means to fame, but fame to be accepted as the only recompence which mortals can bestow on virtue; to be accepted with complacence, but not fought with eagernefs. Simply to be remembered is no advantage; it is a privilage which fatire as well as panegyrick can confer, and is not more enjoyed by Titus or Conítantine, than by Timocreon of Rhodes, of whom we only know from his epitaph, that he had eaten many a meal, drank many a flaggon, and uttered many a reproach. Πολλὰ φαγών, και πολλὰ τινών και πολλὰ κακ ειπών ̓Ανθρώες, κείμαι Τιμοκρέων Ρόδιος. The true fatisfaction which is to be drawn from the confcioufnels that we fhall fhare the attention of future times, must arise from the hope, that with our name our virtues will be propagated; and that thofe whom we cannot benefit in our lives, may receive instruction from our examples, and incitement from our renown. N° L. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1750. CREDEBANT HOC GRANDE NEFAS, ET MORTE PIANDUM, Juv. AND HAD NOT MEN THE HOARY HEAD REVER'D, Have always thought it the bufinefs of the living world, to commend the virtues, as well as to expofe the faults of their contemporaries, and to confute a falfe as well as to fupport a juft accufation; not only because it is peculiarly the bufinefs of a monitor to keep his own reputation untainted, left those who can once charge him with partiality fhould indulge themfelves afterwards in difbelieving him at pleafure; but because he may find real crimes fufficient to give full employment to caution or repentance, without diftracting the mind by needlefs fcruples and vain folicitudes. There are certain fixed and ftated reproaches that one part of mankind has in all ages thrown upon another, which are regularly tranfmitted through continued fucceffions, and which he that has once fuffered them is certain to use with the fame undiftinguishing vehemence, when he has changed his ftation, and gained the prefcriptive right of inflicting on others what he had formerly endured him felf. To thefe hereditary imputations, of which no man fees the juftice till it becomes his intereft to fee it, very little regard is to be fhewn; fince it does not appear that they are produced by ratio cination or enquiry, but received impli ous contagion, and fupported rather by willingness to credit than ability to prove them. It has been always the practice of thofe who are delirous to believe themfelves made venerable by length of time, to cenfure the new comers into life, for want of refpect to grey hairs and fage experience, for heady confidence in their own understandings, for hafty conclufions upon partial views, for difregard of counfels which their fathers and grandfires are ready to afford them, and a rebellious impatience of that fubordination to which youth is condemned by nature, as necellary to it's fecurity from evils into which it would be otherwife precipitated by the rafhnels of paffion, and the blindnefs of ignorance. Every old man complains of the growing depravity of the world, of the petulance and infolence of the rifing generation. He recounts the decency and regularity of former times, and celebrates the difcipline and fobriety of the age in which his youthwas paffed; a happy age which is now no more to be expected, fince coniution has broken in upon the world, and thrown down all the bounda ries of civility and reverence. P 2 It It is not fufficiently confidered how much he affumes who dares to claim the privilege of complaining: for as every man has, in his own opinion, a full fare of the miferies of life," he is inclined to confider all clamorous uneafiness as a proof of impatience rather than of affliction, and to afk,' What merit has this man to fhow, by which he has acquired a right to repine at the diftributions of nature? Or, why does he imagine that exemptions fhould be granted him from the general condition of man?' We find ourfelves excited rather to captioufnefs than pity; and instead of being in hafte to footh his complaints by fympathy and tenderness, we enquire, whether the pain be proportionate to the lamentation; and whether, fuppofing the affliction real, it is not the effect of vice and folly, rather than calamity. The queruloufnefs and indignation which is obferved fo often to disfigure the laft fcene of life, naturally leads us to enquiries like thefe. For furely it will be thought, at the firft view of things, that if age be thus contemned and ridiculed, infulted and neglected, the crime muft at leaft be equal on either part. They who have had opportunities of eftablishing their authority over minds ductile and unrefifting, they who have been the protectors of helpleffness, and the inftructors of ignorance, and who yet retain in their own hands the power of wealth, and the dignity of command, must defeat their influence by their own mifconduct, and make ufe of all these advantages with very little skill, if they cannot fecure to themselves an appearance of respect, and ward off open mockery, and