The mirror: a periodical paper, published at Edinburgh in the

years 1779 and ...

Henry Mackenzie

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J <*A'*'

THE

M I R R O R.

Jl PfiRiODiCAt Faper^ publiihed at XdxmbuRG^ in the years 1779

and 17804

Veluti in fpecuh.

f IN .THREE* VOLUMES.

V 0 L^ ^IH.

EDINBURGHr

PriHtcd for W. CREE*t«, Edinburgh \ and W.Strahan, and T. Cadeli., London^

MDCCLXXXI.

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C O N T E N T\S.

N° - Pag*

75. Letter from Ti^noruY ShvrrLEWORTH gating his difficulties in reading the News-papers. General reficBions on the abufes of thofe daily intelligencers, - . - t 7$. Dinner at Mr Melfort^s. Hard drinking.

Mr Urnphraville^s re^ fle^fions on modern manners^ - i o 77. The efe6l of difficulty in attainment

to heighten our keennefs in purfuit. j^rgument deduced from this with regard to the rule of poetical juftice, - - .- i< 78. Letter from ]oHU Hearty giving

an account of his fufferings from a?i extreme propenftty to frieitdfliip,

^ 27

79. Integer on negatively good men;

fcheme of a ne^vs-paper^ to relate what things are not done^.-^The plagiarifms of the Mikkok, in a Jbort^tterfrom HyeliuA, • .35 a 2 80.

Critique

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iv C O. N T E N T S.

N^ . Pag.

80. Critique on that fpedes of compojttion known by- the name of Advcrtifement, - - - 43

Si. Dijirejjes of an heircfs; in a letter

from Olivia, - - ^4

82. On fign^pofts, as the reward of public

merit and criterion of nationalfuc* cefSi - - - 63

83, Enquiry into the cavfes of the fcarcity cf humorous writers in Scotland, 73

84, Of the privilege cf fafhion to alter

nature ; fome account of certain fajbionable peculiarities in Edinburgh, - - - 82

85. Jpology to poetical correfpondents.

The Exile, an elegy^ 4^ Zc)

86. Antiquarius o;2/^^ vfmrVj c/'ffr

tain ancient medicines^ - 96

87, On fitperjfition and the fear of death ^ IQ3 ZZ, The hardfhips of a private tutort- in a

letter from K. B. Reflexions fug-^ gefiedbyity - - M2

89. Emilia on female accomplifhments. — Letter from h^riTiA Lappet going tafet up flop as a milliner ^ 12 J • 90. Calamities Digitized by Google

CONTENTS. r

NO Pag.

90. Calamities incident to extreme oldage^ particularly the lofs (ffriends; feet-* ings of the Author on a misfortune ^ of that kind, - -

13 j

^i. On the duties of the great, in behaviour as well as conduct^ - 139

92. On the dejire of BgurG'tniking, 148

93. Chara6ler of a fclf important trifter;

• in a letter from Mifs C. F. 1.57

94. Effefls of the reprefentation of cer

tain chara&ers //i /A^ Mirror. — Letter from^ a gentleman in London on the impr$vements of Edinburgh, - - 167

9p Defcription of a dangerous fpecies of coquette; in 'jwo letters from Mr and Mrs B. , - - 179

95. Bad effe^s of an education too refined

for the fociety in which we live ; in a letter from Mary Muslin. — The Marriage of EvAt, ct poem, ^ - 19^

97. Account of the Flint family, and their conduct with regard to^thc education of Mafler Flinty by the

youngs

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Vi C O N T E N T S.

N^ Pag,

young gentleman^s tutor Hypo

DIDASCALUS, . - - 201

98* Hypodidascalus's relation conti- > ' fined 5 Journal of Majien FlintV

Jiudies'for aiveeky - 215

9^, Criticifm on tke charafler and tragedy efhUmlct, - - 227 100.

Criticifm on Hamlet concluded, 238 Id I. Danger of regulating our condu6I by the rules of romantic fentiment, iS/^ryo/Emilia, - - 247

102. MoDERATUS on the charaSfert a

man of fpirit.— Reflexions onfe^ male fpirity - - 259

103. Letter /rom Simon Softly, r<?;2

taining an account of bis viftt to Sir Ralph HoldencouH, a man of great family with whom he had alavhfuit, - - 270

104. in confequ^nces of retiring from fo*

ciety; chara3er of Acafio a country-gentleman, - - 282

J 05. Some cautions with regard to the be*

haviour of people in the country^ 2gz '106. Education neceffary not only to Jit . men for the worlds but to qualify them*

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CONTENTS. »a

N'' Pag.

than for enjoying retirement from itj ... 2QJ

107. Difference between theoretical <le^

fcriptiony and aSltuil fraSlice ; dc* Jinition ^^ honourable love, by an anonymous author^ and of a battle, *yA. Boyer, - . 31, 108. Inefficacy of guilty pleafure to con^

fer happinefs; Jiory of Louifa Venoni, - • 020

109. Sequel of the fiory ^/'Louifa, 330 iio^ Conclufion of the ^i%%oiL^

«. 33^

Tax

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THE

MI R R O R.

