The first of our society is a gentleman of Worcestershire,
of ancient descent, a baronet, his name Sir Roger
de Coverley. His great-grandfather was inventor of that
famous country-dance which is called after him. All who
know that shire are very well acquainted with the parts (51: 5)
and merits of Sir Roger. He is a gentleman that is very
singular in his behaviour, but his singularities proceed
from his good sense, and are contradictions to the manners
of the world only as he thinks the world is in the wrong.
However, this humour creates him no enemies, for he does (10)
nothing with sourness or obstinacy; and his being unconfined
to modes and forms, makes him but the readier
and more capable[9] to please and oblige all who know
him. When he is in town, he lives in Soho Square. It
is said he keeps himself a bachelor by reason he was (15)
crossed in love by a perverse, beautiful widow of the next
county to him. Before this disappointment, Sir Roger
was what you call a fine gentleman; had often supped
with my Lord Rochester and Sir George Etherege, fought
a duel upon his first coming to town, and kicked Bully
Dawson in a public coffee-house for calling him "youngster."
But being ill-used by the above-mentioned widow,
he was very serious for a year and a half; and though, (52: 5)
his temper being naturally jovial, he at last got over it, he
grew careless of himself, and never dressed afterwards.
He continues to wear a coat and doublet of the same cut
that were in fashion at the time of his repulse, which,[10] in
his merry humours, he tells us, has been in and out twelve (10)
times since he first wore it.... He is now in his fifty-sixth
year, cheerful, gay, and hearty; keeps a good house
both in town and country; a great lover of mankind;
but there is such a mirthful cast in his behaviour that he is
rather beloved than esteemed. His tenants grow rich, (15)
his servants look satisfied, all the young women profess
love to him, and the young men are glad of his company.
When he comes into a house, he calls the servants by
their names, and talks all the way up-stairs to a visit. I
must not omit that Sir Roger is a justice of the quorum;[11] (20)
that he fills the chair at a quarter session[12] with great
abilities; and, three months ago, gained universal applause
by explaining a passage in the Game Act.
[9] Is this word correctly used?
[10] Note the careless use of pronouns in this sentence; Addison would
hardly have written it.
[11] Justice of the peace. See _Century Dictionary_ for explanation
of the Latin phrase _quorum unum A.B. esse volumus_ in the commission
issued to justices.
[12] A criminal court held once a quarter, in the counties, by justices
of the peace.
The gentleman next in esteem and authority among us
is another bachelor, who is a member of the Inner Temple;
a man of great probity, wit, and understanding;
but he has chosen his place of residence rather to obey
the direction of an old humoursome father, than in pursuit (53: 5)
of his own inclinations. He was placed there to
study the laws of the land, and is the most learned of
any of the house in those of the stage. Aristotle and
Longinus are much better understood by him than Littleton
or Coke. The father sends up, every post, questions (10)
relating to marriage-articles, leases, and tenures, in the
neighborhood; all which questions he agrees with an
attorney to answer and take care of in the lump. He is
studying the passions themselves, when he should be
inquiring into the debates among men which arise from (15)
them. He knows the argument of each of the orations
of Demosthenes and Tully but not one case in the reports
of our own courts. No one ever took him for a fool, but
none, except his intimate friends, know he has a great
deal of wit. This turn makes him at once both disinterested (20)
and agreeable; as few of his thoughts are drawn
from business, they are most of them fit for conversation.
His taste of books is a little too just for the age he lives
in; he has read all, but approves of very few. His
familiarity with the customs, manners, actions, and writings (25)
of the ancients makes him a very delicate observer
of what occurs to him in the present world. He is an
excellent critic, and the time of the play is his hour of
business; exactly at five he passes through New Inn,
crosses through Russell Court, and takes a turn at Will's
till the play begins; he has his shoes rubbed and his
periwig powdered at the barber's as you go into the
Rose. It is for the good of the audience when he is at
a play, for the actors have an ambition to please him. (54: 5)
The person of next consideration is Sir Andrew Freeport,
a merchant of great eminence in the city of London;
a person of indefatigable industry, strong reason, and great
experience. His notions of trade are noble and generous,
and--as every rich man has usually some sly way of (10)
jesting which would make no great figure were he not
a rich man--he calls the sea the British Common. He
is acquainted with commerce in all its parts, and will
tell you that it is a stupid and barbarous way to extend
dominion by arms; for true power is to be got by arts and (15)
industry. He will often argue that if this part of our trade
were well cultivated, we should gain from one nation; and
if another, from another. I have heard him prove that
diligence makes more lasting acquisitions than valour, and
that sloth has ruined more nations than the sword. He (20)
abounds in several frugal maxims, amongst which the
greatest favourite is, "A penny saved is a penny got."
A general trader of good sense is pleasanter company
than a general scholar; and Sir Andrew having a natural,
unaffected eloquence, the perspicuity of his discourse (25)
gives the same pleasure that wit would in another man.
He has made his fortunes himself, and says that England
may be richer than other kingdoms by as plain methods
as he himself is richer than other men; though at the
same time I can say this of him, that there is not a point
in the compass but blows home a ship in which he is an
owner.
