this untractable fort is a lifelefs handfome fellow that vifits us, whom I have dreffed at this twelve-month; but he is as infenfible of all the arts I ufe, as if he converfed all that time with his nurse. He out-does our whole fex in all the faults our enemies impute to us; he has brought lazinefs into an Opinion, and makes his indolence his Philofophy: infomuch that no longer ago than yefterday in the evening he gave me this account of himself; "I am, Madam, perfectly unmoved at all "that paffes among men, and feldom give myself the fatigue of going among them; but when I do, I always appear the fame thing to those whom I converse "with. My hours of exiftence, or being awake, are "from eleven in the morning to eleven at night; half "of which I live to myfelf, in picking my teeth, "washing my hands, paring my nails, and looking in "the glafs. The infignificancy of my manners to the 66 reft of the world, makes the laughers call me a Quid66 nunc, a phrafe which I neither understand, nor shall ever enquire what they mean by it. The laft of me "each night is at St. James's coffee-house, where I "converse, yet never fall into a difpute on any occa fion; but leave the understanding I have, paffive of "all that goes through it, without entering into the "bufinefs of life. And thus, Madam, have I arrived by laziness, to what others pretend to by philofophy, "a perfect neglect of the world." Sure, if our fex had the liberty of frequenting public-houfes and converfations, we should put thefe rivals of our faults and follies out of countenance. However, we shall foon have the pleasure of being acquainted with them one way or other; for my brother Ifaac defigns, for the use of our fex, to give the exact characters of all the chief politicians, who frequent any of the coffee-houses from St. James's to the Exchange; but defigns to begin with that cluster of wife-heads, as they are found fitting every evening from the left-fide of the fire, at the Smyrna, to the door. This will be of great fervice for us, and I have authority to promife an exact journal of their deliberations; the publication of which I am to be allowed for pin-money. In the mean time, I caft my eye upon a new book, which gave me more pleafing enter 59 entertainment, being a fixth part of Mifcellany Poems published by Jacob Tonfon; which, I find by my brother's notes upon it, no way inferior to the other vo lumes. There is, it feems, in this, a collection of the bet paftorals that have hitherto appeared in England; but among them none fuperior to that dialogue between Sylvia and Dorinda, written by one of my own fex; where all our little weakneffes are laid open in a manner more just, and with truer raillery, than ever man yet hit upon. Only this I now difcern, From the things thou'dft have me learn; From paft or present beauties rise. But to reaffume my firft defign, there cannot be a greater inftance of the command of females, than in the prevailing charms of the heroine in the Play, which was acted this night, called, All for Love; or, The World well loft. The enamoured Anthony refigns glory and power to the force of the attractive Cleopatra, whose charms were the defence of her diadem against a people otherwife invincible. It is fo natural for women to talk of themselves, that it is to be hoped, all my own fex, at leaft, will pardon me, that I could fall into no other difcourfe. If we have their favour, we give ourselves very little anxiety for the reft of our readers. I believe I fee a fentence of Latin in my brother's day-book of wit, which feems applicable on this occafion, and in contempt of the critics, But I am interrupted by a packet from Mr. Kidney, from St. James's coffee-houfe, which I am obliged to infert in the very ftile and words which Mr. Kidney ufes in his Letter. St. James's Coffee-houfe, May 2. We are advised by letters from Bern, dated the firft inftant, N. S. that the Duke of Berwick arrived at Lyons the twenty-fifth of the last month, and continued his journey the next day to vifit the paffes of the mountains, and other pofts in Dauphiné and Provence. Thefe letters alfo informed us, that the miferies of the people in France are heightened to that degree, that unless a peace be fpeedily concluded, half of that kingdom would perish for want of bread. On the twenty-fourth, the Marshal de Theffe paffed through Lyons, in his way to Verfailles; and two battalions, which were marching from Alface to reinforce the army of the Duke of Berwick, paffed alfo through that place. Those troops were to be followed by fix battalions more. Letters from Naples of the fixteenth of April fay, that the Marquis de Prie's fon was arrived there, with inftructions from his father, to fignify to the Vice-roy the neceffity his Imperial Majefty was under, of defiring an aid from that kingdom, for carrying on the extraordinary expences of the war. On the fourteenth of the fame month, they made a review of the Spanish troops. in that garrison, and afterwards of the marines; one