the turn of their eyes, and the changes of their treat on matters which relate to females, as they countenance, their sentiments of the objects before are concerned to approach or fly from the other them. I have indulged my silence to such an ex-sex, or as they are tied to them by blood, interest, travagance, that the few who are intimate with me, or affection. Upon this occasion I think it but answer my smiles with concurrent sentences, and reasonable to declare, that whatever skill I mar argue to the very point I shaked my head at, with-have in speculation, I shall never betray what the out my speaking. Will Honeycomb was very en- eyes of lovers say to each other in my presence. tertaining the other night at a play, to a gentleman At the same time I shall not think myself obliged who sat on his right hand, while I was at his left. by this promise to conceal any false protestations The gentleman believing Will was talking to him which I observe made by glances in public assem self, when upon my looking with great approba- blies; but endeavour to make both sexes appear tion at a young thing in a box before us, he said, in their conduct what they are in their hearts. By I am quite of another opinion. She has, I will this means, love, during the time of my specula allow, a very pleasing aspect, but, methinks, that tions, shall be carried on with the same sincerity simplicity in her countenance is rather childish as any other affair of less consideration. As this is than innocent." When I observed her a second the greatest concern, men shall be from henceforth. time, he said, 'I grant her dress is very becoming, liable to the greatest reproach for misbehaviour in but perhaps the merit of that choice is owing to it. Falsehood in love shall hereafter bear a blacker her mother; for though, continued he, ' I allow a aspect than infidelity in friendship, or villany in beauty to be as much to be commended for the business. For this great and good end, all breaches elegance of her dress, as a wit for that of his lan- against that noble passion, the cement of society, guage; yet if she has stolen the colour of her ri- shall be severely examined. But this and all other bands from another, or had advice about her trim- matters loosely hinted at now, and in my former mings, I shall not allow her the praise of dress, papers, shall have their proper place in my followany more than I would call a plagiary an author' ing discourses. The present writing is only to When I threw my eye towards the next woman admonish the world, that they shall not find me an to her, Will spoke what I looked, according to his idle, but a busy Spectator.

romantic imagination, in the following manner:

STEELE.

No 5. TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 1710-11.

R.

'Behold, you who dare, that charming virgin; behold the beauty of her person chastised by the innocence of her thoughts. Chastity, good-nature, and affability, are the graces that play in her countenance: she knows she is handsome, but she knows she is good. Conscious beauty adorned with conscious virtue! What a spirit is there in those eyes! What a bloom in that person! How is the whole woman expressed in her appearance! Her air has Admitted to the sight, would you not laugh? the beauty of motion, and her look the force of As opera may be allowed to be extravagantly language.' lavish in its decorations, as its only design is to

Spectatum admissi risum tencatis?

HOR. Ars Poet. ver. 5.

It was prudence to turn away my eyes from this gratify the senses, and keep up an indolent atten. object, and therefore I turned them to the thought-tion in the audience. Common sense however reless creatures who make up the lump of that sex, quires, that there should be nothing in the scenes and move a knowing eye no more than the por- and machines which may appear childish and abtraiture of insignificant people by ordinary pain-surd. How would the wits of King Charles's time ters, which are but pictures of pictures.

