employ them against the Trojans." He ful imagination, that had nothing to direct it This last circumstance of a deceased father's rejoicing in the behaviour of his son, is very finely contrived by Homer, as an incentive to virtue, and made use of by none that I know besides himself. The description of Ajax, which follows, and his refusing to speak to Ulysses, who had won the armour of Achilles from him, and by that means occasioned his death, is admired by every one that reads it. When Ulysses relates the sullenness of his deportment, and considers the greatness of the hero, he expresses himself with generous and noble sentiments. "O that I had never gained a prize which cost the life of so brave a man as Ajax! who, for the beauty of his person, and greatness of his actions, was inferior to none but the divine Achilles." The same noble condescension, which never dwells but in truly great minds, and such as Homer would represent that of Ulysses to have been, discovers itself likewise in the speech which he made to the ghost of Ajax on that occasion. "Oh, Ajax! (says he,) will you keep your resentments even after death? What destruction hath this fatal armour brought upon the Greeks, by robbing them of you, who were their bulwark and defence? Achilles is not more bitterly lamented among us than you. Impute not then your death to any one but Jupiter, who, out of his anger to the Greeks, took you away from among them. Let me intreat you to approach me; restrain the fierceness of your wrath, and the greatness of your soul, and hear what I have to say to you." Ajax, without making any reply, turned his back upon him, and retired into a crowd of ghosts. Bombalio, Clangor, Stridor, Taratantara, Murmur. From my own Apartment, March 31. I HAVE heard of a very valuable picture, wherein all the painters of the age in which it was drawn, are represented sitting together in a circle, and joining in a concert of music. Each of them plays upon such a particular instrument as is the most suitable to his character, and expresses that style and manner of painting which is peculiar to him. The famous cupalo-painter of those times, to show the grandeur and boldness of his figures, hath a horn in his mouth, which he seems to wind with great strength and force. On the contrary, an eminent artist, who wrought up his pictures with the greatest accuracy, and gave them all those delicate touches which are apt to please the nicest eyes, is represented as tuning a theorbo. The same kind of humours runs through the whole piece. I have often from this hint imagined to myself, that different talents in discourse might be shadowed out after the same manner by different kinds of music; and that the several conversable parts of mankind in this great city might be cast into proper characters and divisions, as they resemble several instruments that are in use among the masters of harmony. Of these, therefore, in their order; and first of the drum. Your drums are the blusterers in conversation, that with a loud laugh, unnatural mirth, and a torrent of noise, domineer in public assemblies, overbear men of sense, stun their companions, and fill the place they are in with a rattling sound, that hath seldom any wit, humour, or good breeding in it. The drum, notwithstanding, by this boisterous vivacity, is very proper to impose upon the ignorant; and in conversation with ladies, who are not of the finest taste, often passes for a man of mirth and wit, and for wonderful pleasant company. I need not observe, that the emptiness of the drum very much contributes to its noise. Ulysses, after all these visions, took a view of those impious wretches who lay in tortures for the crimes they had committed upon the earth, whom he describes under all the varieties of pain, as so many marks of divine vengeance, to deter others from The lute is a character directly opposite following their example. He then tells us, to the drum, that sounds very finely by itthat, notwithstanding he had a great curios- self, or in a very small concert. Its notes ity to see the heroes that lived in the ages are exquisitely sweet, and very low, easily before him, the ghosts began to gather about drowned in a multitude of instruments, and him in such prodigious multitudes, and with even lost among a few, unless you give a such confusion of voices, that his heart trem- particular attention to it. A lute is seldom bled as he saw himself amidst so great a heard in a company of more than five, scene of horrors. He adds, that he was whereas a drum will show itself to advanafraid lest some hidious spectre should ap-tage in an assembly of five hundred. The pear to him, that might terrify him to distraction; and therefore withdrew in time. lutanists, therefore, are men of a fine genius, uncommon reflection, great affability, and I question not but my reader will be esteemed chiefly by persons of a good taste, pleased with this description of a future who are the only proper judges of so destate, represented by such a noble and fruit-lightful and soft a melody. not signify an halfpenny to its instruction, or its welfare. Some have observed, that the northern parts of this island are more particularly fruitful in bagpipes. There are so very few persons who are masters in every kind of conversation, and can talk on all subjects, that I do not know whether we should make a distinct species of them: nevertheless, that my scheme may not be defective, for the sake of those few who are endowed with such