to that collection of ’Poems chiefly of the Lyric kind, in Three Books, sacred, I. to Devotion and Piety.  II.  To Virtue, Honour, and Friendship.  III.  To the Memory of the Dead,’ he had argued that Poesy, whose original is divine, had been desecrated to the vilest purpose, enticed unthinking youth to sin, and fallen into discredit among some weaker Christians.  ’They submit indeed to use it in divine psalmody, but they love the driest translation of the Psalms best.’  Watts bade them look into their Bibles and observe the boldness of its poetic imagery, rejected the dictum of Boileau, that

  De la foy d’un Chretien les mysteres terribles
  D’ornemens egayez ne sont point susceptibles;

and pointed to the way he had chosen for himself as a Biblical rhymer.  Poesy, he reminds his readers, is, as his title indicates, not the business of his life.

  ’And if I seized those hours of leisure, wherein my soul was in a more
  sprightly frame, to entertain them or myself with a divine or moral
  song, I hope I shall find an easy pardon.’

Watts died in 1748, aged 74.]

[Footnote 2:  Written in jest, but ’The Famous Spanish Blacking for Gentlemen’s Shoes,’ and ’The famous Bavarian Red Liquor which gives such a delightful blushing colour to the cheeks,’ had long been advertised in the Spectator.]

* * * * *

No 462.  Wednesday, August 20, 1712.  Steele.

  ‘Nil ego praetulerem Jucundo sanus amico.’

  Hor.

People are not aware of the very great Force which Pleasantry in Company has upon all those with whom a Man of that Talent converses.  His Faults are generally overlooked by all his Acquaintance, and a certain Carelessness that constantly attends all his Actions, carries him on with greater Success, than Diligence and Assiduity does others who have no Share of this Endowment. Dacinthus breaks his Word upon all Occasions both trivial and important; and when he is sufficiently railed at for that abominable Quality, they who talk of him end with, After all he is a very pleasant Fellow.  Dacinthus is an ill-natured Husband, and yet the very Women end their Freedom of Discourse upon this Subject, But after all he is very pleasant Company. Dacinthus is neither in point of Honour, Civility, good Breeding, or good Nature unexceptionable, and yet all is answered, For he is a very pleasant Fellow. When this Quality is conspicuous in a Man who has, to accompany it, manly and virtuous Sentiments, there cannot certainly be any thing which can give so pleasing Gratification as the Gaiety of such a Person; but when it is alone, and serves only to gild a Crowd of ill Qualities, there is no Man so much to be avoided as your pleasant Fellow.  A very pleasant Fellow shall turn your good Name to a Jest, make your Character contemptible, debauch your Wife or Daughter, and yet be received