have laughed, to have seen Nicolini exposed to a

Thus the working of my own mind is the gene-tempest in robes of ermine, and sailing in an open ral entertainment of my life; I never enter into boat upon a sea of pasteboard? What a field of the commerce of discourse with any but my parti-raillery would they have been led into, had they cular friends, and not in public even with them. been entertained with painted dragons spitting Such an habit has perhaps raised in me uncommon wild-fire, enchanted chariots drawn by Flanders reflections; but this effect I cannot communicate mares, and real cascades in artificial landscapes? but by my writings. As my pleasures are almost A little skill in criticism would inform us, that shawholly confined to those of the sight, I take it for dows and realities ought not to be mixed together a peculiar happiness, that I have always had an in the same piece; and that the scenes which are easy and familiar admittance to the fair sex. If designed as the representations of nature should be I never praised or flattered, I never belied or con- filled with resemblances, and not with the things tradicted them. As these compose half the world, themselves. If one would represent a wide chamand are, by the just complaisance and gallantry of paign country filled with herds and flocks, it would our nation, the more powerful part of our people, be ridiculous to draw the country only upon the I shall dedicate a considerable share of these my scenes, and to crowd several parts of the stage speculations to their service, and shall lead the with sheep and oxen. This is joining together inyoung through all the becoming duties of virginity, consistencies, and making the decoration partly marriage, and widowhood. When it is a woman's real, and partly imaginary. I would recommend day, in my works, I shall endeavour at a style and what I have here said to the directors, as well as to air suitable to their understanding. When I say the admirers, of our modern opera. this, I must be understood to mean, that I shall not As I was walking in the streets about a fortnight lower but exalt the subjects I treat upon. Disago, I saw an ordinary fellow carrying a cage course for their entertainment, is not to be debased, full of little birds upon his shoulder; and, as I was but refined. A man may appear learned without wondering with myself what use he would put them talking sentences, as in his ordinary gesture he dis- to, he was met very luckily by an acquaintance, covers he can dance, though he does not cut capers. who had the same curiosity. Upon his asking him In a word, I shall take it for the greatest glory of what he had upon his shoulder, he told him that he my work, if among reasonable women this paper had been buying sparrows for the opera. Sparmay furnish tea-table talk. In order to it, I shall rows for the opera, says his friend, licking his lips,

as the

what, are they to be roasted! No, no, says the
other, they are to enter towards the end of the
first act, and to fly about the stage.

used by none but pedants in our own country; and at the same time fill their writings with such poor imaginations and conceits, as our youths are

he other

Interest,

it by

I may

hat the

asser

rts. B

This strange dialogue awakened my curiosity so ashamed of, before they have been two years at far, that I immediately bought the opera, by which the university. Some may be apt to think that it

means I perceived the sparrows were to act the is the difference of genius which produces this difesence, part of singing-birds in a delightful grove: though, ference in the works of the two nations; but to oblige upon a nearer inquiry, I found the sparrows put show that there is nothing in this, if we look into Stations the same trick upon the audience, that Sir Martin the writings of the old Italians, such as Cicero and Mar-all practised upon his mistress; for though Virgil, we shall find that the English writers, in appear they flew in sight, the music proceeded from a con- their way of thinking and expressing themselves, cert of flagelets and bird-calls, which were planted resemble those authors much more than the modern Decal belind the scenes. At the same time I made this Italians pretend to do. And as for the poet himdiscovery, I found, by the discourse of the actors, self, from whom the dreams of this opera* are that there were great designs on foot for the im-taken, I must entirely agree with Monsieur Boielord provement of the opera; that it had been proposed leau, that one verse in Virgil is worth all the clinours to break down a part of the wall, and to surprise quant or tinsel of Tasso. !) lacker the audience with a party of an hundred horse, But to return to the sparrows; there have been any is and that there was actually a project of bringing so many flights of them let loose in this opera, that eached the New River into the house, to be employed in it is feared the house will never get rid of them;

