acquaintance has been lost from a general prepossession in his disfavour, and a severe aspect has often hid under it a very agreeable companion. There are no distinguishing qualities among men to which there are not false pretenders; but though none is more pretended to than that of devotion, there are perhaps fewer successful impostors in this kind than any other. There is something so natively great and good in a person that is truly devout, that an awkward man may as well pretend to be genteel, as a hypocrite to be pious. The constraint in words and actions are equally visible in both cases; and any thing set up in their room, dees but remove the endeavourers farther off from their pretensions. But, however the sense of true piety is abated, there is no other motive of action that can carry us through all the vicissitudes of life with alacrity and resolution. But piety, like philosophy, when it is superficial, does but make men appear the worse for it; and a principle that is but half received, does but distract, instead of guiding our behaviour. When I reflect upon the unequal conduct of Lotius, I see many things that run directly counter to his interest; therefore I cannot attribute his labours for the public good, to ambition. When I consider his disregard to his fortune, I cannot esteem him covetous. How then can I reconcile his neglect of himself, and his zeal for others? I have long suspected him to be a 'little pious: but no man ever hid his vice with greater caution than he does his virtue. It was the praise of a great Roman, that he had rather be, than appear good.' But such is the weakness of Lotius, that I dare say, he had rather be esteemed irreligious than devout. By I know not what impatience of raillery, he is wonderfully fearful of being thought too great a believer. A hundred little devices are made use of to hide a time of private devotion; and he will allow you any suspicion of his being ill employed, so you do not tax him with being well. But alas! how mean is such a behaviour? To boast of virtue, is a most ridiculous way of disappointing the merit of it, but not so pitiful as that of being ashamed of it. How unhappy is the wretch, who makes the most absolute and independent motive of action the cause of perplexity and inconstancy! How different a figure does Cæli. colo make with all who know him! His great and superior mind, frequently exalted by the raptures of heavenly meditation, is to all his friends of the same use, as if an angel were to appear at the decision of their disputes. They very well understand, he is as much disinterested and unbiassed as such a being. He considers all applications made to him, as those addresses will affect his own application to heaven. All his determinations are delivered with a beautiful humility; and he pronounces his decisions with the air of one who is more frequently a supplicant than a judge. Thus humble, and thus great, is the man who is moved by piety, and exalted by devotion. But behold this recommended by the masterly hand of a great divine I have heretofore made bold with. It is such a pleasure as can never cloy or overwork the mind; a delight that grows and improves under thought and reflection; and while it exercises, does also endear itself to the mind. All pleasures that affect the body must needs weary, because they transport; and all transportation is a violence; and no violence can be lasting; but determines upon the falling of the spirits, which are not able to keep up that height of motion that the pleasure of the senses raises them to. And therefore how inevitably does an immoderate laughter end in a sigh, which is only nature's recovering itself after a force done to it: but the religious pleasure of a well-disposed mind moves gently, and therefore constantly. It does not affect by rapture and ecstacy, but is like the pleasure of health, greater and stronger than those that call up the senses with grosser and more affecting impressions. No man's body is as strong as his appetites; but Heaven has corrected the boundlessness of his voluptuous desires by stinting his strength, and contracting his capacities.-The pleasure of the religious man is an easy and a portable pleasure, such a one as he carries about in his bosom, without alarming either the eye or the envy of the world. A man putting all his pleasures into this one, is like a traveller putting all his goods into one jewel; the value is the same, and the convenience greater.' No. 212.] Thursday, August 17, 1710. From my own Apartment, August 16. I HAVE had much importunity to answer the following letter: MR. BICKERSTAFF,-Reading over a volume of yours, I find the words simplex munditiis mentioned as a description of a very well-dressed woman. I beg of you, for the sake of the sex, to explain these terms. I cannot comprehend what my brother means when he tells me, they signify my own name, which is, Sir, your humble servant, PLAIN ENGLISH.' I think the lady's brother has given us a very good idea of that elegant expression; it being the greatest beauty of speech to be close and intelligible. To this end, nothing is to be more carefully consulted than plainness. In a lady's attire, this is the single excellence; for to be, what some people call, fine, is the same vice in that case, as to be florid, is in writing or speaking. I have studied and writ on this important subject, until I almost despair of making a reformation in the females of this island; where we have more beauty than in any spot in the universe, if we did not disguise it by false garniture, and detract from it by impertinent im This appears to be one of Steele's political papers, in provements. I have by me a treatise concerning which his