.

the steps of the most worthy of my ancestors who have inhabited this fpot of earth before me, in all the methods of hofpitality and good neighbourhood, for the fake of my fame; • and in country sports and recreations, for the fake of my health. In my twenty-third year I was obliged to ferve as fheriff of the county; and in my fervants, officers, and whole equipage, indulged the pleasure of a young man, who did not think ill of his own perfon, in taking that public occation of fhewing my figure and behaviour to advantage. You may eatly imagine to yourself what appearance I made, who am pretty tall, rid well, and was very well dreffed, at the head of a whole county, with mufic before me, a feather in my hat, and my horfe well bitted. I can affure you I was not a little pleafed with the kind looks and glances I had from all the • balconies and windows as I rode to the hall where the affizes were held. But when I came there, a beautiful creature in a widow's habit fat in court, <to hear the event of a caufe concerning her dower. This commanding creature, who was born for the deftruction of all who behold her, put on fuch a refignation in her countenance, and bore the whifpers of all around ◄ the court, with such a pretty uneasinefs, I warrant you, and then recover⚫ed herself from one eye to another, until he was perfectly confufed by ⚫ meeting fomething fo wiftful in all the encountered, that at last, with a murrain to her, fhe caft her bewitching eye upon me. I no fooner met it, but I bowed like a great furprised booby; and knowing her caufe to be the first <which came on, I cried, like a captivated calf as I was-" Make way for "the defendant's witneffes." This fudden partiality made all the county immediately fee the fheriff alfo was become a flave to the fine widow. During the time her caufe was upon trial, fhe behaved herself, I warrant you, with fuch a deep attention to her bufinefs, took opportunities to have little billets handed to her counsel, then would be in fuch a pretty confusion, • occafioned, you must know, by acting before fo much company, that not only I but the whole court was prejudiced in her favour; and all that the next heir to her husband had to urge, was

thought fo groundless and frivolous, that when it came to her counsel to reply, there was not half so much said as every one befides in the court thought he could have urged to her advantage. You must understand, Sir, this perverfe woman is one of thofe unaccountable creatures, that fecretly rejoice in the admiration of men, but indulge themfelves in no farther confequences. Hepce it is that The has ever had a train of admirers, and the removes from her flaves in town to thofe in the country, according to the feafons of the year. She is a reading lady, and far gone in the pleafures of friendship: he is always accompanied by a confident, who is witness to her daily proteftations against our fex, and confequently a bar to her first steps towards love, upon the strength of her own maxims and ⚫ declarations.

However, I must needs fay this accomplished miftrefs of mine has diftinguished me above the reft, and has been known to declare Sir Roger de Coverley was the tamest and most humane of all the brutes in the country. I was told the faid fo, by one who thought he rallied me; but upon the ftrength of this flender encouragement of being thought least deteftable, I made new liveries, new-paired my coach-horfes, fent them all to town to be bitted, and taught to throw their legs well, and move all together, before I pretended to cross the country, and wait upon her. As foon as I thought my retinue fuitable to the character of my fortune and youth, I fet out from hence to make my addreffes. The particular fkill of this lady-has ever been to inflame your wishes, and yet 'command refpect. To make her miftrefs of this art, she has a greater share of knowledge, wit, and good fenfe, than is usual even among men of merit. Then the is beautiful beyond the race of women. If you will not let her go on with a certain artifice with her eyes, and the skill of beauty, the ⚫ will arm herself with her real charms, and ftrike you with admiration inftead of defire. It is certain that if you were to behold the whole woman, there is that dignity in her afpect, that compofure in her motion, that complacency in her manner, that if her ⚫form makes you hope, her merit makes

