an action at a distance, than if he be personally engaged in the field. For the most part, we are either too near or too distant. For this reason we are seldom able to appreciate justly; for most of us want the opportunities enjoyed by Manni, who was enabled, in his History of the Jubilees,' to enumerate not only the names of illustrious persons who visited Rome during those periods; but to include an account of in what manner, and to what degree, those personages inoculated their respective countries with the manners, customs, and practices of Italy. LIV. WHO CENSURE AND YET PURSUE THE SAME COURSE. POLITICIANS often blame the acts of their adversaries; and yet, the moment they come into power, pursue the same system themselves. We may give an instance, out of myriads, in the enemies of Sir Robert Walpole. They condemned his measures; and yet, almost immediately after his deposition, adopted them. But the inconsistencies, in this respect, of persons that pursue the trade of politics, are so manifold, and often so ludicrous, that it would be wasting time to make further remarks upon them. They must be left to themselves. Our volumes are too small for the number. LV. WHO ARE KNOWN BY THEIR DRESS. No one is to be implicitly judged of by his taste in music, painting, architecture, fine residences, fine clothes, or a love of flowers. All these are equally characteristic of men of virtuous elegance and men of an elegant baseness. There is, however, this difference; the former will enjoy them only when they can do so with discretion; the latter will perpetrate every species of atrocity to acquire the means to enjoy them. The method of knowing a nobleman, undistinguished by a riband, a star, or a garter, from a mere gentleman; a lady of rank from the wife of a merchant, or the daughter of a banker, is somewhat altered of late years. There is no mark less distinguishing. Even Cloten would have altered his language: Thou villain base! Know'st me not by my clothes? And here we may remark, that Cloten is drawn as having been more enraged against Imogen*, for saying that the meanest of Leonatus' garments were more dear to her than all the hairs he had about him, than any other expression of contempt. He thought the splendid vapoury of dress the most distinguishing sign of rank and royalty; and in this the poor fool was far from being singular. The Honourable John Damer (husband of the celebrated amateur sculptress) would sometimes wear three new suits in a day. At length his folly led him to suicide †; and, a short time after his death, his wardrobe was sold by auction, and realized for his widow no less a sum than 15,000l. Some one has truly remarked, that a neglect of dress *Cymbeline, act ii. sc. 3. † Aug. 15, 1776. in red people multiplies their wrinkles and exposes their infirmities; and that an affected curiosity of apparel has a similar effect. Of this there can be no doubt. The mortification of vanity sometimes produces a gratification of it. Perhaps we may adduce an anecdote of the Duke of Newcastle as an instance :-' His Grace 'kept the most princely table and the greatest number of 'domestics of any nobleman in the three kingdoms; nor 'would he suffer any one of them, during a series of years, to dispose of any part of their old liveries, but made this usual perquisite up to them by douceurs; ' and the cast clothes were carefully deposited in a large 'store-room appropriated for that purpose, where they ' remained until after his Grace's decease, when they were sold; at which time the number of suits were so great, that for a year or two after scarcely a carter, coachman, drayman, chairman, or porter, in London, 'but wore Newcastle livery.' Now it would be rather difficult to determine, in this instance, whether the Duke would be more pleased, or displeased, at the conduct of his successor; for though his Grace might have detested the sale, his vanity might, perhaps, have been still more largely gratified; since the distribution of so many suits made his livery almost as common as that of the king. Silver, gold, tinsel, colours, uniforms, bells, buttons, and beads, have a most astonishing effect upon savages, semi-barbarians, slaves, servants, soldiers, boys, girls, young women, married women, old women, tailors, and those they make, viz. beaux, blockheads, and those old men who are commonly called either old beaux or old women. And this may remind us of Lord Carlisle and Lord Mansfield. Lord Carlisle is represented by Lord Clarendon as having had an universal understanding; but, finding that business was attended with rivals and vexations, he became so greatly attached to diet, equipage, and dress, that, though he acquired great wealth from the crown, he left neither one house nor one acre of ground to be remembered by. Lord Mansfield was rather opposite to this; and Sir Joshua Reynolds, having finished his portrait, inquired if his Lordship thought it a likeness. I can' not say,' answered Lord Mansfield, ' for as my servant ́ dresses me, and puts my wig on every morning, it is unnecessary for me to look in a glass; and, to tell you 'the truth, I have not done so for the last thirty years of my life.' The works of Goldsmith are distinguished by the chastest simplicity; yet his character may be described best by his dress; which not only Boswell, but Northcote, represent as having been exceedingly tawdry. We may remember, also, that not only Helvetius, but Mr. Fox, walked and dressed, in early life, like finished coxcombs. The latter even vied with the late Lord Carlisle as to who should have the honour of introducing red shoes. How plain in dress he afterwards became,how unaffected in his manners,-is known to every one. Greater, however, than these may yet be cited. How was Aristotle distinguished amid the crowd?-by the multiplicity of rings he wore upon his fingers; and Buffon never suffered himself to be seen, even by vil lagers, but in full dress, and with his fingers loaded with rings. As to the ladies, their privilege is dress; Show me not thy painted beauties, Those impostures I defy* ;' but beauties, set off by elegance of taste in dress, are not to be defied. The effects of plainness of dress, too, are not always unaccompanied by danger; and even the holy father, Chrysostom, acknowledged it. 'Behold,' thou say'st, my gown is plain, My sandals are of texture rude; Is this like one whose heart is vain, LVI. WHO DESIRE TO REDUCE ALL MEN TO THEIR OWN LEVEL. THESE are perpetually reminding one of a passage in the fable of the Bees. Others follow'd mysteries, *George Withers. † Moore's translation. |