extraordinary talents, I shall allow them to be harpsichords, a kind of music which every one knows is a concert by itself. The trumpet is an instrument that has in it no compass of music, or variety of sound, but is, notwithstanding, very agreeable, so long as it keeps within its pitch. It has not above four or five notes, which are, however, very pleasing, and capable of exquisite turns and modulations. The gentlemen who fall under this denomination, are your men of the most fashionable education and refined breeding, who have learned a certain smoothness of discourse, and sprightliness of air, from the polite company they have kept; but at the same time have shallow parts, weak judgments, and a short reach of understanding; a play-house, a drawing-room, As for your passing-bells, who look upon a ball, a visiting-day, or a ring at Hyde- mirth as criminal, and talk of nothing but park, are the few notes they are masters of, what is melancholy in itself, and mortifying which they touch upon in all conversations. to human nature, I shall not mention them. The trumpet, however, is a necessary in- I shall likewise pass over in silence all the strument about a court, and a proper enli-rabble of mankind, that crowd our streets, vener of a concert, though of no great har- coffee-houses, feasts, and public tables. I mony by itself. cannot call their discourse conversation, but rather something that is practised in imitation of it. For which reason, if I would describe them by any musical instrument, it should be by those modern inventions of the bladder and string, tongs and key, marrowbone and cleaver. Violins are the lively, forward, importunate wits, that distinguish themselves by the flourishes of imagination, sharpness of repartee, glances of satire, and bear away the upper part in every concert. I cannot however, but observe, that when a man is not disposed to hear music, there is not a more disagreeable sound in harmony than that of a violin. My reader will doubtless observe, that I have only touched here upon male instruments, having reserved my female concert There is another musical instrument, to another occasion. If he has a mind to which is more frequent in this nation than know where these several characters are to any other; I mean your bass-viol, which be met with, I could direct him to a whole grumbles in the bottom of the concert, and club of drums; not to mention another of with a surly masculine sound strengthens the bagpipes, which I have before given some harmony, and tempers the sweetness of the account of in my description of our nightly several instruments that play along with it. meetings in Sheer-Lane. The lutes may The bass-viol is an instrument of a quite often be met with in couples upon the banks different nature to the trumpet, and may of a crystal stream, or in the retreats of signify men of rough sense, and unpolished shady woods, and flowery meadows; which parts, who do not love to hear themselves for different reasons are likewise the great talk, but sometimes break out with an agree-resort of your hunting horns. Bass-viols are able bluntness, unexpected wit, and surly pleasantries, to the no small diversion of their friends and companions. In short, I look upon every sensible true born Briton to be naturally a bass-viol. As for your rural wits, who talk with great eloquence and alacrity of foxes, hounds, horses, quickset-hedges, and six-bar gates, double ditches, and broken necks, I am in doubt, whether I should give them a place in the conversable world. However, if they will content themselves with being raised to the dignity of hunting-horns, I shall desire for the future that they may be known by that name. frequently to be found over a glass of stale beer, and a pipe of tobacco; whereas those who set up for violins, seldom fail to make their appearance at Will's once every evening. You may meet with a trumpet any where on the other side of Charing-cross. That we may draw something for our advantage in life out of the foregoing discourse, I must intreat my reader to make a narrow search into his life and conversation, and upon his leaving any company, to examine himself seriously, whether he has behaved himself in it like a drum or a trumpet, a vi olin or a bass-viol; and accordingly, endea vour to mend his music for the future. For I must not here omit the bagpipe species, my own part, I must confess, I was a drum that will entertain you from morning to night for many years; nay, and a very noisy one, with the repetition of a few notes, which are till having polished myself a little in good played over and over, with the perpetual company, I threw as much of the trumpet humining of a drone running underneath into my conversation as was possible for a them. These are your dull, heavy, tedious man of an impetuous temper; by which story-tellers, the load and burthen of con- mixture of different musics, I look upon myversations, that set up for men of impor- self, during the course of many years, to tance, by knowing secret history, and giving have resembled a tabor and pipe. I have an account of transactions, that, whether since very much endeavoured at the sweetthey ever passed in the world or not, dothness of the lute; but, in spite of all my reso ft lutions, I must confess, with great confusion, | who very naturally lie within the shadow of that I find myself daily degenerating into a bagpipe; whether it be the effect of my old age, or of the company I keep, I know not. All that I can