to procure redress?
20. In what manner can the Junto, or any of them, assist you in any of
your honourable designs?
21. Have you any weighty affair on hand, in which you think the advice
of the Junto may be of service?
22. What benefits have you lately received from any man not present?
23. Is there any difficulty in matters of opinion, of justice, and
injustice, which you would gladly have discussed at this time?
24. Do you see any thing amiss in the present customs or proceedings of
the Junto, which might be amended?
-- -- -- -- --
Any person to be qualified [as a member of the Junto], to stand up, and
lay his hand upon his breast, and be asked these questions, viz.
1. Have you any particular disrespect to any present members? _Answer._
I have not.
2. Do you sincerely declare, that you love mankind in general, of what
profession or religion soever? _Answer._ I do.
3. Do you think any person ought to be harmed in his body, name, or
goods, for mere speculative opinions, or his external way of worship?
_Answer._ No.
4. Do you love truth for truth's sake, and will you endeavour
impartially to find and receive it yourself, and communicate it to
others? _Answer._ Yes.
ARTICLES OF BELIEF AND ACTS OF RELIGION
IN TWO PARTS[21]
Here will I hold. If there is a Pow'r above us,
(And that there is, all Nature cries aloud,
Thro' all her Works) He must delight in Virtue;
And that which he delights in must be Happy.
--CATO.
PART I
Philad^a, NOV. 20: 1728
FIRST PRINCIPLES
I believe there is one supreme, most perfect Being, Author and Father of
the Gods themselves. For I believe that Man is not the most perfect
Being but one, rather that as there are many Degrees of Beings his
Inferiors, so there are many Degrees of Beings superior to him.
Also, when I stretch my Imagination thro' and beyond our System of
Planets, beyond the visible fix'd Stars themselves, into that Space that
is every Way infinite, and conceive it fill'd with Suns like ours, each
with a Chorus of Worlds forever moving round him, then this little Ball
on which we move, seems, even in my narrow Imagination, to be almost
Nothing, and myself less than nothing, and of no sort of Consequence.
When I think thus, I imagine it great Vanity in me to suppose, that the
_Supremely Perfect_ does in the least regard such an inconsiderable
Nothing as Man. More especially, since it is impossible for me to have
any positive clear idea of that which is infinite and incomprehensible,
I cannot conceive otherwise than that he _the Infinite Father_ expects
or requires no Worship or Praise from us, but that he is even infinitely
above it.
But, since there is in all Men something like a natural principle, which
inclines them to DEVOTION, or the Worship of some unseen Power;
And since Men are endued with Reason superior to all other Animals, that
we are in our World acquainted with;
Therefore I think it seems required of me, and my Duty as a Man, to pay
Divine Regards to SOMETHING.
I conceive then, that the INFINITE has created many beings or Gods,
vastly superior to Man, who can better conceive his Perfections than we,
and return him a more rational and glorious Praise.
As, among Men, the Praise of the Ignorant or of Children is not regarded
by the ingenious Painter or Architect, who is rather honour'd and
pleas'd with the approbation of Wise Men & Artists.
It may be that these created Gods are immortal; or it may be that after
many Ages, they are changed, and others Supply their Places.
Howbeit, I conceive that each of these is exceeding wise and good, and
very powerful; and that Each has made for himself one glorious Sun,
attended with a beautiful and admirable System of Planets.
It is that particular Wise and good God, who is the author and owner of
our System, that I propose for the object of my praise and adoration.
For I conceive that he has in himself some of those Passions he has
planted in us, and that, since he has given us Reason whereby we are
capable of observing his Wisdom in the Creation, he is not above caring
for us, being pleas'd with our Praise, and offended when we slight Him,
or neglect his Glory.
I conceive for many Reasons, that he is a _good Being_; and as I should
be happy to have so wise, good, and powerful a Being my Friend, let me
consider in what manner I shall make myself most acceptable to him.
Next to the Praise resulting from and due to his Wisdom, I believe he is
pleas'd and delights in the Happiness of those he has created; and since
without Virtue Man can have no Happiness in this World, I firmly believe
he delights to see me Virtuous, because he is pleased when he sees Me
Happy.
And since he has created many Things, which seem purely design'd for the
Delight of Man, I believe he is not offended, when he sees his Children
solace themselves in any manner of pleasant exercises and Innocent
Delights; and I think no Pleasure innocent, that is to Man hurtful.
