N° 69. am a great lover of mankind, I took part in the happinefs of that people who were to be governed by one of fo great humanity, juftice, and honour. Eboracenfis has read all the fchemes which writers have formed of government and order, and been long converfant with men who have the reins in their hands; fo that he can very well diftinguish between chimerical and practical politics. It is a great bleffing, when men have to deal with fuch different characters in the fame fpecies as those of freemen and flaves, that they who command have a juft fenfe of human nature itself, by which they can temper the haughtiness of the mafter, and foften the fervitude of the flave. Hæ tibi erunt artes. This is the notion with which those of the plantation receive Eboracenfis And as I have caft his nativity, I find there will be a record made of this perfon's administration; and on that part of the fhore from whence he embarks to return from his government, there will be a monument with these words: "Here the people wept, and took leave of Eboracenfis, the first governor our mother Felicia fent, "who, during his command here, believed himself. her fubject.”

45

White's Chocolate-house, September 16.

The following Letter wants fuch fudden dispatch, that all things elfe must wait for this time.

SIR, Sept. 13, Equal day and night. "HERE are two Ladies, who, having a good

Topinion of your taste and judgment, defire you

"to make ufe of them in the following particular, which perhaps you may allow very extraordinary. The two Ladies before mentioned have, a coufiderable time fince, contracted a more fincere and con"ftant friendship, than their adverfaries the men will "allow confiftent with the frailty of female nature; and, being from a long acquaintance convinced of the perfect agreement of their tempers, have thought upon an expedient to prevent their feparation, and cannot think any fo effectual (ince it is common for

"love to destroy friendship) as to give up both their liberties to the fame perfon in marriage. The Gen❝tleman they have pitched upon is neither well-bred nor

agreeable, his understanding moderate, and his per"fon never defigned to charm women; but having fo *much felf-intereft in his nature, as to be fatisfied with "making double contracts, upon condition of receiving "double fortunes; and moft men being fo far fenfible "of the uneafinefs that one woman occafions; they think him, for thefe reafons, the moft likely perfon

of their acquaintance to receive thefe propofals. "Upon all other accounts, he is the last man either of "them would chufe, yet for this preferable to all the "reft. They defire to know your opinion the next poft, refolving to defer farther proceeding, until they have received it. I am,

Sir,

your unknown,

unthought of,

humble fervant,

Bridget Either fide:

This is very extraordinary; and much might be objected by me, who am fomething of a civilian, to the cafe of two marrying the fame man: But thefe Ladies are, I perceive, Free-thinkers; and therefore I fhall fpeak only to the prudential part of this defign, merely as a philofopher, without entering into the merit of it in the ecclefiaftical or civil law. These constant friends, Piladea and Orefiea, are at a lofs to preserve their friendfhip from the encroachments of love; for which end they have refolved upon a fellow who cannot be the object of affection or esteem to either, and confequently cannot rob one of the place each has in her friend's heart. But in all my reading, (and I have read all that the Sages of love have writ,) I have found the greateft. danger in jealousy. The Ladies, indeed, to avoid this paffion,

chufe

am a great lover of mankind, I took part in the happinefs of that people who were to be governed by one of fo great humanity, justice, and honour. Eboracenfis has read all the fchemes which writers have formed of government and order, and been long converfant with men who have the reins in their hands; fo that he can very well diftinguish between chimerical and practical politics. It is a great bleffing, when men have to deal with fuch different characters in the fame fpecies as those of freemen and flaves, that they who command have a juft fenfe of human nature itself, by which they can temper the haughtiness of the mafter, and foften the fervitude of the flave. Hæ tibi erunt artes. This is the notion with which thofe of the plantation receive Eboracenfis And as I have caft his nativity, I find there will be a record made of this perfon's administration; and on that part of the shore from whence he embarks to return from his government, there will be a monument with these words:"Here the people wept, and took leave of Eboracenfis, the first governor our mother Felicia fent, "who, during his command here, believed himself her fubject."