ncenty

this

cietr

Orme

Ollow

e

R

jetteaus and water-works. This project, as I have and that in other plays they may make their enother since heard, is postponed till the summer season; trance in very wrong and improper scenes, so as when it is thought the coolness that proceeds from to be seen flying in a lady's bed-chamber, or perch. fountains and cascades will be more acceptable ing upon a king's throne; besides the inconveand refreshing to people of quality. In the mean niencies which the heads of the audience may sometime, to find out a more agreeable entertainment times suffer from them. I am credibly informed, for the winter season, the opera of Rinaldo is that there was once a design of casting into an filled with thunder and lightning, illuminations and opera, the story of Whittington and his Cat, and fire-works; which the audience may look upon that in order to it, there had been got together a without catching cold, and indeed without much great quantity of mice; but Mr. Rich, the prodanger of being burnt; for there are several en- prietor of the playhouse, very prudently considered gines filled with water, and ready to play at a that it would be impossible for the cat to kill them minute's warning, in case any such accident should all, and that consequently the princes of the stage happen. However, as I have a very great friend- might be as much infested with mice, as the prince ship for the owner of this theatre, I hope that he of the island was before the cat's arrival upon it; has been wise enough to insure his house before for which reason he would not permit it to be acted he would let this opera be acted in it. in his house. And indeed I cannot blame him; It is no wonder, that those scenes should be very for, as he said very well upon that occasion, I do surprising, which were contrived by two poets of not hear that any of the performers in our opera different nations, and raised by two magicians of pretend to equal the famous pied piper, who different sexes. Armida (as we are told in the ar-made all the mice of a great town in Germany gument) was an Amazonian enchantress, and poor follow his music, and by that means cleared the Signior Cassani (as we learn from the persons re- place of those little noxious animals. presented) a Christian conjurer (Mago Christiano). Before I dismiss this paper, I must inform my I must confess I am very much puzzled to find reader, that I hear there is a treaty on foot behow an Amazon should be versed in the black art, tween London and Wises (who will be appointed or how a good Christian, for such is the part of the gardeners of the playhouse) to furnish the opera of magician, should deal with the devil. Rinaldo and Armida with an orange-grove; and To consider the poet after the conjurers, I shall that the next time it is acted, the singing birds give you a taste of the Italian from the first lines will be personated by tom-tits: the undertakers of his preface; 'Eccoti, benigno lettore, un parto di being resolved to spare neither pains nor money, puche sere, che se ben natodi not te, non è però aborto for the gratification of the audience.

2

tenebre, mà si farà conoscere figlio d'Apollo con

qualche raggio di Parnasso.' 'Behold, gentle

reader, the birth of a few evenings, which, though

ADDISON.

• Rinaldo, an opera, by Aaron Hill.

it be the offspring of the night, is not the abortive + See No. 14; and Tat. No. 78.

of darkness, but will make itself known to be the son of Apollo, with a certain ray of Parnassus. He afterwards proceeds to call Mynheer Handel the Orpheus of our age, and to acquaint us, in the

C.

Being at that time much pestered with rats, which they

could by no means destroy, a stranger at last undertook it, same sublimity of style, that he composed this on the promise of reward; and immediately taking a tabret opera in a fortnight. Such are the wits to whose and pipe, the rats followed his music river, where they Lastes we so ambitiously conform ourselves. The town in a rage, and threatened revenge: accordingly he returned next year, and by the same music enticed most cave on the top of a neighbouring hill called Koppelberg, where he and they entered, but were never more heard of.

were all drowned; bur, being denied his reward, he left the

truth of it is, the finest writers among the modern Italians express themselves in such a florid form of words, and such tedious circumlocutions, as are

*In Dryden's comedy of that name.

Mr. Colman had evidently this paper in mind when he prote the epilogue that was spoken by Miss Farren (now Countes of Derby) on the opening of New Drury-lane theatre, April 21, 1794. The reader may refer to it in the European Maga

the children of the town after him to the mouth of

In remembrance of this sad accident, the citizens, for many
years after, dated all their public writings from the day they lost
their children, as appears by many old deeds and records.
They still call the street through which the children passed,
Tabret Street; and at the mouth of the cave there is a monument

of stone, with an inscription, in barbarous Latin verse, giving
boys.'
an account of this tragical story, by which the citizens lost 130

N° 6. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 1710-11.

