of the air, or drag him bound before you at my horse's tail."

* * * * *

I am not ashamed to own myself a champion of distressed damsels, and
would venture as far to relieve them as Don Bellianis; for which reason,
I do invite this lady to let me know the name of the traitor who has
deceived her; and do promise, not only her, but all the fair ones of
Great Britain who lie under the same calamity, to employ my right hand
for their redress, and serve them to my last drop of ink.

[Footnote 61: See No. 124.]

[Footnote 62: Altered, in error, to "three," in the 1711 edition. In No.
124 "ten months" remains. The drawing was at Michaelmas 1710.]

No. 129. [ADDISON.[63]

From _Thursday, Feb. 2_, to _Saturday, Feb. 4, 1709-10_.

Ingenio manus est et cervix caesa.--JUV., Sat. x. 120.

* * * * *

_From my own Apartment, February 3._

When my paper for to-morrow was prepared for the press, there came in
this morning a mail from Holland, which brought me several advices from
foreign parts, and took my thoughts off domestic affairs. Among others,
I have a letter from a burgher of Amsterdam, who makes me his
compliments, and tells me, he has sent me several draughts of humorous
and satirical pictures by the best hands of the Dutch nation. They are a
trading people, and in their very minds mechanics. They express their
wit in manufacture, as we do in manuscript. He informs me, that a very
witty hand has lately represented the present posture of public affairs
in a landscape, or rather sea-piece, wherein the potentates of the
Alliance are figured as their interests correspond with, or affect each
other, under the appearance of commanders of ships. These vessels carry
the colours of the respective nations concerned in the present war. The
whole design seems to tend to one point, which is, that several
squadrons of British and Dutch ships are battering a French man-of-war,
in order to make her deliver up a long-boat with Spanish colours. My
correspondent informs me, that a man must understand the compass
perfectly well, to be able to comprehend the beauty and invention of
this piece, which is so skilfully drawn, that the particular views of
every prince in Europe are seen according as the ships lie to the main
figure in the picture, and as that figure may help or retard their
sailing. It seems this curios