Ire viani a No. 241.] THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1711. pany or business they were engaged in, they left it abruptly as soon as the clock warned them to reSemperque relinqui tire. The romance further adds, that the lovers exSola sibi, semper longan incomitata videtur -Virg. Æn. iv. 466. pected the return of this stated hour with as much impatience as if it had been a real assignation, and All sad she seems, forsaken, and alone; And left to wander wide through paths unknown.-P. enjoyed an imaginary happiness, that was almost as pleasing to them as what they would have found “Mr. SPECTATOR, from a real meeting. It was an inexpressible satis“Though you have considered virtuous love in faction to these divided lovers, to be assured that most of its distresses, I do not remember that you each was at the same time employed in the same have given us any dissertation upon the absence kind of contemplation, and making equal returns of of lovers, or laid down any methods how they should tenderness and affection. support themselves under those long separations If I may be allowed to mention a more serious which they are sometimes forced to undergo. 1 expedient for the alleviating of absence, I shall take am at present in this unhappy circumstance, having notice of one which I have known two persons parted with the best of husbands, who is abroad in practise, who joined religion to that elegance of sen. the service of his country, and may not possibly timent with which the passion of love generally inreturn for some years. His warm and generous spires its votaries. This was, at the return of such affection while we were together, with the tender- an hour, to offer up a certain prayer for each other, ness which he expressed to me at parting, make his which they had agreed upon before their parting. absence almost insupportable. I think of him every The husband, who is a man that makes a figure in moment of the day, and meet him every night in the polite world as well as in his own family, has my dreams. Every thing I see puts me in mind of often told me, that he could not have supported an him. I apply myself with more than ordinary di- absence of three years without this expedient. ligence to the care of his family and his estate; but Strada, in one of his Prolusions, * gives an ac. this, instead of relieving me, gives me but so many count of a chimerical correspondence between two occasions of wishing for his return. I frequent the friends by the help of a certain load-stone, which rooms where I used to converse with him, and not had such virtue in it, that if it touched two seferal meeting him there, sit down in his chair and fall a needles, when one of the needles so touched began weeping. I love to read the books he delighted in, to move, the other, though at never so great a disand to converse with the persons whom he esteemed. tance, moved at the same time, and in the same I visit his picture a hundred times a day, and place manner. He tells us, that the two friends being myself over-against it whole hours together. I pass each of them possessed of one of these needles, made a great part of my time in the walks where I used a kind of dial-plate, inscribing it with four-andto lean upon his arm, and recollect in my mind the twenty letters, in the same manner as the hours of discourses which have there passed between us: I the day are marked upon the ordinary dial-plate. look over the several prospects and points of view They then fixed one of the needles on each of these which we used to survey together, fix my eye upon plates in such a manner, that it could move round the objects which he has made me take notice of, without impediment, so as to touch any of the fourand call to mind a thousand agreeable remarks and-twenty letters. Upon their separating from one which he has made on those occasions. I write to another into distant conntries, they agreed to with him by every conveyance, and, contrary to other draw themselves punctually into their closets at a people, am always in good humour when an east certain hour of the day, and to converse with one wind blows, because it seldom fails of bringing me another by means of this their invention. Accord. a letter from him. Let me entreat you, Sir, to give ingly when they were some hundred miles asunder, me your advice upon this occasion, and to let me each of them shut himself up in his closet at the know how I may relieve myself in this my widowhood. time appointed, and immediately cast his eye upoa “ I am, Sir, your most bumble Servant, his dial-plate. If he had a mind to write any thing “ ASTERIA." to his friend, he directed his needle to every letter Absence is what the poets call death in love, and that formed the words which he had occasion for, has given occasion to abundance of beautiful com- making a little pause at the end of every word or plaints in those authors who have treated of this sentence, to avoid confusion. The frieud in the passion in verse. Ovid's Epistles are full of them. meanwhile saw his own sympathetic needle moving Otway's Monimia talks very tenderly upon this of itself to every letter which that of his correspond. subject : ent pointed at. By this means they talked together across a whole continent, and conveyed their thoughts To leave me like a turtle here alone, to one another in an instant over cities or mountains, If Monsieur Scudery, or any other writer of ro- mance, had introduced a necromancer, who is ge. Heal my unquiet mind, and tune my soul. nerally in the train of a knight-errant, making a