N° 78. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1709. Quicquid agunt homines nostri est farrago libelli. JUV. Sat. i. 85, 86. Whatever good is done, whatever ill- From my own Apartment, October 7. As your painters, who deal in history pieces, often entertain themselves upon broken sketches, and smaller flourishes of the pencil; so I find some relief in striking out miscellaneous hints, and sudden starts of fancy, without any order or connexion, after having spent myself on more regular, and elaborate dissertations. I am at present in this easy state of mind sat down to my scrutoir; where, for the better disposition of my correspondence, I have writ upon every drawer the proper title of its contents; as Hypocrisy, Dice, Patches, Politics, Love, Duels, and so forth. My various advices are ranged under such several heads, saving only that I have a particular box for Pacolet, and another for Monoculus. I cannot but observe, that my Duel-box, which is filled by the lettered men of honour, is so very ill spelt, that it is hard to decypher their writings. My Love-box, though, on a quite contrary subject, filled with the works of the fairest hands in Great Britain, is almost as unintelligible. The private drawer, which is sacred to Politics, has in it some of the most refined panegyrics and satires that any age has produced. I have now before me several recommendations for places at my Table of Fame. Three of them are of an extraordinary nature, in which I find I am misun derstood, and shall, therefore, beg leave to produce them. They are from a Quaker, a Courtier, and a Citizen. · ISAAC, THY lucubrations, as thou lovest to call them, have been perused by several of our friends, who have taken offence: forasmuch as thou excludest out of the brotherhood all persons who are praise-worthy for religion, we are afraid that thou wilt fill thy Table with none but heathens, and cannot hope to spy a brother there; for there are none of us who can be placed among murdering heroes, or ungodly wits; since we do not assail our enemies with the arm of flesh, nor our gainsayers with the vanity of human wisdom. If therefore, thou wilt demean thyself on this occasion with a right judgment, according to the gifts that are in thee, we desire thou wilt place James Nayler' at the upper end of thy table. 6 EZEKIEL STIFFRUMP.' 1 James Nayler was born about 1616, in the neighbourhood of Wakefield, in Yorkshire. In 1652 he became a convert of the famous George Fox to quakerism, and commenced preacher among that sect. From his first conversion to the new light, he-bad filled his head with strong fancies of special illuminations from heaven; and was now, in his own opinion, become such a favourite there, that he thought it high time to assume a suitable character. Accordingly, in 1656, we find him addressed by the title of "The everlasting son of righteousness and prince of peace, the prophet of the most high God, nay, the only begotten son of God, out of Zion, whose mother is a virgin, and whose birth is immortal." He set out for Bristol, attended by several of his adherents; and, when they came to the suburbs, some women spread scarfs and handkerchiefs in his way; two other women going on each side of his horse, and all the cavalcade singing, "Holy, holy, In answer to my good friend Ezekiel, I must stand to it, that I cannot break my rule for the sake of James Nayler; not knowing, whether Alexander the Great, who is a choleric hero, would not resent his sitting at the upper end of the table with his hat on. But to my Courtier. < SIR, I AM surprised, that you lose your time in complimenting the dead, when you may make your court to holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; Hosanna in the highest; holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Israel." Such a mockery of our Saviour's entrance into Jerusalem drew the notice of the magistrates, by whose order Nayler was apprehended; and upon examination, blasphemously defending all that had passed in his personating Jesus Christ, was committed to prison, with six of his associates: soon after which they were all sent to London to the parliament. By the House of Commons it was resolved, "That James Nayler is guilty of horrid blasphemy, and that he is a grand impostor, and a great seducer of the people." After this, sentence was passed that he should be "set on the pillory in Palace-yard during two hours, be whipped by the hangman from Westminster' to the Old Exchange, and there be set on the pillory for two hours; in each place wearing a paper, containing a description of his crimes; his tongue to be bored through with a hot iron, and he be stigmatized in the forehead with the letter B; afterwards sent to Bristol, and conveyed into and through the said city on horseback, with his face backward, and publicly whipped the next market day after he comes thither: that from thence he be committed to prison in Bridewell, London, restrained from the society of all the people, and to labour hard, till he shall be released by parliament; and during that time be debarred the use of pen, ink, and paper, and have no relief but what he earns by his daily labour." This whole sentence was put in execution; his sufferings brought him to his senses, and with them to an exemplary degree of humility. He was discharged from prison by the rump parliament 1659, and died 1660. the living. Let me only tell you in the ear, Alexander and Cæsar, as generous as they were formerly, have not now a groat to dispose of. Fill your table with good company: I know a person of quality that shall give you one hundred pounds for a place at it. Be secret, and be rich. Yours, "You know my hand.' This gentleman seems to have the true spirit, without the formality, of an under-courtier; therefore, I shall be plain with him, and let him leave the name of his courtier and one hundred pounds in Morphew's hands: if I can take it, I will. " SIR, My Citizen writes the following: 6 MR. ISAAC BICKERSTAFF. • Your Tatler of the thirteenth of September, I am now reading, and in your list of famous men, desire you not to forget alderman Whittington 2, who began the world with a cat, and died worth three hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling, which he left to an only daughter three years after his mayoralty. If you want any further particulars of ditto alderman, daughter, or cat, let me know, and per first will advise the needful: which concludes, your loving friend, 'LEMUEL LEGER.' I shall have all due regard to this gentleman's recommendation: but cannot forbear observing how 2 Richard Whittington lived in the end of the 14th, and the beginning of the 15th century. He was a mercer, and four times lord mayor of London. Of his college, and the alms-house which he founded, see an account in Stow's Survey of London. wonderfully this sort of style is adapted for the dispatch of business, by leaving out insignificant particles; besides that, the dropping of the first person is an artful way to disengage a man from the guilt of rash words, or promises. But I am to consider, that a citizen's reputation is credit, not fame; and am to leave these lofty subjects for a matter of private concern in the next letter before me. SIR, I AM just recovered out of a languishing sickness by the care of Hippocrates3, who visited me throughout my whole illness, and was so far from taking any fee, that he inquired into my circumstances, and would have relieved me also that way, but I did not want it. I know of no method of thanking him, but recommending it to you to celebrate so great humanity in the manner you think fit, and to do it with the spirit and sentiments of a man just relieved from grief, misery, and pain, to joy, satisfaction, and ease: in which you will represent the grateful sense of your obedient servant, 'T. B.' I think the writer of this letter has put the matter in as good a dress, as I can for him; yet I cannot but add my applause to what this distressed man has said. There is not a more useful man in a commonwealth than a good physician: and by consequence no worthier a person than he that uses his skill with generosity even to persons of condition, and compassion to those who are in want: which is the behaviour of Hippocrates, who shews as much liberality in his prac 3 Probably Dr. Samuel Garth. |