declared contempt. The general ftory of mankind will evince, that lawful and fettled authority is very feldom refifted when it is well employed. Grofs corruption, or evident imbecility, is neccffary to the fuppreffion of that reverence with which the majority of mankind look upon their governors, on thofe whom they fee furrounded by splendour, and fortified by power. For though men are drawn by their paffions into forgetfulness of inviible rewards and punishments, yet they are cafily kept obedient to those who have temporal dominion in their hands, till their veneration is diffipated by fuch wickednefs and folly as can neither be defended nor concealed. It may, therefore, very reafonably be fufpected that the old draw upon themfelves the greatest part of those infults which they fo much lament, and that age is rarely defpifed but when it is contemptible. If men imagine that excefs of debauchery can be made reverend by time, that knowledge is the confequence of long life, however idly and thoughtlessly employed, that priority of brith will fupply the want of fteadiness or honefty; can it raife much wonder that their hopes are difappointed, and that they fee their pofterity rather willing to truft their own eyes in their progrefs into life, than enlift themselves under guides who have loft their way? There are, indeed, many truths which time neceffarily and certainly teaches, and which might, by thofe who have learned them from experience, be communi、 cated to their fucceffors at a cheaper rate; but dictates, though liberally enough beftowed, are generally without effect; the teacher gains few profelytes by inftruction which his own behaviour contradicts; and young men mifs the benefit of counfel, because they are not very ready to believe that those who fall below them in practice can much excel them in theory. Thus the progrefs of knowledge is retarded, the world is kept long in the fame ftate, and every new race is to gain the prudence of their predeceffors by committing and redreffing the fame mifcarriages. To fecure to the old that influence which they are willing to claim, and which might so much contribute to the improvement of the arts of life, it is abfolutely neceffary that they give them. felves up to the dutics of declining years; and contentedly refign to youth it's levity, it's pleafures, it's frolicks, and it's fopperics. It is a hopeless endeavour to unite the contrarieties of fpring and winter; it is unjuft to claim the privileges of age, and retain the playthings of childhoood. The young always form magnificent ideas of the wisdom and gravity of men, whom they confider as placed at a diftance from them in the ranks of exiftence; and naturally look on those whom they find trifling with long beards, with contempt and indignation, like that which women feel at the effeminacy of men. If dotards will contend with boys in those performances in which boys must always excel them; if they will drefs crippled limbs in em broidery, endeavour at gaiety with faul tering voices, and darken affemblies of pleasure with the ghaftlinefs of difeafe; they may well expect thofe who find their diverfions obftructed will hoot them away; and that if they defcend to competition with youth, they must bear the infolence of fuccefsful rivals. Lufifti fatis, edifti fatis atque bibifti; You've had your share of mirth, of meat and drink; 'Tis time to quit the scene; 'tis time to think. ELPHINSTON. Another vice of age, by which the rifing generation may be alienated from it, is feverity and cenforioufnefs, that gives no allowance to the failings of early life, that expects artfulness from shildhood, and conftancy from youth, that is peremptory in every command, and inexorable to every failure. There are many who live merely to hinder happinefs, and whole defcendants can only tell of long life, that it produces fufpicion, malignity, peeviflinefs, and perfecution and yet even thefe tyrants can talk of the ingratitude of the age, curfe their heirs for impatience, and wonder that young men cannot take pleasure in their fathers company. He that would país the latter part of life with honour and decency, muit, when he is young, confider that he shall one day be old; and remember, when he is old, that he has once been young. In youth he must lay up knowledge for his fupport when his powers of acting fhall forfake him; and in age forbear to animadvert with rigour on faults which experience only can correct. N° LI. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1750. As you have allowed a place in your father's relation, wah merece, very full paper to Euphelia's letters from the country, and appear to think no form of human life unworthy of your attention, I have refolved, after many truggles with idleness and diffidence, to give you fome account of my entertainment in this fober feafon of univerfal retreat, and to defcribe to you the employments of those who look with contempt on the pleafures and diverfions of polite life, and employ all their powers of cenfure and invective upon the uselessness, vanity, and folly, of drefs, vifits, and converfation. When a tirefome and vexatious journey of four days had brought me to the houfe, where invitation, regularly fent for feven years together, had at last induced me to país the fummer, I was furprized, after the civilities of my firft reception, to find, inftead of the leifure and tranquillity which a rural life always promifes, and, if well conducted, might always afford, a confused wildness of care, and a tumultuous hurry of diligence, by which of the happiness which the received from my vifit, and, according to the forms of obfolete breeding, infifted that I fhould recompenfe the long delay of my company with a promife not to leave her till winter. But, amidst all her kindnefs and careffes, the very frequently turned her head afide, and whispered, with anxious earneftnefs, fome order to her daughters, which never failed to fend them out with unpolite precipitation. Sometimes her impatience would not fuffer her to ftay behind; fhe begged my pardon, the muft leave me for a moment; fhe went, and returned and fat down again, but was again difturbod by fome new care, difmiffed her daughters with the fame trepidation, and followed them with the fame countenance of businefs and folicitude. However I was alarmed at this fhew of eagernels and disturbance, and however my curiofity was excited by fuch bufy preparations as naturally promifed fome great event, I was yet too much a franger franger to gratify myfelf with enquiries; but finding none of the family in mourning, I pleafed myfelf with imagining that I fhould rather fe a wedding than a funeral. At last we fat down to fupper, when I was informed that one of the young ladies, after whom I thought myself obliged to enquire, was under a neceffity of attending fome affair that could not be neglected: foon afterward my relation began to talk of the regularity of her family, and the inconvenience of London hours; and at laft let me know that they had propofed that night to go to bed fooner than was usual, because they were to rife early in the morning to make cheesecakes. This hint fent me to my chamber, to which I was accompanied by all the ladies, who begged me to excute fome large fieves of leaves and flowers that covered two thirds of the floor, for they intended to diftil them when they were dry, and they had no other room that fo conveniently received the riting fun. The fcent of the plants hindered me from reft, and therefore I rofe early in the morning with a refolution to explore my new habitation. I ftole unperceived by my buy coufms into the garden, where I found no hing either more great or elegant, than in the fame number of acres cultivated for the market. Of the gardener, I fcon learned that his lady was the greatest manager in that part of the country, and that I was come hither at the time in which I might learn to make more pickles and conferves, than could be feen at any other house a hundred miles round. It was not long before her ladyship gave me fufficient opportunities of knowing her character, for the was too much pleafed with her own accomplishments to conceal them; and took occafion, from fome fweetmeats which the fet next day upon the table, to difcourfe for two long hours upon robs and gullies; laid down the best methods of conferving, referving, and preferving all forts of fruit; told us with great contempt of the London lady in the neighbourhood, by whom thefe terms were very often confounded; and hinted how much the fhould be ahamed to fet before company, at her own houfe, fweetmeats of in dark a colour as fhe had often fer at Miftrefs Sprightjy's. It is, indeed, the great bufinefs of her life, to watch the skillet on the fire, to fee it fimmer with the due degree of heat, and to fnatch it off at the moment of projection; and the employments to which the has bred her daughters, are to turn rofe-leaves in the fhade, to pick out the feeds of currants with a quill, to gather fruit without bruifing it, and to extract bean-flower water for the skin. Such are the tasks with which every day, fince I came hither, has begun and ended, to which the early hours of life are facrificed, and in which that time is paffing away which never fhall return. But to reafon or expoftulate, are hopelefs attempts. The lady has fettled her opinions, and maintains the dignity of her own performances with all the minnefs of ftupidity accuftomed to be flattered. Her daughters having never feen any houfe but their own, believe their mother's excellence on her own word. Her husband is a mere fportfman, who is pleafed to fee his table well furnished, and thinks the day fufficiently fuccessful, in which he brings home a leafh of hares to be potted by his wife. After a few days I pretended to want books, but my lady foon told me that none of her books would fuit my taste; for her part, fhe never loved to fee young women give their minds to fuch follies, by which they