ORPHAN, Act ii. present to two lovers of a couple of these aboveThe consolations lovers on these occasions are mentioned needles, the reader would not have been very extraordinary. Besides those mentioned by a little pleased to have seen them corresponding Asteria, there are many other motives of comfort with one another when they were guarded by spies which are made use of by absent lovers. and watches, or separated by castles and adventures. I remember in one of Scudery's Romances, a In the meanwhile, if ever this invention should couple of honourable lovers agreed at their parting be revived or put in practice, I would propose that to set aside one half hour in the day to think of upon the lover's dial-plate there should be written each other during a tedious absence. The romance not only the four-and-twenty letters, but several entells us, that they both of them punctually observed the time thus agreed upon; and that whatever com Lib. ü. prol. 6. 66 It was not kind Sudoris minimum tire words which have always a place in passionate had hid this very privately in the bottom of a trunk, epistles; as flames, darts, die, language, absence, and had given her number to a friend and confidant, Cupid, heart, eyes, hang, drown, and the like. This who had promised to keep the secret, and bring her would very much abridge the lover's pains in this news of the success. The poor adventurer was one way of writing a letter, as it would enable him to day gone abroad, when her careless husband suspectexpress the most useful and significant words with ing she had saved some money, searches every a single touch of the needle.-C. corner, till at length he finds this same ticket; which he immediately carries abroad, sells, and squanders away the money, without his wife's suspecting any No. 242.) FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1711. thing of the matter. A day or two after this, this friend, who was a woman, comes and brings the wife Creditur, ex medio quia res arcessit, habere word, that she had a benefit of 5001. The poor Hor. 2 Ep. i. 168. creature, overjoyed, flies up stairs to her husband, who was then at work, and desires him to leave his "Mr. SPECTATOR, loom for that evening, and come and drink with a “ Yore speculations do not so generally prevail friend of his and hers below. The man received orer men's manners as I could wish. A former this cheerful invitation as bad husbands sometimes paper of yours concerning the misbehaviour of people do, and after a cross word or two, told her he who are necessarily in each other's company in tra- wou’dn't come. His wife with tenderness renewed velling, ought to have been a lasting admonition her importunity, and at length said to him, My against transgressions of that kind. But I had the love! I have within these few months, unknown to Cate of your Quoker, in meeting with a rude fellow you, scraped together as much money as has bought in a stage-coach, who entertained two or three wo- us a ticket in the lottery, and now here is Mrs. men of us (for there was no man besides himself) Quick come to tell me, that it is come up this morning with language as indecent as ever was heard upon a 500l. prize. The husband replies immediately, the water. The impertinent observations which the You lie, you slut, you have no ticket, for I have coxcomb made upon our shame and confusion were sold it.' The poor woman upon this faints away in such, that it is an unspeakable grief to reflect upon a fit, recovers, and is now run distracted. As she them. As much as you have declaimed against had no design to defraud her husband, but was duelling, I hope you will do us the justice to de- willing only to participate in his good fortune, clare, that if the brute has courage enough to send every one pities her, but thinks her husband's puto the place where he saw us all alight together to nishment but just. This, Sir, is a matter of fact, get rid of him, there is not one of us but has a lover and would, if the persons and circumstances were #bo shall avenge the insult. It would certainly be greater, in a well-wrought play be called Beautiful worth your consideration, to look into the frequent Distress. I have only sketched it out with chalk, misfortunes this kind, to which the modest and and know a good hand can make a moving picture innocent are exposed, by the licentious behaviour with worse materials. “Sir,' &c. of such as are as much strangers to good-breeding as to virtue. Could we avoid hearing what we do “ Mr. SPECTATOR, not approve, as easily as we can seeing what is dis- “ I am what the world calls a warm fellow, and agreeable, there were some consolation ; but since by good success in trade I have raised myself to a in a box at a play, in an assembly of ladies, or even capacity of making some figure in the world; but in a pew at church, it is in the power of a gross no matier for that, I have now under my guardiancoxcomb to utter what a woman cannot avoid hear-ship a couple of nieces, who will certainly make me ing, how miserable is her condition who comes within run mad; which you will not wonder at, when I the power of such impertinents ? and how necessary tell you they are female virtaosos, and during the is it to repeat invectives against such behaviour three years and a half that I have had them under li the licentious had not utterly forgot what it is to my care, they never in the least inclined their be modest, they would know that offended modesty thoughts towards any one single part of the characlabours under one of the greatest sufferings to which ter of a notable