Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

is, he shall conquer her, though her eyes are intent upon one who looks from her; which is ordinary with the sex. It is certainly a mistake in the ancients to draw the little gentleman love as a blind boy; for his real character is a little thief that squints; for ask Mrs. Meddle, who is a confident, or spy, upon all the passions in town, and she will tell you that the whole is a game of cross purposes. The lover is generally pursuing one who is in pursuit of another, and running from one that desires to meet him. Nay, the nature of this passion is so justly represented in a squinting little thief (who is always in a double action,) that do but observe Clarissa next time you see her, and you will find, when her eyes have made their soft tour round the company, she makes no stay on him they say she is to marry, but rests two seconds of a minute on Wildair, who neither looks nor thinks on her, or any woman else. However, Cynthio had a bow from her the other day, upon which he is very much come to himself; and I heard him send his man of an errand yesterday without any manner of hesitation; a quarter of an hour after which he reckoned twenty, remembered he was to sup with a friend, and went exactly to his appointment. I sent to know how he did this morning; and I find that he hath not forgot that he spoke to me yesterday.

Will's Coffee-house, April 20.

This week being sacred to holy things, and no public diversions allowed, there has been taken notice of even here a little Treatise called, “ A Project for the Advancement of Religion : dedicated to the Countess of Berkeley*." The title

*First published by Swift in 1709.

was so uncommon, and promised so peculiar a way of thinking, that every man here has read it; and as many as have done so have approved it. It is written with the spirit of one who has seen the world enough to undervalue it with good-breeding. The author must certainly be a man of wisdom as well as piety, and have spent much time in the exercise of both. The real causes of the decay of the interest of religion are set forth in a clear and lively manner, without unseasonable passions; and the whole air of the book, as to the language, the sentiments, and the reasonings, shews it was written by one whose virtue sits easy about him, and to whom vice is thoroughly contemptible. It was said by one of this company, alluding to that knowledge of the world the author seems to have, "The man writes much like a gentleman, and goes to Heaven with a very good mien."

St. James's Coffee-house, April 20.

Letters from Italy say, that the Marquis de Prie, upon the receipt of an express from the Court of Vienna, went immediately to the palace of Cardinal Paulucci, Minister of State to his Holiness, and demanded, in the name of his Imperial Majesty, that King Charles should forthwith be acknowledged King of Spain, by a solemn act of the congregation of Cardinals appointed for that purpose. He declared at the same time, that if the least hesitation were made in this most important article of the late treaty, he should not only be obliged to leave Rome himself, but also transmit his master's orders to the Imperial troops to face about, and return into the ecclesiatical dominions. When the Cardinal reported this message to the Pope, his Holiness was struck with so sensible

an affliction, that he burst into tears. His sorrow was aggravated by letters which immediately after arrived from the Court of Madrid, wherein his Nuncio acquainted him, that, upon the news of his accommodation with the Emperor, he had received a message to forbear coming to Court, and the people were so highly provoked, that they could hardly be restrained from insulting his palace. These letters add, that the King of Denmark was gone from Florence to Pisa, and from Pisa to Leghorn, where the Governor paid his Majesty all imaginable honours. The King designed to go from thence to Lucca, where a magnificent tournament was prepared for his diversion. An English man of war, which came from PortMahon to Leghorn in six days, brought advice, that the fleet commanded by Admiral Whitaker, was safely arrived at Barcelona, with the troops and ammunition which he had taken in at Naples.

General Boneval, Governor of Comachio, had summoned the magistrates of all the towns near that place to appear before him, and take an oath of fidelity to his Imperial Majesty ; commanding also the gentry to pay him homage, on pain of death and confiscation of goods. Advices from Switzerland inform us, that the bankers of Geneva were utterly ruined by the failure of Mr. Bernard. They add, that the Deputies of the Swiss Cantons were returned from Soleure, where they were assembled at the instance of the French Ambassador, but were very much dissatisfied with the reception they had from that Minister. It is true he omitted no civilities or expressions of friendship from his master, but he took no notice of their pensions and arrears: what further provoked their indignation was, that, instead of twenty-five pistoles, formerly allowed to each member

for their charge in coming to the Diet, he had presented them with six only. They write from Dresden that King Augustus was still busy in recruiting his cavalry, and that the Danish troops that lately served in Hungary had orders to be in Saxony by the middle of May; and that his Majesty of Denmark was expected at Dresden in the beginning of that month. King Augustus makes great preperations for his reception, and has appointed sixty coaches, each drawn by six horses, for that purpose: the intervew of these Princes affords great matter for speculation. Letters from Paris, of the twenty-second of this month, say, that Marshal Harcourt and the Duke of Berwick were preparing to go into Alsace and Dauphiné, but that their troops were in want of all manner of necessaries. The Court of France had received advices from Madrid, that on the seventh of this month the States of Spain had with much magnificence acknowledged the Prince of Asturias presumptive heir to the Crown. This was performed at BuenRetiro the Deputies took the oaths on that occasion from the hands of Cardinal Portocarrero. These advices add, that it was signified to the Pope's Nuncio by order of Council, to depart from that Court in twenty-four hours, and that a guard was accordingly appointed to conduct him to Bayonne.

Letters from the Hague of the twenty-sixth instant inform us, that Prince Eugene was to set out the next day for Brussels, to put all things in a readiness for opening the campagin. They add, that the grand Pensioner having reported to the Duke of Marlborough what passed in the last conference with Mr. Rouille, his Grace had taken a resolution immediately to return to Great Britain, to communicate to her Majesty all that has been transacted in that important affair.

1

From my own Apartment, April 20.

The nature of my miscellaneous work is such, that I shall always take the liberty to tell for news such things (let them have happened never so much before the time of writing) as have escaped public notice, or have been misrepresented to the world; provided that I am still within rules, and trespass not as a Tatler any farther than in an incorrectness of style, and writing in an air of common speech. Thus, if any thing that is said, even of old Anchises or Eneas, be set by me in a different light than has hitherto been hit upon, in order to inspire the love and admiration of worthy actions, you will, gentle reader, I hope, accept of it for intelligence you had not before. But I am going upon a narrative, the matter of which I know to be true: it is not only doing justice to the deceased merit of such persons, as, had they lived would not have had it in their power to thank me, but also an instance of the greatness of spirit in the lowest of her Majesty's subjects. Take it as follows:

At the siege of Namur by the allies, there were in the ranks of the company commanded by Captain Pincent, in Colonel Frederick Hamilton's regiment, one Unnion, a corporal, and one Valentine a private centinel; there happened between these two men a dispute about a matter of love, which, upon some aggravations, grew to an irreconcilable hatred. Unnion, being the officer of Valentine, took all opportunities even to strike his rival, and profess the spite and revenge which moved him to it. The centinel bore it without resistance; but frequently said, he would die to be revenged of that tyrant. They had spent whole months thus, one injuring, the other com

« AnteriorContinuar »