the time between his father's death and his mother's tell you what is my distress ; I dare say you read it second marriage, brought together with so much dis-in my countenance : I therefore beg your advice to order, make up as uoble a part as any in that the most unhappy of all men.'. Much experience has celebrated tragedy. The circumstance of time, I made me particularly sagacious in the discovery of never could enough admire. The widowhood had distempers, and I soon saw that his was lore. I lasted two months. This is his first reflection ; but, then turned to my common-place-book, and found as his indignation rises, he sinks to scarce two his case under the word Coquette; and reading over months; afterwards, into a month; and at last, into the catalogue which I have collected out of this great a little month: but all this so naturally, that the city, of all under that character, I saw at the name reader accompanies him in the violence of his passion, of Cynthia, his fit came upon him. I repeated the and finds the time lessen insensibly, according to name thrice after a musing manner, and immediately the different workings of his disdain. I have not perceived his pulse quicken two-thirds; when his mentioned the incest of her marriage, which is so eyes, instead of the wildness with which they apo obrivus a provocation; but cannot forbear taking peared at his entrance, looked with all the gentleness notice, that when his fury is at its height, he cries, imaginable upon me, not without tears. Oh! sir, *Frailty, thy name is Woman!' as railing at the sex said he, 'you know not the unworthy usage I hate in general, rather than giving himself leave to met with from the woman my soul doats on. I could think his mother worse than others-Desiderantur gaze at her to the end of my being; yet, when I multa.

have done so, for some time past, I have found her Whereas, Mr. Jeffery Groggram has surrendered eyes fixed on another. She is now two-and-twenty, himself by his letter bearing date December 7th, and in the full tyranny of her charms, which she once has sent an acknowledgment that he is dead, pray- acknowledged she rejoiced in, only as they made her ing au order to the company of upholders for inter- choice of me, out of a crowd of admirers, the more ment at such a reasonable rate as may not impover- obliging. But, in the midst of this happiness, so it ish his heirs : the said Groggiam having been dead is, Mr. Bickerstaff

, that young Quickset, who is just ever since he was born, and added nothing to his come to town, without any other recommendation small patrimony; Mr. Bickerstaff has taken the pre-than that of being tolerably handsome and excesmises into consideration ; and being sensible of the sively rich, has wou her heart in so shameless a ingenuous and singular behaviour of this petitioner, manner, that she dies for him. In a word, I would pronounces the said Jeffery Groggram a live man, consult you, how to cure myself of this passion for and will not suffer that he should bury himself out an ungrateful woman, who triumphs in her false of modesty; but requires him to remain among the hood, and can make no man happy, because her ows living, as an example to those obstinate dead men, satisfaction consists chiefly in being capable of giving who will neither labour for life, nor go to their distress. I know Quickset is at present considerable grave.

with her, for no other reason but that he can be N. B. Mr. Groggram is the first person that has therefore desire you, sir, to fortify my reason against

without her, and feel no pain in the loss. Let me come in upou Mr. Bickerstaff's dead warrant. Florinda demands, by her letter of this day, to be treated with neglect.

the levity of an inconstant, who ought only to be allowed to pass for a living woman, having danced

All this time I was looking over my receipts, and the Derbyshire hornpipe in the presence of several asked him, if he had any good winter boots'friends on Saturday last.

Boots, sir !' said my patient-I went on; . You may Granted; provided she can bring proof, that she easily reach Harwich in a day, so as to be there when can make a puddling on the rwenty-fourth instant. the packet goes off.'--'Sir,' said the lover, I find

you desigo me for travelling; but, alas! I hare sa language, it will be the same thing to me as solitude,

to be in a strange country. I have, continued he, No. 107.] THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1709.

sighing, ‘been many years in love with this creature, -Ah miser!

and have almost lost even my English, at least to Quantâ laboras in Charybdi,

speak such as any body else does. I asked a tenant Digue puer meliore flammâ ?

