THE next Place of Refort, wherein the fervile World are let loofe, is at the Entrance of Hide-Park, while the Gentry are at the Ring. Hither People bring their Lacquies out of State, and here it is that all they fay at their Tables, and act in their Houses, is communicated to the whole Town. There are Men of Wit in all Conditions of Life; and mixing with thefe People at their Diverfions, I have heard Coquets and Prudes as well rallied, and Infolence and Pride expofed, (allowing for their want of Education) with as much Humour and good Senfe, as in the politeft Companies. It is a general Obfervation, That all Dependants run in fome measure into the Manners and Behaviour of those whom they ferve: You fhall frequently meet with Lovers and Men of Intrigue among the Lacquies, as well as at White's or in the Side-Boxes. I remember fome Years ago an Inftance of this Kind. A Footman to a Captain of the Guard ufed frequently, when his Mafter was out of the Way, to carry on Amours and make Affignations in his Mafter's Cloaths. The Fellow had a very good Perfon, and there are very many Women that think no further than the Outfide of a Gentleman; befides which, he was almoft as learned a Man as the CoJonel himself: I fay, thus qualified, the Fellow could fcrawl Billets-doux fo well, and furnish a Conversation on the common Topicks, that he had, as they call it, a great deal of good Bufinefs on his Hands. It happened oneDay, that coming down a Tavern Stairs in his Mafter's fine Guard Coat, with a well-drefs'd Woman masked, he met the Colonel coming up with other Company; but with a ready Affurance he quitted his Lady, came up to him, and faid, Sir, I know you have too much Refpect for your self to cane me in this honourable Habit: But you fee. there is a Lady in the Cafe, and I hope on that Score alfo you will put off your Anger till I have told you all another time. After a little Paufe the Colonel cleared up his Countenance, and with an Air of Familiarity whifpered his Man apart, Sirrah,. bring the Lady with you to ask Pardon for you; then aloud, Look to it, Will, I'll never forgive you elfe.. The Fellow went back to his Mistress, and telling her with a loud Voice and an Oath, That was the honefteft Fellow in the World,. conveyed her to an Hackney-Coach.. BUT BUT the many Irregularities committed by Servants in the Places above-mentioned, as well as in the Theatres of which Mafters are generally the Occafions, are too various not to need being refumed on another Occafion. R N° 89. Tuesday, June 12. -Petite hinc juvenefque fenefque Finem animo certum, miferifque viatica canis. A Per. S my Correfpondents upon the Subject of Love are very numerous, it is my Defign, if poffible, to range them under feveral Heads, and addrefs my felf to them at different Times. The firft Branch of them, to whofe Service I fhall dedicate this Paper, are thofe that have to do with Women of dilatory Tempers, who are for fpinning out the Time of Courtship to an immoderate Length, without being able either to clofe with their Lovers, or to difmifs them. I have many Letters by me filled with Complains against this fort of Women. In one of them no lefs a Man than a Brother of the Coif tells me, that he began his Suit Viceffimo nono Caroli fecundi, before he had been a Twelve-month at the Temple, that he profecuted it for many Years after he was called to the Bar; that at prefent he is a Serjeant at Law; and notwithstanding he hoped that Matters would have been long fince brought to an Iffue, the Fair One ftill demurrs. I am fo well pleafed with this Gentleman's Phrafe, that I fhall diftinguish this Sect of Women by the Title of Demurrers. I find by another Letter from one that calls himfelf Thirfis, that his Miftrels has been demurring above thefe feven Years. But among all all my Plaintiffs of this Nature, I moft pity the unfortunate Philander, a Man of a conftant Paffion and plentiful Fortune, who fets forth that the timorous and irrefolute Sylvia has demurred till fhe is paft Child-bearing. Strephon appears by his Letter to be a very cholerick Lover, and irrevocably finitten with one that demurrs out of Self-Intereft. He tells me with great Paffion that fhe has bubbled him out of his Youth; that fhe drilled him on to five and fifty, and that he verily believes fhe will drop him in his old Age, if the can find her Account in another. I fhall conclude this