N®75. Tuesday, January 2^. 1780.

To the AuTHQR of the Mirror.

S I R^ \ '

1 Remark, that you meddle not with the high matters of politics. For this, you muft anfwer to yourfelf, being that you are ableto write printed papers. I am a member of eighty-five focieties, all zealous for the liberty of the prefs, in coniiftency with, and in conformity to, our eftablifliment j an j fo I think that you are at liberty to write of ihofe things only whereof you have undcrftanding; and, if fo be, thstt, by reafon of your filence, you abufe, or, as one may fay, vilipend the liberty of the prefs, judge you yourfelf; as for me, I fay" nothing.

But, although you' give us no news yourfc'-f> perhaps you have foiaethiug to fay with

Vol. III. A the

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1 The Mirror. N®75.

the gentlemen who make the news; and, if fo, I hope that you will recommend it to them fo to write, as that they may be underftood of men who are not book-learned.

They, being book-learned gentlemen, write in divers tongues, whereby we poor fimple men are at a lofs> and Europe may be overthrown by compafts and aflbciations, pr ever we can underftand the danger.

Not many days'ago, I read in the news, that fome good men put up an advertifement. on a ftatue, with this fuperfcription, pro pa^ tria mort, and that the fuperfcription rejoiced all honeft hearts. I inquired of our dea* con, who received the rudiments of his education at the grammar-fchool of Lefmahagoe^ what was the meaning of the words

\ and he made anfwer, that the words were Latin, and that he thought they would be found in the Latin Diftionary ; the which having got, I, on fearching, difcovered, that pro fignificd for the fake of and that patrta^gx\\fit^^amar^s native country, and that mori fignified foolifb and filly perfons.

Wherefore, by joining together the words, I conjeftured, moreover, that the interpretation oipro patria mori was foolifb or filly per^

fons

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N<5 75- The M i it & o m. j

fins for the fake of their native country ; or that, they nvho a6l for their native country arc foolijh andftllyperfons*

Now, Sir, if fo be that this is fo, I moreover conjefture, that the honcft men who put up the advertifementy and they who rejoiced thereat, were deceived through ignorance of the Latin tongue, and that to them there was no caufe of rejoiciflg.

Of that tongue I think'no good : It is reported amongft us, that the mafs is written ia it, the which I renounce, and alfo abominate, &c. I am. Sir, your Honour's^ to ferve you at command, TIMOTHY SHUTTLEWORTH.

P. S. Weaving performed in all its branches at reafonable rates ; alfo, cloth taken in fop the Dalquharn bleachfield*

My worthy correfpondent Mr Shuttleworth, in the after part of his letter, intrufts me with his fentiments concerning fome very momentous fubjefts •, but I fhould not deferve the hoA 2 nour Digitized by Google

4 T H E ' M I R R O R. KPyr*

nour of his friendfliip, were I to impart to the public what has been communicated to me ia confidence.

Not knowing his direftion, and not having been favoured with a cypher from him, I can only fay, that " that n. p. had no more in< fluence in the matter of the r.^. and the ^' p, b. than th — m—n of th

— m—n 5 and ^^ of this Mr Shuttleworth may reft aflured.'*

With refpeft to the Latin words, which have been the innocent caufe of fo muchuneaiinefs to him, they are taken from a Roman poet,. but no Roman Catholic ; in metre, accommodated to the courfe of my friend's fiu** dies, they fignify.

That for our fathers' land to die, it is a comely thing. •

As, indeed, / meddU not ivith the high matters of politicst I fliall only add, that it is to be hoped there ai-e very few who confult Shut^

tlewortVs diftionary.

Since I have been defired to advife the Au' thors of news-papers to write intelligibly, I xnuft fay fomething on that fubjeft, left my filence ihould be conftrued into an acknow*'

Icdgement.

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6 The M x r r o^ r. H^jf^

her fenfations,.has much or the family-difpajGtion. If the wind fets in to the eaft-, then? we are a betrayed; and abandoned, and loft people 5 but, on the wind coming round ta the weft, what nation fo glorious and wellgoverned as ours ? Our perfidious enemies^ fliall know what it is to roufe the Lion, to annoy the ThiJlJej. or to put the Harf out of tune.

Such being the difpofition oiF readers apt tot be depreiled or elevated on every occaCon, or on no occaiion, the writers of news papers euglit to be cautious as well in flackening asj in over-bracing the nerves of their ouftomersj. and the only method I can recommend fopv attaining this happy medium^ isi ** that they**

report nothing but what they believe to be *' true;" or, if that be to require too much of^ flefli and'bldod, *' that they report, nothing* ♦*

which they believe to be fiftitious."

