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diff --git a/old/16299-8.txt b/old/16299-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3b089ee --- /dev/null +++ b/old/16299-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1961 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Critical Essay on Characteristic-Writings +by Henry Gally + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Critical Essay on Characteristic-Writings + From his translation of The Moral Characters of Theophrastus (1725) + +Author: Henry Gally + +Editor: Alexander H. Chorney + +Release Date: July 15, 2005 [EBook #16299] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CRITICAL ESSAY *** + + + + +Produced by David Starner, Louise Hope and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + The Augustan Reprint Society + + + HENRY GALLY + + A Critical Essay on Characteristic-Writings + + from his translation of + + The Moral Characters of Theophrastus + + (1725) + + + + + With an Introduction by + Alexander H. Chorney + + Publication Number 33 + + + Los Angeles + William Andrews Clark Memorial Library + University of California + 1952 + + + * * * * * + +GENERAL EDITORS + +H. RICHARD ARCHER, _Clark Memorial Library_ +RICHARD C. BOYS, _University of Michigan_ +ROBERT S. KINSMAN, _University of California, Los Angeles_ +JOHN LOFTIS, _University of California, Los Angeles_ + + +ASSISTANT EDITOR + +W. EARL BRITTON, _University of Michigan_ + + +ADVISORY EDITORS + +EMMETT L. AVERY, _State College of Washington_ +BENJAMIN BOYCE, _Duke University_ +LOUIS BREDVOLD, _University of Michigan_ +JAMES L. CLIFFORD, _Columbia University_ +ARTHUR FRIEDMAN, _University of Chicago_ +EDWARD NILES HOOKER, _University of California, Los Angeles_ +LOUIS A. LANDA, _Princeton University_ +SAMUEL H. MONK, _University of Minnesota_ +ERNEST MOSSNER, _University of Texas_ +JAMES SUTHERLAND, _University College, London_ +H.T. SWEDENBERG, JR., _University of California, Los Angeles_ + + +CORRESPONDING SECRETARY + +EDNA C. DAVIS, _Clark Memorial Library_ + + + * * * * * + +INTRODUCTION + + +Henry Gally's _A Critical Essay on Characteristic-Writings_, here +reprinted, is the introductory essay to his translation of _The Moral +Characters of Theophrastus_ (1725). Of Gally's life (1696-1769) little +is known. Apparently his was a moderately successful ecclesiastical +career: he was appointed in 1735 chaplain-in-ordinary to George II. His +other published works consist of sermons, religious tracts, and an +undistinguished treatise on the pronunciation of Greek. + +His essay on the character, however, deserves attention because it is +the first detailed and serious discussion by an Englishman of a literary +kind immensely popular in its day. English writers before Gally had, of +course, commented on the character. Overbury, for example, in "What A +Character Is" (_Sir Thomas Overbury His Wife..._ 1616) had defined the +character as "wit's descant on any plain-song," and Brathwaite in his +Dedication to _Whimzies_(1631) had written that character-writers must +shun affectation and prefer the "pith before the rind." Wye Saltonstall +in the same year in his Dedicatory Epistle to _Picturae Loquentes_ had +required of a character "lively and exact Lineaments" and "fast and +loose knots which the ingenious Reader may easily untie." These remarks, +however, as also Flecknoe's "Of the Author's Idea of a Character" +(_Enigmaticall Characters_, 1658) and Ralph Johnson's "rules" for +character-writing in _A Scholar's Guide from the Accidence to the +University_ (1665), are fragmentary and oblique. Nor do either of the +two English translations of Theophrastus before Gally--the one a +rendering of La Bruyère's French version,[1] and the other, Eustace +Budgell's _The Moral Characters of Theophrastus_ (1714)--touch more +than in passing on the nature of the character. Gally's essay, in which +he claims to deduce his critical principles from the practice of +Theophrastus, is both historically and intrinsically the most +important work of its kind. + +Section I of Gally's essay, thoroughly conventional in nature, is +omitted here. In it Gally, following Casaubon,[2] theorizes that the +character evolved out of Greek Old Comedy. The Augustans saw a close +connection between drama and character-writing. Congreve (Dedication to +_The Way of the World_, 1700) thought that the comic dramatist Menander +formed his characters on "the observations of Theophrastus, of whom he +was a disciple," and Budgell, who termed Theophrastus the father of +modern comedy, believed that if some of Theophrastus's characters "were +well worked up, and brought upon the British theatre, they could not +fail of Success."[3] Gally similarly held that a dramatic character +and Theophrastan character differ only in + + the different Manner of representing the same Image. The _Drama_ + presents to the Eyes of a Spectator an Actor, who speaks and acts as + the Person, whom he represents, is suppos'd to speak and act in real + Life. The _Characteristic_ Writer introduces, in a descriptive manner, + before a Reader, the same Person, as speaking and acting in the same + manner. + +Section III of Gally's essay, like Section I thoroughly conventional, +is also omitted here. Gally attributes to Theophrastus the spurious +"Proem," in which Theophrastus, emphasizing his ethical purpose, +announces his intention of following up his characters of vice with +characters of virtue. At one point Gally asserts that Theophrastus +taught the same doctrine as Aristotle and Plato, but + + accommodated Morality to the Taste of the _Beau Monde_, with all the + Embellishments that can please the nice Ears of an intelligent Reader, + and with that inoffensive Satir, which corrects the Vices of Men, + without making them conceive any Aversion for the Satirist. + +It is Gally's concept of the character as an art-form, however, which +is most interesting to the modern scholar. Gally breaks sharply with +earlier character-writers like Overbury who, he thinks, have departed +from the Theophrastan method. Their work for the most part reflects +corrupted taste: + + A continued Affectation of far-fetched and quaint Simile's, which + runs thro' almost all these Characters, makes 'em appear like so many + Pieces of mere Grotesque; and the Reader must not expect to find + Persons describ'd as they really are, but rather according to what + they are thought to be like. + +And Gally attacks one of the favorite devices of the seventeenth-century +character: + + An Author, in this Kind, must not dwell too long upon one Idea; As + soon as the masterly Stroke is given, he must immediately pass on + to another Idea.... For if, after the masterly Stroke is given, the + Author shou'd, in a paraphrastical Manner, still insist upon the same + Idea, the Work will immediately flag, the Character grow languid, and + the Person characteris'd will insensibly vanish from the Eyes of the + Reader. + +One has only to read a character like Butler's "A Flatterer" to +appreciate Gally's point. The Theophrastan method had been to describe +a character operatively--that is, through the use of concrete dramatic +incident illustrating the particular vice. The seventeenth-century +character is too often merely a showcase for the writer's wit. One +frequently finds a succession of ingenious metaphors, each redefining +from a slightly different angle a type's master-passion, but blurring +rather than sharpening the likeness. + +Gally insists that the style of the character be plain and easy, +"without any of those Points and Turns, which convey to the Mind nothing +but a low and false Wit." The piece should not be tediously rambling, +but compact. It must have perfect unity of structure: each sentence +should add a significant detail to the portrait. The manner ought +to be lively, the language pure and unaffected. + +As for the character-writer's materials, they are "Human Nature, in its +various Forms and Affections." Each character should focus on a single +vice or virtue, yet since "the Heart of Man is frequently actuated by +more Passions than one," subsidiary traits ought to be included to round +out the portrait (e.g., the covetous man may also be impudent, the +impudent man generous). Budgell had expressed a similar conception. A +character, he wrote, "may be compared to a Looking-glass that is placed +to catch a particular Object; but cannot represent that Object in its +full Light, without giving us a little Landskip of every thing else +that lies about it."[4] By Gally's time writers like Pascal, La +Rochefoucauld, and La Bruyère had done much to show the complex +and paradoxical nature of human behaviour. Gally, who praises La +Rochefoucauld as the one modern as well equipped as Theophrastus to +compose characters, reacts with his age against the stale types which +both comedy and the character had been retailing _ad nauseam_. Human +nature, says Gally, is full of subtle shadings and agreeable variations +which the character ought to exploit. He quotes Temple to the effect +that England is richer than any other nation in "original Humours" and +wonders that no one has yet attempted a comprehensive portrait-gallery +of English personality. Those writers who have come closest to Gally's +idea of how "humour" ought to be handled are the "great Authors" of the +_Tatlers_ and _Spectators_, with their "interspers'd Characters of Men +and Manners compleatly drawn to the Life." + +In admiring the Roger de Coverley sketches, Gally typifies the +increasingly tolerant attitude of the Augustans toward eccentric +behavior.[5] Like Sterne and Fielding he is delighted by people whose +idiosyncracies are harmless and appealing. As for the harsh satiric +animus of a character-writer like Butler, it is totally alien to Gally, +who would chide good-naturedly, so as "not to seem to make any Attacks +upon the Province of Self-Love" in the reader. "Each Man," he writes, +"contains a little World within himself, and every Heart is a new +World." The writer should understand and appreciate, not ridicule, +an individual's uniqueness. + +Of course, the character as Theophrastus wrote it described the type, +not the particular person. Gally, who sets up Theophrastus as his model, +apparently fails to realize that a "humourist" like Sir Roger verges on +individuality. Indeed, while discussing the need for writers to study +their own and other men's passions, he emphasizes that "without a +Knowledge of these Things, 'twill be impossible ever to draw a Character +so to the Life, as that it shall hit one Person, and him only." Here +Gally might well be talking of the Clarendon kind of portrait. If a +character is "one Person, and him only," he is no longer a type, but +somebody peculiarly himself. + +Gally, then, is not as Theophrastan as he professes to be. True, he +harks back to Theophrastus in matters of style and technique. And he +does not criticize him, as does La Bruyère,[6] for paying too much +attention to a man's external actions, and not enough to his "Thoughts, +Sentiments, and Inclinations." Nevertheless his mind is receptive to +the kind of individuated characterization soon to distinguish the +mid-eighteenth century novel. The type is still his measuring-stick, but +he calibrates it far less rigidly than a Rymer analyzing Iago or Evadne. +A man can be A Flatterer or A Blunt Man and still retain a private +identity: this private identity Gally recognizes as important. Gally's +essay thus reflects fundamental changes in the English attitude toward +human nature and its literary representation. + +Alexander H. Chorney +Fellow, Clark Library +Los Angeles, California + + + Notes to the Introduction + + 1. _The Characters, Or The Manners of the Age. By Monsieur De La + Bruyère of the French Academy. Made English by several hands. With the + Characters of Theophrastus..._ 1699. 2 vols. + + 2. Isaac Casaubon's Latin edition of Theophrastus appeared in 1592 and + was reprinted frequently during the seventeenth century. + + 3. Eustace Budgell, _The Moral Characters of Theophrastus_ (1714), + Preface, sig. a5. + + 4. _Ibid._, sig. a6 verso. + + 5. For a full account of the shift in attitude see Edward Miles + Hooker, "Humour in the Age of Pope," _Huntington Library Quarterly_, + XL (1948), 361-385. + + 6. "A Prefatory Discourse concerning Theophrastus," in _The + Characters, Or The Manners of the Age_, II, xxii. + + + * * * * * + + The + Moral Characters + of + + THEOPHRASTUS. + + Translated from + The Greek, with Notes. + To which is prefix'd + + A + CRITICAL ESSAY + on + Characteristic-Writings. + + By Henry Gally, M.A. Lecturer of + St. Paul's Covent-Garden, and + Rector of Wanden in Buckinghamshire. + + Respicere exemplar vitæ morumque jubebo + Doctum imitatorem, & vivas hinc ducere voces. + Hor. in Art. Poet. + + + LONDON: + Printed for John Hooke, at the _Flower- + de-luce_ over-against St. _Dunstan's_ Church in + _Fleet-street_. MDCCXXV. + + + * * * * * + + THE + + PREFACE. + + +The following Papers, which I now commit to the Public, have lain by +me unregarded these many Years. They were first undertaken at the +Request of a Person, who at present shall be nameless. Since that +Time I have been wholly diverted from Studies of this Nature, and +my Thoughts have been employed about Subjects of a much greater +Consequence, and more agreeable to my Profession: Insomuch, that I had +nothing in my Mind less than the Publication of these Papers; but some +Friends, who had perus'd them, were of Opinion, that they deserv'd to +be publish'd, and that they might afford an agreeable Entertainment +not without some Profit to the Reader. _These_ Motives prevailed upon +me to give _them_ a second Care, and to bestow upon them so much +Pains, as was necessary to put them in that State, in which they now +appear. + +The first Piece that the Reader will meet with is, _A Critical +ESSAY on Characteristic-Writings_: It treats of the Origin of those +Writings: It points out the general Laws to be observ'd in such +Compositions, and it contains some Reflexions on _Theophrastus's_ and +Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ Performances in this Way. The Design of this at +least is, I think, new. Mr. _Fabricius_ mentions a [A]Book, which, by +its Title, shou'd bear some Relation to this Essay, but tho' I have +enquir'd after it pretty strictly, yet I never cou'd get a Sight of +it, nor have I conversed with any Person that had perus'd it. + + [A: Georgii Paschii Professoris Kiloniensis Diatriba de + philosophia Characteristica & Parænetica. 4to. _Kilonie._ 1705. + Vid. Fabric. Bib. Græc. L. 3. p. 241.] + +The next Piece is a Translation of the _Moral Characters of +Theophrastus_ from the _Greek_. This is not the first Time that +_Theophrastus_ has appeared in a modern Dress. Mr. _de la Bruyere_ +translated him into _French_: And this was the Foundation of those +Characters, which he himself compos'd, and which gave Rise to those +many Performances, that were afterwards attempted in the same Way. +[B]Mr. _Menage_ has highly extoll'd this Translation. _Elle est_, says +he, _bien belle, & bien françoise, & montre que son Auteur entend +parfaitement le Grec. Je puis dire que j'y ay vu des Choses, que, +peut etre, Faute d'Attention, je n'avois pas vues dans le Grec._ This +is great; and it must be own'd that Mr. _Menage_ was a Man of very +extensive Learning, and a great Master of the _Greek_ Tongue; but that +his Judgment was always equal to his Knowledg of Words, will not be so +readily allow'd. Besides, the Credit of the Books ending in _ana_ runs +very low, and in particular the _Menagiana_ have been disown'd by Mr. +_Menage's_ own [C]Relations, as being injurious to the Merit and +Memory of that great Man. And therefore it must still be left to the +inquisitive and judicious Reader to determine, whether those Faults, +which I have observ'd in Mr. _de la Bruyere'_s Translation are justly +censur'd or not. + + [B: Menagiana. Ed. _Paris._ 1715. T. 4. p. 219.] + + [C: Mr. _du Tremblay_. Traité des Langues. ad fin.] + +The _Characters_ of _Theophrastus_ have been twice translated into +_English_. The former Translation is _anonymous_, and the latter was +done by the ingenious Mr. _Eustace Budgell_. It will be expected that +I shou'd say something of these two Translations. And I shall be the +more ready to do this, because I shall hereby insensibly lead the +Reader to the Reasons which induc'd me to undertake a +third. + +The anonymous _English_ Translation is said to have been done upon +the _Greek_. But this is only a Pretence, and a low Artifice of the +ignorant Translator: For in reality 'tis no more than a mean and +insipid Translation of the _French_ of Mr. _de la Bruyere_, revis'd +upon the _Latin_ of _Casaubon_, which answers almost verbally to the +Original _Greek_. If this were a Matter of Importance, I wou'd here +fully demonstrate it: For the Fact is so glaring, that tho' the +Translator is wholly unknown to me, yet I can aver what I have +asserted to be Truth, almost as certainly, as if I had been an Eye +Witness to the doing of it_. + +Mr. _Budgell_'s Translation must be own'd to be polite: But politeness +is not the only Qualification that is required in such a Translation. +The learn'd Reader, who understands the Original, will consider it in +a different View. And to judg of it according to those Rules which +Translators ought to observe, it must be condemned. In general, it is +not exact and accurate enough; but what is far worse, Mr. _Budgell_ +gives, in too many Instances, his own Thoughts instead of representing +the true Sense of _Theophrastus_. This is perverting the _Humour_ of +the Original, and, in Effect, making a new Work, instead of giving +only a Translation. Mr. _Budgell_ ingenuously confesses, that he has +taken a great deal of Liberty; but when a Translator confesses thus +much, it does but give the Reader good Reason to suspect that instead +of taking a great deal, he has in reality taken too +much. + +Antient Authors (when they are translated) suffer in nothing more, +than in having the Manners and Customs, to which they allude, +transformed into the Manners and Customs of the present Age. By this +Liberty, or rather Licenciousness of Translators, Authors not only +appear in a different Dress, but they become unlike themselves, by +losing that peculiar and distinctive Character in which they excel. +This is most palpable in those Authors, whose Character consists in +_Humour_. Let any one read _Terence_, as he is translated by Mr. +_Echard_, and he will take him to have been a Buffoon: Whereas +_Terence_ never dealt in such a Kind of low Mirth. His true Character +is, to have afforded to his Spectators and Readers the gravest, and, +at the same Time, the most agreeable, most polite Entertainment of +any antient Author now extant. This is, in some Measure, the Case of +_Theophrastus:_ He has been transformed; and he has suffer'd in the +Transformation. What I have endeavoured is, to do him that Justice +which, I think, he has not hitherto met with, by preserving the native +Simplicity of his Characters, by retaining those antient Manners and +Customs which he alludes to, and keeping up the peculiar _Humour_ of +the Original as nearly, as the Difference of Language wou'd allow. +This is the Attempt; how far I have succeeded, must be let to the +judicious and curious Reader to determine. Thus much I thought +necessary to say concerning former Translations, in order to justify +my own Undertaking, which will not acquire an intrinsic Merit from the +Censures, that I have pass'd upon others. No: The Faults of others +cannot extenuate our own; and that Stamp, which every Work carries +along with it, can only determine of what Kind it really +is. + +The Reader will expect that I shou'd here say a Word or two +concerning the _Notes_ which follow the _Characters_. Some Authors or +Commentators (call them which you will) out of a vain Ostentation of +Literature, lay hold of the slightest of Opportunities to expose all +their Learning to the World, without ever knowing when they have said +enough: Insomuch, that in most Commentaries upon antient Authors, one +may sooner meet with a System of Antiquities, than with Solutions of +the real Difficulties of the Text. Consider'd barely as a Translator, +I lay under no immediate Necessity of writing _Notes_, but then as +I was highly concern'd, even in that Capacity, to lay before the +_English_ Reader, what I took to be the true Sense of the _Greek_, +and as I farther propos'd to preserve that particular _Humour_ of the +Original, which depends on those Manners and Customs which are alluded +to, I found, my self necessitated to add some _Notes_; but yet I have +endeavoured to shun that Fault, which I have already censur'd, by +saying no more, but what was immediately necessary, to illustrate +the Text, to vindicate a received Sense, or to propose a new one. + +I am not conscious of having made any great Excursions beyond the +Bounds which these Rules prescrib'd to me, unless it is in the Chapter +concerning _Superstition_. And even here, unless the Commentary had +been somewhat copious, the Text it self wou'd have appear'd like a +motly Piece of mysterious Nonsense. Thus much I thought my self +oblig'd to do in Justice to _Theophrastus_; and as for the +Enlargements which I have made, over and above what wou'd have +satisfy'd this Demand, they will not, 'tis hop'd, be unacceptable to +the curious Reader. They are Digressions I own; but I shall not here +offer to make one Digression to execute another, or, according to the +Custom and Practice of modern Authors, beg a thousand Pardons of the +Reader, before I am certain of having committed one Offence. Such a +Procedure seems preposterous. For when an Author happens to digress, +and take a Trip +huper ta eskammena+, beyond the Bounds prescrib'd; +the best, the only consistent thing he can do, is to take his Chance +for the Event. If what he has said does not immediately relate to the +Matter in Hand, it may nevertheless be _a propos_, and good in its +Kind; and then instead of Censure, he will probably meet with Thanks; +but if it be not good, no prefatory Excuses will make it so: And +besides, it will ever be insisted on, that 'tis an easier Matter to +strike out bad Digressions, than it is to write good +Apologies. + +One Word more, and then I have done. Since Mr. _Budgell_ has thought +fit to censure Mr. _de la Bruyere_, for troubling his Reader with +_Notes_, I think my self oblig'd, in order to justify both Mr. _de la +Bruyere_ and my self, to shew that this Censure is very unreasonable, +and very unjust.