larger than my lord's dog-kennel, and a great | yearly fuel. And as these are taken out of the deal less than his lordship's stables. The next thing was to reduce his park. He took down a great many pales, and with these inclosed only two hundred acres of it near adjoining to his new house. The rest he converted to breeding cattle, which yielded greater profit. The tenants began now to be very much dissatisfied with the loss of my lord's family, which had been a constant market for great quantities of their corn; and with the disparking so much land, by which provisions were likely to be in creased in so dispeopled a country. They were afraid they must be obliged themselves to consume the whole product of their farms, and that they should be soon undone by the economy and frugality of this gentleman. Mr. Charwell was sensible their fears were but too just; and that, if neither their goods could be carried off to distant markets, nor the markets brought home to their goods, his te. nants must run away from their farms. He had no hopes of making the river navigable, which was a point that could not be obtained by all the interest of his predecessor, and was therefore not likely to be yielded up to a man who was not yet known in the country. All that was left for him was to bring the market home to his tenants, which was the very thing he intended before he ventured upon his purchase. He had even then projected in his thoughts the plan of a great town just below the old house; he therefore presently set himself about the execution of this project. The thing has succeeded to his wish. In the space of twenty years he is so fortunate as to see a thousand new houses upon his estate, and at least five thousand new people, men, women, and children, inhabitants of those houses, who are comfortably subsisted by their own labour, without charge to Mr. Charwell, and to the great profit of his tenants. It cannot be imagined that such a body of people can be subsisted at less than five pounds per head, or twenty-five thousand pounds per annum, the greatest part of which sum is an. nually expended for provisions among the farmers of the next adjacent lands. And as the tenants of Mr. Charwell are nearest of all others to the market, they have the best prices for their goods by all that is saved in the carriage. But some provisions are of that nature, that they will not bear a much longer carriage than from the extreme parts of his lands; and I think I have been told, that for the single article of milk, at a pint every day for every house, his tenants take from this town not much less than five hundred pounds per annum. coal-pits of Mr. Charwell, he receives a penny for every bushel; so that this very article is an addition of four hundred pounds per annum to his revenues. And as the town and people are every year increasing, the revenues in the above-mentioned, and many other articles, are increasing in proportion. There is now no longer any want of the family of the predecessor. The consumption of five thousand people is greater than can be made by any fifty of the greatest families in Great Britain. The tenants stand in no need of distant markets to take off the product of their farms. The people so near their own doors are already more than they are able to supply; and what is wanting at home for this purpose is supplied from places at greater distance, at whatsoever price of carriage. All the farmers every where near the river are now, in their turn, for an act of parliament to make it navigable, that they may have an easy carriage for their corn to so good a nar ket. The tenants of Mr. Charwell, that they may have the whole market to themselves, are almost the only persons against it. But they will not be long able to oppose it: their leases are near expiring; and as they are grown very rich, there are many other persons ready to take their farms at more than double the present rents, even though the river should be made navigable, and distant people let in to sell their provisions together with these farmers. As for Mr. Charwell himself, he is in no manner of pain lest his lands should fall in their value by the cheap carriage of provisions from distant places to his town. He knows very well the cheapness of provisions was one great means of bringing together so great numbers, and that they must be held together by the same means. He seems to have nothing more in his thoughts than to increase his town to such an extent, that all the country for ten miles round about shall be little enough to supply it. He considers that at how great a distance soever provisions shall be brought thither, they must end at last in so much soil for his estate, and that the farmers of other lands will by this means contribute to the improvement of his own. But by what encouragement and rewards, by what arts and policies, and what sort of people he has invited to live upon his estate, and how he has enabled them to subsist by their own labour, to the great improvement of his lands, will be the subjects of some of my future pre. cautions. " To the Guardian. 'March 16. SIR,--By your paper of Saturday last, you give the town hopes that you will dedicate that day to religion. You could not begin it better than by warning your pupils of the poison vented under a pretence to free-thinking. If you can spare room in your next Saturday's paper for a few lines on the same subject, these are at your disposal. The soil of all kinds, which is made every year by the consumption of so great a town, I have heard has been valued at two hundred pounds per annum. If this be true, the estate of Mr. Charwell is so much improved in this very article, since all this is carried out upon his lands by the back carriage of those very carts, which were loaden by his tenants with provisions and other necessaries for the people. 