the fight of a multitude of people who feem pleased with one another, and partake of the fame common entertainment. I could not but fancy to myself, as the old man stood up in the middle of the pit, that he made a very proper center to a tragick audience. Upon the entring of Pyrrhus, the Knight told me that he did not believe the king of France himself had a better strut. I was indeed very attentive to my old friend's remarks, because I looked upon them as a piece of natural criticism, and was well pleased to hear him, at the conclufion of almost every scene, telling me that he could not imagine how the play would end. One while he appeared much concerned for Andromache; and a little while after as much for Hermione; and was extremely puzzled to think what would become of Pyrrhus. When Sir ROGER saw Andromache's obstinate refusal to her lover's importunities, he whisper'd me in the ear, that he was sure she would never have him; to which he added, with a more than ordinary vehemence, You can't imagine, Sir, what 'tis to have to do with a widow. Upon Pyrrhus his threatning afterwards to leave her, the Knight shook his head and muttered to himself, Ay, do if you can. This part dwelt so much upon my friend's imagination, that at the close of the third act, as I was thinking of fomething else, he whispered me in my ear, These widows, Sir, are the most perverse creatures in the world. But pray, fays he, you that are a critic, is the play according to your dramatick rules, as you call them? Should your people in tragedy always talk to be understood? Why, there is not a single fentence in this play that I do not know the meaning of. The fourth act very luckily begun before I had time to give the old gentleman an anfwer: Well, says the Knight, fitting down with great fatisfaction, I suppose we are now to fee Hector's ghost. He then renew'd his attention, and from time to time, fell a praising the widow. He made, indeed, a little mistake as to one of her pages, whom at his first entering he took for Aftyanax; but quickly fet himself right in that particular, though, at the fame time, he owned he should have been very glad to have feen the little boy, who, fays he, muit needs needs be a very fine child by the account that is given of him. Upon Hermione's going off with a menace to Pyrrhus, the audience gave a loud clap, to which Sir ROGER added, On my word, a notable young baggage! As there was a very remarkable filence and ftilness in the audience during the whole action, it was natural for them to take the opportunity of these intervals between the acts, to express their opinion of the players and of their respective parts. Sir ROGER hearing a cluster of them praise Oreftes, ftruck in with them, and told them, that he thought his friend Pylades was a very fenfible man; as they were afterwards applauding Pyrrhus, Sir ROGER putina second time: And let me tell you, says he, though he speaks but little, I like the old fellow in whiskers as well as any of them. Captain SENTRY feeing two or three wags, who fat near us, lean with an attentive ear towards Sir ROGER, and fearing left they should smoke the Knight, pluck'd him by the elbow, and whisper'd fomething in his ear, that lasted till the opening of the fifth act. The Knight was wonderfully attentive to the account which Orestes gives of Pyrrhus his death, and at the conclufion of it, told me it was such a bloody piece of work, that he was glad it was not done upon the stage. Seeing afterwards Orestes in his raving fit, he grew more than ordinary ferious, and took occafion to moralize (in his way) upon an evil conscience, adding, that Orestes in his madness, looked as if he Jaw fomething. As we were the first that came into the house, so we were the laft that went out of it; being resolved to have a clear passage for our old friend, whom we did not care to venture among the juftling of the croud. Sir RoGER went out fully fatisfied with his entertainment, and we guarded him to his lodging in the fame manner that we brought him to the play house; being highly pleased, for my own part, not only with the performance of the excellent piece which had been presented, but with the fatisfaction which it had given to the old man. L Wednesday, **** ************** No 336 Wednesday, March 26. Clamant periisse pudorem Cuncti perè patres, ea cum reprehendere conor, Imberbes didicere, fenes perdenda fateri. Hor. Ep. 1. 1. 2. v. 80 IMITATED. One tragic sentence if I dare deride, Mr. SPECTATOR, A POPE S you are the daily endeavourer to promote learning and good sense, I think myself obliged to suggest to your confideration whatever may promote or prejudice them. There is an evil which has • prevailed from generation to generation, which gray • hairs and tyrannical custom continue to fupport; I hope your Spectatorial authority will give a feasonable • check to the spread of the infection; I mean old mens • overbearing the strongest sense of their juniors by the • mere force of feniority; so that for a young man in the bloom of life and vigour of age to give a reasonable ⚫ contradiction to his elders, is esteem'd an unpardonable infolence, and regarded as a reverfing the decrees of Nature. I am a young man, I confefs, yet I honour • the gray head as much as any one; however, when in 6 company company with old men, I hear them speak obfcurely, 'or reason prepofteroufly (into which absurdities, pre'judice, pride, or interest, will fometimes throw the wifeft) I count it no crime to rectify their reafonings, ، ، ، unless confcience must truckle to ceremony, and truth 'fall a facrifice to complaifance. The strongest argu'ments are enervated, and the brightest evidence disappears, before those tremendous reasonings and dazzling discoveries of venerable old age: You are young giddy-headed fellows, you have not yet had experience of 'the world. Thus we young folks find our ambition cramp'd, and our laziness indulg'd, fince, while young, we have little room to display ourselves; and, when old, the weakness of nature muft pass for strength of ' sense, and we hope that hoary heads will raise us above 'the attacks of contradiction. Now, Sir, as you would ⚫ enliven our activity in the pursuit of learning, take our case into confideration; and, with a glofs on brave • Elihu's sentiments, affert the rights of youth, and prevent the pernicious incroachments of age. The generous reasonings of that gallant youth would adorn your paper; and I beg you would infert them, not doubting but that they will give good entertainment to the most • intelligent of your readers. • So these three men ceased to answer Job, because be was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled the • wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: Against Job was his wrath kindled, because be justified himself rather than God. Also against 'bis three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had ' found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. Now • Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were ' elder than he. When Elihu saw there was no answer in 'the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, an'fwered and faid, I am young and ye are very old, where'fore I was afraid, and durst not show you mine opinion. I said, Days shou'd speak and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. • Great men are not always wife: Neither do the aged under A L 6 Yea, * understand judgment. Therefore I Said, Hearken to me, • I also will shew mine opinion. Behold I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasonings, whilst you searched • out what to say. ea. I attended unto you: And behold • there was none of you that convinced Job, or that an'fwered his words; left you should say, we have found out wisdom : God thrusteth him down, not man. Now he ' hath not directed his words against me: Neither will I answer bim with your Speeches. They were amazed, they answered no more: They left off Speaking. When I had ' waited (for they spake not, but stood still and answered no more) I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion. For I am full of matter, the spirit • within me constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as wine • which hath no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles. I will speak that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips ' and answer. Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's ' perfon, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For • I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my Maker ، would foon take me away gondot Mr.SPECTATOR.ar Have formerly read with great fatisfaction your papers about idols and the behaviour of gentlemen in those coffee-houses where women officiate, and impatiently waited to see you take India and China shops into confideration: But fince you have pafs'd us over in filence, either that you have not as yet thought us worth your notice, or that the grievances we lie under have escaped your difcerning eye, I must make my complaints to you, and am encouraged to do it because you seem a little at leifure at this present writing. I am, dear Sir, one of the top China-women about town; and, though I say it, keep as good things, ' and receive as fine company as any o' this end of the town, let the other be who she will: In short, I am in a fair way to be easy, were it not for a club of Female • Rakes, who under pretence of taking their innocent rambles, forsooth, and diverting the spleen, seldom 'fail to me plague me twice or thrice a day to cheapen tea, or buy a skreen: What else should they mean? as they often repeat it. These Rakes are your idle ladies ، • of ২ |