that you. I was bred a mercer. I need not tell you most of our profession are orators. I have, with some pains, attained to a great volubility of tongue, and am a perfect master in the art of shop rhetoric, which, with the help of a fair wig, a plausible bow, a gentle inclination of the head in proper parts of my discourse, and an easy motion of the hand, sets off all that I utter, and has helped me to thrive in the world very comfortably. By this means, Mr. Ironside, as I owe my prosperity to noise, I am grown an utter enemy to silence, and when I go among my plain honest neighbours who are not of any of the talking professions, I cannot help assuming a superiority over them, which, I find, has been a little resented. I have often resolved to confine my oratory to the verge of my shop, and to employ it only in setting off my silks and brocades, but long habits are not easily overcome, and the musical sound of my own voice has tempted me, as often, to break that resolution. Many of my acquaintance, I know, would take it kindly if I talked less, and if you would put me in a way to do it, I should be very glad to oblige them. You most know, that I am sometimes chairman of a club, where some of them complain that they have not their share of the discourse, and others, in raillery, I suppose, call me the 'fine speaker.' I have offered to pay double for my club, but that will not satisfy them. Besides, Mr. Guardian, I have heard that you moralists say, it is difficult for a man to talk much without offending against truth, innocence, or good manners; and how do I know, now I am serious, whether this unhappy talent may not, at some time or other, have misled me into falsehood, uncharitableness, or scandal? It is possible that the superfluity of my discourse may have fallen upon the reputation of some honest man, and have done him an irreparable injury. I may, in the torrent of my loquacity, have lessened real merit, or magnified little failings, beyond the allowance of charity or humanity. I may have raised an unjust jealousy by a flower of speech, practised upon credulity by a smooth sentence, and, in the heat of an argument, I may have called a man knave by a shake of the head and shrug of the shoulders. To be plain, I have searched my heart, and find there is a great deal of vanity at the bottom of it. Therefore, Mr. Guardian, now I am in a proper disposition, if you will be pleased to give me a lecture on this subject, and be so kind as to convince me that I am a coxcomb, you will do a very particular service to, Sir, 'Your very humble servant.' · TO NESTOR IRONSIDE, ESQ. Or, in his absence, to the Keeper of the Lion, at Button's coffee-house, 'OLD IRONSIDE, Covent-garden. IF your lion had not less breeding than a bear, he would not have opened his throat against so genteel a diversion as masquerading, which has ever been looked upon, in all polite countries, as tending to no other end than to promote a better understanding between the sexes. But I shall take another opportunity, Mr. Ironside, to talk with you upon this subject. My present business is with the Lion; and since this savage has behaved himself so rudely, I do by these presents, challenge him to meet me at the next masquerade, and desire you will give orders to Mr. Button to bring him thither, in all his terrors, where, in defence of the innocence of these midnight amusements, I intend to appear against him, in the * See the Guardian, vol. ii. Nos, 142, and 154. habit of signior Nicolini, to try the merits of this cause by single combat. Sept. 1713. 6 HONEST NESTOR, I am yours, INCOGNITO.' 'PR'YTHEE, Stop your lion's mouth a little on the chapter of masquerading. I have pursued a dear creature several of these gay nights through three or four as odd changes as any in Ovid's Metamorphoses, and she has promised, at the next in a habit of a gypsy, to tell me finally my fortune. Be dumb till then, and afterwards say what you please. • Your humble servant, TIM FROLIC"," y The last No. of the Guardian, No. 175, is dated Oct. 1, 1715; and the first No. of the Englishman is dated Oct. 6, 1713, which verifies the note at the close of the preceding paper. See Additions to Pope's 'Works,' cr. 8vo. Baldwin, vol. ü. p. 84, and 85. INDEX TO THE SECOND VOLUME. *** The Figures in this Index refer to the Numbers of the Guardian. ACTIVE men, compared with speculative, 130. Acts, public at Oxford, two great reasons against them, 95. Adamite, a sect so called, 134. Alcinous, his gardens described, from Homer, 173. Allegories, directions for using them, 152. Alonzo, don, a fatal instance of the effects of jealousy, 123. Anacreon, his instructions to a painter for painting his mis- Anaximander, a saying of his, on being laughed at for sing- Ancestors, their examples should excite to great and virtuous Ancestry, how far to be venerated, ibid. renders the good only illustrious, 123. ridiculous for a man to value himself upon it, 137. Ancients, Strada, distinguished among the, 119. Androcles, story of him and the lion, 139. Anger, defined, 129. Annihilation, by whom desired, 89. Ants, natural history of them, 153, 156, 157. Aristotle, condemned censure, 135. Art, those most capable of it, always fond of nature, 173. Athalia (of Racine) part of it sublime, 117. Athenais, a Grecian virgin, married to the emperor Theodo- Attraction of bodies applied to minds, 126. Augustus Cæsar, Virgil's praises of him, 138. BARSISA, Santon, his story from the Turkish Tales, 148. Beauty, inconveniences attending it, 85. at war with Fortitude, 152. imperfect, described by Prior, 85. Benevolence, its seeds implanted in the human soul, 126. Bias, his way of silencing Calumny, 185. Binicorn, (Humphrey) his proposal for printing a dissertation Birds, their examples proposed to imitation, 125. ibid. observations on their conjugal and parental affections, Blood, by what tainted, 137. Bodkin, Timothy, his letter concerning short swords, 145. the Pope's order against them, ibid. Boyle, commended for founding his Lecture, 175. Bruce, lord, his challenge to, and duel with sir Edward Bubnelia, angry about the tucker, 109. Button, Daniel, his letter in praise of his own coffee-house, 85. twisting, not eloquent, 84. CALUMNY, nothing so hard for a generous mind to get over, 135. how silenced by philosophers, ibid. Care, Dorothy, complains of men's open bosoms, 171. a signal proof of the divinity of the Christian reli- intended by Nestor Ironside, esq. 166. schools recommended, 105. |