regard, the honour paid to their memory is commonly proportionate to the reputation which they enjoyed in their lives, though ftill growing fainter, as it is at a greater diftance from the firft emiffion; and fince it is fo difficult to obtain the notice of contemporaries, how little is it to be hoped from future times? What can merit effect by it's own force, when the help of art or friendship can scarcely fupport it? N° CXLVII. TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1751. TU NIHIL INVITA DICES FACIESVE MINERVA. HOR. SIR, YOU ARE OF TOO QUICK A SIGHT, NOT TO DISCERN WHICH WAY YOUR TALENT LIES. TO THE RAMBLER. S little things grow great by continual accumulation, I hope you will not think the dignity of your character impaired by an account of a ludicrous perfecution, which, though it produces no fcenes of horror or of ruin, yet, by inceffant importunity of vexation, wears away my happinefs, and confumes thofe years which nature seems particularly to have affigned to cheerfulnefs, in filent anxiety and helplefs refentment. I am the eldest fon of a gentleman, who having inherited a large eftate from his ancestors, and feeling no defire cither to encrease or leffen it, has from the time of his marriage generally refided at his own feat; where, by dividing his time among the duties of a father, a mafter, and a magiftrate, the ftudy of literature, and the offices of civility, he finds means to rid himself of the day, without any of thofe amusements, which all those with whom my refidence in this place has made me acquainted, think neceffary to lighten the burthen of existence. ROSCOMMON. ture, or lefs happily forwarded by inftruction. I was careffed by all that exchanged vifits with my father; and as young men are with little difficulty taught to judge favourably of themfelves, began to think that clofe appli cation was no longer neceffary, and that the time was now come when I was at liberty to read only for amufement, and was to receive the reward of my fa tigues in praise and admiration. While I was thus banqueting upon my own perfections, and longing in fecret to escape from tutorage, my father's brother came from London to pafs a fummer at his native place. A lucrative employment which he poffeffed, and a fondnefs for the converfation and diverfions of the gay part of mankind, had fo long kept him from rural excurfions, that I had never feen him fince my infancy. My curiofity was therefore ftrongly excited by the hope of obferving a character more nearly, which I had hitherto only reverenced at a dif tance. From all private and intimate converfation I was long withheld by the perpetual confluence of vifitants, with whom the first news of my uncle's arWhen my age made me capable of rival crowded the houfe; but was amply inftruction, my father prevailed upon a recompenfed by fecing an exact and gentleman, long known at Oxford for punctilious practice of the arts of a courthe extent of his learning and purity tier, in all the ftratagems of endearof his manners, to undertake my edu- ment, the gradations of refpect, and cation. The regard with which I faw variations of courtefy. I remarked him treated, difpofed me to confider his with what juftice of diftribution he diintructions as important, and I there- vided his talk to a wide circle; with fore foon formed a habit of attention, by what addrefs he offered to every man an which I made very quick advances in occalion of indulging fome favourite different kinds of learning, and heard, tepick, or difplaying fome particular perhaps too often, very flattering com- attainment; the judgment with which parifons of my own proficiency withhe regulated his enquiries after the abthat of others, either lefs docile by na- fent, and the care with which he flewed a: all the companions of his early years how ftrongly they were infixed in his memory, by the mention of paft incidents, and the recital of puerile kind nesses, dangers, and frolicks. I foon discovered that he poffeffed fome fcience of gracioufnefs and attraction which books had not taught, and of which neither I nor my father had any know ledge; that he had the power of obliging thofe whom he did not benefit; that he diffufed, upon his curfory behaviour and moft trifling actions, a glofs of foftnefs and delicacy by which every one was dazzled; and that, by fome occult method of captivation, he animated the timorous, foftened the fupercilious, and opened the referved. I could not but repine at the inelegance of my own manners which left me no hopes but not to offend, and at the inefficacy of ruftick benevolence which gained no friends but by real fervice. My uncle faw the veneration with which I caught every accent of his voice, and watched every motion of his hand; and the awkward diligence with which I