do, is to keep a watch over my conversation, and to silence the drone as soon as I find it begin to hum in my discourse, being determined rather to hear the notes of others, than to play out of time, and encroach upon their parts in the concert, by the noise of so tiresome an instrument. I shall conclude this paper with a letter which I received last night from a friend of mine, who knows very well my notions upon this subject, and invites me to pass the evening at his house, with a select company of friends, in the following words: "DEAR ISAAG,-I intend to have a concert at my house this evening, having by great chance got a harpsichord, which I am sure will entertain you very agreeably. There will be likewise two lutes and a trumpet: let me beg you to put yourself in tune, and be lieve me "Your very faithful servant, "NICHOLAS HUMDRUM,” No. 154.] Tuesday, April 4, 1710. Obscuris vera involvens. Virg. Æn. 1. 6. the dream-tree, as being of the same kind of make in themselves, and the materials, or (to use Shakspeare's phrase) the stuff of which dreams are made. Such are the shades of the giant with a hundred hands, and of his brother with three bodies; of the double-shaped Centaur, and Scylla; the Gorgon with snaky hair; the Harpy with a woman's face and lion's talons; the sevenheaded Hydra; and the Chimera, which breathes forth a flame, and is a compound of three animals. These several mixed natures, the creatures of imagination, are not only introduced with great art after the dreams, but as they are planted at the very entrance, and within the very gates of those regions, do probably denote the wild deliriums and extravagancies of fancy, which the soul usually falls into when she is just upon the verge of death. Thus far Æneas travels in an allegory. The rest of the description is drawn with great exactness, according to the religion of the heathens, and the opinions of the Platonic philosophy. I shall not trouble my reader with a common dull story, that gives an account why the heathens first of all supposed a ferryman in hell, and his name to be Charon; but must not pass over in silence the point of doctrine which Virgil hath very much insisted upon in this book, that the souls of those who are unburied, are not perFrom my own Apartment, April 3. mitted to go over into their respective plaWE have already examined Homer's de-ces of rest, till they have wandered a hunscription of a future state, and the condition in which he hath placed the souls of the deceased. I shall in this paper make some observations on the account which Virgil hath given us of the same subject, who, besides a greatness of genius, had all the lights of philosophy and human learning to assist and guide him in his discoveries. Aneas is represented as descending into the empire of death, with a prophetess by his side, who instructs him in the secrets of those lower regions. Upon the confines of the dead, and before the very gates of this infernal world, Virgil describes several inhabitants, whose natures are wonderfully suited to the situation of the place, as being either the occasions or resemblances of Death. Of the first kind are the shadows of Sickness, Old Age, Fear, Famine, and Poverty, (apparitions very terrible to behold,) with several others, as Toil, War, Contention, and Discord, which contribute all of them to people this common receptacle of human souls. As this was likewise a very proper residence for every thing that resembles death, the poet tells us, that Sleep, whom he represents as a near relation to Death, has likewise his habitation in these quarters, and describes in them a huge gloomy elm-tree, which seems a very proper ornament for the place, and is possessed by an innumerable swarm of dreams, that hang in clusters under every leaf of it. He then gives us a list of imaginary persons, dred years upon the banks of Styx. This was probably an invention of the heathen priesthood, to make the people extremely careful of performing proper rites and ceremonies to the memory of the dead. I shall not, however, with the infamous scribblers of the age, take an occasion from such a circumstance, to run into declamations against priestcraft, but rather look upon it even in this light as a religious artifice, to raise in the minds of men an esteem for the memory of their forefathers, and a desire to recommend themselves to that of posterity; as also to excite in them an ambition of imitating the virtues of the deceased, and to keep alive in their thoughts the sense of the soul's immortality. In a word, we may say in defence of the severe opinions relating to the shades of unburied persons, what hath been said by some of our divines, in regard to the rigid doctrines concerning the souls of such who die without being initiated into our religion, that supposing they should be erroneous, they can do no hurt to the dead, and will have a good effect upon the living, in making them cautious of neglecting such necessary solemnities. Charon is no sooner appeased, and the triple-headed dog laid asleep, but neas makes his entrance into the dominions of Pluto. There are three kinds of persons described, as being situated on the borders; and I can give no reason for their being stationed there in so particular a manner, but "Not far from hence (says he) lies a great waste of plains, that are called the Fields of Melancholy. In these there grows a forest of myrtle, divided into many shady retirements, and covered walks, and inhabited by the souls