[D] Mr. _Budgell's_ Words are as follow. + + _Theophrastus_, at the Time he writ, referr'd to nothing but what + was well known to the meanest Person in _Athens_; but as Mr. _Bruyere_ + has manag'd it, by hinting at too many _Grecian_ Customs, a modern + Reader is oblig'd to peruse one or two _Notes_, which are frequently + longer than the Sentence it self he wou'd know the meaning of. But if + those Manners and Customs, which _Theophrastus_ alludes to, were, in + his Time, well known to the meanest _Athenian_, it does not follow + that they are now so well known to a modern Reader. + + [D: Preface to his Translation of _Theophrastus_.] + +_Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ Fault does not consist in having put _Notes_ +to his Translation, but rather in not having put enough. When a +Translator of an antient Author intends to preserve the peculiar +Character of the Original, _Notes_ become absolutely necessary to +render the Translation intelligible to a modern Reader. The Learn'd +may pass them over; and those, for whom _Explanatory Notes_ are +chiefly designed, must not think it too much Trouble, to bestow a +second Reading on the Text, after they have given a First to the +Whole. This Trouble (if any thing ought to be call'd so that conveys +Instruction) is no more than what many persons, who have attained to +no small share of Knowledg in the learn'd Languages, must submit to, +at the first Perusal of an Original Author. If in a translated Author +any Difficulties occur, on this Head, to a modern Reader, and the +Translator has taken Care to clear up those difficulties by adding +_Notes_, the modern Reader ought to thank him for his Pains, and not +think his Labour superfluous. + +'Tis hop'd then that the _Notes_, that I have added, will be kindly +receiv'd. The Reader will nevertheless be at full Liberty to peruse +them, or to pass them over. If he if but so favourable as to approve +of the Translation it self, this will be a sufficient Satisfaction to +the Translator, and be looked upon as no finall Commendation of the +Performance. For a Translation, if it be well performed, ought in +Justice to be receiv'd as a good Commentary_. + + + + +SECT. II. + + +There is no Kind of polite Writing that seems to require a deeper +Knowledge, a livelier Imagination, and a happier Turn of Expression +than the Characteristic. Human Nature, in its various Forms and +Affections, is the Subject; and he who wou'd attempt a Work of this +Kind, with some assurance of Success, must not only study other Men; +he has a more difficult Task to perform; he must study himself. The +deep and dark Recesses of the Heart must be penetrated, to discover +how Nature is disguis'd into Art, and how Art puts on the Appearance +of Nature.--This Knowledge is great; 'tis the Perfection of Moral +Philosophy; 'tis an inestimable Treasure: But yet if it shou'd fall +into the Hands of one, who wants proper Abilities to communicate his +Knowledge to the World, it wou'd be of no Service but to the Owner: It +wou'd make him, indeed, an able Philosopher, but not an able Writer of +Characters. + +The Mind has its peculiar Features as well as the Body; and these +must be represented in their genuine and native Colours, that so the +Picture may strike, and every Reader, who is concern'd in the Work, +may presently discover himself; and those, who are unconcern'd may, +nevertheless, immediately perceive a just Correspondence between that +Piece and Nature. + +Every Action has its proper Thought, and every Thought its proper +Expression. And these Correspondences are not imaginary, but have a +real Foundation in Nature: For when any one of these is wanting, the +whole is lame and defective, but when they all meet and conspire +together, the Character is then genuine and compleat, the Thing +or Person design'd is drawn to the Life, and the Reader is left +uncertain, whether the Character, that lies before him, is an Effect +of Art, or a real Appearance of Nature.--A Master-Piece of this Kind, +requires the Hand of one who is a Critic in Men and Manners, a Critic +in Thoughts, and a Critic in Language. + +A superficial Knowledge of human Nature, will never qualify a Man to +be a Writer of Characters. He must be a Master of the Science; and +be able to lead a Reader, knowingly, thro' that Labyrinth of the +Passions, which fill the Heart of Man, and make him either a noble or +a despicable Creature. For tho' some, who have never attempted any +thing of this kind, may think it an easy Matter to write two or three +Pages of Morality with Spirit, to describe an Action, a Passion, a +Manner; yet had they made the Experiment, the Event wou'd not have +answer'd their Expectation, and they wou'd have found, that this easy +Work was more difficult than they, at first, imagin'd. + +The Features of every single Passion must be known; the Relation which +that Passion bears to another, must be discover'd; and the Harmony and +Discord which result from them must be felt. Many have studied these +Things, but few have thoroughly understood them. The Labour is vast; +'tis almost infinite; and yet without a Knowledge of these Things, +'twill be impossible ever to draw a Character so to the Life, as that +it shall hit one Person, and him only. + +We have all of us different Souls, and our Souls have Affections +as different from one another, as our outward Faces are in their +Lineaments. Each Man contains a little World within himself, and +every Heart is a new World. We cannot therefore attain to a perfect +Knowledge of human Nature, by studying others or our selves alone, but +by studying both. 'Tis this Knowledge which sets the Philosopher above +the Peasant, and gives the Preference to one Author above another. +This Knowledge has a Force, something like to that of Magic Charms: by +the help of it one, who is Master of the Science, can turn Men inside +outwards, and expose them to the Eyes of the World, as they really +are, and not as they wou'd fain appear to be. By the help of this +Knowledge an intelligent Writer can form to his Reader the most +agreeable, most instructive Entertainment that can possibly be +desir'd; transport him, with the greatest Ease imaginable, from the +Solitude of his Chamber to Places of the greatest Concourse; there to +see and learn the Virtues of Men; there to see and shun their Vices, +without any danger of being corrupted by the Contagion of a real +Commerce. + +How absolutely necessary a thorough Insight into the Heart and +Passions of Man is to a Writer of Characters, will be more evident by +descending to some Particulars, and pointing out some of those nice +Circumstances, which a Writer of Characters must accurately observe, +and by which his Capacity in this Way may be easily judg'd +of. + +It must be observ'd then, that the Heart of Man is frequently actuated +by more Passions than one: And as the same Object does, by its +different Position, afford to the Spectator different Representations, +so does the same Affection of the Mind, by exerting it self after a +different manner, lay a real Foundation for so many distinct +Characters. The under Passions may, by their various Operations, cause +some Diversity in the Colour and Complexion of the Whole, but 'tis the +Master-Passion which must determine the Character. + +Since therefore the under Parts of a Character are not essential, they +may or may not be reciprocal. A covetous Man may be impudent, or he +may have some share of Modesty left: On the other Hand, an impudent +Man may be generous, or his Character may be stain'd by Avarice. And +therefore to make the Features of one Virtue or Vice enter, as under +Parts, into the Character of another Virtue or Vice, is so far from +being a Transgression of the Nature of Things, that, on the contrary, +all the Beauty of _Characteristic-Writing_, and all the Beauty which +arises from the Variety of an agreeable Mixture, entirely depends on +_this_. The main Difficulty consists in making the Master-Passion +operate so conspicuously throughout the Whole, as that the Reader may, +in every step of the Performance, immediately discover +it. + +The Truth of it is, that there are some Affections of the Mind, which +not only constitute of themselves a distinct Virtue or Vice, but are +also the Foundation of many others. Avarice is of this extensive +Nature; it constitutes, of it self, a distinct Character, and it +enters into the Competition of several others. St. _Paul_ says, that +_the love of money is the root of all evil_; which Maxim the spurious +_Phocylides_ has express'd in the following Verse, + + +Hê philochrêmosunê mêtêr kakotêtos hapasês.+ + +This Doctrine may be made yet more sensible by applying it to the +Practice of _Theophrastus_, whose Conduct, in this Respect, ought +to be look'd upon as an authentick Pattern. Rusticity, Avarice and +Impudence, are in their own Nature distinct Vices, but yet there is a +very near Relation between them, which has a real Foundation in the +Actions of Men. And, as on the one Hand, _Theophrastus_ has drawn +distinct Characters of these Vices, so, on the other Hand, he has made +the peculiar Features of one or more of these Vices enter into the +Characters of the other. This is Matter of Fact; and if the Reader +will be at the Pains to compare the _6th_, _9th_, and _11th_, +Chapters, as he will be perswaded of the Truth of what is here +asserted, so will he be convinc'd, at the same Time, that +_Theophrastus_ has not confounded by this Mixture the real Nature +of Things, or transgress'd thereby, in any wise, the Rules of +_Characteristic-Justice_. + +Again; Loquacity and an ill-tim'd Behaviour are two very different +Vices in common Conversation; but yet _Theophrastus_ has concluded his +Character of Loquacity, with the same Stroke which begins that of an +ill-tim'd Behaviour; because tho' these Vices are of a different +Nature, yet do they not exclude each other; and the Actions of Men +manifestly prove, that they are frequently to be found in the same +Subject. + +The nice Reader therefore, instead of being offended to find the +peculiar Features of one Vice interspers'd in the Character of +another, ought, on the contrary, to admire the Judgment and Accuracy +of _Theophrastus_ in this Respect: For this Mixture does not proceed +from Inaccuracy, but is founded in Nature: And 'tis the Work of a +sagacious Head, as well to discover the near Relations that are +between different things, as to separate those Things, which by +Nature are nearly related, but yet are really distinct. + +The Beauty of every Kind of Writing arises from the Conformity +which it bears to Nature; and therefore the Excellency of +_Characteristic-Writings_ must consist in exact Representations of +human Nature.--This Harmony between Art and Nature may be call'd +Justice: And tho' the Boundaries of it may be more extensive in those +Works, in which a greater Range is allow'd to the Imagination, yet +still, Invention and Fiction must be admitted in _Characteristic- +Writings_, when the Characters design'd are of a general Nature; +for then the Writer does not copy from an individual Original, and +all the Extravagances of Nature are natural, when they are well +represented. + +It requires, I own, a great deal of Penetration to hit exactly this +Point of Reality: But then it must be confess'd, that as the great +difficulty of _Characteristic-Writing_ consists in this, so does the +main Beauty and Force of it too: For Objects are apt to affect and +move us according to their Presence or Absence; and a Character will +naturally strike us more forcibly, the more the Images, which it +consists of, are lively and natural; because the Object is then most +present to our Mind. + +Since every Feature must be drawn exactly to the Life, great Care must +be taken, that the Strokes be not too faint, nor yet too strong: For +Characteristic-Justice is to be observ'd as strictly by the Writers of +this Kind, as Poetic-Justice is to be by Poets. That Medium must be +copied, which Nature it self has mark'd out; whatever falls short of +it is poor and insipid, whatever is above it is Rant and +Extravagance. + + [E] _Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic, incredulus odi._ + + And whatsoever contradicts my Sense, + I hate to see, and never can believe. + Ld. _Roscommon_. + + [E: Horat. Art. Poet. _v._ 188.] + +A consummate Delicacy of Sentiments, and an exquisite Judgment are the +very Soul of _Characteristic-Writing_; for every particular Stroke, as +well as the whole Character, has a proper Degree of Perfection. To +attain this Point, and to bring the several Parts, as well as the +Whole, exactly to this Pitch, is the Work of a sagacious Head, and +of a perfect Judgment.--An Author, in this Kind, must not dwell too +long upon one Idea: As soon as the masterly Stroke is given, he must +immediately pass on to another Idea. This will give Life to the Work, +and serve to keep up the Spirit of the Writing, and of the Reader too: +Forif, after the masterly Stroke is given, the Author shou'd, in a +paraphrastical Manner, still insist upon the same Idea, the Work will +immediately flag, the Character grow languid, and the Person +characteris'd will insensibly vanish from the Eyes of the +Reader. + +An honest Writer, who has the Profit as well as the Pleasure of his +Reader in View, ought always to tell the Truth. But as he is at +Liberty to chuse his manner of telling it, so that Method of +Instruction ought to be observ'd in _Characteristic-Writings_, +which will keep up the good Humour of the Reader, altho' he is, at +the same Time, made sensible of his Errors. And this Artifice ought +industriously to be pursu'd, since the proper Management of it is so +necessary to the Success of _Characteristic-Writings_. For those who +love and admire Truth themselves, must yet be sensible that 'tis +generally unwelcome, both to themselves and to others, when the Point +of Self-Interest is concern'd. And the Reason of it is, not because +Truth is really ugly and deform'd, but because it presents to our View +certain Inconsistencies and Errors, which Self-Love will not allow us +to condemn. And therefore the great Art and Difficulty, in making +Truth pleasant and profitable, is so to expose Error, as not to seem +to make any Attacks upon the Province of Self-Love. + + [F] _Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico + Tangit, & admissus circum præcordia ludit, + Callidus excusso Populum suspendere naso._ + + [F: Persius Sat. I. V. 116, &c.] + + ----With conceal'd Design, + Did crafty _Horace_ his low Numbers join: + And, with a sly insinuating Grace, + Laugh'd at his Friend, and look'd him in the Face: + Wou'd raise a Blush, where secret Vice he found; + And tickle, while he gently prob'd the Wound. + With seeming Innocence the Crowd beguil'd; + But made the desp'rate Passes, when he smil'd. + Mr. _Dryden_. + +This was the Character of one of the greatest _Roman_ Poets; and in +this Art, amongst the Moderns, [G]_Benserade_ particularly excell'd, +if we may believe his Successor and Panegyrist _Pavillon_. + + [G: Dictionaire de _Bayle_. Artic. _Benserade._ Not. L.] + +What is the proper Style for _Characteristic-Writings_ is briefly laid +down by [H]_Libanius_ in the following Words. +Ergasê tên êthopoiian +charaktêri saphei, suntomô, anthêrô, apolutô, apêllagmenô pasês plokês +te kai schêmatos+. "When you describe Manners you must use a plain, +concise, florid, easy Style, free from all artificial Turns and +Figures." Every Thing must be even, smooth, easy and unaffected; +without any of those Points and Turns, which convey to the Mind +nothing but a low and false Wit, in which our Moderns so much abound, +and in which they seem to place their greatest Beauties. + + [H: Ap. _Is. Casaub._ Proleg. ad Theophrast.] + +The primary Standard for Style is the Nature of the Subject: And +therefore, as _Characteristic-Writings_ are professed Representations +of Nature, an Author in this Way is immediately concern'd to use a +simple and natural Style: Nor has he any Reason to fear, that this +will any ways prejudice his Performance, and make it appear low, flat +and insipid; for in Reality there is nothing more noble than a true +Simplicity, and nothing more beautiful than Nature, when it appears in +the easy Charms of its own native Dress. + +In _Characteristic-Writings_ both the Way of Thinking and the Style +must be Laconic: Much must be contained in a little Compass. Brevity +of Diction adds new Life to a good Thought: And since every perfect +Stroke ought to be a distinct Representation of a particular Feature, +Matters shou'd be so order'd, that every perfect Sentence may contain +a perfect Thought, and every perfect Thought may represent one +Feature. + +Many other Particulars might have been observ'd and recommended to +those, who wou'd attempt a Performance in this Kind, with some +Assurance of Success. The Laws of good Writing, in general, may and +ought to be applied to _Characteristic-Writing_, in particular, as far +as the Nature of it will bear. But to pursue these Things accurately, +wou'd carry me beyond the Bounds which the Title of this Work +prescribes to me. To shew the peculiar Nature; to point out +the principal Beauties, and to lay down the general Laws of +_Characteristic-Writing_, is all that was propos'd. Besides, I shall +have Occasion, in the Sequel of this Essay, to make some further +Observations relating to the Constitution of _Characteristic-Writings_; +which, to prevent Repetitions, I forbear mentioning here; but if the +Reader be religious in the Observance of a strict Method, he is at +full Liberty to alter the Situation of them, and to refer them to this +Section. + + + + +SECT. IV. + + +Mr. _de la Bruyere_ has given us a Translation of the Characters of +_Theophrastus_; to which he has annex'd what he calls the Characters +or Manners of the present Age. This Work was receiv'd with Applause, +and the Author gain'd by it a great Reputation amongst Men of polite +Literature. And if to make a great deal of Noise in the World, and to +undergo several Editions, were infallible Proofs of the intrinsick +Merit of a Book, Mr. _de la Bruyere_'s Performance would, upon both +these Accounts, sufficiently recommend itself to our Approbation. +--I confess, there are very considerable Beauties in this Piece: but +yet if it should be examin'd by those Rules of Characteristic-Writing, +which I have already mention'd, and which I take to be essential to +Performances in this Kind, I am afraid it would not be able, in every +Respect, to stand the Test of an impartial Examination. + +I do not intend to enter upon an exact Critique of this Piece; the +intended Brevity of this Essay will permit me to take Notice of but +some few Particulars.