celebrated foreign universities, in which alone an Englishman can be grounded in the principles of religion and liberty: but I may fay without vanity, that I gleaned fome useful knowledge from every place I vifited. My propenfity to writing followed me wherever I went; and were I to meet with encouragement by a large fubfcription, I could publifh feveral volumes of curious remarks, which I made in my tour. I had, indeed, like to have got into fome unlucky fcrapes, by turning author in places, where the liberty of the prefs was never fo much as heard of. At Paris I narrowly efcaped being put into the Battile for a little Chanfon à boire, reflecting on the miftrefs of the Grand Monarque; and I was obliged to quit Rome a week fooner than I intended, for fixing on Pafquin a prayer for the Pope's Toe, which was then laid up with the gout.

It was not till my return from abroad, that I formally commenced a profeffed critic, for which I now thought my felf thoroughly qualified. I could draw parallels between Marseilles and Denoyer, compare the behaviour of the French parterre with the English pit; and have lately made a figure by affecting an indiference about the present burlettas, as I took care to let every body know, that I had often feen them in Flanders. My knowledge in theatrical affairs naturally led me to write a great number of occafional pamphlets on those topics; fuch as Examens of New Plays, Letters to the Managers, &c. Not content with this, I had a ftrong inclination to hine in the drama. I often pleafed myself with computing -Three benefit nights-let me fee 'fix hundred pounds at least-an hundred more for the copy-befides a per'petual freedom of the houfe." Thefe were temptations not to be refifted. I fat down therefore to a tragedy; but before I got through the firit act, defpairing to make it fufficiently pathetic for the modern tafte, I changed my scheme, and began a comedy; then again reflecting, that most of our comedies were in reality nothing but over-grown farces, contented myfelf with writing,

what authors are now pleafed to call a comedy of two acts. This I finished with a great deal of pains, and very much to my own fatisfaction: but not being able to get it on the stage, as one houfe was entirely taken up with pantomimes, and the manager of the other had fo many farces of his own, I generoufly made a prefent of it to an actor for his benefit-when to my great furprize it was damned.

I have at last resolved to bend all my attention, and dedicate all my powers, to the carrying on this my present elaborate undertaking. I am forry to own, that the fuccefs has not at all answered my expectations: I flattered myself with being univerfally known, read, and admired; but I find quite the contrary. I went into a coffee-house the other day by Whitechapel Mount, where on afking for the Connoiffeur, the woman ftared at me, and said she did not know what I meant. I dined last week at a foreign ambaffador's; and not a word about me or my works paffed at table. I wrote to a relation at Caermarthen, defiring to know what reputation my paper has in Wales; but he tells me, that nothing in the literary way comes down there but the King's Speech and the London Evening Port. I have enquired into the fale of my first number, my fecond, my third, my fourth, and the laft: yet I cannot affure my readers, that I have fold three thoufand of any one of them. In fhort, I give this public notice once for all, that if I do not find myself taken in all over England, by the time I have published two or three hundred papers-let them look to itlet them look to it-I'll bid adieu to my ungrateful country, go directly to Berlin, and (as Voltaire is difcarded) employ my pen in the fervice of that encourager of literary merit the King of Pruffia.

As feveral correfpondents, fince the firft publication of this number, have defired to know, from what Italian author the fable at the beginning of this paper is borowed: we think it neceffary to acquaint them, that the fiction is entirely our own,

I

SIR,

OVID.

TO MR. TOWN,

Shall make no apology for recommending to your notice, CenforGeneral, a fault that is too common among the married people; I mean the abfurd trick of Fondling before company. Love is, indeed, a very rare ingredient in modern wedlock; nor can the parties entertain too much affection for each other: but an open difplay of it on all occafions renders them ridiculous.

