felf; that hypocrify which conceals his own heart from him, and makes him believe he is more virtuous than he really is, and either not attend to his vices, or mistake even his vices for virtues. It is this fatal hypocrify and felfdeceit, which is taken notice of in thofe words- Who can understand his errors? Cleanfe thou me from fecret • faults.'

If the open profeffors of impiety deferve the utmost application and endeavours of moral writers to recover them from vice and folly, how much more may thofe lay a claim to their care and compaffion, who are walking in the paths of death, while they fancy themfelves engaged in a courfe of virtue! I fhall endeavour, therefore, to lay down fome rules for the discovery of thofe vices that lurk in the fecret corners of the foul, and to fhew my reader thofe methods by which he may arrive at a true and impartial knowledge of himfelf. The ufual means prefcribed for this purpofe, are to examine ourselves by the rules which are laid down for our direction in Sacred Writ, and to compare our lives with the life of that Perfon who acted up to the perfection of human nature, and is the ftanding example, as well as the great guide and inftructor, of those who receive his doctrines. Though these two heads cannot be too much infifted upon, I fhall but just mention them, fince they have been handled by many great and eminent writers.

I would therefore propofe the following methods to the confideration of fuch as would find out their fecret faults, and make a true estimate of themselves. In the first place, let them confider well what are the characters which they bear among their enemies. Our friends very often flatter us, as much as our own hearts. They either do not fee our faults, or conceal them from us, or foften them by their reprefentations, after fuch a manner, that we think them too trivial to be taken notice of. An adverfary, on the contrary, makes a ftricter fearch into us, difcovers every flaw and imperfection in our tempers, and though his malice may fet them in too strong a light, it has generally fome ground for what it advances. A friend exaggerates a man's virtues, an enemy enflaines his crimes. A wife man fhould give a just attention to both of them, fo

far as they may tend to the improvement of one, and the diminution of the other. Plutarch has written an effay on the benefits which a man may receive from his enemies, and, among the good fruits of enmity, mentions this in particular, that by the reproaches which it cats upon us we fee the worft fide of ourfelves, and open our eyes to feveral blemishes and defects in our lives and converfations, which we fhould not have obferved without the help of fuch illnatured monitors.

In order likewife to come at a true knowledge of ourselves, we should confider on the other hand how far we may deferve the praifes and approbations which the world bestow upon us: whether the actions they celebrate proceed from laudable and worthy motives; and how far we are really poffeffed of the virtues which gain us applause among thofe with whom we converse. Such a reflection is abfolutely necessary, if we confider how apt we are either to value or condemn ourselves by the opinions of others, and to facrifice the report of our own hearts to the judgment of the world.

In the next place, that we may not deceive ourfelves in a point of fo much importance, we should not lay too great a ftrefs on any fuppofed virtues we poffefs that are of a doubtful nature: and fuch we may esteem all thofe in which multitudes of men diffent from us, who are as good and wife as ourselves. We fhould always act with great cautioufnefs and circumfpection in points, where it is not impoffible that we may be deceived. Intemperate zeal, bigotry and perfecution for any party or opinion, how praife-worthy foever they may appear to weak men of our own principles, produce infinite calamities among mankind, and are highly criminal in their own nature; and yet how many perfons eminent for piety fuffer fuch monitrous and abfurd principles of action to take root in their minds under the colour of virtues? For my own part, I must own, I never yet knew any party fo juft and reasonable, that a man could follow it in it's height and violence, and at the fame time be innocent.

We should likewife be very apprehenfive of thofe actions which proceed from natural constitution, favourite paflions, particular education, or whatever promotes our worldly intereft or advantage.

1

is nothing that is lufcious, or what raifes any idea more loose than that of a beautiful woman fet off to advantage. The like, or a more delicate and careful fpirit of modefty, appears in the following paffage in one of Mr. Philips's pastorals. Breathe foft ye winds, ye waters gently flow, Shield her ye trees, ye flow'rs around her grow; Ye fwains, I beg you, pafs in filence by, My love in yonder vale afleep does lie.