woman. Whilst they should have human life can be exposed. If these brutes could been considering the proper ingredients for a sackreflect thus much, though they want shame, they posset, you should hear a dispute concerning the sould be moved by their pity, to abhor an impudent magnetic virtue of the loadstone, or perhaps the behaviour in the presence of the chaste and inno-pressure of the atmosphere. Their language is peceat. If you will oblige us with a Spectator on culiar to themselves, and they scorn to express this subject, and procure it to be pasted against themselves on the meanest trifle with words that are every stage-coach in Great Britain as the law of the not of a Latin derivation. But this were supportjourney, you will highly oblige the whole sex, for able still, would they suffer me to enjoy an uninterwhich you have professed so great an esteem; and rupted ignorance; but unless I fall in with their abin particular, the two ladies my late fellow-sufferers, stracted ideas of things (as they call them, I must and, not expect to smoke one pipe in quiet. In a late “Sir, your most humble Servant, fit of the gout I complained of the pain of that dis“Rebecca RIDINGHOOD." temper, when my niece Kitty begged leave to assure me, that whatever I might think, several great phi"MR. SPECTATOR, losophers, both ancient and modern, were of opinion, " The matter which I am now going to send you, that both pleasure and pain were imaginary disis an unhappy story in low life, and will recommend tinctions, and that there was no such thing as either itself, so that you must excuse the manner of ex- in rerum natura. I have often heard them affirm pressiog it. A poor idle drunken weaver in Spital that the fire was not hot; and one day when I, with felds bas a faithful laborious wife, who by her fru- the authority of an old fellow, desired one of them gality and industry has laid by her as much money to put my blue cloak on my knees, she answered, as purchased her a ticket in the present lottery. She 'Sir, I will reach the cloak'; but take notice, I do a a not do it as allowing your description; for it might man to be handsome. This indeed looks more like as well be called yellow as blue; for colour is no- a philosophical rant than the real opinion of a wise thing but the various infractions of the rays of the man; yet this was what Cato very seriously mainsun.' Miss Molly told me one day, that to say snow tained. In short, the stoics thought they could not was white, is allowing a vulgar error; for as it con- susficiently represent the excellence of virtue, if they tains a great quantity of nitrous particles, it might did not comprebend in the notion of it all possible more reasonably be supposed to be black. In short, perfections; and therefore did not only suppose, the young husseys would persuade me, that to be that it was transcendently beautiful in itself, but lieve one's eyes is a sure way to be deceived; and that it made the very body amiable, and banished have often advised me, by no means to trust any every kind of deformity from the person in whom it thing so fallible as my senses. What I have to bey resided. of you now is, to turn one speculation to the due It is a common observation, that the most abanregulation of female literature, so far, at least, as to doned to all sense of goodness, are apt to wish those make it consistent with the quiet of such whose fate who are related to them of a different character; it is to be liable to its insults; and to tell us the and it is very observable, that none are more struck difference between a gentleman that should make with the charms of virtue in the fair sex, than those cheese-cakes and raise a paste, and a lady that who by their very admiration of it are carried to a reads Locke, and understands the mathematics. In desire of ruining it. which you will extremely oblige A virtuous mind in a fair body is indeed a fine “ Your hearty friend and humble Servant, picture in a good light, and therefore it is no wonT. ** Abraham Thrifty," der that it makes the beautiful ses all over charms. As virtue in general is of an amiable and lovely nature, there are some particular kinds of it which No. 243.] SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1711. are more so than others, and these are such as dis pose us to do good to mankind. Temperance and Formam quidem ipsam, Marce fili, et tanquam faciem ho- abstinence, faith and devotion, are in themselves nesti vides : quæ si oculis cerneretur, mirabiles amores (ut ait perhaps as laudable as any other virtues; but those Plato) excitaret sapientiæ.TULL Offic. which make a man popular and beloved, are justice, You see, my son Marcus, virtue as if it were embodied, charity, munificence, and, in short, all the good which if it could be made the object of sight, would (as Plato qualities which render us beneficial to each other. says) excite in us a wonderful love of wisdom For this reason even an extravagant man, who has I do not remember to have read any discourse nothing else to recommend him but a false genera written expressly upon the beauty and loveliness of sity, is often more beloved and esteemed than a pervirtue, without considering it as a duty, and as the son of a much more finished character, who is demeans of making us happy both now and hereafter. fective in this particular. I design therefore this speculation as an essay upon The two great ornaments of virtue, which show that subject, in which I shall consider virtue no her in the most advantageous views, and make her further than as it is in itself