who are hired for that service. Their dress is likew very barbarous, for they almost strangle themsel about the neck, and bind their bodies with many lig tures, that we are apt to think are the occasion of seve distempers among them, which our country is entire free from. Instead of those beautiful feathers with whi we adorn our heads, they often buy up a monstrous bu of hair, which covers their heads, and falls down in large fleece below the middle of their backs; with whi they walk up and down the streets, and are as proud it as if it was of their own growth. We were invited to one of their public diversion where we hoped to have seen the great men of the country running down a stag, or pitching a bar, th we might have discovered who were the persons of the greatest abilities among them; but instead of that, the conveyed us into an huge room lighted up with abun dance of candles, where this lazy people sat still above three hours to see several feats of ingenuity performed by others, who it seems were paid for it. As for the women of the country, not being able to talk with them, we could only make our remarks upon them, at a distance. They let the hair of their heads grow to a great length; but as the men make a great show with heads of hair that are none of their own, the women, who they say have very fine heads of hair, tie it up in a knot, and cover it from being seen. The women look like angels, and would be more beautiful than the sun, were it not for little black spots that are apt to break out in their faces, and sometimes rise in very odd figures. I have observed that those little blemishes wear off very soon; but when they disappear in one part of the face, they are very apt to break out in another, insomuch that I have seen a spot upon the forehead in the afternoon, which was upon the chin in the morning.' The author then proceeds to shew the absurdity of breeches and petticoats, with many other curious observations which I shall reserve for another occasion. I cannot however conclude this paper without taking notice, that amidst these wild remarks there now and then appears something very reasonable. I cannot likewise forbear observing, that we are all guilty in some measure of the same narrow way of thinking which we meet with in is abstract of the Indian journal, when we fancy the istoms, dresses, and manners of other countries are ri culous and extragavant, if they do not resemble those our own. ADDISON.* C. No. 51. SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1711. Torquet ab obscenis jam nunc sermonibus aurem. He from the taste obscene reclaims our youth. Mr. SPECTATOR, POPE. It is 'My fortune, quality, and person are such, as render me as conspicuous as any young woman in town. in my power to enjoy it in all its vanities; but I have, from a very careful education, contracted a great aversion to the forward air and fashion which is practised in all public places and assemblies. I attribute this very much to the style and manner of our plays. I was last night at The Funeral, where a confident lover in the play, speaking of his mistress, cries out..."+ Oh that Harriot! to fold these arms about the waist of that beauteous, struggling, and at last yielding fair!" Such an image as this ought by no means to be presented to a chaste and regular audience. I expect your opinion of this sentence, and recommend to your consideration, as a Spectator, the conduct of the stage at present with relation to chastity and 'modesty. I am, SIR, Your constant reader and well-wisher.' The complaint of this young lady is so just, that the From the quotation at the beginning of this paper, Swift seems to have believed Steele the writer of it: for it seems he gave the hint of it to him. It has, however, Addison's signature in the original publication in folio, and is reprinted by Tickell in his edition of Addison's Works in 4to. Sir R. Steele's comedy, Act ii. scene i, offence is gross enough to have displeased persons who cannot pretend to that delicacy and modesty, of which she is mistress. But there is a great deal to be said in behalf of an author. If the audience would but consider the difficulty of keeping up a sprightly dialogue for five acts together, they would allow a writer, when he wants wit, and cannot please any otherwise, to help it out with a little smuttiness. I will answer for the poets, that no one ever writ bawdry for any other reason but dearth of invention. When the author cannot strike out of himself any more of that which he has, su perior to those who make up the bulk of his audience, his natural recourse is to that which he has in common with them; and a description which gratifies a sensual appetite will please, when the author has nothing about him to delight a refined imagination. It is to such a poverty we must impute this and all other sentences in plays, which are of this kind, and which are commonly termed luscious expressions.