Ir is my misfortune to be under forty, and to have a round, untroubled countenance, which, in my present fituation, is a great grievance to me. I now pay my addreffes to the daughter of a man of business, who is fo cruel as to threaten to marry the young lady to a contemporary of his own. I mean a man of his own years. He says no young man can be good for any thing but filling a house with children, without being wife enough to know how to provide for them.

JUVENAL.

THE utmost inconveniencies are owing to the difficulty we meet with, in being admitted into the fociety of men in years, and adding thereby the early knowledge of men and business to that. of books, for the reciprocal improvement of each other. One of fifty as naturally imagines the fame infufficiency in one of thirty, as he of thirty does in one of fifteen; and each age is thus left to instruct itself by the natural courfe of its own reflection and experience. I am apt to think, that before thirty, a man's natural and acquired parts are at that strength as, with a little experience, to enable him, if ever he can be enabled, to acquit himself well in any business or converfation he shall be admitted into.

As to the objection, that those who have not been used to business are consequently unfit for it, it might have been made, one time or other, against all men that ever were born; and is fo general a one, that it is none at all. Besides, he that knew men the best that ever any one did, fays, that "Wisdom cometh by opportunity of leisure, and he that hath little business fhall become wife;" and the great Lord Bacon observes, that those governments have always been moft happy, which have been administered by such as have spent part of their life in books and leifure; and inftances in the governments of Pius Quin

tus,

tus, and Sixtus Quintus, about his own time; who, though they were esteemed but pedantic friars, proceeded upon truer principles of state, than those who had their education in affairs of ftate, and courts of princes. If this rule holds in the dispatch of the moft perplexed matters, as of public politics, it muft, of néceffity, in that of the common divifions of business, which every body knows are directed by form, and require rather diligence and honefty, than great ability in the execution.

A GOOD judgment will not only supply, but go beyond experience; for the latter is only a knowledge that directs us in the dispatch of matters future, from the confideration of matters past of the fame nature; but the former is a perpetual and equal direction in every thing that can happen, and does not follow, but makes the precedent that guides the other.

THIS everlasting prejudice of the old againft the young, heightens the natural difpofition of youth to pleasure, when they find themselves adjudged incapable of bufinefs. Thofe amongst them, therefore, whofe circumstances and way of thinking will allow them fuch freedom, plunge themselves into all fenfual gratifications. Others of them, of a more regulated turn of thought, feek the entertainment of books and contemplation, and are buried in thefe pleasures. Thefe purfuits, during our middle age, ftrengthen the love of retirement in the fober man, and make it neceffary to the libertine. They gain philoföphy enough by this time to be convinced that it is their intereft to have as little ambition as may be; and confidering rather how much less they need, to live happily, than how much more, cannot conceive why they should trouble themfelves about raifing a fortune, which in the purfuit must leffen their prefent enjoyment, and in the purchase cannot enlarge it.

I CONFESS that the impious and impertinent way of life and converfation of youth în general, exposes them to the juft difefteem of their elders; but where the contrary is found among any of them, it fhould be the more particular recommendation to their patronage. There are fome obfervations, I have by chance met with, fo much in favour of young men, that I cannot fupprefs them. As fincerity is the chief recommendation, both in public and private matters, it is obferved, that the young are more fincere in the difpatch of bufinefs, and profeffion of friendship, than thofe that are more advanced in years: for they either prefer public reputation to private advantage, or believe it is the only way

to it. They are generally good-natured, as having not been acquainted with much malice, or foured with disappointment. The less difpofed to pride or avarice, as they have neither wanted nor abounded. They are unpractifed in the way of flattery and diffimulation, and think others practise thofe arts as little as themselves, This arifes from their boldnefs, as having nós been yet humbled by the chances of life, and their credulity, as having not yet been often deceived.