•* The Britannia, Captain George Manley "commander, is totally loft on the coaft ofi** Barbary ; every foul on board perilhed.*'

On board the Britannia, there was the only fon of a widowi whofe fingle fund of fubfiftence depended on that pittance of his wages which her dutiful ghild allotted to her. In.

thc

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N^ 7?' The M i e it o r. f

the fame fhlp there was a fober and indufirious young man, who had quitted his wifer a few months, after marriage, that be might provide for a young creature whom he hoped? to fee in its mother's arms at his return.

** It is confidently reported, that iixor fevcnr *^ men of the, crew of the Britannia got fafe•' ly to ihore, and that they were made flaves# «

unlefs, as is to be feared, they were mur** dered by the natives."

Here there is a. gleam of miferable and dubious hope darting on the minds of thofe who had relations oa> board the Britannia;

^* The Britannia is fafcly arrived ^at* Port^ ** Mahon^ fo that.the report of her having" " been loft is without foundation." — The inference is moft logical I

In the very next paragraph,.it is faidj "We ** have the pleafure of informing the public,, _«* that a capital figure-dancer will foon make**

his appearance on the ftage."

Are not fuch things to be founds in thenews-papers of every week ?

and is it not a* cruel fporting with the fcnfibilities of human ■ nature, thus to wring the fouls of parents and wives, of the aged.and the helplefs, and that merely to fill up the columcs-of a news-paper I, It.

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t The M I h r 0 k. N°7jr

It Is of high national importance that thfe Tery earlleft notice fhould be given of the near appearance of a figure-dancer ; but, furely there was no neceffitj of faying any thing of the Britannia, in wboie fate the fates of. fa many little families were involved, until it fhould have been certainly known whether {he was wrecked^ or had fafely arrived in port.

Of late years there has a praAice crept io>. of making the newspapers not only the vehicle of public intelligence, but alfo of the misfortunes, real or imaginary, of private families. For example, " We hear that Mrs •* Gadabout was lately deteftcd in an illicit •*

commerce with her hufband's poftilion, and " that a procefs of divorce will be brought,**' &c.

Invention immediately bufies itfelf in accounting for this incident.

After the firft ceremonies of furprife and deep regret, the education of the lady is fcrutinized; it was too* ftrift, or it was too loofe : The charafter of the hufband is laid before the inqueft of gof* fips : He was morofe and fullen, or he fet an example of extravagance and Itbertinifm which poor Mrs Gadabout inconfiderately foUowed.^ Then fome one, more expert in tracing d9e£la

to

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IP 75* The Mirror. jp

to tbeir caufe^ recolleAs having heardj that fomething^of a like nature befell the family many years ago; and that the grand aunt of Mrs Gadabout*s father, if common fame'lie not, ftept aiide with the Duke of Buckingham, when-he attended Charles II. into Scotland*

In this ftate of uncertainty, things remain fbr a week or two, when frefh intelligence is Gonnnunicated to the public. ^^ The report •* of Mrs Gadabout's* affair is premature. — **^The former article was copied from an*. ** other paper.—We hope that all concerned « will accept of this apology." Doubtlefs a xnoft fatisfying apology to all concerned 1

The writers of news-papers^ are the hifto* rians of the day ; but I fee no caufe why thej^ &ould be the hiftorians of the lie of the day«

NP7^.

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N®7^* Saturday, January i<). I'jZo.

REFINEMENT and delicacy of mind are not more obfervable in our ferious occupations, than in the ftyle of pur amufcxnents. Of thofe who poflefs them, the moft vacant hours will generally be informed by tafte, or enlivened by imagination; but, with men dcftitute of that fcntiment which they infpirc, pleafure will conimonly degenerate in* to groilhefs, fociality into intemperance^ and mirth into riot.

. Mr Melfort. is one of my friend Mr Untm fbraville^s early acquaintance, who continue* to refidevin this city, and of whom he ftill re* tains fome remembrance.

That gentleman, in his youth, had applied to the iludy of the law, and was admitted to the bar; but, having foon after fucceeded to a tolerable fortuae, he derives no other benefit from his profeffion than an apology for refiding part of the year in town, and fuch a general acquaintance there, as enables him to ipend his time in that fociety which \$ fuited

t^

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N^7^' The M x r e o r. if

to his difpofition. He is often, indeed, to be feen in court; but he comes there only as he docs to the coffee-houfe, to inquire after the news of the day, or to form a party for fome of thofe dinners which he ufually gives.

In my friend's laft vifit to town, he met with this gentleman, and came under an en* gagement to dine with him. I was afked to be of the party, and attended him according

The company was a large one. Befide Mrs Melfort and her two daughters, there were three other young ladies who appeared to be intimate in the family. The male part of the company was ftill more numerous. It con« fified, befide our lapdlord, Mr Umphraville^ and myfelf, of two lawyers, a phyfician, a jolly looking man in the uniform of a fea-officer, and a gentleman advanced in life, who had fomewhat of the air and manner of a foreigner, and, I afterwards learned, had left this country at an early age, and lived chiefly abroad ever fince.

