No. 157 Thursday, August 30, 1711. ‘… Genius natale comes qui temperat astrumNaturae Deus humanae Mortalis in unumQuodque Caput …’ Hor. I am very much at a loss to express by any Word that occurs to me in our Language that which is understood by Indoles in Latin. The natural Disposition to any Particular Art, […]

No. 158Friday, August 31, 1711. ‘Nos hoec novimus esse nihil.’ Martial. Out of a firm Regard to Impartiality, I print these Letters, let them make for me or not. Mr. SPECTATOR, I have observed through the whole Course of your Rhapsodies, (as you once very well called them) you are very industrious to overthrow all […]

No. 151 Thursday, August 23, 1711. ‘Maximas Virtutes jacere omnes necesse est Voluptate dominante.’ Tull. ‘de Fin.’ I Know no one Character that gives Reason a greater Shock, at the same Time that it presents a good ridiculous Image to the Imagination, than that of a Man of Wit and Pleasure about the Town. This […]

No. 152 Friday, August 24, 1711. [Greek (transliterated): Ohiae per phyll_on geneae toiaede kai andr_on]. Hom. ‘Il.’ 6, v. 146. There is no sort of People whose Conversation is so pleasant as that of military Men, who derive their Courage and Magnanimity from Thought and Reflection. The many Adventures which attend their Way of Life […]

No. 153 Saturday, August 25, 1711. ‘Habet natura ut aliarum omnium rerum sic vivendi modum; senectus autem peractio AEtatis est tanquam Fabulae. Cujus defatigationem fugere debemus, praesertim adjuncta Satietate.’ Tull. ‘de Senec.’ Of all the impertinent Wishes which we hear expressed in Conversation, there is not one more unworthy a Gentleman or a Man of […]

No. 154 Monday, August 27, 1711. ‘Nemo repente fuit turpissimus …’ Juv. Mr. SPECTATOR, ‘You are frequent in the mention of Matters which concern the feminine World, and take upon you to be very severe against Men upon all those Occasions: But all this while I am afraid you have been very little conversant with […]

No. 146Friday, August 17, 1711. ‘Nemo Vir Magnus sine aliquo Afflatu divino unquam fuit.’ Tull. We know the highest Pleasure our Minds are capable of enjoying with Composure, when we read Sublime Thoughts communicated to us by Men of great Genius and Eloquence. Such is the Entertainment we meet with in the Philosophick Parts of […]

No. 147Saturday, August 18, 1711. ‘Pronuntiatio est Vocis et Vultus et Gestus moderatio cum venustate.’ Tull. Mr. SPECTATOR, The well Reading of the Common Prayer is of so great Importance, and so much neglected, that I take the Liberty to offer to your Consideration some Particulars on that Subject: And what more worthy your Observation […]

No. 148Monday, August 20, 1711 ‘Exempta juvat spinis e pluribus una.’ Hor. My Correspondents assure me that the Enormities which they lately complained of, and I published an Account of, are so far from being amended, that new Evils arise every Day to interrupt their Conversation, in Contempt of my Reproofs. My Friend who writes […]

No. 149 Tuesday, August 21, 1711. ‘Cui in manu sit quem esse dementem velit, Quem sapere, quem sanari, quem in morbum injici, Quem contra amari, quem accersiri, quem expeti.’ Caecil. apud Tull. The following Letter and my Answer shall take up the present Speculation. Mr. SPECTATOR, ‘I am the young Widow of a Country Gentleman […]

No. 142 Monday, August 13, 1711. ‘… Irrupta tenet Copula …’ Hor. The following Letters being Genuine, [1] and the Images of a Worthy Passion, I am willing to give the old Lady’s Admonition to my self, and the Representation of her own Happiness, a Place in my Writings. August 9, 1711. Mr. SPECTATOR, ‘I […]

No. 143Tuesday, August 14, 1711. ‘Non est vivere sed valere Vita.’ Martial. It is an unreasonable thing some Men expect of their Acquaintance. They are ever complaining that they are out of Order, or Displeased, or they know not how, and are so far from letting that be a Reason for retiring to their own […]

No. 144Wednesday, August 15, 1711. ‘… Noris quam elegans formarum Spectator siem.’ Ter. Beauty has been the Delight and Torment of the World ever since it began. The Philosophers have felt its Influence so sensibly, that almost every one of them has left us some Saying or other, which has intimated that he too well […]

No. 145.Thursday, August 16, 1711. ‘Stultitiam patiuntur opes …’ Hor. If the following Enormities are not amended upon the first Mention, I desire further Notice from my Correspondents. Mr. SPECTATOR, ‘I am obliged to you for your Discourse the other Day upon frivolous Disputants, who with great Warmth, and Enumeration of many Circumstances and Authorities, […]

No. 138Wednesday, August 8, 1711. ‘Utitur in re non Dubia testibus non necessariis.’ Tull. One meets now and then with Persons who are extreamly learned and knotty in Expounding clear Cases. Tully [1] tells us of an Author that spent some Pages to prove that Generals could not perform the great Enterprizes which have made […]

No. 139Thursday, August 9, 1711. Vera Gloria radices agit, atque etiam propagatur: Ficta omnia celeriter, tanquam flosculi, decidunt, nec simulatum potest quidquam esse diuturnum. Tull. Of all the Affections which attend Human Life, the Love of Glory is the most Ardent. According as this is Cultivated in Princes, it produces the greatest Good or the […]

No. 140Friday, August 10, 1711. ‘Animum curis nunc huc nunc dividit illuc.’ Virg. When I acquaint my Reader, that I have many other Letters not yet acknowledged, I believe he will own, what I have a mind he should believe, that I have no small Charge upon me, but am a Person of some Consequence […]

No. 141Saturday, August 11, 1711. ‘… Migravit ab Aure voluptas Omnis …’ Hor. In the present Emptiness of the Town, I have several Applications from the lower Part of the Players, to admit Suffering to pass for Acting. They in very obliging Terms desire me to let a Fall on the Ground, a Stumble, or […]

No. 134Friday, August 3, 1711. ‘… Opiferque per Orbem Dicor …’ Ovid. During my Absence in the Country, several Packets have been left for me, which were not forwarded to me, because I was expected every Day in Town. The Author of the following Letter, dated from Tower-Hill, having sometimes been entertained with some Learned […]

No. 136Monday, August 6, 1711. ‘… Parthis mendacior …’ Hor. According to the Request of this strange Fellow, I shall Print the following Letter. Mr. SPECTATOR, I shall without any manner of Preface or Apology acquaint you, that I am, and ever have been from my Youth upward, one of the greatest Liars this Island […]