of ours, who came up to town the other day with Hor. i. Od. xxvii, 20.

rent, whether the flowery mead near my father's house

in the country had any shepherd in it? I have called Unhappy youth ! doth she surprise ? And have her flames possess'd

a cave a grotto these three years, and must keep ore

dinary company, and frequent busy people for some Thy burning breast? Thou did'st deserve a dart from kinder eyes.

time, before I can recorer my common words.' I

smiled at his raillery upon himself, though I well Creech.

saw it came from a heavy heart. You are,' said I, Sheer lane, December 14.

acquainted, to be sure, with some of the general of

ficers > suppose you made a campaign!- If I did," About four this afternoon, which is the hour 1 said he, I should venture more than any man there, visually put myself in readiness to receive company, for I should be in danger of starving; my father is there entered a gentleman, who I believed at first such an untoward old gentleman, that he would tell came upon some ordinary question : but, as he ap- me he found it hard enough to pay his taxes towards proached nearer to me, I saw in his countenance a the war, without making it more expensive by an deep sorrow, mixed with a certain ingenuous com- allowance to me. With all this, he is as fond as he placency, that gave me a sudden good will towards is rugged, and I am his only son.' him. He started, and betrayed an absence of I looked upon the young gentleman with much tepthought, as he was going to communicate his busi-derness, and not like a physician, but a friend ; for, ness to me. But at last, recovering himself, he said I talked to him so largely, that if I had parcelled my with an air of great respect, 'Sir, it would be an discourse into distinot prescriptions, I am confident, injury to your knowledge in the occult sciences, to I gave him twa bundred pounds worth of advice. He

THE TATLER.

heard me with great attention, bowing, smiling, and good husband; but, to my great pleasure, he used showing all other instances of that natural good- her at first with coldness, and afterwards with conbreeding which ingenuous tempers pay to those who tempt. I hear he still treats her very ill; and am are elder and wiser than themselves. I entertained informed, that she often says to her woman, this is a kim to the following purpose: “I am sorry, sir, that just reveng: for my falsehood to my first love: what your passion is of so long a date, for evils are much a wretch am I, that might have been married to the more curable in their beginnings; but, at the same famous Mr. Bickerstaff!' time, must allow, that you are not to be blamed, since My patient looked upon me with a kind of melanyour youth and merit has been abused by one of the choly pleasure, and told me, • He did not think it most charming, but the most unworthy sort of wo- was possible for a man to live to the age I am now. men, the Coqueites. A Coquette is a chaste jilt, and of, who, in his thirtieth year, had been tortured with differs only from a common one, as a soldier, who is that passion in its violence. For my part,' said he, perfect in exercise, does from one that is actually in 'I can neither eat, drink, nor sleep in it; nor keep service. This grief, like all others, is to be cured company with any body but two or three friends who only by time; and, although you are convinced this are in the same condition.' moment, as much as you will be ten years hence, • There,' answered I, you are to blame; for as you that she ought to be scorned and neglected, you see ought to avoid nothing more than keeping company you must not expect your remedy from the force of with yourself, so you ought to be particularly caureason. The cure, then, is only in time, and the has- tious of keeping company with men like yourself. tening of the cure, only in the manner of employing As long as you do this you do but indulge your that time. You hare answered me as to travel and a distemper. campaign, so that we have only Great Britain to avoid • I must not dismiss you without further instruc.. her in. Be then yourself, and listen to the following tions. If possible, transfer your passion from the rules, which only can be of use to you in this unac- woman you are now in love with to another ; or, if countable distemper, wherein the patient is often you cannot do that, change the passion itself into averse even to his recovery. It has been of benefit to some other passion, that is, to speak more plainly, some to apply themselves to business ; but as that find out some other agreeable woman: or if you may not lie in your way, go down to your estate, cannot do this, grow covetous, ambitious, litigions ; mind your fox-hounds, and venture the life you are turn your love of women into that of profit, preserweary of, orer every hedge and ditch in the country. ment, reputation ; and for a time give up yourself These are wholesome remedies ; but if you can have entirely io the pursuit. Tesolution' enough, rather stay in town, and recover • This is a method we sometimes take in physic, yourself eren in the town where she inhabits. Take when we turn a desperate disease into one we can particular care to avoid all places where you may pos- more easily cure.' sibly meet her, and shun the sight of every thing He made little answer to this, but crying out, which may bring her to your remembrance; there is Ah, sir!' for his passion reduced his discourse into an infection in all that relates to her : you will find interjections. her house, her chariot, her domestics, and her very • There is one thing.' added I, 'which is present lap-dog, are so many instruments of torment. Tell death to a man in your condition, and, therefore, to be me, seriously, do you think you could bear the sight | avoided with the greatest care and caution: that is, in of her fan ?' He shook his head at the question, and a word, to think of your mistress and riral together, said, ' Ah! Mr. Bickerstaff, you must have been a whether walking, discoursing, dallying' - The patient, or you could not have been so good a phy- devil!' he cried out, who can bear it? To compose sician.'—'To tell you truly,' said I, • about the thir-him, for I pitied him very much; • The time will tieth year of my age, I received a wound that has come,' said I, when you shall not only bear it, but still left a scar in my mind, never to be worn out by laugh at it. As a preparation to it, ride every morntime or philosophy.

