St. James's Coffee-houfe, July 4.

There has arrived no mail fince our lafl; fo that we have no manner of foreign news except we were to give you, for fuch, the many fpeculations which are on foot. concerning what was imported by the laft advices. There are, it feem, fixteen battalions and feventeen fquadrons appointed to ferve in the fiege of Tournay; the garrifon of which place confifts of but eleven battalions and four fquadrons. Letters of the twenty-ninth of the last month from Berlin have brought advice, that the Kings of Denmark and Prussia, and his Majefty Auguftus, were within few days to come to an interview at Porfdam. Thefe letters mention, that two Polish Princes of the family of Sapieha and Lubermirsky, lately arrived from Paris, confirm the reports of the mifery in France for want of provifions, and give a particular inftance of it; which is, that on the day Monfieur Rouille returned to Court, the common people gathered in crouds about the Dauphine's coach, crying, "peace and bread, bread and peace."

"Mrs. Diftaff has taken upon her, while fhe writes "this Paper, to turn her thoughts wholly to the fervice "of her own Sex, and to propofe remedies against the "greateft vexations attending female life. She has for "this end written a fmall treatife concerning the Second "Word, with an appendix on the ufe of a Reply, very

proper for all fuch as are married to perfons either ill"bred or ill-natured. There is in this tract a digreffion "for the ufe of virgins, concerning the words, I avill.

"A Gentlewoman who has a very delicate ear, wants "a maid who can whisper, and help her in the government of her family. If the faid fervant can clear"ftarch, lifp and tread foftly, fhe fhall have fuitable "encouragement in her wages."

N° 38. Thurfday, July 7, 1709.

By Mrs. Jenny Diflaff, Half-Sifter to Mr. Bickerstaff.

I'

From my own Apartment, July 6.

FIND among my brother's papers the following Letter verbatim, which I wonder how he could fupprefs fo long as he has, fince it was fent him for no other end, but to fhew the good effect his writings have already had upon the ill customs of the age.

SIR,

T

London, June 13

HE end of the Public Papers ought to be the benefit and inftruction, as well as the diverfion "of the Readers: To which I fee none so truly condu"cive as your late performances; efpecially thofe tending to the rooting out from among us that unchriftianlike and bloody cuflom of duelling; which, that you have already in fome meafure performed, will appear to the Public in the following no lefs true than heroic ftory.

"A noble Gentleman of this city, who has the honour of ferving his country as Major in the Trainbands, being at the general mart of Stock-jobbers called Jonathan's, endeavouring to raise himself (as "all men of honour ought) to the degree of Colonel at leaft; it happened that he bought the Bear of another officer, who though not commiffioned in the army, yet no less eminently ferves the Public than the other, in raifing the credit of the kingdom, by raifing that "of the flocks. However, having fold the Bear, and "words arifing about the delivery, the most noble Ma

jor, no lefs fcorning to be out-witted in the coffeehoufe, than to run into the field, according to method, " abused

abused the other with the titles of Rogue, Villain, Bearfkin-man, and the like. Whereupon fatisfaction "was demanded, and accepted; fo, forth the Major marched, commanding his adverfary to follow him. "To a moft fpacious room in the Sheriff 's house, near "the place of quarrel, they come; where, having due "regard to what you have lately published, they re"folved not to fhed one another's blood in that barbarous manner you prohibited; yet, not willing to put up affronts without fatisfaction, they ftripped, and in decent manner fought full fairly with their wrathful hands. The combat lafted a quarter of an hour; "in which time victory was often doubtful, and many a dry blow was ftrenuoufly laid on each fide, until the Major finding his adverfary obftinate, unwilling to "give him further chaftifement, with most fhrill voice cried out, I am fatisfied, enough. Whereupon the "combat ceafed, and both were friends immediately. "Thus the world may fee, how neceffary it is to encourage thofe men, who make it their bufinefs to inftruct the people in every thing neceffary for their "prefervation. I am informed, a body of worthy citi"zens have agreed on an addrefs of thanks to you for "what you have writ on the foregoing fubject, whereby "they acknowledge one of their highly efteemed officers preferved from death.

