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 should be in distress for those they abuse, if I did not fee their judgment and ingenuity in those 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 the fcavenger to carry off the dirt, and by that very employment is the filthiest creature in the street. 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 fir, I have pulled down all men that the rest of the world think great and honourable, and here is a clear ftage; you may, as you pleafe, be valiant and wife-you may choose to be on the military or civil lift, for there is no one brave who commands or just 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 anything, and I doubt not but you will regard 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 escaped the approbation of the author, I should look upon it exactly in this manner. But though it is a thing thus perfectly indifferent who is exalted or debased 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 already past may die away according to its nature, and continue in its prefent oblivion; but, for the future, I shall take notice of fuch enemies to honour and virtue, and preserve them to immortal infamy. Their names shall give fresh offence many ages hence, and shall be detested a thousand years after the commiffion of their crime. It fhall not avail that these children of 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 thofe mifcreants, therefore, enjoy their present 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 case of praise and blame. I believe the only true way to cure that fenfibility of reproach, which is a common weakness with the most virtuous men, is to fix their regard firmly upon only what is strictly true, in relation to their advantage, as well as diminution; for, if I am pleased with commendation which I do not deferve, I fhall, from the fame temper, be concerned at scandal I do not deferve. But he that can think of falfe applause with as much contempt as falfe detraction, will certainly be prepared for all adventures, and will become all occafions. Undeferved praise can please only those who want merit,, and undeserved reproach frighten only those 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 that delicacy which gives good men pain under calumny, but placing fatisfaction nowhere but in a just fense of their own integrity, without regard to the opinion of others. If we have not fuch a foundation as this, there is no help against scandal but being in obfcurity, which to noble minds is 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 burning climate, fitting over the head of a fountain, and, after a draught of water, pronounce that memorable faying, "Oh, Athenians! 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 bufinefs of every man of honour and honesty. We should rum on fuch an occaffion as if a publick building was on fire, to their relief; and all who spread or publifh fuch deteftable pieces as traduce their merit, fhould be ufed like incendiaries. It is the common cause of our country to fupport the reputation of thofe who preferve it against invaders, and every person is attacked in the perfon of that neighbour who deferves well of him. Among the various errors in conversation . . . there is one which, though it has not escaped a general reproof, yet seems to deserve a more particular severity. It is a humour of jesting on difagreeable fubjects, and infifting on the jeft the more it creates uneafinefs; and this some men think they have a title to do as friends. Is the defign of jesting to provoke? or does friendship give a privilege to fay things with a defign to shock? How can that be called a jeft which has nothing in it but bitterness? It is generally allowed neceffary for the peace of company, that men should a little study the tempers of each other, but certainly that must be in order to fhun what is offenfive, not to make it a conftant entertainment. The frequent repetition of what appears harsh, will unavoidably leave a rancour that is fatal to friendship; and I doubt much, whether it would be an argument of a man's good humour, if he should be roused, by perpetual teafing, to treat thofe who do it as his enemies. In a word, whereas it is a common practice to let a story die merely becaufe it does not touch, I think fuch as mention one they find does, are as troublesome to fociety and as unfit for it as wags, men of fire, good talkers, or any other apes in converfation . . . I cannot wholly afcribe the fault..... to the... vanity or pride in companions who fecretly triumph over their friends, in being sharp upon them in things where they are moft tender. But when this fort of behaviour does not proceed from that fource, it does from a barreness of invention, and an inability to fupport a converfation in a way lefs offenfive. It is the fame poverty that makes men fpeak or write fmuttily that forces them to talk vexingly. As obfcene language is an addrefs to the lewd for applause, so are sharp allufions an appeal to the ill-natured. But mean and illiterate is that converfation where one man exercifes his wit to make another exercife.his patience. CHAPTER XLVII. MR. BICKERSTAFF GIVES HIS OPINON ON THE SUBJECT OF PRIDE, AND ADDUCES SOME WHIMSICAL INSTANCES OF IT-PERNICIOUS EFFECTS OF VANITY, PRIDE, AND AMBITION. Nimirum infanus paucis videatur, eo quod HOR. 2 SAT. iii. 120. By few, forfooth, a madman he is thought, FRANCIS. HERE is no affection of the mind fo blended in human nature, and wrought into our very conftitution as pride. It appears under a multitude of disguises, and breaks out in ten thousand different fymptoms. Every one feels it in himself, yet wonders to fee it in his neighbour. I must confefs I met with an instance of it the other day where I should very little have expected it. Who would believe the proud perfon I am going to speak of is a cobbler upon Ludgate-hill? This artist being naturally a lover of respect, and confidering that his circumstances are fuch that no man living will give it him, has contrived the figure of a beau, in wood, who ftands before him in a bending posture, with his hat under his left arm, and his right hand extended in fuch a manner as to hold a thread, a piece of wax, or an awl, according to the particular fervice in which |