• you

4

4

you fear. But then again, fhe is fuch

faid! After she had done fpeaking to

gentleman can approach her without

being a jeft. As I was going to tell you, when I came to her houfe, I was admitted to her prefence with great tivility; at the fame time the placed 'herfelf to be firft feen by me in fuch an attitude, as I think you call the polture of a picture, that the difco'vered new charms, and I at laft came towards her with such an awe as made me fpeechlefs. This fhe no fooner obferved but the made her advantage 'of it, and began a difcourfe to me concerning love and honour, as they both are followed by pretenders, and the real votaries to them. When she 'difcuffed thefe points in a difcourfe, which I verily believe was as learned as the best philofopher in Europe could poffibly make, the afked me whether The was fo happy as to fall in with my fentiments on thefe important particulars. Her confident fat by her, ' and upon my being in the last confufion and filence, this malicious aid of 'hers turning to her fays" I am very glad to obferve Sir Roger paufes upon "this fubject, and feems refolved to "deliver all his fentiments upon the matter when he pleafes to peak." "They both kept their countenances, ' and after I had fat half an hour meditating how to behave before fuch profound cafuitts, I rofe up and took my leave. Chance has fince that time ⚫ thrown me very often in her way, and 'fhe as often has directed a difcourfe to 'me which I do not understand. This barbarity has kept me ever at a diftance from the most beautiful object my eyes ever beheld. It is thus alfo 'the deals with all mankind, and you 'must make love to her, as you would 'conquer the fphinx, by pofing her.

64

46

But were the like other women, and 'that there were any talking to her, how 'conftant muft the pleasure of that man be, who could converfe with a crea' ture-But, after all, you may be fure ⚫ her heart is fixed on fome one or other; ⚫ and yet I have been credibly informed; but who can believe half what is

adjusted her tucker. Then she caft her eyes a little down, upon my beholding her too earnestly. They fay the fings excellently: her voice in her ordinary fpeech has fomething in it inexpreffibly fweet. You must know I dined with her at a public table the day after I first faw her, and the help⚫ed me to fome tanfy in the eye of all the gentlemen in the country. She has certainly the finelt hand of any woman in the world. I can affure you, Sir, were you to behold her, you would be in the fame condition; for as her speech is music, her form is angelic. But I find I grow irregular "while I am talking of her; but indeed it would be stupidity to be unconcerned at fuch perfection. Oh the excellent creature! fhe is as inimitable to all women, as the is inacceffible to all 'men.'

I found my friend begin to rave, and infenfibly led him towards the house, that we might be joined by fome other company; and am convinced that the widow is the fecret caufe of all that inconfiftency which appears in fome parts of my friend's difcourfe; though he has fo much command of himself as not directly to mention her, yet according to that of Martial, which one knows not how to render into English- Dum tacet

hanc loquitur.' I fall end this paper with that whole epigram, which represents with much humour my honest friend's condition.

Quicquid agit Rufus, nihil eft, nifiNæviaRufa,
Si gaudet, fi flet, fi tacet, banc loquitur:
Canat, propinat, pofcit, negat, annuit, una eft
Nævia; fi non fit Navia, mutus erit.
Scriberet beflerná patri cùm luce falutem,
Navia lux inquit, Nævia numen, ave.
EPIG. LXIX. L. I.

Let Rufus weep, rejoice, ftand, fit, or walk,
Still he can nothing but of Nævia talk;
Let him eat, drink, ask questions, or difpute,
Still he muft fpeak of Navia, or be mute.
He writ to his father, ending with this line,
I am, my lovely Navia, ever thine.

R

N° CXIV.

Ο

HOR. EP. XVIII. L. I. V. 24.

POOLY.

ECONOMY in our affairs has the fame effect upon our fortunes, which good-breeding has upon our converfations. There is a pretended behaviour in both cafes, which, instead of making men efteemed, renders them both miferable and contemptible. We had yesterday at Sir Roger's a set of country gentlemen who dined with him; and after dinner the glafs was taken, by those who pleafed, pretty plentifully. Among others I obferved a perfon of a tolerable good afpect, who feemed to be more greedy of liquor than any of the company, and yet, methought, he did not taste it with delight. As he grew warm, he was fufpicious of every thing that was faid; and as he advanced towards being fuddled, his humour grew worfe. At the fame time his bitterness feemed to be rather an inward diffatisfaction in his own mind, than any diflike he had taken to the company. Upon hearing his name, I knew him to be a gentleman of a confiderable fortune in this county, but greatly in debt. What gives the unhappy man this peevifhnefs of fpirit is, that his citate is dipped, and is eating out with ufury; and yet he has not the heart to fell any part of it. His proud ftomach, at the cost of restlefs nights, conftant inquietudes, danger of affronts, and a thoufand nainelefs inconveniencies, preferves this canker in his fortune, rather than it shall be faid he is a man of a fewer hundreds a year than he has been commonly reputed. Thus he endures the torment of poverty, to avoid the name of being lefs rich. If you go to his houfe you fee great plenty; but ferved in a manner that fhews it is all unnatural, and that the mafter's mind is not at home. There is a certain waste and carelefinefs in the air of every thing, and the whole appears but a covered indigence, a nagnificent poverty That neatnefs and chearfulness which attends the table of him who lives within compafs, is want

ing, and exchanged for a libertine way of fervice in all about him.