ing, an hour at least, with the wind full in your face. • The means which I found the most effectual for Upon your return, recollect the several precepts which my cure, were, reflections upon the ill usage I had I have now given you, and drink upon them a bottle received from the woman I love, and the pleasure 1 of Spa-water. Repeat this every day for a month saw her take in my sufferings.

successively, and let me see you at the end of it.' 1. I considered the distress she brought upon me He was taking his leave, with many thanks, and some the greatest that could befall a human creatiire, at appearance of consolation in his countenance, ivhen the same time that she did not inflict this upon one I called him back to acquaint him, that I had priwho was her enemy, one that had done her an in

vate information of a design of the coquettes to buy jury, one that had wished her ill; but on the man

up all the true Spa-water in town: upon which he who loved her more than any else loved her, and took his leave in haste, with a resolution to get all more than it was possible for him to love any other things ready for entering upon his regimen the next person.

morning. • In the next place, I took pains to consider her in all her imperfections; and, that I might be sure to hear of them constantly, kept company with those, her female friends, who were her dearest and most intimate acquaintance.

No. 108.] SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1709. • Among her highest imperfections, I still dwelt Pronaque cum spectent animalia cætera terram. upon her baseness of mind, and ingratitude, that Os homini sublime dedit : Cælumque tue: i made her triumph in the pain and anguish of the Jussit

Ovid, Met. i. 85. man who loved her, and of one who, in those days, without ranity be it spoken, was thought to deserve Thus, while the mute creation downward bend her love.

Their sight, and to their earthly mother tend, • To shorten my story, she was married to another, Man looks alost, and with erected eyes vhich would have distracted me, had he proved a Beholds his own hereditary skies.

Dryden.

me.

Sheer-lane, December 15.

out of humour with myself, and at every thing about

Their business is, to depreciate human nature, It is not to be imagined how great an effect well- and consider it under its worst appearances. They disposed lights, with proper forms and orders in give mean interpretations and base motives to the assemblies, have upou some tempers, I am sure I worthiest actions; they resolve virtue and vice inta feel it in so extraordinary a manner that I cannot in constitution. In short, they endearour to make na a day or two get out my imagination any very distinction between man and man, or betFeen the beautiful or disagreeable inspression which I receive species of men and that of brutes. As an instance on such occasions. For this reason I frequently look of this kind of authors, among many others, let asy in at the playhouse in order to enlarge my thoughts, one examine the celebrated Rochefoucault, who is and warm my mind with some new ideas, that may the great philosopher for administering consołatica be serviceable to me in my lucubrations.