Mr Umphraville^ who was feated next Mrs Melfort^ itemed not lefs pleafed with the converfation, than with the manners of that la4y*

who is indeed perfectly well bred and ac

compliihed ^

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la, T -H E M I tt R o It. N® 76.

cpmplifhed; and the ftranger, whofe naiqe was Melvillef appeared equally to reliih the fpirit which diftinguifhed the difcourfe of Mr Um»

phraville. I had early obferved him to mark my old friend, as a member of the company not the leaft worthy of his attention.

The dinner was fucceeded l^ a xomid of toafts, during which the ladies received fcarce any other mark of attention from the company, Mr Umphraville^ Mr Melville^ and myfelf, excepted, than,that of .Mr Melfort^s calling for theii- toafts, which he always diftinguifhedi by deilring us to fill a bumper.

immediately after this ceremony was ended, thej withdrew ; a cii^cumftance which Teemed nowife difagr^eable to.the company they left, the greateft par.t of whom had hitherto fat muie, and plainly felt the prefence of the ladies a re(l:raint on the freedom and jollity of converfation.

They liad no fooner retired, than Mr Mel" fortt raifing himfelf in his chair, announced a bumper to the ladies who had left us, an order

which was readily complied with, and feemed to fpread an air of fatisfadlioj^ around the table. Tiie fea-captain faid, he was glad the frigates had fhcered off; *' and now,**

added

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N°7^' The Mirror. 13

added he, " if you pleafe, Mr Melfort^ as the '^ iignal is given, we may clear the decks^ and ** form the line of battle.**

The Captain's joke was applauded with a loud laugh; during which honeft Umphraville^ whofe face is qo hypocrite, caft to my fide of the table a look of difpleafuce and contempt* which I wa« at no lofs to interpret. Meantime the fervants removed one half of the table, that we might fit fociably, as Mr MeU fort termed it, round the other which was *^mcdiatcly furniihed with a fet of frefli glaffes, and cleared of every incumbrance that might retard th^ circulation of the bottle.

Our friends who had been fb fiknt during the prefence of the ladies, now began to take their revenge, and enlarge their (hare of the converfation in proportion to the number of bumpers they fwallowed : they vied with each other in the number of their ftories and their jokes; aH of which feemed to be equally re* liflied; and not the fcfs fo, that they now became fomewhat loofe and licentious.

Mr Melville had at firft endeavoured, tho* in a very eafy and polite manner, to give Ibmewhat of a genteclcr turn to the converfation ; but hb cndeaviPUFSi though fupportcd Vol. III. B by

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14 The M i r r o ft. N^76.

by a good deal of wit and vivacity, could not long vrithftand the general difpofition of the company. He now found himfelf as little able

to relifli their merriment as Mr UmphraviUct next whom he was feated $ and they had be* gun to enter into converfation Of a very different kind, when Umphraville received a flap on the flioulder from one of the company, who at the fame time reminded him that he was hunted.

My friend was at fir A ftartled with a familiarity to which he was little accuftomed; ha* ving recovered his compofure, however, he thanked the gentleman, though with an air rather formal and referved, for his attention, and drank oflF his bumpe;*! But having, it feems, left a little more than was proper in the bottom of his glafs, he was faluted with a call of ** No heeltops /" from another corner of the table. This enigmatical advice being explained to him, he complied with it alfo, faying, however, with his natural firmoefs of tbne and manner, " That it was his rule to «* fill and drink his glafs when and how ^c *

<pleafed; and that, as he had already gone <* greater lengths than ufual, Mr Melfort muft ^ excufe him if hp did aot depart from it.'*

I

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N®7*^* The Mirhor, 15

I few that Mr Umphravitte was now heartily tired of the company,, and was not ferry when, a little after this incident, both he and Mr Melville withdrew. Having remained long enough to witnefs fbme jocular remarks to which this gave occafion, I followed them to the drawing-room, where I found they were much mure agreeably employed in drinking coffee with Mrs Melforty while one of her daughters obliged my old friend, by playing fomc Scots airs upon the harpficord, which the other actompanied with a voice equally iweet and eitpreiSve.

The convcrfation which fucceeded was fupported,-in an eafy agreeable manner, by Mr Melville and the ladies, with that mixture o(

ferious i^emark which made it not unpleafing to Mr Umphraville; nor

'lid he fufFer ia their opinion by the part he occafionally took in it. The

filent approbation of his countenance, during the performance of the young ladies, and the obfervations which it gave him an opportunity of making on the charafter of cur native mufic, had already made the old gentleman a favourite; nor were the reft of the company difpleafed with the turn of his fentiments, when he complained, that the draw* B 2 ing

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ing-rooms where, in his younger days, the ladies and gentlemen were accuftomed to the company of each other, were now almoft totally deferted; and that, as for as he could obferve, amidft the boafted refinement of modern manners, the gentlemen paid lefs attention to the ladies, both in public places and in private fociety, than they had done fifty years ago.

