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zabeth had all manner of books and ballads brought life in its calm dignity, and the properest senti to him of what kind soever, and took great notice ments for the conduct of it, pass by like mere narhow much they took with the people; upon which ration, as conducing only to somewhat much better he would, and certainly might, very well judge of which is to come after. I have seen the whole house their present dispositions, and the most proper way at some times in so proper a disposition, that indeed of applying them according to his own purposes. I have trembled for the boxes, and feared the enWhat passes on the stage, and the reception it meets į tertainment would end in the representation of the with from the audience, is a very useful instruction rape of the Sabines. of this kind. According to what you may observe there on our stage, you see them often moved so directly against all common sense and humanity, that you would be apt to pronounce us a nation of savages. It cannot be called a mistake of what is pleasant, but the very contrary to it is what most assuredly takes with them. The other night an old woman carried off with a pain in her side, with all the distortions and anguish of countenance which is natural to one in that condition, was laughed and clapped off the stage. Terence's comedy, which I am speaking of, is indeed written as if he hoped to please none but such as had as good a taste as himself. I could not but reflect upon the natural description of the innocent young woman made by the servant to his master. "When I came to the house," said he, "an old woman opened the door, and I followed her in, because I could, by entering upon them unawares, better observe what was your mistress's ordinary manner of spending her time, the only way of judging any one's inclinations and genius. I found her at her needle in a sort of second mourning, which she wore for an aunt she had lately lost. She had nothing on but what showed she dressed only for herself. Her hair hung negligently about her shoulders. She had none of the arts with which others used to set themselves off, but had that negligence of person which is remarkable in those who are careful of their minds. Then she had a maid who was at work near her that was a slattern, because her mistress was careless; which I take to be another argument of your security in her; for the go-betweens of women of intrigue are rewarded too well to be dirty. When you were named, and I told her you desired to see her, she threw down her work for joy, covered her face, and decently hid her tears." He must be a very good actor, and draw attention rather from his own character than the words of the author, that could gain it among us for this speech, though so full of nature and good sense.

The intolerable folly and confidence of players putting in words of their own, does in a great measure feed the absurd taste of the audience. But however that is, it is ordinary for a cluster of coxcombs to take up the house to themselves, and equally insult both the actors and the company; These savages, who want all manner of regard and deference to the rest of mankind, come only to show themselves to us, without any other purpose than to let us know they despise us.

The gross of an audience is composed of two sorts of people, those who know no pleasure but of the body, and those who improve or command corporeal pleasures, by the addition of fine sentiments of the mind. At present the intelligent part of the company are wholly subdued by the insurrections of those who know no satisfactions but what they have in common with all other animals.

This is the reason that when a scene tending to procreation is acted, you see the whole pit in such a chuckle, and old lechers, with mouths open, stare at the loose gesticulations on the stage with shameful earnestness; when the justest pictures of human

I would not be understood in this talk to argue that nothing is tolerable on the stage but what has an immediate tendency to the promotion of virtue. On the contrary, I can allow, provided there is no thing against the interests of virtue, and is net of fensive to good manners, that things of an indiffe rent nature may be represented. For this reason I have no exception to the well-drawn rusticities in the Country Wake; and there is something so miraculously pleasant in Dogget's acting the awkward triumph and comic sorrow of Hob in different cir cumstances, that I shall not be able to stay away whenever it is acted. All that vexes me is, that the gallantry of taking the cudgels for Gloucestershire, with the pride of heart in tucking himself up, and taking aim at his adversary, as well as the other's protestation in the humanity of low romance, that he could not promise the 'squire to break Hob's head, but he would, if he could, do it in love; then flourish and begin: I say what vexes me is, that such excellent touches as these, as well as the 'squire's being out of all patience at Hob's success, and venturing himself into the crowd, are circumstances hardly taken notice of, and the height of the jest is only in the very point that heads are broken. I am confident were there a scene written, wherein Penkethman should break his leg by wrestling with Bullock, and Dicky come in to set it, without one word said but what should be according to the exact rules of surgery in making this extension, and binding up the leg, the whole house should be in a rear of applause at the dissembled anguish of the patient, the help given by him who threw him down, and the handy address and arch looks of the surgeon. To enumerate the entrance of ghosts, the embattling of armies, the noise of heroes in love, with a thousand other enormities, would be to transgress the bounds of this paper, for which reason it is possible they may have hereafter distinct discourses; not forgetting any of the audience who shall set up for actors, and interrupt the play on the stage; and players who shall prefer the applause of fools, to that of the reasonable part of the company.-T.

