The Spectator

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Na 326. Friday March 14, 1712 [STEELE. Inclusam Danaen turris aenea Rolustceque fores, et vigilum canum Tristes exculnez, munierant satis Nocturnis ab adulteris; Si lion ?Hor., 3 Od. xvi. i. ' Mr. Spectator, OUR correspondent's letter relating to for- tune-hunters, and your subsequent discourse upon it,1 have given me encouragement to send you a state of my case; by which you will see that the matter complained of is a common grievance both to city and country. ' I am a country gentleman of between five and six thousand a year. It is my misfortune to have a very fine park and an only daughter; upon which account I have been so plagued with deer-stealers and fops, that for these four years past I have scarce enjoyed a moment's rest. I look upon myself to be in a state of war; and am forced to keep as constant watch in my seat as a governor would do that commanded a town on the frontier of an enemy's country. I have indeed pretty well secured my park, having for this purpose provided myself of four keepers, who are left-handed and handle a quarterstaff beyond any other fellows in the country. And for the guard of my house, besides a band of pensioner-matrons and an old maiden relation, whom I keep on constant duty, I have blunderbusses always charged, and fox-gins planted in private places aboutmy garden, of which I have given frequent notice in the neighbourhood; yet so it is, that in spite of all my care, I shall every now and then have a saucy rascal ride by reconnoitring (as I think you call it) under my windows, as sprucely dressed as if he were going to a ball. I am aware of this way of attacking a mistress on horseback, having heard that it is a common practice in Spain; and have therefore taken care to remove my daughter from the road side of the house...