principal design seems to have been, to con- pinners, which, I have some hopes, will contritrast the character of Mr. Harley, afterwards lord Oxford, the treasurer then in office, with that of lord Go-bute to the amendment of the present headdolphin, who was his lordship's immediate predecessor. dresses, to which I have solid and unanswerable objections. But most of the errors in that, and | each other, the spark, to my greater surprise, other particulars of adorning the head, are crept into the world from the ignorance of modern tirewomen; for it is come to that pass, that an awkward creature in the first year of her apprenticeship, that can hardly stick a pin, shall take upon her to dress a woman of the first qual-gar, who delights to fright innocent people, and ity. However, it is certain, that there requires in a good tirewoman, a perfect skill in opties; for all the force of ornament is to contribute to the intention of the eyes. Thus she, who has a mind to look killing, must arm her face ac. cordingly, and not leave her eyes and cheeks undressed. There is Araminta, who is so sensible of this, that she never will see even her own husband, without a hood* on. Can any one living bear to see Miss Gruel, lean as she is, with her hair tied back after the modern way? But such is the folly of our ladies, that because one who is a beauty, out of ostentation of her being such, takes care to wear something that she knows cannot be of any consequence to her complexion; I say, our women run on so heedlessly in the fashion, that though it is the interest of some to hide as much of their faces as possible, yet because a leading toast appeared with a backward head-dress, the rest shall follow the mode, without observing that the author of the fashion assumed it because it could become no one but herself. very peaceably gave me the way; which made set them a galloping. I bethought myself of Flavia is ever well-dressed, and always the genteelest woman you meet: but the make of her mind very much contributes to the ornament of her body. She has the greatest simplicity of manners of any of her sex. This makes every thing look native about her, and her clothes are so exactly fitted, that they ap pear, as it were, part of her person. Every one that sees her knows her to be of quality; but her distinction is owing to her manner, and not to her habit. Her beauty is full of attraction, but not of allurement. There is such a composure in her looks, and propriety in her dress, that you would think it impossible she should change the garb, you one day see her in, for any thing so becoming, until you next day see her in another. There is no other mystery in this, but that however she is apparelled, she is herself the same; for there is so immediate a relation between our thoughts and gestures, that a woman must think well to look well. But this weighty subject I must put off for some other matters, in which my correspondents are urgent for answers; which I shall do where I can, and appeal to the judgment of others where I cannot. August 15, 1710. MR. BICKERSTAFF,-Taking the air the other day on horseback in the green lane that leads to Southgate, I discovered coming towards me a person well mounted in a mask; and I accordingly expected, as any one would, to have been robbed. But when we came up with Hoods of various kinds began to come into fashion in the latter part of the reign of Charles II. In the process of a few succeeding years, so much injury was done in various ways, by disorderly persons disguised with masks, crapes, and blackened faces, that 'SIR,-The gentleman begs your pardon, and frighted you out of fear of frighting you; for he is just come out of the small pox.' MR. BICKERSTAFF;-Your distinction concerning the time of commencing virgins is allowed to be just. I write you my thanks for it, in the twenty-eighth year of my life, and twelfth of my virginity. But I am to ask you another question: may a woman be said to live any more years a maid, than she continues to be courted? I am, &c.' August 15, 1710. 'SIR, I observe that the Postman of Saturday last, giving an account of the action in Spain, has this elegant turn of expression; general Stanhope, who in the whole action expressed as much bravery as conduct, received a contusion in his right shoulder. I should be glad to know, whether this cautious politician means to commend or to rally him, by saying, He expressed as much bravery as conduct If you can explain this dubious phrase, it will inform the public, and oblige, Sir, No. 213.] 'Your humble servant, &c.' Saturday, August 19, 1710. Sheer-lane, August 18. THERE has of late crept in among the downright English a mighty spirit of dissimulation. But, before we discourse of this vice, it will be necessary to observe, that the learned make a difference between simulation and dissimulation. Simulation is a pretence of what is not, and dissimulation is a concealment of what is. The latter is our present affair. When you look round you in public places in this island, you see the generality of mankind carry in it was thought necessary to pass the law which is called The Black Act. Stat. 9 Geo. I. c. ??. The ladies at this time rode in masks. See Swift's 'Works, Vol. XXII p. 269. their countenance an air of challenge or defi- subject on which a man is more beholden to ance; and there is no such man to be found nature for his eloquence, than to the instruction among us, who naturally strives to do greater of the schools, or my lady's woman. From the honours and civilities than he receives. This two latter your scholar and page must have innate sullenness or stubbornness of complexion reaped all their advantage above him.