I mention these great Examples in Defence of my Bookfeller, who occafioned this Eighth Volume of Spectators, because, as he faid, he thought Seven a very Odd Number. On the other Side, feveral grave Reafons were urged on this important Subject; as in particular, that Seven was the precife Number of the Wife Men, and that the moit Beautiful Constellation in the Heavens was compofed of Seven Stars. This he allowed to be true, but ftill infifted, that Seven was an Odd Number; fuggefting at the fame time that if he were provided with a fufficient Stock of leading Papers, he fhould find Friends ready enough to carry on the Work. Having by this means got his Veffel lanched and fet afloat, he hath committed the Steerage of it, from time to time, to fuch as he thought capable of conducting it. THE Clofe of this Volume, which the Town may now expect in a little time, may poffibly afcribe each Sheet to its proper Author. IT were no hard Task to continue this Paper a confiderable Time longer, by the Help of large Contributions fent from unknown Hands. I cannot give the Town a better Opinion of the SPECTATOR's Correfpondents, than by publishing the following Letter, with a very fine Copy of Verfes upon a Subject perfectly new. 6 Mr. SPECTATOR, Dublin, Nov. 30. 1714, OU lately recommended to your Female Rea 'thers, who used to lay out a great Part of their Time • in Needle-work: I entirely agree with you in your • Sentiments, and think it would not be of lefs Advantage to themselves, and their Pofterity, than to the Reputation of many of their good Neighbours, if they paft many of thofe Hours in this innocent Entertainment, which are loft at the Tea-Table. I would, however, humbly offer to your Confideration, the Cafe of the Poetical Ladies; who, though they may 6 6 ⚫ be willing to take any Advice given them by the SPECTATOR, yet can't fo eafily quit their Pen and Ink, 6 fas as you may imagine. Pray allow them, at least now ⚫ and then, to indulge themselves in other Amusements of Fancy, when they are tired with ftooping to their Tapestry. There is a very particular kind of Work, which of late feveral Ladies here in our Kingdom are very fond of, which feems very well adapted to a Poetical Genius: It is the making of Grotto's. I know a Lady who has a very Beautiful one, compofed by her self, nor is there one Shell in it not ftuck up by her own Hands. I here fend you a Poem to the fair Architect, which I would not offer to her felf, till I knew whether this Method of a Lady's paffing her • Time were approved of by the British SPECTATOR, which, with the Poem, I fubmit to your Cenfure, who am, Your Conflant Reader, and humble Servant, A. B. on her Grotto. To Mrs. A Grotto fo complete, with fuch Defign, Where can unpolish'd Nature boaft a Piece, Charm'd Charm'd with the fight, my ravish'd Breaft is fir'd Oh were I equal to the bold Defign, } Wednesday, N° 633. Wednesday, December 15. Omnia profectò, cùm fe à cæleftibus rebus referet ad humanas,, excelfiùs magnificentiùfque & dicet & fentiet. T Cicero. HE following Difcourfe is printed, as it came to my Hands, without Variation. Cambridge, Dec. 11. IT was a very common Enquiry among the Ancients why the Number of Excellent Orators, under all the Encouragements the moft flourishing States could give them, fell fo far fhort of the Number of thofe who excelled in all other Sciences. A Friend of mine ufed merrily to apply to this Cafe an Obfervation of Herodotus, who fays, That the moft ufeful Animals are the moft fruitful in their Generation; whereas the Species of thofe Beafts that are fierce and mifchievous to Mankind are but scarcely continued. The Hiftorian inftances in a Hare, which always either breeds or brings forth; and a Lionefs, which brings forth but once, and then lofes all Power of Conception. But, leaving my Friend to his Mirth, I am of Opinion, that in thefe latter Ages < we have greater Caufe of Complaint than the Ancients had. And fince that folemn Festival is ap proaching, which calls for all the Power of Oratory, and which affords as noble a Subject for the Pulpit as any Revelation has taught us, the Defign of this Paper fhall be to fhow, that our Moderns have greater Advantages towards true and folid Eloquence, than any which the celebrated Speakers of Antiquity ⚫ enjoy'd. THE firft great and fubftantial Difference is, that their Common-Places, in which almoft the whole • Force Force of Amplification confifts, were drawn from the Profit or Honefty of the Action, as they regarded only this prefent State of Duration. But Chriftianity, as it exalts Morality to a greater Pefection, as it brings the Confideration of another Life into the Question, as it propofes Rewards and Punishments of a higher Nature, and a longer Continuance, is more adapted to affect the Minds of the Audience, naturally inclined to pursue what it imagines its greatest • Interest and Concern. If Pericles, as iftorians report, could shake the firmeft Refolutions of his Hearers, and fet the Paffions of all Greece in a Ferment, when the present Welfare of his Country, or the Fear of hoftile Invafions, was the Subject: What may be • expected from that Orator, who warns his Audience against thofe Evils which have no Remedy, when once undergone, either from Prudence or Time? As much greater as the Evils in a future State are than thefe at prefent, fo much are the Motives to Persua'fion under Chriftianity greater than those which meer 'moral Confiderations could fupply us with. But what I now mention relates only to the Power of moving the Affections. There is another Part of Eloquence, which is indeed its Mafter-piece; I mean the Marvellous or Sublime. In this the Chriftian Orator has the Advantage beyond Contradiction. Our Ideas are fo infinitely enlarged by Revelation, the Eye of Reafon has fo wide a Profpect into Eternity, the Notions of a Deity are fo worthy and refined, and the • Accounts we have of a State of Happiness or Mifery ⚫fo clear and evident, that the Contemplation of fuch Objects will give our Difcourfe a noble Vigour, an invincible Force, beyond the Power of any humane Confideration. Tully requires in his Perfect Orator fome Skill in the Nature of Heavenly Bodies, becaufe, fays he, his Mind will become more extenfive and unconfined; and when he defcends to treat of humane Affairs, he will both think and write in a more exalted and magnificent Manner. For the fame Reason that excellent Mafter would have recommended the Study of thofe great and glorious Myfte ⚫ries |