CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH CLASSICS Characters and Passages from Note-Books Samuel Butler SAMUEL BUTLER Born i6i2 ? Died 1680 SAMUEL BUTLER CHARACTERS AND PASSAGES FROM NOTE-BOOKS EDITED BY A. R. WALLER, M.A. Cambridge : at the University Press 1908 CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE, C. F. CLAY, Manager. EonUon: FETTER LANE, E.G. CFainburg}) : loo, PRINCES STREET. ILtipjifj: F. A. BROCKHAUS. iSnrlin: A. ASHER AND CO. i^cfa lorh: G P. PUTNAM'S SONS. Bombag anU CTalcutta: MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd. [A// Rights reserved'^ /^/^ NOTE THE first portion of this volume (to p. 193) is reprinted from Thyer's Edition of The Genuine Remains in Verse and Prose of Mr Samuel Butler. The rest of the volume (pp. 197 — 480) is now printed for the first time from the Butler MSS in the British Museum (Addit. 32625 — 6). When I began, about four years ago, to prepare the material for a complete text of Butler, I found that the prose remains still in MS at the British Museum had already been transcribed by Miss Edith J. Morley ; and, her plans for an annotated edition having changed, arrangements were made whereby her transcript of the text was handed over to the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press. To Miss Morley, therefore, is due the sole credit for the very laborious work of having transcribed from, and first collated with, the MS these further Characters and the passages from Butler's note-books, and for having thereby materially assisted in the production of a complete text of Butler's works. The further checking of the transcript and the proofs with the original MS has been accomplished mainly by Mr George Brown, to whom thanks are due for much patient and careful assistance ; and my share in the present volume has been confined to checking the reprint of the previously published Characters^ to reading the proofs, to correcting certain eccentricities of the scribe in the latter portion wherever I thought 1203814 NOTE that they might prove stumbling-blocks to the reader and to compiling the textual notes at the end of the volume. The Unclassified Notes at the end of the MS have been printed as an appendix in small type. The passages contained therein are written on folios which, as a rule, bear no headings, and some, at any rate, appear to be intended for further Chara5iers. Many of ^hese passages are worked up into a more finished form elsewhere and a few have been omitted for this reason : it is not probable that every case of duplication has been run down. An example of such duplication may be found on pp. 418 11. 8 fF. and 436 11. i — 3 and, as one would naturally suppose, there are many occasions on which Butler repeats himself, or uses up his own material in other forms, or writes in prose thoughts which are elsewhere worked into verse. The paragraphs and the original spelling of the MS have been retained save in the instances set forth in the notes. This edition of the text of Butler will be completed by a third volume, supplementary to my edition of the text of Hudibras, in which will be printed the remaining poems known to be Butler's, together with several hitherto unprinted passages, and in which an attempt will be made to separate the wheat from the chaff in the matter of many poems attributed to him. A. R. WALLER Cambridge 2 August 1908 VI CONTENTS PAGE Characters A Modern Politician i ^ An Hypocritical Nonconformist . 15 ^ A Republican 2 + A Politician 27 A State-Convert . 28 A Risker .... 29 A Modern Statesman . 31 A Duke of Bucks 32 A Degenerate Noble 3+ A Huffing Courtier 35 A Court-Beggar . 38 A Bumpkin, or Country-Squire 40 An Antiquary 42 A Proud Man 44 ^- A Fifth-Monarchy Man 45 The Henpeft Man . 46 A Small Poet • 47 •^ A Philosopher • 57 A Fantastic • 58 A Melancholy Man 59 An Haranguer 61 A Popish Priest . 62 A Traveller . 6+ A Catholic .... 65 A Curious Man . 66 A Ranter .... . 67 A Corrupt Judge 68 An Amorist • 69 Vll CONTENTS \/ An Astrologer A Lawyer An Herald . v^A Latitudinarian . A Mathematician An Epigrammatist A Virtuoso . V A Justice of Peace A Fanatic . An Intelligencer . A Proselite . A Clown A Quibbler . A Wooer An Impudent Man An Imitator A Time-server A Prater An Hermetic Philosopher An Alderman A Disputant A Sot . An Atheist A Jugler A Sceptic A Projeftor A Complementer . A Churchwarden . A Romance writer A Cheat A Libeller . A Tedious Man . J A Taylor . A Factious Member A Pretender A News-monger . An Embassador . J PAGE 71 72 76 77 78 80 81 83 85 86 87 89 90 91 92 94 95 96 97 [08 10 1 1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18I 19 120 122 123 [24 125 26 ^\ (^^,- ■27 ^^ vin CONTENTS A Play-writer A Mountebank A Modern Critic A Wittal A Busy Man A Litigious Man A Pedant A Hunter A Humorist A Leader of a Fa6lion A Debauched Man The