A few days ago I was introduced to a young couple, who were but lately married, and are reckoned by all their acquaintance to be exceeding happy in each other. I had fcarce faluted the bride, when the husband caught her eagerly in his arms, and almost devour ed her with kiffes. When we were feated, they took care to place themselves clofe to each other; and during our converfation he was conftantly piddling with her fingers, tapping her cheek, or playing with her hair. At dinner, they were mutually employed in preffing each other to tafte of every dif; and the fond appellations of My dear, my love, &c. were continually bandied across the table. Soon after the cloth was removed, the lady made a motion to retire; but the husband prevented the compliments of the rest of the company by faying-We fhould be unhappy without her. As the bottle went round, he joined her health to every toaft; and could not help now and then ring from his chair to prefs her hand, and manifeft the warmth of his paffion by the ardour of his careffes. This precious fooling, though it highly entertained them, gave me great difguft: therefore, as my company might very well be spared, I took my leave as foon as poffible.

Nothing is more common than to fee a new-married couple, fetting out with a fplendor in their equipage, furniture, and manner of living, which they have been afterwards obliged to retrench. Thus it happens, when they have made themselves remarkable by a fhew of exceffive love. They begin with great eclat, are lavish of their fondness at first, but their whole ftock is foon wafted; and their poverty is the more unfupportable, as their former profufion has made it more confpicuous. I have remarked the ill confequence of this indifcretion in both cafes: one couple has at last had feparate beds, while the other have been carried to the opera in hackney chairs.

Two people, who are to pats their whole lives together, may furely find time enough for dalliance without playing over their pretty tricks in public. How ridiculous would it appear, if in a large affembly every one should felect his mate, and the whole company should fall into couples, like the birds on Valentine's day! And it is furely no less abfurd, to fee a man and his wife cternally trifling and toying together➡

Still amorous, and fond, and billing,
Like Philip and Mary on a shilling.
HUDIERAS.

I have often been reduced to a kind of aukward diftrefs on these occafions; not knowing which way to look, or what to fay. I confider them as playing a game, in which the ftander-by is not at all interefted; and would thereforerecommend it to every third person in these circumstances, to take it as an hint, that the parties have a mind to be alone, and leave the room without further ce remony.

A friend of mine happened to be engaged in a vifit to one of thefe loving couples. He fat ftill for fome time,

without

without interrupting the little endearments that paffed between them. Finding them at length quite loft in nods, whifpers, ogles, and in fhort, wholly taken up with each other, he rang the bell, and defired the fervant to fend in my lady's woman. When she came, he led her very gravely to the fetree, and began to indulge himself in certain freedoms, which provoked the damfel to complain loudly of his rudenefs. The lady flew into a violent paffion, and rated him feverely for his monstrous behaviour. My friend begged her pardon with great politenefs, hoped the was not offended, for that he thought there Irad been no harm in amufing himself a little while with Mrs. Betty, in the fame manner as her ladyfhip and Sir John had been diverting themfelves thefe two hours.

This behaviour, though at all times improper, may in fome fort be excufed, where perhaps the match had been huddled up by the parents, and the young people are fuch new acquaintance, that they fearce ever faw each other till their marriage. A pair of loving turtles may be indulged in a little amorous billing at their firt coming together: yet this licence fhould expire with the honeymoon, and even in that period be used but sparingly.

But if this conduct is blameable in young people, how very abfurd is it in thofe advanced in years! Who can help laughing, when he fees a worn-out beau and belle, practifing at threefcore the very follies that are ridiculous at fixteen? I could wish that fuch a pair of antiquated lovers were delineated by the pencil of an Hogarth. How humoroudly would he reprefent two emaciated wrinkled figures, with eyes funk into their heads, lank cheeks, and toothlefs gums, affecting to leer, fmile, and languifh at each other! But this affectation is ftill more remarkable, when a liquorifh old fool is continually fondling a young wife: though perhaps the fight is not fo difgufting to a franger, who may reasonably fuppofe it to be the overflowings of a father's tenderness for his daughter.

It fometimes happens, that one of the parties perceives the folly of this behaviour. I have feen a fenfible man quite uneafy at the indiscreet marks of kindnefs fhewn by his lady. I know a clergyman in the country, who is often put to the blush by the ftrange familiarities

which his wife's love induces her to take with him. As the has had an indifferent education, you would often be at a lofs to know, whether he is very kind, or very rude. If he dines abroad, the always fees him get on horfeback, and before he has got twenty yards from the door, hollows after him- Be at home in time, my dear foul, do.' I have known her almoft quarrel with him for not buttoning his coat in the middle of fummer; and the once had the goodnature to burn a very valuable collection of Greek manufcripts, left the poring over thofe horrid crooked letters fhould put her dear Jack's eyes out. Thus does the torment the poor parfon with her violent affection for him; and, according to the common phrafe, kills him with kindness.

