nection with a celebrated character; fome defire to advance or oppofe a rifing name. Vanity often cooperates with curiofity. He that is a hearer in one place, qualifies himfelf to become a fpeaker in another; for though he cannot comprehend a feries of argument, or tranfport the volatile fpirit of wit without evaporation, he yet thinks himfelf able to treasure up the various incidents of a ftory, and pleafes his hopes with the information which he fhall give to fome inferior fociety. Το Narratives are for the most part heard without envy, because they are not fuppofed to imply any intellectual qualities above the common rate. be acquainted with facts not yet echoed by plebeian mouths, may happen to one man as well as to another; and to relate them when they are known, has in appearance fo little difficulty, that every one concludes himself equal to the task. But it is not eafy, and in fome fituations of life not poffible, to accumulate fuch a flock of materials as may fupport the expence of continual narration; and it frequently happens, that they who attempt this method of ingratiating themselves, please only at the first interview; and, for want of new fupplies of intelligence, wear out their ftories by continual repetition. There would be, therefore, little hope of obtaining the praise of a good companion, were it not to be gained by more compendious methods; but fuch is the kindness of mankind to all, except thofe who aspire to real merit and rational dignity, that every understanding may find fome way to excite benevoT 4 lence; lence; and whoever is not envied may learn the art of procuring love. We are willing to be pleased, but are not willing to admire; we favour the mirth or officioufnefs that folicits our regard, but oppofe the worth or fpirit that enforces it. The first place among those that please, because they defire only to please, is due to the merry fellow, whofe laugh is loud, and whofe voice is ftrong; who is ready to echo every jeft with obftreperous approbation, and countenance every frolick with vociferations of applaufe. It is not neceffary to a merry fellow to have in himself any fund of jocularity, or force of conception; it is fufficient that he always appears in the highest exaltation of gladness, for the greater part of mankind are gay or serious by infection, and follow without refiftance the attraction of example. Next to the merry fellow is the good-natured man, a being generally without benevolence, or any other virtue, than fuch as indolence and infenfibility confer. The characteristick of a good-natured man is to bear a joke; to fit unmoved and unaffected amidst noife and turbulence, profaneness and obfcenity; to hear every tale without contradiction; to endure infult without reply; and to follow the ftream of folly, whatever courfe it fhall happen to take. The good-natured man is commonly the darling of the petty wits, with whom they exercise themselves in the rudiments of raillery; for he never takes advantage of failings, nor difconcerts a puny fatirist with unexpected farcafms; but while the glafs continues to circulate, contentedly bears the expence of uninter uninterupted laughter, and retires rejoicing at his own importance. The modest man is a companion of a yet lower rank, whofe only power of giving pleasure is not to interrupt it. The modeft man fatisfies himfelf with peaceful filence, which all his companions are candid enough to confider as proceeding not from inability to speak, but willingness to hear. Many, without being able to attain any general character of excellence, have fome fingle art of entertainment which ferves them as a paffport through the world. One I have known for fifteen years the darling of a weekly club, becaufe every night, precifely at eleven, he begins his favourite fong, and during the vocal performance, by correfponding motions of his hand, chalks out a giant upon the wall. Another has endeared himfelf to a long fucceffion of acquaintances by fitting among them with his wig reverfed; another by contriving to fmut the nose of any stranger who was to be initiated in the club; another by purring like a cat, and then pretending to be frighted; and another by yelping like a hound, and calling to the drawers to drive out the dog. Such are the arts by which cheerfulness is promoted, and fometimes friendship established; arts, which those who defpife them should not rigorouíly blame, except when they are practifed at the expence of innocence; for it is always neceffary to be loved, but not always neceffary to be reverenced. NUMB. 189. TUESDAY, January 7, 1752. Quod tam grande fophos clamat tibi turba togata, Refounding plaudits tho' the crowd have rung; MART. F. LEWIS. HE world scarcely affords opportunities of TH making any obfervation more frequently, than on falfe claims to commendation. Almost every man waftes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not poffefs, and to gain applaufe which he cannot keep; fo that scarcely can two perfons cafually meet, but one is offended or diverted by the oftentation of the other. Of these pretenders it is fit to diftinguish those who endeavour to deceive from them who are deceived; those who by defigned impoftures promote their intereft, or gratify their pride, from them who mean only to force into regard their latent excellencies and neglected virtues; who believe themselves qualified to inftruct or please, and therefore invite the notice of mankind. The artful and fraudulent ufurpers of diftinction. deserve greater severities than ridicule and contempt, fince they are feldom content with empty praife, but are inftigated by paffions more pernicious than vanity. They confider the reputation which they endeavour to establish as neceffary to the accomplishment of fome fubfequent defign, and value praife only as it may may conduce to the fuccefs of avarice or ambition. The commercial world is very frequently put into confufion by the bankruptcy of merchants, that af fumed the fplendour of wealth only to obtain the privilege of trading with the ftock of other men, and of contracting debts which nothing but lucky cafualties could enable them to pay; till after having fupported their appearance a while by tumultuous magnificence of boundlefs traffick, they fink at once, and drag down into poverty those whom their equipages had induced to truft them. Among wretches that place their happiness in the favour of the great, of beings whom only high titles or large eftates fet above themselves, nothing is more common than to boast of confidence which they do not enjoy; to fell promifes which they know their interest unable to perform; and to reimburse the tribute which they pay to an imperious mafter, from the contributions of meaner dependants, whom they can amufe with tales of their influence, and hopes of their folicitation. Even among fome, too thoughtless and volatile for avarice or ambition, may be found a fpecies of falfehood more deteftable than the levee or exchange can fhew. There are men that boast of debaucheries, of which they never had addrefs to be guilty; ruin, by lewd tales, the characters of women to whom they are fcarcely known, or by whom they have been rejected; destroy in a drunken frolick the happiness of families; blaft the bloom of beauty, and intercept the reward of virtue. Other |