NUMB. 72. SATURDAY, November 24, 1750. Omnis Ariftippum decuit ftatus, et color, et res, Yet Ariftippus ev'ry drefs became ; In ev'ry various change of life the fame; And though he aim'd at things of higher kind, SIR, THOS To the RAMBLER. HOR. FRANCIS. HOSE who exalt themselves into the chair of inftruction, without enquiring whether any will submit to their authority, have not fufficiently confidered how much of human life paffes in little incidents, curfory conversation, flight business, and cafual amufements; and therefore they have endeavoured only to inculcate the more awful virtues, without condefcending to regard thofe petty qualities, which grow important only by their frequency, and which though they produce no fingle acts of heroifm, nor aftonish us by great events, yet are every moment exerting their influence upon us, and make the draught of life fweet or bitter by imperceptible inftillations. They operate unfeen and unregarded, as change of air makes us fick or healthy, though we breathe it without attention, and only know the particles that impregnate it by their falutary or malignant effects.. You have fhewn yourself not ignorant of the value of thofe fubaltern endowments, yet have hitherto neglected to recommend good-humour to the world, though a little reflection will fhew you that it is the balm of being, the quality to which all that adorns or elevates mankind must owe its power of pleafing. Without good-humour, learning and bravery can only confer that fuperiority which fwells the heart of the lion in the defert, where he roars without reply, and ravages without refiftance. Without good-humour virtue may awe by its dignity, and amaze by its brightnefs; but muft always be viewed at a diftance, and will fcarcely gain a friend or attract an imitator. Good-humour may be defined a habit of being pleased; a conftant and perennial softnefs of manner, eafinefs of approach, and fuavity of difpofition; like that which every man perceives in himself, when the first transports of new felicity have subfided, and his thoughts are only kept in motion by a flow fucceffion of foft impulfes.. Good-humour is a state between gaiety and unconcern; the act or emanation of a mind at leifure to regard the gratification of another. It is imagined by many, that whenever they aspire to please, they are required to be merry, and to fhew the gladnefs of their fouls by flights of pleafantry and bursts of laughter. But though thefe men may be for a time heard with applause and admiration, they feldom delight us long. We enjoy them a little, and then retire to eafiness and goodhumour, as the eye gazes awhile on eminences glittering with the fun, but foon turns aching away to verdure and to flowers. Gaiety is to good-humour as animal perfumes to vegetable fragrance; the one overpowers weak fpirits, and the other recreates and revives them. Gaiety feldom fails to give some pain; the hearers either strain their faculties to accompany its towerings, or are left behind in envy and defpair. Goodhumour boasts no faculties which every one does not believe in his own power; and pleases principally by not offending. It is well known that the most certain way to give any man pleasure, is to perfuade him that you receive pleasure from him, to encourage him to freedom and confidence, and to avoid any fuch appearance of fuperiority as may overbear and deprefs him. We fee many that by this art only, fpend their days in the midst of careffes, invitations, and civilities; and without any extraordinary qualities or attainments, are the univerfal favourites of botli fexes, and certainly find a friend in every place. The darlings of the world will, indeed, be generally found fuch as excite neither jealousy nor fear, and are not confidered as candidates for any eminent degree of reputation, but content themfelves with common accomplishments, and endeavour rather to folicit kindness than to raise esteem; therefore in affemblies and places of refort it seldom fails to happen, that though at the entrance of fome particular perfon every face brightens with gladness, and every hand is extended in falutation, yet if you purfue him beyond the firft exchange of civilities, you will find him of very fmall importance, and only welcome to the company, as one by whom all conceive themselves admired, and with whom any one is at liberty to amuse himself when he can find no other auditor or companion, as one with whom all are at eafe, who will hear a jeft without criticism, and a narrative without contradiction, who laughs with every wit, and yields to every difputer. There F 4 There are many whofe vanity always inclines. them to affociate with thofe from whom they have no reason to fear mortification; and there are times in which the wife and the knowing are willing to receive praise without the labour of deferving it, in which the moft elevated mind is willing to defcend, and the most active to be at reft, All therefore are at fome hour or another fond of companions whom they can entertain upon eafy terms, and who will relieve them from folitude, without condemning them to vigilance and caution. We are moft inclined to love when we have nothing to fear, and he that encourages us to please ourfelves, will not be long without preference in our affection to thofe whofe learning holds us at the distance of pupils, or whofe wit calls all attention from us, and leaves us without importance and without regard. It is remarked by prince Henry, when he fees Falstaff lying on the ground, that he could have better fpared a better man. He was well acquainted with the vices and follies of him whom he lamented, but while his conviction compelled him to do juftice to fuperior qualities, his tenderness ftill broke out at the remembrance of Falstaff, of the cheerful companion, the loud buffoon, with whom he had paffed his time in all the luxury of idleness, who had gladded him with unenvied merriment, and whom he could at once enjoy and defpife. You may perhaps think this account of those who are distinguished for their good-humour, not very confiftent with the praifes which I have be ftowed upon it. But furely nothing can more. evidently fhew the value of this quality, than that that it recommends those who are deftitute of all other excellencies, and procures regard to the trifling, friendship to the worthlefs, and affection to the dull. Good-humour is indeed generally degraded by the characters in which it is found; for being confidered as a cheap and vulgar quality, we find it often neglected by those that having excellencies of higher reputation and brighter fplendor, perhaps imagine that they have fome right to gratify themselves at the expence of others, and are to demand compliance, rather than to prac tife it. It is by fome unfortunate mistake that almost all those who have any claim to esteem or love, press their pretenfions with too little confideration of others. This mistake my own intereft, as well as my zeal for general happiness, makes me defirous to rectify; for I have a friend, who because he knows his own fidelity and ufefulness, is never willing to fink into a companion: I have a wife whofe beauty firft fubdued me, and whofe wit confirmed her conqueft, but whose beauty now ferves no other purpose than to entitle her to tyranny, and whose wit is only used to justify perverfenefs. Surely nothing can be more unreasonable than' to lose the will to please, when we are confcious of the power, or fhew more cruelty than to chufe any kind of influence before that of kindnefs. He that regards the welfare of others,' fhould make his virtue approachable, that it may be loved and copied; and he that confiders the wants which every man feels, or will feel, of external affiftance, must rather wish to be furround |