POSTSCRIPT TO SPECTATOR, No 502.

of Terence, which is allowed a most excellent co N. B. There are in the play of the Self-Tormentor medy, several incidents which would draw tears from any man of sense, and not one which would move his laughter.-Spec. in folio, No. 521.

This speculation, No. 502, is controverted in the Guard, No. 59, by a writer under the fictitious name of John Lizard; perhaps Dr. Edw. Young.

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that subject, and complain to you of one, whom at the same time I know not what to accuse of, except it be looking too well there, and diverting the eyes of the congregation to that one object. However, I have this to say, that she might have stayed at her own parish, and not come to perplex those who are otherwise intent upon their duty.

different air in her countenance. When the music was strong and bold, she looked exalted, but serious; when lively and airy, she was smiling and gracious; when the notes were more soft and languishing, she was kind and full of pity. When she had now made it visible to the whole congregation, by her motion and ear, that she could dance, and she "Last Sunday was sevennight I went into a wanted now only to inform us that she could sing church not far from London-bridge; but I wish I too; when the psalm was given out, her voice was had been contented to go to my own parish, I am distinguished above all the rest, or rather people did sure it had been better for me; I say I went to not exert their own, in order to hear her. Never church thither, and got into a pew very near the was any heard so sweet and so strong. The organist pulpit. I had hardly been accommodated with a observed it, and he thought fit to play to her only, seat, before there entered into the aisle a young and she swelled every note, when she found she had lady in the very bloom of youth and beauty, and thrown us all out, and had the last verse to herself dressed in the most elegant manner imaginable. in such a manner as the whole congregation was Her form was such that engaged the eyes of the intent upon her, in the same manner as you see in whole congregation in an instant, and mine among the cathedrals they are on the person who sings the rest. Though we were all thus fixed upon her, alone the anthem. Well; it came at last to the she was not in the least out of countenance, or un- sermon, and our young lady would not lose her part der the least disorder, though unattended by any in that either; for she fixed her eye upon the one, and not seeming to know particularly where to preacher, and as he said anything she approved, place herself. However, she had not in the least a with one of Charles Mather's fine tablets she set confident aspect, but moved on with the most grace-down the sentence, at once showing her fine hand, ful modesty, every one making way until she came the gold pen, her readiness in writing, and her to a seat just over against that in which I was judgment in choosing what to write. To sum up placed. The deputy of the ward sat in that pew, what I intend by this long and particular account, and she stood opposite to him, and at a glance into I mean to appeal to you, whether it is reasonable the seat, though she did not appear the least ac- that such a creature as this shall come from a jaunty quainted with the gentleman, was let in, with a con- part of the town, and give herself such violent airs, fusion that spoke much admiration at the novelty of to the disturbance of an innocent and inoffensive the thing. The service immediately began, and she congregation, with her sublimities. The fact, I ascomposed herself for it with an air of so much good- sure you, was as I have related: but I had like to ness and sweetness, that the confession which she have forgot another very considerable particular. uttered, so as to be heard where I sat, appeared an As soon as church was done, she immediately stepact of humiliation more than she had occasion for. ped out of her pew, and fell into the finest pittyThe truth is, her beauty had something so innocent, patty air, forsooth, wonderfully out of countenance, and yet so sublime, that we all gazed upon her like tossing her head up and down, as she swam along a phantom. None of the pictures which we behold the body of the church. I, with several others of the of the best Italian painters have anything like the inhabitants, followed her out, and saw her hold up spirit which appeared in her countenance, at the her fan to a hackney-coach at a distance, who imdifferent sentiments expressed in the several parts mediately came up to her, and she whipped into it of Divine service. That gratitude and joy at a with great nimbleness, pulled the door with a bowthanksgiving, that lowliness and sorrow at the ing mien, as if she had been used to a better glass. prayers for the sick and distressed, that triumph at She said aloud, 'You know where to go,' and drove the passages which gave instances of the Divine off. By this time the best of the congregation was mercy, which appeared respectively in her aspect, at the church-door, and I could hear some say, 'A will be in my memory to my last hour. I protest very fine lady;' others, I'll warrant you, she is no to you, Sir, she suspended the devotion of every one better than she should be;' and one very wise old around her; and the ease she did everything with lady said, 'she ought to have been taken up.' Mr. soon dispersed the churlish dislike and hesitation in Spectator, I think this matter lies wholly before approving what is excellent, too frequent among us, you: for the offence does not come under any law, to a general attention and entertainment in observ- though it is apparent this creature came among us ing her behaviour. All the while that we were only to give herself airs, and enjoy her full swing gazing at her, she took notice of no object about in being admired. I desire you will print this, that her, but had an art of seeming awkwardly attentive, she may be confined to her own parish; for I can whatever else her eyes were accidentally thrown assure you there is no attending anything else in a upon. One thing indeed was particular, she stood place where she is a novelty. She has been talked the whole service, and never kneeled or sat: I do of among us ever since under the name of the not question but that was to show herself with the phantom but I would advise her to come no greater advantage, and set forth to better grace her more; for there is so strong a party made by the hands and arms, lifted up with the most ardent de-wonien against her, that she must expect they will votion; and her bosom, the fairest that ever was not be excelled a second time in so outrageous a seen, bare to observation; while she, you must think, knew nothing of the concern she gave others, any other than as an example of devotion, that threw herself out, without regard to dress or garment, all contrition, and loose of all worldly regards, in ecstasy of devotion. Well; now the organ was to play a voluntary, and she was so skilful in music, and so touched with it, that she kept time not only with some motion of her head, but also with a

