Wednesday, October 17, 1711. ‘Cervae luporum praeda rapaciumSectamur ultro, quos opimusFallere et effugere est triumphus.’ Hor. There is a Species of Women, whom I shall distinguish by the Name of Salamanders. Now a Salamander is a kind of Heroine in Chastity, that treads upon Fire, and lives in the Midst of Flames without being hurt. […]

Saturday, October 20, 1711. ‘Religentem esse oportet, Religiosum nefas.’ Incerti Autoris apud Aul. Gell. It is of the last Importance to season the Passions of a Child with Devotion, which seldom dies in a Mind that has received an early Tincture of it. Though it may seem extinguished for a while by the Cares of […]

Saturday, October 13, 1711. [Greek: Naepioi oud’ isasin hos_o pleon haemisu pantos, Oud’ hoson en malachaete de asphodel_o meg honeiar.]. –Hes. There is a Story in the ‘Arabian Nights Tales’ [1] of a King who had long languished under an ill Habit of Body, and had taken abundance of Remedies to no purpose. At length, […]

Tuesday, October 9, 1711. [Greek: … oulon oneiron.] Some ludicrous Schoolmen have put the Case, that if an Ass were placed between two Bundles of Hay, which affected his Senses equally on each Side, and tempted him in the very same Degree, whether it would be possible for him to Eat of either. They generally […]

Wednesday, October 3, 1711. ‘Coelum ipsum petimus stultitia.’ Hor. Upon my Return to my Lodgings last Night I found a Letter from my worthy Friend the Clergyman, whom I have given some Account of in my former Papers. He tells me in it that he was particularly pleased with the latter Part of my Yesterday’s […]

Saturday, October 6, 1711. ‘… Patriae pietatis imago.’ Virg. The following Letter being written to my Bookseller, upon a Subject of which I treated some time since, I shall publish it in this Paper, together with the Letter that was inclosed in it. Mr. Buckley, “Mr. SPECTATOR having of late descanted upon the Cruelty of […]

Thursday, September 27, 1711. ‘His lacrymis vitam damus, et miserescimus ultro.’ Virg. I am more pleased with a Letter that is filled with Touches of Nature than of Wit. The following one is of this Kind. SIR, ‘Among all the Distresses which happen in Families, I do not remember that you have touched upon the […]

Saturday, September 29, 1711. [Greek: “Idmen pseudea polla legein etymoisin homoia,Idmen d’ eut’ ethel_omen alaethea mythaesasthai”. Hesiod.] Fables were the first Pieces of Wit that made their Appearance in the World, and have been still highly valued, not only in Times of the greatest Simplicity, but among the most polite Ages of Mankind. Jotham’s Fable […]

Monday, October 1, 1711. ‘… Opere in longo fas est obrepere somnum …’ Hor. When a Man has discovered a new Vein of Humour, it often carries him much further than he expected from it. My Correspondents take the Hint I give them, and pursue it into Speculations which I never thought of at my […]

Tuesday, October 2, 1711. ‘… Tantaene Animis coelestibus Irae?’ Virg. There is nothing in which Men more deceive themselves than in what the World calls Zeal. There are so many Passions which hide themselves under it, and so many Mischiefs arising from it, that some have gone so far as to say it would have […]

No. 163. Thursday, Sept. 6, 1711 ‘… Si quid ego adjuero, curamve levasso, Quae nunc te coquit, et versat sub pectore fixa, Ecquid erit pretii?’ Enn. ap. Tullium. Enquiries after Happiness, and Rules for attaining it, are not so necessary and useful to Mankind as the Arts of Consolation, and supporting [ones [1]] self under […]

Tuesday, September 25, 1711. ‘Centuriae seniorum agitant expertia frugis:Celsi praetereunt austera Poemata Rhamnes.Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci,Lectorem delectando, pariterque monendo …’ Hor. I may cast my Readers under two general Divisions, the Mercurial and the Saturnine. The first are the gay Part of my Disciples, who require Speculations of Wit and Humour; the […]

No. 165. Saturday, September 8, 1711. ‘… Si forte necesse est,Fingere cinctutis non exaudita CethegisContinget: dabiturque licentia sumpta pudenter.’ [1] Hor. I have often wished, that as in our Constitution there are several Persons whose Business it is to watch over our Laws, our Liberties and Commerce, certain Men might be set apart as Superintendants […]

No. 166. Monday, September 10, 1711. ‘… Quod nec Jovis ira, nec ignis,Nec poterit ferrum, nec edax abolere vetustas.’ Ovid. Aristotle tells us that the World is a Copy or Transcript of those Ideas which are in the Mind of the first Being, and that those Ideas, which are in the Mind of Man, are […]

Friday, September 14, 1711. ‘In amore haec omnia insunt vitia: injuriae,Suspiciones, inimicitiae, induciae,Bellum, pax rursum …’ Ter. Eun. Upon looking over the Letters of my female Correspondents, I find several from Women complaining of jealous Husbands, and at the same time protesting their own Innocence; and desiring my Advice on this Occasion. I shall therefore […]

Saturday, Sept. 15, 1711. ‘Credula res amor est …’ Ovid. Met. Having in my Yesterday’s Paper discovered the Nature of Jealousie, and pointed out the Persons who are most subject to it, I must here apply my self to my fair Correspondents, who desire to live well with a Jealous Husband, and to ease his […]

No. 160Monday, September 3, 1711. ‘… Cui mens divinior, atque os Magna sonaturum, des nominis hujus honorem.’ Hor. There is no Character more frequently given to a Writer, than that of being a Genius. I have heard many a little Sonneteer called a fine Genius. There is not an Heroick Scribler in the Nation, that […]

No. 162Wednesday, September 5, 1711 ‘… Servetur ad imum, Qualis ab incoepto processerit, et sibi constet.’ Hor. Nothing that is not a real Crime makes a Man appear so contemptible and little in the Eyes of the World as Inconstancy, especially when it regards Religion or Party. In either of these Cases, tho’ a Man […]

No. 129Saturday, July 28, 1711. ‘Vertentem sese frustra sectabere canthum, Cum rota posterior curras et in axe secundo.’ Pers. Great Masters in Painting never care for drawing People in the Fashion; as very well knowing that the Headdress, or Periwig, that now prevails, and gives a Grace to their Portraitures at present, will make a […]

No. 130Monday, July 30, 1711. ‘… Semperque recentes Convectare juvat praedas, et vivere rapto.’ Virg. As I was Yesterday riding out in the Fields with my Friend Sir ROGER, we saw at a little Distance from us a Troop of Gypsies. Upon the first Discovery of them, my Friend was in some doubt whether he […]