Narrative with a Letter from honeft S A M. HOPEWELL, a very pleafant Fellow, who it feems has at last married a Demurrer: I muft only premife, that SAM, who is a very good Bottle-Companion, has been the Diversion of his Friends, upon account of his Paffion, ever fince the Year one thousand fix hundred and eighty one. Dear Sir, OU know very well Y Paffion for Mrs. Martha, my and what a Dance fhe has led me: She took me out at the Age of Two and Twenty, and dodged ' with me above Thirty Years. I have loved her till she is · grown as grey as a Cat, and am with much ado become the Mafter of her Perfon, fuch as it is at prefent. She is however in my Eye a very charming old Woman, We often lament that we did not marry fooner, but she has no Body to blame for it but her felf: You know very well that fhe would never think of me whilst she had a Tooth in her Head. I have put the Date of my Paffion (Anno Amoris Trigefimo primo) instead of a Pofy, on my Wedding Ring. I expect you should fend me a Congratulatory Letter, or, if you please, an Epithalamium, upon this Occafion. Mrs. Martha's and yours eternally, SAM. HOPEWELL. IN order to banish an Evil out of the World, that does not only produce great Uneafinefs to private Perfons, but has alfo a very bad Influence on the Publick, I fhall endeavour to fhew the Folly of Demurrage from two or three Rea Reflections, which I earnestly recommend to the Thoughts of my fair Readers. FIRST of all I would have them ferioufly think on the Shortness of their Time. Life is not long enough for a Coquet to play all her Tricks in. A timorous Woman drops into her Grave before fhe has done deliberating. Were the Age of Man the fame that it was before. the Flood, a Lady might facrifice half a Century to a Scruple, and be two or thee Ages in demurring. Had the Nine hundred Years good, the might hold out to the Converfion of the Jews before he thought fit to be prevailed upon. But, alas! fhe ought to play her Part in hafte, when fhe confiders that fhe is fuddenly to quit the Stage, and make Room for others. IN the fecond Place, I would defire my Female Readers to confider, that as the Term of Life is fhort, that of Beauty is much fhorter. The finest Skin wrinkles in a few Years, and lofes the Strength of its Colouring fo foon, that we have fcarce Time to admire it. I might embellish this Subject with Rofes and Rainbows, and feveral other ingenious Conceits, which I may poffiby referve for another Opportunity. THERE is a third Confideration which I would likewife recommend to a Demurrer, and that is the great Danger of her falling in Love when fhe is about Threefcore, if fhe cannot fatisfie her Doubts and Scruples before that Time. There is a kind of latter Spring, that fometimes gets into the Blood of an old Woman and turns her ino a very odd fort of an Animal. I would therefore have the Demurrer confider what a ftrange Figure she will make, if the chances to get over all Difficulties, and comes to a final Refolution, in that unfeasonable Part of her Life, I would not however be understood, by any thing I have here faid, to difcourage that natural Modefty in the Sex, which renders a Retreat from the firft Approaches of a Lover both fashionable and graceful: All that I intend, is, to advife them, when they are prompted by Reafon and Inclination, to demurr only out of Form, and fo far as Decency requires. A virtuous Woman fhould reject the firft Offer of Marriage, as a good Man does that of a Bishoprick; but I would advife neither the one nor nor the other to perfift in refufing what they fecretly approve. I would in this Particular propofe the Example of Eve to all her Daughters, as Milton has reprefented her in the following Paffage, which I cannot forbear tranfcribing entire, tho' only the twelve laft Lines are to my present Purpose.. 2 THE Rib he form'd and fashion'd with his Hands; Under his forming Hands a Creature grew, Manlike, but diff'rent Sex; fo lovely fair! : That what feem'd fair in all the World, feem'd now Her Lofs, and other Pleafures all abjure: I overjoy'd, could not forbear aloud. THIS Turn hath made Amends; thou haft fulfill'! Thy Words, Creator bounteous and benign! Giver of all things fair! but faireft this Of all thy Gifts, nor envieft. I now fee Bone of my Bone, Flesh of my Flesh, my Self.... Her Virtue, and the Confcience of her Worth, Nature her felf, though pure of finful Thought, |