--I know is hardly to be conquered by any of our islanders. by this time you have pronounced me a trader. For which reason, however they may pretend I acknowledge it; but cannot bear the excluto choose one another, they make but very sion from any pretence of speaking agreeably to awkward rogues; and their dislike to each other a fine woman, or from any degree of generosity is seldom so well dissembled, but it is suspected. that way. You have among us citizens many When once it is so, it had as good be professed. well-wishers; but it is for the justice of your A man who dissembles well must have none of representations, which we, perhaps, are better what we call stomach, otherwise he will be cold judges of than you (by the account you give of in his professions of good will where he hates; your nephew) seem to allow. an imperfection of the last ill consequence in To give you an opportunity of making us business. This fierceness in our natures is ap- some reparation, I desire you would tell, your parent from the conduct of our young fellows, own way, the following instance of heroic love who are not got into the schemes and arts of in the city. You are to remember, that somelife which the children of the world walk by. where in your writings for enlarging the terri One would think that, of course, when a man of tories of virtue and honour, you have multiany consequence for his figure, his mien, or his plied the opportunities of attaining to heroic gravity, passes by a youth, he should certainly virtue; and have hinted, that in whatever state have the first advances of salutation; but he is, of life a man is, if he does things above what you may observe, treated in a quite different is ordinarily performed by men of his rank, he manner; it being the very characteristic of an is in those instances a hero. English temper to defy. As I am an English- Tom Trucman, a young gentleman of eighman, I find it a very hard matter to bring my-teen years of age, fell passionately in love with self to pull off the hat first; but it is the only the beauteous Almira, daughter to his master. way to be upon any good terms with those we lier regard for him was no less tender. Truemeet with. Therefore the first advance is of man was better acquainted with his master's high moment. Men judge of others by them-affairs than his daughter; and secretly lamentselves; and he that will command with used that each day brought him, by many mismust condescend. It moves one's spleen very agrecably, to see fellows pretend to be dissemblers without this lesson. They are so reservedly complaisant, until they have learned to resign their natural passions, that all the steps they make towards gaining those whom they would be well with, are but so many marks of what they really are, and not of what they would appear. The rough Britons, when they pretend to be artful towards one another, are ridiculous enough; but when they set up for vices they have not, and dissemble their good with an affectation of ill, they are insupportable. I know two men in this town who make as good figures as any in it, that manage their credit so well as to be thought atheists, and yet say their prayers morning and evening. Tom Springly, the other day, pretended to go to an assignment with a married woman at Rosamond's Pond, and was seen soon after reading the responses with great gravity at six o'clock prayers. Sheer-lane, August 17. Though the following epistle bears a just accusation of myself, yet in regard it is a more advantageous piece of justice to another, I insert it at large. carriages, nearer bankruptcy than the former. This unhappy posture of their affairs the youth suspected, was owing to the ill management of a factor in whom his master had an entire confidence. Trueman took a proper occasion, when his master was ruminating on his decaying fortune, to address him for leave to spend the remainder of his time with his foreign correspondent. During three years stay in that employment, he became acquainted with all that concerned his master, and by his great address in the management of that knowledge, saved him ten thousand pounds. Soon after this accident, Trueman's uncle left him a considerable estate. Upon receiving that advice, he returned to England, and demanded Almira of her father. The father, overjoyed at the match, offered him the ten thousand pounds he had saved him, with the further proposal of resigning to him all his business. Trueman refused both; and retired into the country with his bride, contented with his own fortune, though perfectly skilled in all the methods of improving it. It is to be noted, that Trueman refused twenty thousand pounds with another young lady; so that reckoning both his self-denials, he is to have in your court the merit of having given thirty thousand pounds for the woman he loved. This gentleman I claim your justice to; and hope you will be convinced that some of us have larger views than only Cash Debtor, per contra Creditor.