Seditious Man An Affefted Man A Medicine-taker The Rude Man The Miser . v/' A Rabble . A Shopkeeper \/ K Quaker . A Swearer . The Luxurious An Ungrateful Man A Knight of the Post An Undeserving Favourite A Cuckold . A Malicious Man A Squire of Dames A Knave ,: An Anabaptist A Vintner . An Hypocrite An Opiniater A Choleric Man A Lover A Translater A Rebel A City-wit . PAGE [29 30 3' 32 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 47 48 49 51 52 53 54 55 57 59 60 62 63 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 73 IX CONTENTS ^' A Superstitious Man A Drole An Empiric An Obstinate Man A Zealot The Over-doer A Jealous Man . An Insolent Man The Rash Man . A Pimp The AfFefted or Forma 1 A Flatterer . A Prodigal . A Pettifogger A Bankrupt The Inconstant . A Horse-courser . A Glutton . A Ribald . Characters from the British An Antisocordist . A Banker A Bowler A Brisk Man — Pert A Broker A Buffoon . A Catchpole A Clap'd Man . A Coffee Man A Coiner A Conjurer A Constable A Court-Wit A Coward . A Credulous Man A Cruel Man A Cully Museum MS PAGE 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 197 198 199 201 201 202 204 204 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 CONTENTS v/ A Cutpurse . A Dancing-Master A Detrador A Dueller A Dunce An Envious Man A Fencer A Fidler A Fool A Forger A Gamester An Heftor . An Highwayman An Host An Ignorant Man Impertinent . An Impostor An Incendiary An Informer A Jailor A Juror A Lampooner A Liar A Merchant The Modish Man A Musitian The Negligent An Officer . An Oppressor A Parasite . The Perfidious Man A Plagiary . A Player A Proud Lady A Publican . A Quareller . A Rook PAGE 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 =^ 230 231 232 234 235 236 -«• 237 238 240 241 242 2 + 3 244 245 246 247 248 . 250 . 251 252- 253 XI CONTENTS page A Sailor . . . . . . -254 A Scold .... 255 A Scrivener .... 256 The Self Conceited or Singular 257 A Sharke .... 258 A Silenc'd Presbyterian 259 A Soldier .... 260 A Stationer .... 261 A Tennis-player . 263 An Usurer .... 264 The Vainglorious Man 265 The Voluptuous . 266 Miscellaneous Observations and Reflections on Various Subjects Sundry Thoughts . . . . . .270 Learning and Knowledge 276 Truth and Falshood 290 Religion 294 Wit and Folly 326 Ignorance 333 Reason 336 Virtue and Vice 34-1 Opinion 3+9 Nature 353 History 370 Physique 380 Princes and Government 382 ^ Criticisms upon Books and Authors 395 Contradiftions .... 417 Appendix Unclassified Notes on Various Subjects . . • 4-5i Notes . 481 Xll A MODERN POLITICIAN MAKES new Discoveries in Politics, but they are, like those that Columbus made of the new World, very rich but barbarous. He endeavours to restore Mankind to the original Condition, it fell from, by forgeting to discern between Good and Evil ; and reduces all Prudence back again to its first Author the Serpent, that taught Adam Wisdom ; for he was really his Tutor, and not Samhoscor^ as the Rabbins write. He finds the World has been mistaken in all Ages, and that Religion and Morality are but vulgar Errors, that pass among the Ignorant, and are but mere Words to the Wise. He despises all learning as a Pedantic little Thing ; and believes Books to be the Business of Children, and not of Men. He wonders how the Distinction of Virtue and Vice came into the World's Head ; and believes them to be more ridiculous than any Foppery of the Schools. He holds it his Duty to betray any Man, that shall take him for so much a Fool as one fit to be trusted. He stedfastly believes, that all Men are born in the State of War, and that the civil Life is but a Cessation, and no Peace, nor Accommodation : And though all open Ails of Hostility are forborn by Consent, the Enmity continues, and all Advantages by Treachery or Breach of Faith are very lawful — That there is no Difference between Virtue and Fraud among Friends, as well as Enemies ; nor any thing unjust, that a Man can do without Damage to his own Safety or Interest — That Oaths are but Springes to catch Woodcocks withal ; and bind none but those, that are too weak and feeble to break them, when they become ever so small an Impediment to their Advantages — That Conscience is the effedl of Ignorance, and the same with that foolish Fear, which some Men apprehend, when they are in the dark and alone — That Honour is but the CHARACTERS Word, which a Prince gives a Man to pass his Guards withal, and save him from being stopped by Law and Justice the Sentinels of Governments, when he has not Wit nor Credit enough to pass of himself— That to shew Respeft to Worth in any Person is to appear a Stranger to it, and not so familiarly acquainted with it as those are, who use no Ceremony ; because it is no new Thing to them, as it would appear if they should take Notice of it — That the easiest Way to purchase a Reputation of Wisdom and