with a bloody Knife in her Hand.  The Phantome marched up to him, and asked him what he did there.  He told her the Truth, without reserve, believing that he had met a Ghost:  Upon which, she spoke to him in the following Manner.  ’Stranger, thou art in my Power:  I am a Murderer as thou art.  Know then, that I am a Nun of a noble Family.  A base perjur’d Man undid me, and boasted of it.  I soon had him dispatched; but not content with the Murder, I have brib’d the Sexton to let me enter his Grave, and have now pluck’d out his False Heart from his Body; and thus I use a Traitor’s Heart.’  At these Words she tore it in Pieces, and trampled it under her Feet.

* * * * *

No. 612.  Wednesday, October 27, 1714.

  ’Murranum hic atavos et avorum antiqua sonantem
  Nomina per regesque actum genus omne Latinos,
  Praecipitem scopulo, atque ingentis turbine saxi
  Excutit, effunditque solo.’

  Virg.

It is highly laudable to pay Respect to Men who are descended from worthy Ancestors, not only out of Gratitude to those who have done Good to Mankind, but as it is an Encouragement to others to follow their Example.  But this is an Honour to be receiv’d, not demanded, by the Descendants of great Men; and they who are apt to remind us of their Ancestors, only put us upon making Comparisons to their own Disadvantage.

There is some Pretence for boasting of Wit, Beauty, Strength or Wealth, because the Communication of them may give Pleasure or Profit to others; but we can have no Merit, nor ought we to claim any Respect, because our Fathers acted well, whether we would or no.

The following Letter ridicules the Folly I have mentioned, in a new, and, I think, not disagreeable Light.

  Mr. SPECTATOR,

’Were the Genealogy of every Family preserved, there would probably be no Man valued or despis’d on Account of his Birth.  There is scarce a Beggar in the Streets, who would not find himself lineally descended from some great Man; nor any one of the highest Title, who would not discover several base and indigent Persons among his Ancestors.  It would be a pleasant Entertainment to see one Pedigree of Men appear together, under the same Characters they bore when they acted their respective Parts among the Living.  Suppose therefore a Gentleman, full of his illustrious Family, should, in the same manner as Virgil makes AEneas look over his Descendants, see the whole Line of his Progenitors pass in a Review before his Eyes, and with how many varying Passions would he behold Shepherds and Soldiers, Statesmen and Artificers, Princes and Beggars, walk in the Procession of five thousand Years!  How would his Heart sink or flutter at the several Sports of Fortune in a Scene so diversified with Rags and Purple, Handicraft Tools and Scepters, Ensigns of Dignity and Emblems of Disgrace; and how would his Fears and Apprehensions, his Transports