endeavoured to imitate his embrace of fondnefs, and his bow of refpect. He was, like others, eafily flattered by an imitator by whom he could not fear ever to be rivalled, and repaid my affiduities with compliments and profeffions. Our fondnefs was fo increafed by a mutual endeavour to please each other, that when he returned to London, he declared himfelf unable to leave a nephew fo amiable and fo accomplifhed behind him; and obtained my father's permiffion to enjoy my company for a few months, by a promise to initiate me in the arts of politenefs, and introduce me into publick life. ing argument by a jeft, he foon difcovered that poverty of ideas which had been hitherto concealed under the tinfel of politenefs. The firft day he enter tained me with the novelties and wonders with which I fhould be astonished at my entrance into London, and cautioned me, with apparent admiration of his own wisdom, against the arts by which rufticity is frequently deluded. The fame detail and the fame advice he would have repeated on the second day; but as I every moment diverted the dif courfe to the hiftory of the towns by which we paffed, or fome other fubject of learning or of reafon, he foon loft his vivacity, grew peevish and filent, wrapped his cloak about him, composed himself to flumber, and referved his gaiety for fitter auditors. At length I entered London, and my uncle was reinftated in his fuperiority. He awaked at once to loquacity as foon as our wheels rattled on the pavement, and told me the name of every street as we croffed it, and owner of every house as we paffed by. He prefented me to my aunt, a lady of great eminence for the number of her acquaintances, and fplendor of her affemblies, and either in kindness or revenge confulted with her, in my prefence, how I might be most advantageously dressed for my first appearance, and moft expeditiously dif encumbered from my villatick bashfulnefs. My indignation at familiarity thus contemptuous flushed in my face; they miftook anger for fhame, and alternately exerted their influence upon the benefits of publick education, and the happiness of an assurance early acquired. Affurance is indeed the only qualifi The courtier had little inclination to cation to which they feem to have anfatigue, and, therefore, by travelling nexed merit, and affrance therefore is very flowly, afforded me time for more perpetually recommended to me as the loofe and familiar converfation; but I fupply of every defect and the ornafoon found, that by a few enquiries ment of every excellence. I never fit which he was not well prepared to fa- filent in company when fecret history is tisfy, I had made him weary of his circulating, but I am reproached for young companion. His element was a want of affurance. If I fail to return mixed affembly, where ceremony and the stated anfwer to a compliment; if I healths, compliments and common to- am difconcerted by unexpected raillery; picks, kept the tongue employed with if I blush when I am difcovered gazing very little affiftance from memory or re- on a beauty, or hefitate when I find myflexion; but in the chariot, where he felf embarraffed in an argument; if I was neceffitated to fupport a regular te-am unwilling to talk of what I do not nour of converfation, without any relief from a new comer, or any power of ftarting into gay digreffions, or destroy understand, or timorous in undertaking offices which I cannot gracefully perform; if I fuffer a more lively tatler to recount recount the cafualties of a game, or a nimbler fop to pick up a fan, I am cenfured between pity and contempt, as a wretch doomed to grovel in obfcurity for want of affurance. I have found many young perfons haraffed in the fame manner, by thofe to whom age has given nothing but the affurance which they recommend; and therefore cannot but think it useful to inform them, that cowardice and delicacy are not to be confounded; and that he whofe ftupidity has armed him against the fhafts of ridicule, will always act and fpeak with greater audacity, than they whofe fenfibility repreffes their ardor, and who dare never let their confidence outgrow their abilities. N° CLXVIII. SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1751. POLITICIANS remark, that no oppreffion is heavy or lafting as that which is inflicted by the perverfion and exorbitance of legal authority. The robber may be feized, and the invader repelled, whenever they are found; they who pretend no right but that of force, may by force be punished or fup preffed. But when plunder bears the name of impoft, and murder is perpetuated by a judicial fentence, fortitude is intimidated, and wifdom confounded; refiftance fhrinks from an alliance with rebellion, and the villain remains fecure in the robes of the magistrate. Equally dangerous