45

White's Chocolate-house, September 16.

The following Letter wants fuch fudden dispatch, that all things elfe must wait for this time.

46

T

SIR, Sept. 13, Equal day and night. "HERE are two Ladies, who, having a good: opinion of your taste and judgment, defire you "to make use of them in the following particular, which perhaps you may allow very extraordinary. "The two Ladies before mentioned have, a coufider

able time fince, contracted a more fincere and con"ftant friendship, than their adverfaries. the men will "allow confiftent with the frailty of female nature;

and, being from a long acquaintance convinced of the perfect agreement of their tempers, have thought upon an expedient to prevent their feparation, and * cannot think any fo effectual (ince it is common for

"love to destroy friendship) as to give up both their liberties to the fame perfon in marriage. The Gen❝tleman they have pitched upon is neither well-bred nor agreeable, his understanding moderate, and his perfon never defigned to charm women; but having fo much felf-intereft in his nature, as to be fatisfied with "making double contracts, upon condition of receiving "double fortunes; and most men being fo far fenfible "of the uneafinefs that one woman occafions; they think him, for thefe reafons, the moft likely perfon

of their acquaintance to receive thefe propofals. "Upon all other accounts, he is the laft man either of "them would chufe, yet for this preferable to all the "reft. They defire to know your opinion the next poft, refolving to defer farther proceeding, until they have received it. I am,

Sir,

your unknown,

unthought of,

humble fervant,

Bridget Either fide:

This is very extraordinary; and much might be objected by me, who am fomething of a civilian, to the cafe of two marrying the fame man: But thefe Ladies are, I perceive, Free-thinkers; and therefore I fhall fpeak only to the prudential part of this defign, merely as a philofopher, without entering into the merit of it in the ecclefiaftical or civil law, These constant friends, Piladea and Oreftea, are at a loss to preserve their friendfhip from the encroachments of love; for which end they have refolved upon a fellow who cannot be the object of affection or esteem to either, and confequently cannot rob one of the place each has in her friend's heart. But in all my reading, (and I have read all that the Sages of love have writ,) I have found the greatest danger in jealousy. The Ladies, indeed, to avoid this paffion,

chufe

chufe a fad fellow; but if they would be advised by me, they had better have each her worthlefs man; otherwise,. he that was defpicable while he was indifferent to them, will become valuable when he seems to prefer one to the other.

I remember in the history of Don Quixote of la Manca, there is a memorable paffage which opens to us the weakness of our nature in fuch particulars. The Don falls into difcourfe with a Gentleman whom he calls "the knight of the Green Caffock," and is invited to his houfe. When he comes there, he runs into difcourfe and panegyric upon the ceconomy, the government, and order of his family, the education of his children; and laftly, on the fingular wisdom of him who disposes things with that exactnefs. The Gentleman makes a foliloquy to himself, O irrefiftible power of flattery! Though I know this is a madman, I cannot help being taken with his applaufe. The Ladies will find this much more true in the cafe of their lover; and the woman he most likes will certainly be more pleased, fhe whom he flights, more offended, than fhe can imagine before fhe has tried. Now I humbly propose, that they both marry coxcombs whom they are fure they cannot like, and then they may be pretty fecure against the change of affection, which they fear; and, by that means, preferving the temperature under which they now write, enjoy, during life, "Equal day and night."

St. James's Coffee-house, September 16..

There is no manner of News; but people now spend their time in coffee-houses in reflections upon the parti. culars of the late glorious day, and collecting the feveral parts of the action, as they are produced in letters from private hands, or notices given to us by accounts in public Papers. A pleasant Gentleman, alluding to the great fences through which we pierced, faid this evening, the French thought themselves on the right fide of the hedge, but it proved otherwife. Mr. Kidney, who has long conversed with, and filled tea for, the most confummate politicians, was pleased to give me an account of this piece of ribaldry;, and defired me on that

L

occafion