After fome time pafied in this manner, the sioife of laughter and of vociferation on the ftairs announced the approach of Mr Melfort and his company. The phyfician, and one of the lawyers, were indeed the only members of it who had chofen to attend him to the drawing-room 5 both of whom were prodigioufly fluftered; and yet, to my aftoniihxnent, they contrived to put a decent face upon it, and fell into fewer improprieties thaa could have been expefted. A drawing-room, however, was not t*heir element; and, after fwallowing a little coffee, they withdrew, leading hont&jlfelfort faft afleep in a corner of the fettee,

Mr Umphraville and I took our leave. We were fcarce out of the houfe when he exclaimcd,

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.NP'j6. The M i r k o r. 17

** 0 rus^ quando eg9 te afpiciam ? "

And, after a little paufc, '* Good God ! ^^ laid he, " Charles^ can fuch fcenes be com-* " mon at poor Melforfs ? To what a degree •* muft he have loft all rcfpeft for himfelf, ^^ and all tafte for true happinefsi who, for ** fuch focfety as we have this day witneffed, •* can forego the agreeable converfation of hl» ** own family, or who can allow the elegance *^ of their amuTements to be difturbed by the '^ intrufion of his loofe and riotous compa« nions ?"

I reprcfcnted to my friend, that he faw the matter In too ftrong a light.

I obferveU, that the excefs, on this occafion, had probably been greater than ufual; Mr Melfort was nowife fingular in the manner of entertaining his friends; that, in this country, the general opinion jurtified the obfervation of the poet,. ** Fecundi calices quern non feeere difertum *^ that wine <eas fuppofed neccflary to remove the natural referve of our manner, and give a proper degree of .cafe and fpirit to our converfation. As to the appearance of Melfort and-his friehds in the drawing-room, I obferved, that a little habit made the occafional inB J trufio»

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i,i8 T H E Ml R R 0 R. N*^76.

trufion of a drunken company be confidered as a fort of interlude, which ladies could bear without uneafinefs; and, at any rate, as it was an equal chance that their future buibands would give fuch dinners, and receive fuch guefts, as their father did, it might not be improper to accuftom them, in their earlier days, to a fpecies of converfation and behaviour which they muft afterwards be obliged to endure.

** Ay," fays he, •• Charles^ this is your way; ^^ the follies of mankind are familiar *to yon, *^ and you are always ready to find an apolo■**

gy for them; but I, who, for many years, *** have only heard of them, cannot be fuppo♦^ fed to bear their defefts with as much pa?"nience, I am fick of this town of yours; '** and, though I.could^have as much pleafure ^' as any man in witneffing fuch elegant man** ners, and partaking in fuch agreeable con* ••* verfation,. as we fkw and

enjoyed during a *' part of this evening, if I mufl* purchafe it, " by (harlng in the intemperance, the noife, ** and the folly which preceded it, fliould you ** wonder if I long to return to- my books and

?«my folitude?'* K

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N^ 77. Tuesday, Telruary i. 178©^

All impediments in fancys courfe^ Are motives of more fancy. .

Shak£spearb»

A Mid ST the ▼ariety ciF objcdls around us^ pbilofophers have frequently been eo ployed in pointing out and diAinguifhing thofe which are the fources of pleafure> and tholie which are produAive of pain; they have ea* deavoured alfo to inveftigate the caufes and the qualities in the different objefts by which thefe effefts are produced. I fufpeft that, in many cafes, we muft be obliged to have recourfe to the original conftitution of our frame, and that the moft penetrating philofophical inquirers can often go no farther than to fay, thus^

Nature has made vs.

But whatever may be the original fources of our pleafure and pain^ it is certain that there are various circumAances which may be pointed out, as adding to or diminifhing both the one and the other y circumfianccs by which

tbiCi

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20 The Mirror. N^77.

the warmth of expeAation may be heightened or allayed^ and the pangs of difappointment increafed or mitigated.

It i$ a common obferyatioQy the juftice of vrhich, I believe, will not be difputed, that every paiBon increafes according to the difficulty there

is in its gratification. When once a defire for a certain objed is raifedi every oppofition which occurs to the attainment of jtt provided it be not fuch as ciits off all hopes of fucceeding, and every perplexity and em* barrafiment thrown m the way, when the xnind is engaged in the purfuit, inflames the -defire; the objeA becomes heightened and ex«

aggerated in our ideas, the mind grows more attached to it, and the expectation of enjoy* ment from the pofTeffion is increafed.

To account for this appearance in our na«turej it may be obferved, that nothing is fo apt to make an object figure in the imagina*tion, as to have our attention long and earneftly fixed upon it. This ma^es it appear ia Wronger and more lively colom*8. If it be an obje6l of deiire, it appears more and more cal-' culated to give pleafure; if an objedl of averfion, it appears more aod more calculated to produce pain. Every time we view it, there is

aa

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an addition made to the impreiBon we have received. The fcofatioDS

it has already given us Aill continue^ and the paflion it has created receives additional force. If the objeft be pleafant, the mind dwells upon its good, if difagreeable^ upon its bad qualities; it broods over them, it amplifies, it exaggerates them.

Now, no circumftance is fo much calculated to fix the attention upon any particular bbjeft as thofe difficulties which arife in our purfuit of it.