This gentleman's conduct, though a very common way of management, is as ridiculous as that officer's would be, who had but few men under his command, and should take the charge of an extent of country rather than of a small pafs. To pay for, perfonate, and keep in a man's hands, a greater eftate than he really has, is of all others the most unpardonable vanity, and muft in the end reduce the man who is guilty of it to dishonour. Yet if we look round us in any county of Great Britain, we shall fee many in this fatal error; if that may be called by fo foft a name, which proceeds from a falfe fhame of appearing what they really are, when the contrary behaviour would in a fhort time advance them to the condition which they pretend to.

Laertes has fifteen hundred pounds a year, which is mortgaged for fix thoufand pounds; but it is impoffible to convince him that if he fold as much as would pay off that debt, he would fave four fhillings in, the pound, which he gives for the vanity of being the reputed mafter of it. Yet if Laertes did this, he would, perhaps, be easier in his own fortune; but then Irus, a fellow of yel terday, who has but twelve hundred a year, would be his equal. Rather than this hall be, Laertes goes on to bring well-born beggars into the world, and every twelvemonth charges his eftate with at least one year's rent more by the birth of a child.

Laertes and Irus are neighbours, whofe way of living are an abomination to each other. It's is moved by the fear of poverty, and Laertes by the fhame of it. Though the motive of action is of fo near affinity in both, and may be refolved into this, that to each of them poverty is the greatest of all evils, yet are their manners very widely different. Shame of poverty makes Laertes

launch

launch into unneceffary equipage, vain expence, and lavish entertainments; fear of poverty makes Irus allow himself only plain neceffaries, appear without a fervant, fell his own corn, attend his labourers, and be himself a labourer. Shame of poverty makes Laertes go every day a step nearer to it; and fear of poverty ftirs up Irus to make every day fome further progrefs from it.

Thefe different motives produce the exceffes which men are guilty of in the negligence of and provifion for themfelves. Ufury, ftock-jobbing, extortion, and oppreffion, have their feed in the dread of want; and vanity, riot, and prodigality, from the fhame of its but both thefe exceffes are infinitely below the pursuit of a reasonable creature. After we have taken care to command To much as is neceffary for maintaining ourfelves in the order of men fuitable to our character, the care of fuperfluities is a vice no lefs extravagant, than the neglect of necessaries would have been before.

Certain it is, that they are both out of nature, when the is followed with reafon and good fenfe. It is from this reflection that I always read Mr. Cowley with the greatest pleasure: his magnanimity is as much above that of other confiderable men, as his understanding; and it is a true diftinguishing spirit in the elegant author who published his works, to dwell fo much upon the temper of his mind and the moderation of his defires: by this means he has rendered his friend as amiable as famous. That state of life which bears the face of poverty with Mr. Cowley's great Vulgar, is admirably described; and it is no fmall fatisfaction to those of the fame turn of defire, that he produces the

authority of the wifeft men of the best age of the world, to ftrengthen his opinion of the ordinary purfuits of man

kind.

It would methinks be no ill maxim of life, if according to that ancestor of Sir Roger, whom I lately mentioned, every man would point to himself what fum he would refolve not to exceed. He might by this means cheat himself into a tranquillity on this fide of that expectation, or convert what he should get above it to nobler ufes than his own pleasures or neceffities. This temper of mind would exempt a man froth an ignorant envy of restless men above him, and a more inexcufable contempt of happy men below him. This would be failing by fome compass, living with fome defign; but to be eternally bewildered in profpects of future gain, and putting on unneceffary armour againit improbable blows of fortune, is a mechanic being which has not good fenfe for it's direction, but is carried on by a fort of acquired instinct towards things below our consideration and unworthy our esteem. It is poffible that the tranquillity I now enjoy at Sir Roger's may have created in me this way of thinking, which is so abftracted from the common relish of the world; but as I am now in a pleafing arbour furrounded with a beautiful landfkip, I find no inclination fo strong as to continue in thefe manfions, fo remote from the oftentatious fcenes of life; and am at this prefent writing philofopher enough to conclude with Mr. CowleyIf e'er ambition did my fancy cheat, With any wifh fo mean as to be great; Continue, Heav'n, ftill from me to remove The humble bleffings of that life I love.

from ordinary labour as it rifes from another motive.

