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Mons. The direction of the fiege is to be committed to the Prince of Orange, who defigned to take his post accordingly with thirty battalions and thirty fquadrons on the day following. On the feventeenth LieutenantGeneral Cadogan fet out for Brussels, to haften the ammunition and artillery which is to be employed in this enterprize; and the confederate army was extended from the Haifne to the Trouille, in order to cover the fiege. The lofs of the confederates in the late battle is not exactly known; but it appears by a lift tranfmitted to the States-General, that the number of the killed and wounded in their fervice amounts to above eight thoufand. It is computed, that the English have loft fifteen hundred men, and the rest of the Allies above five thoufand, including the wounded. The States-Genéral have taken the moft fpeedy and effectual measures for reinforcing their troops; and it is expected, that in eight or ten days the army will be as numerous as before the battle. The affairs in Italy afford us nothing remarkable'; only that it is hoped, the difference between the Courts of Vienna and Turin will be fpeedily accommodated. Letters from Poland prefent us with a near profpect of feeing King Auguftus re-established on the throne, all parties being very induftrious to reconcile themselves to his interests.

Will's Coffee-houfe, September 12.

Of all the pretty arts in which our modern Writers excel, there is not any which is more to be recommended to the imitation of beginners, than the skill of Transtion from one fubject to another. I know not whether I make myself well understood; but it is certain, that the way of ftringing a difcourfe, ufed in the Mercury Gallant, the Gentleman's Journal, and other learned writings; not to mention how naturally things prefent themselves to fuch as harangue in pulpits, and other occafions which Occur to the Learned; are methods worthy commendation. I fhall attempt this ftyle myfelf in few lines. Suppofe I were difcourfing upon the King of Sweden's paffing the Borifthenes. The Borifthenes is a great river, and puts me in mind of the Danube and the Rhine. The Danube

Danube I cannot think of, without reflecting on that unhappy Prince who had fuch fair territories on the banks of it; I mean the Duke of Bavaria, who by our last Letters is retired from Mons. Mons is as ftrong a fortification as any which has no citadel: And places which are not completely fortified, are, methinks, leffons to Princes, that they are not omnipotent, but liable to the strokes of fortune. But as all Princes are subject to fuch calamities, it is the part of men of letters to guard them from the obfervations of all small Writers: For which reason, I shall conclude my prefent remarks by publishing the following advertisement, to be taken notice of by all who dwell in the suburbs of learning.

"Whereas the King of Sweden has been fo unfortu"nate as to receive a wound in his heel; we do hereby "prohibit all epigrammatifts in either language and "both Univerfities, as well as all other Poets, of what "denomination foever, to make any mention of Achilles having received his death's wound in the fame part.

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"We do likewife forbid all comparisons in Coffee"houfes between Alexander the Great and the faid King "of Sweden, and from making any parallels between "the death of Patkul and Philotas; we being very ap

prehenfive of the reflections that feveral politicians "have ready by them to produce on this occafion, and being willing, as much as in us lies, to free the town "from all impertinencies of this nature."

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N° 68. Thursday, September 15, 1709.

From my own Apartment, September 14.

HE progress of our endeavours will of neceffity be very much interrupted, except the learned world will pleafe to fend their lifts to the chamber of Fame with all expedition. There is nothing can fo much contribute to create a noble emulation in our

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youth, as the honourable mention of such whose actions have outlived the injuries of time, and recommended themselves fo far to the world, that it is become Learning to know the least circumftance of their affairs. It is a great incentive to fee, that fome men have raised themfelves fo highly above their fellow-creatures, that the lives of ordinary men are fpent in enquiries after the particular actions of the moft illuftrious. True it is, that without this impulfe to Fame and reputation, our industry would stagnate, and that lively defire of pleasing each other die away. This opinion was so established in the heathen world, that their fenfe of living appeared infipid, except their Being was enlivened with a confcioufnefs that they were esteemed by the reft of the world.