part of whom will embark with thofe defigned for Barcelona, and the reft are to be fent on board the gallies appointed to convoy provifions to that place. We hear from Rome, by letters dated the twentieth of April, That the Count de Mellos, envoy from the King of Portugal, had made his public entry into that city with much state and magnificence. The Pope has lately held two other confiftories, wherein he made a promotion of two cardinals; but the acknowledgement of King Charles is ftill deferred. Letters from other parts of Italy advise us, that the Doge of Venice continues dangerously ill: That the Prince de Carignan, having relapfed into a violent fe-. ver, died the twenty-third of April, in his eightieth year. Advices from Vienna of the twenty-feventh of April import, that the Archbishop of Saltzburg is dead, who is fucceeded by Count Harrach, formerly Bishop of Vienna, and for thefe laft three years coadjutor to the faid Archbishop; and that Prince Maximilian of Litchtenstein has likewife departed this life at his country-feat called Cromaw in Moravia. Thefe advices add, that the Emperor has named Count Zinzendorf, Count Goes, and Monfieur Confbruck, for his Plenipotentiaries in an enfuing treaty of peace; and they hear from Hungary, that the Imperialifts have had feveral fuccefsful fkirmishes with the malecontents. Letters from Paris, dated May the fixth, fay that the Marthal de These arrived there on the twenty-ninth of the last month, and that the Chevalier de Beuil was fent thither by Don Pedro Ronquillo with advice, that the confederate fquadron appeared before Alicant on the feventeenth, and having for fome time cannonaded the city, endeavoured to land fome troops for the relief of the caftle; but General Stanhope finding the paffages well guarded, and the enterprize dangerous, demanded to capitulate for the caftle; which being granted him, the garrifon, confifting of 600 regular troops, marched out with their arms and baggage the day following; and being received on board, they immediately fet fail for Barcelona. Thefe letters add, that the march of the French and Swifs regiments is further deferred for a few days, and that the Duke of Noailles was juft ready to fet out for Rouillon, as well as the Count de Bezons for Catalonia. The fame advices fay, bread was fold at Paris for fixpence a pound; and that there was not half enough,. even at that rate, to fupply the neceffities of the people, which reduced them to the utmost despair; that 300% men had taken up arms, and having plundered the market of the fuburb of St. Germain, preffed down by their multitude the King's guards who oppofed them. Two of those mutineers were afterwards feized and condemned to death; but four others went to the magiftrate who pronounced that fentence, and told him, he must ex pect pect to anfwer with his own life for those of their comrades. All order and fenfe of government being thus loft among the enraged people; to keep up a fhow of authority, the Captain of the Guards, who faw all their infolence, pretended, that he had reprefented to the King their deplorable condition, and had obtained their pardon. It is further reported, that the Dauphin and Duchefs of Burgundy, as they went to the Opera, were furrounded by crowds of people, who upbraided them with their neglect of the general calamity, in going to diverfions, when the whole people were ready to perish for want of bread. Edicts are daily publifhed to fupprefs thofe riots; and papers, with menaces against the government, as publicly thrown about. Among others, thefe words were dropped in a court of justice, "France "wants a Ravilliac or a Jefuit to deliver her." Besides this univerfal diftrefs, there is a contagious fickness, which, it is feared, will end in a peftilence. Letters from Bourdeaux bring accounts no less lamentable: The peasants are driven by hunger from their abodes. into that city, and make lamentations in the streets without redrefs. We are advised by letters from the Hague, dated the tenth inftant, N. S. that on the fixth the Marquis de Torcy arrived there from Paris; but the paffport, by which he came, having been fent blank by Monfieur Rouille, he was there two days before his quality was known. That Minister offered to communicate to Monfieur Heinfius the propofals which he had to make; but the Penfionary refused to fee them, and faid, he would fignify it to the States, who deputed fome of their own body to acquaint him, that they would enter into no negotiation until the arrival of his Grace the Duke of Marlborough, and the other Minifters of the alliance. Prince Eugene was expected there the twelfth inftant from Bruffels. It is faid, that befides Monfieur de Torcy, and Monfieur Pajot, Director-general of the Pofts, there are two or three perfons at the Hague whofe names are not known; but it is fuppofed, that the Duke d'Alba, embaffador from the Duke of Anjou, was one of them. The States have fent letters to all the cities of the provinces, defiring |