GUARDIAN S*.

;

N° 4.

MARCH 16, 1713.

HOUGH moft things which are wrong in their,

THO

own nature, are at once confeffed and abfolved. in that fingle word, the Custom; yet there are fome,

which

* It is obfervable that our author wrote no one paper in the Spectator: though his friend Parnelle did feveral, chiefly in the way of Visions, and in a style forced and inflated, and much inferior to thefe eight papers of our author. Addifon wrote fifty-two papers in the Guardian, the plan of which was far inferior to that of the Spectator. For what had the Guardian of the Sparkler to do with Subjects of Criticism and Philofophy? The fecret charm of the Spectator confifted in interefting the reader in the characters and actions of the feveral members of the club, and confequently in the dramatic caft given to thofe Effays. The fucceffors of the Spectator, even those that have been most popular, seem to have been unfortunate in the Titles they affumed. Who would suppose that the Rambler (il Vagabondo, as the Italian translator termed it) was a series of the gravest and most moral Effays? The Adventurer, it feems, alluded to its being a kind of Knight Errantry to attack the Vices and Follies of Men. The Connoiffeur, though you would naturally expect it from the title, yet contained nothing that related to the fine Arts. The World was an appropriated and happy title, because it pointed out the chief defign of touching on the topics of the day, and the living manners of the times. And this fignificant title was given to it, by the fenfible Publisher of it, Mr. Robert Dodfley, at a meeting of feveral of the author's friends, who univerfally gave the preference to his propofal against their own.

which as they have a dangerous tendency, a thinking man will the less excuse on that very account. Among these I cannot but reckon the common practice of Dedications, which is of fo much the worfe confequence as it is generally used by people of politeness, and whom a learned education for the most part ought to have infpired with nobler and juster sentiments. This prostitution of Praise is not only a deceit upon the grofs of mankind, who take their notion of characters from the Learned; but also the better fort must by this means lofe fome part at least of that defire of Fame which is the incentive to generous actions, when they find it promifcuously bestowed on the meritorious and undeferving. Nay, the author himself, let him be supposed to have ever so true a value for the patron, can find no terms to express it, but what have been already used, and rendered fufpected by flatterers. Even Truth itself in a Dedication is like an honeft man in a disguise or VizorMafque, and will appear a Cheat by being drest fo like one. Though the merit of the perfon is beyond difpute, I fee no reason, that, because one man is. eminent, therefore another has a right to be impertinent, and throw praises in his face. It is juft the reverse of the practice of the ancient Romans, when a person was advanced to triumph for his fervices : they hired people to rail at him in that Circumftance, to make him as humble as they could; and we have fellows to flatter him, and make him as proud as they

can.

can. Suppofing the writer not to be mercenary, yet the great man is no more in reafon obliged to thank him for his picture in a Dedication, than to thank the painter for that on a fign-poft; except it be a less injury to touch the most facred part of him, his character, than to make free with his countenance only. I should think nothing justified me in this point, but the patron's permiffion before hand, that I fhould draw him as like as I could; whereas most authors proceed in this affair just as a dauber I have heard of, who, not being able to draw portraits after the life, was used to paint faces at random, and look out afterwards for people whom he might perfuade to be like them. To exprefs my notion of the thing in a word: to fay more to a man than one thinks, with a prospect of intereft, is dishoneft; and without it, foolish. And whoever has had fuccefs in fuch an undertaking, muft of neceffity at once think himself in his heart a knave for having done it, and his patron a fool for having believed it.

1

I have sometimes been entertained with confidering Dedications in no very common light. By obferving what qualities our writers think it will be most pleasing to others to compliment them with, one may form fome judgment which are most so to themselves; and, in confequence, what fort of people they are. Without this view one can read very few Dedications, but will give us caufe to wonder, either how fuch things came to be faid at all, or how they were faid

to

ས་

to fuch perfons. I have known an Hero complimented upon the decent majefty and ftate he affumed after a victory: and a nobleman of a different character applauded for his condefcenfion to inferiors. This would have feemed very ftrange to me but that I happened to know the authors: he who made the first compliment was a lofty gentleman, whofe air and gait discovered when he had published a new book; and the other tippled every night with the fellows who laboured at the prefs while his own writings were working off. It is obfervable of the female poets and ladies dedicatory, that there (as elsewhere) they far exceed us in any ftrain or rant. As beauty is the thing that sex are piqued upon, they speak of it generally in a more elevated style than is ufed by the men. They adore in the fame manner as they would be adored. So when the authorefs of a famous modern romance begs a young nobleman's permiffion to pay him her kneeling adorations, I am far from cenfuring the expreffion, as fome Criticks would do, as deficient in grammar or fense; but I reflect, that adorations paid in that posture are what a lady might expect herself, and my wonder immediately ceafes.. These, when they flatter moft, do but as they would be done unto; for as none are fo much concerned at being injured by calumnies, as they who are readiest to caft them upon their neighbours; fo, it is certain, none are fo guilty of flattery to others, as thofe who most ardently defire it themselves.

J

What led me into these thoughts, was a Dedication I happened upon this morning. The reader must understand, that I treat the least inftances or remains of ingenuity with respect, in what places foever found, or under whatever circumftances of difadvantage. From this love to letters I have been fo happy in my searches after knowledge, that I have found unvalued repofitories of learning in the lining of band-boxes. I look upon these pasteboard edifices, adorned with the fragments of the ingenious, with the fame veneration as antiquaries upon ruined buildings, whofe walls preserve divers inscriptions and names, which are no where else to be found in the world. This morning, when one of Lady Lizard's daughters was looking over fome hoods and ribbands, brought by her tirewoman with great care and diligence, I employed no lefs in examining the box which contained them; it was lined with certain scenes of a tragedy, written (as appeared by part of the title there extant) by one of the fair fex. What was most legible was the Dedication; which, by reafon of the largeness of the characters, was leaft defaced by thofe Gothic ornaments of flourishes and foliage, wherewith the compilers of thefe fort of structures do often induftriously obfcure the works of the learned. As much of it as I could read with any ease, I fhall communicate to the reader as follows. "Though it is a kind of prophana"tion to approach your Grace with so poor an offering, yet when I reflect how acceptable a facrifice of

VOL. IX.

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"first