Before I conclude, I cannot but take notice of thofe luscious love-fcenes, that have fo great a fhare in our modern plays; which are rendered still more fulfome by the officioufnefs of the player, who takes every opportunity of heightening the expreffion by kiffes and embraces. In a comedy, nothing is more relished by the audience than a loud fimack, which echoes through the whole houfe; and in the moft paffionate fcenes of a tragedy, the hero and heroine are continually flying into each other's arms. For my part, I am never prefent at a fcene of this kind, which produces a confeious fimper from the boxes, and an hearty chuckle of applaufe from the pit and galleries, but I am ready to exclaim with old Renault-' I like not thefe huggers.'

I would recommend it to all married people, but efpecially to the dies, not to be fo fweet upon their dears before company: but I would not be underftood to countenance that coldnefs and indifference, which is fo fashionable in the polite world. Nothing is accounted more ungenteel, than for a husband and wife to be feen together in public places; and if they fhould ever accidentally meet, they te no more notice of each other, than if they were abfolute ftrangers. The gentleman may lavish as much gallantry as he pleases on other women, and the lady give encouragement to twenty pretty fellows, without cenfure: but they would either of them blush at being furprised, in fhewing the leaft marks of a regard for each other. 'I am, Sir, your humble fervant, &c. T

с

N

I

PHEDR.

Muft acknowledge the receipt of many letters containing very lavish encomiuins on my works. Among the reft a correfpondent, whom I take to be a bookfeller, is pleased to compliment me on the goodness of my print, and paper; but tells me, that he is very forry not to fee fomething expreffive of my undertaking, in the little cut that I carry in front. It is true, indeed, that my printer and publisher held feveral confultations on this fubject; and I am ashamed to confefs, that they had once prevailed on me to fuffer a profile of my face to be prefixed to each number. But when it was finished, I was quite mor. tified to see what a scurvy figure I made in wood: nor could I fubmit to be hung out, like Broughton, at my own door, or let my face ferve like the canvas before a booth, to call people in to the flew.

I hope it will not be imputed to envy or malevolence, that I here remark on this part of the production of Mr. Fitz Adam. When he gave his paper the title of The World, I fuppofe he meant to intimate his design of defcribing that part of it, who are known to account all other perfons Nobody, and are therefore emphatically called The World. If this was to be pictured out in the head-piece, a lady at her toilette, a party at whift, or the jovial member of the Dilettanti tapping the World for Champagne, had been the most natural and obvious hieroglyphics. But when we fee the portrait of a philofopher poring on the globe, instead of obfervations on modern life, we might more naturally expect a system of geography, or an attempt towards a difcovery of the longitude.

The reader will fmile perhaps at a criticism of this kind; yet certainly even here propriety fhould be observed, or at Jeait all abfurdities avoided. But this matter being ufually left to the printer or bookfeller, it is often attended with

ftrange blunders and mifapplications. I have feen a Sermon ushered in with the representation of a fhepherd and shepherdefs fporting on a bank of flowers, with two little Cupids fmiling over head; while perhaps an Epithalamium, or an Ode for a Birth-day, has been introduced with death's heads and crossmarrow-bones.

The inhabitants of Grub Street are generally very ftudious of propriety in this point. Before the halfpenny account of an horfe- race, we see the jockeys whipping, fpurring, joftling, and the horfes training within fight of the post. The last dying speech, character, and behaviour of the malefactors, presents us with a profpect of the place of execution; and the history of the London Prentice exhibits the figure of a lad ftanding between two lions, and ramming his hands down their throats. A due regard has been paid to this article, in the feveral elegies from that quarter on the death of Mr. Pelham. They are encompassed with difinal black lines, and all the fable emblems of death: nor can we doubt, but that an author, who takes fuch care to exprefs a decent forrow on the outfide of his work, has infufed a great deal of the pathetic înto the piece itfelf.