manner, without doing her some insult. Young women, who assume after this rate, and affect exposing themselves to view in congregations at the other end of the town, are not so mischievous, because they are rivalled by more of the same ambition, who will not let the rest of the company be particular; but in the name of the whole congrega tion where I was, I desire you to keep these agree able disturbances out of the city, where sobriety of

manners is still preserved, and all glaring and osten- unbred part of womankind. · But, above all already tatious behaviour, even in things laudable, discoun-mentioned, or any who ever were, or ever can be in tenanced. I wish you may never see the phantom, and am, "Sir, your most humble Servant, T. "RALPH WONDER."

the world, the happiest and surest to be pleasant, are a sort of people whom we have not indeed lately heard much of, and those are your "biters."

A biter is one who tells you a thing you have no reason to disbelieve in itself, and perhaps has given you, before he bit you, no reason to disbelieve it for his saying it; and, if you give him credit, laughs in your face, and triumphs that he has deceived you. In a word, a biter is one who thinks you a fool, because you do not think him a knave. This description of him one may insist upon to be a just one; for what else but a degree of knavery is it, to depend upon deceit for what you gain of another, be it in point of wit, or interest, or any thing else?

No. 504.] WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8, 1712. Lepus tute es, et pulpamentum quæris. TER. Eun. act. iii. sc. 1. You are a hare yourself, and want dainties, forsooth. Ir is a great convenience to those who want wit to furnish out a conversation, that there is something or other in all companies where it is wanted substituted in its stead, which, according to their taste, does the business as well. Of this nature is the This way of wit is called "biting," by a metaphor agreeable pastime in country halls of cross-purposes, taken from beasts of prey, which devour harmless questions and commands, and the like. A little and unarmed animals, and look upon them as their superior to these are those who can play at crambo, food wherever they meet them. The sharpers about or cap verses. Then above them are such as can town very ingeniously understood themselves to be make verses, that is, rhyme; and among those who to the undesigning part of mankind what foxes are have the Latin tongue, such as used to make what to lambs, and therefore used the word biting, to exthey call golden verses. Commend me also to those press any exploit wherein they had over-reached who have not brains enough for any of these exer- any innocent and inadvertent man of his purse. cises, and yet do not give up their pretensions to These rascals of late years have been the gallants of mirth. These can slap you on the back unawares, the town, and carried it with a fashionable haughty laugh loud, ask you how you do with a twang on air, to the discouragement of modesty, and all honest your shoulders, say you are dull to-day, and laugh arts. Shallow fops, who are governed by the eye, a voluntary to put you in humour; not to mention and admire every thing that struts in vogue, took the laborious way among the minor poets, of making up from the sharpers the phrase of biting, and used things come into such and such a shape, as that of it upon all occasions, either to disown any nonsensi an egg, a hand, an axe, or anything that nobody cal stuff they should talk themselves, or evade the had ever thought on before, for that purpose, or force of what was reasonably said by others. Thus, which would have cost a great deal of pains to when one of these cunning creatures was entered accomplish, if they did. But all these methods, into a debate with you, whether it was practicable in though they are mechanical, and may be arrived at the present state of affairs to accomplish such a prowith the smallest capacity, do not serve an honest position, and you thought he had let fall what degentleman who wants wit for his ordinary occasions; stroyed his side of the question, as soon as you therefore it is absolutely necessary that the poor in looked with an earnestness ready to lay hold of it, imagination should have something which may be he immediately cried, "Bite," and you were imme serviceable to them at all hours upon all common diately to acknowledge all that part was in jest. occurrences. That which we call punning is there- They carry this to all the extravagance imaginable; fore greatly affected by men of small intellects. and if one of these witlings knows any particulars These men nced not be concerned with you for the which may give authority to what he says, he is still whole sentence; but if they can say a quaint thing, the