advice. I wish I could conceal the fequel of this ftory, but fince I cannot I fhall dispatch it in as few words as poffible. The Caftilian having flept longer than ordinary the next morning, upon his awaking found that his wife had left him: He immediately arofe and inquired after her, but was told that she was feen with the renegado about break of day. In a word, her lover having got all things ready for their departure, they foon made their efcape out of the territories of Algiers, carried away the money, and left the Caftilian in captivity; who, partly through the cruel treatment of the incenfed Algerine his mafter, and partly through the unkind ufage of his unfaithful wife, died fome few months after.

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No 199. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18.

THE

-Scribere juffit amor.

Love bid me write.

L

ÖVID. Ep. iv. ver. 10.

HE following letters are written with fuch an air of fincerity, that I cannot deny the inferting of them.

Mr. SPECTATOR,

Though you are every where in your writings a friend to women, I do not remember that V you have directly confidered the mercenary prac⚫tice of men in the choice of wives. If you would please to employ your thoughts upon that fubject, you would eafily conceive the miferable condition many of us are in, who not only from the laws of cuftom and modesty are restrained from makx ing any advances towards our wishes, but are alfo from the circumftance of fortune, out of all hope of being addreffed to by thofe whom we love. Under all these disadvantages I am obliged

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to apply myself to you, and hope I fhall prevail with you to print in your very next paper the following letter, which is a declaration of paffion to one who has made fome faint addreffes to me for fome time. I believe he ardently loves me, but the inequality of my fortune makes him think • he cannot answer it to the world, if he pursues his defigns by way of marriage; and I believe, as he does not want difcerning, he discovered me • looking at him the other day unawares in fuch a manner as has raised his hopes of gaining me on terms the men call eafier. But my heart was very 'full on this occafion, and if you know what love • and honour are, you will pardon me that I use no farther arguments with you, but haften to my letter to him, whom I call Oroondates, because if I do not fucceed, it fhall look like romance; and if I am regarded, you fhall receive a pair of gloves at my wedding, fent you under the name of Statira.

SIR,

To OROONDATES.

After very much perplexity in myfelf, and revolving how to acquaint you with my own fentiments, and expoftulate with you concerning yours, I have chofen this way, by which means I can be at once revealed to you, or, if you please, lie concealed. If I do not within few days find the effect which I hope from this, the whole affair fhall be buried in oblivion. But alas! what am I going to do, when I am about to tell you, that I love you? But after I have done so, I am to affure you, that with all the paffion which ever "entered a tender heart, I know I can banish you from my fight for ever, when I am convinced that you have no inclinations towards me but to C my difhonour. But, alas! Sir, why fhould you facrifice the real and effential happiness of life, VOL. III.

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to the opinion of a world that moves upon no other foundation but profeffed error and preju. dice? You all can obferve that riches alone do not make you happy, and yet give up every thing elfe when it ftands in competition with riches. Since the world is fo bad, that religion is left to us filly women, and you men act generally upon principles of profit and pleasure, I will talk to you without arguing from any thing but what may be most to your advantage, as a man of the world. And I will lay before you the ftate of the cafe, fuppofing that you had it in your power to make me your miftrefs, or your wife, and hope to con< vince you that the latter is more for your inte✔reft, and will contribute more to your pleasure.

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We will fuppofe then the fcene was laid, and you were now in expectation of the approaching evening wherein I was to meet you, and be carried to what convenient corner of the town you thought fit, to confummate all which your wan⚫ton imagination has promifed you in the poffeffion of one who is in the bloom of youth, and in the reputation of innocence: You would foon have enough of me, as I am fprightly, young, gay, and airy. When fancy is fated, and finds all the promifes it made itself falfe, where is now the innocence which charmed you? The first hour you are alone, you will find that the pleasure of a debauchée is only that of a deftroyer; he blasts all the fruit he taftes, and where the brute has "been devouring, there is nothing left worthy the relifh of the man. Reason refumes her place after imagination is cloyed; and I am, with the utmost diftrefs and confufion, to behold myself the caufe * of uneafy reflections to you, to be vifited by stealth, and dwell for the future with the two companions (the most unfit for each other in the world) Solitude and Guilt. I will not infift upon the flameful obfcurity we should pass our time in, nor run

over the little fhort fnatches of fresh air, and free commerce which all people must be fatisfied with, whofe actions will not bear examination, but leave' them to your reflections, who have seen of that life, of which I have but a mere idea.

• On the other hand, if you can be fo good and generous as to make me your wife, you may promise yourself all the obedience and tenderness with which gratitude can inspire a virtuous wo• man. Whatever gratifications you may promife yourself from an agreeable perfon, whatever 'compliances from an eafy temper, whatever con• folations from a fincere friendship, you may expect as the due of your generofity. What at prefent in your ill view you promise yourself from me, will be followed by diftafte and fatiety; but the transports of a virtuous love are the leaft part of its happiness. The raptures of innocent paffion are but like lightning to the day; they father interrupt than advance the pleasure of it. How happy then is that life to be, where the highest pleasures of fense are but the lowest parts of its felicity?

Now am I to repeat to you the unnatural requeft of taking me in direct terms. I know there ftands between me and that happiness the haughty daughter of a man who can give you fuitably to your fortune. But if you weigh the attendance • and behaviour of her who comes to you in a partnership of your fortune, and expects an equivalent, with that of her who enters your houfe as honoured and obliged by that permiffion, whom of the two will you chufe? You, perhaps, will think fit to spend a day abroad in the common ⚫ entertainments of men of fenfe and fortune; fhe will think herfelf ill-ufed in that abfence, and contrive at home an expence proportioned to the ⚫ appearance which you make in the world. She is in all things to have a regard to the fortune M 2 ' which

which he brought you, I to the fortune to which 'you introduced me. The commerce between you two will eternally have the air of a bargain, between us of a friendship: Joy will ever enter the room with you, and kind withes attend my benefactor when he leaves it. Afk yourself, how would you be pleafed to enjoy for ever the pleafure of having laid an immediate obligation on a grateful mind? Such will be your case with me. In the other marriage you will live in a conftant ⚫ comparison of benefits, and never know the happinefs of conferring or receiving any.

It may be you will, after all, act rather in the prudential way, according to the fense of the ordinary world. I know not what I think or fay, when that melancholy reflection comes upon me; ⚫ but shall only add more, that it is in your power to make me your grateful wife, but never your • abandoned miftrefs.'

No 200. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19.

T

Vincit amor patria VIRG. Æn. vi. ver. 823. The nobleft motive is the publick good.

HE ambition of princes is many times as hurt

THE

ful to themfelves as to their people. This cannot be doubted of fuch as prove unfortunate in their wars, but it is often true too of those who are celebrated for their fucceffes. If a fevere view were to be taken of their conduct, if the profit and lofs by their wars could be juftly balanced, it would be rarely found that the conqueft is fufficient to repay the coft.

As I was the other day looking over the letters of my correfpondents, I took this hint from that of Philarithmus; which has turned my prefent

thoughts