THESE exterior Shows and Appearances of Humanity render a Man wonderfully popular and beloved, when they are founded upon a real Good-nature; but without it are like Hypocrifie in Religion, or a bare Form of Holinefs, which, when it is difcovered, makes a Man more deteftable than profeffed Impiety.
GOOD-NATURE is generally born with us; Health, Profperity and kind Treatment from the World are great Cherifhers of it where they find it, but nothing is capable of forcing it up, where it does not grow of it felf. It is one of the Bleffings of a happy Conftitution, which Education may improve but not produce.
XENOPHON in the Life of his Imaginary Prince, whom he defcribes as a Pattern for Real ones, is always celebrating the Philanthrophy, or Good-nature of his Hero, which he tells us he brought into the World with him, and gives many remarkable Inftances of it in his Childhood, as well as in all the feveral Parts of his Life. Nay, on his Death-bed, he defcribes him as being pleafed, that while his Soul returned to him who made it, his Body fhould incorporate with the great Mother of all things, and by that means become beneficial to Mankind. For which reafon he gives his Sons a pofitive Order not to enfhrine it in Gold or Silver, but to lay it in the Earth as foon as the Life was gone out of it.
AN Inftance of fuch an Overflowing of Humanity, fuch an exuberant Love to Mankind, could not have entered into the Imagination of a Writer, who had not a Soul filled with great Ideas, and a general Benevolence to Mankind.
IN that celebrated Paffage of Saluft, where Cafar and Cato are placed in fuch beautiful, but oppofite Lights; Cafar's Character is chiefly made up of Good-nature, as it fhewed it felf in all its Forms towards his Friends or his Enemies, his Servants or Dependants, the Guilty or the Diftreffed. As for Cato's Character, it is rather awful than amiable. Juftice feems moft agreeable to the Nature of God, and Mercy to that of Man. A Being who has nothing to Pardon in himfelf, may reward every Man according to his Works; but he whofe very best Actions must be feen with Grains of Allowance, cannot be too mild, moderate and forgiving. For this reafon, among all the monstrous Characters in Human Nature, there is
none fo Odious, nor indeed fo exquifitely Ridiculous, as that of a rigid fevere Temper in a Worthless Man.
THIS Part of Good-nature, however, which confifts in the pardoning and over-looking of Faults, is to be ex- ercifed only in doing our felves Juftice, and that too in the ordinary Commerce and Occurrences of Life; for in the Publick Adminiftrations of Justice, Mercy to one may be Cruelty to others.
IT is grown almost into a Maxim, that Good-natured Men are not always Men of the moft Wit. The Obferva- tion, in my Opinion, has no Foundation in Nature. The greatest Wits I have converfed with are Men eminent for their Humanity. I take therefore this Remark to have been occafioned by two Reasons. First, Becaufe Ill-nature among ordinary Obfervers paffes for Wit. A fpightful Saying gratifies fo many little Paffions in those who hear it, that it generally meets with a good Reception. The Laugh rifes upon it, and the Man who utters it is looked upon as a fhrewd Satyrift. This may be one Reason, why a great many pleasant Companions appear fo furprizingly dull, when they have endeavoured to be Merry in Print; the Publick being more juft than Private Clubs or Affem- blies, in diftinguishing between what is Wit and what is Ill-Nature.
ANOTHER Reafon why the Good-natured Man may fometimes bring his Wit in Queftion, is perhaps, because he is apt to be moved with Compaffion for thofe Misfor- tunes or Infirmities, which another would turn into Ridi- cule, and by that means gain the Reputation of a Wit. The Ill-natured Man, though but of equal Parts, gives him- felf a larger Field to expatiate in; he expofes thofe Failings in Human Nature which the other would caft a Veil over, laughs at Vices which the other either excufes or conceals, gives Utteranee to Reflections which the other ftifles, falls indifferently upon Friends or Enemies, exposes the Perfon who has obliged him, and, in fhort, fticks at nothing that may eftablifh his Character of a Wit. It is no Wonder therefore he fucceeds in it better than the Man of Huma- nity, as a Perfon who makes use of indirect Methods is more likely to grow Rich than the fair Trader. L
CTION the Felicity of the Soul, Numb. 116. Affliction and Sorrow, not always expreft by Tears, N.95.True Affliction labours to be invifible, ibid. Age: the unnatural Mifunderstanding between Age and Youth, N. 153. The Authority of an aged virtuous Perfon preferable to the Pleasures of Youth, ibid. Albacinda, her Character, N. 144.
Alexander, his Artifice in his Indian Expedition, N. 127. His Answer to thofe who ask'd him if he would not be a Competitor for the Prize in the Olympick Games,ibid. Amaryllis, her Character, N. 144.
Ambition the Occafion of Factions, N. 125.
