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this paffion, I have made it my study how to avoid the ENVY that may accrue to me from thefe my Speculations; and if I am not mistaken in myself, I think I have a genius to efcape it. Upon hearing in a coffee-house one of my Papers commended, I immediately apprehended the Envy that would fpring from that applause; and therefore gave a defcription of my face the next day; being refolved, as I grow in reputation for wit, to refign my pretenfions to beauty. This, I hope, may give fome eafe to those unhappy gentlemen who do me the honour to torment themfelves upon the account of this my Paper. As their cafe is very deplorable, and deferves compaffion, I fhall sometimes be dull, in pity to them, and will from time to time administer confolations to them by further discoveries of my perfon. In the mean while, if any one fays the SPECTATOR has wit, it may be fome relief to them to think that he does not fhew it in company. And if any one praises his morality, they may comfort themselves by confidering that his face is none of the longest.

*

R*.

By STEELE. See N° 5, final Note on Signature R; and No 324, Note ad finem, on STEELE's editorial Signature, &c.

The Flint Glafs-Houfe in White Friers having left off work, there is a good quantity of all forts of Drinking-glaffes, Decanters, Crewets, and other forts both fine and ordinary glafs to be fold there. The House, &c. to be let to any other bufinefs but no more for a Glafs-Houfe. SPECT. inf. See N° 509, and Note.

N° 20.

N° 20. Friday, March 23, 1710-11.

Κύνος όμματ' ἔχων.

HOм. Il. i. 225.

РОРЕ

Thou dog in forehead.-

A

MONG the other hardy undertakings which I have proposed to myself, that of the correction of IMPUDENCE is what I have very much at heart. This in a particular manner is my province as SPECTATOR; for it is. generally an offence committed by the eyes, and that against such as the offenders would perhaps never have an opportunity of injuring any other way. The following letter is a complaint of a young lady, who fets forth a trefpafs of this kind, with that command of herfelf as befits beauty and innocence, and yet with so much fpirit as fufficiently expreffes her indignation. The whole tranfaction is performed with the eyes; and the crime is no less than employing them in fuch a manner, as to divert the eyes of others from the best use they can make of them, even looking up to heaven.

'SIR,

'TH

tors.

HERE
'able man but had fome aukward imita-
Ever fince the SPECTATOR appeared,
⚫ have

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have I remarked a kind of men, whom I choofe to call STARERS; that without any regard to time, place, or modefty, disturb a large company with their impertinent eyes. SPECTATORS make up a proper affembly for a puppet-fhow or a bear-garden; but devout fupplicants and attentive hearers, are the audience one ought to expect in churches. I am, Sir, 'member of a small pious congregation near one of the north gates of this city; much the greater part of us indeed are females, and ufed to behave ourselves in a regular attentive manner, till very lately one whole ifle has been disturbed by one of these monftrous Starers; he is the head taller than any one in the church; but for the greater advantage of expofing himself, ftands upon a haflock, and commands the whole congregation, to the great annoyance of the devouteft part of the auditory; for what with blufhing, confufion, and vexation, we can neither mind the prayers nor ' fermon. Your animadverfion upon this info"lence would be a great favour to,

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SIR,

• Your most humble fervant.

'S. C.'

I have frequently feen of this fort of fellows, and do think there cannot be a greater aggrayation of an offence, than that it is committed where the criminal is protected by the facrednefs of the place which he violates. Many reflections of this fort might be very juftly made

upon

upon this fort of behaviour, but a Starer is not usually a person to be convinced by the reafon of the thing; and a fellow that is capable of fhewing an impudent front before a whole congregation, and can bear being a public fpectacle, is not fo easily rebuked as to amend by admonitions. If therefore my correfpondent does not inform me, that within feven days after this date the barbarian does not at least stand upon his own legs only, without an eminence, my friend Will Profper* has promised to take an haflock oppofite to him, and ftare against him in defence of the ladies. I have given him directions, according to the most exact rules of optics, to place himself in fuch a manner, that he shall meet his eyes wherever he throws them. I have hopes, that when Will confronts him, and all the ladies, in whofe behalf he engages him, caft kind looks and wifhes of fuccefs at their champion, he will have fome fhame, and feel a little of the pain he has fo often put others to, of being out of countenance.

It has indeed been time out of mind generally remarked, and as often lamented, that this family of STARERS have infefted public affemblies. I know no other way to obviate fo great an evil, except, in the cafe of fixing their eyes upon women, fome male friend will take the part of fuch as are under the oppreffion of impudence, and encounter the eyes of the Starers wherever they meet them. While we fuffer

&c.

See SPECT. No 19. W. Profper, an honeft tale-bearer,

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our women to be thus impudently attacked, they have no defence, but in the end to caft yielding glances at the Starers. In this cafe, a man who has no fenfe of fhame, has the fame advantage over his miftrefs, as he who has no regard for his own life has over his adverfary. While the generality of the world are fettered by rules, and move by proper and just methods; he who has no refpect to any of them, carries away the reward due to that propriety of behaviour, with no other merit, but that of having neglected it.

I take an Impudent Fellow to be a fort of outlaw in good-breeding, and therefore what is faid of him no nation or perfon can be concerned for. For this reafon one may be free upon him. I have put myself to great pains in confidering this prevailing quality which we call Impudence, and have taken notice that it exerts itself in a different manner, according to the different foils wherein such subjects of these dominions, as are mafters of it, were born. Impudence in an Englishman is fullen and infolent; in a Scotchman it is untractable and rapacious; in an Irishman abfurd and fawning: as the courfe of the world now runs, the Impudent Englishman behaves like a furly landlord, the Scot like an ill-received gueft, and the Irishman like a stranger, who knows he is not welcome. There is feldom any thing entertaining either in the Impudence of a South or North Briton; but that of an Irishman is always comic. A true and genuine Impudence is ever the effect of

ignorance

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