--I have no Design or Desire to derogate from the +Reputation of the deceas'd Author; but this I take to be a standing +Rule in Critical Writings, as well as in judicious Reading, that we +ought not to be so struck with the Beauties of an Author, as to be +blind to his Failings; nor yet so prejudiced by his Failings, as to +be blind to his Beauties. + +The original Design of Characteristic-Writings is to give us real +Images of Life. An exact Imitation of Nature is the chief Art which is +to be us'd. The Imagination, I own, may be allow'd to work in Pieces +of this Kind, provided it keeps within the Degrees of Probability; But +Mr. _de la Bruyere_ gives us Characters of Men, who are not to be +found in Nature; and, out of a false Affectation of the Wonderful, he +carries almost every thing to Excess; represents the Irregularities of +Life as downright Madness, and by his false Colours converts Men into +Monsters. + +[I]_Troilus_ is a very supercilious Man: And 'tis no ways inconsistent +with this Character to suppose, that he may entertain a natural +Antipathy against an ugly Face, or a bad Voice; but our Author +represents him as labourirg under this Distemper to such a Degree of +Excess, as, I believe, has never been observ'd in any Man. I do not +know by what Name it may be call'd. _Troilus_ conceives an immediate +Aversion against a Person that enters the Room where he is; he shuns +him, flies from him, and will throw himself out at the Window, rather +than suffer himself to be accosted by one, whose Face and Voice he +does not like.--Is this Humour, or, rather, are not these the genuine +Symptoms of Madness and Phrenzy? And if _Troilus_ does really act +after this manner, is he not rather an Object of Pity, than a Subject +for Humour and Ridicule? + + [I: De la Societè & de la Conversation. Ad init.] + +The Character of _Cleanthes_, in the same [K]Chapter, is a +Misrepresentation of Nature.--"_Cleanthes_ is a very honest Man; he +has chosen a Wife, who is the best and the most reasonable Woman in +the World: They, each of them, in their respective Ways, make up all +the Pleasure and Agreeableness of the Company they are in: 'Tis +impossible to meet with more Probity or Politeness. They part to +Morrrow, and the Deed of their Separation is ready drawn up at the +Notary's. There are, certainly, some Kinds of Merit that were never +made to be together, and some Virtues that are incompatible." But +those who are endow'd with such good Qualities, as Mr. _de la Bruyere_ +ascribes to _Cleanthes_ and his Wife, can never agree to a willful +Separation. Nay, 'tis a Contradiction to their Character to suppose +that either of 'em is faln into those Circumstances, which only can +make a Separation become lawful and just. 'Tis true, some Virtues and +Accomplishments, as well as some Vices, may be inconsistent with each +other. But to apply this Maxim to the present Case must betray a great +Want of Judgment and Knowledge in the Nature of Things: For where can +one expect to meet with a more perfect Harmony of Virtues, than in the +reciprocal Honesty, Reason and Good-breeding of _Cleanthes_ and his +Wife? + + [K: Ibid. fere.] + +An absent Man often acts out of the Way of common Life, when the Fit +of Absence is upon him; but that this Fit should dwell upon a Man, +so long as it does upon Mr. _de la Bruyere_'s[L] _Menalcas_ I confess, +passes my Belief.--_Menalcas_ rises in the Morning; and from that Time +till he goes to Bed again, he never recovers from his Fit of Absence: +The Distractions of his Mind admit of no Cessation or Interruption: +His whole Life is a continued Series of the greatest Follies. +_Menalcas_ is really never _Menalcas_; he has no lucid Intervals; +he is always another Man. + + [L: C. de l'Homme.] + +If we consult the Operations of our Soul, to discover the proper +Causes of what is call'd _Absence of Mind_, we shall perceive that +the Powers of it are sometimes contracted within themselves by a +Multiplicity of Thought: In these Cases the inward Exercise of the +Soul makes it unable to attend to any outward Object. But at other +Times the Soul wanders from itself; and in these Cases the Soul being +conversant about remote Objects, cannot immediately recover itself, so +as to reflect duly on those which are present. So that this Absence of +the Mind must proceed, either from a Fulness and Intention of Thought, +or from a Want of Reflexion. If it proceeds from a Fulness of Thought, +I say 'tis impossible for the Mind to keep bent so long, as that of +_Menalcas_ does: It must necessarily have some Relaxations. If it +proceeds from a Want of Reflexion, it must be confess'd, that he who +can live so many Hours without reflecting, must be either wholly +stupid, or some Degrees below the Species of Mankind. + +But what makes the Character of _Menalcas_ still more ridiculous +and unnatural is, that he is stupid and sensible at the same +Time.--_Menalcas_ is in the Drawing-Room at Court; and walking very +majestically under a Branch of Candlestics; his Wig is caught up by +one of them, and hangs dangling in the Air. All the Courtiers fall a +laughing.--_Menalcas_ unluckily loses his Feeling, but still retains +the Use of his Ears. He is insensible that his Wig is taken off his +Head; but yet is so happy as to hear the loud Mirth of the Courtiers, +and has still so much good Humour left as to join in Company with +them.--_Menalcas_ plays at Backgammon.--He calls for a Glass of Water; +'tis his Turn to throw; he has the Box in one Hand and the Glass in +the other; and being extremely dry, and unwilling to lose Time, he +swallows down both the Dice and almost the Box, and at the same +Time throws the Glass of Water into the Tables.--If this is not +to overstrain the Bow, to carry Things to an unnatural Excess and +Extravagance, and to make no Distinction between Absence of Mind and +Insensibility, or downright Folly, I confess, I know not what is. _Mr. +de la Bruyere_ should have consider'd, that a Man, who has lost his +Feeling, is not, in that Respect, a proper Subject for Ridicule, +and that 'tis no Jest to take away a Man's Senses. Extravagances of +this Nature are no Beauties in any Kind of Writing, much less in +Characteristics. In Performances of this Kind there must be Spirit and +Strength, but especially there must be Justice. The real Images of +Life must be represented, or the Probabilities of Nature must strictly +be observ'd. + + [M] _Respicere exemplar vitæ morumque jubebo + Doctum imitatorem, & vivas hinc ducere voces._ + + These are the likeliest Copies, which are drawn + By the Original of human Life. + Ld. _Roscommon_. + + [M: Horat. in Art. Poet. _v._ 317, &c.] + +The Strokes which compose a Character must be bold, but not +extravagant. Nature must not be distorted, to excite either Ridicule +or Admiration. Reason must hold the Reins of the Imagination: Judgment +must direct the Fancy; otherwise we shall be apt to miscarry, and +connect inconsistent Ideas, at the very Time, when we think we hit the +Point of Humour to the Life. + +The only Thing that can be said to excuse Mr. _de la Bruyere_ on this +Head, is what the Abbot _Fleury_ has alledg'd to his Praise; namely, +[N]that his Characters are sometimes loaded, on purpose that they +might not too nearly resemble the Persons design'd. + + [N: On trouve dans ses Characteres une severe Critique, des + Expressions vives, des Tours ingenieux, des Peintures quelquefois + chargeés exprés, pour ne les pas faire trop ressemblantes. + _Discours prononcé dans l'Academie Française._ 1696.] + +'Tis very dangerous, I confess, to make free with the Characters of +particular Persons; for there are some Men in the World, who, tho' +they are not asham'd of the Impropriety of their own + +Manners, yet are they easily offended at the public Notice which is +taken of 'em. But tho' Mr. _de la Bruyere_ might have very good +prudential Reasons for not making his Characters too particular, yet +those Reasons cannot be urg'd, as a just Plea for his transgressing +the Bounds of Characteristic-Justice, by making his Images unnatural. + +In every Kind of Writing there is something of an establish'd Nature +which is essential to it. To deviate from this, is to deviate from +Nature it self. Mr. _de la Bruyere_ is not the only _French_ Man who +is guilty in this Point. Others of his Country-Men have committed much +the same Fault in Pastoral and Comedy. Out of a vain Affectation of +saying something very extraordinary and remarkable, they have departed +from the nature of Things: They have given to the Simplicity of the +Country, the Airs of the Town and Court, introduced upon the Stage +Buffoonry and Farce instead of Humour; and by misrepresenting the real +Manners of Men, they have turn'd Nature into Grimace. + +The main Beauty of _Characteristic-Writings_ consists in a certain +Life and Spirit, which the Writer ought to endeavour to keep up, by +all the Arts which he is Master of. Nothing will contribute to this +more, than the Observance of a strict Unity in the very Conception of +a Character: For Characters are Descriptions of Persons and Things, as +they are such: And, as [O]Mr. _Budgell_ has very judiciously observ'd, +"If the Reader is diverted in the midst of a Character, and his +Attention call'd off to any thing foreign to it, the lively Impression +it shou'd have made is quite broken, and it loses more than half its +Force." But if this Doctrine be applied to the Practice of Mr. _de la +Bruyere_, it will find him Guilty. He sometimes runs his Characters +to so great a Length, and mixes in 'em so many Particulars and +unnecessary Circumstances, that they justly deserve the Name, rather +of Histories than Characters.--Such is the [P]Article concerning +_Emira_. 'Tis an artful Description of a Woman's Vanity, in pretending +to be insensible to the Power of Love, merely because she has never +been exposed to the Charms of a lovely Person; and there is nothing in +this Character, but what is agreeable to Nature, and carried on with a +great deal of Humour. But the many Particulars which Mr. _de la +Bruyere_ has drawn into the Composition of it, and which, in Truth, +are not essential to the main Design, have quite chang'd the Nature of +the Character, and converted it into a History, or rather a little +Romance.--'Tis true, Histories are Pictures as well as Characters; but +yet there will ever be as wide a Difference between 'em, as there is +between a Picture at full Length, and one in Miniature. + + [O: Preface to _Theophrastus_.] + [P: C. des Femmes. ad fin.] + +The [Q]Characters of _Giton_ and _Phebon_ are humorous enough. And +they are allow'd to be kept within the just Bounds of Probability. But +Mr. _de la Bruyere_ has heap'd up so many Particulars and unnecessary +Circumstances, which do not convey any new Ideas, that the Characters +grow languid and tedious.--_Giton_ is respected; every thing that he +says or does is approved of. _Phebon_ is despis'd; no Notice is taken +of what he says or does. The Reason of this Difference is not so +mysterious, but that it may be told in less than two or three Pages. +_Giton_ is rich, and _Phebon_ is poor. + + [Q: C. id. ibid. feré.] + +Sometimes there is such a Confusion in Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ Designs, +that one cannot easily discover whether he intended to draw the +Character of a particular Person, or to make a Picture of some +prevailing Vice, or only a moral Reflexion.--Such is the [R]Article of +_Zenobia_. Was it design'd for the Character of _Zenobia_? But 'tis +rather a Description of the Magnificence, and beautiful Situation of +the Palace, which she was then building. Or was it design'd to censure +and lash the Publicans of the Age, for the Extortions which they +practis'd, and the immense Riches which they amass'd by Fraud and +Oppression? But this Satir comes in only by the by, and in a very +jejune Manner. Or lastly, was it intended only for a moral Reflexion +on the sudden Revolutions and Vicissitudes of Fortune? But the Length +of this Article is inconsistent with the nature of a Reflexion; and if +any thing like this was intended, it must come in as the +epimuthion+, +the Moral of the Fable; which will make the Contents of this Article, +still more different from the nature of a Character, than any thing +that has yet been mentioned. + + [R: C. des Biers de Fortune. sub fin.] + +'Tis not enough that a Character be drawn conformable to that +Existence which it really has, or probably may have in Nature: It must +further be cloath'd in proper Sentiments, and express'd in a simple +and natural Style. But Mr. _de la Bruyere_, consider'd as a Writer of +Characters, is too affected in his way of Thinking, and too artificial +in the Turn of his Expressions. + +The previous Apology which he made for himself in this Point, is so +far from the Purpose, that nothing is more so. + + Recollecting, [S]says he, that amongst the Writings ascrib'd to + _Theophrastus_ by _Diogenes Laertius_, there is one which bears the + Title of _Proverbs_, i.e. of loose unconnected Observations, and + that the most considerable Book of Morality, that ever was made, + bears that Name in the sacred Writings; we have been excited by + such great Examples to imitate, according to our Capacity, a like + Way of Writing concerning Manners. + +--'Tis true, that in the Catalogue of _Theophrastus _ his Works, +preserv'd by [T]_Diogenes Laertius_, there is one Book under the Title ++peri paroimiôn+ concerning _Proverbs_: But that, probably, was nothing +but a Collection of some of those short, remarkable, useful, pithy +Sayings, which are of common Use in the World, and which every Nation +has peculiar to it self. However, tho' we cannot exactly tell, what the +Nature of that Performance was, because the Book is now lost, yet we are +certain, on the other Hand, that the Design of _Solomon_ was not to +write Characters, but to deliver some Maxims of Morality by way of +Advice and Instruction. So that for a profess'd Writer of Characters, +to take a Book of _Proverbs_ for a Model, is as inconsistent, as if any +one, who intended to compose an Oration, shou'd form his Diction upon a +Poem. _Proverbs_ consist of short Sentences, which contain in themselves +a full and compleat Sense; and therefore they do not essentially require +a strict Relation and Correspondence; but _Characteristic-Writings_ +do require such a strict Relation and Correspondence. And Mr. _de la +Bruyere_ is so faulty in this Point, that almost every where he has no +visible Connexion. --_Characteristic-Writings_ ought, I own, to have a +lively Turn, and a Laconic Air: but there is a wide Difference between +using a concise Manner, and writing as many Aphorisms as +Sentences. + + [S: Discours sur _Theophraste_.] + [T: Lib. 5. Segm. 45.] + +How far Mr. _de la Bruyere_ is defective as to Propriety of Style and +Justness of Expression, I chuse to set down in the Words of one of his +[V]Countrymen, a very judicious Writer, and a better Judge in this +Matter than I pretend to be. + + [V: Melanges de Vigneul Marville. _Edit. Rot._ T. 1. p. 336.] + + Mr. _de la Bruyere_, qui n'a point de Style formé, ecrivant au + hazard, employe des Expressions outrées en des Choses tres communes; + & quand il en veut dire de plus relevées, il les affoiblit par des + Expressions basses, & fait ramper le fort avec le foible. Il tend + sans relache a un sublime qu'il ne connoit pas, & qu'il met tantot + dans les choses, tantot dans les Paroles, sans jamais attraper le + Point d'Unité, qui concilie les Paroles avec les choses, en quoi + consiste tout le Secret, & la Finesse de cette Art merveilleux. + +--This is the Censure which an ingenious Author, under the feign'd +Name of _Vigneul Marville_, has pass'd upon Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ +Style. However, I think my self oblig'd in Justice to inform the +Reader, that Mr. _Coste_, in his Defence of Mr. _de la Bruyere_, has +endeavour'd to prove that this Censure is ill grounded. But I will not +pretend to decide in a Case of this Nature. Matters relating to Style +are the nicest Points in Learning: The greatest Men have grosly err'd +on this Subject. I only declare my own Opinion on the Matter, that Mr. +_de la Bruyere_'s Style appears to me forc'd, affected, and improper +for Characteristic Writings. Several ingenious _French_ Gentlemen, who +have themselves writ with Applause in this Language, entertain the +same Sentiments, and have ingenuously confess'd to me, that they could +never read ten Pages together of Mr. _de la Bruyere_, without feeling +such an Uneasiness and Pain, as arises from a continued Affectation +and a perpetual Constraint. But the Reader is still left free. To form +a right Judgment on Correctness is an easy Matter by the ordinary +Rules of Grammar, but to do the same concerning the Turn and Air, and +peculiar Beauties of Style, depends on a particular Taste: They are +not capable of being prov'd to those who have not this Taste, but to +those who have it, they are immediately made sensible by a bare +pointing out. + +The running Title which Mr. _de la Bruyere_ has given to his Book +does, by no Means, square with the several Parts of it. With Relation +to my present Purpose I observe, that, strictly speaking, this +Performance is, but in Part, of the Characteristic-Kind. The +Characters, which are interspers'd in it, being reducible to a very +narrow Compass, and the main Body of it consisting of miscellaneous +Reflexions. And these are not confin'd, as is pretended, only to the +present Age, but extend themselves both to past and present Times. So +that if Mr. _de la Bruyere_ had, with his View, chosen another Title +for his Book, tho' it wou'd not have been so uncommon, yet wou'd it +have been more proper than the present Title; and the Performance it +self wou'd then, in some Measure, have less deserv'd +Censure. + +Tho' Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ Work is not perfect in that Kind, in which +it is pretended to excel, it must nevertheless be confess'd, that it +has many Beauties and Excellencies. To deny this, wou'd be an Affront +to the Judgment of the Gentlemen of the _French_ Academy: But yet our +Complaisance ought not, cannot go so far, as to prejudice our own +Judgment. We cannot think, as [X]some of 'em did, that Mr. _de la +Bruyere_ has excell'd _Theophrastus_, the great Original which he +propos'd to himself. Mr. _de la Bruyere_ had a more modest Opinion +of himself: He wou'd have been proud of the Title of _little +Theophrastus_. And in Truth, it deserves no small Share of Praise, to +come up to _Theophrastus_ in any Degree of Comparison.