privily assault the one, would destroy the other, might they do it .with the same security and impunity. As for persons who take pleasure in the reading and dispersing of such detestable libels, I am afraid they fall very little short of the guilt of the first composers. By a law of the emperors Valentinian and Valens, it was made death for any person not only to write a libel, but, if he met with one by chance, not to tear or burn it. But because I would not be thought singular in my opinion of this matter, I shall conclude my paper with the words of Monsieur Bayle, who was a man of great freedom of thought as well as of exquisite learning and judgment. " I cannot imagine that a man who disperses a libel, is less desirous of doing mischief than the author himself. But what shall we say of the pleasure which a man takes in the reading of a defamatory libel ? Is it not an heinous sin in the sight of God ? We must distinguish in this point. This pleasure is either an agreeable sensation we are affected with, when we meet with a witty thought which is well expressed, or it is a joy which we conceive ii-orn the dishonour of the person who is defamed. 1 will say nothing to the first of these cases; for perhaps some would think that my morality is not severe enough, if I should affirm that « man is not master of those agreeable sensations, any more than of those occasioned by sugar or honey, when they touch his tongue; but as to the second, every one will own that pleasure to be a heinous sin. The pleasure in the first case is of no continuance: it prevents our reason and reflection, and may be immediately followed by a secret grief, to see our neighbour's honour blasted. If it does not cease immediately, it is a sign that we are not displeased with the ill nature of the satirist, but are glad to see him defame his enemy by all kinds of stories; and then we deserve the punishment to which the writer of the libel is subject. I shall here add the words of a modern author. St. Gregory, upon escommunicatiug those writers who had dishonoured Castorius, does not except those who read their works; because, says he, il calumnies have always been the delight of their hearers, and a gratification of those persons who have no other advantage over honest men, is not he who takes pleasure in reading them «j guilty as he who composed them ? It is an uncontested maxim, that they who approve an action, would certainly do it if thej could; that is, if some reason of self-love did not hinder them. There is no difference, says Cicero, between advising a crime, and approving it when committed. The Roman law confirmed this maxim, having subjected the approvers and authors of this evil to the same penalty. We may therefore conclude, that those whe are pleased with reading defamatory libels, so far as to approve the authors and dispersers of them, are as guilty as if they hid composed them; for if they do not write such libels themselves, it is because they have not the talent of writing, or because they will run no hazard." i The author produces other authorities to confirm his judgment in this particular ADDISON. C. No. 452. FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1712. Est natura hominum novitatis avida. Pun. Apud Ullick. There is no humour in my countrymen which I am more inclined to wonder at than their general thirst after news. There are about half a dozen ingenious men, who live very plentifully upon this curiosity of their fellow subjects. They all of them reeeive the same advices from abroad, and very often in the same words; but their way of cooking it is so different, that there is no citizen, who has an eye to the public good, that can leave the coffee-house with peace of mind before he has given every one of them a reading. These several dishes of news are so very agreeable to the palate of my countrymen, that they are not only pleased with them when they are served up hot, but when they are again set cold before them, by those penetrating politicians who oblige the public with their reflections and observations upon every piece of intelligence that is sent us from abroad. The text is given us by one set of writers, and the comment by another. But notwithstanding we have the same tale told us in so many different papers, and, if occasion requires, in so many articles of the same paper, notwithstanding in a scarcity of foreign posts we bear the same story repeated by different advices from Paris, Brussels, the Hague, and from every great town in Europe; notwithstanding the multitude of annotations, explanations, reflections, and various readings which it passes through, our time lies heavy on our hands till the arrival of a fresh mail: we long to rereive further particulars, to hear what will be the next step, or what will be the consequences of that which has been already taken. A westerly wind keeps the whole town in suspense, and puts a stop to conversation. This general curiosity has been raised and inflamed by ov.r late wars, and, if rightly directed, might be of good use to a person who has such a thirst awakened in him. Why should not a man, who takes delight in reading everything that is new, apply himself to history, travels, and other writings of the same kind, where he will Cud perpetual fuel for his curiosity, and meet with much more pleasure and improvement