THE PROJECTOR. THE PROJECTOR. No 1. "Quod magis ad nos Pertinet, et nescire malum est, agitamus: Utrumne Quidve ad amicitias, usus rectumne, trahat nos? January 1802. COMPARISONS have been so often instituted, in order to illustrate the difficulties with which he is surrounded who makes his first appearance as a periodical writer, that I shall omit any attempt to conciliate the favour, or surprize the fancy of my readers by a lucky hit of the kind. It may be sufficient, I hope, in order to preserve the accustomed shew of modesty, that I have ranked myself by name among a race of men the most despised of all VOL. I. B human human beings, and generally the most unfortunate; that I claim no other than that attention, almost exhausted, which is usually bestowed on PROJECTORS, and that I acknowledge myself possessed of no better chance for success in my schemes, than my predecessors have had in theirs. In such an act of voluntary humility, which the censorious are welcome to consider as disguised vanity, I trust it will be owned I am not behind those whom I dare not approach in any other quality. He that called himself a Tatler, a Rambler, or an Idler, might naturally expect support from that party whose disposition and pursuits were implied in his title, and which was neither few in numbers or in consequence, although he confessedly excluded himself from the favour of every other class of mankind. But in owning myself a PROJECTOR, without inviting the aid of any, I have alarmed the suspicions and the contempt of all; and my downfall, when it comes, will be so much in the natural course of things, as to occasion neither wonder nor pity, for "it might have easily been foreseen," and "who could expect any thing else from a PROJECTOR ?" In truth, whether successful or unsuccessful, PROJECTORS have in all ages been held in low estimation. estimation. company: Pope ranks them in very sorry Astrologers that future fates foreshew, PROJECTORS, quacks, and lawyers not a few." Steele himself, who may be supposed much better acquainted with the subject, as he is the ARCH-PROJECTOR of this nation, and once conceived the stupendous plan of reforming its morals, which we have all been since nibling at, says, "There cannot be a more ridiculous animal than one who seems to regard the good of others. He in civil life, whose thoughts turn upon schemes which may be of general benefit, without farther reflection, is called a PROJECTOR." By the important words "farther reflection" this author undoubtedly means, without any advantage to themselves, which is said to be too frequently the case with the tribe of Projectors. And yet I have known of them whose schemes were, to say the many least, as beneficial to themselves as to any one else; and this would, perhaps, be oftener the case, if there were a good understanding between the party offering the scheme and the party accepting it. Mr. Addison, who likewise ought to have mentioned men of my unfortunate name with more respect and commiseration, asserts that, at a coffeehouse, he found out a man to be a PROJECTOR "by the shabbiness of his dress, the extravagance of his conceptions, and the hurry of his speech." Features so strongly marked as these cannot, indeed, be well mistaken, if it shall be once agreed that they are the distinguishing characteristics of PROJECTORS. But I hope on some future occasion to be able to prove that they will not apply to all PROJECTORS, of whom some certainly think justly, speak slowly, and have credit with their taylor. In the mean time, I shall content myself with allowing, that there is a particular species of Projector who may be discovered by these badges of a contriving genius. I have known a few such in our times, and indeed they cannot affect concealment; for, their projects being mostly of a political kind, they are obliged to frequent coffeehouses, and other public meetings, in order to announce what, in a dearth of credit with booksellers, it may not be convenient to commit to the press. Now of this class of political Projectors, as far as my observation extends, "extravagance of conceptions" belongs principally to those gentlemen who deal in schemes of the wholesale kind, who undertake very largely for the good of mankind, and are for overturning go vernments, vernments, and throwing nations into confusion. The means whereby this is to be done are very often disproportioned, in all human appearance, to the end; as when the tyrannical speak of liberty, and the most worthless of mankind offer schemes of happiness. But my readers must here observe that this is the great boast of all such Projectors, namely, that the essence of their art consists in effecting the highest purposes by the lowest means, or in forming the greatest plans with the most insignificant materials and the least labour; and this œconomy enters largely into their practice, whether a government is to be overturned, or a shopkeeper to be taken in, whether a multitude is to be deceived, or a bailiff eluded. The other characteristic mentioned by Mr. Addison, is "hurry of speech." This belongs to Projectors whose plans seldom go farther than words, and who are, therefore, so extremely desirous of speaking their minds, that their words are taught to make their escape with precipitation, and without waiting for any order or arrangement. As to the “shabbiness of dress" noted so pointedly by the Spectator, it is a well known characteristic that belongs almost exclusively to projecting financiers; who, in their anxiety to defray the expences |