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often as I called for small beer, the master tipped the wink, and the servant brought me a brimmer of October.

to me,

Some time after dinner I ordered my cousin's man, who came with me, to get ready the horses; but it was resolved I should not stir that night: and when I seemed pretty much bent upon going, they ordered the stable door to be locked, and the children hid my cloak and boots. The next question was, What would I have for supper? I said I never eat anything at night: but was at last, in my own defence, obliged to name the first thing that came into my head. After three hours spent chiefly in apologies for my entertainment, insinuating 'That this was the worst time of the year for provisions; that they were at a great distance from any market; that they were afraid I should be starved; and that they knew they kept me to my loss;' the lady went, and left me to her husband; for they took special care I should never be alone. As soon as her back was turned, the little misses ran backwards and forwards every moment, and constantly as they came in, or went out, made a courtesy directly at me, which, in good manners, I was forced to return with a bow and Your humble servant, pretty miss. Exactly at eight the mother came up, and discovered, by the redness of her face, that supper was not far off. It was twice as large as the dinner, and my persecution doubled in proportion. I desired at my usual hour to go to my repose, and was conducted to my chamber by the gentleman, his lady, and the whole train of children. They importuned me to drink something before I went to bed; and, upon my refusing, at last left a bottle of stingo as they called it, for fear I should wake and be thirsty in the night. I was forced in the morning to rise and dress myself in the dark, because they would not suffer my kinsman's servant to disturb me at the hour I

desired to be called. I was now resolved to break through all measures to get away; and, after sitting down to a monstrous breakfast of cold beef, mutton, neats tongues, venison pasty, and stale beer, took leave of the family. But the gentleman would needs see me part of the way, and carry me a short cut through his own ground, which he told me would save half a mile's riding. This last piece of civility had like to have cost me dear, being once or twice in danger of my neck by leaping over his ditches, and at last forced to alight in the dirt, when my horse, having slipped his bridle, ran away, and took us up more than an hour to recover him again.

M

XXV.

ANTHONY ASHLEY COOPER, EARL OF

SHAFTESBURY.

1671-1713.

ANTHONY ASHLEY COOPER, the author of the Characteristics, was the grandson of the great statesman, Dryden's Achitophel, who was the first Earl of Shaftesbury. He had the best means of becoming versed in classical literature and in philosophy. He was taught Greek and Latin orally by a Mrs. Birch, who is said to have been able to talk fluently in them, and to have taught her pupil to do so by the time he was eleven years old. In his grandfather's household he had constant opportunity of intercourse with Locke, and had already at the age of eighteen begun a regular correspondence with him on philosophical questions.

He lived a studious and retired life, spending much of his time abroad, either in Italy, where he studied the fine arts elaborately, or in Holland, where he conversed with Bayle, and other free spirits, who found a refuge there. He took little part in English politics. He sate in the Commons during one Parliament (1694-1698), but broke down as a speaker. Afterwards, as a Peer, he was active in the election of William's last Parliament (1701), and is said to have had a hand in the composition of the celebrated speech in which the King called on this Parliament for support in the new war with France. He was a friend of Somers, to whom he addressed the letter on Enthusiasm, and a faithful Whig.

He died at Naples in 1713. His treatises were all written (at least in their complete form) during the last five years of

his life. The letter on Enthusiasm (1708) was occasioned by the excitement about the 'French Prophets,' and was followed by the Essay on the Freedom of Wit and Humour. Both deal with the legitimacy of the application of ridicule to religious pretensions. The Advice to an Author, which exhibits true selfknowledge as the basis of literary art, was published in 1710. Then came his two distinctly philosophical treatises, the Inquiry concerning Virtue, and the Moralists, a Rhapsody. The above, with Miscellaneous Reflections, and an essay on Art, purporting to be a 'notion' of a possible 'Tablature of the Judgment of Hercules,' form the Characteristics, which were first published complete after his death.

He had a real love for classical literature, and believed himself, as he was believed by his contemporaries, to write a specially classical style. To later readers he has seemed to have lost vernacular vigour without acquiring classical ease. Questions of religion and philosophy he approached too much in the attitude of a well-bred connoisseur to get to the bottom of them. He vigorously maintained, however, as against Hobbes, the 'disinterestedness' of virtue, and introduced the doctrine of a 'moral sense,' i. e. of a specific feeling of pleasure in good actions, as the source of moral judgments. He was a great student of Epictetus and Antoninus, and had a genuine stoical belief in one divine mind, expressed in nature and communicated to man.

1. The Masque of Society.

IF a native of Ethiopia were on a sudden transported into Europe, and placed either at Paris or Venice at a time of carnival, when the general face of mankind was disguised, and almost every creature wore a mask; it is probable he would for some time be at a stand, before he discovered the cheat: not imagining that a whole people could be so fantastical, as upon agreement, at an appointed

time, to transform themselves by a variety of habits, and make it a solemn practice to impose on one another, by this universal confusion of characters and persons. Though he might at first perhaps have looked on this with a serious eye, it would be hardly possible for him to hold his countenance, when he had perceived what was carrying on. The Europeans, on their side, might laugh perhaps at this simplicity. But our Ethiopian would certainly laugh with better reason. It is easy to see which of the two would be ridiculous. For he who laughs, and is himself ridiculous, bears a double share of ridicule. However, should it so happen, that in the transport of ridicule, our Ethiopian, having his head still running upon masks, and knowing nothing of the fair complexion and common dress of the Europeans, should upon the sight of a natural face and habit, laugh just as heartily as before; would not he in his turn become ridiculous, by carrying the jest too far; when by a silly presumption he took nature for mere art, and mistook perhaps a man of sobriety and sense for one of those ridiculous mummers?

There was a time when men were accountable only for their actions and behaviour. Their opinions were left to themselves. They had liberty to differ in these, as in their faces. Every one took the air and look which was natural to him. But in process of time, it was thought decent to mend men's countenances, and render their intellectual complexions uniform and of a sort, Thus the magistrate became a dresser, and in his turn was dressed too, as he deserved; when he had given up his power to a new order of tiremen. But though in this extraordinary conjuncture it was agreed that there was only one certain and true dress, one single peculiar air, to which it was necessary all people should conform; yet the misery was, that neither the magis

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