and equally deteftable are the cruelties often exercifed in private families, under the venerable fanction of paternal authority; the power which we are taught to honour from the first moments of reafon; which is guarded from infult and violation by all that can imprefs awe upon the mind of man; and which therefore may wanton in cruelty without controul, and trample the bounds of right with innumerable tranfgreffions, before duty and piety will dare to feek redress, or think them felves at liberty to recur to any other means of deliverance than fupplications by which infolence is elated, and tears by which cruelty is gratified. It was for a long time imagined by the Romans, that no fon could be the murderer of his father; and they had therefore no punishment appropriated to parricide. They feem likewife to have FRANCIS. believed with equal confidence, that no father could be cruel to his child; and therefore they allowed every man the fupreme judicature in his own house, and put the lives of his offspring inte his hands. But experience informed them by degrees, that they had determined too haftily in favour of human nature; they found that instinct and habit were not able to contend with avarice or malice; that the nearest relation might be violated; and that power, to whomfoever intrufted, might be ill employed. They were therefore obliged to fupply and to change their inftitutions; to deter the parricide by a new law, and to transfer capital punishments from the parent to the magiftrate. There are indeed many houfes which it is impoffible to enter familiarly, without difcovering that parents are by no means exempt from the intoxications of dominion; and that he who is in no danger of hearing remonftrances but from his own confcience, will feldom be long without the art of controlling his convictions, and modifying justice by his own will. If in any fituation the heart were inacceffible to malignity, it might be fup. pofed to be fufficiently fecured by parental relation. To have voluntarily become to any being the occafion of it's existence, produces an obligation to make that existence happy. To fee helpless infancyftretching out her hands and pouring out her cries in testimony of dependence, without without any powers to alarm jealoufy, or any guilt to alienate affection, muft furely awaken tenderness in every human mind; and tenderness once excited will be hourly increased by the natural contagion of felicity, by the repercuffion of communicated pleafure, by the conscioufnels of the dignity of benefaction. I believe no generous or benevolent man can fee the vileft animal courting his regard, and fhrinking at his anger, playing his gambols of delight before him, calling on him in diftrefs, and flying to him in danger, without more kindness than he can perfuade himself to feel for the wild and unfocial inhabitants of the air and water. We naturally endear to ourselves thofe to whom we impart any kind of pleafure, because we imagine their affection and efteem fecured to us by the benefits which they receive. There is indeed another method by which the pride of fuperiority may be likewife gratified. He that has extinguished all the fenfations of humanity, and has no longer any fatisfaction in the reflection that he is loved as the diftributor of happinefs, may pleafe himfelf with exciting terror as the inflictor of pain: he may delight his folitude with contemplating the extent of his power and the force of his commands, in imagining the defires that flutter on the tongue which is forbidden to utter them, or the difcontent which preys on the heart in which fear confines it: he may amuse himself with new contrivances of detection, multiplications of prohibition, and varieties of punishment; and fwell with exultation when he confiders how little of the homage that he receives he owes to choice. That princes of this character have been known, the hiftory of all abfolute kingdoms will inform us; and fince, as Ariftotle obferves ή οικονομική μονάρχια the government of a family is naturally monarchical,' it is like other monarchies too often arbitrarily adminittered. The regal and parental tyrant differ only in the extent of their dominions, and the number of their flaves. The fame paffions caufe the fame miferies; except that seldom any prince, however defpotick, has fo far thaken off all awe of the publick eye, as to venture upon those freaks of injuftice, which are fometimes indulged under the fecrecy of a private dwelling. Capricious in junctions, partial decifions, unequal allotments, diftributions of reward not by merit but by fancy, and punishments regulated not by the degree of the offence, but by the humour of the judge, are too frequent where no power is known but that of a father. That he delights in the mifery