NO. 276. Letters on Delicacy in the Censure of Vices-from BUDGELL an affected Lady-a Kept-Mistress-a Quaker STEELE 277. Remarks and Letters on French Fashions .. 278. Letters from a Shopkeeper on his Wife's GreekPrivate Marriage-Musical Plan.... 279. Criticism on Paradise Lost. 280. On the Desire of Pleasing-Character of Poly carpus.. 281. Dissection of a Coquette's Heart. 232. False-hopes-decorating Churches with Ever greens.... 283. On the Art of growing rich. STEELE . ADDISON STEELE ADDISON .. STEELE . BUDGELL 284. Affectation of Negligence-of Business-Letter from the Parish Clerk on Evergreens 285. Criticism on Paradise Lost... .. STEELE ・・・ ADDISON 286. False Delicacy-Defence of the Spectator's Cen sure of public Vices-Complexions.. UNKNOWN 287. On the Civil Constitution of Great Britain,. ... ADDISON 288. Description of Male Jilts.... Letter from an Author turned Dealer. STEELE .MOTTEUX 289. Reflections on Bills of Mortality-Story of a Dervise. 290. Tragedy of the Distressed Mother-Letter from Sophia in love with a short Face. ADDISON . STEELE ADDISON 291. Criticism on Paradise Lost.. 292. On the Art of bestowing Favours-Letter of Pliny-Letter from a poor and proud Jezebel UNKNOWN 293. Connexion betwixt Prudence and good FortuneFable of a Drop in the Ocean.. 294. On Want of Charity in the Wealthy-Charity Schools.. ADDISON STEELE 295. Letter on Pin-Money-Reflections on that Custom ADDISON 296. Letters on Greek Mottoes-the Use of the Window-soliciting Advice-Lampoons-GoodManners-Dancing..... 297. Criticism on Paradise Lost.. 298. Letter on the general Notion Men have of the Fair Sex. STEELE ADDISON ..... STEELE 299. Letter from Sir John Envil, married to a Woman of Quality.... 300. Indelicate Conversation-Conversation with the Fair Sex-Inconstancy of Friendship-Criticism. ADDISON STEELE LOOKING over the letters which I have lately received from my correspondents, I met with the following one, which is written with such a spirit of politeness, that I could not but be very much pleased with it myself, and question not but it will be as acceptable to the reader. 66 MR. SPECTATOR, You, who are no stranger to public assemblies, cannot but have observed the awe they often strike on such as are obliged to exert any talent before them. This is a sort of elegant distress, to which ingenuous minds are the most liable, and may therefore deserve some remarks in your paper. Many a brave fellow, who has put his enemy to flight in the field, has been in the utmost disorder upon mak ing a speech before a body of his friends at home. One would think there was some kind of fascination in the eyes of a large circle of people, when darting all together upon one person. I have seen a new actor in a tragedy so bound up by it as to be scarce able to speak or move, and have expected he would have died above three acts before the dagger or cup of poison were brought in. It would not be amiss, if such an one were at first introduced as a ghost, or a statue, till he recovered his spirits, and grew fit for some living part. "As this sudden desertion of one's self shows a diffidence, which is not displeasing, it implies at the same time the greatest respect to an audience that can be. It is a sort of mute eloquence, which pleads for their favour much better than words could do; and we find their generosity naturally moved to support those who are in so much perplexity to entertain them. I was extremely pleased with a late instance of this kind at the opera of Almahide, in the encouragement given to a young singer, whose more than ordinary concern on her first appearance, recommended her no less than her agreeable voice, and just performance. Mere bashfulness without merit is awkward; and merit without modesty insolent. But modest merit has a double claim to acceptance, and generally meets with as many patrons as beholders. "I am," &c. It is impossible that a person should exert himself to advantage in an assembly, whether it be his part either to sing or speak, who lies under too great oppressions of modesty. I remember, upon talking *Mrs. Barbier. See a curious account of this lady, in Sir John Hawkins's History of Music, vol. v. p. 156. with a friend of mine concerning the force of pronunciation, our discourse led us into the enumeration of the several organs of speech which an orator ought to have in perfection, as the tongue, the teeth, the lips, the nose, the palate, and the windpipe. Upon which,' says my friend, you have omitted the most material organ of them all, and that is, the forehead.' a 6 But notwithstanding an excess of modesty obstructs the tongue, and renders it unfit for its offices, due proportion of it is thought so requisite to an orator, that rhetoricians have recommended it to their disciples as a particular in their art. Cicero tells us that he never liked an orator who did not appear in some little confusion at the beginning of his speech, and confesses that he himself never entered upon an oration without trembling and concern. It is indeed a kind of deference which is due to a great assembly, and seldom fails to raise a benevolence in the audience towards the person who speaks. My correspondent has taken notice that the bravest men often appear timorous on these occasions, as indeed we may observe, that there is generally no creature more impudent than a coward : But cautious in the field, he shunn'd the sword. DRYDEN. A bold tongue and a feeble arm are the qualifications of Drances in Virgil; as Homer, to express a man both timorous and saucy, makes use of a kind of point, which is very rarely to be met with in his |