himself, that his Lady is with Child. The big-bellied Woman, and her Husband, with their whimsical Palfry, are fo very light, that when they are put together into a Scale, an ordinary Man may weigh down the whole Family. The little Man is a Bully in his nature; but when he grows cholerick I con'fine him to his Box 'till his Wrath is C over, by which means I have hitherC to prevented him from doing Mischief. "His Horfe is likewife very vicious, for 'which Reason I am forced to tye him clofe to his Manger with a Packthread. The Woman is a Coquet. She struts as much as it is poffible for a Lady of two Foot high, and would ruin me in Silks, were not the quantity that goes to a large Pin-cushion 'fufficient to make her a Gown and Petticoat. She told me the other Day, that he heard the Ladies wore colour'ed Hoods, and ordered me to get her one of the finest Blue. I am forced to comply with her Demands while fhe is in her prefent Condition, being very willing to have more of the fame Breed. I do not know what she may produce me, but provided it be a Show I fhall be very well fatisfied. Such

M3

'Novel

1

• Novelties fhould not, I think, be concealed from the British Spectator; for which Reason I hope you will excuse this Prefumption in

Your moft dutiful, most obedient,

and most humble Servant,

T

HE Occafion of this Letter is of fo great Importance, and the Circumftances of it fuch, that I know you will but think it just to infert it, in Preference of all other Matters that can prefent themfelves to your Confideration. I need not, after I have faid this, tell 'you that I am in Love. The Circumftances of my Paffion I fhall let

'you

you understand as well as a difordered 'Mind will admit. That curfed Pickthank Mrs. Jane! Alas, I am railing at one to you by her Name as famili C arly, as if you were acquainted with her as well as my felf: But I will tell you all as faft as the alternate Interruptions of Love and Anger will give me Leave. There is a moft agreeable young Woman in the World whom 'I am paffionately in Love with, and from whom I have for fome Space of Time received as great Marks of Favour as were fit for her to give, or me to defire. The fuccessful Progress of the Affair of all others the molt effential towards a Man's Happiness, gave new Life and Spirit, not only to my Behaviour and Difcourfe, but alfo a certain Grace to all my Actions in the Commerce of Life in all things tho' never fo remote from Love. You know the predominant Paffion fpreads it felf tho' all a Man's Tranfactions, and exalts or depreffes it according to the Nature of fuch Paffion. But alas, I have not yet begun my Story, and 'what is making Sentences and Obfer❝vations when a Man is pleading for his Life? To begin then: This La

M 4

'dy

'dy has correfponded with me under Names of Love, fhe my Belinda, I 'her Cleanthes. Tho' I am thus well C got into the Account of my Affair, I 'cannot keep in the Thread of it fo ❝ much as to give you the Character of Mrs. Jane, whom I will not hide under a borrowed Name; but let you "know that this Creature has been fince I knew her very handfome, (tho' I will not allow her even the has been for the future) and during the time of her Bloom and Beauty was fo great a Tyrant to her Lovers, fo over-valued her felf and under-rated all her Pre❝ tenders, that they have deferted her to a Man; and fhe knows no Comfort

but that common one to all in her "Condition, the Pleasure of interrupt'ing the Amours of others. It is im'poffible but you must have seen several of thefe Volunteers in Malice, who pass their whole time in the most laborious way of Life, in getting Intelligence, running from Place to 'Place with new Whispers, without reaping any other Benefit but the Hopes of making others as unhappy as themselves: Mrs. Jane happened to beata Place where I, with many others

well

'well-acquainted with my Paffion for Belinda, paffed a Christmas-Evening. There was among the reft a young 'Lady fo free in her Mirth, fo amiable in a juft Referve that accompanied it, 'I wrong her to call it a Referve, but 'there appeared in her a Mirth__or 'Chearfulness which was not a For'bearance of more immoderate Joy, but 'the natural Appearance of all which 'could flow from a Mind poffeffed of an Habit of Innocence and Purity. I 'must have utterly forgot Belinda to • have taken no notice of one who was 'growing up to the fame womanly VirC tues which fhine to Perfection in her, had I not distinguished one who seem'ed to promife to the World the fame 'Life and Conduct with my faithful and lovely Belinda. When the Company broke up, the fine young Thing permitted me to take care of her home; Mrs. Jane faw my particular Regard to her, and was informed of my attending her to her Father's House. She came early to Belinda the next Morning, and asked her if "Mrs. Such a one had been with her? No. If Mr. Such a one's Lady? No. Nor you Coufin Such a one? No.

"Lord,