From my own Apartment, April 20. The Nature of my Miscellaneous Work is fuch, that I shall always take the Liberty to tell for News fuch Things (let 'em have happened never so much before the Time of Writing) as have escap'd publick Notice, or have been misrepresented to the World, provided that I am still within Rules, and trespass not as a Tatler any further than in an Incorrectnefs of Style, and writing in an Air of common Speech. Thus if any Thing that is said, even of old Anchifes or neus, be fet by me in a different Light than has hitherto been hit upon, in order to inspire the Love and Admiration of worthy Actions, you will, Gentle Reader, I hope, accept of it for Intelligence you had not before. But I am going upon a Narrative, the Matter of which I know to be true: It is not only doing Juftice to the deceas'd Merit of fuch Perfons, as, had they lived, would not have had it in their Power to thank me, but also an Inftance of the Greatness of Spirit in the lowest of her Majesty's Subjects. Take it as follows: At the Siege of Namur by the Allies, there were in the Ranks of the Company commanded by Captain Pincent, in Colonel Frederick Hamilton's Regiment, one Unnion a Corporal, and one Valentine a private Centinel : There happened between thefe Two Men a Dispute about a Matter of Love, which, upon fome Aggravations, grew to an irreconcilable Hatred, Hatred. Unnion being the Officer of Valentine, took all Opportunities even to strike his Rival, and profess the Spite and Revenge which moved him to it. The Centinel bore it without Resistance, but frequently faid, He would die to be revenged of that Tyrant. They had spent whole Months thus, one injuring, the other complaining; when in the Midst of this Rage towards each other, they were commanded upon the Attack of the Castle, where the Corporal received a Shot in the Thigh, and fell; the French preffing on, and he expecting to be trampled to Death, called out to his Enemy, Ah, Valentine! Can you leave me here! Valentine immediately ran back, and in the Midst of a thick Fire of the French, took the Corporal upon his Back, and brought him thro' all that Danger as far as the Abbey of Salfine, where a Cannon Ball took off his Head His Body fell under his Enemy whom he was carrying off. Unnion immediately forgot his Wound, rofe up, tearing his Hair, and then threw himself upon the bleeding Carcafs, crying, Ah, Valentine! Was it for me, who have fo barbaroufly used thee, that thou haft died? I will not live after thee. He was not by any Means to be forced from the Body, but was removed with it bleeding in his Arms, and attended with Tears by all their Comrades, who knew their Enmity. When he was brought to a Tent, his Wounds were dreffed by Force; but the next Day, still calling upon Valentine, and lamenting his Cru elties to him, he died in the Pangs of Remorfe and Despair. It may be a Question among Men of Noble Sentiments, Whether of these unfortunate Perfons had the greater Soul; he that was fo generous as to venture his Life for his Enemy, or he who could not furvive the Man that died, in laying upon him fuch an Obligation? When we see Spirits like these in a People, to what Heights may we not fuppose their Glory may arise, but (as it is excellently obferved by Saluft) it is not only to the general Bent of a Nation that great Revolutions are owing, but to the extraordinary Genio's that lead 'em. On which Occafion he proceeds to fay, That the Roman Greatness was neither to be attributed to their fuperior Policy, for in that the Carthaginians excelled; nor to their Valour, for in that the French were preferable; but to particular Men, who were born for the Good of their Country, and formed for great Attempts. This he fays, to introduce the Characters of Cafar and Cato. It would be entering into too weighty a Difcourse for this Place, if I attempted to fhow, that our Nation has produced as great and able Men for publick Affairs, as any other, But I believe, the Reader outruns me, and fixes his Imagination upon the Duke of Marlborough. It is, methinks, a pleafing Reflection, to confider the Difpenfations of Providence in the Fortune of this Illuftrious Man, who, in in the Space of Forty Years, has pafs'd thro' all the Gradations of Human Life, 'till he has afcended to the Character of a Prince, and become the Scourge of a Tyrant, who fate in one of the greatest Thrones of Europe, before the Man who was to have the greatest Part in his Downfal had made one Step in the World. But fuch Elevations are the Natural Confequences of an exa& Prudence, a calm Courage, a well-govern'd Temper, a patient Ambition, and an affable Behaviour. These Arts, as they are the Steps to his Greatness, so they are the Pillars of it now it is raised. To this her Glorious Son, Great Britain is indebted for the happy Conduct of her Arms, in whom she can boaft, She has produced a Man formed by Nature to lead a Nation of Heroes. The TATLER. [No 6. From Thurfd. Apr. 21. to Saturd, Apr. 23.1709, Will's Coffee-houfe, April 22. AM just come from vifiting Sappho, a fine Lady, who writes Verfes, fings, dances, and can lay and do whatever the pleases, without the Imputation of any Thing that can injure her Character ; for the is fo well known to have no Passion but Self-love; or Folly, but Affectation; that now upon any Occafion, they 45 they only cry, 'Tis her Way, and, That's fo like ber, without further Reflection. As I came into the Room, fhe cries, Oh! Mr. Bickerstaff, I am utterly undone! I have broke that pretty Italian Fan I fhowed you when you were here last, wherein were fo admirably drawn our First Parents in Paradife afleep in each other's Arms. But there is fuch an Affinity between Painting and Poetry, that I have been improving the Images which were raised by that Picture, by reading the fame Representation in Two of our greatest Poets. Look you, here are the Paffages in Milton and in Dryden. All Milton's Thoughts are wonderfully just and natural, in this inimitable Description which Adam makes of himself in the Eighth Book of Paradife Loft. But there is none of them finer than that contained in the following Lines, where he tells us his Thoughts when be was falling asleep a little after his Crea tion. While thus Icall'd, and ftray'd I know not whither, But |