I Remember P. S. did once, upon just the like Theme, discourse to the following purpose.
Amongst those numerous Eyes, that these fair Lights attract in so clear a night as this, there are not perhaps any that are more delighted with them, than this Child’s seem to be. And those Persians that ador’d the rising Sun, could not be more charm’d with that glorious Object, than this Child is with these twinkling Lights, that need his absence to become so much as visible. But his is a pleasure, that is not more great than unquiet, for it makes him querulous, and unruly, and because he cannot by his struggling, and reaching forth his little hands, get possession of these shining Spangles,1 that look so finely, their fires produce water in his eyes, and cries in his mouth, that are very little of kin to the Musick the Platonists fanci’d in the Spheres he looks at. Whereas, though my inclinations for Astronomy make me so diligent a Gazer on the Stars, that in spight of my great Obnoxiousness to the inclemency of the nocturnal air, I gladly spend the coldest hours of the night in contemplating them; I can yet look upon these bright Ornaments of Heaven it self, with a mind as calm and serene, as those very nights that are fittest to observe them in.
I know divers men for whom Nature seems to have cut out too much work, in giving them, in an unconfinedly amorous Disposition of mind, strong Appetites for almost all the fair Objects that present themselves to their sight: These amorous Persons may be, I grant, very much delighted when they first gaze upon a Corstellation of fair Ladies, but the Heart commonly pays dear for the Pleasure of the Eye, and the eager desires that Beauty creates, are in such men excited too often not to be frequently disappointed, and are wont to be accompani’d with so many jealousies, and fears, and repulses, and difficulties, and dangers, and remorses, and despairs, that the unhappy Lovers (if those that love more than one can merit that Title) do rather languish than live, if you will believe either their own querulous words, or their pale and melancholly looks, which would make one think they were just entring into the Grave, or bad been newly digged out of it. Whereas a person that has his Affections, and Senses, at that command, which Reason and Religion require, and confer, can look upon the same Objects with pleas’d but not with dazl’d Eyes: He considers these bright and curious Productions, as fair animated Statues of Nature’s framing, and contenting himself to admire the workmanship, adores onely the Divine Artificer, whose infinite amiableness is but faintly shadow’d forth even by such lovely Creatures. And therefore what has been said of Mistresses, may be more justly applicable to all the other Objects of Men’s too eager Passions. To be short, looking upon these curiousest Productions of Nature, with a Philosopher’s and a Christian’s Eyes, he can cast them on those bright Objects with pleasure, and yet withdraw them without trouble, and allowing Beauty to contribute to his Delight, without being able to create him any Disquiet; though it afford him a less transporting Pleasure than it sometimes do’s the Amorist, yet, all things consider’d, it may afford him a greater Pleasure, by being more innocent, more untroubl’d, and more lasting; And there may be such a Difference betwixt the Contentment of this calm admirer of Beauty, and that of a greedy and unconfin’d Prostituter of his Heart to it, as there is betwixt the unquiet Pleasure that the sight of the Stars gives to this Child, and the rational Contentment it may afford to an Astronomer.
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Footnotes
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Thus in a Starry night fond Children cry For the rich Spangles that adorn the sky. Mr W. ↩