'I happened to be present at a public conver A hundred thousand bushels of coal are ne-sation of some of the defenders of this discourse cessary to supply so great a multitude with of free-thinking, and others that differed from them; where I had the diversion of hearing the | of the Sparkler's, which is to come home next same man in one breath, persuade us to free- week. I design it a model for the ladies. She dom of thought, and in the next, offer to de- and I have had three private meetings about it. monstrate that we had no freedom in any thing. As to the men, I am very glad to hear, being One would think men should blush, to find myself a fellow of Lincoln college, that there is themselves entangled in a greater contradiction at last in one of our universities risen a happy than any the discourse ridicules. This princi-genius for little things. It is extremely to be ple of free fatality' or necessary liberty, is a lamented, that hitherto we come from the col worthy fundamental of the new sect; and, indeed, this opinion is an evidence and clearness so nearly related to transubstantiation, that the same genius seems requisite for either. It is fit the world should know how far reason aban-matters. For this reason I shall authorise and dons men that would employ it against religion; which intention, I hope, justifies this trouble from, sir, your hearty well-wisher, No. 10.] MISATHEUS.' Monday, March 23, 1713. Venit ad me sæpe clamitans- He is perpetually coming to me, and ringing in my ears, that I do wrong to indulge him so much in the article of dress; but the fault lies in his own excessive and unreasonable severity. lege as unable to put on our own clothes as we do from nurse. We owe many misfortunes, and an unhappy backwardness in urging our way in the world, to the neglect of these less support the gentleman who writes me the following letter; and though, out of diffidence of the re ception his proposal should meet with from me, he has given himself too ludicrous a figure; I doubt not but from his notices to make men who cannot arrive at learning in that place, come from thence without appearing ignorant: and such as can, to be truly knowing without appearing bookish. To the Guardian. 'Oxford, March 18, 1712-13 'SIR,-I foresee that you will have many cor respondents in this place; but as I have often observed, with grief of heart, that scholars are wretchedly ignorant in the science I profess, I flatter myself that my letter will gain a place in your papers. I have made it my study, sir, in these seats of learning, to look into the na ture of dress, and am what they call an aca demical beau. I have often lamented that I am obliged to wear a grave habit, since by that means I have not an opportunity to introduce fashions amongst our young gentlemen; and so am forced, contrary to my own inclinations, and the expectation of all who know me, to appear in print. I have indeed met with some success in the projects I have communicated to some sparks with whom I am intimate; and I cannot without a secret triumph confess, that the sleeves turned up with green velvet, which now flourish throughout the university, sprang ori WHEN I am in deep meditation, in order to give my wards proper precautions, I have a principal regard to the prevalence of things which people of merit neglect, and from which those of no merit raise to themselves an esteem: of this nature is the business of dress. It is weak in a man of thought and reflection to be either depressed or exalted from the perfections or disadvantages of his person. However there is a respective conduct to be observed in the habit, according to the eminent distinction of the body, either way. A gay youth in the possession of an ample fortune, could not recommend his understanding to those who are not of his acquaintance more suddenly, than by sobriety in his habit; as this is winning at first sight, so a person gorgeously fine, which in it-ginally from my invention. self should avoid the attraction of the beholders' eyes, gives as immediate offence. I make it my business when my lady Lizard's youngest daughter, Miss Molly, is making clothes, to consider her from head to foot, and cannot be easy when there is any doubt lies upon me concerning the colour of a knot, or any other part of her head-dress, which, by its darkness or liveliness, might too much allay or brighten her complexion. There is something loose in looking as well as you possibly can; but it is also a vice not to take care how you look. The indiscretion of believing that great qualities make up for the want of things less considerable, is punished too severely in those who are guilty of it. Every day's experience shows us, among variety of people with whom we are not acquainted, that we take impressions too favourable and too disadvantageous of men at first sight from their habit. I take this to be a point of great consideration, and I shall consider it in my future precautions as such. As to the female world, I shall give them my opinion at large, by way of cominent, upon a new suit 'As it is necessary to have the head clear, as well as the complexion, to be perfect in this part of learning, I rarely mingle with the men, (for I abhor wine,) but frequent the tea-tables of the ladies. I know every part of their dress, and can name all their things by their names. I am consulted about every ornament they bay; and, I speak it without vanity, have a very pretty fancy to knots, and the like. Sometimes I take a needle, and spot a piece of muslin for pretty Patty Cross-stitch, who is my present favourite, which, she says, I do neatly enough; or read one of your papers, and explain the motto, which they all like mightily. But then I am a sort of petty tyrant amongst them, for I own I have my huinours. If any thing be amiss, they are sure Mr. Sleek will find fault; if any hoity-toity things make a fuss, they are sure to be taken to pieces the next visit. I am the dread of poor Celia, whose wrapping-gown is not right India; and am avoided by Thalas tris, in her second-hand mantua which several masters of arts think very fine, whereas I per ceived it had been scoured, with half an eye. 'Thus have I endeavoured to improve my understanding, and am desirous to communicate my innocent discoveries to those, who, like me, may distinguish themselves more to advantage by their bodies than their minds. I do not think the pains I have taken in these my studies, thrown away, since by these means, though I am not very valuable, I am however not disagreeable. Would gentlemen but reflect upon what I say, they would take care to make the best of themselves; for I think it intolerable that a blockhead should be a sloven. Though every man cannot fill his head with learning, it is in any one's power to wear a pretty periwig; let him who cannot say a witty thing, keep his teeth white at least; he who hath no knack at writing sonnets, may however have a soft hand; and he may arch his eye-brows, who hath not strength of genius for the mathematics. After the conclusion of the peace, we shall undoubtedly have new fashions from France; and I have some reason to think that some particularities in the garb of their abbès may be transplanted hither to advantage. What I find becoming in their dress I hope I may, without the imputation of being popishly inclined, adopt into our habits; but would willingly have the authority of the Guardian to countenance me in this harmless design. I would not hereby assume to myself a jurisdiction over any of our youth, but such as are incapable of improvement any other way. As for the awkward creatures that mind their studies, I look upon them as irreclaimable. But over the afore-mentioned order of men, I desire a commission from you to exercise full authority. Hereby, I shall be enabled from time to time to introduce several pretty oddnesses in the taking and tucking up of gowns, to regulate the dimensions of wigs, to vary the tufts upon caps, and to enlarge or narrow the hems of binds, as I shall think most for the public good. dress in flattery, which makes it agreeable, though never so gross: but of all flatterers, the most skilful is he who can do what you like, without saying any thing which argues he does it for your sake; the most winning circumstance in the world being the conformity of manners. I speak of this as a practice necessary in gaining people of sense, who are not yet given up to self-conceit; those who are far gone in admiration of themselves, need not be treated with so much delicacy. The following letter puts this matter in a pleasant and uncommon light; the author of it attacks this vice with an air of compliance, and alarms us against it by exhorting us to it. To the Guardian. SIR,-As you profess to encourage all those who any way contribute to the public good, I flatter myself I may claim your countenance and protection. I am by profession a maddoctor, but of a peculiar kind, not of those whose aim it is to remove frenzies, but one who makes it my business to confer an agreeable madness on my fellow-creatures, for their mutual delight and benefit. Since it is agreed by the philosophers, that happiness and misery consist chiefly in the imagination, nothing is more necessary to mankind in general than this pleasing delirium, which renders every one satisfied with himself, and persuades him that all others are equally so. I have for several years, both at home and abroad, made this science my particular study, which I may venture to say I have improved in almost all the courts of Europe; and have reduced it into so safe and easy a method, as to practise it on both sexes, of what disposition, age, or quality soever, with success. What enables me to perform this great work, is the use of my Obsequium Catholicon, or the Grand Elixir, to support the spirits of human nature. This remedy is of the most grateful flavour in 'I have prepared a treatise against the cravat and berdash,* which I am told is not ill done; and have thrown together some hasty observa-the world, and agrees with all tastes whatever. tions upon stockings, which my friends assure me I need not be ashamed of. But I shall not offer them to the public until they are approved of at our female club; which I am the more willing to do, because I am sure of their praise; for they own I understand these things better than they do. I shall herein be very proud of your encouragement; for, next to keeping the university clean, my greatest ambition is to be thought, sir, your most obedient humble servant, SIMON SLEEK.' It is delicate to the senses, delightful in the operation, may be taken at all hours without confinement, and is as properly given at a ball or playhouse as in a private chamber. It restores and vivifies the most dejected minds, corrects and extracts all that is painful in the knowledge of a man's self. One dose of it will instantly disperse itself through the whole animal system, dissipate the first motions of distrust so as never to return, and so exhilirate the brain and rarify the gloom of reflection, as to give the patients a new flow of spirits, a viva. city of behaviour, and a pleasing dependence upon their own capacities. Let a person be never so far gone, I advise him not to despair; even though he has been troubled many years with restless reflections, which by long neglect have hardened into settled consideration. Those that have been stung with satire may here find a certain antidote, which infallibly disperses all the remains of poison that has been left in the understanding by bad cures. It fortifies the heart against the rancour of pamphlets, the inveteracy of epigrams, and the mortification of lampoons; as has been often experienced by several persons | numerable cures I have performed within twenty of both sexes, during the seasons of Tunbridge days last past; but rather proceed to exhort all and the Bath. 'I could, as farther instances of my success, produce certificates and testimonials from the favourites and ghostly fathers of the most eminent princes of Europe: but shall content my self with the mention of a few cures, which I have performed by this my grand universal restorative, during the practice of one month only since I came to this city. Cures in the month of February, 1713. persons of whatever age, complexion, or quality, to take as soon as possible of this my intellec tual oil: which, applied at the ear, seizes all the senses with a most agreeable transport, and dis covers its effects, not only to the satisfaction of the patient, but all who converse with, attend upon, or any way relate to him or her that re ceives the kindly infection. It is often admi. nistered by chamber-maids, valets, or any the most ignorant domestic; it being one peculiar excellence of this my oil, that it is most prevalent, the more unskilful the person is or appears who applies it. It is absolutely necessary for ladies to take a dose of it just before they take coach to go a visiting. 'George Spondee, esq. poet, and inmate of the parish of St. Paul's Covent-garden, fell into violent fits of the spleen upon a thin third night. He had been frightened into a vertigo by the But I offend the public, as Horace said, when sound of cat-calls on the first day; and the fre. I trespass on any of your time. Give me leave quent hissings on the second made him unable then, Mr. Ironside, to make you a present of to endure the bare pronunciation of the letter dram or two of my oil; though I have cause S. I searched into the causes of his distemper; to fear my prescriptions will not have the effect and by the prescription of a dose of my Obse-upon you I could wish: therefore I do not enquium, prepared secundum artem, recovered him to his natural state of madness. I cast in at proper intervals the words, Ill taste of the town, Envy of Critics, Bad performance of the actors, and the like. He is so perfectly cured, that he has promised to bring another play upon the stage next winter. deavour to bribe you in my favour by the pre- abroad. Beware of counterfeits, for such are A lady of professed virtue, of the parish of St. James's, Westminster, who hath desired her name may be concealed, having taken offence at a phrase of double meaning in conversation, undiscovered by any other in the company, sudN. B. I teach the arcana of my art at red denly fell into a cold fit of modesty. Upon a sonable rates to gentlemen of the universities, right application of praise of her virtue, I threw who desire to be qualified for writing dedica. the lady into an agreeable waking dream, set-tions; and to young lovers and fortune-hunters, tled the fermentation of her blood into a warm to be paid at the day of marriage. I instruct charity, so as to make her look with patience on persons of bright capacities to flatter others, the very gentleman that offended. and those of the meanest, to flatter themselves. I was the first inventor of pocket looking. glasses.' Hilaria, of the parish of St. Giles's in the fields, a coquette of long practice, was, by the reprimand of an old maiden, reduced to look grave in company, and deny herself the play of the fan. In short, she was brought to such melancholy circumstances, that she would sometimes unawares fall into devotion at church. I advised her to take a few innocent freedoms with occasional kisses, prescribed her the exercise of the eyes, and immediately raised her to her former state of life. She on a sudden recovered her dimples, furled her fan, threw round her glances, and for these two Sundays last past has not once been seen in an attentive posture. This, the churchwardens are ready to attest upon oath. No. 12.] Wednesday, March 25, 1713. Vel quia nil rectum, nisi quod placuit sibi, ducant. IMITATED. WHEN a poem makes its first appearance in the world, I have always observed that it gives Andrew Terror, of the Middle temple, mo-employment to a greater number of critics than hock, was almost induced by an aged bencher of the same house, to leave off bright conversa. tion, and pore over Coke upon Littleton. He was so ill that his hat began to flan, and he was reen one day in the last term at Westminsterhall. This patient had quite lost his spirit of contradiction; I, by the distillation of a few of my vivifying drops in his ear, drew him from his lethargy, and restored him to his usual vivacious misunderstanding. He is at present very easy in his condition. 'I will not dwell upon the recital of the in any other kind of writing. Whether it be that most men, at some time of their lives, have tried their talent that way, and thereby think they have a right to judge; or whether they ima gine, that their making shrewd observations upon the polite arts, gives them a pretty figure; or whether there may not be some jealousy and caution in bestowing applause upon those who write chiefly for fame. Whatever the reasons be, we find few discouraged by the delicacy and danger of such an undertaking. I think it certain that most men are naturally not only capable of being pleased with that than the ancients have done. If, for example, which raises agreeable pictures in the fancy, I was to describe the general's horse at the but willing also to own it. But then there are battle of Bienheim as my fancy represented such many, who, by false application of some rules a noble beast, and that description should reill understood, or out of deference to men whose semble what Virgil hath drawn for the horse of opinions they value, have formed to themselves his hero, it would be almost as ill-natured to certain scheines and systems of satisfaction, and urge that I had stolen my description from Virwill not be pleased out of their own way. These gil, as to reproach the duke of Marlborough for are not critics themselves, but readers of critics, fighting only like Eneas. All that the most who, without the labour of perusing authors, are exquisite judgment can perform is, out of that able to give their characters in general; and great variety of circumstances wherein natural know just as much of the several species of objects may be considered, to select the most poetry, as those who read books of geography beautiful; and to place images in such views do of the genius of this or that people or nation. and lights as will affect the fancy after the most These gentlemen deliver their opinions senten-delight ul manner. But over and above a just tiously, and in general terms; to which it being painting of nature, a learned reader will find a impossible readily to frame complete answers, new beauty superadded in a happy imitation of they have often the satisfaction of leaving the some famous ancient, as it revives in his mind board in triumph. As young persons, and par- the pleasure he took in his first reading such ticularly the ladies, are liable to be led aside by an author. Such copyings as these give that these tyrants in wit, I shall examine two or kind of double delight which we perceive when three of the many stratagems they use, and sub-we look upon the children of a beautiful couple; join such precautions as may hinder candid readers from being deceived thereby. where the eye is not more charmed with the symmetry of the parts, than the mind by observing the resemblance transmitted from parents to their offspring, and the mingled features of the father and mother. The phrases of holy writ, and allusions to several passages in the inspired writings (though not produced as proofs of doctrine) add majesty and authority to the noblest discourses of the pulpit: in like manner, an imitation of the air of Homer and Virgil, raises the dignity of modern poetry, and makes it appear stately and venerable. The first I shall take notice of is an objection commonly offered, viz. that such a poem hath indeed some good lines in it, but it is not a regular piece.' This, for the most part, is urged by those whose knowledge is drawn from some famous French critics, who have written upon the epic poem, the drama, and the great kinds of poetry, which cannot subsist without great regularity; but ought by no means to be required in odes, epistles, panegyrics, and the like, which naturally admit of greater liberties. The last observation I shall make at present The enthusiasm in odes, and the freedom of is upon the disgust taken by those critics, who epistles, is rarely disputed: but I have often put on their clothes prettily, and dislike every heard the poems upon public occasions, written thing that is not written with ease. I hereby in heroic verse, which I choose to call panegyrics, therefore give the genteel part of the learned severely censured upon this account; the rea- world to understand, that every thought which son whereof I cannot guess, unless it be, that is agreeable to nature, and expressed in lanbecause they are written in the same kind of guage suitable to it, is written with ease. There numbers and spirit as an epic poem, they ought are some things which must be written with therefore to have the same regularity. Now strength, which nevertheless are easy. The an epic poem consisting chiefly in narration, it statue of the gladiator, though represented in is necessary that the incidents should be related such a posture as strains every muscle, is as in the same order that they are supposed to have easy as that of Venna; because the one expresses been transacted. But in works of the above. strength and dry as naturally as the other doth mentioned kind, there is no more reason that beauty and softness. The passions are somesuch order should be observed, than that an ora- times to be roused, as well as the fancy to be tion should be as methodical as a history. I think entertained; and the soul to be exalted and enit suicient that the great hints suggested from larged, as well as soothed. This often requires the subject, be so disposed, that the first may a raised and figurative style; which readers of naturally prepare the reader for what follows, low apprehensions, or soit and languid dispo and so on; and that their places cannot be sitions (having heard of the words, fustian and changed without disadvantage to the whole. I bombast) are apt to reject as stiff and affected will add further, that sometimes gentle devia-language. But nature and reason appoint diftions, sometimes bold, and even abrupt digressions, where the dignity of the subject seems to give the impulse, are proofs of a noble genius; as winding about and returning artfully to the main design are marks of address and dexterity. Another artifice made use of by pretenders to criticism, is an insinuation, that all that is good is borrowed from the ancients. This is very common in the mouths of pedants, and perhaps in their hearts too; but is often urged by men of no great learning, for reasons very obvious. Now nature being still the same, it is impossible for any modern writer to paint her otherwise ferent garbs for different things; and since I write this to the men of dress, I will ask thema if a soldier who is to mount a breach, should be adorned like a beau, who is spruced up for a ball? No. 13.] Thursday, March 26, 1713. Pudore et liberalitate liberos I esteem it better to keep children in awe by a sense of shame, and a condescension to their inclinations, than by far. THE reader has had some account of the |