of an amiable nature, altogether lovely, are cheerfulness and good-nature. after I have premised, that I understand by the These generally go together, as a man cannot be word virtue such a general notion as is affixed to it agreeable to others who is not easy within himself. by the writers of morality, and which by devout men They are both very requisite in a virtuous mind, to generally goes under the name of religion, and by keep out melancholy from the many serious thoughts men of the world under the name of honour, it is engaged in, and to hinder its natural hatred of Hypocrisy itself does great honour, or rather jus- vice from souring into severity and censoriousness. tice, to religion, and tacitly acknowledges it to be If virtue is of this amiable nature, what can we an ornament to human nature. The hypocrite think of those who can look upon it with an eye of would not be at so much pains to put on the appear- hatred and ill-will, or can suffer their aversion for a ance of virtue, if he did not know it was the most party to blot out all the merit of the person wbo is proper and effectual means to gain the love and engaged in it? A man must be excessively stupid, esteem of mankind. as well as uncharitable, who believes that there is We learn from Hierocles, it was a common saying no virtue but on his own side, and that there are not among the heathens, that the wise man hates no- men as honest as himself who may differ from bim body, but only loves the virtuous. in political principles. Men may oppose one anTully has a very beautiful gradation of thoughts other in some particulars, but ought not to carry their to show how amiable virtue is. “ We love a vir- hatred to those qualities which are of so amiable a tuous man," says he, “who lives in the remotest nature in themselves, and have nothing to do with parts of the earth, though we are altogether out of the points in dispute. Men of virtue, though of difthe reach of bis virtue, and can receive from it no ferent interests, ought to consider themselves as manner of benefit.” Nay, one who died several more nearly united with one another, than with the ages ago, raises a secret fondness and benevolence vicious part of mankind, who embark with them in for him in our minds, when we read his story. Nay, the same civil concerns. We should bear the same what is still more, one who has been the enemy of love towards a man of honour who is a living antaour country, provided his wars were regulated by gonist, which Tully tells us in the fore-mentioned justice and humanity, as in the instance of Pyrrhus, passage, every one naturally does to an enemy that wbom Tully mentions on this occasion in opposition is dead. In short , we should esteem virtue though to Hannibal. Such is the natural beauty and love in a foc, and abhor vice though in a friend. liness of virtue. I speak this with an eye to those cruel treatments Stoicism, which was the pedantry of virtue, ascribes which men of all sides are apt to give the characters all good qualifications of what kind soever to the of those who do not agree with them. How many virtuons man. Accordingly, Cato, in the charac- persons of undoubted probity and exemplary virtue, ter Tully has left of him, carried matters so far, on either side, are blackened and defamed? How that he would not allow any one but a virtuous many men of honour exposed to public obloquy and reproach? Those therefore who are either the in- is truly boid and great, an impudent fellow for a struments or abettors in such infernal dealings, man of true courage and bravery, hasty and unreaought to be looked upon as persons who make use sonable actions for enterprises of spirit and resoluof religion to promote their cause, not of their cause tion, gaudy colouring ior that which is truly beauto promote religion.-C. tiful, à false and insinuating discourse for simple truth elegantly recommended. The parallel will hold through all the parts of life and painting too; and No. 244.) MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1711. the virtuosos above mentioned will be glad to see Judex et callidus audis.-Hor. 2 Sat. vii. 101. you draw it with your terms of art. As the shadows A judge of painting you, a connoisseur. in a picture represent the serious or melancholy, so the lights do the bright and lively thoughts. As "Covent Garden, Dec. 7. there should be but one forcible light in a picture “Mr. SPECTATOR, which should catch the eye and fall on the hero, so “I CANNOT, without a double injustice, forbear there should be but one object of our love, even the expressing to you the satisfaction which a whole Author of nature. These and the like reflections, clan of virtuosos have received from those hints well improved, might very much contribute to open which you have lately given the town on the car. the beauty of that art, and prevent young people toons of the inimitable Raphael, It should, me- from being poisoned by the ill gusto of an extravathinks, be the business of Spectator to improve gant workman that should be imposed upon us. the pleasures of sight, and there cannot be a more “I am, Sir, your most humble Servant." immediate way to it than by recommending the study and observation of excellent drawings and “ MR. SPECTATOR, pictures. When I first went to view those of Ra- Though I am a woman, yet I am one of those phael wbich you have celebrated, I must confess I who confess themselves highly pleased with a spewas but barely pleased; the next time I liked them culation you obliged the world with some time ago, better, but at last, as I grew