Credebant hoc grande nefas, et morte piandum,
Si juvenis vetulo non assurrexerat-

JUV. Sat. xiii. 54.
'Twas impious then (so much was age rever'd)

For youth to keep their seats when an old man appear'd. I Know no evil under the sun so great as the abuse of the understanding, and yet there is no one vice more common. It has diffused itself through both sexes, and all qualities of mankind; and there

instead of that, you see, it is often subservient t it; and, as unaccountable as one would think it, wise man is not always a good man.' This dege neracy is not only the guilt of of particular persons but also at some times of a whole people; and perhaps it may appear upon examination, tha the most polite ages are the least virtuous. This may be attributed to the folly of admitting wit and learning as merit in themselves, without considering the application of them. By this means it becomes a rule, not so much to regard what we do as how we do it. But this false beauty will not pass upon men of honest minds, and true taste. Sir

is hardly that person to be found, who is not more Richard Blackmore says, with as much good sense concerned for the reputation of wit and sense, than as virtue, 'It is a mighty shame and dishonour to of honesty and virtue. But this unhappy affecta- employ excellent faculties and abundance of wit, tion of being wise rather than honest, witty than to humour and please men in their vices and follies. good-natured, is the source of most of the ill habits The great enemy of mankind, notwithstanding his of life. Such false impressions are owing to the wit and angelic faculties, is the most odious beabandoned writings of men of wit, and the awk-ing in the whole creation.' He goes on soon afward imitation of the rest of mankind.

ter to say very generously, that he undertook the

For this reason Sir Roger was saying last night, writing of his poem,* to rescue the Muses out of that he was of opinion none but men of fine parts the hands of ravishers, to restore them to their sweet deserve to be hanged. The reflections of such men and chaste mansions, and to engage them in an emare so delicate upon all occurrences which they are ployment suitable to their dignity. This certainly concerned in, that they should be exposed to more ought to be the purpose of every man who appears than ordinary infamy and punishment, for offend. in public; and whoever does not proceed upon that ing against such quick admonitions as their own foundation, injures his country as fast as he sucsouls give them, and blunting the fine edge of their ceeds in his studies. When modesty ceases to be minds in such a manner, that they are no more the chief ornament of one sex, and integrity of the shocked at vice and folly than men of slower capa- other, society is upon a wrong basis, and we shall cities. There is no greater monster in being, than be ever after without rules to guide our judgment a very ill man of great parts. He lives like a man in what is really becoming and ornamental. Nain a palsy, with one side of him dead. While per- ture and reason direct one thing, passion and huhaps he enjoys the satisfaction of luxury, of wealth, mour another. To follow the dictates of these two of ambition, he has lost the taste of good-will, of latter, is going into a road that is both endless and friendship, of innocence. Scarecrow, the beggar intricate; when we pursue the other, our passage in Lincoln's-Inn Fields, who disabled himself in is delightful, and what we aim at easily attainable. his r.ght leg, and asks alms all day to get himself I do not doubt but England is at present as poa warm supper and a trull at night, is not half so lite a nation as any in the world; butany man who despicable a wretch as such a man of sense. The thinks can easily see, that the affectation of being beggar has no relish above sensations; he finds rest gay and in fashion has very near eaten up our good more agreeable than motion; and while he has a sense and our religion. Is there any thing so just, warm fire and his doxy, never reflects that he de. as that mode and gallantry should be built upon serves to be whipped. Every man who terminates exerting ourselves in what is proper and agreeable his satisfactions and enjoyments within the supply to the institutions of justice and piety among us? of his own necessities and passions, is, says Sir Ro. And yet is there any thing more common, than that ger, in my eye, as poor a rogue as Scarecrow. we run in perfect contradiction to them? All which But,' continued he, 'for the loss of public and is supported by no other pretension, than that it is private virtue we are beholden to your men of fine done with what we call a good grace. parts forsooth; it is with them no matter what is Nothing ought to be held laudable or becoming done, so it be done with an air. But to me, who but what nature itself should prompt us to think am so whimsical in a corrupt age as to act accord-so. Respect to all kind of superiors is founded, I ing to nature and reason, a selfish man, in the most think, upon instinct; and yet what is so ridiculous shining circumstance and equipage, appears in the as age? I make this abrupt transition to the mensame condition with the fellow above mentioned, tion of this vice more than any other, in order to but more contemptiblein proportion to what more introduce a little story, which I think a pretty inhe robs the public of, and enjoys above him. I stance, that the most polite age is in danger of be. lay it down therefore for a rule, that the whole ing the most vicious. man is to move together; that every action of any 'It happened at Athens, during a public repreimportance, is to have a prospect of public good; sentation of some play exhibited in honour of the and that the general tendency of our indifferent commonwealth, that an old gentleman came too actions ought to be agreeable to the dictates of late for a place suitable to his age and quality. reason, of religion, of good-breeding; without this, Many of the young gentlemen who observed the a man, as I have before hinted, is hopping instead difficulty and confusion he was in, made signs to of walking, he is not in his entire and proper mo- him that they would accommodate him if he came tion.' where they sat. The good man bustled through

