'knows the World. I cannot allow that you are at liberty to obferve upon the Actions of Mankind with the "Freedom which you feem to refolve upon; at leaft if you do fo, you should 'take along with you the Distinction of Manners of the World, according to the Quality and way of Life of the 'Perfons concerned. A Man of Breeding fpeaks of even Misfortune among 'Ladies, without giving it the moft terrible Afpect it can bear: And this Tenderness towards them, is much 'more to be preferved when you speak ' of Vices. All Mankind are fo far related, that Care is to be taken, in things to which all are liable, you do 'not mention what concerns one in 'Terms which fhall difguft another. Thus to tell a rich Man of the Indigence of a Kinfman of his, or abruptly inform a virtuous Woman of the Lapfe of one who till then was in the degree of Efteem with her felf, is in • a kind involving each of them in fome "Participation of thofe Difadvantages. It is therefore expected from every Writer, to treat his Argument in fuck a manner, as is most proper to enter tain the fort of Readers to whom his Difcourfe is directed. It is not necefa fary, fary, when you write to the Tea-Table, that you should draw Vices which carry all the Horror of Shame and Contempt: If you paint an impertinent Self-love, an artful Glance, an affumed Complexion, you fay all which you ought to fuppofe they can poffibly be guilty of. When you talk with "this Limitation, you behave your felf fo as that you may expect others in 'Converfation may fecond your Rallery; but when you do it in a Stile 'which every body else forbears in refpect to their Quality, they have an eafie Remedy in forbearing to read you, and hearing no more of their Faults. A Man that is now and then guilty of an Intemperance, is not to be called a Drunkard; but the Rule of polite Rallery, is to fpeak of a Man's Faults as if you loved him. Of this nature is what was faid by Cafar: When one was railing with an uncourtly Vehemence, and broke out, What must we call him who was taken in an Intrigue ' with another Man's Wife? Cæfar an'fwered very gravely, a careless Fellow. This was at once a Reprimand for fpeaking of a Crime which in those 'Days had not the Abhorrence attending it as it ought, as well as an Inti "mation "mation that all intemperate Behaviour 'before Superiors lofes its Aim, by ac'cufing in a Method unfit for the Au"dience. A Word to the Wife. All 'I mean here to fay to you is, That the • most free Person of Quality can go no 'further than being an unkind Woman; • and you should never fay of a Man of Figure worse, than that he knows the World. I am, SIR, Your most humble Servant, Mr. SPECTATOR, Am a Woman of an unspotted Reputation, and know nothing I have ' ever done which should encourage fuch • Infolence; but here was one the other Day, and he was dreffed like a 'Gentleman too, who took the Liberty to name the Words Lufty Fellow in my Prefence. I doubt not but you will refent it in Behalf of, SIR, Your humble Servant, CELIA. A Mr. Mr. SPECTATOR, You OU lately put out a dreadful Paper, wherein you promise a full Account of the State of criminal Love, and call all the Fair who have tranf greffed in that kind by one very rude Name which I do not care to repeat: But I defire to know of. you whether I am or I am not one of those? My Cafe is as follows. I am kept by an old Batchelor, who took me fo young that I know not how he came by me: 'He is a Bencher of one of the Inns of Court, a very gay healthy old Man; which is a very lucky thing for him, who has been, he tells me, a Scowrer, a Scamperer, a Breaker of Windows, and Invader of Conftables, in the Days of Yore, when all Dominion ended with the Day, and Males and Females 'met helter skelter, and the Scowrers drove before them all who pretended to keep up Order or Rule to the Interruption of Love and Honour. This is his way of Talk, for he is very gay when he vifits me but as his former 'Knowledge of the Town has alarmed "him into an invincible Jealoufie, he keeps me in a Pair of Slippers, neat Bodice, warm Petticoats, and my own Hair C Hair woven in in Ringlets, after a C manner, he says, he remembers. I am not Miftrefs of one Farthing of 'Money, but have all Neceffaries pro 'vided for me, under the Guard of one who procured for him while he had any Defires to gratifie. I know no thing of a Wench's Life, but the Re'putation of it: I have a natural Voice, and a pretty untaught Step in Dancing. "His manner is to bring an old Fellow who has been his Servant from his Youth, and is grey-headed: This 'Man makes on the Violin a certain jiggifh Noife to which I dance, and when that is over I fing to him fome loofe Air that has more Wantonnels than Mufick in it. You must have feen a ftrange windowed House near Hyde-Park, which is fo built that no • one can look out of any of the Apartments; my Rooms are after this manner, and I never fee Man, Woman or Child, but in Company with the two Perfons above-mentioned. He fends me in all the Books, Pamphlets, Plays, Opera's and Songs that come out, and his utmoft Delight in me, as a Woman, is to talk over all his old Amours in my Prefence, to play with my Neck, fay the Time was, give me a Kifs, as |