SIR,

430. FROM MR. CIBBER*.

SEPT. 29, 1719.

WHILE the World was under the daily correction and authority of your Lucubrations, their influence on the publick was not more visible in any one instance than the sudden improvement (I might say reformation) of the Stage that immediately followed them: from whence it is now apparent, that many Papers (which the grave and severe then thought thrown away upon that subject) were, in your speaking to the Theatre, still advancing the same work, and instructing the same world in miniature; to the end that, whenever you thought fit to be silent, the Stage, as you had amended it, might, by a kind of substituted power, continue to posterity your peculiar manner of making the improvement of their minds their public diversion.

Nothing but a Genius so universally revered could, with such candour and penetration, have pointed out its faults and misconduct, and so effectually have redeemed its uses and excellence from prejudice and disfavour. How often have we known the most excellent Audiences drawn together at a day's warning, by the influence or warrant of a single Tatler, in a season when our best endeavours without it could not defray the charge of the performance! This powerful and innocent

*This was Cibber's Dedication to Sir Richard Steele, of "Ximenes, or The Heroic Daughter, a Tragedy, 1719."

artifice

artifice soon recovered us into fashion, and spirited us up to think such new favour of our Auditors worthy of our utmost industry: and it is to that industry, so instructed, the Stage now owes its reputation and prosperity and therefore, as I have heard you say (which I hope will justify my repeating it), "to talk of suppressing the Stage, because the licentiousness, ignorance, or poverty, of its former professors may have abused the proper ends of its institution, were, in Morality, as absurd a violence, as it would be in Religion to silence the pulpit, because sedition or treason has been preached there." And though for the same reason our ancient Legislature may have been justly provoked to mention such Actors in terms of ignominy, yet that ought no more to be a reproach to his Majesty's present Company of Comedians, than it is to the Patriots of old Rome, that their first founders were robbers and outlaws.

After such benefits received, what less return could the gratitude and interest of the Actors think of, than to intreat you to join in their petition to the Crown, to set you at their head *, that you might as justly partake of the profits as the praise and merit of supporting them? How much you have done for us was visible to all the world; what sense we have of it is yet known to few. I therefore take this occasion to make our acknowledgments, if possible, as public as our obligations.

The good you have done mankind gives every sensible heart a double delight; that of the bene

*See "Cibber's Statement of the Conduct of the Theatre under the Patent granted to Sir Richard Steele."

fit

fit itself, and the pleasure of thanking you and yet if we consider the world as one person, we cannot but say it has been ungrateful to you. Had public spirit been the measure of public bounty, it had been no Court-secret, how you had so suddenly run into an affluence of fortune; every peasant might have accounted for that, though the speculations of a gentleman may be puzzled at the contrary. But when a private man, in the service of his Country, exerts a genius and courage that would better become his superiors, we are not to wonder, if (in right of their precedency) neglect or envy should reprimand his forwardness into manners and modesty. He is to be talked to in another style than he thinks of; and is to know the dignity of office is so sacred in its nature, that it is a sort of influence for a man to be wise before he comes into it; that great actions are not to thrust themselves into public service without order or direction; they ought properly, and only, to come from the hands of high birth or station; and the honour of our national spirit is not to be sullied, by owing its greatest instances to the ignoble head or heart of a Commoner. Would not one think, Sir, from your situation in the world, all this had been said to you? But so it is, when a man's services are too eminent for his station, that eminence is generally his reward; he then stands the public gaze of passengers, like a mountain in a meadow, deserted, poor, and thirsty, while the lands below him are watered into fatness and plenty. Had it been your humble choice to have lain in the common level of merit, your crop had of course been as full as your neighbours.

neighbours. But, if you think the world is to go out of its road for you, you will be told, "nobody can help your being in the wrong; you have had examples enough before you, that might have warned you into wiser observations." Did not the celebrated Author of Hudibras bring the King's enemies into a lower contempt with the sharpness ofhis wit, than all the terrors of his administration could reduce them to? Was not his book always in the pocket of his Prince? And what did the mighty prowess of this Knight-errant amount to? Whyhe died, with the highest esteem of the Court-in a garret Might not the corruption of those times have farther informed you too, that though a man had all the spirit and capacity of an antient Roman for the service of his Country; yet, if he would not enslave those talents to the will and dominion of some great Leader in the State, if he would not privately list in his troop, and implicitly obey orders, he was treated at best as a mutineer, and came off well if he was only cashiered, and made incapable of future preferment? Such, Sir, was then the language and practice of the world; and how much soever it may be mended now, it gives but a melancholy reflection to know, that while in the late Reign you were warmly supporting our staggering hopes of the Protestant Succession, the enemies of it, then in power, were subtle enough to offer -you a security of fortune, only to be silent. An uncomfortable account-that even the forbearance of a virtue should be worth more than the use of it.

But I am not to forget, there has been a circum-stance in your merit too, that could have happened

to

to no man but yourself. To say you had hazarded your life, or fortune, for the service of your Country, were but to allow you praise in common with thousands that have done the same: but, when we consider how amiable a fame you sacrificed to its interests, it would be barbarous not to inquire into the value of it. How long and happily did old Isaac triumph in the universal love and favour of his Readers? The grave, the chearful, the wise, the witty, old, young, rich, and poor, all sorts, though ever so opposite in character, whether beaux or bishops, rakes or men of business, coquets or statesmen, whigs or tories, all were equally his friends, and thought their tea in a morning had not its taste without him. Thus, while you appeared the agreeable Philosopher only, mankind by a general assent came into your applause and service. And yet, how in a moment was this calm and unrivalled enjoyment blown into the air, when the apprehension of your Country's being in a flame called upon you to resign it, by employing the same spirit of conviction in the restless office of a Patriot! for no sooner did you rise the champion of our insulted Constitution, than one half of the Nation (that had just before allowed you the proper Censor of our morals) in an instant denied you to have had either wit, sense, or genius; the column they had been two years jointly raising to your reputation was then, in as few days, thrown down by the implacable hands that raised it. But, when they found no attacks of prejudice could deface the real beauty of your Writings, and that they still recovered from the blow, their malice then