IN Poetry, as in Architecture, not only the Whole, but the principal Members, and every Part of them, fhould be Great. I will not prefume to fay, that the Book of Games in the Eneid, or that in the iliad, are not of this Nature, nor to reprehend Virgil's Simile of the Top, and many other of the fame kind in the Iliad, as liable to any Cenfure in this Particular; but I think we may fay, without derogating from those wonderful Performances, that there is an indifputable and unquestioned Magnificence in every Part of Paradife Loft, and indeed a much greater than could have been formed upon any Pagan Syftem.

BUT Ariftotle, by the Greatness of the Action, does not only mean that it fhould be great in its Nature, but alfo in its Duration, or in other Words, That it fhould have a due Length in it, as well as what we properly call Greatnefs. The juft Measure of this kind of Magnitude, he explains by the following Similitude. An Animal, no bigger than a Mite, cannot appear perfect to the Eye, becaufe the Sight takes it in at once, and has only a confused Idea of the Whole, and not a diftinct Idea of all its Parts; if on the contrary you should fuppofe an Animal of ten thousand Furlongs in length, the Eye would be fo filled with a fingle Part of it, that it could not give the Mind an Idea of the Whole. What thefe Animals are to the Eye, a very fhort or a very long Action would be to the Memory. The first would be, as it were, loft and fwallowed up by it, and the other difficult to be contained in it. Homer and Virgil have fhewn their principal Art in this Particular; the Action of the Iliad, and that of the Eneid, were in themfelves exceeding fhort, but are fo beautifully extended and diverfified by the Invention of Epifodes, and the Machinery of Gods, with the like poetical Ornaments, that they make up an agreeable Story, fufficient to employ the Memory without overcharging it. Milton's Action is enriched with fuch a Variety of Circumftances, that I have taken as much Pleasure in reading the Contents of his Books, as in the beft invented Story I ever met with. It is poffible, that the Traditions on which the Iliad and Æneid were built, had more Cir cumftances in them than the Hiftory of The Fall of Man, as it is related in Scripture. Befides, it was easier for Homer and Virgil to dafh the Truth with Fiction, as they

were

were in no Danger of offending the Religion of their Country by it. But as for Milton, he had not only a very few Circumstances upon which to raise his Poem, but was alfo obliged to proceed with the greateft Caution in every Thing that he added out of his own Invention. And, indeed, notwithstanding all the Restraints he was under, he has filled his Story with fo many furprizing Incidents, which bear fo close an Analogy with what is delivered in holy Writ, that it is capable of pleafing the moft delicate Reader, without giving Offence to the most fcrupulous.

THE modern Criticks have collected from several Hints in the Iliad and Æneid the Space of Time, which is taken up by the Action of each of those Poems; but as a great Part of Milton's Story was tranfacted in Regions that lie out of the Reach of the Sun and the Sphere of Day, it is impoffible to gratifie the Reader with fuch a Calculation, which indeed would be more curious than inftru&tive; none of the Criticks, either Ancient or Modern, having laid down Rules to circumfcribe the Action of an Epic Poem with any determin'd Number of Years, Days

or Hours.

This Piece of Criticism on Milton's Paradife Loft fhall be carried on in the following Saturdays Papers.

L

N° 268. Monday, January 7.

-Minus aptus acutis

Naribus Horum Hominum

Hor.

T is not that I think I have been more witty than I ought of late, that at prefent I wholly forbear any Attempt towards it: I am of Opinion that I ought fometimes to lay before the World the plain Letters of my Correfpondents in the Artlefs Drefs in which they haftily fend them, that the Reader may fee I am not Accufer and Judge my felf, but that the Indictment is properly and fairly laid, before I proceed against the Criminal.

Mr.

Mr. SPECTATOR,

AS you are Spectator General, I apply my felf to you in the following viz. do not wear a

Sword, but I often divert my self at the Theatre, where 'I frequently see a Set of Fellows pull plain People, by way of Humour and Frolick, by the Nofe, upon frivolous or no Occafions. A Friend of mine the other Night 'applauding what a graceful Exit Mr. Wilks made, one of thefe Nofe-wringers over-hearing him, pinched him by the Nofe. I was in the Pit the other Night, (when 'it was very much crowded) a Gentleman leaning upon me, and very heavily, I very civilly requested him to remove his Hand; for which he pulled ine by the Nose. 'I would not refent it in fo publick a Place, because I 'was unwilling to create a Difturbance; but have fince reflected upon it as a Thing that is unmanly and difingenuous, renders the Nofe-puller odious, and makes the Perfon pulled by the Nofe look little and contemptible. This Grievance I humbly request you would endeavour to redrefs.