While the honest knight was thus bewildering the crowd accordingly; but when he came to the himself in good starts, I looked attentively upon seats to which he was invited, the jest was to sit him, which made him, I thought, collect his mind a close and expose him, as he stood, out of countelittle. 'What I am at,' says he, 'is to represent, nance, to the whole audience. The frolic went that I am of opinion, to polish our understandings, round the Athenian benches. But on those occaand neglect our manners, is of all things the most sions there were also particular places assigned for inexcusable. Reason should govern passion, but

• Creation.

servient

think foreigners. When the good man skulked towards was some traditionary superstition in it; and the boxes appointed for the Lacedemonians, that therefore, in obedience to the lady of the house, I This dep honest people, more virtuous than polite, rose up disposed of my knife and fork in two parallel all to a man, and with the greatest respect received lines, which is the figure I shall always lay them ition, thelim among them. The Athenians being suddenly in for the future, though I do not know any reaus. The touched with a sense of the Spartan virtue, and their son for it.

person

ople;

Mansit

at we d

tise it.""

NNo7. THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1710-11.

ig wits own degeneracy, gave a thunder of applause; and It is not difficult for a man to see that a person the old man cried out, "The Athenians under- has conceived an aversion to him. For my own stand what is good, but the Lacedemonians prac-part, I quickly found, by the lady's looks, that she regarded me as a very odd kind of fellow, with R. an unfortunate aspect. For which reason I took my leave immediately after dinner, and withdrew to my own lodgings. Upon my return home I fell into a profound contemplation on the evils that attend these superstitious follies of mankind; how they subject us to imaginary afflictions, and additional sorrows, that do not properly come within our lot. As if the natural calamities of life were not sufficient for it, we turn the most indifferent circumstances into misfortunes, and suffer as much from trifling accidents as from real evils. I have known the shooting of a star spoil a night's rest:

STEELE.

taste. S od sense

10nour

e of

id folie

Samnia, terrores magicos, miracula, sagas,

500%

Visions, and magie spells can you despise,

ook

And laugh at witches, ghosts, and prodigies?

ading

erta

appeas

100

he s

२

Nocturnes lemures, portentaque Thessala rides?

HOR. 2 Ep. ii. 208.

GOING yesterday to dine with an old acquaintance,

I had the misfortune to find his whole family very and have seen a man in love grow pale, and lose much dejected. Upon asking him the occasion of his appetite, upon the plucking of a merrythought. it, he told me that his wife had dreamt a strange A screech-owl at midnight has alarmed a family dream the night before, which they were afraid more than a band of robbers; nay, the voice of a portended some misfortune to themselves or to their cricket hath struck more terror than the roaring of children. At her coming into the room, I observed a lion. There is nothing so inconsiderable, which settled melancholy in her countenance, which I may not appear dreadful to an imagination that is should have been troubled for, had I not heard filled with omens and prognostics. A rusty nail, or from whence it proceeded. We were no sooner a crooked pin, shoot up into prodigies. sat down, but after having looked upon me a I remember, I was once in a mixt assembly, that Little while, 'My dear,' says she, turning to her was full of noise and mirth, when on a sudden an husband, 'you may now see the stranger that was old woman unluckily observed there were thirteen in the candle last night. Soon after this, as they of us in company. The remark struck a panic began to talk of family affairs, a little boy at the terror into several who were present, insomuch lower end of the table told her, that he was to go that one or two of the ladies were going to leave into join-hand on Thursday. Thursday!" says she, the room; but a friend of mine, taking notice that 'No, child, if it please God, you shall not begin one of our female companions was big with child, De upon Childermas-day; tell your writing-master affirmed there were fourteen in the room, and that, that Friday will be soon enough. I was reflect- instead of portending one of the company should sing with myself on the oddness of her fancy, and die, it plainly foretold one of them should be born. wondering that any body would establish it as a Had not my friend found this expedient to breakc rule, to lose a day in every week. In the midst of the omen, I question not but half the women in these my musings, she desired me to reach her a the company would have fallen sick that very little salt upon the point of my knife, which I did night.

