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whatever we are commanded; or we should be a disgrace to the
army; and very little deserve our pay。〃 〃You are brave fellows
indeed;〃 said Minos; 〃but be pleased to face about; and obey my
command for once; in returning back to the other world: for what
should such fellows as you do where there are no cities to be
burned; nor people to be destroyed? But let me advise you to have
a stricter regard to truth for the future; and not call the
depopulating other countries the service of your own。〃 The
captain answered; in a rage; 〃Dn me! do you give me the lie?〃
and was going to take Minos by the nose had not his guards
prevented him; and immediately turned him and all his followers
back the same road they came。
Four spirits informed the judge that they had been starved to
death through povertybeing the father; mother; and two
children; that they had been honest and as industrious as
possible; till sickness had prevented the man from labor。 〃All
that is very true;〃 cried a grave spirit who stood by。 〃I know
the fact; for these poor people were under my cure。〃 〃You was; I
suppose; the parson of the parish;〃 cries Minos; 〃I hope you had
a good living; sir。〃 〃That was but a small one;〃 replied the
spirit; 〃but I had another a little better。〃〃Very well;〃 said
Minos; 〃let the poor people pass。〃 At which the parson was
stepping forwards with a stately gait before them; but Minos
caught hold of him and pulled him back; saying; 〃Not so fast;
doctoryou must take one step more into the other world first;
for no man enters that gate without charity。〃 A very stately
figure now presented himself; and; informing Minos he was a
patriot; began a very florid harangue on public virtue and the
liberties of his country。 Upon which Minos showed him the utmost
respect; and ordered the gate to be opened。 The patriot was not
contented with this applause; he said he had behaved as well in
place as he had done in the opposition; and that; though he was
now obliged to embrace the court measures; yet he had behaved
very honestly to his friends; and brought as many in as was
possible。 〃Hold a moment;〃 says Minos: 〃on second
consideration; Mr。 Patriot; I think a man of your great virtue
and abilities will be so much missed by your country; that; if I
might advise you; you should take a journey back again。 I am
sure you will not decline it; for I am certain you will; with
great readiness; sacrifice your own happiness to the public
good。〃 The patriot smiled; and told Minos he believed he was in
jest; and was offering to enter the gate; but the judge laid fast
hold of him and insisted on his return; which the patriot still
declining; he at last ordered his guards to seize him and conduct
him back。
A spirit now advanced; and the gate was immediately thrown open
to him before he had spoken a word。 I heard some whisper; 〃That
is our last lord mayor。〃
It now came to our company's turn。 The fair spirit which I
mentioned with so much applause in the beginning of my journey
passed through very easily; but the grave lady was rejected on
her first appearance; Minos declaring there was not a single
prude in Elysium。
The judge then addressed himself to me; who little expected to
pass this fiery trial。 I confessed I had indulged myself very
freely with wine and women in my youth; but had never done an
injury to any man living; nor avoided an opportunity of doing
good; that I pretended to very little virtue more than general
philanthrophy and private friendship。 I was proceeding; when
Minos bade me enter the gate; and not indulge myself with
trumpeting forth my virtues。 I accordingly passed forward with
my lovely companion; and; embracing her with vast eagerness; but
spiritual innocence; she returned my embrace in the same manner;
and we both congratulated ourselves on our arrival in this happy
region; whose beauty no painting of the imagination can describe。
CHAPTER VIII
The adventures which the author met on his first entrance into
Elysium。
We pursued our way through a delicious grove of orange…trees;
where I saw infinite numbers of spirits; every one of whom I
knew; and was known by them (for spirits here know one another by
intuition)。 I presently met a little daughter whom I had lost
several years before。 Good gods! what words can describe the
raptures; the melting passionate tenderness; with which we kissed