of those who pined away with love. The passion (says he) continues with them after death. He then gives a list of this languishing tribe, in which his own Dido makes the principal figure, and is described as living in this soft romantic scene, with the shade of her first husband Sichæus. because none of them seem to have had a | and walks, which he tells us are inhabited proper right to a place among the dead, as by deceased lovers. not having run out the whole thread of their days, and finished the term of life that had been allotted them upon earth. The first of these are the souls of infants, who are snatched away by untimely ends: the second, are of those who are put to death wrongfully, and by an unjust sentence; and the third, of those who grew weary of their lives, and laid violent hands upon themselves. As for the second of these, Virgil adds, with great beauty, that Minos, the judge of the dead, is employed in giving them a re-hearing, and assigning them their several quarters, suitable to the parts they acted in life. The poet, after having mentioned the souls of those unhappy men who destroyed themselves, breaks out into a fine exclamation: "Oh! how gladly (says he) would they now endure life with all its miseries! But the destinies forbid their return to earth, and the waters of Styx surround them with nine streams that are unpassable." It is very remarkable, that Virgil, notwithstanding self-murder was so frequent among the heathens, and had been practised by some of the greatest men in every age before him, hath here represented it as so heinous a crime. But in this particular he was guided by the doctrines of his great master Plato, who says on this subject, "That a man is placed in his station of life like a soldier in his proper post, which he is not to quit, whatever may happen, until he is called off by his commander who planted him in it." There is another point in the Platonic philosophy, which Virgil has made the groundwork of the greatest part in the piece we are now examining, having with wonderful art and beauty materialized (if I may so call it) a scheme of abstracted notions, and clothed the most nice, refined conceptions of philosophy in sensible images, and poetical representations. The Platonists tell us, that the soul, during her residence in the body, contracts many virtuous and vicious habits, so as to become a beneficent, mild, charitable, or an angry, malicious, revengeful being; a substance inflamed with lust, avarice, and pride; or, on the contrary, brightened with pure, generous, and humble dispositions: that these, and the like habits of virtue and vice growing into the very essence of the soul, survive and gather strength in her after her dissolution: that the torments of a vicious soul in a future state, arise principally from those importunate passions, which are not capable of being gratified without a body; and that, on the contrary, the happiness of virtuous minds, very much consists in their being employed in sublime speculations, innocent diversions, sociable affections, and all the ecstacies of passion and rapture which are agreeable to reasonable natures, and of which they gained a relish in this life. Upon this foundation, the poet raises that beautiful description of the secret haunts The poet in the next place mentions another plain, that was peopled with the ghosts of warriors, as still delighting in each other's company, and pleased with the exercise of arms. He there represents the Grecian generals and common soldiers, who perished in the siege of Troy, as drawn up in squadrons, and terrified at the approach of Æneas, which renewed in them those impressions of fear they had before received in battle with the Trojans. He afterwards likewise, upon the same notion, gives a view of the Trojan heroes, who lived in former ages, amidst a visionary scene of chariots and arms, flowery meadows, shining spears, and generous steeds, which he tells us were their pleasures upon earth, and now make up their happiness in Elysium. For the same reason also, he mentions others, as singing pæans, and songs of triumph, amidst a beautiful grove of laurel. The chief of the concert was the poet Museus, who stood inclosed with a circle of admirers, and rose by the head and shoulders above the throng of shades that surrounded him. The habitations of unhappy spirits, to show the duration of their torments, and the desperate condition they are in, are represented as guarded by a fury, moated round with a lake of fire, strengthened with towers of iron, encompassed with a triple wall, and fortified with pillars of adamant, which all the gods together were not able to heave from their foundations. The noise of stripes, the clank of chains, and the groans of the tortured, strike the pious Æneas with a kind of horror. The poet afterwards divides the criminals into two classes: the first and blackest catalogue consists of such as were guilty of outrages against the gods; and the next, of such who were convicted of injustice between man and man: the greatest number of whom, says the poet, are those who followed the dictates of avarice. It was an opinion of the Platonists, that the souls of men having contracted in the body great stains and pollutions, of vice and ignorance, there were several purgations and cleansings necessary to be passed through, both here and hereafter, in order to refine and purify them. Virgil, to give this thought likewise a clothing of poetry, describes some spirits as