have occafionally served to recover, or introduce the Talents of a skilful Minister. But your abilities have not appear'd only in one Nation. When it was your Province to Act as Her Majesty's Minifter at the Court of Savoy, at that time encamped, you accompanied that Gallant Prince thro' all the Viciffitudes of his Fortune, and shared, by His Side, the Dangers of that Glorious Day in which He recovered His Capital. far as it regards Personal Qualities, you attained, in that one Hour, the highest Military Reputation. The Behaviour of our Minister in the Action, and the good Offices done the Vanquished As : quished in the Name of the Queen of England, gave both the Conqueror and the Captive and the the most lively Examples of the Courage and Generofity of the Nation He represented. Your Friends and Companions in your Absence frequently talk these things of you, and you cannot hide from us, (by the most discreet Silence in Thing which regards your felf) that the frank Entertainment we have at your Table, your eafie Condefcenfion in little Incidents of Mirth and Diversion, and general Complacency of Manners, are far from being the greatest Obligations we have to you. I do affure you there is not one of your Friends has a greater Sense of your Merit in general, and of the Favours you every Day do us, than, SIR, Your most Obedient, and most Humble Servant, Richard Steele. THE SPECTATOR. VOL. VII. No.474. Wednesday, September 3. 1712. Afperitas agreftis & inconcinna. Mr. SPECTATOR, B Hor. EING of the Number of those that have bliged to receive and return Vifits from and to a Circle of Neighbours, who through Diversity of Age orInclinations can neither be entertaining or fervice' able to us, is a vile Loss of Time, and a Slavery from ' which a Man should deliver himself, if possible: For ، why must I lose the remaining Part of my Life, be• cause they have thrown away the former Part of theirs? • It is to me an insupportable Affliction, to be tormented • with the Narrations of a Set of People who are warm • in their Expressions of the quick Relish of that Piea• fure, which their Dogs and Horses have a more delicate • Taste of. I do also in my Heart detest and abhor that • damnable Doctrine and Position of the Neceffity of a Bumper, A5 : • Bumper, though to one's own Toast; for though 'tis pretended that these deep Politicians are used only to in'spire Gaiety, they certainly drown that Chearfulness ' which would survive a moderate Circulation. If at these Meetings it were left to every Stranger, either to fill his Glass according to his own Inclination, or to 'make his Retreat when he finds he has been sufficiently • obedient to that of others, these Entertainments would • be governed with more good Sense, and confequently * with more good Breeding, than at present they are. • Indeed where any of the Guests are known to mea-• sure their Fame or Pleasure by their Glass, proper Ex'hortations might be used to these to push their For* tunes in this Sort of Reputation; but where 'tis un-seasonably infisted on to a modest Stranger, this Drench may be faid to be swallowed with the fame Neceffity, as if it had been tendered in the Horn for that Purpose, * with this aggravating Circumstance, that it distresses the • Entertainer's Guest in the same Degree as it relieves his Horses. 6 • To attend without Impatience an Account of five• barr'd Gates, double Ditches, and Precipices, and to fur- vey the Orator with defiring Eyes, is to me extremely • difficult, but absolutely necessary, to be upon tolerable • Terms with him: But then the occafional Burstings out into Laughter, is of all other Accomplishments the • most requifite. I confess at present I have not that • Command of these Convulfions, as is necessary to be good Company; therefore I beg you would publish * this Letter, and let me be known all at once for a queer • Fellow, and avoided. It is monftrous to me that we, • who are given to Reading and calm Conversation, should ' ever be visited by these Roarers: But they think they ⚫ themselves, as Neighbours, may come into our Rooms • with the fame Right, that they and their Dogs hunt in • our Grounds. YOUR Institution of Clubs I have always admir'd, ' in which you constantly endeavoured the Union of the metaphorical Defunct, that is, such as are neither service' able to the busy and enterprizing Part of Mankind, nor entertaining to the retir'd and speculative. There should certainly therefore in each County be established 6 6 6 a |