A country life abounds in both these kinds of labour, and for that reafon gives a man a greater ftock of health, and confequently a more perfect enjoy. 2 F

ment

ment of himself, than any other way of life. I confider the body as a fyftem of tubes and glands, or to ufe a more ruftic phrafe, a bundle of pipes and ftrainers, fitted to one another after fo wonderful a manner as to make a proper engine for the foul to work with. This defcription does not only comprehend the bowels, bones, tendons, veins, nerves, and arteries, but every mufcle and every ligature, which is a compofition of fibres, that are fo many imperceptible tubes or pipes interwoven on all fides with invifible glands or ftrainers.

This general idea of a human body, without confidering it in it's niceties of anatomy, lets us fee how abfolutely neceflary labour is for the right prefervation of it. There inuit be frequent motions and agitations, to mix, digest, and feparate the juices contained in it, as well as to clear and cleanfe that infinitude of pipes and trainers of which it is compofed, and to give their folid parts a more firm and lailing tone. Labour or exercife ferments the humours, cafts them into their proper channels, throws off redundancies, and helps nature in thofe fecret diftributions, without which the body cannot fubfift in it's vigour, nor the foul act with chearfulnefs.

I might here mention the effects which this has upon all the faculties of the mind, by keeping the understanding clear, the imagination untroubled, and refining thofe fpirits that are neceffary for the proper exertion of our intellectual faculties, during the prefent laws of union between foul and body. It is to a neglect in this particular that we must afcribe the spleen, which is fo frequent in men of ftudious and fedentary tempers, as well as the vapours to which thofe of the other fex are so often fubject.

Had not exercife been abfolutely ne ceffary for our well being, nature would not have made the body fe proper for it, by giving fuch an activity to the limbs, and fuch a pliancy to every part as neceffarily produce thofe compref fions, extenfions, contorfions, dilatations, and all other kinds of motions that are neceffary for the prefervation of Such a fyftem of tubes and glands as has been before mentioned. And that we might not want inducements to engage us in fuch an exercife of the body as is proper for it's welfare, it is fo oraored that nothing valuable can be produced without it. Not to mention

riches and honour, even food and rai ment are not to be come at without the toil of the hands and sweat of the brows. Providence furnishes materials, but expects that we fhould work them up our felves. The earth must be laboured before it gives it's increafe, and when it is forced into it's feveral products, how many hands muft they pass through before they are fit for use? Manufac tures, trade, and agriculture, naturally employ more than nineteen parts of the fpecies in twenty; and as for those who are not obliged to labour, by the condition in which they are born, they are more miserable than the reft of mankind, unless they indulge themselves in that voluntary labour which goes by

the name of exercise.

My friend Sir Roger has been an indefatigable man of business of this kind, and has hung feveral parts of his houfe with the trophies of his former labours. The walls of his great hall are covered with the horns of feveral kinds of deer that he has killed in the chace, which he thinks the most valuable furniture of his houfe, as they afford him frequent topics of difcourfe, and fhew that he has not been idle. At the lower end of the hall is a large otter's skin stuffed with hay, which his mother ordered to be hung up in that manner, and the knight looks upon with great fatisfaction, becaufe it feems he was but nine years old when his dog killed him. A little room adjoining to the hall is a kind of arfenal filled with guns of feveral fizes and inventions, with which the knight has made great havock in the woods, and deftroyed many thousands of pheafants, partridges, and woodcocks. His ftable-doors are patched with nofes that belonged to foxes of the knight's own hunting down. Sir Roger fhewed me one of them that for diftinction fake has a brass nail ftuck through it, which coft him about fifteen hours riding, carried him through half a dozen counties, killed him a brace of geldings, and loft above half his dogs. This the knight looks upon as one of the greatest exploits of his life. The perverfe widow, whom I have given fome account of, was the death of feveral foxes; for Sir Roger has told me that in the courfe of his amours he patched the western door of his ftable. Whenever the widow was cruel, the foxes were fure to pay for it, In proportion as his paffion for the wi

dow