bleaching in the winds, others as cleansing under great falls of waters, and others as purging in fire, to recover the primitive beauty and purity of their natures. It was likewise an opinion of the same sect of philosophers, that the souls of all men exist in a separate state, long before their union with their bodies; and that upon their immersion into flesh, they forget every thing which passed in the state of pre-existence; so that what we here call knowledge, is nothing else but memory, or the recovery of those things which we knew before. In pursuance of this scheme, Virgil gives us a view of several souls, who, to prepare themselves for living upon earth, flock about the banks of the river Lethe, and swill themselves with the water of oblivion. The same scheme gives him an opportunity of making a noble compliment to his countrymen, where Anchises is represented taking a survey of the long train of heroes that are to descend from him, and giving his son Æneas an account of all the glories of his race. I need not mention the revolution of the Platonic year, which is but just touched upon in this book; and as I have consulted no anthor's thoughts in this explication, shall be very well pleased, if it can make the noblest piece of the most accomplished poet more agreeable to my female readers, when they think fit to look into Dryden's translation of it. No, 155.] Thursday, April 6, 1710. -Aliena negotia curat V Hor. This man and his affairs had been long out of my mind, till about three days ago, as I was walking in St. James's Park, I heard somebody at a distance hemming after me; and who should it be but my old neighbour the upholsterer. I saw he was reduced to extreme poverty, by certain shabby superfluities in his dress: for, notwithstanding that it was a very sultry day for the time of the year, he wore a loose great coat and a muff, with a long campaign wig out of curl; to which he had added the ornament of a pair of black garters buckled under the knee. Upon his coming up to me, I was going to inquire into his present circumstances; but was prevented by his asking me, with a whisper, "Whether the last letters brought any accounts that one might rely upon from Bender?" I told him, "None, that I heard of ;" and asked him, "Whether he had yet married his eldest daughter?" He told me, "No. But pray, (says he) tell me sincerely, what are your thoughts of the King of Sweden?" for though his wife and children were starving, I found his chief concern at present was for this great monarch. I told him, "That I looked upon him as one of the first heroes of the age. "But pray, (says he,) do you think there is any thing in the story of his wound?" (and finding me surprised at the question,) "Nay, (says he,) I only propose it to you. I answered, "That I thought there was no reason to doubt of it." But why in the heel, (says he,) more than any other part of the body?”' "Because (says I) the bullet chanced to light there. This extraordinary dialogue was no sooner ended, but he began to launch out into a From my own Apartment, April 5. long dissertation upon the affairs of the THERE lived some years since within my north: and, after having spent some time neighbourhood, a very grave person, an up- on them, he told me, he was in a great perholsterer, who seemed to be a man of more plexity how to reconcile the Supplement than ordinary application to business. He with the English-Post, and had been just was a very early riser, and was often abroad now examining what the other papers said two or three hours before any of his neigh- upon the same subject. "The daily Coubours. He had a particular carefulness in rant (says he) has these words, 'We have the knitting of his brows, and a kind of im- advices from very good hands, that a cerpatience in all his motions, that plainly dis- tain prince has some matters of great imcovered he was always intent on matter of portance under consideration.' This is very importance. Upon my inquiry into his life mysterious; but the Post-boy leaves us more and conversation, I found him to be the in the dark, for he tells us, That there are greatest news-monger in our gnarter; that private intimations of measures taken by a he rose before day to read the Postman; and certain prince, which time will bring to that he would take two or three turns to the light.' Now, the Postman, (says he,) who other end of the town before his neighbours uses to be very clear, refers to the same were up, to see if there were any Dutch news in these words; The late conduct of mails come in. He had a wife and several a certain prince affords great matter of specchildren; but was much more inquisitive to ulation.' This certain prince, (says the upknow what passed in Poland, than in his holsterer,) whom they are all so cautious of own family; and was in greater pain and naming, I take to be- upon which, anxiety of mind for King Augustus's welfare though there was nobody near us, he whisperthan that of his nearest relations. He looked ed something in my ear, which I did not hear, extremely thin in a dearth of news, and never or think worth iny while to make him enjoyed himself in a westerly wind. This repeat. indefatigable kind of life was the ruin of his shop; for about the time that his favourite prince left the crown of Poland, he broke, and disappeared. We were now got to the upper end of the Mall, where were three or four very odd fellows sitting together upon the bench. These I found were all of them politicians, |