Your humble fervant,

A. B.

I fear the word Bear is hardly to be understood among the polite people; but I take the meaning to be, that one who infures a real value upon an imaginary thing, is faid to fell a Bear, and is the fame thing as a promise among Courtiers, or a vow between Lovers. I have writ to my brother to haften to town; and hope that printing the letters directed to him, which I know not how to anfwer, will bring him fpeedily; and therefore I add alfo the following:

Mr. BICKER STAFF,

Yo

July 5, 1709

OU have hinted a generous intention of taking under your confideration the whisperers without "bufinefs, and laughers without occafion; as you ten"der the welfare of your country, I intreat you not to

forget or delay fo public-fpirited a work. Now or "never is the time. Many other calamities may ceafe "with the war; but I difmally dread the multiplication "of these mortals under the eafe and luxurioufness of a "fettled peace, half the bleffings of which may be de"ftroyed by them. Their miftake lies certainly here,

in a wretched belief, that their mimickry paffes for "real bufinefs, or true wit. Dear Sir, convince them, "that it never was, is, or ever will be, either of them; "nor ever did, does, or to all futurity ever can, look

like either of them; but that it is the most cursed "disturbance in Nature, which is poffible to be inflicted "on mankind, under the noble definition of a fociable

creature. In doing this, Sir, you will oblige more humble fervants, than can find room to fubfcribe their names."

White's Chocolate-houfe, July 6.

In purfuance of my last date from hence, I am to proceed on the accounts I promifed of feveral perfonages among the men, whofe confpicuous fortunes, or ambition in fhewing their follies, have exalted them above their fellows: The levity of their minds is visible intheir every word and gefture, and there is not a day paffes but puts me in mind of Mr. Wycherley's character of a Coxcomb: "He is ugly all over with the affecta**tion of the fine Gentleman." Now though the women may put on foftness in their looks, or affected severity, or impertinent gaiety, or pert smartness, their felflove and admiration cannot under any of these disguises appear fo invincible as that of the men. You may eafly take notice, that in all their actions there is a fecret approbation either in the tone of their voice, the

turn of their body, or caft of their eye, which fhews that they are extremely in their own favour.

Take one of your men of bufinefs, he fhall keep you half an hour with your hat off, entertaining you with his confideration of that affair you spoke of to him laft, until he has drawn a croud that obferves you in this grimace. Then when he is public enough, he immediately runs into fecrets, and falls a whispering. You and he make breaks with adverbs; as, "But however, thus "far;" and then you whisper again, and fo on, until they who are about you are difperfed, and your busy man's vanity is no longer gratified by the notice taken of what importance he is, and how inconfiderable you are; for your pretender to bufinefs is never in fecret, but in public.

There is my dear Lord No-where, of all men the most gracious and moft obliging, the terror of all Valets de Chambre, whom he oppreffes with good breeding, by enquiring for my good Lord, and for my good Lady's health. This inimitable Courtier will whifper a Privy Counsellor's lacquey with the utmost goodnefs and condefcenfion, to know when they next fit; and is throughly taken up, and thinks he has a part in a fecret, if he knows that there is a fecret, "What it is," he will whisper you, "That time will discover;" then he fhrugs, and calls you back again" Sir, I need not fay to you, that these things are not to be fpoken of -And harkye, no names, I would not be quoted." What adds to the jeft is, that his emptinefs has its moods and feafons, and he will not condefcend to let you into these his discoveries, except he is in very good humour, or has feen fomebody of fashion talk to you. "keep his Nothing to himself, and pafs by and overlook as well as the best of them; not obferving that he is infolent when he is gracious, and obliging when he is haughty. Shew me a woman fo inconfiderable as this frequent character.

He will

But my mind, now I am in, turns to many no lefs obfervable: Thou dear Will Shoeftring! I profefs myself in love with thee! how fhall I fpeak thee? how shall I address thee? How fhall I draw thee? thou dear Outfide! will you be combing your wig, playing with your

L 6

box,