--If then Mr. +_de la Bruyere_ has committed some Faults, 'tis nothing but what +others have done, both before and since him: But if he has, as I have +already allow'd him to have, some considerable Beauties; 'tis more +than a great many other Authors have, tho' of greater Bulk: And these +Excellencies ought in Justice to be admitted as some Excuse for those +Defects. + + [X: Discours de l'Abbé Fleury deja cité.] + + + + +SECT. V. + + +Theophrastus has not only prevented, but he has also out-done the +Moderns in _Characteristic-Writings_. Yet Mr. _de la Rochefoucault_ +had an extraordinary Genius. He seems to be the only one, amongst +all the Moderns, who was equal to so great a Work. He had studied Man +in himself; and, in a small Collection of moral Reflexions, he has +laid open the various Forms and Folds of that Heart, which by Nature +is deceitful above all Things. He has given us, as it were, the +Characters of all Mankind, by discovering those secret Springs of Self +Love, which are the Source of all our _Actions_.--Self Love is born +with us; and this great Author has shewn, that there is no Principle +in human Nature so secret, so deceitful: 'Tis so Hypocritical, that it +frequently imposes on it self, by taking the Appearances of Virtue for +Virtue it self. It borrows all the Disguises of Art: It appears in a +thousand Forms, and in a thousand Shapes; but yet the Principle of +Error is still the same. + + [Y] ---- _Velut Silvis ubi passim + Palantes Error certo de Tramite pellit, + Ille sinistrorsum, hic dextrorsum abit: unus utrique + Error, sed variis illudit Partibus._ + + As Men that lose their Ways in Woods, divide, + Some go on this, and some on t'other Side. + The Error is the same, all miss the Road, + Altho' in different Quarters of the Wood. + + Mr. _Creech_. + + [Y: Horat. Lib. 2. Sat. 3. v. 48, _&c_.] + +'Tis true Mr. _de la Rochefoucault_'s Design was too general, and his +Piece cannot properly be reckoned among _Characteristic-Writings_. But +tho' he did not professedly write Characters, yet this Work shews that +he was very able to do it; and it may be of very great Service to +those, who wou'd attempt any thing in this Kind. + +I have often wonder'd that no _English_ Writer has ever professedly +attempted a Performance in the Characteristic-Way. I mean, such a +profess'd Performance, as wou'd extend it self to the different +Conditions of Men, and describe the various Ends which they propose to +themselves in Life; as wou'd take in the chief Branches of Morality +and Behaviour, and, in some Measure, make a compleat Work: For as to +loose Attempts and Sketches in this Kind, there are many Years since +we had some; the most considerable of which, I mean of those that bear +the Title of Characters, are printed together with Sir _Thomas +Overbury_'s Wife. These are said to have been written, partly by that +unfortunate Knight, and partly by some of his Friends. And if the +Editor had not taken Care to give us this Notice, yet still that great +Disparity which appears but too visibly in them, wou'd manifestly +prove that they were compos'd by very different Hands.--There are, +I confess, many good Things to be met with in these Characters, but +they are very far from making a compleat Work: And really this was not +intended. Besides, nothing can possibly be more contrary to the Nature +of _Characteristic-Writings_, than the corrupted Taste which prevail'd +in the Age. A continued Affectation of far-fetch'd and quaint +Simile's, which runs thro' almost all these Characters, makes 'em +appear like so many Pieces of mere Grotesque; and the Reader must +not expect to find Persons describ'd as they really are, but rather +according to what they are thought to be like. + +This Censure may be thought hard; but yet it leaves Room for some +Exceptions: And that I may do Justice to Merit, where it is really +due, I shall here set down one of those Characters, which seem'd to me +to be exquisite in its Kind. And this I shall the rather do, because +the Book it self is not in every body's Hands. The Image is taken from +low Life; 'tis a beautiful Description of Nature in its greatest +Simplicity, and 'tis the more beautiful because 'tis natural. + + A fayre and happy MILKE MAID. + + Is a Country Wench, that is so farre from making herselfe + beautifull by Art, that one Looke of hers is able to put all + _Face-Physicke_ out of Countenance. Shee knowes a fayre Looke is but + a dumbe Orator to commend Vertue, therefore mindes it not. All her + Excellencies stand in her so silently, as if they had stolne upon her + without her Knowledge. The Lining of her Apparell (which is her selfe) + is farre better than Outsides of Tissew: for tho' shee be not arraied + in the Spoyle of the Silke Worme, shee is deckt in Innocency, a far + better Wearing. Shee doth not, with lying long a Bed, spoile both her + Complexion and Conditions; Nature hath taught her, _too immoderate + Sleepe is rust to the Soul_: She rises therefore with _Chaunticleare_ + her Dames Cocke, and at Night makes the Lambe her _Corfew_. In milking + a Cow, and straining the Teates through her Fingers, it seemes that so + sweet a Milke-Presse makes the Milke the whiter, or sweeter; for never + came Almond Glove or Aromatique Oyntment on her Palme to taint it. The + golden Eares of Corn fall and kisse her Feete when shee reapes them, + as if they wisht to be bound and led Prisoners by the same Hand that + fell'd them. Her Breath is her owne, which sents all the Yeere long + of _June_, like a new made Hay-cocke. Shee makes her Hand hard with + Labour, and her Heart soft with Pitty: And when Winter Evenings fall + early (sitting at her merry Wheele) she sings a Defiance to the giddy + Wheele of Fortune. Shee doth all things with so sweet a Grace it + seemes _Ignorance_ will not suffer her to do Ill, being her Minde is + to do Well. Shee bestowes her Yeeres Wages at next Faire; and in + chusing her Garments, counts no Bravery i'th' World, like Decency. The + Garden and Bee-hive are all her Physicke and Chyrurgerie, and shee + lives the longer for't. Shee dares goe alone, and unfold Sheepe i'th' + Night, and feares no manner of Ill, because shee meanes none: Yet to + say Truth, shee is never alone, for shee is still accompanied with old + Songs, honest Thoughts, and Prayers, but short ones; yet they have + their Efficacy, in that they are not pauled with insuing idle + Cogitations. Lastly, her Dreames are so chaste, that shee dare tell + them; onely a Fridaies Dreame is all her Superstition; _that_ she + conceales for feare of Anger. Thus lives shee, and all her Care is + shee may die in the Spring-Time, to have Store of Flowers stucke upon + her winding Sheet. + +What makes me wonder that no _English_ Writer has ever attempted a +profess'd Performance in the _Characteristic-Way_ is, that we are, +certainly, more able to undertake a Work of this Nature than any other +Nation; because our Countrymen afford a greater Variety of Subject +Matter than any other People.--Human Nature, as I observ'd before, in +its various Forms and Affections, is the Subject of _Characteristic- +Writings_: And from this Diversity of Manners arises that, which is +properly call'd _Humour_, and which, upon a double Account, seems to +be peculiar to our Nation; not only because there is no Word in any +other Language so expressive, but also because there is no Nation, in +which we can find a greater Variety of original _Humour_, than amongst +the _English_. Sir _William Temple_, speaking of the Dramatic +Performances of the Stage, expresses himself after the following +Manner.--[Z] + + [Z: Essay on Poetry, p. 355, _&c_.] + + In this the _Italian_, the _Spanish_, and the _French_, have all had + their different Merit, and receiv'd their just Applauses. Yet I am + deceiv'd, if our _English_ has not in some Kind excell'd both the + Modern and the Antient; which has been by Force of a Vein, natural + perhaps to our Country, and which with us is call'd _Humour_, a Word + peculiar to our Language too, and hard to be express'd in any other; + nor is it (that I know of) found in any Foreign Writers, unless it be + _Moliere_, and yet his it self has too much of the Farce, to pass for + the same with ours. _Shakespear_ was the first that opened this Vein + upon our Stage, which has run so freely and so pleasantly ever since, + that I have often wonder'd to find it appear so little upon any + others; being a Subject so proper for them, since _Humour_ is but + a Picture of particular Life, as Comedy is of general; and tho' it + represents Dispositions and Customs less common, yet they are not + less natural than those that are more frequent among Men. + +_Humour_ is the only genuine Source of all that agreeable Variety of +original Characters, which is so entertaining to a Spectator and +Reader: And Sir _William Temple_ proceeds to observe, that in this +Point the Moderns in general, and the _English_ in particular, have +far excell'd the Antients. This Observation is very just, however +partial it may seem to a Foreigner, and the Reason of it is very +obvious. I shall represent 'em both in Sir _William_'s own Words. The +Passage is somewhat long, but the Goodness of it will amply pay the +Reader for his Trouble in perusing it. + + It may seem a Defect (says he) in the antient Stage, that the + Characters introduc'd were so few, and those so common, as a + covetous old Man, an amorous young, a witty Wench, a crafty Slave, + a bragging Soldier. The Spectators met nothing upon the Stage, but + what they met in the Streets, and at every Turn. All the Variety is + drawn only from different and uncommon Events; whereas if the + Characters are so too, the Diversity and the Pleasure must needs be + the more. But as of most general Customs in a Country, there is + usually some Ground, from the Nature of the People or Climat, so + there may be amongst us for this Vein of our Stage, and a greater + Variety of _Humour_ in the Picture, because there is a greater + Variety in the Life. This may proceed from the native Plenty of our + Soil, the Unequalness of our Climat, as well as the Ease of our + Government, and the Liberty of professing Opinions and Factions, + which perhaps our Neighbours may have about them, but are forc'd to + disguise, and thereby they may come in Time to be extinguish'd. + Plenty begets Wantonness and Pride, Wantonness is apt to invent, + and Pride scorns to imitate; Liberty begets Stomach or Heart, + and Stomach will not be constrain'd. Thus we come to have more + Originals, and more that appear what they are; we have more + _Humour_, because every Man follows his own, and takes a Pleasure, + perhaps a Pride, to shew it. + +--_Shakespear_, _Johnson_, _Shadwell_, _Etherege_, and _Wycherly_ have +shewn the Richness of this Source: They excell'd in the Variety and +_Humour_ of the Characters which they exhibited; and in this they have +receiv'd just Applauses: But yet they did not exhaust the Spring from +whence they drew: The ingenious Mr. _Congreve_ has pursu'd the same +Vein of _Humour_; and he has imitated his Predecessors so well, that +he has by far out-done 'em all. In his Dramatic-Pieces there is the +greatest Variety of _Humour_ and of original Characters, set off by +the greatest Delicacy of Sentiments, and adorn'd with the Beauties of +the justest Diction that can possibly be imagined. Mr. _Dryden_ must +be allow'd to be a competent Judge in an Affair of this Nature, and he +has given us the true Character and Panegyric of Mr. _Congreve_ in the +following Lines. + + In him all Beauties of this Age we see; } + _Etherege_ his Courtship, _Southern_'s Purity; } + The Satir, Wit and Strength of manly _Wicherly_. } + +'Tis true, there is some Difference between the Characters which +enter into the Composition of Dramatic Pieces, and those which are +represented by _Characteristic-Writers_; but this Difference is so +small, that I doubt not but he, who is an able Master in one of these +Kinds, would as successfully perform in the other. For, in reality, +the essential Parts of the Characters, in the _Drama_, and in +_Characteristic-Writings_, are the same. They are both an Image of one +Life; a Representation of one Person: All the Diversity lies in the +different Manner of representing the same Image. The _Drama_ presents +to the Eyes of a Spectator an Actor, who speaks and acts as the +Person, whom he represents, is suppos'd to speak and act in real Life. +The _Characteristic_ Writer introduces, in a descriptive manner, +before a Reader, the same Person, as speaking and acting in the same +manner: And both must be perform'd in such a natural and lively +manner, as may deceive the Spectator and Reader, and make them fancy +they see the Person represented or characteris'd. + +But tho' no _English_ Author has attempted a Performance in this Kind, +yet it must be confess'd that in some late diurnal Papers we have had +excellent Specimens in the Characteristic-Way. The Papers, which I +mean to point out, are the _Tatlers_ and the _Spectators_. They are of +the miscellaneous Kind, and were design'd for the universal Delight +and Instruction of the _British_ Nation. In these Papers are contained +Abundance of true Wit and _Humour_, lively Descriptions of human +Nature in its various Forms and Disguises, the Praises of Virtue, +and pointed Satir against Vice; and here and there are interspers'd +Characters of Men and Manners compleatly drawn to the Life.--If the +great Authors, who were concerned in the Composition of those Papers, +would have join'd their Abilities to form a Work of this Kind, I doubt +not but it would have been inimitable, and deserv'd the next Place, +in Point of Fame, to that of _Theophrastus_: For this is the highest +Pitch to which Moderns can aspire. A greater Design would be +Presumption, and would only serve to shew the greater Vanity of the +Attempt. An establish'd Reputation of above two thousand Years cannot +be easily shaken. _Theophrastus_ is, and ever will be, an Original in +_Characteristic-Writings_. His Fame still lives in our Memory, and the +Main of his Characters still subsists in our Actions. + + + _FINIS._ + + + * * * * * + + PUBLICATIONS OF THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY + FIRST YEAR (1946-47) + +[Transcriber's Note: +Many of the listed titles are or will be available from Project +Gutenberg. Where possible, the e-text number is given in brackets.] + +Numbers 1-4 out of print. [#13484, #14528, #14973] + +5. Samuel Wesley's _Epistle to a Friend Concerning Poetry_ (1700) + and _Essay on Heroic Poetry_ (1693). + +6. _Representation of the Impiety and Immorality of the Stage_ + (1704) and _Some Thoughts Concerning the Stage_ (1704). [#15656] + + +SECOND YEAR (1947-1948) + +7. John Gay's _The Present State of Wit_ (1711); and a section on + Wit from _The English Theophrastus_ (1702). [#14800] + +8. Rapin's _De Carmine Pastorali_, translated by Creech (1684). + [#14495] + +9. T. Hanmer's (?) _Some Remarks on the Tragedy of Hamlet_ (1736). + [#14899] + +10. Corbyn Morris' _Essay towards Fixing the True Standards of Wit, + etc._ (1744). [#16233] + +11. Thomas Purney's _Discourse on the Pastoral_ (1717). [#15313] + +12. Essays on the Stage, selected, with an Introduction by Joseph + Wood Krutch. + + +THIRD YEAR (1948-1949) + +13. Sir John Falstaff (pseud.), _The Theatre_ (1720). + +14. Edward Moore's _The Gamester_ (1753). [#16267] + +15. John Oldmixon's _Reflections on Dr. Swift's Letter to Harley_ + (1712); and Arthur Mainwaring's _The British Academy_ (1712). + +16. Nevil Payne's _Fatal Jealousy_ (1673). + +17. Nicholas Rowe's _Some Account of the Life of Mr. William + Shakespeare_ (1709). + +18. "Of Genius," in _The Occasional Paper_, Vol. III, No. 10 (1719); + and Aaron Hill's Preface to _The Creation_ (1720). [#15870] + + +FOURTH YEAR (1949-1950) + +19. Susanna Centlivre's _The Busie Body_ (1709). + +20. Lewis Theobold's _Preface to The Works of Shakespeare_ (1734). + [In Preparation] + +21. _Critical Remarks on Sir Charles Grandison, Clarissa, and + Pamela_ (1754). + +22. Samuel Johnson's _The Vanity of Human Wishes_ (1749) and Two + _Rambler_ papers (1750). [#13350] + +23. John Dryden's _His Majesties Declaration Defended_ (1681). [#15074] + +24. Pierre Nicole's _An Essay on True and Apparent Beauty in Which + from Settled Principles is Rendered the Grounds for Choosing and + Rejecting Epigrams_, translated by J.V. Cunningham. + + +FIFTH YEAR (1950-51) + +25. Thomas Baker's _The Fine Lady's Airs_ (1709). [#14467] + +26. Charles Macklin's _The Man of the World_ (1792). [#14463] + +27. Frances Reynolds' _An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of + Taste, and of the Origin of Our Ideas of Beauty, etc._ (1785). + [#13485] + +28. John Evelyn's _An Apologie for the Royal Party_ (1659); and + _A Panegyric to Charles the Second_ (1661). + +29. Daniel Defoe's _A Vindication of the Press_ (1718). [#14084] + +30. Essays on Taste from John Gilbert Cooper's _Letters Concerning + Taste_, 3rd edition (1757), & John Armstrong's _Miscellanies_ + (1770). [#13464] + +31. Thomas Gray's _An Elegy Wrote in a Country Church Yard_ (1751); + and _The Eton College Manuscript_. [#15409] + +32. Prefaces to Fiction; Georges de Scudéry's Preface to _Ibrahim_ + (1674), etc. [#14525] + + + + +William Andrews Clark Memorial Library: University of California + +THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY + +_General Editors_ + +H. RICHARD ARCHER +William Andrews Clark Memorial Library + +R.C. BOYS +University of Michigan + +E.N. HOOKER +University of California, Los Angeles + +JOHN LOFTIS +University of California, Los Angeles + +The Society exists to make available inexpensive reprints (usually +facsimile reproductions) of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century +works. The editorial policy of the Society continues unchanged. As in +the past, the editors welcome suggestions concerning publications. All +income of the Society is devoted to defraying cost of publication and +mailing. + + +Publications for the sixth year [1951-1952] + +(At least six items, most of them from the following list, will be +reprinted.) + +Thomas Gray: _An Elegy Wrote in a Country Church Yard_ (1751). +Introduction by George Sherburn. [#15409] + +James Boswell, Andrew Erskine, and George Dempster: _Critical +Strictures on the New Tragedy of Elvira_ (1763). Introduction by +Frederick A. Pottle. [#15857] + +_An Essay on the New Species of Writing Founded by Mr. Fielding_ +(1751). Introduction by James A. Work. + +Henry Gally: _A Critical Essay on Characteristic Writing_ (1725). +Introduction by Alexander Chorney. + +[John Phillips]: _Satyr Against Hypocrits_ (1655). Introduction by +Leon Howard. + +_Prefaces to Fiction._ Selected and with an Introduction by Benjamin +Boyce. [#14525] + +Thomas Tyers: _A Biographical Sketch of Dr. Samuel Johnson_ ([1785]). +Introduction by Gerald Dennis Meyer. + + + * * * * * + +[Problems Noted by Transcriber: + +p. xv, xvii, xxiv + judg; knowledg + _spellings as in original_ + +p. 16 + is said to have been done upon + _original has_ is sa d to... + +p. 78 + and in a very / jejune Manner + _original has_ ...j june Manner + +p. 88 + yet this Work shews + _original has_ ye this Work... (_with extra space_) + +List of ARS Publications: + 20. Lewis Theobold's _Preface to The Works of Shakespeare_ (1734). + _so in original: correct spelling is_ Theobald + +Publications for the sixth year: + ...Gray's _Elegy_ and ..._Prefaces to Fiction_) + _so in original: see titles 31 and 32, fifth year_ ] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Critical Essay on +Characteristic-Writings, by Henry Gally + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CRITICAL ESSAY *** + +***** This file should be named 16299-8.txt or 16299-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/2/9/16299/ + +Produced by David Starner, Louise Hope and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/16299-8.zip b/old/16299-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e7186eb --- /dev/null +++ b/old/16299-8.zip diff --git a/old/16299.txt b/old/16299.