to the idle, the envious, and worthless part of matiIn this disposition I entered the theatre the other kind. day, and placed myself in a corner of it very conve- I remember a young gentleman of moderate undenient for seeing, without being myself observed. I standing, but great vivacity, who, by dipping inte found the audience hushed in a very deep attention, many authors of this nature, had got a little smatterand did not question but some noble tragedy was ing of knowledge, just enough to make an atheist ar just then in its crisis, or that an incident was to be a free-thinker, but not a philosopher or a man of unravelled which would determine the fate of a hero. sense. With these accomplishments, he went to While I was in this suspense, expecting every visit his father in the country, who was a plain, moment to see my old friend Mr. Betterton appear rough, honest man, and wise, though not learned in all the majesty of distress, to my unspeakable The son, who took all opportunities to show his amazement there came up a monster with a face learning, began to establish a new religion in the fa between his feet; and, as I was looking on, he raised mily, and to enlarge the narrowness of their country himself on one leg in such a perpendicular posture, notions; in which he succeeded so well, that he had that the other grew in a direct line above his head. seduced the butler by his table-talk, and staggered It afterwards twisted itself into the motions and his eldest sister. The old gentleman began to be wreathings of several different animals, and after a alarmed at the schisms that arose among his children, great variety of shapes and transformations, went off but did not yet believe his son's doctrine to be so perthe stage in the figure of a human creature. The nicious as it really was, until one day talking of bis admiration, the applause, the satisfaction of the setting dog, the son said, ' he did not question but audience, during this strange entertainment, is not Tray was as immortal as any one of the family;' to be expressed. I was very much out of counte, and in the heat of the argument told his father, 'thal, nance for my dear countrymen, and looked about for his own part, he expected to die like a dog.' with some apprehension, for fear any foreigner should Upon which the old man, starting up in a very great be present. Is it possible, thought I, that human passion, cried out, " Then, sirrah, you shall lire like nature can rejoice in its disgrace, and take pleasure one;' and taking his cane in his band, cudgelled him in seeing its own figure turned to ridicule, and dis- out of his system. This had so good an effect upea torted into forms that raise horror and aversion ? him, that he took up from that day, fell to reading There is something disingenuous and immoral in the good looks, and is now a bencher in the Middle being able to bear such a sight. Men of elegant and Temple. noble minds are shocked at seeing the characters of I do not mention this cudgelling part of the story persons who deserve esteem for their virtue, know- with a design to engage the secular arm in matters of ledge, or services to their country, placed in wrong this nature; but certainly, if it ever exerts itself in lights, and by misrepresentation made the subject of affairs of opinion and speculation, it ought to do it buffoonery. Such a nice abhorrence is not indeed on such shallow and despicable pretenders to knorto be found among the vulgar; but, methinks, it is ledge, who endeavour to gire man dark and uncom wonderful, that those who have nothing but the fortable prospects of his being, and destroy those outward figure to distinguish them as men, should principles which are the support, happiness, and delight in seeing humanity abused, vilified, and glory of all public societies, as well as private perdisgraced.

I must confess, there is nothing that more pleases I think it is one of Pythagoras's golden sayings, me, in all that I read in books, or see among man- * That a man should take care, aboye all things, to kind, than such passages as represent human nature have a due respect for himself.' And it is certain, in its proper dignity. As man is a creature made that this licentious sort of authors, who are for de up of different extremes, he has something in him preciating mankind, endeavour to disappoint and unda very great and very mean. A skilful artist may what the most refined spirits have been labouring to draw an excellent picture of him in either of these advance since the beginning of the world. The very views. The finest authors of antiquity have taken design of dress, good breeding, outward ornaments, him on the more advantageous side. They cultivate and ceremony, were to lift up human nature, and the natural grandeur of the soul, raise in her a gene- set it off to an advantage. Architecture, painting, rous ambition, feed her with hopes of immortality and statuary, were invented with the same design: and perfection, and do all they can to widen the as, indeed, every art and science contributes to the partition between the virtuous and the vicious, by embellishment of life, and to the wearing off and making the difference betwixt them a's great as be throwing into shades the mean and low parts of our tween gods and brutes. In short, it is impossible to nature. Poetry carries on this great end more than real a page in Plato, Tully, and a thousand other all the rest, as may be seen in the following passage, ancient moralists, without being a greater and a taken out of Sir Francis Bacon's Advancement of better man for it. On the contrary, I could never Learning, which gives a truer and better account of read any of our modish French authors, or those of this art than all the volumes that were ever written our own country, who are the imitators and admirers upon it. of that trifling nation, without being for some time Poetry, especially bersical, seems to be raised