better acquainted with from an old Greek poet you call Simonides, in relathem, I fell deeply in love with them; like wise tion to the several natures and distinctions of our speeches, they sunk deep into my heart; for you own sex. I could not but admire how justly the know, Mr. Spectator, that a man of wit may 'ex-characters of the women in this age fall in with the tremely affect one for the present, but if he has not times of Simonides, there being no one of those discretion, his merit soon vanishes away; while a sorts have not some time or other of my life met wise man that has not so great a stock of wit , shall with a sample of. But, Sir, the subjects of this nevertheless give you a far greater and more lasting present address are a set of women, comprehended, satisfaction. Just so it is in a picture that is smartly I think, in the ninth species of that speculation, touched, but not well studied; one may call it a called the Apes: the description of whom I find to witty picture, though the painter in the mean time be, .That they are such as are both ugly and ill. be in danger of being called a fool. On the other natured, who have nothing beautiful themselves, hand, a picture that is thoroughly understood in the and endeavour to detract from, or ridicule, every whole, and well performed in the particulars, that is thing that appears so in others.' Now, Sir, this begun on the foundation of geometry, carried on by sect, as I have been told, is very frequent in the the rules of perspective, architecture, and anatomy, great town where you live; but as my circumstance and perfected by a good harmony, á just and nas in life obliges me to reside altogether in the country, tural colouring, and such passions and expressions though not many miles from London, I cannot have of the mind as are almost peculiar to Raphael; this met with a great number of them, nor indeed is it is what you may justly style a wise picture, and a desirable acquaintance, as I have lately found by which seldom fails to strike us dumb, until we can experience. You must know, Sir, that at the beassemble all our faculties to make but a tolerable ginning of this summer a family of these apes came judgment upon it. Other pictures are made for the and settled for the season not far from the place eyes only, as rattles are made for children's ears; where I live. As they were strangers in the counand certainly that picture that only pleases the eye, try, they were visited by the ladies about them, of without representing some well-chosen part of na- whom I was one, with a humanity usual in those ture or other, does but show what fine colours are who pass most of their time in solitude. The apes to be sold at the colour-shop, and mocks the works lived with us very agreeably our own way until toof the Creator. If the best imitator of nature is wards the end of the summer, when they began to not to be esteemed the best painter, but he that bethink themselves of returning to town; then it makes the greatest show and glare of colours; it was, Mr. Spectator, that they began to set themwill necessarily follow, that he who can array him- selves about the proper and distinguishing business self in the most gaudy draperies is best drest, and of their character; and as it is said of evil spirits, be that can speak loudest the best orator. Every that they are apt to carry away a piece of the house man when he looks on a picture should examine it they are about to leave, the apes, without regard to according to that share of reason he is master of, or common mercy, civility, or gratitude, thought fit to he will be in danger of making a wrong judgment. mimic and fall foul on the faces, dress, and beha a If men as they walk abroad would make more fre- viour of their innocent neighbours, bestowing aboquent observations on those beauties of Nature which minable censures and disgraceful appellations, comevery moment present themselves to their view, they monly called nicknames, on all of them; and, in would be better judges when they saw her well imi- short, like true fine ladies, made their honest plaintated at home. This would help to correct those ness and sincerity matter of ridicule. I could not errors which most pretenders fall into, who are over- but acquaint you with these grievances, as well as hasty in their judgments, and will not stay to let at the desire of all the parties injured, as from my reason come in for a share in the decision. It is for own inclination. I hope, Sir, if you cannot propose want of this that men mistake in this case, and in entirely to reform this evil, you will take such nocommon life, a wild extravagant pencil for one that tice of it in some of your future speculations, as sex. may put the deserving part of our sex on their and pastimes not only merry but innocent; for which guard against these creatures; and at the same time reason I have not mentioned either whisk or lanthe apes may be sensible, that this sort of mirth is terloo, nor indeed so much as one-and-thirty. After so far from an innocent diversion, that it is in the having communicated to you my request upon this highest degree that vice which is said to compre- subject, I will be so free as to tell you how my wife hend all others. and I pass away these tedious winter evenings with “I am, Sir, your humble Servant, a great deal of pleasure. Though she be young and T. “ Constantia Field.” handsome, and good-humoured to a miracle, sbe does not care for gaduing abroad like others of her There is a very friendly man, a colonel in the No. 