'Nor think, though Men were none, That Heav'n would want Spectators, God want praise: Millions of spiritual Creatures walk the Earth Unseen, both when we wake and when we sleep; All these with ceaseless Praise his Works behold Both Day and Night. How often from the Steep Of echoing Hill or Thicket, have we heard Celestial Voices to the midnight Air, Sole, or responsive each to others Note, Singing their great Creator: Oft in bands, While they keep Watch, or nightly Rounding walk, With heav'nly Touch of instrumental Sounds, In full harmonick Number join'd, their Songs Divide the Night, and lift our Thoughts to Heav'n.' C. [Footnote 1: who] [Footnote 2: 'Paradise Lost', B. IV., lines 675-688.] [Footnote 3: In Bk. I. of the 'Works and Days,' description of the Golden Age, when the good after death Yet still held state on earth, and guardians were Of all best mortals still surviving there, Observ'd works just and unjust, clad in air, And gliding undiscovered everywhere. 'Chapman's Translation'.] * * * * * No. 13. Thursday, March 15, 1711. Addison. 'Dic mi hi si fueris tu leo qualis eris?' Mart. There is nothing that of late Years has afforded Matter of greater Amusement to the Town than Signior _Nicolini's_ Combat with a Lion in the _Hay-Market_ [1] which has been very often exhibited to the general Satisfaction of most of the Nobility and Gentry in the Kingdom of _Great Britain_. Upon the first Rumour of this intended Combat, it was confidently affirmed, and is still believed by many in both Galleries, that there would be a tame Lion sent from the Tower every Opera Night, in order to be killed by _Hydaspes_; this Report, tho' altogether groundless, so universally prevailed in the upper Regions of the Play-House, that some of the most refined Politicians in those Parts of the Audience, gave it out in Whisper, that the Lion was a Cousin-German of the Tyger who made his Appearance in King _William's_ days, and that the Stage would be supplied with Lions at the public Expence, during the whole Session. Many likewise were the Conjectures of the Treatment which this Lion was to meet with from the hands of Signior _Nicolini_; some supposed that he was to Subdue him in _Recitativo_, as _Orpheus_ used to serve the wild Beasts in his time, and afterwards to knock him on the head; some fancied that the Lion would not pretend to lay his Paws upon the Hero, by Reason of the received Opinion, that a Lion will not hurt a Virgin. Several, who pretended to have seen the Opera in _Italy_, had informed their Friends, that the Lion was to act a part in _High Dutch_, and roar twice or thrice to a thorough Base, before he fell at the Feet of _Hydaspes_. To clear up a Matter that was so variously reported, I have made it my Business to examine whether this pretended Lion is really the Savage he appears to be, or only a Counterfeit.