would only learn to use hard words; the bred up her daughters to understand a houfe, and whoever fhould marry them, if they knew any thing of good cookery, would never re pent it. There are, however, fome things in the culinary fciences too fublime for youthful intellects; myfteries into which they muft not be initiated till the years of ferious maturity, and which are referred to the day of marriage, as the fupreme qualification for connubial life. She makes an orange pudding, which is the envy of all the neighbourhood, and which the has hitherto found means of mixing and baking with fecrecy, that the ingredient to which it owes it's flavour has never been difcovered. She, indeed, conducts this great affair with all the caution that human policy can fuggeft. It is never known before-hand when this pudding will be produced; she takes the ingredients privately into her own clofet, cnploys her maids and daughters in different parts of the house, orders the oven to be heated for a pie, and places the pudding in it with her own hands, the the mouth of the oven is then ftopped, and all enquiries are vain. The compofition of the pudding the has, however, promised Clarinda, that if the pleafes her in marriage, the fhall be told without referve. But the art of making English capers the has not yet perfuaded herself to discover; but feems refolved that secret shall perish with her, as fome alchymifts have obftinately fuppreffed the art of tranfinuting metals. I once ventured to lay my fingers on her book of receipts, which the left upon the table, having intelligence that a veffel of goofeberry-wine had burft the hoops. But though the importance of the event fufficiently engroffed her care, to prevent any recollection of the danger to which her fecrets were expofed, I was not able to make use of the golden moments; for this treafure of hereditary knowledge was fo well concealed by the manner of fpelling ufed by her grandmother, her mother, and herself, that I was totally unable to understand it, and loft the opportunity of confulting the oracle, for want of knowing the language in which it's anfwers were re turned. It is, indeed, neceffary, if I have any regard to her ladyship's efteem, that I fhould apply myfelf to fome of thefe economical accomplishments; for I overheard her, two days ago, warning her daughters, by my mournful example, against negligence of pastry, and ignorance in carving: 'For you faw,' faid the, that, with all her pretentions to knowledge, the turned the partridge the wrong way when the attempted to cut it, and, I believe, fcarcely knows the 'difference between pafte raifed, and prite in a dish.' The reafon, Mr. Rambler, why I have laid Lady Buftle's character before you, is a defire to be informed whether, in your opinion, it is worthy of imitation, and whether I fhall throw away the books which I have hitherto thought it iny duty to read, for The Lady's Clofet Opened, The Complete Servant Maid, and The Court Cook, and refign all curiofity after right and wrong, for the art of fcalding damafcenes without bursting them, and preferving the whiteness of pickled mushrooms. Lady Buftle has, indeed, by this inceffant application to fruits and flowers, contra&ed her cares into a narrow space, and let herfelf free from many perplexities with which other minds are disturbed. She has no curiofity after the events of a war, or the fate of heroes in diftrefs; the can hear, without the least emotion, the ravage of a fire, or devaitations of a ftorm; her neighbours grow rich or poor, come into the world or ge out of it, without regard, while the is preffing the gelly-bag, or airing the ftore-room; but I cannot perceive that the is more free from difquiets than thofe whofe understandings take a wider range. Her marigolds, when they are almolt cured, are often fcattered by the wind, and the rain fometimes falls upon fruit when it ought to be gathered dry. While her artificial wines arc fermenting, her whole life is restlessness and anxiety. Her fweetmeats are not always bright; and the maid fometimes forgets the just proportions of falt and pepper, when venifon is to be baked. Her conferves mould, her wines four, and pickles mother; and, like all the reft of mankind, the is every day mortified with the defeat of her fchemes, and the difappointment of her hopes. With regard to vice and virtue the feems a kind of neutral being. She has no crime but luxury, nor any virtue but chastity; fhe has no deûre to be praised but for her cookery, nor wishes any ill to the reft of mankind, but that whenever they afpire to a feaft, their custards may be wheyifh, and their pie-cruits tough. I am now very impatient to know whether I am to look on these ladies as the great patterns of our fex, and to confider conferves and pickles as the bufinefs of my life; whether the cenfures which I now fuffer be juft; and whether the brewers of wines, and the diftillers of wathes, have a right to look with infolence on the weaknets of CORNELIA. N° LII |