I know but one way of fortifying my foul againft thefe gloomy prefages and terrours of mind, and that is, by fecuring to myself the friendship and protection of that Being who difpofes of events, and governs futurity. He fees, at one view, the whole thread of my exiftence, not only that part of it which I have already paffed through, but that which runs forward into all the depths of eternity. When I lay me down to fleep, I recommend myself to his care; when I awake, I give myself up to his direction. Amidst all the evils that threaten me, I will look up to him for help, and queftion not but he will either avert them, or turn them to my advantage. Though I know neither the time nor the manner of the death I am to die, I am not at all follicitous about it; because I am fure that he knows them both, and that he will not fail to comfort and fupport me under them. C No 8. FRIDAY, MARCH 9. At Venus obfcuro gradientes aëre fepfit, Shall here communicate to the world a couple of letters, which I believe will give the reader as good an entertainment as any that I am able to furnish him with, and therefore fhall make no apology for them. · SIR, I To the SPECTATOR, &C, Am one of the directors of the fociety for the reformation of manners, and therefore think myself a proper perfon for your correfpondence. I have thorougly examined the prefent ftate of religion in Great Britain, and am able to acquaint you with the predominant vice of every market-town in the whole ifland. I can 'tell you the progrefs that virtue has made in all our cities, boroughs, and corporations; and know as well the evil practices that are committed in • Berwick or Exeter, as what is done in my own family. In a word, Sir, I have my correfpondents in the remoteft parts of the nation, who fend me up punctual accounts from time to time of all the little irregularities, that fall under their notice in their feveral diftricts and divifions. I am no lefs acquainted with the particular quarters and regions of this great town, than with the different parts and diftributions of the ⚫ whole nation. I can defcribe every parish by its impieties, and can tell you in which of our streets lewdnefs prevails, which gaming has taken poffef'fion of, and where drunkenness has got the better of them both. When I am difpofed to raise a fine for the poor, I know the lanes and allies that are inhabited by common fwearers. When 'I would encourage the hofpital of Bridewell, and improve the hempen manufacture, I am very well acquainted with all the haunts and reforts of female night-walkers. After this fhort account of myself, I must let you know, that the design of this paper is to give you information of a certain irregular affembly, which I think falls very properly under your obfervation, efpecially fince the perfons it is compofed of are criminals too confiderable for the animadverfions of our fociety. I mean, Sir, the midnight mask, which has of late been very frequently held in one of the most confpicuous parts of the town, and which I hear will be continued ⚫ with additions and improvements. As all the • perfons perfons who compofe this lawless affembly are masked, we dare not attack any of them in our way, left we fhould send a woman of quality to Bridewell, or a peer of Great Britain to the Counter: Befides that their numbers are fo very great, 'that I am afraid they would be able to rout our whole fraternity, though we were accompanied 'with all our guard of conftables. Both thefe reafons, which fecure them from our authority, 'make them obnoxious to yours; as both their difguife and their numbers will give no particular perfon reason to think himself affronted by you. 1 If we are rightly informed, the rules that are • obferved by this new fociety are wonderfully contrived for the advancement of cuckoldom. The women either come by themselves, or are introduced by friends who are obliged to quit them, upon their firft entrance, to the converfation of any body that addreffes himself to them. There are several rooms where the parties may retire, and, if they please, fhew their faces by confent. Whispers, fqueezes, nods, and embraces, are the innocent freedoms of the place. In fhort, the ⚫ whole defign of this libidinous affembly, feems to terminate in affignations and intrigues; and I hope you will take effectual methods, by your public advice and admonitions, to prevent fuch a promifcuous multitude of both fexes from meeting together in so clandeftine a manner. I am, Your humble fervant, And fellow-labourer, T. B. Not long after the perufal of this letter, I received another upon the fame fubject; which, by the date and style of it, I take to be written by fome young Templar. • SIR, Middle-Temple, 1710-11. When a man has been guilty of any vice or folly, I think the beft atonement he " can No:8 ‹ can make for it, is to warn others not to fall into the like. In order to this I muft acquaint you, that some time in February last I went to the Tucfday's mafquerade. Upon my first going in I was ⚫ attacked by half a dozen female quakers, who feemed willing to adopt me for a brother; but upon a nearer examination, I found they were a • fifterhood of coquettes disguised in that precife habit. I was foon after taken out to dance, and, ⚫ as I fancied, by a woman of the first quality, for 'fhe was very tall, and moved gracefully. As foon as the minuet was over, we ogled one another through our masks; and, as I am very well read in Waller, I repeated to her the four following ⚫ verfes out of his poem to Vandike. The heedlefs lover does not know Inquires her name that has his heart. I pronounced thefe words with fuch a lauguishing air that I had some reason to conclude I had 'made a conqueft. She told me that the hoped my face was not a-kin to my tongue, and looking upon her watch, I accidentally difcovered the fi6 gure of a coronet on the back part of it. I was fo tranfported with the thought of fuch an amour, that I plied her from one room to another with all the gallantries I could invent; and at length brought things to fo happy an iffue, that fhe gave me a private meeting the next day, without page or footman, coach or equipage. My heart danced in raptures, but I had not lived in this golden dream above three days, before I found good reafon to wifh that I had continued true to my laundrefs. I have fince heard, by a C very great accident, that this fine lady does not live far from Govent-Garden, and that I am not < • the the first cully whom fhe has paffed herself upon for a countefs. Thus, Sir, you fee how I have mistaken a Cloud for a Juno; and if you can make any ufe ' of this adventure, for the benefit of thofe who may poflibly be as vain young coxcombs as myfelf, I do moft heartily give you leave. I am, Sir, Your most humble admirer, B. L.' I defign to vifit the next masquerade myself, in the fame habit I wore at Grand Cairo; and until then fhall fufpend my judgment of this midnight entertainment. C No 9. SATURDAY, MARCH 10. Tigris agit rabidâ cum tigride pacem Perpetuam, Jacvis inter fe convenit urfis. Juv. Sat. xv. ver. 163. Tiger with tiger, bear with bear, you'll find In leagues offenfive and defenfive join'd. TATE. MAN is faid to be a fociable animal, and, as an inftance of it, we may obferve, that we take all occafions and pretences of forming ourfelves into thofe little nocturnal affemblies, which are commonly known by the name of clubs. When a set of men find themselves agree in any particular, though never fo trivial, they eftablith themselves into a kind of fraternity, and meet once or twice a week, upon the account of such a fantastick refemblance. I know a confiderable market-town, in which there was a club of fat men, that did not come together (as you may well fuppofe) to entertain one another with fprightlinefs and wit, but to keep one another in countenance. The room where VOL. I. D the |