The mind, unwilling to be otercomc, cannot think of fubmittitvg to a defeat, or of giving up thofe expectations of enjoyment which it has formed. Every little oppofition, therefore, that is met with, every obftruftion thrown in the way, calls forth a frefh confideration of the objeft. We take a view of .'t in its every form, to try if we can get the better of thofe diflSculties, and remove thofe obftruftions. The objeft itfelf, meanwhile, gains complete pofleffion of the fouL It fwells and heightens in our imagination, and is no longer feen as it is by other

men, nor as It would be by the fame perfon, were other objefts allowed to have a place in his mind, oc to divide his attention.

From this circumftance in our naturc^^ that fixing

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fixing our attention upon any one objeft, or fet of objeAs, is apt to increafe or heighten them in our imagihationi a variety of rendarlcs might be made, tending to illuftratc the hiftory of the human heart* It is owing to this circumftance, that a general" lover feldom forms an attachment to any particular obje<ft. It is from the fame caufe, that the gentleman who follows no particular profeffion feldom exaggerates the advantages of any one. It is •the merchant who limits his views folcly to commerce that fees in too ftrong a light the advantages of trade; it is the man of learning, who is ihut up within the walls of a cot lege, that exaggerates the advantages of literature

; it is the fcholar who confines himfeif to one branch of fcience that is- the complete pedant. The moral philofopher wonders how any man can be occupied by the dry unpleafant ftudy of the mathematics, while the curious fabric of the human mind remains unexplored. The mathematician is equally furprifed that any man ffaould^ compare the certainty of -mathematical evidence to the vague inquiries of the moral philofopher. The geometrician, who, by the intreaty of his •friendSi was prevailed with to read the Culo£

Corneille^

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Corneillet wondered that any body ihould admire a diing in which nothing was proved.* And the learned Budaus^ when he was writing

his treatife concerning the R'oman as^ being interrupted by his mald-fervant, who told him the houfe was.on fire^ bad her go tell hi$ wife^

for that he did not mind family-mattery.

It would far exceed the bounds of this pa* per to exhauft this fubjeA^

or to take Jiotice of the different remarks which may be drawn from it, either with regard to human fentiments and condu£l, or in relation to the fine arts *. I ihaU, therefore, confine myfelf to one other obfervation, on a point which ha^ been treated of by Mr Addifon in the 4cth Number of the SpeBator^ where he juftifie^^ againfl: the ruling o^Hbion at that time, the prance of thofe writers of tragedy who difregard what are called the rules of poeticaljum ftice. To his defence of that praftice, I think we may add one argument, which feems to have efcaped him, drawn from the effeA of the oppofition above mentioned to heighten our paffion for a particular objeft,

• Sec EUmgnts of Critif\fm,

There

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There is implanted in the mmd of every man a defire that virtue fliouid be followed bj reward) and vice by punifhment. But this defire, like every other, gathers new ftrength by oppofition, and rifes upon refinance. When, therefore, a virtuous man, amidft all his \Hirtue, is reprefentcd as unhappy, that anjiety which we feel for his happinefs becomes* lb much the'greater; the more undeferved calamities he meets with, the higher is that principle raifed, by which we defire that he ihould attain an adequate reward; the more he IS eiQvironed and perplexed with difiiculties, the more earneftly do we wifli that he may be delivered from them all; and, even when .he is cut off by premature death, we follow his memory with the greater admiration; and our refpedl and reverence for his conduft is increafedfo much thj more, as all our prayers for his happinefs, in this life, are difappoiQCed.

On the other hand* with regard to the vicious, nothing excites ^o ftrongly our indignation againft vice, or our defire that it {hould" be puni&^d, as our beholding the vicious fuccefsful, and, in the midfi; of his crimes, ^n* joying profperity. Were we always to fee ibe vicious man meeting with a proper punifhment

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nifluneot for his guilt, wretched and unhappy, our eagerneis for his punifhment would fub-> iide, and our hatred agaioft him would he converted into pity; his guilt would be forgoty and his misfortunes only would affeft us. Before the trial of an atrocious criminal^ xhe unanimous voice of the public iS| that he fhould be led out to punifhment. Suppofe liim condemned^ how altered is that voice ! His fate is now univerfally pitied and deplored ; and, did not the fafety of thoufands depend on his fuffering, hardly, in any cafe^ ihould we fee the laws, of juftice finally put la execution.

There can be no good reafon, therefore^ for obferving the rules of what is called foetU caljuftice. The cfFeft which a departure from ihefe rules produces, afford* the higheft poffible teftimony in favour of virtue. It fliews, that, where virtue meets with calamities and idifappointments, this, inftead of leflening it la our eftimation, only attaches us fo much the more warmly to its interefts •, and that, where vice is fuccefsful, inftead of creating a feeling in its favour, this only increafes our indignation againft it. Were virtue always fortunate.

Vol. III. C were

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^wcre vice always unprofperous, that principle •vould be enfeebled*

by which we defire the reward of the one, and the puni(hment of the

•other.