Defire is corrected when there is a tenderness or admiration expreffed which partakes the paffion. Licentious language has fomething brutal in it, which difgraces humanity, and leaves us in the condition of the favages in the field. But it may be asked, to what good ufe can tend a difcourfe of this kind at all? It is to alarm chafte ears against fuch as have what is above called the prevailing gentle art. Mafters of that talent are capable of cloathing their thoughts in fo foft a dress, and fomething fo diftant from the fecret purpose of their heart, that the imagination of the unguarded is touched with a fondnefs which grows too infenfibly to be refifted. Much

care and concern for the lady's welfare, to feem afraid left the fhould be annoyed by the very air which furrounds her, and this uttered rather with kind looks, and expreffed by an interjection, an Ah, or an Oh, at fome little hazard in moving or making a step, than in any direct profeffion of love, are the methods of kilful admirers: they are honest arts when their purpofe is fuch, but infamous when mifapplied. It is certain that many a young woman in this town has had her heart irrecoverably won, by men who have not made one advance which ties their admirers, though the females languish with the utmost anxiety. I have often, by way of admonition to my female readers, given them warn ing against agreeable company of the other fex, except they are well acquainted with their characters. Women may difguife it if they think fit, and the more to do it, they may be angry at me for faying it; but I fay it is natural to them, that they have no manner of approbation of men, without fome degree of love: for this reafon he is dangerous to be entertained as a friend or vifitant, who is capable of gaining any eminent efteem or obfervation, though it be never fo remote from pretenfions as a lover. If

a man's heart has not the abhorrence of any treacherous defign, he may easily improve approbation into kindness, and kindness into paffion. There may poffibly be no manner of love between them in the eyes of all their acquaintance; no, it is all friendhip; and yet they may be as fond as thepherd and fhepherdef's in a paftoral, but ftill the nymph and the fwain may be to each other no other, I warrant you, than Pylades and Oreftes.

When Lucy decks with flowers her fwelling
bread,

And on her elbow leans, diffembling rest;
Unable to refrain my madding mind,
Nor sheep nor pafture worth my care I find.
Once Delia lept, on eafy mofs reclin'd,
Her lovely limbs half bare, and rude the win!
I fmooth'd her coats, and ftole a filent kifs
Condemn me, fhepherds, if I did amifs.

Such good offices as thefe, and such friendly thoughts and concerns for one another, are what make up the amity, as they call it, between man and wo

man.

It is the permiffion of fuch intercourse, that makes a young woman come to the arms of her husband, after the difappointment of four or five paffions which he has fucceffively had for different men, before the is prudentially given to him for whom he has neither love nor friendship. For what should a poor creature do, that has loft all her friends? There is Marinet the agree able, has, to my knowledge, had a friendship for Lord Welford, which had like to break her heart; then fhe had fo great a friendfhip for Colonel Hardy, that the could not endure any woman elfe fhould do any thing but rail at him. Many and fatal have been difatters between friends who have fallen out, and thefe refentments are more keen than ever thofe of other men can poffibly bet but in this it happens unfortunately, that as there ought to be nothing concealed from one friend to another, the friends of different fexes very often find fatal effects from their unanimity.

For my part, who study to pafs life in as much innocence and tranquillity as I can, I fhun the company of agreeable women as much as poffible; and muft confefs that I have, though a tolerable good philofopher, but a low opinion of Platonic love: for which reafon I thought

SINCE you have often confeffed that you are not difpleafed your papers fhould fometimes convey the complaints of diftreffed lovers to each other, I am in hopes you will favour one who gives you an undoubted inftance of her reformation, and at the same time a convincing proof of the happy influence your labours have had over the most incorrigible part of the most incorrigible fex. You must know, Sir, I am one of that fpecies of women, whom you have often characterized under the name of Jilts, and that I fend you thefe lines as well to do public penance for having fo long continued in a known error, as to beg pardon of the party offended. I the rather chufe this way, because it in fome measure aufwers the terms on which he intimated the breach between us might poffibly be made up, as you will fee by the letter he fent me the next day after I had discarded him; which I thought fit to fend you a copy of, that you might the better know the whole cafe.

