71 tus. He did fo, with an air of elegance peculiar to the college to which I fent him. I made fome exceptions to the turn of the phrases; which he defended with much modefty, as believing in that place the matter was rather to confult the softness of a swain's paffion, than the trength of his expreffions. It foon appeared, that Will had out-ftripped his brother in the opinion of our young Lady. A little poetry, to one who is bred a Scholar, has the fame effect that a good carriage of his perfon has on one who is to live in Courts. The favour of women is fo natural a paffion, that I envied both the boys their fuccefs in the approbation of my gueft; and I thought the only perfon invulnerable was my young Trader. During the whole meal, I could obferve in the children a mutual contempt and fcorn of each other, arifing from their different way of life and education, and took that occafion to advertise them of fuch growing diftastes; which might mislead them in their future life, and dif appoint their friends, as well as themfelves, of the advantages, which might be expected from the diverfity of their profeffions and interests.

The prejudices, which are growing up between these brothers from the different ways of education, are what create the most fatal misunderstandings in life. But all diftinctions of difparagement, merely from our circumftances, are fuch as will not bear the examination of reafon. The Courtier, the Trader, and the Scholar, should all have an equal pretenfion to the denomination of a Gentleman. That tradefman, who deals with me in a commodity which I do not understand, with uprightness, has much more right to that character, than the Courtier that gives me falfe hopes, or the Scholar who laughs at my ignorance.

The appellation of Gentleman is never to be affixed to a man's circumstances, but to his behaviour in them. For this reason I fhall ever, as far as I am able, give my Nephews fuch impreffions as fhall make them value themfelves rather as they are useful to others, than as they areconfcious of merit in themselves. There are no qualities for which we ought to pretend to the esteem of others, but fuch as render us ferviceable to them: For "free men have no fuperiors but benefactors." I was going

on

on like a true old fellow to this purpose to my guests, when I received the following Epiftle:

.66

Have yours, with notice of a benefit ticket of four hundred pounds per Annum, both inclosed by Mr. Elliot, who had my Numbers for that purpofe. Your philofophic advice came very feafonably to me with that good fortune: But I must be so fincere with you as to acknowledge, I owe my prefent moderation more to my own folly than your wifdom. You will think this ftrange until I inform you, that I had fixed "my thoughts upon the thoufand pounds a year, and had, with that expectation, laid down fo many agree"able plans for my behaviour towards my new Lovers

and old Friends, that I have received this favour of "fortune with an air of disappointment. This is in"terpreted, by all who know not the fprings of my "heart, as a wonderful piece of humility. I hope my prefent state of mind will grow into that; but I con

cr

fels my conduct to be now owing to another cause. "However, I know you will approve my taking hold "even of imperfections to find my way towards virtue, "which is fo feeble in us at the beft, that we are often "beholden to our faults for the first appearances of it.

<< I am,

Sir,

Your most humble fervant,

CHLOE.

Tuesday,

N° 208. Tuesday, Auguft 8, 1710.

Si dixeris aftuo, fudat

Juv. Sat. 3. ver. 103

If you complain of heat,

They rub th' unfweating brow, and fwear they fweat.

DRYDEN.

From my own Apartment, Auguft.

N old acquaintance, who met me this morning,

as well as he had known me do these forty years: But, continued he, not quite the man you were, when we vifited together at Lady Brightly's. Oh! Ifaac, those days are over. Do you think there any fuch fine creatures now living, as we then converfed with? He went on with a thousand incoherent circumftances, which, in his imagination, muft needs pleafe me; but they had the quite contrary effect. The flattery with which he began, in telling me how well I wore, was not disagreeable; but his indifcreet mention of a fet of acquaintance we had out-lived, recalled ten thoufand things to my memory, which made me reflect upon my prefent condition with regret. Had he indeed been so kind as, after a long abfence, to felicitate me upon an indolent and eafy old age; and mentioned how much he and I had to thank for, who at our time of day could walk firmly, eat heartily, and converfe chearfully, he had kept up my pleasure in myfelf. But of all mankind, there are none fo fhocking as thefe injudicious civil people. They ordinarily begin upon fomething, that they know muft be a fatisfaction; but then, for fear of the imputation of flattery, they follow it with the last thing in the world of which you would be reminded. It is this that perplexes civil perfons. The reason that there is fuch a ge

VOL. IV.