-Yours, RICHARD TRAFFICK.' Garraway's Coffee-house, August 10. MR. BICKERSTAFF,-I have lately read your paper, wherein you represent a conversation between a young lady, your three nephews, and yourself; and am not a little offended at the figure you give your young merchant in the tered among the heroes of domestic life. presence of a beauty. The topic of love is a Mr. Thomas Trucman of Lime-street is en CHARLES LILLIE. From my own Apartment, August 21. In every party there are two sorts of men, the rigid and the supple. The rigid are an intractable race of mortals, who act upon principle, and will not, forsooth, fall into any measures that are not consistent with their received notions of honour. These are persons of a stubborn unpliant morality; that sullenly adhere i to their friends when they are disgraced, and to their principles, though they are exploded. I shall therefore give up this stiff-necked generation to their own obstinacy, and turn my thoughts to the advantage of the supple, who pay their homage to places, and not persons; and, without enslaving themselves to any particular scheme of opinions, are as ready to change their conduct in point of sentiment as of fashion, The well-disciplined part of a court are generally so perfect at their exercise, that you may see a whole assembly, from front to rear, face about at once to a new man of power, though at the same time, they turn their backs upon him that brought them thither. The great hardship these complaisant members of society are under, seems to be the want of warning upon any approaching change or revolution; so that they are obliged in a hurry to tack about with every wind, and stop short in the midst of a full career, to the great surprise and derision of their beholders. When a man foresees a decaying ministry, he has leisure to grow a malecontent, reflect upon the present conduct, and, by gradual murmurs, fall off from his friends into a new party, by just steps and measures. For want of such notices, I have formerly known a very well-bred person refuse to return a bow of a man whom he thought in disgrace, that was next day made secretary of state; and another, who, after a long neglect of a minister, came to his levee, and made professions of zeal for his service the very day before he was turned out. magical liquor, presages all changes and revo lutions in governinent, as the common glass does those of the weather. This Weather-glass is said to have been invented by Cardan,* and given by him as a present to his great country. man and contemporary, Machiaval; which, by the way, may serve to rectify a received error in chronology, that places one of these some years after the other. How or when it came into my hands, I shall desire to be excused, if I keep to myself; but so it is, that I have walked by it for the better part of a century to my safety at least, if not to my advantage; and have among my papers a register of all the changes that have happened in it from the middle of queen Eliza. beth's reign. In the time of that princess it stood long as settled fair, At the latter end of king James the First, it fell, to cloudy. It held several years after at stormy; insomuch, that at last, despair. ing of seeing any clear weather at home, I followed the royal exile, and some time after find. ing my glass rise, returned to my native coun try, with the rest of the loyalists. I was then in hopes to pass the remainder of my days in settled fair: but alas! during the greatest part of that reign, the English nation lay in a dead calm, which, as it is usual, was followed by high winds and tempests, until of late years; in which, with unspeakable joy and satisfaction, I have seen our political weather returned to settled fair. I must only observe, that for all this last summer my glass has pointed at change. able. Upon the whole, I often apply to Fortur Eneas's speech to the Sibyl: -Non ulla laborum O virgo, nova mi facies inopinave surgit: No frightful face of danger can be new: The mind foretells whatever comes to pass; A thoughtful mind is Fortune's weather-glass. The advantages which have accrued to those whom I have advised in their affairs, by virtue of this sort of prescience, have been very considerable. A nephew of mine, who has never put his money into the stocks, or taken it out, without my advice, has in a few years raised five hundred pounds to almost so many thou. This produces also unavoidable confusions sands. and mistakes in the descriptions of great men's consist rather in content than possessions, and As for myself, who look upon riches to parts and merits. That ancient Lyric M. D'Ur-measure the greatness of the mind rather by its fey, some years ago writ a dedication to a certain lord, in which he celebrated him for the greatest poet and critic of that age, upon a misinformation in Dyer's letter, that his noble patron was made lord chamberlain. In short, innumerable votes, speeches, and sermons, have been thrown away, and turned to no account, merely for want of due and timely intelligence. Nay, it has been known, that a panegyric has been half printed off, when the poet, upon the removal of the minister, has been forced to alter it into a satire. เ tranquillity than its ambition, I have seldom used my glass to make my way in the world, but often to retire from it. This is a by-path to happiness, which was at first discovered to me by a most pleasing apophthegm of Pythagoras: When the winds,' says he, 'rise, worship the echo.' That great philosopher (whether to make his doctrines the more venerable, or to gild his precepts with the beauty of imagination, or to awaken the curiosity of his disciples, for I will not suppose, what is usually said, that he did it * Jerom Cardan, physician and an astrologer, the au thor of ten volumes in folio, was, in the opinion of Bayle, one of the greatest geniuses of his age. This strange man, who seems to have been much under the power of superstition and, at times, not seldom, insane, was born at Pavia, September 24, 1501, and died at Rome, according to Thuanus, September 21, 1575. No. 215.] Thursday, August 24, 1710. to conceal his wisdom from the vulgar) has | pertinent takes upon him on all occasions to couched several admirable precepts in remote commend; and because mirth is agreeable, allusions, and mysterious sentences. By the another thinks fit eternally to jest. I have of winds in his apophthegm, are meant state hur-late received many packets of