Author obferved that there were no Students in Phyfick among the Subjects of Thor and Woden, and that this Science very much flourishes in the North at prefent, he might have found a better Solution for this Difficulty than any of those he has made ufe of. This Body of Men in our own Country, may be described like the British Army in Cæfar's time: Some of them flay in Chariots, and fome on Foot. If the Infantry do lefs Execution than the Charioteers, it is because they cannot be carried fo foon into all Quarters of the Town, and dispatch fo much Bufinefs in fo fhort a Time. Besides this Body of Regular Troops, there are Stragglers, who without being duly lifted and enrolled, do infinite Mischief to those who are fo unlucky as to fall into their Hands.

THERE are, befides the abovementioned, innumerable Retainers to Phyfick, who for want of other Patients, amuse themselves with the ftifling of Cats in an Air-Pump, cutting up Dogs alive, or impaling of Infects upon the Point of a Needle for Microfcopical Obfervations; befides thofe that are employed in the gathering of Weeds, and the Chase of Butterflies: not to mention the Cocklefhell-Merchants and Spider-catchers.

WHEN I confider how each of these Profeffions are crouded with Multitudes that seek their Livelihood in them, and how many Men of Merit there are in each of them, who may be rather faid to be of the Science, than the Profeffion; I very much wonder at the Humour of Parents, who will not rather choose to place their Sons in a way of Life where an honest Industry cannot but thrive, than in Stations where the greatest Probity, Learning, and good Senfe may mifcarry. How many Men are Country-Curates, that might have made themselves Aldermen of London, by a right Improvement of a smaller Sum of Money than what is ufually laid out upon a learned Education? A fober frugal Perfon, of flender Parts and a flow Apprehenfion, might have thrived in Trade, though he ftarves upon Phyfick; as a Man would be well enough pleased to buy Silks of one, whom he would not venture to feel his Pulfe. Vagellius is careful, ftudious, and obliging, but withal a little thick-skull'd; he has not a fingle Client, but might have had abundance of Cultomers. The Misfortune is, that Parents take a liking to

a particular Profeffion, and therefore defire their Sons may be of it: Whereas, in fo great an Affair of Life, they fhould confider the Genius and Abilities of their Children, more than their own Inclinations.

IT is the great Advantage of a trading Nation, that there are very few in it fo dull and heavy, who may not be placed in Stations of Life, which may give them an Opportunity of making their Fortunes. A well regulated Commerce is not, like Law, Phyfick, or Divinity, to be over-stocked with Hands; but, on the contrary, flourishes by Multitudes, and gives Employment to all its Profeffors. Fleets of Merchant-men are fo many Squadrons of floating Shops, that vend our Wares and Manufactures in all the Markets of the World, and find out Chapmen under both the Tropicks.

N° 22.

Monday, March 26.

Quodcunque oftendis mihi fic, incredulus odi.

C

Hor. Ars Poet. v. 188.

Whatever contradicts my Senfe

I hate to fee, and never can believe.

T

ROSCOMMON.

HE Word SPECTATOR being most usually understood as one of the Audience at publick Reprefentations in our Theatres, I feldom fail of many Letters relating to Plays and Operas. But indeed there are fuch monftrous things done in both, that if one had not been an Eye-witness of them, one could not believe that fuch Matters had really been exhibited. There is very little which concerns human Life, or is a Picture of Nature that is regarded by the greater Part of the Company. The Understanding is difmiffed from our Entertainments. Our Mirth is the Laughter of Fools, and our Admiration the Wonder of Idiots; elfe fuch improbable, monftrous, and incoherent Dreams could not go off as they do, not only without the utmoft Scorn and Contempt, but even with the loudeft Applause and ApproHon. But the Letters of my Correfpondents will repre

fent

fent this Affair in a more lively manner than any Difcourfe of my own; I fhall therefore give them to my Reader with only this Preparation, that they all come from Players, and that the bufinefs of Playing is now fo managed, that you are not to be surprised when I fay one or two of them are rational, others fenfitive and vegetative Actors, and others wholly inanimate. I fhall not place these as I have named them, but as they have Precedence in the Opinion of their Audience.