Knowledge is to slight and under- value it ; as the readiest Way to buy cheap is to bring down the Price : for the World will be apt to believe a Man well provided with any necessary or useful Commodity, which he sets a small Value upon — That to oblige a Friend is but a kind c.f casting him in Prison, after the old Roman Way, or modern Chinese^ t'hat chains the Keeper and Prisoner together : for he that binds another Man to himself, binds himself as much to him, and lays a restraint upon both. For as Men commonly never forgive those that forgive them, and always hate those 'that purchase their Estates (tho' they pay dear and more than any Man else would give) so they never willingly endure those, that have laid any Engagement upon them, or at what rate soever purchased the least Part of their Freedom. — And as Partners for the most Part cheat or suspe6t one another ; so no Man deals fairly with another, that goes the least Share in his Freedom. To propose any Measure to Wealth or Power is to be ignorant of the Nature of both : for as no Man can ever have too much of either ; so it is impossible to determine what is enough ; and he, that limits his Desires by proposing to himself the Enjoyment of any other Pleasure, but that of gaining more, shews he has but a dull Inclination, that will not hold out to his Journey's End. And therefore he believes that a Courtier deserves to be beg'd himself, that is ever satisfied with begging: for Fruition without Desire is but a dull Entertainment ; and that Pleasure only real and substantial, that provokes and improves the Appetite, and increases in the Enjoyment. And all the greatest Masters in the several Arts of thriving concur unanimously, that the plain downright Pleasure of Gaining is greater and deserves to be prefered far A MODERN POLITICIAN before all the various Delights of Spending, which the Curiosity, Wit, or Luxury of Mankind in all Ao;es could ever find out. He believes, there is no Way of thriving so easy and certain as to grow rich by defrauding the Public : for public Thieveries are more safe and less prosecuted than private, like Robberies committed between Sun and Sun, which the County pays, and no one is greatly concerned in. And as the Monster of many Heads has less Wit in them all than any one reasonable Person : so the Monster of many Purses is easier cheated than any one indifferent crafty Fool. For all the Difficulty lies in being trusted ; and when he has obtained that, the Business does itself; and if he should happen to be questioned and called to an Accompt, a Baudy Pardon is as cheap as a Paymaster's Fee, not above fourteen Pence in the Pound. He thinks, that when a Man comes to Wealth or Prefer- ment, and is to put on a new Person, his first Business is to put oiF all his old Friendships and Acquaintances as Things below him, and no Way consistent with his present Condition ; especially such as may have Occasion to make use of him, or have Reason to expe6l any civil Returns from him : for requiting of Obligations received in a Man's Necessity is the same Thing with paying of Debts contracted in his Minority, when he was under Age, for which he is not accountable by the Laws of the Land. These he is to forget as fast as he can, and by little Neglefts remove them to that Distance, that they may at length by his Example learn to forget him : for Men, who travel together in Company, when their Occasions lye several Ways, ought to take leave and part. It is a hard Matter for a Man that comes to Preferment not to forget himself; and therefore he may very well be allowed to take the Freedom to forget others : for Advancement, like the Conversion of a Sinner, gives a Man new Values of Things and Persons, so different from those he had before, that that, which was wont to be most dear to him, does commonly after become the most disagreeable. And as it is accounted noble to forget and pass over little Injuries ; so it is to forget little Friendships, that are no better than Injuries when they become Disparagements, and can only be importune and troublesome, instead of being useful, as they were before. All Afts of A2 3 CHARACTERS Oblivion have, of late Times, been found to extend, rather to loyal and faithful Services done, than Rebellion and Treasons committed, tor Benefits are like Flowers, sweet only and fresh when they are newly gathered, but stink when they grow stale and wither ; and he only is ungrateful, who makes returns of Obligations ; for he does it merely to free himself from owing so much as Thanks. Fair Words are all the Civility and Humanity, that one Man owes to another ; for they are obliging enough of themselves, and need not the Assistance of Deeds to make them good : for he that does not believe them has already received too much, and he that does, ought to expedt no more. And therefore promises