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f271130 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/16299.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1961 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Critical Essay on Characteristic-Writings +by Henry Gally + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Critical Essay on Characteristic-Writings + From his translation of The Moral Characters of Theophrastus (1725) + +Author: Henry Gally + +Editor: Alexander H. Chorney + +Release Date: July 15, 2005 [EBook #16299] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CRITICAL ESSAY *** + + + + +Produced by David Starner, Louise Hope and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + The Augustan Reprint Society + + + HENRY GALLY + + A Critical Essay on Characteristic-Writings + + from his translation of + + The Moral Characters of Theophrastus + + (1725) + + + + + With an Introduction by + Alexander H. Chorney + + Publication Number 33 + + + Los Angeles + William Andrews Clark Memorial Library + University of California + 1952 + + + * * * * * + +GENERAL EDITORS + +H. RICHARD ARCHER, _Clark Memorial Library_ +RICHARD C. BOYS, _University of Michigan_ +ROBERT S. KINSMAN, _University of California, Los Angeles_ +JOHN LOFTIS, _University of California, Los Angeles_ + + +ASSISTANT EDITOR + +W. EARL BRITTON, _University of Michigan_ + + +ADVISORY EDITORS + +EMMETT L. AVERY, _State College of Washington_ +BENJAMIN BOYCE, _Duke University_ +LOUIS BREDVOLD, _University of Michigan_ +JAMES L. CLIFFORD, _Columbia University_ +ARTHUR FRIEDMAN, _University of Chicago_ +EDWARD NILES HOOKER, _University of California, Los Angeles_ +LOUIS A. LANDA, _Princeton University_ +SAMUEL H. MONK, _University of Minnesota_ +ERNEST MOSSNER, _University of Texas_ +JAMES SUTHERLAND, _University College, London_ +H.T. SWEDENBERG, JR., _University of California, Los Angeles_ + + +CORRESPONDING SECRETARY + +EDNA C. DAVIS, _Clark Memorial Library_ + + + * * * * * + +INTRODUCTION + + +Henry Gally's _A Critical Essay on Characteristic-Writings_, here +reprinted, is the introductory essay to his translation of _The Moral +Characters of Theophrastus_ (1725). Of Gally's life (1696-1769) little +is known. Apparently his was a moderately successful ecclesiastical +career: he was appointed in 1735 chaplain-in-ordinary to George II. His +other published works consist of sermons, religious tracts, and an +undistinguished treatise on the pronunciation of Greek. + +His essay on the character, however, deserves attention because it is +the first detailed and serious discussion by an Englishman of a literary +kind immensely popular in its day. English writers before Gally had, of +course, commented on the character. Overbury, for example, in "What A +Character Is" (_Sir Thomas Overbury His Wife..._ 1616) had defined the +character as "wit's descant on any plain-song," and Brathwaite in his +Dedication to _Whimzies_(1631) had written that character-writers must +shun affectation and prefer the "pith before the rind." Wye Saltonstall +in the same year in his Dedicatory Epistle to _Picturae Loquentes_ had +required of a character "lively and exact Lineaments" and "fast and +loose knots which the ingenious Reader may easily untie." These remarks, +however, as also Flecknoe's "Of the Author's Idea of a Character" +(_Enigmaticall Characters_, 1658) and Ralph Johnson's "rules" for +character-writing in _A Scholar's Guide from the Accidence to the +University_ (1665), are fragmentary and oblique. Nor do either of the +two English translations of Theophrastus before Gally--the one a +rendering of La Bruyere's French version,[1] and the other, Eustace +Budgell's _The Moral Characters of Theophrastus_ (1714)--touch more +than in passing on the nature of the character. Gally's essay, in which +he claims to deduce his critical principles from the practice of +Theophrastus, is both historically and intrinsically the most +important work of its kind. + +Section I of Gally's essay, thoroughly conventional in nature, is +omitted here. In it Gally, following Casaubon,[2] theorizes that the +character evolved out of Greek Old Comedy. The Augustans saw a close +connection between drama and character-writing. Congreve (Dedication to +_The Way of the World_, 1700) thought that the comic dramatist Menander +formed his characters on "the observations of Theophrastus, of whom he +was a disciple," and Budgell, who termed Theophrastus the father of +modern comedy, believed that if some of Theophrastus's characters "were +well worked up, and brought upon the British theatre, they could not +fail of Success."[3] Gally similarly held that a dramatic character +and Theophrastan character differ only in + + the different Manner of representing the same Image. The _Drama_ + presents to the Eyes of a Spectator an Actor, who speaks and acts as + the Person, whom he represents, is suppos'd to speak and act in real + Life. The _Characteristic_ Writer introduces, in a descriptive manner, + before a Reader, the same Person, as speaking and acting in the same + manner. + +Section III of Gally's essay, like Section I thoroughly conventional, +is also omitted here. Gally attributes to Theophrastus the spurious +"Proem," in which Theophrastus, emphasizing his ethical purpose, +announces his intention of following up his characters of vice with +characters of virtue. At one point Gally asserts that Theophrastus +taught the same doctrine as Aristotle and Plato, but + + accommodated Morality to the Taste of the _Beau Monde_, with all the + Embellishments that can please the nice Ears of an intelligent Reader, + and with that inoffensive Satir, which corrects the Vices of Men, + without making them conceive any Aversion for the Satirist. + +It is Gally's concept of the character as an art-form, however, which +is most interesting to the modern scholar. Gally breaks sharply with +earlier character-writers like Overbury who, he thinks, have departed +from the Theophrastan method. Their work for the most part reflects +corrupted taste: + + A continued Affectation of far-fetched and quaint Simile's, which + runs thro' almost all these Characters, makes 'em appear like so many + Pieces of mere Grotesque; and the Reader must not expect to find + Persons describ'd as they really are, but rather according to what + they are thought to be like. + +And Gally attacks one of the favorite devices of the seventeenth-century +character: + + An Author, in this Kind, must not dwell too long upon one Idea; As + soon as the masterly Stroke is given, he must immediately pass on + to another Idea.... For if, after the masterly Stroke is given, the + Author shou'd, in a paraphrastical Manner, still insist upon the same + Idea, the Work will immediately flag, the Character grow languid, and + the Person characteris'd will insensibly vanish from the Eyes of the + Reader. + +One has only to read a character like Butler's "A Flatterer" to +appreciate Gally's point. The Theophrastan method had been to describe +a character operatively--that is, through the use of concrete dramatic +incident illustrating the particular vice. The seventeenth-century +character is too often merely a showcase for the writer's wit. One +frequently finds a succession of ingenious metaphors, each redefining +from a slightly different angle a type's master-passion, but blurring +rather than sharpening the likeness. + +Gally insists that the style of the character be plain and easy, +"without any of those Points and Turns, which convey to the Mind nothing +but a low and false Wit." The piece should not be tediously rambling, +but compact. It must have perfect unity of structure: each sentence +should add a significant detail to the portrait. The manner ought +to be lively, the language pure and unaffected. + +As for the character-writer's materials, they are "Human Nature, in its +various Forms and Affections." Each character should focus on a single +vice or virtue, yet since "the Heart of Man is frequently actuated by +more Passions than one," subsidiary traits ought to be included to round +out the portrait (e.g., the covetous man may also be impudent, the +impudent man generous). Budgell had expressed a similar conception. A +character, he wrote, "may be compared to a Looking-glass that is placed +to catch a particular Object; but cannot represent that Object in its +full Light, without giving us a little Landskip of every thing else +that lies about it."[4] By Gally's time writers like Pascal, La +Rochefoucauld, and La Bruyere had done much to show the complex +and paradoxical nature of human behaviour. Gally, who praises La +Rochefoucauld as the one modern as well equipped as Theophrastus to +compose characters, reacts with his age against the stale types which +both comedy and the character had been retailing _ad nauseam_. Human +nature, says Gally, is full of subtle shadings and agreeable variations +which the character ought to exploit. He quotes Temple to the effect +that England is richer than any other nation in "original Humours" and +wonders that no one has yet attempted a comprehensive portrait-gallery +of English personality. Those writers who have come closest to Gally's +idea of how "humour" ought to be handled are the "great Authors" of the +_Tatlers_ and _Spectators_, with their "interspers'd Characters of Men +and Manners compleatly drawn to the Life." + +In admiring the Roger de Coverley sketches, Gally typifies the +increasingly tolerant attitude of the Augustans toward eccentric +behavior.[5] Like Sterne and Fielding he is delighted by people whose +idiosyncracies are harmless and appealing. As for the harsh satiric +animus of a character-writer like Butler, it is totally alien to Gally, +who would chide good-naturedly, so as "not to seem to make any Attacks +upon the Province of Self-Love" in the reader. "Each Man," he writes, +"contains a little World within himself, and every Heart is a new +World." The writer should understand and appreciate, not ridicule, +an individual's uniqueness. + +Of course, the character as Theophrastus wrote it described the type, +not the particular person. Gally, who sets up Theophrastus as his model, +apparently fails to realize that a "humourist" like Sir Roger verges on +individuality. Indeed, while discussing the need for writers to study +their own and other men's passions, he emphasizes that "without a +Knowledge of these Things, 'twill be impossible ever to draw a Character +so to the Life, as that it shall hit one Person, and him only." Here +Gally might well be talking of the Clarendon kind of portrait. If a +character is "one Person, and him only," he is no longer a type, but +somebody peculiarly himself. + +Gally, then, is not as Theophrastan as he professes to be. True, he +harks back to Theophrastus in matters of style and technique. And he +does not criticize him, as does La Bruyere,[6] for paying too much +attention to a man's external actions, and not enough to his "Thoughts, +Sentiments, and Inclinations." Nevertheless his mind is receptive to +the kind of individuated characterization soon to distinguish the +mid-eighteenth century novel. The type is still his measuring-stick, but +he calibrates it far less rigidly than a Rymer analyzing Iago or Evadne. +A man can be A Flatterer or A Blunt Man and still retain a private +identity: this private identity Gally recognizes as important. Gally's +essay thus reflects fundamental changes in the English attitude toward +human nature and its literary representation. + +Alexander H. Chorney +Fellow, Clark Library +Los Angeles, California + + + Notes to the Introduction + + 1. _The Characters, Or The Manners of the Age. By Monsieur De La + Bruyere of the French Academy. Made English by several hands. With the + Characters of Theophrastus..._ 1699. 2 vols. + + 2. Isaac Casaubon's Latin edition of Theophrastus appeared in 1592 and + was reprinted frequently during the seventeenth century. + + 3. Eustace Budgell, _The Moral Characters of Theophrastus_ (1714), + Preface, sig. a5. + + 4. _Ibid._, sig. a6 verso. + + 5. For a full account of the shift in attitude see Edward Miles + Hooker, "Humour in the Age of Pope," _Huntington Library Quarterly_, + XL (1948), 361-385. + + 6. "A Prefatory Discourse concerning Theophrastus," in _The + Characters, Or The Manners of the Age_, II, xxii. + + + * * * * * + + The + Moral Characters + of + + THEOPHRASTUS. + + Translated from + The Greek, with Notes. + To which is prefix'd + + A + CRITICAL ESSAY + on + Characteristic-Writings. + + By Henry Gally, M.A. Lecturer of + St. Paul's Covent-Garden, and + Rector of Wanden in Buckinghamshire. + + Respicere exemplar vitae morumque jubebo + Doctum imitatorem, & vivas hinc ducere voces. + Hor. in Art. Poet. + + + LONDON: + Printed for John Hooke, at the _Flower- + de-luce_ over-against St. _Dunstan's_ Church in + _Fleet-street_. MDCCXXV. + + + * * * * * + + THE + + PREFACE. + + +The following Papers, which I now commit to the Public, have lain by +me unregarded these many Years. They were first undertaken at the +Request of a Person, who at present shall be nameless. Since that +Time I have been wholly diverted from Studies of this Nature, and +my Thoughts have been employed about Subjects of a much greater +Consequence, and more agreeable to my Profession: Insomuch, that I had +nothing in my Mind less than the Publication of these Papers; but some +Friends, who had perus'd them, were of Opinion, that they deserv'd to +be publish'd, and that they might afford an agreeable Entertainment +not without some Profit to the Reader. _These_ Motives prevailed upon +me to give _them_ a second Care, and to bestow upon them so much +Pains, as was necessary to put them in that State, in which they now +appear. + +The first Piece that the Reader will meet with is, _A Critical +ESSAY on Characteristic-Writings_: It treats of the Origin of those +Writings: It points out the general Laws to be observ'd in such +Compositions, and it contains some Reflexions on _Theophrastus's_ and +Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ Performances in this Way. The Design of this at +least is, I think, new. Mr. _Fabricius_ mentions a [A]Book, which, by +its Title, shou'd bear some Relation to this Essay, but tho' I have +enquir'd after it pretty strictly, yet I never cou'd get a Sight of +it, nor have I conversed with any Person that had perus'd it. + + [A: Georgii Paschii Professoris Kiloniensis Diatriba de + philosophia Characteristica & Paraenetica. 4to. _Kilonie._ 1705. + Vid. Fabric. Bib. Graec. L. 3. p. 241.] + +The next Piece is a Translation of the _Moral Characters of +Theophrastus_ from the _Greek_. This is not the first Time that +_Theophrastus_ has appeared in a modern Dress. Mr. _de la Bruyere_ +translated him into _French_: And this was the Foundation of those +Characters, which he himself compos'd, and which gave Rise to those +many Performances, that were afterwards attempted in the same Way. +[B]Mr. _Menage_ has highly extoll'd this Translation. _Elle est_, says +he, _bien belle, & bien francoise, & montre que son Auteur entend +parfaitement le Grec. Je puis dire que j'y ay vu des Choses, que, +peut etre, Faute d'Attention, je n'avois pas vues dans le Grec._ This +is great; and it must be own'd that Mr. _Menage_ was a Man of very +extensive Learning, and a great Master of the _Greek_ Tongue; but that +his Judgment was always equal to his Knowledg of Words, will not be so +readily allow'd. Besides, the Credit of the Books ending in _ana_ runs +very low, and in particular the _Menagiana_ have been disown'd by Mr. +_Menage's_ own [C]Relations, as being injurious to the Merit and +Memory of that great Man. And therefore it must still be left to the +inquisitive and judicious Reader to determine, whether those Faults, +which I have observ'd in Mr. _de la Bruyere'_s Translation are justly +censur'd or not. + + [B: Menagiana. Ed. _Paris._ 1715. T. 4. p. 219.] + + [C: Mr. _du Tremblay_. Traite des Langues. ad fin.] + +The _Characters_ of _Theophrastus_ have been twice translated into +_English_. The former Translation is _anonymous_, and the latter was +done by the ingenious Mr. _Eustace Budgell_. It will be expected that +I shou'd say something of these two Translations. And I shall be the +more ready to do this, because I shall hereby insensibly lead the +Reader to the Reasons which induc'd me to undertake a +third. + +The anonymous _English_ Translation is said to have been done upon +the _Greek_. But this is only a Pretence, and a low Artifice of the +ignorant Translator: For in reality 'tis no more than a mean and +insipid Translation of the _French_ of Mr. _de la Bruyere_, revis'd +upon the _Latin_ of _Casaubon_, which answers almost verbally to the +Original _Greek_. If this were a Matter of Importance, I wou'd here +fully demonstrate it: For the Fact is so glaring, that tho' the +Translator is wholly unknown to me, yet I can aver what I have +asserted to be Truth, almost as certainly, as if I had been an Eye +Witness to the doing of it_. + +Mr. _Budgell_'s Translation must be own'd to be polite: But politeness +is not the only Qualification that is required in such a Translation. +The learn'd Reader, who understands the Original, will consider it in +a different View. And to judg of it according to those Rules which +Translators ought to observe, it must be condemned. In general, it is +not exact and accurate enough; but what is far worse, Mr. _Budgell_ +gives, in too many Instances, his own Thoughts instead of representing +the true Sense of _Theophrastus_. This is perverting the _Humour_ of +the Original, and, in Effect, making a new Work, instead of giving +only a Translation. Mr. _Budgell_ ingenuously confesses, that he has +taken a great deal of Liberty; but when a Translator confesses thus +much, it does but give the Reader good Reason to suspect that instead +of taking a great deal, he has in reality taken too +much. + +Antient Authors (when they are translated) suffer in nothing more, +than in having the Manners and Customs, to which they allude, +transformed into the Manners and Customs of the present Age. By this +Liberty, or rather Licenciousness of Translators, Authors not only +appear in a different Dress, but they become unlike themselves, by +losing that peculiar and distinctive Character in which they excel. +This is most palpable in those Authors, whose Character consists in +_Humour_. Let any one read _Terence_, as he is translated by Mr. +_Echard_, and he will take him to have been a Buffoon: Whereas +_Terence_ never dealt in such a Kind of low Mirth. His true Character +is, to have afforded to his Spectators and Readers the gravest, and, +at the same Time, the most agreeable, most polite Entertainment of +any antient Author now extant. This is, in some Measure, the Case of +_Theophrastus:_ He has been transformed; and he has suffer'd in the +Transformation. What I have endeavoured is, to do him that Justice +which, I think, he has not hitherto met with, by preserving the native +Simplicity of his Characters, by retaining those antient Manners and +Customs which he alludes to, and keeping up the peculiar _Humour_ of +the Original as nearly, as the Difference of Language wou'd allow. +This is the Attempt; how far I have succeeded, must be let to the +judicious and curious Reader to determine. Thus much I thought +necessary to say concerning former Translations, in order to justify +my own Undertaking, which will not acquire an intrinsic Merit from the +Censures, that I have pass'd upon others. No: The Faults of others +cannot extenuate our own; and that Stamp, which every Work carries +along with it, can only determine of what Kind it really +is. + +The Reader will expect that I shou'd here say a Word or two +concerning the _Notes_ which follow the _Characters_. Some Authors or +Commentators (call them which you will) out of a vain Ostentation of +Literature, lay hold of the slightest of Opportunities to expose all +their Learning to the World, without ever knowing when they have said +enough: Insomuch, that in most Commentaries upon antient Authors, one +may sooner meet with a System of Antiquities, than with Solutions of +the real Difficulties of the Text. Consider'd barely as a Translator, +I lay under no immediate Necessity of writing _Notes_, but then as +I was highly concern'd, even in that Capacity, to lay before the +_English_ Reader, what I took to be the true Sense of the _Greek_, +and as I farther propos'd to preserve that particular _Humour_ of the +Original, which depends on those Manners and Customs which are alluded +to, I found, my self necessitated to add some _Notes_; but yet I have +endeavoured to shun that Fault, which I have already censur'd, by +saying no more, but what was immediately necessary, to illustrate +the Text, to vindicate a received Sense, or to propose a new one. + +I am not conscious of having made any great Excursions beyond the +Bounds which these Rules prescrib'd to me, unless it is in the Chapter +concerning _Superstition_. And even here, unless the Commentary had +been somewhat copious, the Text it self wou'd have appear'd like a +motly Piece of mysterious Nonsense. Thus much I thought my self +oblig'd to do in Justice to _Theophrastus_; and as for the +Enlargements which I have made, over and above what wou'd have +satisfy'd this Demand, they will not, 'tis hop'd, be unacceptable to +the curious Reader. They are Digressions I own; but I shall not here +offer to make one Digression to execute another, or, according to the +Custom and Practice of modern Authors, beg a thousand Pardons of the +Reader, before I am certain of having committed one Offence. Such a +Procedure seems preposterous. For when an Author happens to digress, +and take a Trip +huper ta eskammena+, beyond the Bounds prescrib'd; +the best, the only consistent thing he can do, is to take his Chance +for the Event. If what he has said does not immediately relate to the +Matter in Hand, it may nevertheless be _a propos_, and good in its +Kind; and then instead of Censure, he will probably meet with Thanks; +but if it be not good, no prefatory Excuses will make it so: And +besides, it will ever be insisted on, that 'tis an easier Matter to +strike out bad Digressions, than it is to write good +Apologies. + +One Word more, and then I have done. Since Mr. _Budgell_ has thought +fit to censure Mr. _de la Bruyere_, for troubling his Reader with +_Notes_, I think my self oblig'd, in order to justify both Mr. _de la +Bruyere_ and my self, to shew that this Censure is very unreasonable, +and very unjust.