[125] See No. 21.
[126] See Nos. 54, 61.
[127] See Nos. 1, 56, 59.
[128] See Nos. 44, 47.
[129] A portion of this paper, commencing here, and ending with "all
the caution imaginable" (p. 130), is printed in Scott's edition of
Swift's Works, and was no doubt by the Dean. See No. 81, note.
[130] A penny postal system was established in London in 1683 by
William Dockwra, a merchant, who was dismissed from his position as
comptroller in 1700. In 1709, Charles Povey, a projector, started a
halfpenny carriage of letters for the Metropolis, but in November the
postmasters-general brought an action against him for an infringement
of their monopoly, and Povey was fined £100.
[131] The _Mercure Gallant_ was published in 1673 and following years.
A new periodical of the same name was begun in 1710.
[132] The _Gentleman's Journal; or, the Monthly Miscellany_, was
published by Motteux between 1692 and 1694, in quarto.
No. 68. [STEELE.
From _Tuesday, Sept. 13_, to _Thursday, Sept. 15, 1709_.
_From my own Apartment, Sept. 14._[134]
The progress of our endeavours will of necessity be very much
interrupted, except the learned world will please to send their lists
to the chamber of fame[135] with all expedition. There is nothing can
so much contribute to create a noble emulation in our youth, as the
honourable mention of such whose actions have outlived the injuries of
time, and recommended themselves so far to the world, that it is become
learning to know the least circumstance of their affairs. It is a great
incentive to see that some men have raised themselves so highly above
their fellow-creatures; that the lives of ordinary men are spent in
inquiries after the particular actions of the most illustrious. True
it is, that without this impulse to fame and reputation, our industry
would stagnate, and that lively desire of pleasing each other die
away. This opinion was so established in the heathen world, that their
sense of living appeared insipid, except their being was enlivened
with a consciousness that they were esteemed by the rest of the world.
Upon examining the proportion of men's fame for my table of twelve, I
thought it no ill way, since I had laid it down for a rule, that they
were to be ranked simply as they were famous, without regard to their
virtue, to ask my sister Jenny's advice, and particularly mentioned
to her the name of Aristotle. She immediately told me, he was a very
great scholar, and that she had read him at the boarding-school. She
certainly means a trifle sold by the hawkers, called "Aristotle's
Problems." But this raised a great scruple in me, whether a fame
increased by imposition of others is to be added to his account, or
that these excrescences, which grow out of his real reputation, and
give encouragement to others to pass things under the cover of his
name, should be considered in giving him his seat in the chamber? This
punctilio is referred to the learned. In the meantime, so ill-natured
are mankind, that I believe I have names already sent me sufficient to
fill up my lists for the dark room, and every one is apt enough to send
in their accounts of ill deservers. This malevolence does not proceed
from a real dislike of virtue, but a diabolical prejudice against it,
which makes men willing to destroy what they care not to imitate. Thus
you see the greatest characters among your acquaintance, and those you
live with, are traduced by all below them in virtue, who never mention
them but with an exception. However, I believe I shall not give the
world much trouble about filling my tables for those of evil fame, for
I have some thoughts of clapping up the sharpers there as fast as I can
lay hold of them.
At present, I am employed in looking over the several notices which
I have received of their manner of dexterity, and the way at dice of
making all rugg,[136] as the cant is. The whole art of securing a
die has lately been sent me by a person who was of the fraternity,
but is disabled by the loss of a finger, by which means he cannot
practise that trick as he used to do. But I am very much at a loss how
to call some of the fair sex who are accomplices with the knights of
industry; for my metaphorical dogs are easily enough understood; but
the feminine gender of dog has so harsh a sound, that we know not how
to name it. But I am credibly informed that there are female dogs as
voracious as the males, and make advances to young fellows, without
any other design but coming to a familiarity with their purses. I have
also long lists of persons of condition, who are certainly of the same
regimen with these banditti, and instrumental to their cheats upon
undiscerning men of their own rank. These add their good reputation
to carry on the impostures of others, whose very names would else be
defence enough against falling into their hands. But for the honour
of our nation, these shall be unmentioned, provided we hear no more
of such practices, and that they shall not from henceforward suffer
the society of such as they know to be the common enemies of order,
discipline, and virtue. If it appear that they go on in encouraging
them, they must be proceeded against according to severest rules of
history, where all is to be laid before the world with impartiality,
and without respect to persons.
_So let the stricken deer go weep._[137]
_Will's Coffee-house, September 14._