I SHALL Conclude by faying, that it is very hard upon we young fellows, that we are not to be trufted in business and conversation with those in

years, till due age, together with its confequences, ill health and ill humour, have marked us with a faded cheek, a hollow eye, a bufy ruminating forehead, and, in fhort, rendered us lefs capable of ferving and pleasing them, than we were when we deemed unable to do either. I beg your pardon for so many ferious reflections, with which, notwithstanding the great age of your SPECTATORSHIP, I trust you will not be offended, and am, with all poffible respect,

Calum ipfum petimus fultitia HOR. By the curtefy of England, lawyers and phificians are allowed to dabble in politics; but a perfonal interference in politics fo ill becomes the divine, that very little refpect is paid to thofe fons of the church, who make it their bus finefs to attend more to the election of a com moner than the cure of fouls. It implies fuch a predilection for temporal interefts, that I have never read of a divine dabling in politics, that did not render himfelf defpicable.

AMONGST the maný notorious inftances of political clergymen with which the church is a this time infefted, I know of none more highly cenfurable than DOCTOR GOGGLE, who has the honour to hold a prebendary in one of our most ancient cathedrals. The Doctor has a handfome eftate and a pleasant country refidence, at a small market-town in the north of England, which giving him confiderable interest at a county election, he is, at fuch a time, as bufy as any

blockhead

blockhead in the county; and woe to the poor wretch over whom he has, or can poffibly obtain any influence, that votes in opposition to the Doctor!

In his perfon he is an epitome of all that is agreeable in a fon of the church. He is fhort and fat, of an Egyptian complexion, and a countenance that would have become Leo when he was pronouncing judgment against Luther. Over a full-bottomed grizly wig, he ufually puts a broad larim'd greafy hat, and, mounted on a mule, value forty fhillings, refembles a modern churcherrant in quest of a tithe pig. Like the knights errant of old, he is ufually attended by his fquire, who, for any thing I know, may be as good a man as ever Sancho was, though it is certain he does not follow fo good a master..

THE abilities of the Doctor are very flender nor does he trouble the world with frequently exerting them. He abominates refidence, and it was not till lately that he ever went near one of his principal livings; but a neighbouring squire at length compelled him to vifit it once a month, for which, no doubt, he has the charitable prayers of the Doctor, every time he is under the neceflity of taking a journey fo difagreeable, and performing a service so irksome to one of his dispofition.

AVARICE is not his hobby-horse. It is the ambition of tyrannifing over others; of being feared, and of being regarded as a great man.Every step, however, that he takes towards acquiring that diftinction, has a direct contrary tendency. Those who, unhappily, are under his thumb, do indeed fear and hate him. Those who regard alike his fmiles and frowns, defpife and deteft him.

ADDED to his other acquifitions, he is in commiffion for the peace, and, as far as I can underftand, a very able magiftrate, and a man of exceeding great penetration, for when a supposed culprit is brought before him, his guilt or innocence is immediately discovered by the Doctor, the moment he is informed on which fide the man voted at the last election; or if, peradventure, he did not vote at all, fuch is the Doctor's fkill in phyfiognomy, that he would condemn or acquit a man by the marks of his countenance; and, to his great credit be it faid, he feldom traces the matter further; so excellent is knowledge by intuition! But refpecting his fkill in jufticeship, I fhall tell you more in a future

number.

FROM a Christian divine we expect placability of temper; but the refentment of the Doctor knows no bounds. He purfues with unremitting

vengeance the wretch that happens, however lightly, to offend him ; but especially in the grand article of an election. Of humility and meckness he knows only the names; and his breast is a total stranger to humanity; for of all the diverfions to which he is addicted, the principal is cock-fighting; and his fupreme delight is to fee two harmless birds tear cach other to pieces. In this his favage difpofition is clearly feen; for none but favages can bear, much less encourage, a diverfion which muft wring the heart that is not fteeled against all feeling; attended by fuch hellish language as must shock the car of every one, but fox-hunting fquires, borifh innkeeps, and a reverend Prebend-Of one of these infernal meetings, and of the characters of a fox-hunting fot, and an unfeeling publican, who are both reckoned good fort of men, I fhall give you a particular account, to fhew what brutes men may be and yet have the reputation of being good fort of

men!

