Such a confideration fhould be kept awake in us at all times, and in all places, and poffefs our minds with a perpetual awe and reverence. It should be interwoven with all our thoughts and perceptions, and become one with the confcioufnefs of our own being. It is not to be ' reflected on in the coldness of philosophy, but ' ought to fink us into the lowest proftration be'fore Him, who is fo aftonishingly great, won'derful, and holy. I N° 581. Monday, August 16, 1714. Sunt bona, funt quædam mediocria, funt mala plura MART. Epig. i. 17. Some good, more bad, fome neither one nor t'other.' AM at prefent fitting with a heap of letters before me, which I have received under the character of SPECTATOR. I have complaints from lovers, fchemes from projectors, fcandal from ladies, congratulations, compliments, and advice in abundance. I have not been thus long an author, to be infenfible of the natural fondness every perfon must have for their own productions; and I begin to think I have treated my correfpondents a little too uncivilly in ftringing them all together on a file, and letting them lie fo long unregarded. * BY ADDISON, on the authority of Mr. Thomas Tickell. I fhall I fhall therefore, for the future, think myself at leaft obliged to take fome notice of fuch letters as I receive, and may poffibly do it at the end of every month. In the mean time, I intend my prefent Paper as a fhort answer to most of those which have been already fent me. The public, however, is not to expect I should let them into all my fecrets; and, though I appear abftrufe to moft people, it is fufficient if I am understood by my particular correfpondents. My well-wisher Van Nath is very arch, but not quite enough fo to appear in print. Philadelphus will, in a little time, fee his query fully anfwered by a treatife which is now in the prefs. It was very improper at that time to comply with Mr. G. Mifs Kitty muft excufe me. The gentleman who fent me a copy of verfes on his miftrefs's dancing is, I believe, too thoroughly in love to compofe correctly.' I have too great a refpect for both the univerfities to praife one at the expenfe of the other. Tom Nimble is a very honeft fellow, and I defire him to prefent my humble service to his coufin Fill Bumper. I am obliged for the letter upon prejudice. I may in due time animadvert on the cafe of Grace Grumble. The petition of P. S. granted. I thank I thank Aristippus for his kind invitation. My friend at Woodstock is a bold man, to undertake for all within ten miles of him. I am afraid the entertainment of Tom Turnover will hardly be relished by the good cities of London and Westminster. I must confider farther of it, before I indulge W. F. in those freedoms he takes with the ladies' ftockings. I am obliged to the ingenious gentleman who fent me an ode on the fubject of the late SPECTATOR, and fhall take particular notice of his laft letter. When the lady who wrote me a letter, dated July the 20th, in relation to fome paffages in a lover, will be more particular in her directions, I shall be fo in my answer. The poor gentleman, who fancies my writings could reclaim an husband who can abuse fuch a wife as he defcribes, has, I am afraid, too great an opinion of my fkill. Philanthropos is, I dare fay, a very well-meaning man, but a little too prolix in his compofitions. Conftantius himself must be the best judge in the affair he mentions. me. The letter dated from Lincoln is received. Arethufa and her friend may hear farther from Celia is a little too hafty. Harriet is a good girl, but muft not curtfy to, folks fhe does not know. I must ingenuously confefs my friend Samp fon fon Bentstaff has quite puzzled me, and writ me a long letter which I cannot comprehend one word of. Collidan must also explain what he means by his drigelling. I think it beneath my SPECTATORIAL Dignity to concern myself in the affair of the boiled dumpling. I fhall confult fome Literati on the project sent me for the discovery of the longitude. I know not how to conclude this Paper better, than by inferting a couple of letters which are really genuine, and which I look upon to be two of the fmarteft pieces I have received from my correfpondents of either sex. • Brother SPEC, WHILE you are furveying every object that falls in your way, I am wholly • taken up with one. Had that fage, who de⚫manded what beauty was, lived to fee the dear angel I love, he would not have asked fuch a queftion. Had another feen her, he would himself have loved the perfon in whom Heaven has made virtue vifible; and, were you yourself to be in her company, you could never, with all your loquacity, fay enough of her good-humour and fenfe. I fend you the outlines of a picture, which I can no more finish than I can fufficiently admire • the dear original. I am Your most affectionate brother, ' CONSTANTIA SPEC.' • Good I Good Mr. PERT, WILL allow you nothing until you refolve me the following queftion. Pray what is the reason that, while you only talk now upon Wednesdays, Fridays, and Mondays, you pretend to be a greater TATLER than when you spoke every day as you formerly used to do? If this be your plunging out of your taciturnity, pray let the length of your fpeeches compenfate for the fcarcenefs of them. • I am, • Good Mr. PERT, • Your admirer, If you will be long enough for me, • AMANDA LOVELENGTH*, * In the feven preceding volumes of the SPECT. the Papers were published every day, Sunday excepted; thofe in this eighth volume came out only three times a week. STEELE, it is faid, had no concern in this last volume, which we are told was chiefly compofed by ADDISON and Mr. Euftace Budgell. There are none of the Papers in it lettered at the end, as they are in the other feven volumes. ADDISON produced more than a fourth part, and the other contributors are by no means unworthy of appearing as his affociates. Dr. Johnson thought this volume more valuable than any one of those that went before it. ADDISON's Papers in it are marked on the authority of Mr. Tickell, who, as he lived farmiliarly with ADDISON, may well be fuppofed capable of afcertaining his Papers in this volume. No. 582. |