than in these papers of the week? An honest tradesman, who languishes a whole summer in expectation of a battle, and perhaps is balked at last, may here meet with half a dozen in a day. He may read the news of a whole campaign in less time than he now bestows upon the productions of a single post Fights, conquests, and revolutions, lie thick together. The reader's curiosity is raised and satisfied every moment, and his passions disappointed or gratified, without being detained in a state of uncertainty from day to day, or lying at the mercy of sea and wind; in short, the mind is not here kept in a perpetual gape after knowledge, nor punished with that eternal thirst which is the portion of all our modern newsmongers and coffee-house politicians. All matters of fact, which a man did not know before, are news to him; and 1 do not see how any haberdasher in Cheapside N more concerned in the present quarrel of the Cantons, than be was in that of tho League. At least, I believe every one will allow me. it is of more importance to an Englishman to know the history of his ancestors, than that of his contemporaries who live upon the banks of the Danube or the Boristhenes. As for those who are of another mind, I shall recommend to them the following letter from a projector who is willing to turn a penny by this remarkable curiosity of his countrymen. " Mr. Spixtator, " You must have observed, that men who frequent cofFee-hoiiae*, and delight in news, are pleased with everything that is matter of fact, so it be what they have not heard before. A victory, or a defeat, are equally agreeable to them. The shutting of a cardinal's mouth pleases them one post, and the opening of it another. They are glad to hear the French court is removed to Marli, and .ire afterwards as muoh delighted with its return to Versailles. They read the advertismeuts with the same curiosity as the articles of public news; and are as pleased to hear of a piebald horse thit is strayed out of a field near Islington, as of a whole troop thai have been engaged in any foreign adventure. In short they haw a relish for everything that is news, let the matter of it be what it will; or, to speak more properly, they are men of a voraciou? appetite, but no taste. Now, Sir, since the great fountain of new*, I mean the war, is very near being dried up; and since these gentlemen have contracted such an inextinguishable thirst after it. I have taken their case and my own into consideration, and have thought of a project which may turn to the advantage of us both. I have thoughts of publishing a daily paper, which shall comprehend in it all the most remarkable occurrences in every little toira, villuge, and hamlet, that lie within ten miles of London, or, in other words, within the verge of the penny-post. I have pitched upon this scene of intelligence for two reasons; first, because the carriage of letters will be very cheap ; and secondly, because I may receive them every day. By this means my readers will have their news fresh and fresh, and many worthy citizens, who cannot sleep with any satisfaction at present, for want of being informed how the world goes, may go to bed contentedly, it being my design to put out my paper every night at nine o'clock precisely. I have already established correspondences in these several places, and receive very good intelligence. "By my last advices from Knightsbridge I hear, that a horse was clapped into the pound on the third instant, and that he was not released when the letters came away. " We are informed from Pankridge, * that a dozen weddings were lately celebrated in the mother church of that place, but are referred to their next letters for the names of the parties concerned. * Letters from Brompton advise, that the widow Blight had received several visits from John Mildew, which affords great matter of speculation in those parts. " By a fisherman which lately touched at Hammersmith, there is advice from Putney, that a certain person well known in that place i» like to lose his election for churchwarden; but this being boatnews, we cannot give entire credit to it. "Letters from Paddington bring little more than that William Squeak, the sow-gelder, passed through that place the fifth in Sant. "They advise from Fulham, that things remained there in the same state they were. They had intelligence, just as the letters '-&me away, of a tub of excellent ale just set abroach at Parson's Green ; bat this wanted confirmation. " I have here. Sir, given you a specimen of the news with which I intend to entertain the town, and which, when drawn up regularly in the form of a newspaper, will, I doubt not, be very acceptable to many of those public-spirited readers, who take more delight in acquainting themselves with other people's business than their own. I hope a paper of this kind, which lets us know what is done near borne, may be more useful to us than those which are filled with advices from Zug and Bender, and make some amends for tbat dearth of intelligence, which we may justly apprehend from times of peace. If 1 find that you receive this project favour»hly, I will shortly trouble you with one or two more; and in the raeia time am, most worthy Sir, with all due respect, " Your most obedient, and most humble servant." ADDISON. C. Panerai, which wa» then a feshionable place for weddings. |