brightest evidence disappears, before those tremendous reasonings and dazzling discoveries of venerable old age: 'You are young giddy-headed fellows, you have not yet had experience of the world.' Thus we young folks find our ambition cramped, and our laziness indulged, since, while young, we have little room to display ourselves; and, when old, the weakness of nature must pass for strength of sense, and we hope that hoary heads will raise us above the attacks of contradiction. Now, sir, as you would enliven our activity in the pursuit of learning, take our case into consideration; and, with a gloss on brave Elihu's sentiments, assert the rights of youth, and prevent the pernicious encroachments of age. The generous reasonings of that gallant youth would adorn your paper; and I beg you would insert them, not doubting but that they will give good entertainment to the most intelligent of your readers :

"So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not show you mine opinion. I said, Days should speak,

and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will show mine opinion. Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say. Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words: Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man. Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches. They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking. When I had waited (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more :) I said, I will answer also my part, I also will show mine opinion. For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer. Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my Maker would soon take me away.'

1

'Mr. SPECTATOR, 'I HAVE formerly read with great satisfaction your papers about idols, and the behaviour of gentlemen in those coffee-houses where women officiate, and impatiently waited to see you take India and China shops into consideration: but since

1 Job, chap. xxxii.

2 See Nos. 73, 87, 155.

you have passed us over in silence, either that you have not as yet thought us worth your notice, or that the grievances we lie under have escaped your discerning eye, I must make my complaints to you, and am encouraged to do it because you seem a little at leisure at this present writing. I am, dear sir, one of the top chinawomen about town; and though I say it, keep as good things, and receive as fine company as any o' this end of the town, let the other be who she will: in short, I am in a fair way to be easy were it not for a club of female rakes who, under pretence of taking their innocent rambles, forsooth, and diverting the spleen, seldom fail to plague me twice or thrice a day, to cheapen tea, or buy a screen, "What else should they mean?" as they often repeat it. These rakes are your idle ladies of fashion, who having nothing to do, employ themselves in tumbling over my ware. One of these no-customers (for, by the way, they seldom or never buy anything) calls for a set of tea-dishes, another for a bason, a third for my best green tea, and even to the punch-bowl there's scarce a piece in my shop but must be displaced, and the whole agreeable architecture disordered, so that I can compare 'em to nothing but to the night-goblins that take a pleasure to overturn the disposition of plates and dishes in the kitchens of your housewifely maids. Well, after all this racket and clatter, this is too dear, that is their aversion; another thing is charming, but not wanted: the ladies are cured of the spleen, but I am not a shilling the better for it. Lord! what signifies one poor pot of tea, considering the trouble they put me to? Vapours, Mr. Spectator, are terrible things; for though I am not possessed by them myself, I suffer more from

'em than if I were. Now I must beg you to admonish all such day-goblins to make fewer visits, or to be less troublesome when they come to one's shop; and to convince them that we honest shopkeepers have something better to do than to cure folks of the vapours gratis. A young son of mine, a schoolboy, is my secretary, so I hope you'll make allowances. I am, SIR,

Your constant Reader,

and very humble Servant,

March the 22nd.'

REBECCA THE DISTRESSED.

T.

N°. 337. Thursday, March 27, 1712

I

[BUDGELL.

Fingit equum tenerâ docilem cervice magister
Ire viam, qua monstret eques.

-HOR., 1 Ep. ii. 64.

HAVE lately received a third letter from the gentleman who has already given the public two essays upon education. As his thoughts seem to be very just and new upon this subject, I shall communicate them to the reader :

'SIR,

IF I had not been hindered by some extraordinary business, I should have sent you sooner my further thoughts upon education. You may please to remember that in my last letter I endeavoured to give the best reasons that could be urged in favour of a private or public education. Upon the whole,

1 Nos. 307, 313.

it may perhaps be thought that I seem rather inclined to the latter, though at the same time I confessed that virtue, which ought to be our first and principal care, was more usually acquired in the former.

'I intend, therefore, in this letter to offer at methods by which I conceive boys might be made to improve in virtue as they advance in letters.

I know that in most of our public schools vice is punished and discouraged whenever it is found out; but this is far from being sufficient unless our youth are at the same time taught to form a right judgment of things, and to know what is properly

virtue.

'To this end, whenever they read the lives and actions of such men as have been famous in their generation, it should not be thought enough to make them barely understand so many Greek or Latin sentences, but they should be asked their opinion of such an action or saying, and obliged to give their reasons why they take it to be good or bad. By this means they would insensibly arrive at proper notions of courage, temperance, honour, and justice.

'There must be great care taken how the example of any particular person is recommended to them in gross; instead of which they ought to be taught wherein such a man, though great in some respects, was weak and faulty in others. For want of this caution, a boy is often so dazzled with the lustre of a great character that he confounds its beauties with its blemishes, and looks even upon the faulty parts of it with an eye of admiration.

'I have often wondered how Alexander, who was naturally of a generous and merciful disposition, came to be guilty of so barbarous an action as that