I _love_ him therefore for his Goodness, and I _adore_ him for his
Wisdom.
Let me then not fail to praise my God continually, for it is his Due,
and it is all I can return for his many Favours and great Goodness to
me; and let me resolve to be virtuous, that I may be happy, that I may
please Him, who is delighted to see me happy. Amen!
ADORATION
PREL. Being mindful that before I address the Deity, my soul ought to be
calm and serene, free from Passion and Perturbation, or otherwise
elevated with Rational Joy and Pleasure, I ought to use a Countenance
that expresses a filial Respect, mixed w^th a kind of Smiling, that
Signifies inward Joy, and Satisfaction, and Admiration.
O wise God, my good Father!
Thou beholdest the sincerity of my Heart and of my Devotion; Grant me a
Continuance of thy Favour!
1. O Creator, O Father! I believe that thou art Good, and that thou art
_pleas'd with the pleasure_ of thy children.--Praised be thy name for
Ever!
2. By thy Power hast thou made the glorious Sun, with his attending
Worlds; from the energy of thy mighty Will, they first received [their
prodigious] motion, and by thy Wisdom hast thou prescribed the wondrous
Laws, by which they move.--Praised be thy name for Ever!
3. By thy Wisdom hast thou formed all Things. Thou hast created Man,
bestowing Life and Reason, and placed him in Dignity superior to thy
other earthly Creatures.--Praised be thy name for Ever!
4. Thy Wisdom, thy Power, and thy Goodness are everywhere clearly seen;
in the air and in the water, in the Heaven and on the Earth; Thou
providest for the various winged Fowl, and the innumerable Inhabitants
of the Water; thou givest Cold and Heat, Rain and Sunshine, in their
Season, & to the Fruits of the Earth Increase.--Praised be thy name for
Ever!
5. Thou abhorrest in thy Creatures Treachery and Deceit, Malice,
Revenge, [_Intemperance_,] and every other hurtful Vice; but Thou art a
Lover of Justice and Sincerity, of Friendship and Benevolence, and every
Virtue. Thou art my Friend, my Father, and my Benefactor.--Praised be
thy name, O God, for Ever! Amen!
[After this, it will not be improper to read part of some such Book as
Ray's _Wisdom of God in the Creation_, or _Blackmore on the Creation_,
or the Archbishop of Cambray's _Demonstration of the Being of a God_,
&c., or else spend some Minutes in a serious Silence, contemplating on
those Subjects.]
Then sing
MILTON'S HYMN TO THE CREATOR
"These are thy Glorious Works, Parent of Good!
Almighty, Thine this Universal Frame,
Thus wondrous fair! Thyself how wondrous then!
Speak ye who best can tell, Ye Sons of Light,
Angels, for ye behold him, and with Songs
And Choral Symphonies, Day without Night,
Circle his Throne rejoicing you in Heav'n,
On Earth join all ye creatures to extol
Him first, him last, him midst, and without End.
"Fairest of Stars, last in the Train of Night,
If rather Thou belongst not to the Dawn,
Sure Pledge of Day! thou crown'st the smiling Morn
With thy bright Circlet, Praise him in thy Sphere
While Day arises, that sweet Hour of Prime.
Thou Sun, of this great World, both Eye and Soul,
Acknowledge him thy greater; Sound his Praise
In thy eternal Course; both when thou climb'st,
And when high Noon hast gain'd, and when thou fall'st.
Moon! that now meet'st the orient sun, now fly'st,
With the fixed Stars, fixed in their orb that flies,
And ye five other wandering Fires, that move
In mystic Dance not without Song; resound
His Praise, that out of Darkness called up Light.
Air! and ye Elements! the eldest Birth
Of Nature's womb, that in Quaternion run
Perpetual Circle, multiform, and mix
And nourish all things, let your ceaseless Change
Vary to our great Maker still new Praise.
Ye mists and Exhalations, that now rise
From Hill or steaming lake, dusky or grey,
Till the Sun paint your fleecy skirts with Gold,
In honour to the World's Great Author rise;
Whether to deck with Clouds the uncolor'd sky,
Or wet the thirsty Earth w^th falling show'rs,
Rising or falling still advance his Praise.
His Praise, ye Winds! that from 4 quarters blow,
Breathe soft or Loud; and wave your Tops, ye Pines!
