1733


 * The Year 1733**


 * //__Gentleman’s Magazine__//****__, A Journal Discussing the Events within 1733__**

//Gentleman’s Magazine// discusses many ideas of moral thinking, the popular and new plays within the year, the power within the government, and religious dissenters. On January 5th in 1733, the authors of the journal begin to discuss moral reasoning. The author states “If the pleasure which each individual proposes to himself, in the doing of a virtuous and friendly action, be not the motive upon which he acts, its impossible any principle should be found in human Nature, upon which morality can be supported” (Gentleman’s Magazine 5). The author claims here that there is no possible morality in having motives that benefit the individual within an act of kindness for a different individual. This statement by the author of //The Gentleman’s Magazine// strongly disagrees with Mandeville’s argument within //The Grumbling Hive//. Mandeville advocates for how private vices drive public and economic benefit, in which an individual’s motives are directed at how they may benefit rather than how another individual may benefit from their actions. //The Grumbling Hive// was reprinted in 1733, as well as Archibald Campbell’s //Enquiry into the Original of Moral Virtue,// so the debate within moral reasoning was a popular topic for discussion within society.

The author also discusses religion within the month of January. The author points out that religious dissenters, specified as non-Protestants and Catholics, are stating that the Test Act is a legislature of oppression (Gentleman’s Magazine 8). The Test Act was a number of penal laws that placed restrictions on non-Protestants and Catholics. The author explains the strategy of the dissenters to repeal the Test Act by saying how they plan to withhold their support of the Ministry at the next election of Parliament. The dissenters plan to use this method since it worked when Charles I was king.

After stating this information about the dissenters, the author says how they are ungrateful. The author supports this by saying how the non-Protestants and Catholics should be thankful that the conditions of the Test Act are not harsher. The author then discusses how the government of England “have other defects, such as being unequally represented, the Uselessness of some Laws. . . But with all our Defects, our Government is so good, that it deserves to be well guarded.” The author the government creates many more positive benefits for the people of England which outweigh the negative flaws within some laws being overpowered or unfair. The author ends his discussion of the government by warning the audience of what would be most troublesome to England. The author conveys how the people of England should “above all, against Corruption in ourselves, by living within our own Fortunes” (Gentleman’s Magazine 11). This statement by the author again contrasts with Mandeville’s style within //The Grumbling Hive//. Mandeville argues that the corruption within humans leads to prosperity for the nation. While Mandeville states how vices, such as greed, ultimately keep the nation moving forward, the author of //Gentleman’s Magazine// conveys that inner human greed is what would damage England’s society the most.

The author of // Gentleman’s Magazine // also tells the audience of the popular plays within the theatre season. The author states that the play // Achilles // has received a wide range of positive reviews. The play’s author is also cited within // Gentleman’s Magazine //, saying “I did not intend to draw // Achilles // at full length, as in the Iliad. There is no Necessity to draw him impetuous, wrathful, inexorable, and severe, unless he be plac’d in such a Situation, as where he demands Reparation to his Honour” (Gentleman’s Magazine 85). The author also explains how // Achilles // had many humorous moments which helped the play receive such great success. Therefore, the author portrays how // Achilles // differs from the expected violent scenes of the Trojan War, but rather the play takes place when “Achilles is being concealed in the Court of King Lycomedes, under Women Apparel, to prevent his going to the Siege of // Troy // ” (Gentleman’s Magazine 85). Therefore, the author gives a review of this play while also highlighting why it was successful.

The author emphasizes the importance of gratitude within human nature in various instances in the months of January through March. In January, the author discusses how a man without gratitude is not even worthy to be among the beasts in the wilderness (Gentleman’s Magazine 12). The author expands on this by saying when a man “has no Motives of Gratitude and Generosity, but sacrifices every Thing to But his own Interest, what Abhorrence does he not deserve?” (Gentleman’s Magazine 13). Again, the author’s writing directly conflicts with Mandeville’s views. The author also tells the audience on how common sense will teach us, the good people in England, to despise such a man filled only with self-interest. The author’s presentation of common sense as the reason that humans will despise those with only self-interest is an interesting counterargument to Mandeville’s //The Grumbling Hive//. The author isolates self-interest without gratitude as a characteristic that is so immoral, that everyone in society will condemn it out of common sense. On the other hand, Mandeville would perceive the author’s view as hypocritical. While the morally sound people of England are condemning individuals with self-interest and greed, these criticized individuals are the ones that are providing a great economy and nation for their condemners.

The author also discusses how the government and those with power must have the benefit of the public as their first priority. The author defines how “Publick wisdom, or the wisdom of men at Head of Affairs, confifts in having the Good of the Publick conftantly before their Eyes” (Gentleman’s Magazine 26). The author advocates that power should never be used detrimental to the common people. Also, those in power should consider two things. First, what benefits the nation and second, what appeals to the people, such as their humors, inclinations, and prejudices. Then, the author discusses that the most important thing is that the government’s motives must be morally sound. The author advises against those in power using the disguise of saying that their reasoning for a law is for the betterment of the nation simply because the people find the law as controversial.

