But biography has often been allotted to writers who feem very little acquainted with the nature of their task, or very negligent about the performance. They rarely afford any other account than might be collected from publick papers, but imagine themfelves writing a fife when they exhibit a chronological series of actions or preferments; and fo little regard the manners or behaviour of their heroes, that more knowledge may be gained of a man's real character, by a short conversation with one of his fervants, than from a formal and studied narrative, begun with his pedigree, and ended with his funeral, If now and then they condefcend to inform the world of particular facts, they are not always fo happy as to select the most important. I know not well what advantage pofterity can receive from the only circumstance by which Tickell has diftinguished Addifon from the reft of mankind, the irregularity of his pulfe nor can I think myself overpaid for the time spent in reading the life of Malherb, by being enabled to relate after the learned biographer, that Malherb had two predominant opinions; one, that the loofeness of a single woman might deftroy all her boast of ancient descent; the other, that the French beggars made ufe very improperly and barbaroufly of the phrafe noble Gentleman, becaufe either word included the sense of both. There are, indeed, fome natural reafons why these narratives are often written by fuch as were not likely to give much inftruction or delight, and why most accounts of particular perfons are barren and ufelefs. If a life be delayed till intereft and envy are at an end, we may hope for impartiality, but muft expect VOL. IV. Cc little little intelligence; for the incidents which give excellence to biography are of a volatile and evanefcent kind, fuch as foon efcape the memory, and are rarely transmitted by tradition. We know how few can pourtray a living acquaintance, except by his most prominent and obfervable particularities, and the groffer features of his mind; and it may be eafily imagined. how much of this little knowledge may be loft in imparting it, and how foon a fucceffion of copies will lofe all resemblance of the original. If the biographer writes from perfonal knowledge, and makes hafte to gratify the publick curiofity, there is danger left his intereft, his fear, his gratitude, or his tenderness, overpower his fidelity, and tempt him to conceal, if not to invent. There are many who think it an act of piety to hide the faults or failings of their friends, even when they can no longer fuffer by their detection; we therefore fee whole ranks of characters adorned with uniform panegyrick, and not to be known from one another, but by extrinfick and cafual circumftances. "Let me remember," fays Hale," when I "find myself inclined to pity a criminal, that there is "likewife a pity due to the country." If we owe regard to the memory of the dead, there is yet more respect to be paid to knowledge, to virtue, and to truth. NUMB. 61. TUESDAY, October 16, 1750. Falfus honor juvat, et mendax infamia terret Quem nifi mendofum et mendacem? HOR. False praise can charm, unreal fhame controul- FRANCIS To the RAMBLER. SIR, T is extremely vexatious to a man of eager and thirsty curiofity to be placed at a great distance. from the fountain of intelligence, and not only never to receive the current of report till it has fatiated the greatest part of the nation, but at last to find it mudded in its course, and corrupted with taints or mixtures from every channel through which it flowed. One of the chief pleafures of my life is to hear what paffes in the world, to know what are the fchemes of the politick, the aims of the bufy, and the hopes of the ambitious; what changes of publick measures are approaching; who is likely to be crushed in the collifion of parties; who is climbing to the top of power, and who is tottering on the precipice of difgrace. But as it is very common for us to defire moft what we are leaft qualified to obtain, I have fuffered this appetite of news to outgrow all the gratifications which my prefent fituation can afford it; for being placed in a remote country, I am condemned always to confound the future with the past, to form prognostications of events no longer doubtful, and to confider the expediency of schemes already executed or defeated. I am perplexed with a perpetual deception in my profpects, like a man pointing his telescope at a remote ftar, which before the light reaches his eye has forfaken the place from which it was emitted. The mortification of being thus always behind the active world in my reflections and difcoveries, is exceedingly aggravated by the petulance of those whofe health, or bufinefs, or pleasure, brings them hither from London. For, without confidering the infuperable difadvantages of my condition, and the unavoidable ignorance which abfence muft produce, they often treat me with the utmost fuperciliousness, of contempt, for not knowing what no human fagacity can discover; and fometimes feem to confider me as a wretch scarcely worthy of human converse, when I happen to talk of the fortune of a bankrupt, or propose the healths of the dead, when I warn them of mischiefs already incurred, or wifh for measures that have been lately taken. They feem to attribute to the fuperiority of their intellects what they only owe to the accident of their condition, and think themselves indifputably entitled to airs of infolence and authority, when they find another ignorant of facts, which, because they echoed in the streets of London, they fuppofe equally publick in all other places, and known where they could neither be seen, related, nor conjectured. To this haughtinefs they are indeed too much encouraged by the refpect which they receive amongft us, for no other reafon than that they come from London. London. For no fooner is the arrival of one of these diffeminators of knowledge known in the country, then we crowd about him from every quarter, and by innumerable inquiries flatter him into an opinion of his own importance. He fees himself furrounded by multitudes, who propofe their doubts, and refer their controverfies, to him, as to a being defcended from fome nobler region, and he grows on a fudden oraculous and infallible, folves all difficulties, and fets all objections at defiance. There is, in my opinion, great reafon for fufpecting, that they fometimes take advantage of this reverential modefty, and impose upon rustick understandings with a falfe fhow of univerfal intelligence; for I do not find that they are willing to own themfelves ignorant of any thing, or that they dismiss any inquirer with a pofitive and decifive anfwer. Tha court, the city, the park, and exchange, are to those men of unbounded obfervation equally familiar, and they are alike ready to tell the hour at which stocks will rife, or the miniftry be changed. A fhort refidence at London entitles a man to knowledge, to wit, to politenefs, and to a defpotick and dictatorial power of prefcribing to the rude multitude, whom he condefcends to honour with a biennial vifit; yet, I know not well upon what motives, I have lately found myfelf inclined to cavil at this prescription, and to doubt whether it be not, on fome occafions, proper to withhold our veneration, till we are more authentically convinced of the merits of the claimant. It is well remembered here that about seven years ago, one Frolick, a tall boy, with lank hair, remarkCc3 able |