[D] Mr. _Budgell's_ Words are as follow. + + _Theophrastus_, at the Time he writ, referr'd to nothing but what + was well known to the meanest Person in _Athens_; but as Mr. _Bruyere_ + has manag'd it, by hinting at too many _Grecian_ Customs, a modern + Reader is oblig'd to peruse one or two _Notes_, which are frequently + longer than the Sentence it self he wou'd know the meaning of. But if + those Manners and Customs, which _Theophrastus_ alludes to, were, in + his Time, well known to the meanest _Athenian_, it does not follow + that they are now so well known to a modern Reader. + + [D: Preface to his Translation of _Theophrastus_.] + +_Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ Fault does not consist in having put _Notes_ +to his Translation, but rather in not having put enough. When a +Translator of an antient Author intends to preserve the peculiar +Character of the Original, _Notes_ become absolutely necessary to +render the Translation intelligible to a modern Reader. The Learn'd +may pass them over; and those, for whom _Explanatory Notes_ are +chiefly designed, must not think it too much Trouble, to bestow a +second Reading on the Text, after they have given a First to the +Whole. This Trouble (if any thing ought to be call'd so that conveys +Instruction) is no more than what many persons, who have attained to +no small share of Knowledg in the learn'd Languages, must submit to, +at the first Perusal of an Original Author. If in a translated Author +any Difficulties occur, on this Head, to a modern Reader, and the +Translator has taken Care to clear up those difficulties by adding +_Notes_, the modern Reader ought to thank him for his Pains, and not +think his Labour superfluous. + +'Tis hop'd then that the _Notes_, that I have added, will be kindly +receiv'd. The Reader will nevertheless be at full Liberty to peruse +them, or to pass them over. If he if but so favourable as to approve +of the Translation it self, this will be a sufficient Satisfaction to +the Translator, and be looked upon as no finall Commendation of the +Performance. For a Translation, if it be well performed, ought in +Justice to be receiv'd as a good Commentary_. + + + + +SECT. II. + + +There is no Kind of polite Writing that seems to require a deeper +Knowledge, a livelier Imagination, and a happier Turn of Expression +than the Characteristic. Human Nature, in its various Forms and +Affections, is the Subject; and he who wou'd attempt a Work of this +Kind, with some assurance of Success, must not only study other Men; +he has a more difficult Task to perform; he must study himself. The +deep and dark Recesses of the Heart must be penetrated, to discover +how Nature is disguis'd into Art, and how Art puts on the Appearance +of Nature.--This Knowledge is great; 'tis the Perfection of Moral +Philosophy; 'tis an inestimable Treasure: But yet if it shou'd fall +into the Hands of one, who wants proper Abilities to communicate his +Knowledge to the World, it wou'd be of no Service but to the Owner: It +wou'd make him, indeed, an able Philosopher, but not an able Writer of +Characters. + +The Mind has its peculiar Features as well as the Body; and these +must be represented in their genuine and native Colours, that so the +Picture may strike, and every Reader, who is concern'd in the Work, +may presently discover himself; and those, who are unconcern'd may, +nevertheless, immediately perceive a just Correspondence between that +Piece and Nature. + +Every Action has its proper Thought, and every Thought its proper +Expression. And these Correspondences are not imaginary, but have a +real Foundation in Nature: For when any one of these is wanting, the +whole is lame and defective, but when they all meet and conspire +together, the Character is then genuine and compleat, the Thing +or Person design'd is drawn to the Life, and the Reader is left +uncertain, whether the Character, that lies before him, is an Effect +of Art, or a real Appearance of Nature.--A Master-Piece of this Kind, +requires the Hand of one who is a Critic in Men and Manners, a Critic +in Thoughts, and a Critic in Language. + +A superficial Knowledge of human Nature, will never qualify a Man to +be a Writer of Characters. He must be a Master of the Science; and +be able to lead a Reader, knowingly, thro' that Labyrinth of the +Passions, which fill the Heart of Man, and make him either a noble or +a despicable Creature. For tho' some, who have never attempted any +thing of this kind, may think it an easy Matter to write two or three +Pages of Morality with Spirit, to describe an Action, a Passion, a +Manner; yet had they made the Experiment, the Event wou'd not have +answer'd their Expectation, and they wou'd have found, that this easy +Work was more difficult than they, at first, imagin'd. + +The Features of every single Passion must be known; the Relation which +that Passion bears to another, must be discover'd; and the Harmony and +Discord which result from them must be felt. Many have studied these +Things, but few have thoroughly understood them. The Labour is vast; +'tis almost infinite; and yet without a Knowledge of these Things, +'twill be impossible ever to draw a Character so to the Life, as that +it shall hit one Person, and him only. + +We have all of us different Souls, and our Souls have Affections +as different from one another, as our outward Faces are in their +Lineaments. Each Man contains a little World within himself, and +every Heart is a new World. We cannot therefore attain to a perfect +Knowledge of human Nature, by studying others or our selves alone, but +by studying both. 'Tis this Knowledge which sets the Philosopher above +the Peasant, and gives the Preference to one Author above another. +This Knowledge has a Force, something like to that of Magic Charms: by +the help of it one, who is Master of the Science, can turn Men inside +outwards, and expose them to the Eyes of the World, as they really +are, and not as they wou'd fain appear to be. By the help of this +Knowledge an intelligent Writer can form to his Reader the most +agreeable, most instructive Entertainment that can possibly be +desir'd; transport him, with the greatest Ease imaginable, from the +Solitude of his Chamber to Places of the greatest Concourse; there to +see and learn the Virtues of Men; there to see and shun their Vices, +without any danger of being corrupted by the Contagion of a real +Commerce. + +How absolutely necessary a thorough Insight into the Heart and +Passions of Man is to a Writer of Characters, will be more evident by +descending to some Particulars, and pointing out some of those nice +Circumstances, which a Writer of Characters must accurately observe, +and by which his Capacity in this Way may be easily judg'd +of. + +It must be observ'd then, that the Heart of Man is frequently actuated +by more Passions than one: And as the same Object does, by its +different Position, afford to the Spectator different Representations, +so does the same Affection of the Mind, by exerting it self after a +different manner, lay a real Foundation for so many distinct +Characters. The under Passions may, by their various Operations, cause +some Diversity in the Colour and Complexion of the Whole, but 'tis the +Master-Passion which must determine the Character. + +Since therefore the under Parts of a Character are not essential, they +may or may not be reciprocal. A covetous Man may be impudent, or he +may have some share of Modesty left: On the other Hand, an impudent +Man may be generous, or his Character may be stain'd by Avarice. And +therefore to make the Features of one Virtue or Vice enter, as under +Parts, into the Character of another Virtue or Vice, is so far from +being a Transgression of the Nature of Things, that, on the contrary, +all the Beauty of _Characteristic-Writing_, and all the Beauty which +arises from the Variety of an agreeable Mixture, entirely depends on +_this_. The main Difficulty consists in making the Master-Passion +operate so conspicuously throughout the Whole, as that the Reader may, +in every step of the Performance, immediately discover +it. + +The Truth of it is, that there are some Affections of the Mind, which +not only constitute of themselves a distinct Virtue or Vice, but are +also the Foundation of many others. Avarice is of this extensive +Nature; it constitutes, of it self, a distinct Character, and it +enters into the Competition of several others. St. _Paul_ says, that +_the love of money is the root of all evil_; which Maxim the spurious +_Phocylides_ has express'd in the following Verse, + + +He philochremosune meter kakotetos hapases.+ + +This Doctrine may be made yet more sensible by applying it to the +Practice of _Theophrastus_, whose Conduct, in this Respect, ought +to be look'd upon as an authentick Pattern. Rusticity, Avarice and +Impudence, are in their own Nature distinct Vices, but yet there is a +very near Relation between them, which has a real Foundation in the +Actions of Men. And, as on the one Hand, _Theophrastus_ has drawn +distinct Characters of these Vices, so, on the other Hand, he has made +the peculiar Features of one or more of these Vices enter into the +Characters of the other. This is Matter of Fact; and if the Reader +will be at the Pains to compare the _6th_, _9th_, and _11th_, +Chapters, as he will be perswaded of the Truth of what is here +asserted, so will he be convinc'd, at the same Time, that +_Theophrastus_ has not confounded by this Mixture the real Nature +of Things, or transgress'd thereby, in any wise, the Rules of +_Characteristic-Justice_. + +Again; Loquacity and an ill-tim'd Behaviour are two very different +Vices in common Conversation; but yet _Theophrastus_ has concluded his +Character of Loquacity, with the same Stroke which begins that of an +ill-tim'd Behaviour; because tho' these Vices are of a different +Nature, yet do they not exclude each other; and the Actions of Men +manifestly prove, that they are frequently to be found in the same +Subject. + +The nice Reader therefore, instead of being offended to find the +peculiar Features of one Vice interspers'd in the Character of +another, ought, on the contrary, to admire the Judgment and Accuracy +of _Theophrastus_ in this Respect: For this Mixture does not proceed +from Inaccuracy, but is founded in Nature: And 'tis the Work of a +sagacious Head, as well to discover the near Relations that are +between different things, as to separate those Things, which by +Nature are nearly related, but yet are really distinct. + +The Beauty of every Kind of Writing arises from the Conformity +which it bears to Nature; and therefore the Excellency of +_Characteristic-Writings_ must consist in exact Representations of +human Nature.--This Harmony between Art and Nature may be call'd +Justice: And tho' the Boundaries of it may be more extensive in those +Works, in which a greater Range is allow'd to the Imagination, yet +still, Invention and Fiction must be admitted in _Characteristic- +Writings_, when the Characters design'd are of a general Nature; +for then the Writer does not copy from an individual Original, and +all the Extravagances of Nature are natural, when they are well +represented. + +It requires, I own, a great deal of Penetration to hit exactly this +Point of Reality: But then it must be confess'd, that as the great +difficulty of _Characteristic-Writing_ consists in this, so does the +main Beauty and Force of it too: For Objects are apt to affect and +move us according to their Presence or Absence; and a Character will +naturally strike us more forcibly, the more the Images, which it +consists of, are lively and natural; because the Object is then most +present to our Mind. + +Since every Feature must be drawn exactly to the Life, great Care must +be taken, that the Strokes be not too faint, nor yet too strong: For +Characteristic-Justice is to be observ'd as strictly by the Writers of +this Kind, as Poetic-Justice is to be by Poets. That Medium must be +copied, which Nature it self has mark'd out; whatever falls short of +it is poor and insipid, whatever is above it is Rant and +Extravagance. + + [E] _Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic, incredulus odi._ + + And whatsoever contradicts my Sense, + I hate to see, and never can believe. + Ld. _Roscommon_. + + [E: Horat. Art. Poet. _v._ 188.] + +A consummate Delicacy of Sentiments, and an exquisite Judgment are the +very Soul of _Characteristic-Writing_; for every particular Stroke, as +well as the whole Character, has a proper Degree of Perfection. To +attain this Point, and to bring the several Parts, as well as the +Whole, exactly to this Pitch, is the Work of a sagacious Head, and +of a perfect Judgment.--An Author, in this Kind, must not dwell too +long upon one Idea: As soon as the masterly Stroke is given, he must +immediately pass on to another Idea. This will give Life to the Work, +and serve to keep up the Spirit of the Writing, and of the Reader too: +Forif, after the masterly Stroke is given, the Author shou'd, in a +paraphrastical Manner, still insist upon the same Idea, the Work will +immediately flag, the Character grow languid, and the Person +characteris'd will insensibly vanish from the Eyes of the +Reader. + +An honest Writer, who has the Profit as well as the Pleasure of his +Reader in View, ought always to tell the Truth. But as he is at +Liberty to chuse his manner of telling it, so that Method of +Instruction ought to be observ'd in _Characteristic-Writings_, +which will keep up the good Humour of the Reader, altho' he is, at +the same Time, made sensible of his Errors. And this Artifice ought +industriously to be pursu'd, since the proper Management of it is so +necessary to the Success of _Characteristic-Writings_. For those who +love and admire Truth themselves, must yet be sensible that 'tis +generally unwelcome, both to themselves and to others, when the Point +of Self-Interest is concern'd. And the Reason of it is, not because +Truth is really ugly and deform'd, but because it presents to our View +certain Inconsistencies and Errors, which Self-Love will not allow us +to condemn. And therefore the great Art and Difficulty, in making +Truth pleasant and profitable, is so to expose Error, as not to seem +to make any Attacks upon the Province of Self-Love. + + [F] _Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico + Tangit, & admissus circum praecordia ludit, + Callidus excusso Populum suspendere naso._ + + [F: Persius Sat. I. V. 116, &c.] + + ----With conceal'd Design, + Did crafty _Horace_ his low Numbers join: + And, with a sly insinuating Grace, + Laugh'd at his Friend, and look'd him in the Face: + Wou'd raise a Blush, where secret Vice he found; + And tickle, while he gently prob'd the Wound. + With seeming Innocence the Crowd beguil'd; + But made the desp'rate Passes, when he smil'd. + Mr. _Dryden_. + +This was the Character of one of the greatest _Roman_ Poets; and in +this Art, amongst the Moderns, [G]_Benserade_ particularly excell'd, +if we may believe his Successor and Panegyrist _Pavillon_. + + [G: Dictionaire de _Bayle_. Artic. _Benserade._ Not. L.] + +What is the proper Style for _Characteristic-Writings_ is briefly laid +down by [H]_Libanius_ in the following Words. +Ergase ten ethopoiian +charakteri saphei, suntomo, anthero, apoluto, apellagmeno pases plokes +te kai schematos+. "When you describe Manners you must use a plain, +concise, florid, easy Style, free from all artificial Turns and +Figures." Every Thing must be even, smooth, easy and unaffected; +without any of those Points and Turns, which convey to the Mind +nothing but a low and false Wit, in which our Moderns so much abound, +and in which they seem to place their greatest Beauties. + + [H: Ap. _Is. Casaub._ Proleg. ad Theophrast.] + +The primary Standard for Style is the Nature of the Subject: And +therefore, as _Characteristic-Writings_ are professed Representations +of Nature, an Author in this Way is immediately concern'd to use a +simple and natural Style: Nor has he any Reason to fear, that this +will any ways prejudice his Performance, and make it appear low, flat +and insipid; for in Reality there is nothing more noble than a true +Simplicity, and nothing more beautiful than Nature, when it appears in +the easy Charms of its own native Dress. + +In _Characteristic-Writings_ both the Way of Thinking and the Style +must be Laconic: Much must be contained in a little Compass. Brevity +of Diction adds new Life to a good Thought: And since every perfect +Stroke ought to be a distinct Representation of a particular Feature, +Matters shou'd be so order'd, that every perfect Sentence may contain +a perfect Thought, and every perfect Thought may represent one +Feature. + +Many other Particulars might have been observ'd and recommended to +those, who wou'd attempt a Performance in this Kind, with some +Assurance of Success. The Laws of good Writing, in general, may and +ought to be applied to _Characteristic-Writing_, in particular, as far +as the Nature of it will bear. But to pursue these Things accurately, +wou'd carry me beyond the Bounds which the Title of this Work +prescribes to me. To shew the peculiar Nature; to point out +the principal Beauties, and to lay down the general Laws of +_Characteristic-Writing_, is all that was propos'd. Besides, I shall +have Occasion, in the Sequel of this Essay, to make some further +Observations relating to the Constitution of _Characteristic-Writings_; +which, to prevent Repetitions, I forbear mentioning here; but if the +Reader be religious in the Observance of a strict Method, he is at +full Liberty to alter the Situation of them, and to refer them to this +Section. + + + + +SECT. IV. + + +Mr. _de la Bruyere_ has given us a Translation of the Characters of +_Theophrastus_; to which he has annex'd what he calls the Characters +or Manners of the present Age. This Work was receiv'd with Applause, +and the Author gain'd by it a great Reputation amongst Men of polite +Literature. And if to make a great deal of Noise in the World, and to +undergo several Editions, were infallible Proofs of the intrinsick +Merit of a Book, Mr. _de la Bruyere_'s Performance would, upon both +these Accounts, sufficiently recommend itself to our Approbation. +--I confess, there are very considerable Beauties in this Piece: but +yet if it should be examin'd by those Rules of Characteristic-Writing, +which I have already mention'd, and which I take to be essential to +Performances in this Kind, I am afraid it would not be able, in every +Respect, to stand the Test of an impartial Examination. + +I do not intend to enter upon an exact Critique of this Piece; the +intended Brevity of this Essay will permit me to take Notice of but +some few Particulars.