6

Mr. SPECTATOR,

You

OUR having been fo humble as to take notice of the Epiftles of other Animals, emboldens me who am the wild Boar that was killed by Mrs. Tofts, to reprefent to you, That I think I was hardly used in not having the Part of the Lion in Hydafpes given to me. It would have been but a natural Step for me to have perfonated that noble Creature, after having behaved my self to Satisfaction in the Part above-mentioned: But that of a Lion is too great a Character for one that never trod the Stage before but upon two Legs. As for the little Réfiftance which I made, I hope it may ⚫ be excused, when it is confidered that the Dart was 'thrown at me by fo fair an Hand. I must confefs I had but just put on my Brutality; and Camilla's Charms were fuch, that beholding her erect Mien, hearing her charming Voice, and aftonished with her graceful Motion, I could not keep up to my affumed Fierceness, • but died like a Man.

6

I am, SIR,

Mr. SPECTATOR,

T

Your most bumble Servant,

Thomas Prone.

HIS is to let you understand, that the Play-house is a Representation of the World in nothing fo 'much as in this Particular, that no one rifes in it according to his Merit. I have acted several Parts of Houfhold-stuff with great Applause for many Years: I am one of the Men in the Hangings in the Emperor of "the Moon; I have twice performed the third Chair in an English Opera; and have rehearfed the Pump in the

6

Fortune

• Fortune-Hunters. I am now grown old, and hope you ⚫ will recommend me fo effectually, as that I may fay ⚫ fomething before I go off the Stage: In which you will do a great Act of Charity to

Mr. SPECTATOR,

U

Your most humble Servant,
William Screne.

NDERSTANDING that Mr. Screne has writ to you, and defired to be raised from dumb and fill Parts; I defire, if you give him Motion or Speech, that you would advance me in my Way, and let me keep on in what I humbly prefume I am a Master, to wit, in representing human and ftill Life together. I ⚫ have several times acted one of the finest Flower-pots in the fame Opera wherein Mr. Screne is a Chair; there6 fore upon his Promotion, request that I may fucceed him ⚫ in the Hangings, with my Hand in the Orange-Trees.. Your humble Servant, Ralph Simple.

SIR,

I

Drury-Lane, March 24, 1710-11. Saw your Friend the Templar this Evening in the Pit, and thought he looked very little pleased with the Representation of the mad Scene of the Pilgrim. I wish, Sir, you would do us the Favour to animadvert frequently upon the falfe Taste the Town is in, with Relation to Plays as well as Operas. It certainly requires a Degree of Understanding to play juftly; but 'fuch is our Condition, that we are to fufpend our Reafon to perform our Parts. As to Scenes of Madness, you know, Sir, there are noble Inftances of this kind in Shakespear; but then it is the Disturbance of a noble Mind, from generous and humane Refentments: It is like that Grief which we have for the Decease of our Friends: It is no Diminution, but a Recommendation of human Nature, that in fuch Incidents Paffion gets the ⚫ better of Reafon; and all we can think to comfort our ⚫ felves, is impotent against half what we feel. I will not ⚫ mention that we had an Idiot in the Scene, and all the Senfe it is reprefented to have, is that of Luft. As for my * felf who have long taken pains in perfonating the Paf

་

• fions,

6

fions, I have to-night acted only an Appetite. The Part I play'd is Thirst, but it is represented as written rather by a Dray-man than a Poet. I come in with a Tub about me, that Tub hung with Quart-pots, with a full Gallon at my Mouth. I am afhamed to tell you that I pleased very much, and this was introduced as a Madness; but fure it was not human Madness, for a Mule or an Af may have been as dry as ever I was in my Life. I am, SIR,

I

Your moft obedient and humble Servant. Mr. SPECTATOR, From the Savoy in the Strand. IF you can read it with dry Eyes, I give you this Trouble to acquaint you, that I am the unfortunate King Latinus, and believe I am the first Prince that dated from this Palace fince John of Gaunt. Such is the Uncertainty of all human Greatness, that I who lately never moved without a Guard, am now preffed as a ⚫ common Soldier, and am to fail with the firft fair Wind against my Brother Lewis of France. It is a very hard thing to put off a Character which one has appeared in with Applaufe: This I experienced fince the Lofs of my Diadem; for upon quarrelling with another Recruit, I fpe my Indignation out of my Part in recitativo;

Moft audacious Slave,

Dar'ft thou an angry Monarch's Fury brave? The Words were no fooner out of my Mouth, when a Serjeant knocked me down, and asked me if I had a mind to mutiny, in talking things, no body understood. You fee, Sir, my unhappy Circumftances; and if by• Your Mediation you can procure a Subfidy for a Prince ⚫ (who never failed to make all that beheld him merry at his Appearance) you will merit the Thanks of

Your Friend,

The King of Latium.

ADVERTISEMENT.

For the Good of the Publick.

WITHIN two Doors of the Masquerade lives an eminent Italian Chirurgeon, arrived from the Carnival at

Venice,