E

neral outcry among us against Flatterers is, that there are fo very few good ones. It is the niceft art in this life, and is a part of eloquence which does not want the preparation that is neceffary to all other parts of it, that your audience thould be your well-wifhers: For praise from an enemy is the most pleafing of all commendations.

It is generally to be obferved, that the perfon moft agreeable to a man for a conftancy is he that has no shining qualities, but is a certain degree above great imperfections; whom he can live with as his inferior, and who will either over-look, or not obferve his little defects. Such an eafy companion as this either now and then throws out a little flattery, or lets a man filently flatter himself in his fuperiority to him. If you take notice, there is hardly a rich man in the world, who has not fuch a led friend of fmall confideration, who is a darling for his infignificancy. It is a great eafe to have one in our own fhape a fpecies below us, and who, without being lifted in our service, is by Nature of our retinue. Thefe dependants are of excellent ufe on a rainy day, or when a man has not a mind to drefs; or to exclude folitude, when one has neither a mind to that or to company. There are of this good-natured order, who are so kind as to divide themselves, and do thefe good offices to many. Five or fix of them vifit a whole quarter of the town, and exclude the fpleen, without fees, from the families they frequent. If they do not prefcribe phyfic, they can be company when you take it. Very great benefactors to the rich or those whom they call people at their ease, are your perfons of no confequence. I have known fome of them, by the help of a little cunning,, make delicious Flatterers. They know the course of the town, and the general characters of perfons: By this means they will fometimes tell the moft agreeable falfhoods imaginable. They will acquaint you, that fuch a one of a quite contrary party faid, That though you were engaged in different interefts, yet he had the greateft refpect for your good fenfe and addrefs. When one of thefe has a little cunning, he paffes his time in the utmoft fatisfaction to himfelf and his friends: For his pofition, is never to report or speak a displeasing thing to his friend.

As for letting him go on in an error, he knows, advice against them is the office of perfons of greater talents and lefs difcretion.

The Latin word for a Flatterer, Affentator, implies no more than a perfon that barely confents; and indeed fuch a one, if a man were able to purchase or maintain him, cannot be bought too dear. Such a one never contradicts you; but gains upon you, not by a fulfome way of commending you in broad terms, but liking whatever you propofe to utter; at the fame time, is ready to beg your pardon, and gainfay you, if you chance to fpeak ill of yourself. An old Lady is very feldom without fuch a companion as this, who can recite the names of all her lovers, and the matches refused by her in the days when the minded fuch vanities, as fhe is pleafed to call them, though the fo much approves the mention of them. It is to be noted, that a woman's Flatterer is generally elder than herself; her years ferving at once to recommend her patronefs's age, and to add weight to her complaifance in all other particulars.

We Gentlemen of Imall fortunes are extremely neceffitous in this particular. I have indeed one who fmokes with me often; but his parts are fo low, that all the incenfe he does me is to fill his pipe with me, and to be out at just as many whiffs as I take. This is all the praise or affent that he is capable of; yet there are more hours when I would rather be in his company, than in that of the brightest man I know, It would be an hard matter to give an account of this inclination to be flattered; but if we go to the bottom of it, we shall find, that the pleasure in it is fomething like that of receiving money which lay out. Every man thinks he has an eftate of reputation, and is glad to fee one that will bring any of it home to him: It is no matter how dirty a bag it is conveyed to him in, or by how clownish a meflenger, fo the money be good. All that we want, to be pleased with Flattery, is to believe, that the man is fincere who gives it us. It is by this one accident, that abfurd creatures often out-run the moft fkilful in this art. Their want of ability is here an advantage; and their bluntnefs, as it is the feeming effect of fincerity, is the best cover to artifice.