In such a trepidation and hurry of obedience, that An old maid that is troubled with the vapours, let it drop by the way; at which she immedi-produces infinite disturbances of this kind among ately startled, and said it fell towards her. Upon her friends and neighbours. I know a maiden this I looked very blank; and, observing the con- aunt of a great family, who is one of these antitem of the whole table, began to consider myself, quated Sybils, that forebodes and prophecies from th some confusion, as a person that had brought one end of the year to the other. She is always a disaster upon the family. The lady, however, seeing apparitions, and hearing death-watches: recovering herself after a little space, said to her and was the other day almost frighted out of her husband with a sigh, 'My dear, misfortunes never wits by the great house-dog that howled in the come single. My friend, I found, acted but an stable, at a time when she lay lay ill of the tooth-ach. bader part at his table, and being a man of more Such an extravagant cast of mind engages multigood-nature than understanding, thinks himself tudes of people, not only in impertinent terrors, bliged to fall in with all the passionsand humours but in supernumerary duties of life; and arises of his yoke-fellow. Do not you remember, child, from that fear and ignorance which are natural to says she, that the pigeon-house fell the very after- the soul of man. The horror with which we enteranon that our careless wench spilt the salt upon the tain the thoughts of death (or indeed of any future table? Yes,' says he, my dear, and the next evil), and the uncertainty of its approach, fill a post brought us an account of the battle of Al melancholy mind with innumerable apprehensions manza.' The reader may guess at the figure I and suspicions, and consequently dispose it to the made, after having done all this mischief. I dis observation of such groundless prodigies and prepatched my dinner as soon as I could, with my dictions. For as it is the chief concern of wise sual taciturnity; when, to my utter confusion, the men to retrench the evils of life by the reasonings saty seeing me quitting my knife and fork, and of philosophy; it is the employment of fools to aying them across one another upon my plate, de- multiply them by the sentiments of superstition.

red me that I should humour her far as

take them out of that figure, and place them side bled were I endowed with this divining quality, side. What the absurdity was which I had though it should inform me truly of every thing mmitted I did not know, but I suppose there that can befal me. I would not anticipate ta

For my own part, I should be very much trou

C

:

1

relish of any happiness, nor feel the weight of any servation, especially since the persons it is com
misery, before it actually arrives.
posed of are criminals too considerable for the

'I know but one way of fortifying my soul animadversions of our society. I mean, sir, the against these gloomy presages and terrors of mind, Midnight Mask, which has of late been frequently and that is, by securing to myself the friendship held in one of the most conspicuous parts of the and protection of that Being who disposes of town, and which I hear will be continued with adevents, and governs futurity. He sees, at one view, ditions and improvements. As all the persons the whole thread of my existence, not only that who compose this lawless assembly are masked. part of it which I have already passed through, we dare not attack any of them in our way, lest but that which runs forward into all the depths of we should send a woman of quality to Bridewell, eternity When I lay me down to sleep, I re- or a peer of Great Britain to the Counter; becommend myself to his care: when I wake, I give sides that their numbers are so very great, that I myself up to his directions. Amidst all the evils am afraid they would be able to rout our whole that threaten me, I will look up to him for help, fraternity, though we were accompanied with all and question not but he will either avert them, or our guard of constables. Both these reasons, turn them to my advantage. Though I know nei- which secure them from our authority, make them ther the time nor the manner of the death I am to die, I am not at all solicitous about it; because I am sure that he knows them both, and that he will not fail to comfort and support me under then.'