__**//The London Stage//** **– 1733**__

The opening of the John Rich’s new theatre to rival the Drury Lane Theatre highlighted the theatre year of 1733. During this year, the King’s Theatre in the Haymarket still held its monopoly over Italian opera. //The Beggar’s Opera// experienced great success at this theatre with innovations of acrobatics and rope dancing (Scouten 229). Throughout the months of January-March, Handel’s //Water Music// was the most popular composition. The theatrical season was also very connected to social events of the outside world. In 1733, the impending marriage of the Prince of Orange and Princess Anne caused production managers a great deal of frustration. The managers were “contemplating new ways to celebrate the nuptials and win new spectators” but the wedding kept getting delayed (Scouten lxxxv). Therefore, the managers faced the dilemma of whether to prevent their theatre’s special event, or wait for the marriage to actually occur, in which most managers chose to keep their events going through the whole performance season (Scouten lxxxv).

During the year of 1733, there were various issues accounted with illuminating the stage so that that the audience would be given a clear view of the ongoing play. The theatres would illuminate the stage in the following ways. They would either put “chandeliers over the inner stage, back of the proscenium, lamps in wall brackets, and footlights” (Scouten xlv). There were also restrictions placed on when certain theatres could perform plays. The passage of the Licensing Act resulted in the theatres Drury Lane and Covent Garden being able to perform oratios on Lenten Wednesdays in Fridays. However, all theatres were shut down during Passion week, and regular theatres were unable to perform plays on Lenten Wednesdays and Fridays (Scouten xlvi).

The weather during the summer of 1733 greatly affected the theatre season as well. London had excessively hot weather, and on June 27th, the New Haymarket Theatre announced that they would cancel their performances under circumstances of excessive heat (Scouten lxvi). This happened while //The Opera of Operas// were having a very popular run of performances at the theatre. Because of this heat, the productions at New Haymarket Theatre did not resume until the 12th of July, and the curtain time was set back in order to perform under cooler weather. While New Haymarket Theatre would often push back performance times due to temperature, the Covent Garden opened on the 29th of June and performed earlier in the day (Scouten lxvi).


 * __Bernard Mandeville (1670-1733)__**

Bernard Mandeville was a political philosopher and physician from the Netherlands. He studied at the Erasmian School in Rotterdam, and he then matriculated in the University of Leiden in 1685. In 1690, Mandeville settled down in London, England, and he married Ruth Elizabeth Laurence on February 1st, 1699. Mandeville then began his career of writing with //The Pamphleteers// in 1703 which defended William III against his Tory criticizers (Goldsmith). In 1705, Mandeville wrote //The Grumbling Hive//, and later in 1714, this poem was incorporated into //The Fable of the Bees//. //The Fable of the Bees// was negatively received by many critics who that the work promoted vice, greed, and self-interest. Mandeville defended his work by saying that he “did not recommend vice to individuals. . . and that he was deprocating the hypocrisy of those who desired a flourishing society but grumbled about its concomitant conditions” (Goldsmith). When //The Fable of the Bees// was first published in 1714, it did not receive much attention from the public. However, //The Fable of the Bees// was reissued in 1721 and 1723, as well as a second edition being released in 1729 (Goldsmith). After this, //The Fable of the Bees// caught society’s attention, and it received an influx of criticism, such as when Archibald Campbell wrote //Enquiry into the Original of Moral Virtue// in 1733.


 * //__The Grumbling Hive__//** **__by Bernard Mandeville__**

//The Grumbling Hive// by Bernard Mandeville was a very radical poem due to how it could be perceived in many different ways. Many critics thought that Mandeville was full of vice and evil for his writing, such as how Jonathan Swift’s nickname for him was “Man Devil.” However, Mandeville did not advocate for the extreme evil or sole use of vices. Mandeville was refuting those who were worried about the dangers of prosperity. He also argues against the notion that God would punish England for committing sins, which greatly contradicted the views of the Society of Reformation of Manners who sought to abate immorality and sin within society. Mandeville pointed out how capitalism is inconsistent with Christianity, and many moralists disagreed with this notion.

Mandeville explains how the prosperity of the nation and economy relies on how private vice drives public benefit. Mandeville criticizes the critique of luxury. He says how “the haughty //Chloe//, to live Great, Had made her (T.) Husband rob the State” (Mackie 308). Such, Chloe’s husband robbed the State to provide Chloe with various expenses, such as makeup. Mandeville then shows the result of when only public virtue exists as “But Rarities cannot be had, Where Pains to get them are not paid” (Mackie 309). If Chloe’s husband decides to be virtuous and stop stealing from the State, then Chloe will not be able to enjoy the luxuries of expensive items and gifts. Mandeville is pointing out the hypocrisy of those who condemn vice, yet fail to realize how private vices end up providing for many of the luxurious commodities within society. Mandeville also makes an essential point of how vice is good for the economy and nation when justice regulates it. He says how “So Vice is beneficial found, When it’s by Justice lopt and bound” (Mackie 310). So, Mandeville is not advocating for a society only containing vice, rather a society that uses a justice system to control vice.