With every Plant, in sign of worship wave.
Fountains! and ye that warble, as ye flow
Melodious Murmurs, warbling tune his Praise.
Join voices all ye living souls, ye Birds!
That singing, up to Heaven's high gate ascend,
Bear on your wings, & in your Note his Praise;
Ye that in Waters glide! and ye that walk
The Earth! and stately tread or lowly creep;
Witness _if I be silent_, Ev'n or Morn,
To Hill, or Valley, Fountain, or Fresh Shade,
Made Vocal by my Song, and taught his Praise."
[Here follows the Reading of some Book, or part of a Book, Discoursing
on and exciting to Moral Virtue.]
PETITION
Inasmuch as by Reason of our Ignorance We cannot be certain that many
Things, which we often hear mentioned in the Petitions of Men to the
Deity, would prove real Goods, if they were in our Possession, and as I
have reason to hope and believe that the Goodness of my Heavenly Father
will not withold from me a suitable share of Temporal Blessings, if by a
Virtuous and holy Life I conciliate his Favour and Kindness, Therefore I
presume not to ask such things, but rather humbly and with a Sincere
Heart, express my earnest desires that he would graciously assist my
Continual Endeavours and Resolutions of eschewing Vice and embracing
Virtue; which Kind of Supplications will _at least be thus far
beneficial, as they remind me_ in a solemn manner of my Extensive duty.
That I may be preserved from Atheism & Infidelity, Impiety,
and Profaneness, and, in my Addresses to Thee, carefully
avoid Irreverence and ostentation, Formality and odious
Hypocrisy,--Help me, O Father!
That I may be loyal to my Prince, and faithful to my country,
careful for its good, valiant in its defence, and obedient to
its Laws, abhorring Treason as much as Tyranny,--Help me, O
Father!
That I may to those above me be dutiful, humble, and
submissive; avoiding Pride, Disrespect, and Contumacy,--Help
me, O Father!
That I may to those below me be gracious, Condescending, and
Forgiving, using Clemency, protecting _innocent Distress_,
avoiding Cruelty, Harshness, and Oppression, Insolence, and
unreasonable Severity,--Help me, O Father!
That I may refrain from Censure, Calumny and Detraction; that
I may avoid and abhor Deceit and Envy, Fraud, Flattery, and
Hatred, Malice, Lying, and Ingratitude,--Help me, O Father!
That I may be sincere in Friendship, faithful in trust, and
Impartial in Judgment, watchful against Pride, and against
Anger (that momentary Madness),--Help me, O Father!
That I may be just in all my Dealings, temperate in my
Pleasures, full of Candour and Ingenuity, Humanity and
Benevolence,--Help me, O Father!
That I may be grateful to my Benefactors, and generous to my
Friends, exercising Charity and Liberality to the Poor, and
Pity to the Miserable,--Help me, O Father!
That I may avoid Avarice and Ambition, Jealousie, and
Intemperance, Falsehood, Luxury, and Lasciviousness,--Help
me, O Father!
That I may possess Integrity and Evenness of Mind, Resolution
in Difficulties, and Fortitude under Affliction; that I may
be punctual in performing my promises, Peaceable and prudent
in my Behaviour,--Help me, O Father!
That I may have Tenderness for the Weak, and reverent Respect
for the Ancient; that I may be Kind to my Neighbours,
good-natured to my Companions, and hospitable to
Strangers,--Help me, O Father!
That I may be averse to Talebearing, Backbiting, Detraction,
Slander, & Craft, and overreaching, abhor Extortion, Perjury,
and every Kind of wickedness,--Help me, O Father!
That I may be honest and open-hearted, gentle, merciful, and
good, cheerful in spirit, rejoicing in the Good of
others,--Help me, O Father!
That I may have a constant Regard to Honour and Probity, that
I may possess a perfect innocence and a good Conscience, and
at length become truly Virtuous and Magnanimous,--Help me,
good God; help me, O Father![G]
And, forasmuch as ingratitude is one of the most odious of
vices, let me not be unmindful gratefully to acknowledge the
favours I receive from Heaven.
[G] At this point the original MS ends. The subsequent
paragraph, including the "Thanks," is found only in William
Temple Franklin's transcript, now in the Library of Congress.
[_Smyth's note._]
THANKS
For peace and liberty, for food and raiment, for corn, and
wine, and milk, and every kind of healthful
nourishment,--Good God, I thank thee!
