Write the explanation of the essay entitled "The Spectator Club".

Write the explanation of the essay entitled “The Spectator Club”. (Part-2)

Ans.

Explanation

(7) “A general trader of good sense is pleasanter company than a general scholar; and Sir Andrew having a natural unaffected eloquence, the perspicuity of his discourse gives the same pleasure that wit would in another man. he has made his fortune himself; and says that England may be richer than other kingdoms by as plain methods as he himself is richer than other men; though at the same time I can say this of him, that there is not a point in the compass but blows home a ship in which he is an owner.

Explanation- Author describes the qualities of Sir Andrew Freeport. He quotes the maxim that a general trader of good sense is pleasanter company than a general scholar. It means that the company of a good trader gives more pleasure than the company of an intelligent men. Sir Andrew has a very good power of speaking. Therefore, the clarity of his speech gives the same pleasure which we can have by the wits of a man. That is to say that although he a businessman, yet he speaks vey clearly and intelligently. He has made his assets himself. He says that England may be richer than other countries if it adopts the plain methods which I have adopted for becoming rich. Though he has good tacts and practical knowledge but author compares him with a com pass. As there is no point in the compass, but it blows home the ship, in the way Mr. Andrew can make a man successful who depends upon him or follows his advice.

(8) “The military part of his life has furnished him with many adventures. in the relation of which he is very agreeable to the company; for he is revert overbearing, though accustomed to command men in the utmost degree below him; nor ever too obsequious, from an habit of obeying men highly above him.

Explanation- Author describes the qualities of his companion, captain Sentry, who has been in military service. The military life has made him very adventurous. He has led the military life for a considerable period. He had to do many adventures in military life. That port of his life has, therefore made him a brave man. he is acceptable to the company. But except brave ness and adventure, he has not adopted and any feature of military life. he commended many men who were under him in rank, but he is not dominant in his behaviour. in the same way, he had to obey his officers in military, but he is not very obedient in his nature. That is to say that he is neither an egoist due to his practice of commending nor a flatterer due to his duty of obeying.

(9) He is very ready at that sort of discourse with which men usually entertain women. He has all his life dressed very well, and remembers habits as others do men. He can smile when one speaks to him, and laughs easily. He knows the history of every mode, and can in form you from which of the French king’s wenches our wives and daughters had this manner of curling their hair, that way of placing their hoods; whose frailty was covered by such a sort of a petticoat, and whose vanity to show her foot made that part of the dress so short in such a year.

Explanation- Author describes the qualities of his companion, will Honeycomb. He is very romantic by nature. He is always ready to talk in a manner by which any woman may be impressed. He knows all the tacts of conversation by which men generally please the women. He has lived a glamorous life. All his life he has dressed him well. He remembers habits as other men remember men. He is very jolly by nature. He talks with a smile. He is always happy and laughs easily. He has a good knowledge of history. He particularly, remembers the events relating to women. He remember the hair styles and designs of hats of the ladies of French kings. He can tell you that the hair style or the manner of placing the hat of our females resembles from that of any particular lady of French king. He can also inform you that who began the fashion of many dresses. In other words, who wore such a short dress and in which year for being glamourous by showing her feet.

(10) He has the misfortune to be of a very weak constitution, and consequently cannot accept of such cares and business as preferments in his function would oblige him to; he is therefore among divines what a chamber-counsellor is among lawyers. The probity of his mind, and the integrity of his life.

Explanation- Author describes the qualities of his companion who seldom visits him and who is a clergyman. He has very weak physique. There fore, he cannot undertake such responsibilities which require diligence. He can not accept promotion because it will require more cares and labour. Physically he is fit only for a job like clergyman. Being a clergyman he has the same place among Gods which the chamber-counsellor has among the lawyers. People follow him because he is very honest person and leads most sacred life. He creates his followers by his honesty and sacrality while other man do it by their power of speech and leadership.

(11) The father sends up every post questions relating to marriage-articles, leases, and tenures, in the neighbourhood; all which questions he agrees with an attorney to answer and take care of in the lump. He is studying the passions themselves. When he should be inquiring into the denotes among men which arise from them.

Explanation with Reference to the Context- Here the writer sketches the character of the Templar. He is a man of law only in the name, By inclination he is a man of letters. His father sent him to study law. He thinks that his son is seriously interested in his legal pursuits. As a test for this, perhaps, he sends his son by every post a few questions concerning legal disputes in his locality. Being a country man, his father generally sends questions relating to such matters as the settlement of property or the tenure of land holdings. The clever son does not (because he cannot) answer these question himself. For this purpose, he has engaged an attorney to answer questions in his name. Thus he deceives his father by sending regularly the answers and solutions as de manded by his father. The attorney is paid a round sum for his labours, at regular intervals. The father is assured that his son is seriously concerned with his legal pursuits. But in reality our Templar is a student of passions themselves, whereas he ought to be a student of disputes arising from a play of passions. He is a student of literature and of the theatre, in which human passion play an important role. As a student of law, the writer humorously says, he ought to study legal disputes caused by a play of human passions.

(12) A strict honesty and an even regular behaviour are in themselves obstacles to him that must press through crowds, who endeavour at the same end with himself, the favour of a commander.

Explanation with Reference to the Context- In these lines the writer gives us a glimpse of Captain Sentry’s mind and thought regarding the nature of success in this world. Speaking of his experiences in the army, he often has a tone of complaint. He complains that arrogant people are more successful in the army than modest persons. But the good Captain has no sense of bitterness against anybody in particular. he frankly admits that he himself was not fit for the world (of the army); and therefore he left it. A man who is very honest and regular and balanced in his dealings has to face obstacles in his progress. He will have to push himself through breakneck competition. Many other people, besides himself, might be trying to win favour of the same commander. And he will be successful before all others if only he knows the art of pushing and pulling.