sons.

altogether from a noble foundation, which makes chair, having mistaken the house. As soon as she much for the dignity of man's nature. For seeing entered I saw she was Mr. Isaac's scholar, by her this sensible world is in dignity inferior to the soul speaking air, and the becoming stop she made when of man, poesy seems to endow human nature with she began her apology. You will be surprised, sir,' that which history denies ; and to give satisfaction said she, “ that I take this liberty, who ain utterly a to the mind, with at least the shadow of things, stranger to you; besides that it may be thought an where the substance cannot be had. For, if the indecorum that I visit a man.' She made here a matter be thoroughly considered, a strong argument pretty hesitation, and held her fan to her face ; then, may be drawn from poesy, that a more stately great- as if recovering her resolution, she proceeded— But ness of things, a more perfect order, and a more I think you have said, that men of your age are of no beautiful variety, delights the soul of man, that any sex; therefore, I may be as free with you as one of way can be found in nature since the fall. Where- my own.' The lady did me the honour to consult me sore, seeing the acts and events which are the sub- on some particular matters, which I am not at liberty jects of true history, are rot of that amplitude as to to report. But, before she took her leave, she procontent the mind of man, poesy is ready at hand to duced a long list of names, which she looked upon, to feign acts more heroical. Because true history re- know whither she was to go next. I must confess, I ports the successes of business not proportionable to could hardly forbear discovering to her, immediately, the merit of virtues and vices, poesy corrects it, and that I secretly laughed at the fantastical regularity presents events and fortunes according to desert, and she observed in throwing away her time ; but I according to the law of providence : because true seemed to indulge her in it, out of a curiosity to hear history, through the frequent satiety and similitude her own sense of her way of life. • Mr. Bickerstaff,' of things, works a distaste and misprision in the said she, you cannot imagine how much you are mind of man; poesy cheereth and refresheth the soul, obliged to me, in staying thus long with you, having chaunting things rare and various, and full of vicissi- so many visits to make; and, indeed, if I had not tudes. So as poesy serveth and conferreth to delec- hopes that a third part of those I am going to will be tation, magnanimity, and morality; and, therefore, abroad, I should be unable to despatch them this it may seem deservedly to have some participation of evening.'- Madam,' said I, 'are you in all this haste divineness, because it doth raise the mind, and exalt and perplexity, and only going to such as you have the spirit with high raptures, by proportioning the not a mind to see ?'— Yes, sir,' said she, • I have seshows of things to the desires of the mind, and not veral now with whom I keep a constant correspondsubmitting the mind to things, as reason and history ence, and return visit for visit punctually every week, do. And by these allurements and congruities, and yet we have not seen each other since last Nowhereby it cherisheth the soul of man, joined also vember was twelvemonth.' with consort of music, whereby it may more sweetly She went on with a very good air, and fixing her insinuate itself, it hath won such access, that it hath eyes on her list, told me, she was obliged to ride been in estimation even in rude times and barbarous about three miles and a half before she arrived at her nations, when other learning stood excluded.'