Ir is no wonder, friend SPEC, that the clergy of the established church fhould be held in fuch difrepute, when wretches like Doctor Goggle are permitted to hold pluralities and dignities. You will naturally observe that there is nothing very original in the character of Doctor Goggle. "'Tis true, 'tis pity, and pity 'tis tis true." The character is too common. Electioneering parfons are to be found in every county, and men living in idleness on the fruits of the church, who ought not to live at all!

[To be continued. ]

THE NEOTERIC, DELECTABLE,

CRITICAL SOCIETY.

Third Meeting.

OITAROH being called upon, I took the chair, and having received thanks from the fociety for my attention;

STATIRA FRIGHTFUL rofe, and declared that she was one of the performers engaged to play at the Paris Theatre; but things had fo unfortunately intervened, that fhe was not only deprived of feeing France, but also of obtaining any engagement, as the different companies were all full when the disappointment took place. She, therefore, moved, that a fe. tition be drawn up, for the relief of those performers who, like herself, had been difappointed in the Paris fcheme, affigning a reafon why that fcheme was not put into execution. The motion not being feconded, fhe fat down, as little fatisfied as when she got up.

FAG BLINKHORN, infinuated that he had been at the reherfal of the new comedy, Two to Oney

One, which is to be performed next week. The mufic, fhe faid, was by Dr. Arnold, and the comedy written by Mr. Colman, jun. who, if fhe might judge from this specimen, promises that the name of Colman fhall lofe nothing in dramatic celebrity.

Mrs. TATTOO rose, acquainting the society, that on Tucfday evening, June the 8th, at the clofe of the Agreeable Surprife, a violent cawing, like that of a raven, was heard in the houfe; but it was foon difcovered to be one of the Synagogue, and wife to Sanguinetti (the mufic feller in Long-Acre, who, fome few days ago leaped from the stage box, on the stage, with a pistol in his hand to fecure a performer), attempting to raise a noife in the house, but was foon prevented, to the honour of the Theatre, and the fatisfaction of the audience.-She concluded with obferving, that on Wednesday, their Majefties honoured the Theatre with their prefence, for the first time this feafon.

THEODOSIA HINTWELL, then got up with, Legiflator, as Mrs. Tattoo does not finish the critiques, by your leave I will continue them. "On Saturday June, 12th, were performed the "Separate Maintenance, and the Election of the Ma"nagers. The former, went off with, its ufual

applause, faving that the comedy was weakened by the indifpofition of Mr. Aiçkin, which "prevented his playing. I never faw any thing "fo characteristic, as the meeting of Mrs. C....r, "and Mrs. L....., in that scene, where the "author makes jealoufy overbalance reason; "the force of which obliges both to embrace con"defcenfion, and enter into low abufe. In

fhort, it was quite in character: the fneers that "enfued were truly genuine, for-entre nous❝thefe two very gentle ladies, no longer ago than

"the treble cry, when fome gentlemen from "the boxes and pit interfered, and a party "of the latter came into the boxes in order to "turn them out. A fcuffle enfued, and the "whole house was alarmed. Capt. T—, of "the navy bade the performers go on; upon "which the young fashionable hero took fire, and "blows fucceeded words. The collar of the "latter's fhirt was torn entirely off.—Mr. B—r, and his cockaded friend, came up to Capt. "T——, and pushed him about, demanding. this name and refidence, which he offered for "the addrefs of the perfon with whom he fought, "which being refused, he judiciously denied his. "It fo intervened, that Capt.Twas left, unprotected, to the three heroes, who all went into the lobby, and really bullied him, for fuch "language from gentlemen, as they called them"felves, I never heard. Mr. Br dared any man to fight him. His cockaded friend, "who, by the bye, had a pretty, effeminate, black patch, at the corner of his mouth, to "hide a pimple, or through affectation, was in a converfation equally fublime. A gentleman perfuading Captain T- to go out, he

