her retreat, and contrives methods how she may live happily, without the affection of one to whom she joins her self for life. Separate purses, between man and wife, are, in my opinion, as unnatural as separate beds. A marriage cannot be happy, 5 where the pleasures, inclinations, and interests of both parties are not the same. There is no greater incitement to love in the mind of man, than the sense of a person's depending upon him for her ease and happiness; as a woman uses all her endeavours to please the person whom she looks upon as her Io honour, her comfort, and her support. ΙΟ 15 20 25 30 For this reason I am not very much surprized at the behaviour of a rough country Squire, who, being not a little shocked at the proceeding of a young widow that would not recede from her demands of Pin-money, was so enraged at her mercenary temper, that he told her in great wrath, "As much as she 66 thought him her slave, he would shew all the world he did not care a pin for her." Upon which he flew out of the room, and never saw her more. 66 Socrates, in Plato's Alcibiades, says, he was informed by one, who had travelled through Persia, that as he passed over a tract of lands, and enquired what the name of the place was, they told him it was the Queen's girdle; to which he adds, that another wide field which lay by it, was called the Queen's veil, and that in the same manner there was a large portion of ground set aside for every part of her Majesty's dress. These lands might not be improperly called the Queen of Persia's Pin-money. I remember my friend, Sir ROGER, who I dare say never read this passage in Plato, told me some time since, that upon his courting the perverse widow (of whom I have given an account in former papers) he had disposed of an hundred acres in a Diamond-ring, which he would have presented her with, had she thought fit to accept it; and that upon her wedding-day she should have carried on her head fifty of the tallest Oaks upon his estate. He further informed me that he would have given her a Colepit to keep her in clean linnen, that he would have allowed her the profits of a Windmill for her fans, and have presented her, once in three years, with the sheering of his sheep for her under-petticoats. To which the Knight always adds, that though he did not care for fine cloaths himself, there should not have been a woman in the country better dressed than my Lady Coverly. Sir ROGER perhaps, may in this, as well as in many other of his devices, appear something odd and singular, but if the humour of Pin-money prevails, I think it would be very proper for every Gentleman of an estate to mark out so many acres of it under the title of The Pins. ΙΟ 5 N° 317. Tuesday, March 4. [1712.] - fruges consumere nati. Hor. Augustus, a few moments before his death, asked his friends who stood about him, if they thought he had acted his part well; and upon receiving such an answer as was due to his extraordinary merit, Let me then, says he, go off the stage with your applause; using the expression with which the Roman Actors made their Exit at the conclusion of a Dramatic piece. I could wish that men, while they are in health, would consider well the nature of the part they are engaged in, and what figure it will make in the minds of those they leave behind them whether it was worth coming into the world for, whether it be suitable to a reasonable Being; in short, whether it appears graceful in this life, or will turn to an advantage in the next. Let the sycophant, or buffoon, the satyrist, or the good companion, consider with himself, when his body shall be laid in the grave, and his soul pass into another state of existence, how much it will redound to his praise to have it said of him, 15 20 25 5 that no man in England eat better, that he had an admirable talent at turning his friend into ridicule, that no body out-did him at an ill-natured jest, or that he never went to bed before he had dispatched his third bottle. These are, however, very common funeral orations, and Elogiums on deceased persons who have acted among mankind with some figure and reputation. But if we look into the bulk of our species, they are such as are not likely to be remembred a moment after their 10 disappearance. They leave behind them no traces of their existence, but are forgotten as though they had never been. They are neither wanted by the poor, regretted by the rich, nor celebrated by the learned. They are neither missed in the Commonwealth, nor lamented by private persons. Their 15 actions are of no significancy to mankind, and might have been performed by creatures of much less dignity, than those who are distinguished by the faculty of reason. An eminent French Author speaks somewhere to the following purpose : I have often seen from my chamber-window two noble creatures, both of them of an erect countenance, and endowed with reason. These two intellectual Beings are employed from morning to night, in rubbing two smooth stones one upon another; that is, as the vulgar phrase it, in polishing marble. 20 25 My friend, Sir ANDREW FREEPORT, as we were sitting in the club last night, gave us an account of a sober citizen, who died a few days since. This honest man being of greater consequence in his own thoughts, than in the eye of the world, had for some years past kept a journal of his life. Sir ANDREW 30 shewed us one week of it. Since the occurrences set down in it mark out such a road of action as that I have been speaking of, I shall present my Reader with a faithful copy of it; after having first informed him, that the deceased person had in his youth been bred to trade, but finding himself not so well turned for business, he had for several years last past lived altogether upon a moderate annuity. MONDAY, eight a clock. I put on my cloaths and walked into the parlour. Nine a clock ditto. Tied my knee-strings, and washed my hands. Hours ten, eleven and twelve. Smoaked three pipes of Virginia. Read the Supplement and Daily Courant. Things go ill in the north. Mr. Nisby's opinion thereupon. One a clock in the afternoon. Chid Ralph for mislaying my tobacco-box. Two a clock. Sate down to dinner. Mem. Too many plumbs, and no sewet. Took my afternoon's nap. From three to four. At the club. Mr. Nisby's opinion about the penc.. Ten a clock. Went to bed, slept sound. TUESDAY, BEING HOLIDAY, eight a clock. Rose as usual. Nine a clock. Washed hands and face, shaved, put on my double soaled shoes. 20 Read the news. A dish of Three. Nap as usual. From four to six. Coffee-house. twist. Grand Vizier strangled. From six to ten. At the club. Mr. Nisby's account of the great Turk. Ten. Dream of the grand Vizier. Broken sleep. WEDNESDAY, eight a clock. Tongue of my shooe-buckle broke. Hands but not face. 30 Nine. Paid off the Butcher's bill. Mem. To be allowed for the last leg of mutton. 35 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Ten, eleven. At the coffee-house. More work in the north. Stranger in a black whig asked me how stocks went. From twelve to one. Walked in the fields. Wind to the south: From one to two. Smoaked a pipe and a half. Two. Dined as usual. Stomach good. Three. Nap broke by the falling of a pewter dish. Mem. From four to six. At the coffee-house. Advice from Smyrna, Six a clock in the evening. Was half an hour in the club before any body else came. Mr. Nisby of opinion that the grand Vizier was not strangled the sixth instant. Ten at night. Went to bed. Slept without waking till nine next morning. THURSDAY, nine a clock. Staid within till two a clock for Sir Timothy. Who did not bring me my annuity according to his Two in the afternoon. Sate down to dinner. Loss of appetite. Three. Could not take my nap. Four and five. Gave Ralph a box on the ear. Turned off my cook-maid. Sent a message to Sir Timothy. Mem. I did FRIDAY. Passed the morning in Meditation upon Sir Timothy, Twelve a clock. Bought a new head to my cane, and a tongue to my buckle. Drank a glass of purl to recover appetite. Two and three. Dined, and slept well. From four to six. Went to the coffee-house. Met Mr. Nisby there. Smoaked several pipes. Mr. Nisby of opinion that laced Six a clock. At the club as Steward. Sat late. Twelve a clock. with the grand Vizer. Went to bed, dreamt that I drank small-beer |