For the common benefits of air and light; for useful fire and
delicious water,--Good God, I thank thee!
For knowledge, and literature, and every useful art, for my
friends and their prosperity, and for the fewness of my
enemies,--Good God, I thank thee!
For all thy innumerable benefits; for life, and reason, and
the use of speech; for health, and joy, and every pleasant
hour,--My good God, I thank thee!
THE BUSY-BODY, NO. 1[22]
Tuesday, February 4th, 1728/9
MR. ANDREW BRADFORD,
I design this to acquaint you, that I, who have long been one of your
Courteous Readers, have lately entertain'd some Thoughts of setting up
for an Author mySelf; not out of the least Vanity, I assure you, or
Desire of showing my Parts, but purely for the Good of my Country.
I have often observ'd with Concern that your Mercury is not always
equally entertaining. The Delay of Ships expected in, and want of fresh
Advices from Europe, make it frequently very Dull; and I find the
Freezing of our River has the same Effect on News as on Trade. With more
Concern have I continually observ'd the growing Vices and Follies of my
Country-folk; and, tho' Reformation is properly the concern of every
Man; that is, Every one ought to mend One; yet 'tis too true in this
Case, that what is every Body's Business is nobody's Business; and the
Business is done accordingly. I therefore, upon mature Deliberation,
think fit to take Nobody's Business wholly into my own Hands; and, out
of Zeal for the Publick Good, design to erect mySelf into a Kind of
_Censor Morum_; proposing, with your Allowance, to make Use of the
_Weekly Mercury_ as a Vehicle in which my Remonstrances shall be
convey'd to the World.
I am sensible I have in this Particular undertaken a very unthankful
Office, and expect little besides my Labour for my Pains. Nay, 'tis
probable I may displease a great Number of your Readers, who will not
very well like to pay 10s. a Year for being told of their Faults. But,
as most People delight in Censure when they themselves are not the
Objects of it, if any are offended at my publickly exposing their
private Vices, I promise they shall have the Satisfaction, in a very
little Time, of seeing their good Friends and Neighbours in the same
Circumstances.
However, let the Fair Sex be assur'd that I shall always treat them and
their Affairs with the utmost Decency and Respect. I intend now and then
to dedicate a Chapter wholly to their Service; and if my Lectures any
Way contribute to the Embellishment of their Minds and brightning of
their Understandings, without offending their Modesty, I doubt not of
having their Favour and Encouragement.
'Tis certain, that no Country in the World produces naturally finer
Spirits than ours; Men of Genius for every kind of Science, and capable
of acquiring to Perfection every Qualification that is in Esteem among
Mankind. But as few here have the Advantage of good Books, for want of
which, good Conversation is still more scarce, it would doubtless have
been very acceptable to your Readers, if, instead of an old out-of-date
Article from Muscovy or Hungary, you had entertained them with some
well-chosen Extract from a good Author. This I shall sometimes do, when
I happen to have nothing of my own to say that I think of more
Consequence. Sometimes I propose to deliver Lectures of Morality or
Philosophy, and (because I am naturally enclin'd to be meddling with
Things that don't concern me) perhaps I may sometimes talk Politicks.
And if I can by any means furnish out a Weekly Entertainment for the
Publick that will give a rational Diversion, and at the same Time be
instructive to the Readers, I shall think my Leisure Hours well
employ'd: And if you publish this, I hereby invite all ingenious
Gentlemen and others (that approve of such an Undertaking) to my
Assistance and Correspondence.
'Tis like by this Time, you have a Curiosity to be acquainted with my
Name and Character. As I do not aim at publick Praise, I design to
remain concealed; and there are such Numbers of our Family and Relations
at this Time in the Country, that tho' I've sign'd my Name at full
Length, I am not under the least Apprehension of being distinguish'd and
discover'd by it. My Character, indeed, I would favour you with, but
that I am cautious of praising mySelf, lest I should be told my
Trumpeter's dead: And I cannot find in my Heart at present, to say any
Thing to my own Disadvantage.
It is very common with Authors, in their first Performances, to talk to
their Readers thus; "If this meets with a SUITABLE Reception; Or, If
this should meet with DUE Encouragement, I shall hereafter publish, &c."
