how painful it is to be exposed to the mirth and deriLion of the public, and should therefore scorn to divert my reader, at the expence of any private man. As I have been thus tender of every particular perfon's reputation, so I have taken more than ordinary care not to give offence to those who appear in the higher figures of life. I would not make myself merry even with a piece of pafteboard that is invefted with a public character; for which reason I have never glanced upon the late defigned proceffion of his holiness and his attendants, notwithstanding it might have afforded matter to many ludicrous fpeculations. Among thofe advantages, which the public may reap from this paper, it is not the least, that it draws mens minds off from the bitterness of party, and furnishes them with subjects of difcourfe that may be treated without warmth or paffion. This is faid to have been the first design of thofe Gentlemen who set on foot the royal fociety; and had then a very good effect, as it turned many of the greatest geniufes of that age to the difquifitions of natural knowledge, who, if they had engaged in politicks with the fame parts and application, might have fet their country in a flame. The air-pump, the barometer, the quadrant, and the like inventions were thrown out to thofe bufy spirits, as tubs and barrels are to a whale, that ke may let the fhip fail on without disturbance, while he diverts himself with those innocent amusements. I have been so very fcrupulous in this particular of not hurting any man's reputation that I have forborn mentioning even fuch authors as I could not name without honour. This i muft confefs to have been a piece of very great felf-denial: For as the public relifhes nothing better than the ridicule which turns upon a writer of any eminence, fo there is nothing which a man that has but a very ordinary talent in ridicule may execute with greater eafe. One might raife laughter for a quarter of a year together upon the works of a perfon who has published but a very few volumes. For which reafon I am aftonished, that those who have appeared against this paper have made fo very little of it. The criticisms which I have hitherto published, have been made with an intention rather to discover beauties and excellencies excellencies in the writers of my own time, than to publish any of their faults and imperfections. In the mean while I fhould take it for a very great favour from fome of my underhand detractors, if they would break all measures with me fo far, as to give me a pretence for examining their performances with an impartial eye: Nor fhall I look upon it as any breach of charity to criticife the author, fo long as I keep clear of the perfon. In the mean while, until I am provoked to fuch hostilities, I fhall from time to time endeavour to do juftice to thofe who have distinguished themfelves in the politer parts of learning, and to point out fuch beauties in their works as may have escaped the obfervation of others. As the firft, place among our English poets is due to Milton; and as I have drawn more quotations out of him than from any other, 1 fhall enter into a regular criticism upon his Paradife Loft, which I fhall publish every Saturday until I have given my thoughts upon that Foem. I fhall not however prefume to impofe upoz others my own particular judgment on this author, but only deliver it as my private opinion. Criticism is of a very large extent, and every particular master in this art has his favourite paffages in an author, which do not equally ftrike the best judges. It will be fufficient for me if I difcover many beauties or imperfections which others have not attended to, and I fhould be very glad to fee any of our eminent writers publish their difcoveries on the fame fubject. In short, I would always be understood to write my papers of criticism in the fpirit which Horace has expreffed in those two famous lines; -Si quid novifti rectius iftis, Ep. 6. lib. 1. ver. ult. If you have made any better remarks of your own, ⚫ communicate them with candour; if not, make ufe of these I prefent you with.' VOL. IV. N° 263 Tuesday, January 1, 1712. Gratulor quod eum quem neceffe erat diligere, qualifcunque effet, talem habemus ut libenter quoque diligamus. Trebonius apud Tull. I rejoice, that the perfon, whom it was my duty to love, good or bad, is fuch an one, that I can love him with a willing mind. Mr. SPECTATOR, I Am the happy father of a very towardly fon, in whom I do not only fee my life, but also my manner of life, renewed. It would be extremely beneficial to fociety, if you would frequently refume fubjects which ferve to bind thefe fort of relations fafter, and endear the ties of blood with those of good-will, protection, obfervance, indulgence, and veneration. I would, methinks, have this done after an uncommon method, and do not think any one, who is not capable of writing a good play, fit to undertake a work wherein there will neceffarily occur fo many fecret instincts, ⚫ and biaffes of human nature which would pafs unob• ferved by common eyes. I thank Heaven I have