knocks as I was playing my hand about my face, and aiming at fome other part of it. I faw two other gentlemen by me who were in the fame ridiculous circumftances. Thefe had made a foolish twop between a couple of thick bandy legs and two long trapfticks that had no calves. to them. One of thefe looked like a man walk

ing upon ftilts, and was to lifted up into the air, above his ordinary height, that his head turned round with it; while the other made fuch aukward circles, as he attempted to walk, that he fcarcely knew how to move forward upon his new fupporters. Obferving him to be a pleafant kind of fellow, I ftuck my cane in the ground, and told him I would lay him a bottle of wine that he did not march up to it on a line that I drew for him in a quarter of an hour.

The heap was at laft diftributed among the two fexes, who made a most piteous fight, as they wandered up and down under the preffure of their feveral burdens. The whole plan was filled with murmurs and complaints, groans, and lamentations. Jupiter at length taking compaffion on the poor mortals, ordered them a fecond time to lay down their loads, with a defign to give every one his own again. They difcharged themfelves with a great deal of pleafure; after which, the Phantom who had led them into fuch grofs delufions was commanded to difappear. There was fent in her stead a goddefs of a quite different figure: her motions were fteady and compofed, and her afpect ferious

but

but cheerful. She every now and then caft her eyes towards heaven, and fixed them upon Jupiter; her name was Patience. She had no fooner placed herself by the Mount of SORROWS, but, what I thought very remarkable, the whole heap funk to fuch a degree, that it did not appear a third part fo big as it was before. She afterwards returned every man his own proper Calamity, and teaching him how to bear it in the most commodious manner, he marched off with it contentedly, being very well pleafed that he had not been left to his own choice as to the kind of evils which fell to his lot.

Befides the feveral pieces of morality to be drawn out of this Vifion, I learnt from it never to repine at my own Misfortunes, or to envy the happiness of another, fince it is impoffible for any man to form a right judgment of his neighbour's fufferings; for which reafon alfo I have determined never to think too lightly of another's complaints, but to regard the forrows of my fellow-creatures with fentiments of humanity and compaflions.

* By ADDISON. "The SPECTATOR, from it's com"mencement in this eighth volume, was published only three "times a week, and no difcriminative marks were added to the "Papers. Mr. Tickell has afcribed No. 32 to ADDison. No. “556, 557, 558, 559, 561, 562, 565, 567, 568, 569, 571, 574, 575, 579, 580, 582, 583, 584, 585, 590, 591, 598, and 600 ADDISON therefore produced more "than a fourth part of this volume." Dr. JOHNSON'S "Lives "of Eng. Poets," Art. ADDISON. It is faid that ADDISON and Mr. C. Budgell were the fole conductors of this eighth volume, in which it does not appear that STEELE was concerned,

No. 560.

N° 560. Monday, June 28, 1714.

-Verba intermiffa retentat.

OVID. Met. i. 746.

'He tries his tongue, his filence foftly breaks.'

EX

*

DRYDEN

VERY one has heard of the famous Conjurer who, according to the opinion of the vulgar, has ftudied himself Dumb; for which reafon, as it. is believed, he delivers out his oracles in writing. Be that as it will the blind Terefias was not more famous in Greece than this Dumb ARTIST has been for fome years laft paft in the cities of London and Westminster. Thus much for the profound gentleman who honours me with the following epiftle.

• SIR,

From my Cell, June 24, 1714. EING informed that you have lately

B got the ufe of your tongue, I have

fome thoughts of following your example, • that I may be a fortune-teller properly fpeaking. I am grown weary of my Taciturnity, and having ferved my country many years under the title of the Dumb DOCTOR, I fhall now prophefy by word of mouth, and (as Mr. • Lee fays of the magpye, who you know was a great fortune-teller among the ancients) chat

*

See TAT. with Notes, Vol. I. No. 14, p. 156, and Note; and SPECT. No. 474, Duncan Campbell.

'ter

ter futurity. I have hitherto chofen to re'ceive queftions and return anfwers in writing, that I might avoid the tediousness and trouble of debates, my querifts being generally of a humour to think that they have never pre⚫dictions enough for their money. In fhort, Sir, my cafe has been fomething like that of thofe difcreet animals the monkeys, who, as 'the Indians tell us, can fpeak if they would,

but purposely avoid it that they may not be 'made to work. I have hitherto gained a livelihood by holding my tongue, but fhall now open my mouth in order to fill it. If I appear a little word-bound in my firft folutions and refponfes, I hope it will not be imputed to any want of forefight, but to the long • difufe of fpeech. I doubt not by this inven'tion to have all my former customers over again; for, if I have promised any of them 'lovers or husbands, riches or good luck, it is my defign to confirm to them viva-voce, what I have already given them under my hand. If you will honour me with a vifit, I will compliment you with the firft opening of my mouth; and if you pleafe, you may make an entertaining dialogue out of the converfation ' of two Dumb MEN. Excufe this trouble, worthy Sir, from one who has been a long

• time

• Your filent admirer,

• CORNELIUS AGRIPPA.

I have received the following letter, or rather billet-doux, from a pert young baggage, who congratulates with me upon the fame occafion.

I

• Dear Mr. PRATE-APACE, June 23, 1714. AM a member of a female fociety who call ourfelves the Chit-chat club, and am • ordered by the whole fifterhood to congratulate you upon the ufe of your tongue. We have all of us a mighty mind to hear you talk, • and if you will take your place among us for an evening, we have unanimoufly agreed to ⚫ allow one minute in ten, without interruption. I am, SIR,

Your humble fervant,

'S. T.'

P. S. "You may find us at my Lady Betty "Clack's, who will leave orders with her porter, that if an elderly gentleman, with a "fhort face, inquires for her, he fhall be ad"mitted and no queftions afked."

As this particular Paper fhall confift wholly of what I have received from my correfpondents, I fhall fill up the remaining part of it with other congratulatory letters of the fame

June 25, 1714.

E are here wonderfully pleafed with the opening of your mouth, and

WE

very frequently open ours in approbation of