--I have no Design or Desire to derogate from the +Reputation of the deceas'd Author; but this I take to be a standing +Rule in Critical Writings, as well as in judicious Reading, that we +ought not to be so struck with the Beauties of an Author, as to be +blind to his Failings; nor yet so prejudiced by his Failings, as to +be blind to his Beauties. + +The original Design of Characteristic-Writings is to give us real +Images of Life. An exact Imitation of Nature is the chief Art which is +to be us'd. The Imagination, I own, may be allow'd to work in Pieces +of this Kind, provided it keeps within the Degrees of Probability; But +Mr. _de la Bruyere_ gives us Characters of Men, who are not to be +found in Nature; and, out of a false Affectation of the Wonderful, he +carries almost every thing to Excess; represents the Irregularities of +Life as downright Madness, and by his false Colours converts Men into +Monsters. + +[I]_Troilus_ is a very supercilious Man: And 'tis no ways inconsistent +with this Character to suppose, that he may entertain a natural +Antipathy against an ugly Face, or a bad Voice; but our Author +represents him as labourirg under this Distemper to such a Degree of +Excess, as, I believe, has never been observ'd in any Man. I do not +know by what Name it may be call'd. _Troilus_ conceives an immediate +Aversion against a Person that enters the Room where he is; he shuns +him, flies from him, and will throw himself out at the Window, rather +than suffer himself to be accosted by one, whose Face and Voice he +does not like.--Is this Humour, or, rather, are not these the genuine +Symptoms of Madness and Phrenzy? And if _Troilus_ does really act +after this manner, is he not rather an Object of Pity, than a Subject +for Humour and Ridicule? + + [I: De la Societe & de la Conversation. Ad init.] + +The Character of _Cleanthes_, in the same [K]Chapter, is a +Misrepresentation of Nature.--"_Cleanthes_ is a very honest Man; he +has chosen a Wife, who is the best and the most reasonable Woman in +the World: They, each of them, in their respective Ways, make up all +the Pleasure and Agreeableness of the Company they are in: 'Tis +impossible to meet with more Probity or Politeness. They part to +Morrrow, and the Deed of their Separation is ready drawn up at the +Notary's. There are, certainly, some Kinds of Merit that were never +made to be together, and some Virtues that are incompatible." But +those who are endow'd with such good Qualities, as Mr. _de la Bruyere_ +ascribes to _Cleanthes_ and his Wife, can never agree to a willful +Separation. Nay, 'tis a Contradiction to their Character to suppose +that either of 'em is faln into those Circumstances, which only can +make a Separation become lawful and just. 'Tis true, some Virtues and +Accomplishments, as well as some Vices, may be inconsistent with each +other. But to apply this Maxim to the present Case must betray a great +Want of Judgment and Knowledge in the Nature of Things: For where can +one expect to meet with a more perfect Harmony of Virtues, than in the +reciprocal Honesty, Reason and Good-breeding of _Cleanthes_ and his +Wife? + + [K: Ibid. fere.] + +An absent Man often acts out of the Way of common Life, when the Fit +of Absence is upon him; but that this Fit should dwell upon a Man, +so long as it does upon Mr. _de la Bruyere_'s[L] _Menalcas_ I confess, +passes my Belief.--_Menalcas_ rises in the Morning; and from that Time +till he goes to Bed again, he never recovers from his Fit of Absence: +The Distractions of his Mind admit of no Cessation or Interruption: +His whole Life is a continued Series of the greatest Follies. +_Menalcas_ is really never _Menalcas_; he has no lucid Intervals; +he is always another Man. + + [L: C. de l'Homme.] + +If we consult the Operations of our Soul, to discover the proper +Causes of what is call'd _Absence of Mind_, we shall perceive that +the Powers of it are sometimes contracted within themselves by a +Multiplicity of Thought: In these Cases the inward Exercise of the +Soul makes it unable to attend to any outward Object. But at other +Times the Soul wanders from itself; and in these Cases the Soul being +conversant about remote Objects, cannot immediately recover itself, so +as to reflect duly on those which are present. So that this Absence of +the Mind must proceed, either from a Fulness and Intention of Thought, +or from a Want of Reflexion. If it proceeds from a Fulness of Thought, +I say 'tis impossible for the Mind to keep bent so long, as that of +_Menalcas_ does: It must necessarily have some Relaxations. If it +proceeds from a Want of Reflexion, it must be confess'd, that he who +can live so many Hours without reflecting, must be either wholly +stupid, or some Degrees below the Species of Mankind. + +But what makes the Character of _Menalcas_ still more ridiculous +and unnatural is, that he is stupid and sensible at the same +Time.--_Menalcas_ is in the Drawing-Room at Court; and walking very +majestically under a Branch of Candlestics; his Wig is caught up by +one of them, and hangs dangling in the Air. All the Courtiers fall a +laughing.--_Menalcas_ unluckily loses his Feeling, but still retains +the Use of his Ears. He is insensible that his Wig is taken off his +Head; but yet is so happy as to hear the loud Mirth of the Courtiers, +and has still so much good Humour left as to join in Company with +them.--_Menalcas_ plays at Backgammon.--He calls for a Glass of Water; +'tis his Turn to throw; he has the Box in one Hand and the Glass in +the other; and being extremely dry, and unwilling to lose Time, he +swallows down both the Dice and almost the Box, and at the same +Time throws the Glass of Water into the Tables.--If this is not +to overstrain the Bow, to carry Things to an unnatural Excess and +Extravagance, and to make no Distinction between Absence of Mind and +Insensibility, or downright Folly, I confess, I know not what is. _Mr. +de la Bruyere_ should have consider'd, that a Man, who has lost his +Feeling, is not, in that Respect, a proper Subject for Ridicule, +and that 'tis no Jest to take away a Man's Senses. Extravagances of +this Nature are no Beauties in any Kind of Writing, much less in +Characteristics. In Performances of this Kind there must be Spirit and +Strength, but especially there must be Justice. The real Images of +Life must be represented, or the Probabilities of Nature must strictly +be observ'd. + + [M] _Respicere exemplar vitae morumque jubebo + Doctum imitatorem, & vivas hinc ducere voces._ + + These are the likeliest Copies, which are drawn + By the Original of human Life. + Ld. _Roscommon_. + + [M: Horat. in Art. Poet. _v._ 317, &c.] + +The Strokes which compose a Character must be bold, but not +extravagant. Nature must not be distorted, to excite either Ridicule +or Admiration. Reason must hold the Reins of the Imagination: Judgment +must direct the Fancy; otherwise we shall be apt to miscarry, and +connect inconsistent Ideas, at the very Time, when we think we hit the +Point of Humour to the Life. + +The only Thing that can be said to excuse Mr. _de la Bruyere_ on this +Head, is what the Abbot _Fleury_ has alledg'd to his Praise; namely, +[N]that his Characters are sometimes loaded, on purpose that they +might not too nearly resemble the Persons design'd. + + [N: On trouve dans ses Characteres une severe Critique, des + Expressions vives, des Tours ingenieux, des Peintures quelquefois + chargees expres, pour ne les pas faire trop ressemblantes. + _Discours prononce dans l'Academie Francaise._ 1696.] + +'Tis very dangerous, I confess, to make free with the Characters of +particular Persons; for there are some Men in the World, who, tho' +they are not asham'd of the Impropriety of their own + +Manners, yet are they easily offended at the public Notice which is +taken of 'em. But tho' Mr. _de la Bruyere_ might have very good +prudential Reasons for not making his Characters too particular, yet +those Reasons cannot be urg'd, as a just Plea for his transgressing +the Bounds of Characteristic-Justice, by making his Images unnatural. + +In every Kind of Writing there is something of an establish'd Nature +which is essential to it. To deviate from this, is to deviate from +Nature it self. Mr. _de la Bruyere_ is not the only _French_ Man who +is guilty in this Point. Others of his Country-Men have committed much +the same Fault in Pastoral and Comedy. Out of a vain Affectation of +saying something very extraordinary and remarkable, they have departed +from the nature of Things: They have given to the Simplicity of the +Country, the Airs of the Town and Court, introduced upon the Stage +Buffoonry and Farce instead of Humour; and by misrepresenting the real +Manners of Men, they have turn'd Nature into Grimace. + +The main Beauty of _Characteristic-Writings_ consists in a certain +Life and Spirit, which the Writer ought to endeavour to keep up, by +all the Arts which he is Master of. Nothing will contribute to this +more, than the Observance of a strict Unity in the very Conception of +a Character: For Characters are Descriptions of Persons and Things, as +they are such: And, as [O]Mr. _Budgell_ has very judiciously observ'd, +"If the Reader is diverted in the midst of a Character, and his +Attention call'd off to any thing foreign to it, the lively Impression +it shou'd have made is quite broken, and it loses more than half its +Force." But if this Doctrine be applied to the Practice of Mr. _de la +Bruyere_, it will find him Guilty. He sometimes runs his Characters +to so great a Length, and mixes in 'em so many Particulars and +unnecessary Circumstances, that they justly deserve the Name, rather +of Histories than Characters.--Such is the [P]Article concerning +_Emira_. 'Tis an artful Description of a Woman's Vanity, in pretending +to be insensible to the Power of Love, merely because she has never +been exposed to the Charms of a lovely Person; and there is nothing in +this Character, but what is agreeable to Nature, and carried on with a +great deal of Humour. But the many Particulars which Mr. _de la +Bruyere_ has drawn into the Composition of it, and which, in Truth, +are not essential to the main Design, have quite chang'd the Nature of +the Character, and converted it into a History, or rather a little +Romance.--'Tis true, Histories are Pictures as well as Characters; but +yet there will ever be as wide a Difference between 'em, as there is +between a Picture at full Length, and one in Miniature. + + [O: Preface to _Theophrastus_.] + [P: C. des Femmes. ad fin.] + +The [Q]Characters of _Giton_ and _Phebon_ are humorous enough. And +they are allow'd to be kept within the just Bounds of Probability. But +Mr. _de la Bruyere_ has heap'd up so many Particulars and unnecessary +Circumstances, which do not convey any new Ideas, that the Characters +grow languid and tedious.--_Giton_ is respected; every thing that he +says or does is approved of. _Phebon_ is despis'd; no Notice is taken +of what he says or does. The Reason of this Difference is not so +mysterious, but that it may be told in less than two or three Pages. +_Giton_ is rich, and _Phebon_ is poor. + + [Q: C. id. ibid. fere.] + +Sometimes there is such a Confusion in Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ Designs, +that one cannot easily discover whether he intended to draw the +Character of a particular Person, or to make a Picture of some +prevailing Vice, or only a moral Reflexion.--Such is the [R]Article of +_Zenobia_. Was it design'd for the Character of _Zenobia_? But 'tis +rather a Description of the Magnificence, and beautiful Situation of +the Palace, which she was then building. Or was it design'd to censure +and lash the Publicans of the Age, for the Extortions which they +practis'd, and the immense Riches which they amass'd by Fraud and +Oppression? But this Satir comes in only by the by, and in a very +jejune Manner. Or lastly, was it intended only for a moral Reflexion +on the sudden Revolutions and Vicissitudes of Fortune? But the Length +of this Article is inconsistent with the nature of a Reflexion; and if +any thing like this was intended, it must come in as the +epimuthion+, +the Moral of the Fable; which will make the Contents of this Article, +still more different from the nature of a Character, than any thing +that has yet been mentioned. + + [R: C. des Biers de Fortune. sub fin.] + +'Tis not enough that a Character be drawn conformable to that +Existence which it really has, or probably may have in Nature: It must +further be cloath'd in proper Sentiments, and express'd in a simple +and natural Style. But Mr. _de la Bruyere_, consider'd as a Writer of +Characters, is too affected in his way of Thinking, and too artificial +in the Turn of his Expressions. + +The previous Apology which he made for himself in this Point, is so +far from the Purpose, that nothing is more so. + + Recollecting, [S]says he, that amongst the Writings ascrib'd to + _Theophrastus_ by _Diogenes Laertius_, there is one which bears the + Title of _Proverbs_, i.e. of loose unconnected Observations, and + that the most considerable Book of Morality, that ever was made, + bears that Name in the sacred Writings; we have been excited by + such great Examples to imitate, according to our Capacity, a like + Way of Writing concerning Manners. + +--'Tis true, that in the Catalogue of _Theophrastus _ his Works, +preserv'd by [T]_Diogenes Laertius_, there is one Book under the Title ++peri paroimion+ concerning _Proverbs_: But that, probably, was nothing +but a Collection of some of those short, remarkable, useful, pithy +Sayings, which are of common Use in the World, and which every Nation +has peculiar to it self. However, tho' we cannot exactly tell, what the +Nature of that Performance was, because the Book is now lost, yet we are +certain, on the other Hand, that the Design of _Solomon_ was not to +write Characters, but to deliver some Maxims of Morality by way of +Advice and Instruction. So that for a profess'd Writer of Characters, +to take a Book of _Proverbs_ for a Model, is as inconsistent, as if any +one, who intended to compose an Oration, shou'd form his Diction upon a +Poem. _Proverbs_ consist of short Sentences, which contain in themselves +a full and compleat Sense; and therefore they do not essentially require +a strict Relation and Correspondence; but _Characteristic-Writings_ +do require such a strict Relation and Correspondence. And Mr. _de la +Bruyere_ is so faulty in this Point, that almost every where he has no +visible Connexion. --_Characteristic-Writings_ ought, I own, to have a +lively Turn, and a Laconic Air: but there is a wide Difference between +using a concise Manner, and writing as many Aphorisms as +Sentences. + + [S: Discours sur _Theophraste_.] + [T: Lib. 5. Segm. 45.] + +How far Mr. _de la Bruyere_ is defective as to Propriety of Style and +Justness of Expression, I chuse to set down in the Words of one of his +[V]Countrymen, a very judicious Writer, and a better Judge in this +Matter than I pretend to be. + + [V: Melanges de Vigneul Marville. _Edit. Rot._ T. 1. p. 336.] + + Mr. _de la Bruyere_, qui n'a point de Style forme, ecrivant au + hazard, employe des Expressions outrees en des Choses tres communes; + & quand il en veut dire de plus relevees, il les affoiblit par des + Expressions basses, & fait ramper le fort avec le foible. Il tend + sans relache a un sublime qu'il ne connoit pas, & qu'il met tantot + dans les choses, tantot dans les Paroles, sans jamais attraper le + Point d'Unite, qui concilie les Paroles avec les choses, en quoi + consiste tout le Secret, & la Finesse de cette Art merveilleux. + +--This is the Censure which an ingenious Author, under the feign'd +Name of _Vigneul Marville_, has pass'd upon Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ +Style. However, I think my self oblig'd in Justice to inform the +Reader, that Mr. _Coste_, in his Defence of Mr. _de la Bruyere_, has +endeavour'd to prove that this Censure is ill grounded. But I will not +pretend to decide in a Case of this Nature. Matters relating to Style +are the nicest Points in Learning: The greatest Men have grosly err'd +on this Subject. I only declare my own Opinion on the Matter, that Mr. +_de la Bruyere_'s Style appears to me forc'd, affected, and improper +for Characteristic Writings. Several ingenious _French_ Gentlemen, who +have themselves writ with Applause in this Language, entertain the +same Sentiments, and have ingenuously confess'd to me, that they could +never read ten Pages together of Mr. _de la Bruyere_, without feeling +such an Uneasiness and Pain, as arises from a continued Affectation +and a perpetual Constraint. But the Reader is still left free. To form +a right Judgment on Correctness is an easy Matter by the ordinary +Rules of Grammar, but to do the same concerning the Turn and Air, and +peculiar Beauties of Style, depends on a particular Taste: They are +not capable of being prov'd to those who have not this Taste, but to +those who have it, they are immediately made sensible by a bare +pointing out. + +The running Title which Mr. _de la Bruyere_ has given to his Book +does, by no Means, square with the several Parts of it. With Relation +to my present Purpose I observe, that, strictly speaking, this +Performance is, but in Part, of the Characteristic-Kind. The +Characters, which are interspers'd in it, being reducible to a very +narrow Compass, and the main Body of it consisting of miscellaneous +Reflexions. And these are not confin'd, as is pretended, only to the +present Age, but extend themselves both to past and present Times. So +that if Mr. _de la Bruyere_ had, with his View, chosen another Title +for his Book, tho' it wou'd not have been so uncommon, yet wou'd it +have been more proper than the present Title; and the Performance it +self wou'd then, in some Measure, have less deserv'd +Censure. + +Tho' Mr. _de la Bruyere's_ Work is not perfect in that Kind, in which +it is pretended to excel, it must nevertheless be confess'd, that it +has many Beauties and Excellencies. To deny this, wou'd be an Affront +to the Judgment of the Gentlemen of the _French_ Academy: But yet our +Complaisance ought not, cannot go so far, as to prejudice our own +Judgment. We cannot think, as [X]some of 'em did, that Mr. _de la +Bruyere_ has excell'd _Theophrastus_, the great Original which he +propos'd to himself. Mr. _de la Bruyere_ had a more modest Opinion +of himself: He wou'd have been proud of the Title of _little +Theophrastus_. And in Truth, it deserves no small Share of Praise, to +come up to _Theophrastus_ in any Degree of Comparison.