more ingenious if he imposes upon your credu or bring in a word which sounds like any one word lity. I remember a remarkable instance of this you have spoken to them, they can turn the discourse, kind. There came up a shrewd young fellow to a or distract you so that you cannot go on, and by plain young man, his countryman, and taking him consequence, if they cannot be as witty as you are, aside with a grave concerned countenance, goes on they can hinder your being any wittier than they at this rate : I see you here, and have you heard are. Thus, if you talk of a candle, he " can deal" nothing out of Yorkshire -You look so surprised with you; and if you ask him to help you to some you could not have heard of it-and yet the parti bread, a punster should think himself very "ill-culars are such that it cannot be false: I am sorry bred" if he did not; and if he is not as "well-bred" I am got into it so far that I now must tell you; but as yourself, he hopes for "grains" of allowance. If you do not understand that last fancy, you must recollect that bread is made of grain; and so they go on for ever, without possibility of being exhausted. There are another kind of people of small faculties, who supply want of wit with want of breeding; and because women are both by nature and education more offended at any thing which is immodest To put an end to this silly, pernicious, frivolous than we men are, these are ever harping upon things way at once, I will give the reader one late instance they ought not allude to, and deal mightily in double of a bite, which no biter for the future will ever be meanings. Every one's own observation will sug- able to equal, though I heartily wish him the same gest instances enough of this kind without my men-occasion. It is a superstition with some surgeons tioning any; for your double meaners are dispersed who beg the bodies of condemned malefactors, to go up and down through all parts of the town or city to the gaol, and bargain for the carcase with the where there are any to offend, in order to set off criminal himself. A good honest fellow did so last themselves. These men are mighty loud laughers, sessions, and was admitted to the condemned men and held very pretty gentlemen with the sillier and on the morning wherein they died. The surgeon

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I know not but it may be for your service to know. On Tuesday last, just after dinner-you know his manner is to smoke-opening his box, your father fell down dead in an apoplexy." The youth showed the filial sorrow which he ought-Upon which the witty man cried, "Bite; there was nothing in all this."

communicated his business, and fell into discourse with a little fellow, who refused twelve shillings, and insisted upon fifteen for his body. The fellow who killed the officer of Newgate, very forwardly, and like a man who was willing to deal, told him, "Look you, Mr. Surgeon, that little dry fellow, who has been half starved all his life, and is now half dead with fear, cannot answer your purpose. I have ever lived high and freely, my veins are full, I have not pined in imprisonment; you see my crest sweils to your knife; and after Jack Catch has done, upon my honour you will find me as sound as ever a bullock in any of the markets. Come, for twenty shillings I am your man." Says the surgeon, Done, there is a guinea." This witty rogue took the money, and as soon as he had it in his fist, cries, Bite; I am to be hanged in chains."

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T.

No. 505.] THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1712.

Non habeo denique nauci Marsum augurem,
Non vicanos aruspices, non de circo astrologos.
Non Isiacos conjectores, non interpretes somnium:
Non enim sunt ii, aut scientia. aut arte divini,
Sed superstitiosi vates, impudentesque harioli,
Aut inertes, aut insani, aut quibus egestas imperat:
Qui sui quæstus causa fictas suscitant sententias ;
Qui sibi semitam non sapiunt, alteri monstrant viam;
Quibus divitias pollicentur, ab iis drachmam, petunt:
De divit:is deducant drachmam, reddant cætera.

Augurs and soothsayers, astrologers,
Diviners, and interpreters of dreams,
I ne'er consult, and heartily despise :

ENNIUS.

Vain their pretence to more than human skill.
For gain, imaginary schemes they draw:
Wand'rers themselves, they guide another's steps.
And for poor sixpence promise countless wealth
Let them. if they expect to be believed,
Deduet the sixpence, and bestow the rest.

senate of the Roman commonwealth, and at the same time outshined all the philosophers of antiquity in his library and in his retirements, as busying him self in the college of augurs, and observing with a religious attention after what manner the chickens pecked the several grains of corn which were thrown to them?

