their Faces till they loft their Nofes. A Tribe of Creatures with bufy Looks falling into a Fit of Laughter at the Misfortunes of the unhappy Ladies,

I turn'd

I turn'd my Eyes upon them. They were each of them filling his Pockets with Gold and Jewels, and when there was no Room left for more, these Wretches looking round with Fear and Horror, pined away before my Face with Famine and Difcontent.

THIS Profpect of human Mifery ftruck me dumb for fome Miles. Then it was that, to disburthen my Mind, I took Pen and Ink, and did every Thing that had fince happen'd under my Office of SPECTATOR. While I was employing myself for the Good of Mankind, I was furpriz'd to meet with very unfuitable Returns from my Fellow Creatures. Never was poor Author fo befet with Pamphleteers, who fometimes marched directly against me, but often fhot at me from ftrong Bulwarks, or rofe up fuddenly in Ambush. They were of all Characters and Capacities, fome with Enfigns of Dignity, and others in Liveries; but what ntoft furpriz'd me, was to fee two or three in black Gowns among my Enemies. It was no fmall Trouble to me, fometimes to have a Man come up to me with an angry Face, and reproach me for having lampooned him, when I had never feen or heard of him in my Life. With the Ladies it was otherwife: Many became my Enemies for not being particularly pointed out; as there were others who refented the Satyr which they imagined I had directed against them. My great Comfort was in the Company of half a Dozen Friends, who, I found fince, were the Club which I have fo often mentioned in my Papers. I laughed often at Sir Roger in my Sleep, and was the more diverted with Will. Honeycomb's Gallantries, (when we af terwards became acquainted) because I had foreseen his Marriage with a Farmer's Daughter. The Regret which arofe in my Mind upon the Death of my Companions, my Anxieties for the Publick, and the many Calamities ftill fleeting before my Eyes, made me repent my Curiofity; when the Magician entered the Room, and awakened me, by telling me (when it was too late) that he was just going to begin.

N. B. I have only deliver'd the Prophecy of that Part. of my Life which is paft, it being inconvenient to di vulge the fecond Part 'till a more proper Opportunity.

Monday,

No.605. Monday, October 11.

Exuerint fylveftrem animum, cultuque frequenti
In quafcunque voces artes, haud tarda fequentur. Virg.

AVING perufed the following Letter, and find

red it to the learned Cafuift, whom I have retained in my Service for Speculations of that Kind. He return'd it to me the next Morning with his Report annexed to it, with both of which I fhall here present my Reader.

[ocr errors]

Mr. SPECTATOR,

F

INDING that

you

have entertained an ufeful Perfon in your Service in Quality of Love-Cafuift, I apply myself to you, under a very great Difficulty, that hath for fome Months perplexed me. I have a Couple of humble Servants, one of which I have no Averfion to; the other I think of very kindly. The firft hath the Reputation of a Man of good Senfe, and is one of those People that your Sex are apt to value. My Spark is reckoned a Coxcomb among the Men, but is a Favourite of the Ladies. If I marry the Man of Worth, as they call him, I fhall oblige my Parents and improve my Fortune;, but with my dear Beau I promise myself Happiness, altho' not a Jointure. Now I would ask you whether I fhould confent to lead my Life 'with a Man that I have only no Objection to, or with him against whom all Objections to me appear frivolous. I am determined to follow the Cafuifl's Advice,

• and:

and I dare fay he will not put me upon fo ferious a Thing as Matrimony, contrary to my Inclination.

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

P. S.I forgot to tell you, that the pretty Gentleman is the most complaifant Creature in the World, and is always of my Mind; but the other, forfooth, fancies he hath as much Wit as myfelf, flights my Lap-Dog, and hath the Infolence to contradict me when he thinks I am not in the Right. About half an Hour ago, he maintained to my Face, that a Patch always implies a Pimple.

As I look upon it to be my Duty rather to fide with the Parents than the Daughter, I fhall propofe fome Confiderations to my gentle Querift, which may incline her to comply with thofe, under whofe Direction fhe is : And at the fame Time, convince her, that it is not impoffible but she may, in Time, have a true Affe&ion for him, who is at prefent, indifferent to her: Or, to ufe the old Family Maxim, that, If he marries firft, Love will come after.

THE only Objection that fhe feems to infinuate against the Gentleman propofed to her, is his want of Complaifance, which I perceive, fhe is very willing to return. Now, I can discover from this very Circumftance, that fhe and her Lover, whatever they may think of it, are very good Friends in their Hearts. It is difficult to determine, whether Love delights more in giving Pleasure or Pain. Let Mifs Fickle ask her own Heart, if fhe doth not take a fecret Pride in making this Man of good Senfe look very filly. Hath fhe ever been better pleas'd, than when her Behaviour hath made her Lover ready to hang himself? Or doth fhe ever rejoice more, than when the thinks fhe hath driven him to the very Brink of a purling Stream? Let her confider, at the fame Time, that it is not impoffible but her Lover may have

discover

discovered her Tricks, and had a Mind to give her as good as fhe brings. I remember a handfome young Baggage that treated a hopeful Greek of my Acquaintance, just come from Oxford, as if he had been a Barbarian. The firft Week, after she had fixed him, fhe took a Pinch of Snuff out of his Rival's Box, and apparently touched the Enemy's little Finger. She became a profest Enemy to the Arts and Sciences, and scarce ever wrote a Letter to him without wilfully mifpelling his Name. The young Scholar, to be even with her, railed at Coquetts as foon as he had got the Word; and did not want Parts to turn into Ridicule her Men of Wit and Pleasure of the Town. After having irritated one another for the Space of five Months, fhe made an Affignation with him fourfcore Miles from London. But as he was very well acquainted with her Pranks, he took a Journey the quite contrary Way. Accordingly they met, quarrell'd, and in a few Days were married. Their former Hoftilities are now the Subject of their Mirth, being content at present with that Part of Love only, which bestows Pleafure.

WOMEN, who have been married fome Time, not having it in their Heads to draw after them a numerous Train of Followers, find their Satisfaction in the Poffeffion of one Man's Heart. I know very well, that Ladies in their Bloom defire to be excufed in this Particular. But when Time hath_worn out their natural Vanity and taught them Discretion, their Fondness fettles on its proper Object. And it is probably for this Reason, that among Husbands, you will find more that are fond of Women beyond their Prime, than of those that are actually in the Infolence of Beauty. My Reader will apply the fame Observation to the other Sex.

I need not infift upon the Neceffity of their pursuing one common Intereft, and their united Care, for their Children; but shall only obferve, by the Way, that married Perfons are both more warm in their Love, and more hearty in their Hatred, than any others whatsoever. Mutual Favours and Obligations, which may be supposed to be greater here than in any other State, naturally beget

an

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »