It is not very eafy to find an action or event that can be efficaciously reprefented by a painter.

He must have an action not fucceffive but inftantaneous; for the time of a picture is a fingle moment. For this reafon, the death of Hercules cannot well be painted, though at the first view it flatters the imagination with very glittering ideas: the gloomy mountain, overhanging the fea, and covered with trees, fome bending to the wind, and fome torn from their roots by the raging hero; the violence with which he rends from his fhoulders the invenomed garment; the propriety with which his mufcular nakednefs may be difplayed; the death of Lycas whirled from the promontory; the gigantic prefence of Philoctetes; the blaze of the fatal pile, which the deities behold with grief and terror from the fky,

All these images fill the mind, but will not compofe a picture, because they cannot be united in a fingle moment. Hercules must have rent his flesh at one time, and toffed Lycas into the air at another; he muft firft tear up the trees, and then lie down upon tee pile.

The action must be circumftantial and diftinct. There is a paffage in the Iliad which cannot be read without ftrong emotions. A Trojan prince, feized by Achilles in the battle, falls at his feet, and in How can a moving terms fupplicates for life. wretch like thee, fays the haughty Greek, entreat to live, when thou knowest that the time must come when Achilles is to die? This cannot be painted, because no peculiarity of attitude or difpofition can fo fup

ply the place of language as to imprefs the fenti

ment.

The event painted must be such as excites paffion, and different paffions in the feveral actors, or a tumult of contending paffions in the chief.

Perhaps the discovery of Ulyffes by his nurfe is of this kind. The furprize of the nurfe mingled with joy; that of Ulyffes checked by prudence, and clouded by folicitude; and the diftinctness of the action by which the fcar is found; all concur to complete the subject. But the pictures, having only two figures, will want variety.

A much nobler affemblage may be furnished by the death of Epaminondas. The mixture of gladnefs and grief in the face of the meffenger who brings his dying general an account of the victory; the various paffions of the attendants; the fublimity of compofure in the hero, while the dart is by his own command drawn from his fide, and the faint gleam of fatisfaction that diffufes itself over the languor of death; are worthy of that pencil which yet I do not wish to see employed upon them,

If the defign were not too multifarious and extenfive, I should wish that our painters would attempt the diffolution of the parliament by Cromwell. The point of time may be chofen when Cromwell, looking round the Pandemonium with contempt, ordered the bauble to be taken away; and Harrison laid hands on the speaker to drag him from the chair.

The various appearances, which rage, and terror, and astonishment, and guilt, might exhibit in the faces of that hateful affembly, of whom the prin

cipal perfons may be faithfully drawn from portraits or prints; the irrefolute repugnance of fome, the hypocritical fubmiffions of others, the ferocious infolence of Cromwell, the rugged brutality of Harrifon, and the general trepidation of fear and wickedness, would, if fame proper difpofition could be contrived, make a picture of unexampled variety, and irrefiftible inftruction.

NUMB. 46. SATURDAY, March 3, 1759,

Mr. IDLER,

I AM encouraged, by the notice you have taken of Betty Broom, to reprefent the miferies which I fuffer from a species of tyranny which, I believe, is not very uncommon, though perhaps it may have efcaped the observation of those who converfe little with fine ladies, or fee them only in their publick characters.

To this method of venting my vexation I am the more inclined, becaufe if I do not complain to you, I must burst in filence; for my mistress has teazed me and teazed me till I can hold no longer, and yet I must not tell her of her tricks. The girls that live in common fervices can quarrel, and give warning, and find other places; but we that live with great ladies, if we once offend them, have nothing left but to return into the country.

I am waiting-maid to a lady who keeps the best company, and is feen at every place of fashionable

refort.

refort. I am envied by all the maids in the fquare, for few counteffes leave off fo many clothes as my miftrefs, and nobody fhares with me: fo that I fupply two families in the country with finery for the affizes and horfe-races, befides what I wear myfelf. The steward and house-keeper have joined againft me to procure my removal, that they may advance a relation of their own; but their defigns are found out by my lady, who fays I need not fear them, for fhe will never have dowdies about her.

You would think, Mr. Idler, like others, that I am very happy, and may well be contented with my lot. But I will tell you. My lady has an odd humour. She never orders any thing in direct words, for the loves a fharp girl that can take a hint.

I would not have you fufpect that he has any thing to hint which she is afhamed to speak at length, for none can have greater purity of fentiment, or rectitude of intention. She has nothing to hide, yet nothing will the tell. She always gives her directions obliquely and allufively, by the mention of fomething relative or confequential, without any other purpose than to exercise my acuteness and her

own.

It is impoffible to give a notion of this style otherwise than by examples. One night, when she had fet writing letters till it was time to be dreffed, Molly, faid fhe, the Ladies are all to be at Court tonight in white aprons. When the means that I should send to order the chair, fhe fays, I think the Streets are clean, I may venture to walk. When the would have fomething put into its place, fhe bids me lay it on the floor. If fhe would have me fnuff

N 4

the

my dullness a pretence for a fortnight's ill humour, treat me as a creature devoid of the faculties neceffary to the common duties of life, and perhaps give the next gown to the housekeeper.

I am, SIR,

Your humble fervant,

MOLLY QUICK.

NUMB. 47. SATURDAY, March 10, 1759.

Mr. IDLER,

To the IDLE R.

AM the unfortunate wife of a city wit, and cannot but think that my cafe may deferve equal compaffion with any of thofe which have been reprefented in your paper.

I married my husband within three months after the expiration of his apprenticeship; we put our money together, and furnished a large and fplendid fhop, in which he was for five years and a half diligent and civil. The notice which curiofity or kindness commonly beftows on beginners, was continued by confidence and efteem; one cuftomer, pleafed with his treatment and his bargain, recom-' mended another, and we were busy behind the counter from morning to night.

Thus every day encreafed our wealth and our reputation. My husband was often invited to dinner openly