This only manifests the Value they put on their own Writings, since they
think to frighten the Publick into their Applause, by threatning, that
unless you approve what they have already wrote, they intend never to
write again; when perhaps it mayn't be a Pin Matter whether they ever do
or no. As I have not observ'd the Criticks to be more favourable on this
Account, I shall always avoid saying any Thing of the Kind; and conclude
with telling you, that, if you send me a Bottle of Ink and a Quire of
Paper by the Bearer, you may depend on hearing further from, Sir, your
most humble Servant,
THE BUSY-BODY.
THE BUSY-BODY, NO. 2
Tuesday, February 11, 1728/9
All fools have still an itching to deride,
And fain would be upon the laughing side.
--POPE.
Monsieur de la Rochefoucault tells us somewhere in his Memoirs, that the
Prince of Condé delighted much in ridicule, and used frequently to shut
himself up for half a day together in his chamber, with a gentleman that
was his favorite, purposely to divert himself with examining what was
the foible or ridiculous side of every noted person in the court. That
gentleman said afterwards in some company, that he thought nothing was
more ridiculous in anybody, than this same humour in the Prince; and I
am somewhat inclined to be of this opinion. The general tendency there
is among us to this embellishment, which I fear has too often grossly
imposed upon my loving countrymen instead of wit, and the applause it
meets with from a rising generation, fill me with fearful apprehensions
for the future reputation of my country. A young man of modesty (which
is the most certain indication of large capacities) is hereby
discouraged from attempting to make any figure in life; his
apprehensions of being out-laughed will force him to continue in a
restless obscurity, without having an opportunity of knowing his own
merit himself or discovering it to the world, rather than venture to
oppose himself in a place where a pun or a sneer shall pass for wit,
noise for reason, and the strength of the argument be judged by that of
the lungs.
Among these witty gentlemen let us take a view of Ridentius. What a
contemptible figure does he make with his train of paltry admirers! This
wight shall give himself an hour's diversion with the cock of a man's
hat, the heels of his shoes, an unguarded expression in his discourse,
or even some personal defect; and the height of his low ambition is to
put some one of the company to the blush, who perhaps must pay an equal
share of the reckoning with himself. If such a fellow makes laughing the
sole end and purpose of his life; if it is necessary to his
constitution, or if he has a great desire of growing suddenly fat, let
him eat; let him give public notice where any dull stupid rogue may get
a quart of four-penny for being laughed at; but it is barbarously
unhandsome, when friends meet for the benefit of conversation and a
proper relaxation from business, that one should be the butt of the
company, and four men made merry at the cost of the fifth.
How different from this character is that of the good-natured, gay
Eugenius, who never spoke yet but with a design to divert and please,
and who was never yet baulked in his intention. Eugenius takes more
delight in applying the wit of his friends, than in being admired
himself; and if any one of the company is so unfortunate as to be
touched a little too nearly, he will make use of some ingenious artifice
to turn the edge of ridicule another way, choosing rather to make
himself a public jest, than be at the pain of seeing his friend in
confusion.
Among the tribe of laughers, I reckon the petty gentlemen that write
satires, and carry them about in their pockets, reading them themselves
in all company they happen into; taking an advantage of the ill taste of
the town to make themselves famous for a pack of paltry, low nonsense,
for which they deserve to be kicked rather than admired, by all who have
the least tincture of politeness. These I take to be the most
incorrigible of all my readers; nay, I expect they will be squibbing at
the Busy-Body himself. However, the only favour he begs of them is this,
that if they cannot control their overbearing itch of scribbling, let
him be attacked in downright biting lyrics; for there is no satire he
dreads half so much as an attempt towards a panegyric.
THE BUSY-BODY, NO. 3
Tuesday, February 18th, 1728/9
Non vultus instantis Tyranni
Mente quatit solidâ,--neque Auster,
Dux inquieti turbidus Adriæ,
Nec fulminantis magna Jovis manus.
--HOR.
It is said that the Persians, in their ancient Constitution, had publick
Schools in which Virtue was taught as a Liberal Art or Science; and it
is certainly of more Consequence to a Man, that he has learnt to govern
his Passions; in spite of Temptation to be just in his Dealings, to be
Temperate in his Pleasures, to support himself with Fortitude under his
Misfortunes, to behave with Prudence in all Affairs, and in every
Circumstance of Life; I say, it is of much more real Advantage to him
to be thus qualified, than to be a Master of all the Arts and Sciences
in the World beside.