ADDISON.

N° 8. FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1710-11.

At Venus obscuro gradientes aere sepsit,
Et multo nebulæ circum Dea fudit amictu,
Cernere ne quis cos

C.

VIRG. Æn. i. 415.

obnoxious to yours; as both their disguise and their numbers will give no particular person reason to think himself affronted by you.

'If we are rightly informed, the rules that are observed by this new society are wonderfully contrived for the advancement of cuckoldom. The women either come by themselves, or are introduced by friends who are obliged to quit them upon their first entrance, to the conversation of any body that addresses himself to them. There are several rooms where the parties may retire, and, if they please, show their faces by consent. Whispers, squeezes, nods, and embraces, are the innocent freedoms of the place. In short, the whole design of this libidinous assembly seems to terminate in assignations and intrigues; and I hope you will take effectual methods, by your public advice and admonitions, to prevent such a promiscuous multitude of both sexes from meeting together in so clandestine a manner. 'Your humble servant,

I SHALL here communicate to the world a couple
of letters, which I believe will give the reader as
good an entertainment as any that I am able to
furnish him with, and therefore shall make no I am
apology for them:

'SIR,

'TO THE SPECTATOR, &C.

I AM one of the directors of the society for the

'and fellow-labourer,

'т. в.'

Not long after the perusal of this letter I received another upon the same subject; which, by the date and style of it, I take to be written by

reformation of manners, and therefore think my some young Templar:

self a proper person for your correspondence. I have thoroughly examined the present state of religion in Great Britain, and am able to acquaint

'SIR,

Middle Temple, 1710-11.

you with the predominant vice of every market- WHEN a man has been guilty of any vice or town in the whole island. I can tell you the pro- folly, I think the best atonement he can make for gress that virtue has made in all our cities, bo- it, is to warn others not to fall into the like. In roughs, and corporations; and know as well the order to this I must acquaint you, that some time evil practices that are committed in Berwick or in February last I went to the Tuesday's masqueExeter, as what is done in my own family. In a rade. Upon my first going in I was attacked by word, sir, I have my correspondents in the remotest half a dozen female quakers, who seemed willing parts of the nation, who send me up punctual ac- to adopt me for a brother; but, upon a nearer counts from time to time of all the little irreguları. examination, I found they were a sisterhood of ties that fall under their notice in their several dis- coquettes, disguised in that precise habit. I was tricts and divisions.

soon after taken out to dance, and, as I fancied,

'I am no less acquainted with the particular by a woman of the first quality, for she was very quarters and regions of this great town, than with tall, and moved gracefully. As soon as the minuet the different parts and distributions of the whole was over, we ogled one another through our nation. I can describe every parish by its im- masks; and as I am very well read in Waller, I pieties, and can tell you in which of our streets repeated to her the four following verses out of lewdness prevails; which gaming has taken the his poem to Vandyke:

possession of, and where drunkenness has got the

better of them both. When I am disposed to raise a fine for the poor, I know the lanes and alleys that are inhabited by common swearers. When I

"The heedless lover does not know
Whose eyes they are that wound him so;
But confounded with thy art,
Inquires her name that has his heart."

would encourage the hospital of Bridewell, and I pronounced these words with such a languishing

improve the hempen manufacture, I am very well acquainted with all the haunts and resorts of female night-walkers.

After this short account of myself, I must let you know, that the design of this paper is to give you information of a certain irregular assembly, which I think falls very properly under your ob

air, that I had some reason to conclude I had made a conquest. She told me that she hoped my face was not akin to my tongue, and looking upon her watch, I accidentally discovered the figure of

a coronet on the back part of it. I was so trans

See Nos. 14 and 101.