But flight causes produce great effects. All my happiness has been destroyed by change of place; virtue is too often merely local; in fome fituations the air diseases the body, and in others poisons the mind. Being obliged to remove my habitation, I was led by my evil genius to a convenient houfe in a street where many of the nobility refide. We had fcarcely ranged our furniture, and aired our rooms, when my wife began to grow difcontented, and to wonder what the neighbours would think when they faw fo few chairs and chariots at her door.

Her acquaintance who came to fee her from the quarter that we had left, mortified her without defign, by continual enquiries about the ladies, whose houses they viewed from our windows. She was afhamed to confefs that fhe had no intercourfe with them, and sheltered her distress under general answers, which always tended to raise fufpicion that fhe knew more than fhe would tell; but fhe was often reduced to difficulties, when the course of talk introduced questions about the furniture or ornaments of their houses, which, when he could get no intelligence, fhe was forced to pafs flightly over, as things which fhe faw fo often, that she never minded them.

To all thefe vexations fhe was refolved to put an end, and redoubled her vifits to thofe few of her friends, who vifited thofe who kept good company; and, if ever fhe met a lady of quality, forced herself into notice by refpect and affiduity. Her advances were generally rejected; and fhe heard

them, as they went down ftairs, talk how fome creatures put themselves forward.

She was not difcouraged, but crept forward from one to another; and, as perfeverance will do great things, fapped her way unperceived, till, unexpectedly, the appeared at the card-table of lady Biddy Porpoife, a lethargick virgin of feventy-fix, whom all the families in the next fquare vifited very punctually when she was not at home.

This was the firft step of that elevation to which my wife has fince afcended. For five months fhe had no name in her mouth but that of lady Biddy, who, let the world fay what it would, had a fine understanding, and fuch a command of her temper, that, whether fhe won or loft, fhe flept over het cards.

At lady Biddy's fhe met with lady Tawdry, whofe favour the gained by eftimating her ear-rings, which were counterfeit, at twice the value of real diamonds. When fhe had once entered two houses of diftinction, fhe was eafily admitted into more, and in ten weeks had all her time anticipated by parties and engagements. Every morning fhe is bespoke, in the fummer, for the gardens; in the winter, for a fale; every afternoon she has vifits to pay, and every night brings an inviolable appointment, or an affembly in which the beft company in the town were to appear.

You will eafily imagine that much of my do meftick confort is withdrawn. I never fee my wife but in the hurry of preparation, or the languor of wearinefs. To drefs and to undrefs is almoft her whole bufinefs in private, and the fervants take

advantage

advantage of her negligence to increafe expence. But I can supply her omiffions by my own diligence, and fhould not much regret this new course of life, if it did nothing more than transfer to me the care of our accounts. The changes which it has made are more vexatious, My wife has no longer the use of her understanding. She has no rule of action but the fashion. She has no opinion but that of the people of quality. She has no language but the dialect of her own set of company. She hates and admires in humble imitation; and echoes the words charming and deteftable without confulting her own perceptions,

If for a few minutes we fit down together, fhe entertains me with the repartees of lady Cackle, or the converfation of lord Whiffler and mifs Quick, and wonders to find me receiving with indifference fayings which put all the company into Jaughter.

By her old friends fhe is no longer very willing to be feen, but she must not rid herself of them all at once; and is fometimes furprised by her best vifitants in company which she would not fhew, and cannot hide; but from the moment that a countess enters, she takes care neither to hear nor fee them they foon find themselves neglected and retire, and fhe tells her ladyship that they are fomehow related at a great distance, and that as they are good fort of people fhe cannot be rude to them.

As by this ambitious union with thofe that are above her, fhe is always forced upon disadvanta

geous comparisons of her condition with theirs, she has a conftant fource of misery within; and never returns from glittering affemblies and magnificent apartments but the growls out her difcontent, and wonders why she was doomed to fo indigent a state. When the attends the duchefs to a fale, fhe always fees fomething that she cannot buy; and, that she may not feem wholly infignificant, fhe will fometimes venture to bid, and often make acquifitions which fhe did not want at prices which the cannot afford.

What adds to all this uneafinefs is, that this expence is without ufe, and this vanity without honour; fhe forfakes houfes where he might be courted, for thofe where the is only fuffered; her equals are daily made her enemies, and her fu periors will never be her friends.

I am, SIR, yours, &c,

NUMB. 54. SATURDAY, April 28, 1759.

SIR,

YOU

To the IDLER.

OU have lately entertained your admirers with the cafe of an unfortunate husband, and thereby given a demonstrative proof you are not averfe even to hear appeals and terminate differences between man and wife; I therefore take the liberty to present you with the case of an injured lady, which, as it chiefly relates to what I think the lawyers call a point of law, I fhall do in as juridical a marner as I am capable, and fubmit it to the confideration of the learned gentlemen of that profeffion.

Imprimis. In the style of my marriage articles, a marriage was bad and folemnized about fix months ago, between me and Mr. Savecharges, a gentleman poffeffed of a plentiful fortune of his own, and one who, I was perfuaded, would improve, and not fpend mine.

Before our marriage Mr. Savecharges had all along preferred the falutary exercise of walking on foot, to the distempered eafe, as he terms it, of lolling in a chariot but notwithstanding his fine panegyricks on walking, the great advantages the infantry were in the fole poffeffion of, and the many dreadful dangers they escaped, he found I had very different P 4

notions