of others no man will confefs; and yet what other motive can make a father cruel? The king may be inftigated by one man to the deftruction of another; he may fometimes think himself endangered by the virtues of a fubject; he may dread the fuccefsful general or the popular orator; his avarice may point out golden confifcations; and his guilt may whifper that he can only be fecure by cutting off all power of revenge. A But what can a parent hope from the oppreffion of thofe who were born to his protection, of those who can disturb him with no competition, who can enrich him with no fpoils? Why cowards are cruel may be easily discovered; but for what reafon, not more infamous than cowardice, can that man delight in oppreffion who has nothing to fear? The unjustifiable severity of a parent is loaded with this aggravation, that thofe whom he injures are always in his fight. The injuftice of a prince is often exercifed upon thofe of whom he never had any perfonal or particular knowledge; and the fentence which he pronounces, whether of banishment, imprifonment, or death, removes from his view the man whom he condemns. But the domeftick oppreffor docms himself to gaze upon thofe faces which he clouds with terror and with forrow; and beholds every moment the effects of his own barbarities. He that can bear to give continual pain to those who furround him, and can walk with fatisfaction in the gloom of his own prefence; he that can fee fubmiffive mifery without relenting, and meet without emotion the eye that implores mercy, or demands juftice, will fcarcely be amended by remonstrance or admonition; he has fond means of stopping the avenues of tenderness, and arming his heart against the force of reafon. Even though no confideration fhould be paid to the great law of focial beings, by which every individual is commanded to confult the happiness of others, yet the harsh parent is lefs to be vindicated than any other criminal, because U u he he lefs provides for the happiness of himfelf. Every man, however little he loves others, would willingly be loved; every man hopes to live long, and therefore hopes for that time at which he fhall fink back to imbecility, and muft depend for eafe and cheerfulness upon the officioufnefs of others. But how has he obviated the inconveniences of old age, who alienates from him the affiftance of his children, and whose bed muft be surrounded in his laft hours, in the -hours of languor and dejection, of impatience and of pain, by ftrangers to whom his life is indifferent, or by enemies to whom his death is defirable? Piety will indeed, in good minds, overcome provocation, and thofe who have been haraffed by brutality will forget the injuries which they have fuffered, so far as to perform the laft duties with alacrity and zeal. But furely no refentment can be equally painful with kindnefs thus undeferved, nor can severer punishment be imprecated upon a man not wholly loft in meannefs and ftupidity, than, through the tediousness of decrepitude, to be reproached by the kindness of his own children, to receive not the tribute but the alms of attendance, and to owe every relief of his miferies, not to gratitude but to mercy. N° CXLIX. TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1751. SIR, Ο QUOD NON SIT PYLADES HOC TEMPORE, NON SIT ORESTES NEC MELIOR PANIS, TURDUSVE DABATUR ORESTI: UT PRÆSTEM PYLADEN, ALIQUIS MIHI PRÆSTET ORESTEMS YOU WONDER NOW THAT NO MAN SEES TO THE RAMBLER. No depravity of the mind has been more frequently or juftly cenfured than Ingratitude. There is indeed fufficient reafon for looking on those that can return evil for good, and repay kindness and affiftance with hatred or neglect, as corrupted beyond the common degrees of wickedness; nor will he who has once been clearly detected in acts of injury to his benefactor, deferve to be numbered among focial beings; he has endeavoured to destroy confidence, to intercept fympathy, and to turn every man's attention wholly on himself. There is always danger left the honeft-abhorrence of a crime should raise F. LEWIS. the paffions with too much violence against the man to whom it is imputed. In proportion as guilt is more enormous, it ought to be ascertained by stronger evidence. The charge against ingratitude is very general; almost every man can tell what favours he has conferred upon infenfibility, and how much happinefs he has beltowed without return; but perhaps, if thefe patrons and protectors were confronted with any whom they boaft of having befriended, it would often appear that they confulted only their pleafure or vanity, and repaid themfelves their petty donatives by gratifications of infolence and indulgence of contempt. It has happened that much of my time has been passed in a dependent state, and confequently |