Animals, the different Make of every Species, N. 120. The Inftinct of Brutes, ibid. exemplify'd in feveral Inftances, ibid. God himself the Soul of Brutes, 121. The Variety of Arms with which they are provided by Nature, ibid. Amusements of Life, when innocent, neceffary and al- lowable, N. 99.
Apparitions, the Creation of weak Minds, N. 110. Arable, (Mrs.) the great Heiress, the Spectator's Fel- low-Traveller, N. 132.
Ariftotle, his Account of the World, N. 166. Ariftus and Afpafia, an happy Couple, N. 128. Artift, wherein he has the Advantage of an Author, N. 166. Affociation of honeft Men propofed by the Spectator, N.126. Author: in what Manner one Author is a Mole to ano- ther, N. 124. Wherein an Author has the Advantage of an Artist, 166. The Care an Author ought to take of what he writes, ibid. A Story of an Atheistical Au- thor, ibid.
Beafon for it, N. 156.
AREFACE, his Success with the Ladies, and the
Bear-Garden, the Spectator's Method for the Improvement of it, N. 141,
Beauties, whether Male or Female, very untractable, N. 87. and fantastical, 144. impertinent and difagreeable, ibid. The Efficacy of Beauty, ibid.
Board Wages, the ill Effects of it, N. 88.
Bodily Exercifes, of ancient Encouragement, N. 161. Books reduced to their Quinteffence, N. 124. The Lega- cies of great Genius's, 166,
Burnet, (Dr.) Some Paffages in his Theory of the Earth confidered, N. 143, and 146.
ESAR (Julius) his Reproof to an ill Reader,
Cambray (the Bishop of) his Education of a Daughter recommended, N. 95.
Cant, from whence faid to be derived, N. 147.
Care: what ought to be a Man's chief Care, N. 122. Carneades, the Philofopher, his Definition of Beauty,
Caffius, the Proof he gave of his Temper in his Child, hood, N. 157.
Caftle Builders, who, and their Follies expofed, N. 167. Cenfure, a Tax, by whom paid to the Publick, and for what, N. 101.
Chaplain, the Character of Sir Roger de Coverley's, N. 106. Chastity, the great Point of Honour in Women, N. 99. Chearfulness of Temper, how to be obtained and prefer- ved, N. 143.
Children: wrong Measures taken in the Education of the British Children, N. 157.
Children in the Wood, a Ballad, wherein to be com- mended, N. 85.
Church-yard, the Country Change on Sunday, N. 112. Common Prayer, fome Confiderations on the reading of it, N. 147. The Excellency of it, ibid.
Compaffion, the Exercife of it would tend to leffen the Calamities of Life, N. 169.
Compliments in ordinary Difcourfe cenfured, N. 103. Exchange of Compliments, 195.
Conde (Prince of) his Face like that of an Eagle, N. 86. Connecte (Thomas) a Monk in the 14th Century, a zea- lous Preacher against the Womens Commodes in those Days, N. 98.
Contentment, the utmoft Good we can hope for in this Life, N. 163.
Converfation, ufually stuffed with too many Compliments, N. 103. What properly to be understood by the Word Conversation, 143.
Cottilus, his great Equanimity, N. 143.
Goverley (Sir Roger de) he is fomething of an Humourist, N. 106. His Choice of a Chaplain, ibid. His Manage ment of his Family, 107. His Account of his An- ceffors, 109. Is forced to have every Room in his Houfe exorcifed by his Chaplain, 110. A great Bene- factor to his Church in Worcestershire, 112. in which he fuffers no one to fleep but himself, ibid. He gives the Spectator an Account of his Amours, and Character of his Widow, 113, 118. The Trophies of his feve- ral Exploits in the Country, 115. A great Fox-hun- ter, 116. An Inftance of his good Nature, ibid. His Averfion to Confidents, 118. The manner of his Re- ception at the Affizes, 122. where he whispers the Judge in the Ear, ibid. His Adventure when a School- boy, 125. A Man for the landed Intereft, 126. His Adventure with fome Gypfies, 130. Rarely fports near his own Seat, 131.
Country, the Charms of it, N. 118. Country Gentleman and his Wife, Neighbours to Sir Roger, their different Tempers defcribed, 128. Country Sunday, the Ufe of it, 112. Country Wake defcribed, 161.
Courage recommends a Man to the Female Sex more than any other Quality, N. 99. One of the chief To- picks in Books of Chivalry, ibid. Falfe Courage, ibid. Mechanick Courage, what, 152.
Cowley, his Magnanimity, N. 114.
Coxcombs, generally the Womens Favourites, N. 128,
EATH, the Contemplation of it affords a Delight mix'd with Terrour and Sorrow, N. 133. Intend- ed for our Relief, ibid. Deaths of eminent Perfons the moft improving Paffages in Hiftory, ibid.
Debt: the ill State of fuch as run in Debt, N. 82. Decency, nearly related to Virtue, N. ro4.
Demurrers, what fort of Women fo to be called, N. 89.
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