letters, complainricanes and popular tumults. When these ing of these spreading evils. A lady who is rise,' says he, worship the echo;' that is, with- lately arrived at the Bath acquaints me, there draw yourself from the multitude into deserts, were in the stage-coach wherein she went down woods, solitudes, or the like retirements, which a common flatterer, and a common jester. These are the usual habitations of the echo. gentlemen were, she tells me, rivals in her favour; and adds, if there ever happened a case wherein of two persons one was not liked more than another, it was in that journey. They dif fered only in proportion to the degree of dislike between the nauseous and the insipid. Both From my own Apartment, August 23. these characters of men are born out of a barLYSANDER has writ to me out of the country, renness of imagination. They are never fools and tells me, after many other circumstances, by nature; but become such out of an impotent that he had passed a great deal of time with ambition of being, what she never intended much pleasure and tranquillity; until his hap- them, men of wit and conversation. I therefore piness was interrupted by an indiscreet flatterer, think fit to declare, that according to the known who came down into those parts to visit a re- laws of this land, a man may be a very honest lation. With the circumstances in which he gentleman, and enjoy himself and his friend, represents the matter, he had no small provoca- without being a wit; and Labsolve all men from tion to be offended; for he attacked him in so taking pains to be such for the future. As the wrong a season, that he could not have any re- present case stands, is it not very unhappy that lish of pleasure in it; though, perhaps, at another Lysander must be attacked and applauded in a time it might have passed upon him without wood, and Corrina jolted and commended in a giving him much uneasiness. Lysander had, stage-coach; and this for no manner of reason, after a long satiety of the town, been so happy but because other people have a mind to show as to get to a solitude he extremely liked, and their parts? I grant indeed, if these people, as recovered a pleasure he had long discontinued, they have understanding enough for it, would that of reading. He was got to the bank of a confine their accomplishments to those of their rivulet, covered by a pleasing shade, and fanned own degree of talents, it were to be tolerated; by a soft brecze; which threw his mind into but when they are so insolent as to interrupt the that sort of composure and attention, in which meditations of the wise, the conversations of the a man, though with indolence, enjoys the utmost agrecable, and the whole behaviour of the moliveliness of his spirits, and the greatest strength dest, it becomes a grievance naturally in my of his mind at the same time. In this state, jurisdiction. Among themselves, I cannot only Lysander represents that he was reading Vir- overlook, but approve it. I was present the other gil's Georgies, when on a sudden the gentleman day at a conversation, where a man of this above-mentioned surprised him; and, without height of breeding and sense told a young woany manner of preparation, falls upon him at man of the same form, 'To be sure, madam, once What! I have found you at last, after every thing must please that comes from a lady.' searching all over the wood! we wanted you at She answered, 'I know, sir, you are so much a cards after dinner; but you are much better em- gentleman, that you think so.' Why this was ployed. I have heard indeed that you are an very well on both sides; and it is impossible excellent scholar. But at the same time, is it that such a gentleman and lady should do othernot a little unkind to rob the ladies, who like you wise than think well of one another. These are so well, of the pleasure of your company? But but loose hints of the disturbances in human that is indeed the misfortune of you great scho-society, for which there is yet no remedy; but lars; you are seldom so fit for the world as those I shall in a little time publish tables of respect who never trouble themselves with books. Well, I see you are taken up with your learning there, and I will leave you.' Lysander says, he made him no answer, but took a resolution to complain to me. It is a substantial affliction, when men govern themselves by the rules of good breeding, that by the very force of them they are subjected to the insolence of those, who either never will, or never can, understand them. The superficial part of mankind form to themselves little measures of behaviour from the outside of things. By the force of these narrow conceptions, they act among themselves with applause; and do not apprehend they are contemptible to those of higher understanding, who are restrained by decencies above their knowledge from showing a dislike. Hence it is, that because complaisance is a good quality in conversation, one im and civility, by which persons may be instructed in the proper times and seasons, as well as at what degree of intimacy a man may be allowed to commend or rally his companions; the pro. miscuous license of which is, at present, far from being among the small errors in conversation. P. S. The following letter was left, with a request to be immediately answered, lest the artifices used against a lady in distress may come into common practice. 'SIR,-My eldest sister buried her husband about six months ago; and at his funeral, a gen. tleman of more art than honesty, on the night of his interment, while she was not herself, but in the utmost agony of her grief, spoke to her of the subject of love. In that weakness and distraction which my sister was in, as one ready |