No. 131Tuesday, July 31, 1711. ‘… Ipsae rursum concedite Sylvae.’ Virg. It is usual for a Man who loves Country Sports to preserve the Game in his own Grounds, and divert himself upon those that belong to his Neighbour. My Friend Sir ROGER generally goes two or three Miles from his House, and gets into […]

No. 125.Tuesday, July 24, 1711. ‘Ne pueri, ne tanta animis assuescite bella: Neu patriae validas in viscera vertite vires.’ Vir. My worthy Friend Sir ROGER, when we are talking of the Malice of Parties, very frequently tells us an Accident that happened to him when he was a School-boy, which was at a time when […]

No. 126Wednesday, July 25, 1711. ‘Tros Rutulusve fuat, nullo discrimine habebo.’ Virg. In my Yesterday’s Paper I proposed, that the honest Men of all Parties should enter into a kind of Association for the Defence of one another, and [the] Confusion of their common Enemies. As it is designed this neutral Body should act with […]

No. 127Thursday, July 26, 1711. ‘Quantum est in rebus Inane?’ Pers. It is our Custom at Sir ROGER’S, upon the coming in of the Post, to sit about a Pot of Coffee, and hear the old Knight read Dyer’s Letter; which he does with his Spectacles upon his Nose, and in an audible Voice, smiling […]

No. 128Friday, July 27, 1711. ‘… Concordia discors.’ Lucan. Women in their Nature are much more gay and joyous than Men; whether it be that their Blood is more refined, their Fibres more delicate, and their animal Spirits more light and volatile; or whether, as some have imagined, there may not be a kind of […]

No. 120.Wednesday, July 18, 1711. ‘… Equidem credo, quia sit Divinitus illis Ingenium …’ Virg. My Friend Sir Roger is very often merry with me upon my passing so much of my Time among his Poultry: He has caught me twice or thrice looking after a Bird’s Nest, and several times sitting an Hour or […]

No. 121Thursday, July 19, 1711. ‘… Jovis omnia plena.’ Virg. As I was walking this Morning in the great Yard that belongs to my Friend’s Country House, I was wonderfully pleased to see the different Workings of Instinct in a Hen followed by a Brood of Ducks. The Young, upon the sight of a Pond, […]

No. 123Saturday, July 21, 1711. ‘Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam, Rectique cultus pectora roborant: Utcunque defecere mores, Dedecorant bene nata culpae.’ Hor. As I was Yesterday taking the Air with my Friend Sir ROGER, we were met by a fresh-coloured ruddy young Man, who rid by us full speed, with a couple of Servants behind […]

No. 124.Monday, July 23, 1711. [Greek (transliterated): Mega Biblion, mega kakon.] A Man who publishes his Works in a Volume, has an infinite Advantage over one who communicates his Writings to the World in loose Tracts and single Pieces. We do not expect to meet with any thing in a bulky Volume, till after some […]

No. 115.Thursday, July 12, 1711. ‘… Ut sit Mens sana in Corpore sano.’ Juv. Bodily Labour is of two Kinds, either that which a Man submits to for his Livelihood, or that which he undergoes for his Pleasure. The latter of them generally changes the Name of Labour for that of Exercise, but differs only […]

No. 117.Saturday, July 14, 1711. ‘… Ipsi sibi somnia fingunt.’ Virg. There are some Opinions in which a Man should stand Neuter, without engaging his Assent to one side or the other. Such a hovering Faith as this, which refuses to settle upon any Determination, is absolutely necessary to a Mind that is careful to […]

No. 119.Tuesday, July 17, 1711. ‘Urbem quam dicunt Romam, Melibaee, putavi Stultus ego huic nostrae similem …’ Virg. The first and most obvious Reflections which arise in a Man who changes the City for the Country, are upon the different Manners of the People whom he meets with in those two different Scenes of Life. […]

No. 105.Saturday, June 30, 1711. ‘… Id arbitror Adprime in vita esse utile, ne quid nimis.’ Ter. And. My Friend WILL. HONEYCOMB values himself very much upon what he calls the Knowledge of Mankind, which has cost him many Disasters in his Youth; for WILL. reckons every Misfortune that he has met with among the […]

No. 110Friday, July 6, 1711. ‘Horror ubique animos, simul ipsa silentia terrent.’ Virg. At a little distance from Sir ROGER’S House, among the Ruins of an old Abby, there is a long Walk of aged Elms; which are shot up so very high, that when one passes under them, the Rooks and Crows that rest […]

No. 111Saturday, July 7, 1711. ‘… Inter Silvas Academi quaerere Verum.’ Hor. The Course of my last Speculation led me insensibly into a Subject upon which I always meditate with great Delight, I mean the Immortality of the Soul. I was yesterday walking alone in one of my Friend’s Woods, and lost my self in […]

No. 102.Wednesday, June 27, 1711. ‘… Lusus animo debent aliquando dari, Ad cogitandum melior ut redeat sibi.’ Phaedr. I do not know whether to call the following Letter a Satyr upon Coquets, or a Representation of their several fantastical Accomplishments, or what other Title to give it; but as it is I shall communicate it […]

No. 98Friday, June 22, 1711. ‘Tanta est quarendi cura decoris.’ Juv. There is not so variable a thing in Nature as a Lady’s Head-dress: Within my own Memory I have known it rise and fall above thirty Degrees. About ten Years ago it shot up to a very great Height, [1] insomuch that the Female […]

No. 99Saturday, June 23, 1711. ‘… Turpi secernis Honestum.’ Hor. The Club, of which I have often declared my self a Member, were last Night engaged in a Discourse upon that which passes for the chief Point of Honour among Men and Women; and started a great many Hints upon the Subject, which I thought […]

No. 090.Wednesday, June 13, 1711. ‘… Magnus sine viribus Ignis Incassum furit’ Virg. There is not, in my Opinion, a Consideration more effectual to extinguish inordinate Desires in the Soul of Man, than the Notions of Plato and his Followers [1] upon that Subject. They tell us, that every Passion which has been contracted by […]

No. 092Friday, June 15, 1711. ‘… Convivae prope dissentire videntur, Poscentes vario multum diversa palato; Quid dem? Quid non dem?’ Hor. Looking over the late Packets of Letters which have been sent to me, I found the following one. [1] Mr. SPECTATOR, ‘Your Paper is a Part of my Tea-Equipage; and my Servant knows my […]