Notwithstanding these follies are pretty well worn out of the minds of the wise and learned in the present age, multitudes of weak and ignorant persons are still slaves to them. There are numberless arts of prediction among the vulgar, which are too trifling to enumerate; and infinite observations of days, numbers, voices, and figures, which are regarded by them as portents and prodigies. In short, every thing prophesies to the superstitious man; there is scarce a straw, or a rusty piece of iron, that lies in his way by accident.

It is not to be conceived how many wizards, gipseys, and cunning men, are dispersed through all the counties and market-towns of Great Britain, not to mention the fortune-tellers and astrologers, who live very comfortably upon the curiosity of several welldisposed persons in the cities of London and West

minster.

Among the many pretended arts of divination, there is none which so universally amuses as that by dreams. I have indeed observed in a late speculation, that there have been sometimes, upon very extraordinary occasions, supernatural revelations made to certain persons by this means; but as it is the chief business of this paper to root out popular errors, I must endeavour to expose the folly and superstition of those persons, who, in the common and ordinary course of life, lay any stress upon things of so uncertain, shadowy, and chimerical a nature. This I cannot do more effectually than by the following letter, which is dated from a quarter of the town that has always been the habitation of some prophetic Philomath: it having been usual, time out of mind, for all such people as have lost their wits, to resort to that place either for their cure or for their instruction:

THOSE who have maintained that men would be more miserable than beasts, were their hopes confined to this life only, among other considerations take notice, that the latter are only afflicted with the anguish of the present evil, whereas the former are very often pained by the reflection on what is passed, and the fear of what is to come. This fear of any future difficulties or misfortunes is so natural to the "MR. SPECTATOR, Moorfields, Oct. 4, 1712. mind, that were a man's sorrows and disquietudes summed up at the end of his life, it would generally trade wanting in this great city, after having sur"Having long considered whether there be any be found that he had suffered more from the appre-veyed very attentively all kinds of ranks and profeshension of such evils as never happened to him, sions, I do not find in any quarter of the town an than from those evils which had really befallen him. oneiro-critic, or, in plain English, an interpreter To this we may add, that among those evils which of dreams. For want of so useful a person, there befal there are many which have been more painful to us in the prospect, than by their actual

118,

pressure.

This natural impatience to look into futurity, and to know what accidents may happen to us hereafter, has given birth to many ridiculous arts and inventions. Some found their prescience on the lines of a man's hand, others on the features of his face; some on the signatures which nature has impressed on his body, and others on his own hand-writing: some read men's fortunes in the stars, as others have searched after them in the entrails of beasts, or the flights of birds. Men of the best sense have been touched more or less with these groundless horrors and presages of futurity, upon surveying the most indifferent works of nature. thing be more surprising than to consider Cicero, Can any who made the greatest figure at the bar and in the

is

This censure of Cicero seems to be unfounded; for it aid of him that he wondered how one augur could meet anther without laughing in his face. SPECTATOR, NOS. 73 & 74.

are several good people who are very much puzzled in this particular, and dream a whole year together without being ever the wiser for it. I hope I am by candle-light all the rules of art which have been pretty well qualified for this office, having studied laid down upon this subject. My great unele by sighted. I have four fingers and two thumbs upon my wife's side was a Scotch highlander, and secondone hand, and was born on the longest night of the with the same letters. I am lodged in Moorfields, year. My Christian and sur-name begin and end in a house that for these fifty years has been always tenanted by a conjurer.

with ordinary women of the town, you must know "If you had been in company, so inuch as myself, lives, upon seeing or hearing of any thing that is that there are many of them who every day in their unexpected, cry, My dream is out; and cannot go to sleep in quiet the next night, until something or other has happened which has expounded the visions of the preceding one. There are others who 2 P