Next to Sir Andrew in the club-room sits Captain
Sentry, a gentleman of great courage, good understanding, (55: 5)
but invincible modesty. He is one of those that deserve
very well, but are very awkward at putting their talents
within the observation of such as should take notice of
them. He was some years a captain, and behaved himself
with great gallantry in several engagements and at (10)
several sieges; but having a small estate of his own, and
being next heir to Sir Roger, he has quitted a way of
life in which no man can rise suitably to his merit who
is not something of a courtier as well as a soldier.
I have heard him often lament that in a profession (15)
where merit is placed in so conspicuous a view, impudence
should get the better of modesty. When he has
talked to this purpose I never heard him make a sour
expression, but frankly confess that he left the world
because he was not fit for it. A strict honesty and an (20)
even, regular behaviour are in themselves obstacles to him
that must press through crowds who endeavour at the same
end with himself,--the favour of a commander. He will,
however, in his way of talk, excuse generals for not
disposing[13] according to men's desert, or inquiring into it. (25)
"For," says he, "that great man who has a mind to help
me, has as many to break through to come at me as I
have to come at him"; therefore he will conclude that
the man who would make a figure, especially in a military
way, must get over all false modesty, and assist his patron
against the importunity of other pretenders by a proper
assurance in his own vindication.[14] He says it is a civil
cowardice to be backward in asserting what you ought to (56: 5)
expect, as it is a military fear to be slow in attacking when
it is your duty. With this candour does the gentleman
speak of himself and others. The same frankness runs
through all his conversation. The military part of his
life has furnished him with many adventures, in the relation (10)
of which he is very agreeable to the company; for
he is never overbearing, though accustomed to command
men in the utmost degree below him; nor ever too
obsequious from an habit of obeying men highly above
him. (15)
[13] Is this a correct modern use of the word?
[14] Can you express Steele's meaning in this clause more precisely?
But that our society may not appear a set of humorists
unacquainted with the gallantries and pleasures of the age,
we have among us the gallant Will Honeycomb, a gentleman
who, according to his years, should be in the decline
of his life, but having[15] ever been very careful of his person, (20)
and always had a very easy fortune, time has made but
very little impression either by wrinkles on his forehead
or traces in his brain. His person is well turned, of a
good height. He is very ready at that sort of discourse
with which men usually entertain women. He has all his (25)
life dressed very well, and remembers habits[16] as others do
men. He can smile when one speaks to him, and laughs
easily. He knows the history of every mode,[17] and can
inform you from which of the French king's wenches our
wives and daughters had this manner of curling their hair, (57: 5)
that way of placing their hoods; ... and whose vanity to
show her foot made that part of the dress so short in such
a year. In a word, all his conversation and knowledge
has been in the female world. As other men of his age
will take notice to you[18] what such a minister said upon (10)
such and such an occasion, he will tell you when the
Duke of Monmouth danced at court such a woman was
then smitten, another was taken with him at the head of
his troop in the Park. In all these important relations,[19]
he has ever about the same time received a kind glance (15)
or a blow of a fan from some celebrated beauty, mother
of the present Lord Such-a-one. If you speak of a young
commoner that said a lively thing in the House, he starts
up: "He has good blood in his veins; ... that young
fellow's mother used me more like a dog than any woman (20)
I ever made advances to." This way of talking of his
very much enlivens the conversation among us of a more
sedate turn; and I find there is not one of the company
but myself, who rarely speak at all, but speaks of him as
of that sort of man who is usually called a well-bred, (25)
fine gentleman. To conclude his character, where
women are not concerned, he is an honest, worthy
man.
[15] Another example of Steele's careless structure; correct the
sentence.
[16] Costumes, styles of dress.
[17] Fashion.
[18] Change into a modern idiom.
[19] What is the meaning of this word here?
I cannot tell whether I am to account him whom I am
next to speak of as one of our company, for he visits us (58: 5)
but seldom; but when he does, it adds to every man else
a new enjoyment of himself. He is a clergyman, a very
philosophic man, of general learning, great sanctity of
life, and the most exact good breeding. He has the
misfortune to be of a very weak constitution, and consequently (10)
cannot accept of such cares and business as
preferments in his function would oblige him to; he is
therefore among divines what a chamber-counsellor is
among lawyers. The probity of his mind and the integrity
of his life create him followers, as being eloquent or (15)
loud advances others. He seldom introduces the subject
he speaks upon; but we are so far gone in years
that he observes, when he is among us, an earnestness to
have him fall on some divine topic, which he always treats
with much authority, as one who has no interests in this (20)
world, as one who is hastening to the object of all his
wishes, and conceives hope from his decays and infirmities.
These are my ordinary companions. R.
III. SIR ROGER'S CRITICISMS ON POLITE
SOCIETY
[No. 6. Wednesday, March 7, 1711. STEELE.]
Credebant hoc grande nefas et morte piandum,
Si iuvenis vetulo non assurrexerat.