paration of his cargo, and the manufacture of his returns, he furnishes employment and fubfiftence to greater numbers than the richest nobleman; and even the nobleman is obliged to him for finding out foreign markets for the produce of his eftate, and for making a great addition to his rents; and yet it is certain, that none of all these things could be done by him without the exercife of his fkill in numbers.

This is the oeconomy of the merchant; and the conduct of the gentleman must be fame, unless by fcorning to be the fteward, he refolves the fteward fhall be the gentleman. The gentleman, no more than the merchant, is able, without the help of numbers, to account for the fuccefs of any action, or the prudence of any adventure. If, for inftance, the chace is his whole adventure, his only returns> must be the ftag's horns in the great hall, and the fox's nofe upon the ftable door. Without doubt; Sir ROGER knows the full value of thefe returns: and if beforehand he had computed the charges of the chace, a gentleman of his difcretion would certainly have hanged up all his dogs, he would never have brought back fo many fine horfes to the kennel, he would never have gone fo often, like a blast. over fields of corn. If fuch too had been the conduct of all his ancestors, he might truly have boafted at this day, that the antiquity of his family had never been fullied by a trade; a merchant had never been permitted with his whole eftate to purchafe a room for his picture in the gallery of the COVERLEYS, or to claim his defcent from the maid of honour. But it is very happy for Sir ROGER that the merchant paid fo dear for his ambition. It is the misfortune of many other gentlemen toturn out of the feats of their ancestors, to make way for fuch new mafters as have been more exactin their accounts than themselves; and certainly he deferves the eftate a great deal better, who has got

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it

it by his industry, than he who has loft it by his negligence.

No 175. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20.

Proximus a tectis ignis defenditur ægre.

T

ÖVID. Rem. Am. ver. 625.

To fave your house from neighb'ring fire is hard. TATE,

I SHALL this day entertain my readers with two or three letters I have received from my correfpondents: The first discovers to me a fpecies of females which have hitherto efcaped my notice, and is as follows.

Mr. SPECTATOR,

AM a young gentleman of a competent fortunc, and a fufficient taste of learning, to fpend five or fix hours every day very agreeably among my books. That I might have nothing to divert me from my ftudies, and to avoid the noifes of coaches and chairmen, I have taken lodgings in a very narrow street not far from Whitehall, but it is my misfortune to be fo pofted, that my lodgings are directly oppofite to thofe of a Jezebel. You are to know, Sir, that a Jezebel (fo called by the neighbourhood from difplaying her pernicious charms at her window) appears conftantly dreffed at her fafli, and has a thoufand little tricks and fooleries to attract the eyes of all the young fellows in the neighbourhood. I have feen more than fix perfons at once from their feveral windows obferving the Jezebel I am now complaining of. I at first looked on her nyfelf with the highest contempt, could divert myfelf with her airs for half an hour, and afterwards take up my Plutarch with great tranquility of mind; but was a little vexed to find that in

• lefs

lefs than a month fhe had confiderably ftolen upon my time, fo that I refolved to look at her no more. But the Jezebel, who, as I fuppofe, might think it a diminution to her honour to have the number of her gazers leffened, refolved not to part with me fo, and began to play fo many new tricks at her window, that it was im "poffible for me to forbear obferving her. I verily believe the put herself to the expence of a new, wax-baby on purpofe to plague me; the ufed tor dandle and play with this figure as impertinently as if it had been a real child: Sometimes fhe would let fall a glove or a pin-cufhion in the street, and 'fhut and open her cafement three or four times in a minute. When I had almoft weaned myfelf from this fhe came in her shift-sleeves, and dreff'ed at the window. I had no way left but to let 'down my curtains, which I fubmitted to though it confiderably darkened my room, and was pleafed to think that I had at last got the better of her; but was furprised the next morning to hear her talking out of her window quite cross the street. with another woman that lodges over me: I am fince informed, that he made her a vifit, and got acquainted with her within three hours after the fall of my window-curtains.

Sir, I am plagued every moment in the day, one way or other, in my own chambers; and the Jezebel has the fatisfaction to know, that though I am not looking at her, I am liftening to her. impertinent dialogues that pafs over my head. I would immediately change my lodgings, but that I think it might look like a plain confeffion, that I am conquered; and befides this, I am told that most quarters of the town are infefted with thefe creatures. If they are fo, I am fure it is 'fuch an abuse, as a lover of learning and filence 'ought to take notice of.

I am, SIR Yours, &c.'
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I am

I am afraid, by fome lines in this letter, that my young ftudent is touched with a diftemper which he hardly feems to dream of, and is too far gone in it to receive advice. However, I fhall animadvert in due time on the abufe which he mentions, having myself obferved a neft of Jezebels near the Temple, who make it their diverfion to draw up the eyes of young Templars, that at the fame time they may fee them ftumble in an unlucky gutterwhich runs under the window.

• Mr. SPECTATOR,

:I

HAVE lately read the conclufion of your fortyfeventh fpeculation upon Butts with great pleasure, and have ever fince been thoroughly perfuaded that one of thofe gentleman is ex-tremely neceffary to enliven converfation. I had an entertainment laft week upon the water for a Lady to whom I make my addreffes, with feveral of our friends of both fexes. To divert the company in general, and to fhew my mistress in particular my genius for rallery, I took one of the moft celebrated Butts in town along with me. It is with the utmoft fhame and confusion that I muft acquaint you with the fequel of my adventure: As foon as we were got into the boat, I played a fentence or two at my Butt which I thought very fmart, when my ill-genius, who I verily believe infpired him purely for my deftruction, fuggefted to him fuch a reply, as got all the laughter on his fide. I was dafhed at fo unexpected a turn; which the Butt perceiving, refolved not let me recover myself, and purfuing his victory, rallied and toffed me in a most ⚫ unmerciful and barbarous manner until we came to Chelfea. I had fome fmall fuccefs while we were eating cheese-cakes; but coming home, he renewed his attacks with his former good-fortune, and equal diverfion to the whole company.

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In fhort, Sir, I muft ingenuously own that I was never fo handled in all my life; and to complete my misfortune, I am fince told that the Butt, flushed with his late victory, has made a vifit or two to the dear object of my wishes, fo that I am at once in danger of lofing all my pretenfions to wit, and my miftrefs into the bargain. This, Sir, is a true account of my prefent troubles, ← which you are the more obliged to affift me in, as you were yourself in a great measure the cause of them, by recommending to us an inftrument, ⚫ and not inftructing us at the fame time how to play upon it.

I have been thinking whether it might not be highly convenient that all Butts fhould wear an infcription affixed to fome part of their bodies, fhewing on which fide they are to be come at ; ⚫ and if any of them are perfons of unequal tempers, there should be fome method taken to inform the world at what time it is fafe to attack them, and when you had beft to let them alone. • But fubmitting thefe matters to your more ferious ⚫ confideration, I am, S IR,

• Yours, &c.'

I have, indeed, feen and heard of feveral young gentlemen under the fame misfortune with my prefent correfpondent. The beft rule I can lay down for them to avoid the like calamities for the future, is thoroughly to confider not only Whether their companions are weak, but Whether themselves are wits.

The following letter comes to me from Exeter, and being credibly informed that what it contains is matter of fact, I fhall give it my reader as it was fent me.

• Mr. SPECTATOR,

Exeter, Sep. 7.

You U were pleased in a late fpeculation to take

notice of the inconvenience we lie under in

the