N^78.

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N^ 78. Saturday, February 5. lySa

To the Author of the Mirror.

Sir,

THE praifcs ^ friend/btp^ and defcrlp^ tions of the happinefs arifing from it# I remember to have met with in almoft every* book and poem fince firft I could read. I was never much addifted to reading \ and, \ik this inftance, I think, I have little reafon ta put confidence in authors. How it may be iit their experietice, I know not \ but, in mine^

this fame virtue oi-friend/hip has tended very little to my happinefi ; on the contrary, Sir, when I tell, you my Situation, you will find that I am almoft ruined by my friends.

From my earlieft days, I was reckoned one 'of the bcft-naturcd fellows in the world; and, at fchool, though I muft confefs I did not ac-« quire fo much learning as many of my comt panions; yet, even there, I was remarkably for the acquifition oi friends. Even thcre^ too, I acquired them at fome expence ; I way C z flogged.

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flogged, I dare fay, a hundred times, for the fauhs of others, but was too generous ever ta peach; my companions were generous fellows too ^ but it always happened,. I don't know how, that my generofity was on the loiing fide of the adventure*

I had not been above three years at college,, when the death of an uncle put me in poffeffioa of a v^ry confiderablc eftate. As I wa» not violently inclined towards literature, I foon took the opportunity which

this prefcntcd nic of leaving the univerfiiy, and entering, ttpon the.:worId. I put myfelf under the tui-r lion of one of my companions, who generally fpent the vacationsy and indeed fome of the terms too, in London, and took up my refi* dence in that city^ There I needed not that propenfity which, I have told you, I always poflefled, to acqiiirc ar multitude 6i friends ; f found myfelf furrounded by them in every tavern and coffee-houfe about town. But I foon experienced, that, though the commodity waff plenty, the price was high> Befides a confiderablc mortgage oh my eftate, of which one of my beft friends contrived to pofiefs himfelf, I was obliged to expofe my life- in a couf4e of duels, and had very near loft it by difeafe.

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N® 78"- The M i r k a r. 79^

difeafe, in that courfe of friendfhip which I underwent in the -

metropolis. All this was more a focial facrifice to others, than a grati-*

fication to myfelf. Naturally rather of a fo^ ber difpofition, I found more frequently difguft than pleafure amidft thofe fcencs of dlGiipation in which I was engaged. I was oftea obliged to roar out a catch expreflive of our happinefs, at the head of a long table in a ta*

vern, though I would have almoft exchanged my place for the bench of a galley-fla\e ; and to bellow for a bumper, when i would as foon have fwallowed the bittereft drug in the (hop €f my apothecary^

From this fort of bondage I contrived to emancipate myfelf by matrimony. I married the fifter of one of my friends^ a girl goodnatured and thoughtlefs like myfelf, whh . whom I foon after retired into the country,, and fet out upon what we thought a fober well-regulated plan. The fituation was fodiftant, as to be quite out of the reach of my former town-K:ompanions; provifions w^f^ cheap, and fervants faithful j in fhort, every thing fo circumftanced, that we made no doubt erf living confiderably withm our income. Our inaaner of lif^ however, was to be as happy C 3 . m

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30 The Mirror. N*^*;**

as prudent. By the improvement of mj cftate, I was to be equally amufed and enrich^cd ; my Ikill in fpor,tfiiian(hip (foF I had acquired that fcience to great perfe^ion at the tmiverfity) was to procure vigour to^ my coivftitution, and dainties to my table j and, Oigainft the long nights of winter, we were provided wftli: an excellent neighbourhood:.

The kft-mentioncd article is the only one which we have found come entirely up to our €xpeftations. My talent for/«V«^-w/2^i«^ ha* indeed extended the limks of neighbourhood 2l good deal farther than the word is commonly underftood to reach. The- pari(h, Which it iiot afmali one, the county, which is proportionally extenfive, comes all within the deno*^ jinination of neighbourhood with us ; and my.

neighbourC^j^ry, who pays mean annualt ipbrting vifit of feveral weeks, lives at Icaft fifty miles offi

Some of thofc neighbours, who always be*come friends at my houfe, have endeavoured to pay me for their entertaincfient with-their advice as to the cultivation of my farm, or the ' management of my eftate; but I havegeneraU ly found their counfel, like other friendly exicrtions, put me out of pocket in the end,

• . Theiis

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N^ 7*- T H B M X R R O K. Jf

Their theories of agriculture failed in mf prance of them; and the ingenious men they recommended to me fer tenantSi feldom paid their rent by their ingenuity. One gea* tieman, in pardcular, was to much penetrated by my kindnefs and hofpitality^ that he generoufly communicated to me a projeA he had formed^ which he fhewed me to be infallible^ for acquiring a great fortune in a very fiiort dme, and offered me an equal fbare in the profits^ upon my advancing the fum

of L. 500, ta enable him to put his plan more fpeedily inta execution.

