the Sight of me turned away his Face and wept. The little Family of Children renewed the Expreffions of their Sorrow according to their feveral Ages and Degrees of Understanding. The eldest Daughter was in Tears, bufied in Attendance upon her Mother; others were kneeling about the Bedfide: And what troubled me most was, to fee a little Boy, who was too young to know the Reason, weeping only becaufe his Sifters did. The only one in the Room who feemed refigned and comforted, was the dying Perfon. At my Approach to the Bedfide, fhe told me, with a low broken Voice, This is kindly done- Take Care of your FriendDon't go from him. She had before taken Leave of her Husband and Children, in a Manner proper for fo solemn a Parting, and with a Gracefulness peculiar to a Woman of her Character. My Heart was torn in Pieces to fee the Hufband on one Side fuppreffing and keeping down the Swellings of his Grief, for Fear of difturbing her in her last Moments; and the Wife even at that Time concealing the Pains fhe endured, for Fear of increafing his Affliction. She kept her Eyes upon him for fome Moments after fhe grew fpeechlefs, and foon after clofed them for ever. In the Moment of her Departure, my Friend (who had thus far commanded himself) gave a deep Groan, and fell into a Swoon by her Bedfide. The Distraction of the Children, who thought they faw both their Parents expiring together, and now lying dead before them, would have melted the hardest Heart; but they foon perceived their Father recover, whom I helped to remove into another Room, with a Refolution to accompany him till the firft Pangs of his Affliction were abated. I knew Confolation would now be impertinent; and therefore contented myself to fit by him, and condole with him in Silence. For I fhall here ufe the Method of an antient Author, who in one of his Epiftles relating the Virtues and Death of Macrinus's Wife, expreffes himself thus: I fhall fufpend my Advice to this best of Friends, till he is made capable of receiving it by thofe three great Remedies, (Neceffitas ipfa, Dies longa, & Satietas Doloris) The Neceffity of Submisfion, Length of Time, and Satiety of Grief." 6 IN the mean Time, I cannot but confider with much Commiferation, the melancholy State of one who has had fuch a Part of himself torn from him, and which he miffes in every Circumftance of Life. His Condition is like that of one who has hately loft his Right Arm, and is every Moment offering to help himfelf with it. He does not appear to himself the. fame Perfon in his House, at his Table, in Company, or in Retirement; and lofes the Relish of all the Pleasures and Diverfions that were before entertaining to him by her Participation of them. The most agreeable Objects recall the Sorrow for her with whom he used to enjoy them. This additional Satisfaction, from the Tafte of Pleasures in the Society of one we love, is admirably defcribed in Milton, who reprefents Eve, though in Paradife itself, no farther pleafed with the beautiful Objects around her, than as the fees them in Company with Adam, in that Paffage fo inexpreffibly charming. With thee converfing, I forget all Time, All Seafons, and their Change; all pleafe alike. THE Variety of Images in this Paffage is infinitely pleafing, and the Recapitulation of each particular Image, with a little varying of the Expreffion, makes one of the fineft Turns of Words that I have ever feen: Which rath T Father mention, because Mr. Dryden has faid in his Preface to Juvenal, that he could meet with no Turn of Words in Milton. IT may be further obferved, That though the Sweetnefs of thefe Verfes has fomething in it of a Paftoral, yet it excels the ordinary Kind, as much as the Scene of it is above an ordinary Field or Meadow. I might here, fince I am accidentally led into this Subject, fhew feveral Paflages in Milton that have as excellent Turns of this Nature, as any of our English Poets whatsoever; but fhall only mention that which follows, in which he defcribes the fallen Angels engaged in the intricate Difputes of Predeftination, Free will, and Foreknowledge; and to humour the Perplexity, makes a kind of Labyrinth in the very Words that describe it. Others apart fate on a Hill retir'd, In Thoughts more elevate, and reafon'd high The End of the Second Volume. A N INDEX TO THE TATLERS. VOL. II. A. A CTEON's Manner of Life. Applauded in an eminent Dean. Actors cenfured for adding Words of their Parts. Advice to young People. Affectation of Vice and Imperfections cenfured. Affections, how govern'd. Afterwit's Obfervation on the Town. Allegory of Virtue and Pleafure, making their Court to Her- 251 B. Bacon (Sir Francis) his Sentiments of Poetry. Battle Criticks, what. Battle of Blaregnies. 307. 81 74,76 Beauty, how long it ought to be the Care of the Fair Sex. Betterts 141, 142 His Scrutore. Bickerstaffs, their Race; how improved. Blindness cured by Mr. Grant, with the Circumstances of Blunder buys Arms without Touch-holes. 24 62 Boatfwain, bis difinterefied Arguments to prevent his being eaten. Bombardier, what. Books, horv to be valued. 66, 67 207- 164 Bouffler's Letter to the King, after the Battle of Blareg- Bribery with Coals, and Reflections thereupon. Bruyere's Satire on the French. 154 133, 134 37 C. Cane, a Petition to wear one. Chapel-Clerk explained. Cheftity, its Value inftanced in Scipio. Christmas-Eve, Shakespear's Defcription of it. Cleomira, ber Painting cenfured. Commendations of one's felf, how necessary. Compaffion, how moved in Men and Women. Inftanced in a Passage out of Mackbeth. 167 128 40 318 60 224 102, 103 103, 104 Complaint of not fucceeding in Endeavours to reform Man- kind. Conjugal Affection defcribed. 245, 246 331, 332 Coppersmith (Will.) bis Character compared with the Sharpers. Coppersmith, the Name explained. Coquetry, its Effects on a young Gentleman. 36 58 Advice how to overcome the Power of it." 300, 301 298, 299 Country |