ought to oblige those only to whom they are made, not those who make them ; for he that expedls a Man should bind himself is worse than a Thief, who does that Service for him, after he has robbed him on the High-way — Promises are but Words, and Words Air, which no Man can claim a Propriety in, but is equally free to all, and incapable of being confined ; and if it were not, yet he who pays Debts, which he can possibly avoid, does but part with his Money for nothing, and pays more for the mere Reputation of Honesty and Conscience than it is worth. He prefers the Way of applying to the Vices and Humours of great Persons before all other Methods of getting into Favour : for he that can be admitted into these Offices of Privacy and Trust seldom fails to arrive at greater ; and with greater Ease and Certainty than those, who take the dull Way of plain Fidelity and Merit. For Vices, like Beasts, are fond of none but those that feed them ; and where they once prevail, all other Considerations go for nothing. They are his own Flesh and Blood, born and bred out of him ; and he has a stronger natural Affection for them than all other Relations whatsoever — And he, that has an Interest in these, has a greater Power over him than all other Obligations in the World. For though they are but his Imperfeftions and Infirmities, he is the more tender of them ; as a lame Member, or diseased Limb is more carefully cherished than all the rest, that are sound and in perfeft Vigour. All Offices of this kind are the greatest Endearments, being real Flatteries enforced by Deeds and A(5lions, and therefore far more prevalent than A MODERN POLITICIAN those, that are performed but by Words and Fawning ; though very great Advantages are daily obtained that Way — A||d therefore he esteems Flattery as the next most sure and successful Way of improving his Interests. For Flattery is but a kind of civil Idolatry, that makes Images it self of Virtue, Worth, and Honour in some Person, that is utterly void of all, and then falls down, and worships them. And the more dull and absurd these Applications are, the better they are always received : for Men delight more t-o be presented with those Things they want, than such as they have no need nor use of. And though they condemn the Realities of those Honours and Renowns, that are falsely imputed to them, they are wonderfully afFe(^led with their false Pretences. For Dreams work more upon Men's Passions, than any waking Thoughts of the same Kind ; and many, out of an ignorant Superstition, give more Credit to them, than the most rational of all their vigilant Conjectures, how false soever they prove in the Event — No wonder then if those, who apply to Men's Fancies and Humours, have a stronger Influence upon them than those, that seek to prevail upon their Reason and Understandings, especially in things so delightful to them as their own Praises, no Matter how false and apparently incredible : for great Persons may wear counterfeit Jewels of any Caracl, with more Confidence and Security from being discovered, than those of meaner Quality ; in whose Hands the Greatness of their Value (if they were true) is more apt to render them suspected. A Flatterer is like Mahomefs Pigeon, that picks his Food out of his Master's Ear, who is willing to have it believed, that he whispers Oracles into it ; and accordingly sets a high Esteem upon the Service he does him, though the Impostor only designs his own Utilities — For Men are for the most Part better pleased with other Men's Opinions, though false, of their Happiness, than their own Experiences ; and find more Pleasure in the dullest Flattery of others than all the vast Imaginations they can have of themselves, as no Man is apt to be tickled with his own fingers ; because the Applauses of others are more agreeable to those high Conceits, they have of themselves, which they are glad to find confirmed, and are the only Music, that sets them a dancing, like those that are bitten with a Tarantula. CHARACTERS He accounts it an Argument of great Discretion, and as great Temper, to take no Notice of Affronts and Indignities put upon him by great Persons. For he that is insensible of Injuries of this Nature can receive none ; and if he lose no Confidence by them, can lose nothing else ; for it is greater to be above Injuries, than either to do, or revenge them ; and he, that will be deterred by those Discouragements from prosecuting his Designs, will never obtain what he proposes to himself. When a Man is once known to be able to endure Insolencies easier than others can impose them, they will raise the Siege, and leave him as impregnable ; and therefore he resolves never to omit the least Opportunity of pressing his Affairs, for Fear of being baffled and affronted ; for if he can at any Rate render himself Master of his Purposes, he