I must further acquaint you, that before I jilted him, there had been the greatest intimacy between us for a year and a half together, during all which time I cherished his hopes, and indulged his flame, I leave you to guess after this what must be his furprife, when upon his preffing for my full confent one day, I told him I wondered what could make him fancy he had ever any place in my affections. His own fex allow him fenfe, and all ours goodbreeding. His perfon is fuch as might,

without vanity, make him believe himfelf not incapable to be beloved. Our fortunes, indeed, weighed in the nice fcale of intereft, are not exactly equal, which by the way was the true caufe of my jilting him; and I had the affurance to acquaint him with the following maxim, that I fhould always believe that man's paffion to be the most violent, who could offer me the largest settle, ment. I have fince changed my opinion, and have endeavoured to let him know fo much by feveral letters, but the barbarous man has refufed them all; fo that I have no way left of writing to him but by your affittance. If you can bring him about once more, I promite to fend you all gloves and favours, and fhall defire the favour of Sir Roger and yourself to ftand as godfathers to my first boy. I am, Sir, your most obedient, moft humble fervant,

I

AMORET.

PHILANDER TO AMORET.

MADAM,

Am fo furprised at the queftion you were pleased to ask me yesterday, that I am still at a lofs what to fay to it. At leaft my anfwer would be too long to trouble you with, as it would come from a perfon, who, it feems, is fo very indifferent to you. Instead of it, I fhall only recommend to your confideration the opinion of one whole fentiments on these matters I have often heard you say are extremely just. A generous and

conftant paffion,' favs your favourite author, in an agreeable lover, where there is not too great a disparity in their circumstances, is the greatelt bleffing that can befal a perion beloved; and if overlooken in one, may perhaps never be found in another."

I do not, however, at all despair of being very shortly much better beloved by you than Antenor is at prefent; fince whenever my fortune fhall exceed his, you were pleased to intimate your paffon would increase accordingly.

The world has feen me fhamefully lofe that time to please a fickle woman, which might have been employed much more to my credit and advantage in other purfuits. I fhall therefore take the liberty to acquaint you, however barth it may found in a lady's ears, that though your love-fit fhould happen to return, unless you could contrive a way to make your recantation as well known to the public, as they are already apprifed of the manner with which you have treated me, you fhall never more

I now act may appear contrary to that decorum ufually obferved by our sex, yet I purpofely break through all rules, that my repentance may in some mea. fure equal my crime. I affure you that in my prefent hopes of recovering you, I look upon Antenor's eftate with contempt. The fop was here yefterday in a gilt chariot and new liveries, but I refufed to fee him. Though, I dread to meet your eyes, after what has paffed, I flatter myself, that amidst all their confufion you will difcover fuch a tendernefs in mine, as none can initate but thofe who love. I fhall be all this month at Lady D's in the country; but the woods, the fields, and gardens, without Philander, afford no pleasures to the unhappy

AMORET.

I must defire you, dear Mr. Spectator, to publish this my letter to Philander as foon as poffible, and to affure him that I know nothing at all of the death of his rich uncle in Gloucesterfhire.

X

QUE

W

ERE I to publish all the advertisements I receive from different hands, and perfons of different circumstances and quality, the very mention of them, without reflections on the feveral fubjects, would raise all the paffions which can be felt by human minds. As inftances of this, I fhall give you two or three letters; the writers of which can have no recourfe to any legal power for redrefs, and feem to have written rather to vent their forrow than to receive confolation.

apart. My heart is in the utmost anguith, and my face is covered over with confufion, when I impart to you another circumftance, which is, that my mother, the most mercenary of all women, is gained by this false friend of my husband's to folicit me for him. I am frequently chid by the poor believ ing man my husband, for fhewing an impatience of his friend's company; and I am never alone with my mother, but he tells me ftories of the diferetionary part of the world, and such a one, and fuch a one who are guilty of as much as the advises me to. She laughs at my astonishment; and feems to hint to me, that as virtuous as the has always appeared, I am not the daughter of her husband. It is poffible that printing this letter may relieve me from the unnatural importunity of my mother, and the perfidious courtship of my husband's friend. I have an un

feigned