had been till then, I felt a general damp and faintness all over me, which I could not tell how to account for, till I chanced to cast my eyes upwards, and found that I was passing under a sign-post on which the picture of a cat was hung.

The extravagance of this turn in the way of surprise gave a stop to the talk we had been carrying on; some were silent because they doubted, and others because they were conquered in their own way; so that the gentleman had an opportunity to press the belief of it upon us, and let us see that he was rather exposing himself than ridiculing others.

I must freely own, that I did not all this while disbelieve every thing that was said; but yet I thought some in the company had been endeavoring who should pitch the bar farthest; that it had for some time been a measuring cast, and at last my friend of the cat and sign-post had thrown beyond them all.

I then considered the manner in which this story had been received, and the possibility that it might have past for a jest upon others, if he had not labored against himself. From hence, thought I, there are two ways which the well-bred world generally takes to correct such a practice when they do not think fit to contradict it flatly.

The first of these is a general silence, which I would not advise any one to intèrpret in his own behalf. It is often the effect of prudence in avoiding a quarrel, when they see another drive so fast that there is no stopping him without being run against; and but very seldom the effect of weakness in believing suddenly. The generality of mankind are not so grossly ignorant as some overbearing spirits would persuade themselves; and if the authority of a character, or a caution against danger, make us suppress our opinions, yet neither of these are of force enough.

to suppress our thoughts of them. If a man, who has endeavored to amuse his company with improbabilities, could but look into their minds, he would find that they imagine he lightly esteems of their sense when he thinks to impose upon them, and that he is less esteemed by them for his attempt in doing SO. His endeavor to glory at their expence becomes a ground of quarrel, and the scorn and indifference with which they entertain it, begins the immediate punishment; and indeed (if we should even go no farther) silence, or a negligent indifference, has a deeper way of wounding than opposition, because opposition proceeds from an anger that has a sort of generous sentiment for the adversary mingling along with it, while it shows that there is some esteem in your mind for him; in short, that you think him worth while to contest with; but silence, or a negligent indifference, proceed from anger mixedwith a scorn, that shows another he is thought by you too contemptible to be regarded.

The other method which the world has taken for correcting this practice of false surprise, is, to overshoot such talkers in their own bow, or to raise the story with farther degrees of impossibility, and set up for a voucher to them in such a manner as must let them see they stand detected. Thus I have heard a discourse was once managed upon the effects of fear. One of the company had given an account how it had turned his friend's hair grey in a night, while the terrors of a ship-wreck encompassed him. Another, taking the hint from hence, began, upon his own knowledge, to enlarge his instances of the like nature to such a number, that it was not probable he could ever have met with them; and as he still grounded these upon different causes, for the sake of variety, it might seem at last, from his share of the conver

sation, almost impossible that any one who can feel the passion of fear should all his life escape so common an effect of it. By this time some of the company. grew negligent, or desirous to contradict him; but one rebuked the rest with an appearance of severity, and, with the known old story in his head, assured them they need not scruple to believe that the fear of any thing can make a man's hair grey, since he knew one whose periwig had suffered so by it. Thus he stopped the talk, and made them easy. Thus is the same method taken to bring us to shame, which we fondly take to increase our character. It is indeed a kind of mimickry, by which another puts on our air of conversation to show us to ourselves; he seems to look ridiculous before you, that you may remember how near a resemblance you bear to him, or that you may know that he will not lie under the imputation of believing you. Then it is that you are struck dumb immediately with a conscientious shame for what you have been saying. Then it is that you are inwardly grieved at the sentiments which you cannot but perceive others entertain concerning you. In short, you are against yourself; the laugh of the company runs against you; the censuring world is obliged to you for that triumph which you have allowed them at your own expence; and truth, which you have injured, has a near way of being revenged on you, when, by the bare repetition of your story, you become a frequent diversion for the public.

"MR. SPECTATOR,

“THE other day, walking in Pancras church-yard, I thought of your paper wherein you mention epitaphs, and am of opinion this has a thought in it worth being communicated to your readers.

"Here innocence and beauty lies, whose breath
"Was snatch'd by early, not untimely death..

"Hence did she go just as she did begin

"Sorrow to know, before she knew to sin.

"Death, that does sin and sorrow thus prevent, "Is the next blessing to a life well spent."

"I AM a young widow of a good fortune and family,

and just come to town, where I find I have clusters. of pretty fellows come already to visit me, some dying with hopes, others with fears, though they never saw me. Now what I would beg of you, would be, to know whether I may venture to use these pretty fellows with the same freedom as I did my country acquaintance. I desire your teave to use them as to me shall seem meet without imputation of a jilt; for since I make declaration that not one of them shall have me, I think I ought to be allowed the liberty of insulting those who have the vanity to believe it is in their power to make me break that resolution.. There are schools for learning to use foils, frequented. by those who never design to fight: and this useless way of aiming at the heart, without design to wound it on either side, is the play with which I am resolved to › divert myself; the man who pretends to win, I shall use like him who comes into a fencing school to pick

a quarrel. I hope upon this foundation you will give me the free use of the natural and artificial force of my eyes, looks, and gestures. As for verbal promises, I will make none, but shall have no mercy on the conceited interpreters of glances and motions. I am particularly skilled in the downcast eye, and the recovery into a sudden full aspect, and away again, as you may have seen sometimes practised by us country beauties beyond all that you have observed in courts and cities. Add to this, sir, that I have a ruddy heedless, look, which covers artifice the best of any thing. Though I can dance very well, I affect a tottering untaught way of walking, by which I appear an easy prey; and never exert my instructed charms till I find I have engaged a pursuer. Be pleased, sir, to print this letter; which will certainly begin the chace of a rich widow; the many foldings, escapes, returns, and doublings which I make, I shall from time to time communicate to you, for the better instruction of all females who set up, like me, for reducing the present exorbitant power and insolence of man. I am, sir,

"Your faithful correspondent, "RELICTA LOVELY."

"Dear MR. SPECTATOR,

"I DEPEND upon your professed respect for virtuous love, for your immediately answering the design of this letter; which is no other than to lay before the world the severity of certain parents, who desire to suspend the marriage of a discreet young woman of eighteen three years longer, for no other reason but that of her being too young to enter into that state. As to the consideration of riches, my circumstances are such, that I cannot be suspected to make my addresses to her on such low motives as avarice or ambition. If ever innocence, wit, and