each other; continuing in our embrace; with the most ecstatic
joy; a space which; if time had been measured here as on earth;
could not be less than half a year。
The first spirit with whom I entered into discourse was the
famous Leonidas of Sparta。 I acquainted him with the honors
which had been done him by a celebrated poet of our nation; to
which he answered he was very much obliged to him。 We were
presently afterwards entertained with the most delicious voice I
had ever heard; accompanied by a violin; equal to Signior
Piantinida。 I presently discovered the musician and songster to
be Orpheus and Sappho。
Old Homer was present at this concert (if I may so call it); and
Madam Dacier sat in his lap。 He asked much after Mr。 Pope; and
said he was very desirous of seeing him; for that he had read his
Iliad in his translation with almost as much delight as he
believed he had given others in the original。 I had the
curiosity to inquire whether he had really writ that poem in
detached pieces; and sung it about as ballads all over Greece;
according to the report which went of him。 He smiled at my
question; and asked me whether there appeared any connection in
the poem; for if there did he thought I might answer myself。 I
then importuned him to acquaint me in which of the cities which
contended for the honor of his birth he was really born? To
which he answered; 〃Upon my soul I can't tell。〃
Virgil then came up to me; with Mr。 Addison under his arm。
〃Well; sir;〃 said he; 〃how many translations have these few last
years produced of my Aeneid?〃 I told him I believed several; but
I could not possibly remember; for that I had never read any but
Dr。 Trapp's。 〃Ay;〃 said he; 〃that is a curious piece indeed!〃 I
then acquainted him with the discovery made by Mr。 Warburton of
the Elusinian mysteries couched in his sixth book。 〃What
mysteries?〃 said Mr。 Addison。 〃The Elusinian;〃 answered Virgil;
〃which I have disclosed in my sixth book。〃 〃How!〃 replied
Addison。 〃You never mentioned a word of any such mysteries to me
in all our acquaintance。〃 〃I thought it was unnecessary;〃 cried
the other; 〃to a man of your infinite learning: besides; you
always told me you perfectly understood my meaning。〃 Upon this I
thought the critic looked a little out of countenance; and turned
aside to a very merry spirit; one Dick Steele; who embraced him;
and told him he had been the greatest man upon earth; that he
readily resigned up all the merit of his own works to him。 Upon
which Addison gave him a gracious smile; and; clapping him on the
back with much solemnity; cried out; 〃Well said; Dick!〃
I then observed Shakespeare standing between Betterton and Booth;
and deciding a difference between those two great actors
concerning the placing an accent in one of his lines: this was
disputed on both sides with a warmth which surprised me in
Elysium; till I discovered by intuition that every soul retained
its principal characteristic; being; indeed; its very essence。
The line was that celebrated one in Othello
PUT OUT THE LIGHT; AND THEN PUT OUT THE LIGHT。 according to
Betterton。 Mr。 Booth contended to have it thus:
Put out the light; and then put out THE light。 I could not help
offering my conjecture on this occasion; and suggested it might
perhaps be
Put out the light; and then put out THY light。 Another hinted a
reading very sophisticated in my opinion
Put out the light; and then put out THEE; light; making
light to be the vocative case。 Another would have altered the
last word; and read
PUT OUT THY LIGHT; AND THEN PUT OUT THY SIGHT。 But
Betterton said; if the text was to be disturbed; he saw no reason
why a word might not be changed as well as a letter; and; instead
of 〃put out thy light;〃 you may read 〃put out thy eyes。〃 At last
it was agreed on all sides to refer the matter to the decision of
Shakespeare himself; who delivered his sentiments as follows:
〃Faith; gentlemen; it is so long since I wrote the line; I have
forgot my meaning。 This I know; could I have dreamed so much
nonsense would have been talked and writ about it; I would have
blotted it out of my works; for I am sure; if any of these be my
meaning; it doth me very little honor。〃
He was then interrogated concerning some other ambiguous passages
in his works; but he declined any satisfactory answer; saying; if
Mr。 Theobald had not writ about it sufficiently; there were three
or four more new editions of his plays c