* This expedient to supply the deficiencies of wit, has been used more or less by most of the authors who have succeeded on the stage; though I know but one who has professedly writ a play upon the basis of the desire of multiplying our species, and that is the polite Sir George Etherege; if I understand what the lady would be at, in the play called She would if she Could. Other poets have here and there given an intimation that there is this design under all the disguises and affectations which a lady may put on; but no author, except this, has made sure work of it, and put the imaginations of the audience upon this one purpose from the beginning to the end of the comedy. It has always fared accordingly; for whether it be that all who go to this piece would if they could, or that the innocent go to it, to guess only what she would if she could, the play has always been well received. It lifts an heavy empty sentence, when there is added to it a lascivious gesture of body; and when it is too low to be raised even by that, a flat meaning is enlivened by making it a double one. Writers who want ge * Steele softened the passage quoted, in the next edition that was published, nius, never fail of keeping this secret in reserve, to create a laugh, or raise a clap. I, who know nothing of women but from seeing plays, can give great guesses at the whole structure of the fair sex, by being innocently placed in the pit, and insulted by the petticoats of their dancers; the advantages of whose pretty persons are a great help to a dull play. When a poet flags in writing lusciously, a pretty girl can move lasciviously, and have the same good consequence for the author. Dull poets in this case use their audiences, as dull parasites do their patrons; when they cannot longer divert them with their wit or humour, they bait their ears with something which is agreeable to their temper, though below their understanding. Apicius cannot resist being pleased, if you give him an account of a delicious meal; or Clodius, if you describe a wanton beauty: though at the same time if you do not awake those inclinations in them, no men are better judges of what is just and delicate in conversation. But as I have be fore observed, it is easier to talk to the man, than to the man of sense. It is remarkable, that the writers of least learning are best skilled in the luscious way. The poetesses of the age have done wonders in this kind; and we are obliged to the lady who writ Ibrahim, for introducing a preparatory scene to the very action, when the emperor throws his handkerchief as a signal for his mistress to follow him into the most retired part of the seraglio. It must be confessed his Turkish majesty went off with a good air, but methought we made but a sad figure who waited without. This ingenious gentlewoman, in this piece of bawdry, refined upon an author of the same sex,t who, in The Rover, makes a country 'squire strip to his Holland drawers. For Blunt is disappointed, and the emperor is understood to go on to the utmost. The pleasantry of stripping almost naked has been since practised (where indeed it should have been begun) very successfully at Bartholomew fair. It is not here to be omitted, that in one of the above mentioned female compositions, the Rover is very fre *Mrs. Mary Pix. VOL. I. + Mrs. Behn. By a rope-dancer called Lady Mary, K quently sent on the same errand; as I take it, above once every act. This is not wholly unnatural; for, they say, the men authors draw themselves in their chief characters, and the women writers may be allowed the same liberty. Thus, as the male wit gives his hero a great fortune, the female gives her heroine a good gal lant, at the end of the play. But, indeed, there is hardly a play one can go to, but the hero or fine gentleman of it struts off upon the same account, and leaves us to consider what good office he has put us to, or to employ ourselves as we please. To be plain, a man who fre quents plays would have a very respectful notion of himself, were he to recollect how often he has been used as pimp to ravishing tyrants, or successful rakes. When the actors make their exit on this good occasion, the ladies are sure to have an examining glance from the pit, to see how they relish what passes; and a few lewd fools are very ready to employ their talents upon the composure or freedom of their looks. Such incidents as these make some ladies wholly absent themselves from the play-house; and others never miss the first day of a play, lest it should prove too luscious to admit their going with any countenance to it on the second. If men of wit, who think fit to write for the stage, instead of this pitiful way of giving delight, would turn their thoughts upon raising it from such good natural impulses as are in the audience, but are choked up by vice and luxury, they would not only please, but befriend us at the same time. If a man had a mind to be new in his way of writing, might not he who is now represented as a fine gentleman, though he betrays the honour and bed of his neighbour and friend, and lies with half the women in the play, and is at last rewarded with her of the best character in it; I say, upon giving the comedy another cast, might not such a one divert the audience quite as well, if, at the catastrophe he were found out for a traitor, and met with contempt ac cordingly? There is seldom a person devoted to above one darling vice at a time, so that there is room enough to catch at men's hearts to their good and advantage, if the poets will attempt it with the honesty which be comes their characters. |