245.] TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1711. army, whom I am mightily obliged to for his civili ties, that comes to see me almost every night; for Ficta voluptatis causa sint proxima veris. he is not one of those giddy young fellows that canHor. Ars. Poet. v. 338. not live out of a playhouse. When we are together, Fictions, to piease, should wear the face of truth. we very often make a party at Blind-man's-Buff, There is nothing which one regards so much which is a sport that I like the better, because there with an eye of mirth and pity as innocence, when is a good deal of exercise in it. The colonel and I it has in it a dash of folly. At the same time that are blinded by turns, and you would laugh your one esteems the virtue, one is tempted to laugh at heart out to see what pains my dear takes to hoodthe simplicity which accompanies it. When a man wink us, so that it is impossible for us to see the is made up wholly of the dove, without the least least glimpse of light. The poor colonel sometimes grain of the serpent in his composition, he becomes bits his nose against a post, and makes us die with ridiculous in many circumstances of life, and very laughing. I have generally had the good luck not often discredits his best actions. The Cordeliers to hurt myself , but I am very often above half an tell a story of their founder St. Francis, that as he hour before I can catch either of them; for you passed the streets in the dusk of the evening, he must know we hide ourselves up and down in discovered a young fellow with a maid in a corner; corners, that we may have the more sport. I only upon which the good man, say they, lifted up his give you this hint as a sample of such innocent dihands to heaven with secret thanksgiving, that there versions as I would have you recommend; and am, was still so much Christian charity in the world. most esteemed Sir, The innocence of the saint made him mistake the “ Your ever loving Friend, kiss of the lover for a salute of charity. I am “ Timothy DOODLE." heartily concerned wben I see a virtuous man with. out a competent knowledge of the world; and if The following letter was occasioned by my last there be any use in these my papers, it is this, that Thursday's paper upon the absence of lovers, and without representing vice under any false alluring the methods therein mentioned of making such abnotions, they give my reader an insight into the sence supportable : ways of men, and represent human nature in all its changeable colours. The man who has not been “Sir, engaged in any of the follies of the world, or, as “ Among the several ways of consolation which Shakspeare expresses it, “ hackney'd in the ways of absent lovers make use of while their souls are in men,” may here find a picture of its follies and ex- that state of departure, which you say is death in travagances. The virtuous and the innocent may love, there are some very material ones that have know in speculation what they could never arrive escaped your notice. Among these, the first and at by practice, and by this means avoid the snares most received is a crooked shilling, which has adof the crafty, the corruptions of the vicious, and the ministered great comfort to our forcfathers, and is reasonings of the prejudiced. Their minds may be still made use of on this occasion with very good opened without being vitiated. effect in most part of her majesty's dominions. It is with an eye to my following correspondent, There are some, I know, who think a crown piece Mr. Timothy Doodle, who seems a very well-mean-cut into two equal parts, and preserved by the dising man, that I have written this short preface, to tant lovers, is of more sovereign virtue than the which I shall subjoin a letter from the said Mr. former. But since opinions are divided in this parDoodle. ticular, why may not the same persons make use of both? The figure of a heart, whether cut in stone or cast in metal, whether bleeding upon an altar, "I could heartily wish that you would let us stuck with darts, or held in the hand of a Cupid, know your opinion upon several innocent diversions has always been looked upon as talismanic in dis. which are in use among us, and which are very tresses of this nature. I am acquainted with many proper to pass away a winter night for those who a brave fellow, who carries his mistress in the lid of do not care to throw away their time at an opera, himself under the absence of a whole campaign. bis snuff-box, and by that expedient has supported or at the play-house. I would gladly know, in par. For my own part I have tried all these remedies , ticular, what notion you have of hot-cockles; as also, whether you think that questions and commands, but never found so much benefit from any as from a mottos, similes, and cross-purposes, have not more ring, in which my mistress's hair is plaited together mirth and wit in them than those public diversions very artificially in a kind of true-lover's knot. As which are grown so very fashionable among us. If I have received great benefit from this secret, I you would recommend to our wives and daughters, think myself obliged to communicate it to the public who read your papers with a great deal of pleasure, for the good of my fellow-subjects . I desire you some of those sports and pastimes that may be prac" will add this letter as an appendix to your consolatised within doors, and by the fire-side, we, who are absence, and am masters of families, should be hugely obliged to you. * Your very humble Servant, I need not tell you that I would have these sports tions upon "T, B." |
