The ancient Greeks had little indepen dent Syllables called Expletives, which they brought into their Difcourfes both in Verfe and Profe, for no other Purpofe but for the better Grace and Sound of their Sentences and Periods. I know no Example but this which can authorise the Ufe of more Words than are neceffary. But whether it be from this Freedom taken by that wife Nation, or however it arifes, Dick Reptile hit upon a very just and common Cause of Offence in the Generality of the People of all Orders. We have one here in our Lane who fpeaks nothing without quoting an Authority; for it is always with him, fo and fo, as the Man Jaid. He asked me this Morning, How I did? as the Man faid, and hoped I would come tow and then to fee him, as the Man faid. I am acquainted with another, who never delivers himself upon any Subject, but he cries, He only fpeaks his poor Judgment; this is his humble Opinion; or as for his Part, if he might prefume to offer any Thing of that Subject. But of all the Perfons who add Elegancies and Superfluities to their Difcourfes, those who deferve the foremon Rank, are the Swearers; and the Lump of these may, I think, be very aptly divided into the common Distinction of High and Low. Dulness and Barrenness of Thought is the Original of it in both thefe Sects, and they differ only in Conftitution: The Low is generally a phlegmatick, and the High a choferick Cox* [Vol. 3.]

comb.

comb. The Man of Phlegm is fenfible of the Emptiness of his Difcourfe, and will tell you, That I'fackins, fuch a Thing is true: Or if you warm him a little, he may run into Paffion, and cry, Odsbodikins, you do not fay right. But the High affects a Sublimity in Dulnefs, and invokes Hell and Damnation at the Breaking of a Glafs, or the Slowness of a Drawer. I was the other Day trudging along FleetStreet on Foot, and an old Army-Friend came up with me. We were both going towards Westminster, and finding the Streets were fo crowded that we could not keep together, we refolved to club for a Coach. This Gentleman I knew to be the Firft of the Order of the Cholerick. I muft confefs, (were there no Crime in it) nothing could be more diverting than the Impertinence of the High Juror : For whether there is Remedy or not against what offends him, ftill he is to fhow he is offended, and he must fure not omit to be magnificently paffionate, by falling on all Things in his Way. We were stopped by a Train of Coaches at Temple-Bar. What the Devil! (fays my Companion) cannot you drive on Coachman? D-n you all, for a Set of Sons of Whores, you will stop here to be paid by the Hour! There is not fuch a Set of confounded Dogs as the Coachmen unhang'd! But thefe rafcally Cits 'Ounds, why should not there be a Tax to make these Dogs widen their Gates? Oh! but the Hellhounds move at laft. Ay, faid I, I knew

you

you wou'd make 'em whip on if once they heard you No, fays he; but would it not fret a Man to the Devil, to pay for being carried flower than he can walk? Lookee, there is for evera Stop at this Hole by St. Cle ment's Church. Blood, you Dog! Harkee, Sirrah, Why, and be d-n'd to you, do not you drive over that Fellow? Thunder, Furies, and Damnation! I'll cut your Ears off, you Fellow before there. Come hither, you Dog you, and let me ring your Neck round your Shoulders. We had a Repetition of the fame Eloquence at the Cockpit, and the Turning into Palace-Tard.

This gave me a perfect Image of the Infignificancy of the Creatures who practise this Enormity, and made me conclude, That it is ever Want of Sense makes a Man guilty in this Kind. It was excellently well faid, That this Folly had no Temptation to excuse it, no Man being born of a Swearing Conftitution. In a Word, a few rumbling Words and Confonants clapped together, without any Sense, will make an accomplished Swearer: And it is needlefs to dwell long upon this Bluftring Impertinence, which is already banished out of the Society of well-bred Men, and can be ufeful only to Bullies and ill Tragick Writers, who would have Sound and Noise pass for Courage and Sense.

St. James's Coffee-house, Febr, 22.

There arrived a Meffenger laft Night from Harwich, who left that Place just as the Duke

of Marlborough was going on board. The Character of this important General going out by the Command of his Queen, and at the Requeft of his Country, puts me in Mind of that noble Figure which Shakespear gives Harry the Fifth upon his Expedition against France. The Poet wishes for Abilities to repréfent! fo great an Hero 5 th doz 1.

Ob for a Mufe of Fire! [lays he]
Then Thould the Warlike Harry, like himself,
Aume the Port of Mars; and at his Heels,
Leafh'd in, like Hounds, fhould Famine, Sword
Crouch for Employments.
Cand Fire

A Conqueror drawn like the God of Battle, with fuch a dreadful Leafh of Hell-hounds at his Command, makes a Picture of as much Majefty and Terror, as is to be met with in any Poet. trii

Shakespear understood the Force of this particular Allegory for well, that he had it in his Thoughts in another Paffage, which is altogether as Daring and Sublime as the former. What I mean, is in the Tragedy of Julius Cafar, where Antony, after having foretold them Bloodshed and Deftruction that fhould be brought upon the Earth by the Death of that great Man; to fill up the HorTore of his Description, adds the following Verses:

And Cæfar's Spirit ranging for Revenge,
With Ate by bis Side, come hot from Hell,

Shall

Shall in thefe Confines, with a Monarch's Voice,
Cry Havock; and let flip the Dogs of War.

I do not question but these Quotations will call to Mind in my Readers of Learning and Taft, that imaginary Perfon described by Virgil with the fame Spirit. He mentions it upon the Occafion of a Peace which was reftored to the Roman Empire, and which we may now hope for from the Departure of that great Man who has given Occafion to thefe Reflections. The Temple of Janus (fays he) shall be shut, and in the Midst of it Military Fury fhall fit upon a Pile of broken Arms, loaded with an Hundred Chains, bellowing with Madness, and grinding his Teeth in Blood.

Clandentur Belli Porta, Furor impius intus

Sava fedens fuper Arma, &Centum vinctus ahenis Poft Tergum nodis, frémit horidus Ore cruento.

Janus himself before his Fane fhall wait, 'And keep the dreadful Iflues of his Gate, With Bolts and Iron Bars. Within remains Imptilon'd Fury bound in Brazen Chains; High on a Trophy rais'd of ufelefs: Armis, He fits, and threats the World with vain Alarms. of mid over bag

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