no outrageous offence against my own excellent parents to anfwer for; but when I am now and then alone, and look back upon my paft life, from my earliest infancy to this time, there are many faults which I committed that did not appear to me, even until I myself be· came a father. I had not until then a notion of the earnings of heart, which a man has when he fees his child do a laudable thing, or the fudden damp which • feizes him when he fears he will act fomething unworthy. It is not to be imagined, what a remorse touched me for a long train of childish negligences of my mother, when I faw my wife the other day look out of the window, and turn as pale as afhes upon fecing my younger boy fliding upon the ice. These flight flight intimations will give you to understand, that ⚫ there are numberlefs little crimes which children take no notice of while they are doing, which upon reflexion, when they fhall themfelves become fathers, ⚫ they will look upon with the utmost forrow and contrition, that they did not regard, before thofe whom they offended were to be no more feen. How many thoufand things do I remember which would have highly pleafed my father, and I omitted for no other ⚫ reason, but that I thought what he propofed the effect of humour and old age, which I am now convinced had reafon and good fenfe in it. I cannot now go into the parlour to him, and make his heart glad with an account of a matter which was of no confequence, but that I told it, and acted in it. The good man ⚫ and woman are long fince in their graves, who used to • fit and plot the welfare of us their children, while, perhaps, we were fometimes laughing at the old folks · at another end of the house. The truth of it is, were we merely to follow nature in these great duties of life, though we have a ftrong inftinct towards the performing of them, we should be on both fides very deficient. Age is fo unwelcome to the generality of mankind, and growth towards manhood fo defirable to all, that refignation to decay is too difficult a task in the father; and deference, amidit the impulfe of gay defires, appears unreafonable to the fon. There are fo few who can grow old with a good grace, and yet ⚫ fewer who can come flow enough into the world, that a father, were he to be actuated by his defires, and · a son, were he to confult himself only, could neither of them behave himself as he ought to the other. But ⚫ when reason interpofes against inftinct, where it would carry either out of the interefts of the other, there ⚫arifes that happieft intercourse of good offices between thofe deareft relations of human life. The father, according to the opportunities which are offered to him, is throwing down bleffings on the fon, and the fon endeavouring to appear the worthy offspring of fuch a father. It is after this manner that Camillus ⚫ and his firft-born dwell together. Camillus enjoys a pleafing and indolent old age, in which paffion is * fubdued C 2 • fubdued and reafon exalted. He waits the day of his • diffolution with a refignation mixed with delight, and the fon fears the acceffion of his father's fortune with diffidence, left he should not enjoy or become it as well as his predeceffor. Add to this, that the father knows he leaves a friend to the children of his friends, an eafy landlord to his tenants, and an agreeable companion to his acquaintance. He believes his fon's behaviour will make him frequently remembred, but never wanted. This commerce is fo • well cemented, that without the pomp of faying, • Son, be a friend to fuch a one when I am gone; Camillus knows, being in his favour is direction enough to the grateful youth who is to fucceed him, without the admonition of his mentioning it. Thefe Gentlemen are honoured in all their neighbourhood, and the fame ⚫ effect which the court has on the manners of a a king• dom, their characters have on all who live within the influence of them. My fon and I are not of fortune to communicate our good actions or intentions to fo many as these • Gentlemen do; but I will be bold to fay, my fon has, by the applaufe and approbation which his behaviour towards me has gained him, occafioned that many an old man, befides myself, has rejoiced. Other mens ⚫ children follow the example of mine, and I have the ⚫ inexpreffible happiness of overhearing our neighbours, as we ride by, point to their children, and fay, with a voice of joy, There they go. You cannot, Mr. SPECTATOR, pafs your time bet⚫ter than infinuating the delights which thefe relations. ⚫ well regarded beftow upon each other. Ordinary paffages are no longer fuch, but mutual love gives an importance to the moft indifferent things, and a merit to actions the most infignificant. When we look round the world, and obferve the many misunderstandings which are created by the malice and infinuation of the meaneft fervants between people thus related, how neceffary will it appear that it were inculcated that men would be upon their guard to fupport a conftancy of affection, and that grounded upon the principles of reafon, not the impulfes of inftinct. s • It' |