"asked him, if he wished to have a clout of the "head? However, fome gentlemen thinking it

very improper that Captain T fhould be " left in that fituation, forced him out, and advifed him not to return to thofe from whom he could expect no fatisfaction. The three men that produced the whole of this difturbance, remained in the lobby half an hour after Cap"tain T went out, quarrelling and offering to clout" any body that opposed their opinion. Some noblemen were for calling the "conftable of the house, and fettling the matter "speedily; they then affumed drunkenness, and

left the lobby, continuing their noife as they

went along."-Mifs Hintwell having finished. her account, an adjournment was moved for, and paffed nem. con. I Thall have a rare joke for you in my next, for just as we had broke up, fome poignant infinuations efcaped from Mifs Morrice Loveall, and Skylight Brazen; and our next meeting will difcover,

"What females fay, when jealoufy's the theme!"

You perhaps may think it strange, that I mean to recount the private amours of these ladies, but they are carried on in fuch a stile as I truft cannot but be amusing to your readers. The keenness of the sarcasms and retorts which pafs between them, is fometimes fuch as to excite much rifibility, as you will have occafion to obferve,

To the NEW SPECTATOR.

Dear SPEC,

THE important bufinefs of the Weftminfter election being as good as fettled, thofe, who 'can afford it, are very wifely following your example, and quitting town with all poffible expedition. And truly the hafte with which they travel, would induce one to think that they were flying from Sodom and Gomorrah. Though the late Lord Chefterfield tells us, that it is very ungenteel to walk faft, left a man fhould be fuppofed to have any business on his hands, and furely it must be very ungenteel for a man to be useful, the rule, it seems, does not extend to riding; for by their mode of travelling, one might venture to conclude, that the nobility and gentry were the only people vulgar enough to have any business at all.

Tune,

Kate of Aberdeen."
Now all the groves in verdure gay,
Are deck'd to hail the spring;
My fleecy care fecurely play,

The birds melodious fing;
Ye blooming nymphs and jocund fwains,
Affemble round this tree,

And join with me in ruftic ftrains,

To praise my Lass of Dee.

The myrtle green, and moffy rofe,
I'll cull with nicest care,

And form of every fweet that blows,

A chaplet for her hair;

For fure there's not on all our lawns,

A fhepherdefs like she,

Where virtue reigns, and beauty dawhf,

As in my Lafs of Dee.

When wanton zephyrs port around,

We ftray befide the ftream,, And liften to the bubling found,

'Or talk, and love's our theme; But if the breeze withdraws its aid,

And Sol too feorching be,

I leave the banks, and seek the fhade,
With my dear Lass of Dee.

Here well content I tune my reed,
My happiness fo near;
Before my grot my lambkins feed,
The firflings of the year;
Then take, ye rich, your idol wealsh,

Let pride its wishes fee, to Grant me but these paternal fields, And my, lov'd Lafs of Dee! 1.

})

WESTMINSTER JUBILEE.

Tu various reports concerning the funts of money received at the Jubilee in WestminsterAbbey, are amazing. I am therefore, happy to have it now in my power, from good authority, to inform my readers, as near as poffible, the whole of the expence and profit. The fact is, very little more than 12,000 pounds have as yet come to the directors hands, and the expence of that ftupendous performance will exceed 5,000l. and it is expected, that about the fame fum will be prefented to the mufical fund, for whom the whole fum was originally intended, but the Bishop of Rochefter, being a governor of the Weftminster Infirmary, and Dean of Weftminster, folicited a part for that Hofpital.*

*I am not clear from this information, that the profits arifing from the entertainments de the Pantheony are included. JOHN BULL.