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are in very great pain for not being able to recover married state, than too great a familiarity, and laythe circumstances of a dream, that made strong im- ing aside the common rules of decency. Though I pressions upon them while it lasted. In short, Sir, could give instances of this in several particulars, I there are many whose waking thoughts are wholly shall only mention that of dress. The beaux and employed on their sleeping ones. For the benefit, belles about town, who dress purely to catch one antherefore, of this curious and inquisitive part of my other, think there is no further occasion for the fellow-subjects, I shall in the first place tell those bait, when their first design has succeeded. But persons what they dreamt of, who fancy they never besides the too common fault in point of neatness, dream at all. In the next place I shall make out there are several others which I do not remember any dream, upon hearing a single circumstance of to have seen touched upon, but in one of our modern it; and, in the last place, I shall expound to them comedies, where a French woman offering to unthe good or bad fortune which such dreams portend. dress and dress herself before the lover of the play, If they do not presage good luck, I shall desire no- and assuring his [her] mistress that it was very thing for my pains; not questioning at the same usual in France, the lady tells her that is a secret time, that those who consult me will be so reason-in dress she never knew before, and that she was so able as to afford me a moderate share out of any unpolished an English woman, as to resolve never considerable estate, profit, or emolument, which I to learn even to dress before her husband. shall thus discover to them. I interpret to the poor for nothing, on condition that their names may be inserted in public advertisements, to attest the truth of such my interpretations. As for people of quality, or others who are indisposed, and do care to come in person, I can interpret their dreams by seeing their water. I set aside one day in the week for lovers; and interpret by the great for any gentlewoman who is turned of sixty, after the rate of halfa.crown per week, with the usual allowances for good luck. I have several rooms and apartments fitted up at reasonable rates, for such as have not conveniences for dreaming at their own houses. "TITUS TROPHONIUS.

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No. 506.] FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1712.

Candida perpetuo reside, Concordia, lecto,
Tamque pari semper sit Venus æqua jugo.

Diligat illa senem quondam; sed et illa marito,
Tunc quoque cum fuerit, non videatur anus.
MART. 4 Epig. xiii. 7
Perpetual harmony their bed attend,
And Venus still the well-match'd pair befriend!
May she, when time has sunk him into years,
Love her old man, and cherish his white hairs;
Nor he perceive her charms through age decay,
But think each happy sun his bridal day!

There is something so gross in the carriage of some wives, that they lose their husbands' hearts for faults, which if a man has either good-nature or good-breeding, he knows not how to tell them of. I am afraid, indeed, the ladies are generally most faulty in this particular; who, at their first giving in to love, find the way so smooth and pleasant, that they fancy it is scarce possible to be tired in it.

There is so much nicety and discretion required to keep love alive after marriage, and make conver sation still new and agreeable after twenty or thirty years, that I know nothing which seems readily to promise it, but an earnest endeavour to please on both sides, and superior good sense on the part of

the man,

By a man of sense, I mean one acquainted with business and letters.

A woman very much settles her esteem for a man, according to the figure he makes in the world, and the character he bears among his own sex. As learning is the chief advantage we have over them, it is, methinks, as scandalous and inexcusable for a man of fortune to be illiterate, as for a woman not to know how to behave herself on the most ordinary occasions. It is this which sets the two sexes at the greatest distance: a woman is vexed and surprised, to find nothing more in the conversation of a man than in the common tattle of her own sex.

Some small engagement at least in business, not only sets a man's talents in the fairest light, and THE following essay is written by the gentleman allots him a part to act in which a wife cannot well to whom the world is obliged for those several ex-intermeddle, but gives frequent occasions for those ce.ent discourses which have been marked with the letter X:

I have somewhere met with a fable that made Wealth the father of Love. It is certain a mind ought at least to be free from the apprehensions of want and poverty, before it can fully attend to all the softnesses and endearments of this passion; notwithstanding we see multitudes of married people, who are utter strangers to this delightful passion, amidst all the affluence of the most plentiful fortunes.

It is not sufficient, to make a marriage happy, that the humours of two people should be alike. I could instance a hundred pair, who have not the least sentiment of love remaining for one another, yet are so like in their humours, that if they were not already married, the whole world would design them for man and wife.

The spirit of love has something so extremely fine in it, that it is very often disturbed and lost, by some little accidents, which the careless and unpolite never attend to, until it is gone past recovery. ..Nothing has more contributed to banish it from a

little absences, which, whatever seeming uneasiness they may give, are some of the best preservatives of love and desire.

The fair sex are so conscious to themselves, that they have nothing in them which can deserve entirely to engross the whole man, that they heartily despise one, who, to use their own expressions, 19 always hanging at their apron-strings.

Lætitia is pretty, modest, tender, and has sense enough; she married Erastus, who is in a post of some business, and has a general taste in most parts of polite learning. Lætitia, wherever she visits, has the pleasure to hear of something which was handsomely said or done by Erastus. Erastus, since his marriage, is more gay in his dress than ever, and in all companies is as complaisant to Lætitia as to any other lady. I have seen him give her her fat, when it has dropped, with all the gallantry of a lover. When they take the air together, Erastus is continually improving her thoughts, and with a torn of wit and spirit which is peculiar to him, giving her

The "Funeral," or "Grief A-la-mode," by Stee..

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