་

Mr. SPECTATOR,

I am your Admirer, &c.

James Eafy.

OUR Discourse of the 29th of December on Love

Y and Marriage is of fo ufeful a Kind, that I can

not forbear adding my Thoughts to yours on that Subject. Methinks it is a Misfortune, that the Marriage State, which in its own Nature is adapted to give us the compleateft Happiness this Life is capable of, fhould be 'fo uncomfortable a one to fo many as it daily proves. But the Mifchief generally proceeds from the unwife Choice People make for themselves, and an Expectation of Happiness from Things not capable of giving it. Nothing but the good Qualities of the Perfon beloved, can be a Foundation for a Love of Judgment and Discretion; and whoever expects Happinefs from any Thing but Virtue, Wisdom, Good-humour, and a Similitude of Manners, will find themfelves widely mistaken. But how few are there who feek after thefe Things, and do

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not

not rather make Riches their chief if not their only Aim? How rare is it for a Man, when he engages himfelf in the Thoughts of Marriage, to place his hopes of having in fuch a Woman a conftant, agreeable Companion? One who will divide his Cares and double his Joys? Who will manage that Share of his Eftate he intrufts to her Conduct with Prudence and Frugality, go vern his House with Oeconomy and Discretion, and be an Ornament to himself and Family? Where fhall we find the Man who looks out for one who places her chief Happiness in the Practice of Virtue, and makes her Duty her continual Pleafure? No: Men rather feek for Money as the Complement of all their Defires; and regardless of what kind of Wives they take, they think • Riches will be a Minister to all Kind of Pleasures, and ⚫ enable them to keep Miftreffes, Horfes, Hounds, to drink, feast, and game with their Companions, pay their Debts contracted by former Extravagancies, or fome fuch vile and unworthy End; and indulge themfelves in Pleasures which are a Shame and Scandal to human Nature. Now for the Women; how few of them are there who place the Happiness of their Marriage in the having a " wife and virtuous Friend? One who will be faithful and just to all, and conftant and loving to them? Who with Care and Diligence will look after and improve the E• state, and without grudging allow whatever is prudent < and convenient? Rather, how few are there who do ⚫ not place their Happiness in out-fhining others in Pomp and Show? And that do not think within themselves when they have married fuch a rich Perfon, that none of their Acquaintance fhall appear fo fine in their Equi← page, so adorned in their Perfons, or fo magnificent in their Furniture as themselves? Thus their Heads are • filled with vain Ideas; and I heartily wish I could fay that Equipage and Show were not the Chief Good of fo many Women as I fear it is.

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C

as

AFTER this Manner do both Sexes deceive them felves, and bring Reflections and Difgrace upon the moft happy and moft honourable State of Life; whereas if they would but correct their depraved Tafte, moderate their Ambition, and place their Happinefs upon

proper

proper Objects, we fhould not find Felicity in the Marriage State fuch a Wonder in the World as it now is.

SIR, if you think thefe Thoughts worth inferting < among your own, be pleased to give them a better • Dress, and let them pass abroad; and you will oblige Your Admirer,

Mr. SPECTATOR,

A. B.

per

IS I was this Day walking in the Street, there happened to pass by on the other Side of the Way a Beauty, whofe Charms were fo attracting that it drew my Eyes wholly on that Side, infomuch that I neglected my own Way, and chanced to run my Nole directly against a Poft; which the Lady no fooner 'ceived, but fell out into a Fit of Laughter, though at 'the fame time fhe was fenfible that herself was the 'Cause of my Misfortune, which in my Opinion was the greater Aggravation of her Crime. I being bufy wiping off the Blood which trickled down my Face, 6 had not Time to acquaint her with her Barbarity as alfo with my Refolution, viz. never to look out of my 'Way for one of her Sex more: Therefore, that your 'humble Servant may be revenged, he defires you to in'fert this in one of your next Papers, which he hopes ' will be a Warning to all the rest of the Women Gazers, " as well as to poor

'

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Mr. SPECTATOR,

Anthony Gape.

Defire to know in your next, if the merry Game of the Parfon bas left his Cloak, is not mightily in Vogue amonft the fine Ladies this Christmas; because I fee they wear Hoods of all Colours, which I fuppofe is ⚫ for that Purpofe; If it is, and you think it proper, I

'will carry fome of thofe Hoods with me to our Ladies in Yorkshire; because they injoined me to bring them fomething from London that was very New. If you can tell any Thing in which I can obey their Commands more agreeably, be pleased to inform me, and you will extremely oblige

Your humble Servant.

VOL. IV.

D

Mr.