 * __Archibald Campbell’s //Enquiry into the Original of Moral Virtue//__**

Archibald Campbell wrote //Enquiry into the Original of Moral Virtue// in 1733 in response to Mandeville’s //An Enquiry into the Origin of Moral Virtue//. Campbell discusses and presents counterarguments to Mandeville on the topics of moral virtue, luxury, trade, and England’s prosperity. Campbell disagrees with Mandeville’s argument that a perfect, virtuous society would lead to the collapse of the economic success. He says that the principles of moral virtue would create flourishing commercial states. Campbell supports this statement by saying how self-love is the motive for virtuous actions. Campbell defines self-love as how “God himself and all other intelligent Agents. . . are universally governed by one common Principle, namely, that of Self-Love, whereby they can never but necessarily desire and pursue their own well being” (Campbell 38). Specifically, there are two types of self-love which are true self-love or mistaken self-love. Campbell explains that true self-love is when an individual gains gratification from procuring happiness for others, and such an action is virtuous. He contrasts this with mistaken self-love where the individual does an action with a solely selfish motive.

Campbell also explains how the nation and the trade will benefit by the presence of moral virtue, while nation and the trade will falter with the presence of luxury and vice. Campbell states in the second part of //Enquiry to the Original of Moral Virtue// that “it is proved, that Moral Virtue promotes Trade, and aggrandizes a Nation; whereas Vice and Luxury in their Nature do contribute to the Ruin and Destruction of Both” (Campbell xxxviii). In regards to the nation, Campbell argues that moral virtue leads to better trade and prosperity for the nation. As for luxury, Campbell states how "luxury begets Male-administration or bad Oeconomy, and this again produces the ruin of a Family; So that Luxury does not ruin any Family or Society in her own Person, but only by her Natural Offspring - Male-administration or bad Politicks" (Campbell 182). Therefore, Campbell expands on how luxury is tempting, and while it may not ruin the individual or society, excess luxury will cause damage to the economy.


 * __Conclusions and Connections__**

Campbell refutes Mandeville’s claims within //Enquiry of Original of Moral Virtue//, but Campbell also is criticized for his stance on self-love. First, Campbell distances himself from Mandeville by saying that self-love is centered on gaining gratitude by benefiting other individuals, while Mandeville believes that self-love leads to selfish motives, yet these motives produce public benefit for the whole nation. However, Campbell believes that self-love ends up leading to virtuous actions, and this was criticized because it suggests that the natural human appetites for desire are compatible with human virtue (Campbell 144).

In 1733, //Gentleman’s Magazine// also discussed many points relevant to Campbell and Mandeville. The author of //Gentleman’s Magazine// focuses on the theme of upstanding morality within an individual’s motives. The author agrees with Campbell in that in order for actions to be virtuous, the actions must have a benefit for at least one other individual as well. As stated above in the section on //Gentleman’s Magazine//, the author conveys the importance of gratitude by saying how individuals without motives containing gratitude or generosity are the detrimental to society. Campbell also supports this idea since he emphasizes how generosity within self-love leads to the production of virtue. Again, both Campbell the author of //Gentleman’s Magazine// disagree with Mandeville’s emphasis on private vice (such as selfishness) driving public benefit.

The authors of //Gentleman's Magazine// discuss the theme of morality within motives and religion during the month of February in 1733. They state how "As far as any particular Action is intended to obey the Will of God, and advance the End of his Government, in Preference to any other Interest or Inclination, so far it is meritorious or acceptable to him" (Gentleman's Magazine 64). The authors agree with the notion that morality in England is dependent on whether it is virtuous and obeys God. Mandeville strongly criticizes the connection between morality and the Church because of how the Church is hypocritical for supporting usury and capitalism. For example, usury, which is the 7th level of hell in // Dante’s Inferno //, is an integral part of a capitalist society.

The authors also present //The Spectator// and Addison in the month of March during 1733. They give Addison's thoughts on trade in which he says "there are not more useful Members in a Commonwealth than //Merchants//. The knit Mankind together . . . add Wealth to the rich; and Magnificence to the //Great// (Gentleman's Magazine 145). Addison's views agree with how Mandeville, a whig, strongly believed in having more commerce. Therefore, Addison and Mandeville both agree on how trade will lead to the greater success of the nation, although their moral views strongly differ from one another. The authors of //Gentleman's Magazine// published the Spectator's views on trade, and this makes logical sense since the authors agree with many of the Spectator's ideas on having sound morality and virtue within society.  Works Cited   Campbell, Archibald. // Enquiry into the Original of Moral Virtue // . Westminster: Printed by J. Cluer and A. Campbell for B. Creake, 1728. Print.

Goldsmith, M. M. "Mandeville, Bernard." // Oxford Dictionary of National Biography //. Oxford Press, 2004. Web. .

Mackie, Erin. // The Commerce of Everyday Life: Selections from the Tatler and the Spectator //. Boston [etc.: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1998. Print.

"The Gentleman's Magazine." // Internet Library of Early Journals //. N.p., n.d. Web. .

Scouten, Arthur H. //The London Stage 1660 - 1800//. 1st ed. Vol. 2. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 1960. Print. 28-105