--If then Mr. +_de la Bruyere_ has committed some Faults, 'tis nothing but what +others have done, both before and since him: But if he has, as I have +already allow'd him to have, some considerable Beauties; 'tis more +than a great many other Authors have, tho' of greater Bulk: And these +Excellencies ought in Justice to be admitted as some Excuse for those +Defects. + + [X: Discours de l'Abbe Fleury deja cite.] + + + + +SECT. V. + + +Theophrastus has not only prevented, but he has also out-done the +Moderns in _Characteristic-Writings_. Yet Mr. _de la Rochefoucault_ +had an extraordinary Genius. He seems to be the only one, amongst +all the Moderns, who was equal to so great a Work. He had studied Man +in himself; and, in a small Collection of moral Reflexions, he has +laid open the various Forms and Folds of that Heart, which by Nature +is deceitful above all Things. He has given us, as it were, the +Characters of all Mankind, by discovering those secret Springs of Self +Love, which are the Source of all our _Actions_.--Self Love is born +with us; and this great Author has shewn, that there is no Principle +in human Nature so secret, so deceitful: 'Tis so Hypocritical, that it +frequently imposes on it self, by taking the Appearances of Virtue for +Virtue it self. It borrows all the Disguises of Art: It appears in a +thousand Forms, and in a thousand Shapes; but yet the Principle of +Error is still the same. + + [Y] ---- _Velut Silvis ubi passim + Palantes Error certo de Tramite pellit, + Ille sinistrorsum, hic dextrorsum abit: unus utrique + Error, sed variis illudit Partibus._ + + As Men that lose their Ways in Woods, divide, + Some go on this, and some on t'other Side. + The Error is the same, all miss the Road, + Altho' in different Quarters of the Wood. + + Mr. _Creech_. + + [Y: Horat. Lib. 2. Sat. 3. v. 48, _&c_.] + +'Tis true Mr. _de la Rochefoucault_'s Design was too general, and his +Piece cannot properly be reckoned among _Characteristic-Writings_. But +tho' he did not professedly write Characters, yet this Work shews that +he was very able to do it; and it may be of very great Service to +those, who wou'd attempt any thing in this Kind. + +I have often wonder'd that no _English_ Writer has ever professedly +attempted a Performance in the Characteristic-Way. I mean, such a +profess'd Performance, as wou'd extend it self to the different +Conditions of Men, and describe the various Ends which they propose to +themselves in Life; as wou'd take in the chief Branches of Morality +and Behaviour, and, in some Measure, make a compleat Work: For as to +loose Attempts and Sketches in this Kind, there are many Years since +we had some; the most considerable of which, I mean of those that bear +the Title of Characters, are printed together with Sir _Thomas +Overbury_'s Wife. These are said to have been written, partly by that +unfortunate Knight, and partly by some of his Friends. And if the +Editor had not taken Care to give us this Notice, yet still that great +Disparity which appears but too visibly in them, wou'd manifestly +prove that they were compos'd by very different Hands.--There are, +I confess, many good Things to be met with in these Characters, but +they are very far from making a compleat Work: And really this was not +intended. Besides, nothing can possibly be more contrary to the Nature +of _Characteristic-Writings_, than the corrupted Taste which prevail'd +in the Age. A continued Affectation of far-fetch'd and quaint +Simile's, which runs thro' almost all these Characters, makes 'em +appear like so many Pieces of mere Grotesque; and the Reader must +not expect to find Persons describ'd as they really are, but rather +according to what they are thought to be like. + +This Censure may be thought hard; but yet it leaves Room for some +Exceptions: And that I may do Justice to Merit, where it is really +due, I shall here set down one of those Characters, which seem'd to me +to be exquisite in its Kind. And this I shall the rather do, because +the Book it self is not in every body's Hands. The Image is taken from +low Life; 'tis a beautiful Description of Nature in its greatest +Simplicity, and 'tis the more beautiful because 'tis natural. + + A fayre and happy MILKE MAID. + + Is a Country Wench, that is so farre from making herselfe + beautifull by Art, that one Looke of hers is able to put all + _Face-Physicke_ out of Countenance. Shee knowes a fayre Looke is but + a dumbe Orator to commend Vertue, therefore mindes it not. All her + Excellencies stand in her so silently, as if they had stolne upon her + without her Knowledge. The Lining of her Apparell (which is her selfe) + is farre better than Outsides of Tissew: for tho' shee be not arraied + in the Spoyle of the Silke Worme, shee is deckt in Innocency, a far + better Wearing. Shee doth not, with lying long a Bed, spoile both her + Complexion and Conditions; Nature hath taught her, _too immoderate + Sleepe is rust to the Soul_: She rises therefore with _Chaunticleare_ + her Dames Cocke, and at Night makes the Lambe her _Corfew_. In milking + a Cow, and straining the Teates through her Fingers, it seemes that so + sweet a Milke-Presse makes the Milke the whiter, or sweeter; for never + came Almond Glove or Aromatique Oyntment on her Palme to taint it. The + golden Eares of Corn fall and kisse her Feete when shee reapes them, + as if they wisht to be bound and led Prisoners by the same Hand that + fell'd them. Her Breath is her owne, which sents all the Yeere long + of _June_, like a new made Hay-cocke. Shee makes her Hand hard with + Labour, and her Heart soft with Pitty: And when Winter Evenings fall + early (sitting at her merry Wheele) she sings a Defiance to the giddy + Wheele of Fortune. Shee doth all things with so sweet a Grace it + seemes _Ignorance_ will not suffer her to do Ill, being her Minde is + to do Well. Shee bestowes her Yeeres Wages at next Faire; and in + chusing her Garments, counts no Bravery i'th' World, like Decency. The + Garden and Bee-hive are all her Physicke and Chyrurgerie, and shee + lives the longer for't. Shee dares goe alone, and unfold Sheepe i'th' + Night, and feares no manner of Ill, because shee meanes none: Yet to + say Truth, shee is never alone, for shee is still accompanied with old + Songs, honest Thoughts, and Prayers, but short ones; yet they have + their Efficacy, in that they are not pauled with insuing idle + Cogitations. Lastly, her Dreames are so chaste, that shee dare tell + them; onely a Fridaies Dreame is all her Superstition; _that_ she + conceales for feare of Anger. Thus lives shee, and all her Care is + shee may die in the Spring-Time, to have Store of Flowers stucke upon + her winding Sheet. + +What makes me wonder that no _English_ Writer has ever attempted a +profess'd Performance in the _Characteristic-Way_ is, that we are, +certainly, more able to undertake a Work of this Nature than any other +Nation; because our Countrymen afford a greater Variety of Subject +Matter than any other People.--Human Nature, as I observ'd before, in +its various Forms and Affections, is the Subject of _Characteristic- +Writings_: And from this Diversity of Manners arises that, which is +properly call'd _Humour_, and which, upon a double Account, seems to +be peculiar to our Nation; not only because there is no Word in any +other Language so expressive, but also because there is no Nation, in +which we can find a greater Variety of original _Humour_, than amongst +the _English_. Sir _William Temple_, speaking of the Dramatic +Performances of the Stage, expresses himself after the following +Manner.--[Z] + + [Z: Essay on Poetry, p. 355, _&c_.] + + In this the _Italian_, the _Spanish_, and the _French_, have all had + their different Merit, and receiv'd their just Applauses. Yet I am + deceiv'd, if our _English_ has not in some Kind excell'd both the + Modern and the Antient; which has been by Force of a Vein, natural + perhaps to our Country, and which with us is call'd _Humour_, a Word + peculiar to our Language too, and hard to be express'd in any other; + nor is it (that I know of) found in any Foreign Writers, unless it be + _Moliere_, and yet his it self has too much of the Farce, to pass for + the same with ours. _Shakespear_ was the first that opened this Vein + upon our Stage, which has run so freely and so pleasantly ever since, + that I have often wonder'd to find it appear so little upon any + others; being a Subject so proper for them, since _Humour_ is but + a Picture of particular Life, as Comedy is of general; and tho' it + represents Dispositions and Customs less common, yet they are not + less natural than those that are more frequent among Men. + +_Humour_ is the only genuine Source of all that agreeable Variety of +original Characters, which is so entertaining to a Spectator and +Reader: And Sir _William Temple_ proceeds to observe, that in this +Point the Moderns in general, and the _English_ in particular, have +far excell'd the Antients. This Observation is very just, however +partial it may seem to a Foreigner, and the Reason of it is very +obvious. I shall represent 'em both in Sir _William_'s own Words. The +Passage is somewhat long, but the Goodness of it will amply pay the +Reader for his Trouble in perusing it. + + It may seem a Defect (says he) in the antient Stage, that the + Characters introduc'd were so few, and those so common, as a + covetous old Man, an amorous young, a witty Wench, a crafty Slave, + a bragging Soldier. The Spectators met nothing upon the Stage, but + what they met in the Streets, and at every Turn. All the Variety is + drawn only from different and uncommon Events; whereas if the + Characters are so too, the Diversity and the Pleasure must needs be + the more. But as of most general Customs in a Country, there is + usually some Ground, from the Nature of the People or Climat, so + there may be amongst us for this Vein of our Stage, and a greater + Variety of _Humour_ in the Picture, because there is a greater + Variety in the Life. This may proceed from the native Plenty of our + Soil, the Unequalness of our Climat, as well as the Ease of our + Government, and the Liberty of professing Opinions and Factions, + which perhaps our Neighbours may have about them, but are forc'd to + disguise, and thereby they may come in Time to be extinguish'd. + Plenty begets Wantonness and Pride, Wantonness is apt to invent, + and Pride scorns to imitate; Liberty begets Stomach or Heart, + and Stomach will not be constrain'd. Thus we come to have more + Originals, and more that appear what they are; we have more + _Humour_, because every Man follows his own, and takes a Pleasure, + perhaps a Pride, to shew it. + +--_Shakespear_, _Johnson_, _Shadwell_, _Etherege_, and _Wycherly_ have +shewn the Richness of this Source: They excell'd in the Variety and +_Humour_ of the Characters which they exhibited; and in this they have +receiv'd just Applauses: But yet they did not exhaust the Spring from +whence they drew: The ingenious Mr. _Congreve_ has pursu'd the same +Vein of _Humour_; and he has imitated his Predecessors so well, that +he has by far out-done 'em all. In his Dramatic-Pieces there is the +greatest Variety of _Humour_ and of original Characters, set off by +the greatest Delicacy of Sentiments, and adorn'd with the Beauties of +the justest Diction that can possibly be imagined. Mr. _Dryden_ must +be allow'd to be a competent Judge in an Affair of this Nature, and he +has given us the true Character and Panegyric of Mr. _Congreve_ in the +following Lines. + + In him all Beauties of this Age we see; } + _Etherege_ his Courtship, _Southern_'s Purity; } + The Satir, Wit and Strength of manly _Wicherly_. } + +'Tis true, there is some Difference between the Characters which +enter into the Composition of Dramatic Pieces, and those which are +represented by _Characteristic-Writers_; but this Difference is so +small, that I doubt not but he, who is an able Master in one of these +Kinds, would as successfully perform in the other. For, in reality, +the essential Parts of the Characters, in the _Drama_, and in +_Characteristic-Writings_, are the same. They are both an Image of one +Life; a Representation of one Person: All the Diversity lies in the +different Manner of representing the same Image. The _Drama_ presents +to the Eyes of a Spectator an Actor, who speaks and acts as the +Person, whom he represents, is suppos'd to speak and act in real Life. +The _Characteristic_ Writer introduces, in a descriptive manner, +before a Reader, the same Person, as speaking and acting in the same +manner: And both must be perform'd in such a natural and lively +manner, as may deceive the Spectator and Reader, and make them fancy +they see the Person represented or characteris'd. + +But tho' no _English_ Author has attempted a Performance in this Kind, +yet it must be confess'd that in some late diurnal Papers we have had +excellent Specimens in the Characteristic-Way. The Papers, which I +mean to point out, are the _Tatlers_ and the _Spectators_. They are of +the miscellaneous Kind, and were design'd for the universal Delight +and Instruction of the _British_ Nation. In these Papers are contained +Abundance of true Wit and _Humour_, lively Descriptions of human +Nature in its various Forms and Disguises, the Praises of Virtue, +and pointed Satir against Vice; and here and there are interspers'd +Characters of Men and Manners compleatly drawn to the Life.--If the +great Authors, who were concerned in the Composition of those Papers, +would have join'd their Abilities to form a Work of this Kind, I doubt +not but it would have been inimitable, and deserv'd the next Place, +in Point of Fame, to that of _Theophrastus_: For this is the highest +Pitch to which Moderns can aspire. A greater Design would be +Presumption, and would only serve to shew the greater Vanity of the +Attempt. An establish'd Reputation of above two thousand Years cannot +be easily shaken. _Theophrastus_ is, and ever will be, an Original in +_Characteristic-Writings_. His Fame still lives in our Memory, and the +Main of his Characters still subsists in our Actions. + + + _FINIS._ + + + * * * * * + + PUBLICATIONS OF THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY + FIRST YEAR (1946-47) + +[Transcriber's Note: +Many of the listed titles are or will be available from Project +Gutenberg. Where possible, the e-text number is given in brackets.] + +Numbers 1-4 out of print. [#13484, #14528, #14973] + +5. Samuel Wesley's _Epistle to a Friend Concerning Poetry_ (1700) + and _Essay on Heroic Poetry_ (1693). + +6. _Representation of the Impiety and Immorality of the Stage_ + (1704) and _Some Thoughts Concerning the Stage_ (1704). [#15656] + + +SECOND YEAR (1947-1948) + +7. John Gay's _The Present State of Wit_ (1711); and a section on + Wit from _The English Theophrastus_ (1702). [#14800] + +8. Rapin's _De Carmine Pastorali_, translated by Creech (1684). + [#14495] + +9. T. Hanmer's (?) _Some Remarks on the Tragedy of Hamlet_ (1736). + [#14899] + +10. Corbyn Morris' _Essay towards Fixing the True Standards of Wit, + etc._ (1744). [#16233] + +11. Thomas Purney's _Discourse on the Pastoral_ (1717). [#15313] + +12. Essays on the Stage, selected, with an Introduction by Joseph + Wood Krutch. + + +THIRD YEAR (1948-1949) + +13. Sir John Falstaff (pseud.), _The Theatre_ (1720). + +14. Edward Moore's _The Gamester_ (1753). [#16267] + +15. John Oldmixon's _Reflections on Dr. Swift's Letter to Harley_ + (1712); and Arthur Mainwaring's _The British Academy_ (1712). + +16. Nevil Payne's _Fatal Jealousy_ (1673). + +17. Nicholas Rowe's _Some Account of the Life of Mr. William + Shakespeare_ (1709). + +18. "Of Genius," in _The Occasional Paper_, Vol. III, No. 10 (1719); + and Aaron Hill's Preface to _The Creation_ (1720). [#15870] + + +FOURTH YEAR (1949-1950) + +19. Susanna Centlivre's _The Busie Body_ (1709). + +20. Lewis Theobold's _Preface to The Works of Shakespeare_ (1734). + [In Preparation] + +21. _Critical Remarks on Sir Charles Grandison, Clarissa, and + Pamela_ (1754). + +22. Samuel Johnson's _The Vanity of Human Wishes_ (1749) and Two + _Rambler_ papers (1750). [#13350] + +23. John Dryden's _His Majesties Declaration Defended_ (1681). [#15074] + +24. Pierre Nicole's _An Essay on True and Apparent Beauty in Which + from Settled Principles is Rendered the Grounds for Choosing and + Rejecting Epigrams_, translated by J.V. Cunningham. + + +FIFTH YEAR (1950-51) + +25. Thomas Baker's _The Fine Lady's Airs_ (1709). [#14467] + +26. Charles Macklin's _The Man of the World_ (1792). [#14463] + +27. Frances Reynolds' _An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of + Taste, and of the Origin of Our Ideas of Beauty, etc._ (1785). + [#13485] + +28. John Evelyn's _An Apologie for the Royal Party_ (1659); and + _A Panegyric to Charles the Second_ (1661). + +29. Daniel Defoe's _A Vindication of the Press_ (1718). [#14084] + +30. Essays on Taste from John Gilbert Cooper's _Letters Concerning + Taste_, 3rd edition (1757), & John Armstrong's _Miscellanies_ + (1770). [#13464] + +31. Thomas Gray's _An Elegy Wrote in a Country Church Yard_ (1751); + and _The Eton College Manuscript_. [#15409] + +32. Prefaces to Fiction; Georges de Scudery's Preface to _Ibrahim_ + (1674), etc. [#14525] + + + + +William Andrews Clark Memorial Library: University of California + +THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY + +_General Editors_ + +H. RICHARD ARCHER +William Andrews Clark Memorial Library + +R.C. BOYS +University of Michigan + +E.N. HOOKER +University of California, Los Angeles + +JOHN LOFTIS +University of California, Los Angeles + +The Society exists to make available inexpensive reprints (usually +facsimile reproductions) of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century +works. The editorial policy of the Society continues unchanged. As in +the past, the editors welcome suggestions concerning publications. All +income of the Society is devoted to defraying cost of publication and +mailing. + + +Publications for the sixth year [1951-1952] + +(At least six items, most of them from the following list, will be +reprinted.) + +Thomas Gray: _An Elegy Wrote in a Country Church Yard_ (1751). +Introduction by George Sherburn. [#15409] + +James Boswell, Andrew Erskine, and George Dempster: _Critical +Strictures on the New Tragedy of Elvira_ (1763). Introduction by +Frederick A. Pottle. [#15857] + +_An Essay on the New Species of Writing Founded by Mr. Fielding_ +(1751). Introduction by James A. Work. + +Henry Gally: _A Critical Essay on Characteristic Writing_ (1725). +Introduction by Alexander Chorney. + +[John Phillips]: _Satyr Against Hypocrits_ (1655). Introduction by +Leon Howard. + +_Prefaces to Fiction._ Selected and with an Introduction by Benjamin +Boyce. [#14525] + +Thomas Tyers: _A Biographical Sketch of Dr. Samuel Johnson_ ([1785]). +Introduction by Gerald Dennis Meyer. + + + * * * * * + +[Problems Noted by Transcriber: + +p. xv, xvii, xxiv + judg; knowledg + _spellings as in original_ + +p. 16 + is said to have been done upon + _original has_ is sa d to... + +p. 78 + and in a very / jejune Manner + _original has_ ...j june Manner + +p. 88 + yet this Work shews + _original has_ ye this Work... (_with extra space_) + +List of ARS Publications: + 20. Lewis Theobold's _Preface to The Works of Shakespeare_ (1734). + _so in original: correct spelling is_ Theobald + +Publications for the sixth year: + ...Gray's _Elegy_ and ..._Prefaces to Fiction_) + _so in original: see titles 31 and 32, fifth year_ ] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Critical Essay on +Characteristic-Writings, by Henry Gally + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CRITICAL ESSAY *** + +***** This file should be named 16299.txt or 16299.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/2/9/16299/ + +Produced by David Starner, Louise Hope and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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