would not wish an easier, nor a cheaper Way, as he knows how to repay himself, and make others receive those Insolencies of him for good and current Payment, which he was glad to take before — And he esteems it no mean Glory to shew his Temper of such a Compass, as is able to reach from the highest Arrogance to the meanest, and most dejefted Submissions. A Man, that has endured all Sorts of Affronts, may be allowed, like an Apprentice that has served out his Time, to set up for himself, and put them off upon others ; and if the most common and approved Way of growing rich is to gain by the Ruin and loss of those, who are in necessity, why should not a Man be allowed as well to make himself appear great by debasing those, that are below him? For Insolence is no inconsiderable Way of improving Greatness and Authority in the Opinion of the World. If all Men are born equally fit to govern, as some late Philosophers affirm, he only has the Advantage of all others, who has the best Opinion of his own Abilities, how mean soever they really are ; and, therefore, he stedfastly believes, that Pride is the only great, wise, and happy Virtue that a Man is capable of, and the most compendious and easy Way to Felicity — For he, that is able to persuade himself impregnably, that he is some great and excellent Person, how far short soever he falls of it, finds more Delight in that Dream than if he were really so ; and the less he is of what he fancies himself to be, the better he is pleased, as Men covet those things, that are forbidden and denied them, more greedily than 6 A MODERN POLITICIAN those, that are in their Power to obtain ; and he, that can enjoy all the best Rewards of Worth and Merit without the Pains and Trouble that attend it, has a better Bargain than he, who pays as much for it as it is worth. This he performs by an obstinate implicit believing as well as he can of himself, and as meanly of all other Men ; for he holds it a kind of Self-Pre- servation to maintain a good Estimation of himself : And as no Man is bound to love his Neighbour better than himself ; so he ought not to think better of him than he does of himself; and he, that will not afford himself a very high Esteem, will never spare another Man any at all. He who has made so absolute a "Conquest over himself (which Philosophers say is the greatest of all Vi6lories) as to be received for a Prince within himself, is greater and more arbitrary within his own Dominions, than he that depends upon the uncertain Loves or Fears of other Men without him. — And since the Opinion of the World is vain, and for the most Part false, he believes it is not to be attempted but by Ways as false and vain as it self; and therefore to appear and seem is much better and wiser, than really to be, whatsoever is well esteemed in the general Value of the World. Next Pride he believes Ambition to be the only generous and heroical Virtue in the World, that Mankind is capable of. For as Nature gave Man an ereft Figure, to raise him above the groveling Condition of his fellow Creatures the Beasts : so he, that endeavours to improve that, and raise himself higher, seems best to comply with the Design and Intention of Nature. Though the Stature of Man is confined to a certain Height, yet his Mind is unlimited, and capable of growing up to Heaven : And as those, who endeavour to arrive at that Perfection, are adored and reverenced by all ; so he, that endeavours to advance himself as high as possibly he can in this World, comes nearest to the Condition of those holy and divine Aspirers. All the purest Parts of Nature always tend upwards, and the more dull and heavy downwards : so in the little World the noblest Faculties of Man, his Reason and Understanding, that give him a Prerogative above all other earthly Creatures, mount upwards — And therefore he, who takes that Course and still aspires in all his Undertakings and Designs, does but c:nARACTi<:Rs conform to tliat wlii( li N;itiii'- dlcMatcs -Arc not the Reason uikJ tlic Will, the two comniaiHJinji; I'acnltics of the Soul, still Striving which shall he ii|)|)(.iinost r Men honour none hut those that are above them, contest with K(]nals, and di'.dain Inferiors. The first Thiuff that (iod gave Mat), was Donnnion over the rest of his inft;rior Creatures; hut he, that can extend that over Man, improves his 'I'alent to the best Advantage. Howarc Atigelsdistinginshcd hut hy Dom'iniorny Poweri^ Thrones^ and Pr/«r7'/v/////Vi r" Then fie, who still aspires to purchase thysi('i(in cures or kills? and yet he is e(|ually rewai'ded for botli, and the ]*rofession esfecrned never the less worshipful And theiefore he accounts it a lidiciilous Vanity in any Man to consider, whether he does right or wrong in any Thing he attempts ; since the Success is only able to determine, and satisfy tin- ()pini