Upon examining the proportion of men's Fame for my Table of Twelve, I thought it no ill way, (fince I had laid it down for a rule, that they were to be ranked fimply as they were famous, without regard to their virtue) to ask my fifter Fenny's advice; and particularly mentioned to her the name of Ariftotle. She immediately told me, he was a very great Scholar, and that the had read him at the boarding-fchool. She certainly means a trifle fold by the hawkers called Ariftotle's Problems. But this raifed a great fcruple in me, whether a Fame increased by impofition of others is to be added to his account, or that these excrefcencies, which grow out of his real reputation, and give encouragement to others to pafs things under the covert of his name, fhould be confidered in giving him his feat in the chamber? This punctilio is referred to the Learned. In the mean time, fo ill-natured are mankind, that I believe I have names already fent me fufficient to fill up my lifts for the dark room, and every one is apt enough to send in their accounts of ill defervers. This malevolence does not proceed from a real dislike of virtue, but a diabolical prejudice against it, which makes men willing to destroy what they care not to imitate. Thus you fee the greatest characters among your acquaintance, and thofe you live with, are traduced by all below them in virtue, who never mention them but with an exception. However, I believe I shall not give the world much trouble about Alling my Tables for thofe of evil Fame; for I have

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fome thoughts of clapping up the Sharpers there as fast as I can lay hold of them.

At prefent, I am employed in looking over the feve ral notices which I have received of their manner of dexterity, and the way at dice of making all Rugg, as the cant is. The whole art of fecuring a die has lately been fent me, by a perfon who was of the fraternity, but is difabled by the lofs of a finger; by which means he cannot practise that trick as he used to do. But I am very much at a lofs how to call fome of the fair Sex, who are accomplices with the Knights of Industry; for my metaphorical Dogs are easily enough understood; but the feminine gender of Dogs has fo harfh a found, that we know not how to name it. But I am credibly informed, that there are female Dogs as voracious as the males, and make advances to young fellows, without any other defign but coming to a familiarity with their purfes. I have alfo long lifts of perfons of condition, who are certainly of the fame regimen with these Banditti, and inftrumental to their cheats upon undifcerning men of their own rank. Thefe add their good reputation to carry on the impoftures of others, whofe very names would elfe be defence enough against falling into their hands. But for the honour of our nation, thefe fhall be unmentioned; provided we hear no more of fuch practices, and that they fhall not from henceforward fuffer the fociety of fuch, as they know to be the common enemies of order, discipline, and virtue. If it appear that they go on in encouraging them, they must be proceeded against according to the feveral rules of hiftory, where all is to be laid before the world with impartiality, and without refpect to perfons.

"So let the ftricken deer go weep."

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Will's Coffee-houfe, September 14.

I find left here for me the following Epiftle.

SIR,

family of Trubies, wherein you obferve, that there are fome who fall into laughter out of a certain "benevolence in their temper, and not out of the ordinary motive, viz. contempt, and triumph over the imperfections of others; I have conceived a good "idea of your knowledge of mankind. And, as you "have a tragi-comic genius, I beg the favour of you "to give us your thoughts of a quite different effect, "which alfo is caufed by other motives than what are commonly taken notice of. What I would have you treat of, is the caufe of fhedding tears. I defire you would difcufs it a little, with obfervations upon the " various occafions which provoke us to that expreffion "of our concern, &c."

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To obey this complaifant Gentleman, I know no way fo fhort as examining the various touches of my own bofom, on feveral occurrences in a long life to the evening of which I am arrived, after as many various incidents as any body has met with. I have often reflected, that there is a great fimilitude in the motions of the heart in mirth and in forrow; and I think the ufual occafion of the latter, as well as the former, is fomething which is fudden and unexpected. The mind has not a fufficient time to recollect its force, and immediately gushes into tears before we can utter ourselves by fpeech or complaint. The most notorious caufes of thefe drops from our eyes are pity, forrow, joy, and reconciliation.

The Fair Sex, who are made of man and not of earth, have a more delicate humanity than we have; and pity is the most common cause of their tears: For as we are inwardly compofed of an aptitude to every circumstance of life, and every thing that befalls any one perfon might have happened to any other of human race; felf

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