own house. I asked · after what manner this list But there is nothing which favours and falls in was taken, whether the persons writ their names to with this natural greatness and dignity of human her, and desired that favour, or how she knew she nature so much as religion, which does not only pro- was not cheated in her muster-roll ?'—The method mise the entire refinement of the mind, but the glori- we take,' says she, ‘is, that the porter or servant fying of the body, and the immortality of both. who comes to the door, writes down all the names

who come to see us, and all such are entitled to a re

turn of their visit.' — But,' said I, 'madam, I preNo. 109.) TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1709.

sume those who are searching for each other, and

know one another by messages, may be understood as Perditur hæc inter miseris lux

candidates only for each other's favour; and that, Hor, 2. Sat. vi. 59.

after so many how-do-ye-does, you proceed to visit in this giddy, busy maze,

or not, as you like the run of each other's reputation I lose the sun-shine of my days. Francis.

or fortune. You understand it aright,' said she ;

• and we become friends, as soon as we are convinced Sheer-lane, December 19.

that our dislike to each other may be of any conseTHERE has not some years been such a tumult in quence: for, to tell you truly,' said she," for it is in our neighbourhood as this evening about six. Atvain to hide any thing from a man of your penetrathe lower end of the lane the word was given, that tion, general visits are not made out of good-will, but there was a great funeral coming by. The next for fear of ill-will. Punctuality in this case is often moment came forward, and in a very hasty, instead a suspicious circumstance; and there is nothing so of a solemn manner, a long train of lights, when at common as to have a lady say, “ I hope she has last a footman, in very high youth and health, with heard nothing of what I said of her, that she grows all his force, ran through the whole art of beating so great with me!" But, indeed, my porter is so dull the door of the house next to me, and ended his rat- and negligent, that I fear he has not put down half tle with the true finishing rap. This did not only the people I owe visits to.'— Madam,' said I, ‘mebring one to the door at which he knocked, but to thinks it would be very proper if your gentlemanthat of every one in the lane in an instant. Among usher or groom of the chamber were always to keep the rest, my country maid took the alarm, and imme- an account by way of debtor and creditor. I know a diately running to me, told me, there was a fine, city lady who uses that method, which I think very fine lady, who had three men with burial torches laudable ; for though you may possibly, at the court making way before her, carried by two men upon end of the town, receive at the door, and light up poles, with looking-glasses on each side of her, and better than within Temple bar, yet I must do that one glass also before, she herself appearing the pret- justice to my friends, the ladies within the walls, to tiest that ever was.' The girl was going on in her own, that they are much more exact in their corresstory, when the lady was come to my door in her pondence. The lady I was going to mention as an THE TATLER, No. 23.

2 A

6

example has always the second apprentice out of the born with are abated, and desires indulged, in procounting-house for her own use on her visiting-day, portion to her love of that light and trifling converand he sets down very methodically all the visits sation. I know I talk like an old man; but I must which are made her. I remember very well, that on go on to say, that I think the general reception of the first of January last, when she made up her ac- inixed company, and the pretty fellows that are adcount for the year 1708, it stood thus :

mitted at those assemblies, give a young woman so * Mrs. Courtwood-Debtor.

false an idea of life, that she is generally bred up To seventeen hundred and four visits received. 1704. with a scorn of that sort of merit in a man, which

only can make her happy in marriage ; and the Per Contra-Creditor.

wretch, to whose lot she falls, very often receives in By eleven hundred and nine paid. 1109. his arms a coquette, with the refuse of a heart lung Due to balance

595. before given away to a coxcomb.

Having received from the society of upholders

1704, sundry complaints of the obstinate and refractory * This gentlewoman is a woman of great economy,

behaviour of several dead persons, who have been and was not afraid to go to the bottom of her affairs; guilty of very great outrages and disorders, and by and therefore, ordered her apprentice to give her that means elapsed the proper time of their intercredit for my lady Easy’s impertinent visits upon ment; and having, on the other hand, received wrong days, and deduct only twelve per cent.