Thefe little embellishments were originally defigned to please the eye of the reader; as we tempt children to learn their letters by difpofing the alphabet into pictures. But, in our modern compofitions, they are not only ornamental, but useful. An angel or a flower-pot, at the beginning and end of every chapter or fection, enables the book feller to fpin out a novel, without plot or inci dent, to a great number of volumes and by the help of thefe decorations,' properly difpofed, I have known a little piece fwell into a duodecimo, which had fcarce matter enough for a fix-penny pamphlet.

In this place, I might also take notice

of

of the feveral new improvements in the bufinefs of Typography. Though it is reckoned ungenteel to write a good hand, yet every one is proud of appearing in a beautiful print; and the productions of a man of quality come from the prefs in a very neat letter, though per haps the manufcriptis hardly legible. Indeed, our modern writers feem to be more folicitous about outward elegance, than the intrinsic merit of their compofitions; and on this account it is thought no mean recommendation of their works, to advertise that they are beautifully printed on a fine paper, and entire new letter. Nor are they only indebted to the press for the beauty of the type, but often call in it's affiftance to explain and enforce the fentiment. When an author is in doubt whether the reader will be able to comprehend his meaning, or indeed whether he has any meaning at all, he takes care to fprinkle the fentence with Italics; but when he would furprise us with any thing more striking than ordinary, he diftinguishes the emphatical words by large ftaring CAPITALS, which overtop the rest of their fellows, and are intended, like the grenadiers caps, to give us an idea of something grand and uncommon. Thefe are defigned as fo many hints to let the reader know where he is to be particularly affected; and answer the fame purpole with the marginal directions in plays, which inform the actor when he is to laugh or cry. This practice is moft remarkable in pieces of modern wit and humour: and it may be obferved, that where there is the leatt of these lively qualities, the author is moft defirous of fubftituting thefe arts in their room; imagining, that by a judicious diftribution of thefe enlivening ftrokes in different parts of it, his work, however dull in itself, will become fmart and brilliant.

And here I cannot but take notice, that these arts have been employed to very great advantage in the service of the theatres. The writer of the play-bills deals out his Capitals in fo juft a proportion, that you may tell the falary of each actor by the fize of the letter in which his name is printed. When the prefent manager of Drury Lane firft came upon the stage, a new set of types two inches long were caft on purpose to do honour to his extraordinary merit.

This indeed is fo proper, that the fevereft critics on the drama cannot be offended at this piece of theatrical justice.

There is lately fprung up among us a new fpecies of writers, who are most of them perfons of the first rank and fafhion. At this period the whole house of commons are turned authors: and we cannot fufficiently admire the propriety of ftile and fentiment in thofe elegant addreffes, by which they humbly offer themselves as candidates, and beg the favour of your votes and intereft. These gentlemen avail themselves greatly of the arts of printing above-mentioned; whether they would raise the merits of their own caufe, or throw out invectives on the oppofite party. The courtier fets before your eyes in large letters his fteady attachment to King GEORGE, while his opponent difplays in the fame manner his zeal for LIBERTY and the CONSTITUTION. This muft undoubtedly have a wonderful effect on the electors: and I could almost affure any patriot certain fuccefs, who fhould manifeft his regard for DID England by printing his addreffes in the Dio English Character.

But, in the whole republic of letters, there are none perhaps who are more obliged to the printer, than the writers of periodical effays. The SPECTATORS, indeed, came into the world without any of the advantages we are poffeffed of. They were originally published in a very bad print and paper, and were fo entirely deftitute of all outward ornaments, that, like Terence's Virgin

Ni vis boni

In ipfâ ineffet formâ, bæc formam extinguerent, Unless the foul of beauty had breathed through the compofitions themselve, these difadvantages would have fuppreffed the leaft appearances of it.

As it requires no genius to fupply a defect of this nature, our modern effays as much excel the SPECTATORS in elegance of form, as perhaps they may be thought to fall fhort of them in every other refpect. But they have this additional advantage, that by the fineness of their paper they are rescued from serv ing many mean and ignoble purposes, to which they might otherwife be applied. They alfo form themselves more

C 2

com