In all terms of reproof, when the sentence appears to arise from personal hatred or passion, it is not then made the cause of mankind but a misunder standing between two persons. For this reason the representations of a good-natured man bear a plea santry in them, which shews there is no malignity at heart, and by consequence they are attended to by his hearers or readers, because they are unpre judiced. This difference is only what is due to him; for no man thoroughly nettled can say a thing ge neral enough, to pass off with the air of an opinion declared, and not a passion gratified. I remember a humourous fellow at Oxford, when he heard any one had spoken ill of him, used to say, I will not take my revenge of him until I have forgiven him." What he meant by this was, that he would not enter upon this subject until it was grown as indifferent to him as any other: and I have by this rule, seen him more than once triumph over his ad versary with an inimitable spirit and humour: for he came to the assault against a man full of sore places, and he himself invulnerable. 66 There is no possibility of succeeding in a satiri cal way of writing or speaking, except a man throws himself quite out of the question. It is great vanity to think any one will attend to a thing, because it is your quarrel. You must make your satire the concern of society in general if you would have it regarded. When it is so the good-nature of a man of wit will prompt him to many brisk and disdainful sentiments and replies, to which all the malice in the world will not be able to repartee. N° 243. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1710. Infert se septus nebulâ, mirabile dictu! Per medios, miscétque viris, neqne cernitur,ulli. VIRG. Æn. i. 443. Conceal'd in clouds, prodigious to relate! DRYDEN, From my own Apartment, October 27. I HAVE Somewhere made mention of Gyges's ring; and intimated to my reader, that it was at present in my possession, though I have not since made any use of it. The tradition concerning this ring is very romantic, and taken notice of both by Plato and Tully, who each of them make an admirable use of it for the advancement of morality. This Gyges was the master shepherd to king Candaules. As he was wandering over the plains of Lydia, he saw a great chasm in the earth, and had the curiosity to enter it. After having descended pretty far into it he found the statue of a horse in brass, with doors in the sides of it. Upon opening them, he found the body of a dead man, bigger than ordinary, with a ring upon his finger, which he took off, and put upon his own. The virtues of it were much greater than he at first imagined; for upon his going in. to the assembly of shepherds, he observed, that he was invisible when he turned the stone of the ring within the palm of his hand, and visible when he turned it towards his company. Had Plato and Cicero been as well versed in the occult sciences as I am, they would have found a great deal of mystic learning in this tradition: but it is impossible for an adept to be understood by one who is not an adept. As for myself, I have, with much study and application, arrived at this great secret of making my. self invisible, and by that means conveying myself where I please; or, to speak in Rosicrucian lore, I have entered into the clifts of the earth, discovered the brazen horse, and robbed the dead giant of his ring. The tradition says further of Gyges, that by the means of this ring he gained admission into the most retired parts of the court, and made such use of those opportunities, that he at length became king of Lydia. For my own part, I, who have always rather endeavoured to improve my mind than my fortune, have turned this ring to no other advantage, than to get a thorough insight into the ways of men, and to make such observations upon the errors of others as may be useful to the public, whatever effect they may have upon myself. About a week ago, not being able to sleep, I got up, and put on my magical ring; and, with a thought, transported myself into a chamber where I saw light. 1 found it inhabited by a celebrated beauty though she is of that species of women which we call a slattern. Her head-dress and one of her shoes lay upon a chair, her petticoat in one corner of the room, and her girdle that had a copy of verses made upon it but the day before, with her thread stockings, in the middle of the floor. I was so foolishly officious, that I could not forbear gathering up her cloaths together, to lay them upon the chair that stood by her bed-side; when, to my great surprize, after a little muttering, she cried out, "What do 66 you do? Let my petticoat alone." I was startled at first, but soon found that she was in a dream; being one of those who, to use Shakspeare's expression, are so loose of thought," that they utter in their sleep every thing that passes in their ima. gination. I left the apartment of this female rake, and went into her neighbour's, where there lay a male coquette. He had a bottle of salts hanging over his head, and upon the table by his bed-side Suck. ling's poems, with a little heap of black patches on it. His snuff-box was within reach on a chair: but while I was admiring the disposition which he made of the several parts of his dress, his slumber seemed interrupted by a pang that was accompanied by a sudden oath, as he turned himself over hastily in his bed. I did not care for seeing him in his nocturnal pains, and left the room. I was no sooner got into another bed-chamber, but I heard very harsh words uttered in a smooth uniform tone. I was amazed to hear so great a volubility in reproach, and thought it too coherent to be spoken by one asleep; but, upon looking nearer, I saw the head dress of the person who spoke, which shewed her to be a female, with a man lying by her side broad awake, and as quiet as a lamb. I could not but admire bis exemplary patience, and discovered by his whole behaviour, that he was then lying under the discipline of a curtain-lecture. I was entertained in many other places with this kind of nocturnal eloquence; but observed, that most of those whom I found awake were kept so either by envy or by love. Some of these were sighing, and others cursing, in soliloquy; some hugged their pillows, and others gnashed their teeth. The covetous I likewise found to be a very wake ful people. I happened to come into a room where one of them lay sick. His physician and his wife were in a close whisper by his bed-side. I overheard the doctor say to the poor gentlewoman, "he cannot possibly live until five in the morning." She received it like the mistress of a family prepared for all events. At the same instant came in a servant-maid, who said, "Madam, the undertaker is below, according to your order." The words were scarce out of her mouth, when the sick man cried out with a feeble voice," Pray, doctor, how went Bank-stock to-day at 'Change?" This melancholy. object made me too serious for diverting myself fur. ther this way. As I was going home, I saw a light in a garret, and entering into it, heard a voice crying, and, hand, stand, band, fanned, tanned. concluded him by this,and the furniture of his room, to be a lunatic; but, upon listening a little longer, perceived it was a poet, writing an heroic upon the ensuing peace. I It was now towards morning, an hour when spirits, witches, and conjurors, are obliged to retire to their own apartments, and, feeling the influence of it, I was hastening home, when I saw a man had got half way into a neighbour's house. I immediately called to him, and turning my ring, appear ed in my proper person. There is something magisterial in the aspect of the Bickerstaffs, which made him run away in confusion. As I took a turn or two in my own lodging, I was thinking that old as I was, I need not go to bed alone, but that it was in my power to marry the finest lady in this kingdom, if I would wed her with this ring. For what a figure would she that should have it make at a visit, with so perfect a know. ledge as this would give her of all the scandal in the town? But, instead of endeavouring to dispose of |