He many appeals from the aforesaid dead persons, had orders also to subtract one and a half from the wherein they desire to be beard before such their inwhole of such as she had denied herself to before she terment; I have set apart Wednesday, the twenty, kept a day; and after taking those proper articles of first instant, as an extraordinary court-day for the credit on her side, she was in arrear but five hearing of both parties. If, therefore, any one can hundred. She ordered her husband to buy in a allege why they, or any of their acquaintance, should couple of fresh coach horses ; and with no other loss or should not be buried, I desire they may be ready than the death of two footmen, and a church-yard with their witnesses at that time, or that they will for cough brought upon her coachman, she was clear in ever after hold their tongues. the world on the tenth of February last, and keeps N.B. This is the last hearing on this subject. so before-hand, that she pays every body their own, and yet makes daily new acquaintances.'

I know not whether this agreeable visitant was No. 110.) THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1709 fired with the example of the lady I told her of, but she immediately vanished out of my sight, it being,

-Quæ lucis miseris tam dira cupido ? it seems, as necessary a point of good-breeding, to

Virg. Æn. vi. 721. go off as if you stole something out of the house, as Gods! can the wretches long for life again? Piti. it is to enter as if you came to fire it. I do not know one thing that contributes so much to the

Sheer-lane, December 21. lessening the esteem men of sense have to the fair As soon as I had placed myself in my chair of sex, as this article of visits. A young lady cannot judicature, I ordered my clerk, Mr. Lillie, to read be married, but all impertinents in town must be to the assembly, who were gathered together accordbeating the tattoo from one quarter of the town to ing to notice, a certain declaration, by way of the other, to show they know what passes. If a man charge, to open the purpose of my session, whicb of honour should once in an age marry a woman tended only to this explanation, that as other courts of merit for her intrinsic value, the envious things were often called to demand the execution of persons are all in motion in an instant to make it known to dead in law; so this was held to give the last orders the sisterhood as an indiscretion, and publish to the relating to those who are dead in reason. The sotown how many pounds he might have had to have licitor of the new company of upholders near the been troubled with one of them. After they are Haymarket appeared in behalf of that useful society, tired with that, the next thing is, to make their and brought in an accusation of a young woman, compliments to the married couple and their rela- who herself stood at the bar before me. Mr. Lille tions. They are equally busy at a funeral, and the read her indictment, which was in substance, ' That, death of a person of quality is always attended with whereas, Mrs. Rebecca Pindust, of the parish of St. the murder of several sets of coach-horses and chair- Martin-in-the-Fields, had, by the use of one instru

In both cases, the visitants are wholly un- ment called a looking-glass, and by the further use affected, cither with joy or sorrow; for which reason, of certain attire, made either of cambric, muslin, or their congratulations and condolences are equally other linen wares, upon her head, attained to such words of course; and any one would be thought wonder- an evil art and magical force in the motion of hes fully ill-bred, that should build upon such expressions eyes and turn of her countenance, that she, the sand as encouragements to expect from them any in- Rebecca, had put to death several young men of the stance of friendship.

said parish ; and that the said young men had acThus are the true causes of living, and the solid knowledged in certain papers, commonly called lovepleasures in life, lost in show, imposture, and im- letters, which were produced in court, gilded on the pertinence.

edges, and sealed with a particular war, with certain As for my part, I think most of the misfortunes amorous and enchanting words wrought upon the in families arise from the trifling way the women said seals, that they died for the said Rebecca : and, have in spending their time, and gratifying only whereas the said Rebecca persisted in the said evil their eyes and ears, instead of their reason and un- practice; this way of life the said society construed derstanding

to be, according to former edicts, a state of death, A fine young woman, bred under a visiting and demanded an order for the interment of the said mother, knows all that is possible for her to be Rebecca.' acquainted with by report, and sees the virtuous and I looked upon the maid with great humanity, and the vicious used so indifferently, that the fears she is desired her to make answer to what was said against

men.