But, about a twelvemonth after, I was informed that his projeA had mifcarried^. and that my L. 500 was lo£k in the wreck of it. This gentleman is almoft the only one of my friends, who, after having been once at my houfe, does not chufe to frequent it again.

My wife is not a whit left happy in acquitivig friends' than myfelf.

Befides all ber relations, of whom (for I chofe a woman of fa*mily)

{he has a very great number, every lady flie mee^s at vifits, at church, or at the yearly races in our country-town, is fo inftantaneoufly charmed with her manners and conver£uion> that fhe

£nds it impoflible to leave our

paxt

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part of the country without doing herfclf the pleafure of waiting on Mrs Hearty at her own hOufc. Mrs Hearty*s friends are kind enough to give advice too, as well as mine. After fuch vifits, I generally find fome improvement in. the furniture of my houfc, the drefs of my wife, or the livery of my fervants.

The attentions of our friends are fometimea carried farther than mere words or vifits of compliment; yet, even then, unfortunately^ their favours are juft fo many taxes upon us. When I receive a prefent of a delicate fat* tfwn, or a nice haunch of venifon^ it is but a fignal for all my good neighbours to come and eat it at my expence ; and, fome time ago, when a nephew of my wife fettled abroad, fent me a hog(head of excellent claret, it co£l sne, in entertainments for the honour of the liquor, what might have purchafed a tun from the wine-merchant.

After fo many inftances in which mjfrUn(t' fhips were hurtful to my fortune, I wiihed to hit on the way of making fome of them beneficial to it. For this purpofe, my wife and I have, for . a good while paft,

been employed in looking cut for fome fnug office, or revcrfion, to which my intereft with feveral powerful

friends

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friends might recommend me* But, fome 1

how or other/ our expe^ations have been al- |

ways dlfappoime^ ; not from any want of in- •

clination in our friends to ferve us, as we have been repeatedly afluredi but from various unforefeen accidents, to which expectations of that fort are particularly liable. In the courfe of thefe folicitationS) I v^as led to engage in the political interefts of a gentleman, on whofc influence I built the ftrongeft hopes of Cuccefs in my own fchemes 5

and I flattered myfelf, that, from* tlic friendly footing on which I ftood with my neighbours, I might be of con£derable fervice to him. This, indeed, he is' extremely ready to acknowledge, though he has never yet found an opportunity of returning the favour; but,, in the mean time, it kept my table open to all his friends^ as well as my own, and coft me, befldes, a headach twice a-week during the whole period of the canvafe.

In fhort, Mr Mirror, I find I can afford to keep myfclf in friends no longer. I mean to give them warning of this my refblution as^ fpeedily as poflible. Be fo good, therefore, as inform fuch of them as read your paper, that I

have

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34 T H ja M I R R o R. N^ 78.

have fhut my gates, locked my cetlari turned off my cook, difpofcd of my dogs, forgot my acquaintance^ and am refolved henceforward^

let people fay of me what they will, to be n9 trie's friend but my own*

I am, &c.

JOHN HEARTY.

N0 7s^.

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N^79* ToESDlT, February Z. 1780;

■ Tanto major fama Jitis eft quam virtutifm Juvenal, Sat. 10.

To the Author of the Mihror.

S I R,

THerb is, perhaps, no chara£ler ia the world xnore frequent than that of your negatively good meo; people who ftrifUy conform to the laws of decency and good order in fociety, whofe conduct is fquared to the rules of honefty and morality, and yet who never did one-virtuous or laudable a£tion from the day of their birth. ' Men of thi$ fort.feem to cofifider life as a journey through a barba* rous country, occupied by favages, and overfpread with dangers in every quarter. Their only wiih is to fteer the fafeft courfe, to efcape any hidden fnares or precipices^ and to avoid exafperatkig the enemy \. but, to win them by offices of kindnefsi or attach them by real fcr* vices, they confidcr as a fruitkfs wafte o£ time.

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a needlefs ezpencei and often a dangerous experiment.

It is not a little furprlfingi that thefe good J^ofrmn ihould, by the decency of their exterior deportment, fo far impofe upon the ' worId> as to glide on with eafe and fafety, to arpve .often at ricl^es and eminence, and, from being free of the cenfure of every fpecies of open vice, to obi^n not uxxfre^uently the re« fpeA which is due to virtue.

You> Mr Mirror, like fome other rigid moralifts, feem, from the general ftrain of ^our writings, to require fomething more to* wards the formation of a good man than the •mere abfence of evil, or the mere Ivuery of goodnefs* It mmft be allowed, however, that, bjr a fcrupulous bbfervance of certain rules of .decorum, and a timely ufe of th^ vocables of Wtp?, the exterior and vifible part of the . character is to be attained, which^ for moft of the ufeful purpofes of life, feems to be quite fufficient. But, as there are ftill a few who go a little deeper, and are fcrupulous enough to require a. purity of heart as well as of manners, it is pity, that thofe fincere good people (hould lofe all recompenfe for the fa^crifice they make of many comfortable gratifi*