confiderable mean Perfons, one spinning, the other fweeping the Streets, for their daily Bread. But I for"bear to vent my Spleen on Objects so much beneath my Indignation. I fhall only give the World a Catalogue of my Ancestors, and leave them to determine which hath hitherto had, and which for the future ought to have, the Preference.

• First then comes the most famous and popular Lady • Meretrix, Parent of the fertile Family of Bellatrix, Lotrix, Netrix, Nutrix, Obftetrix, Famulatrix, Coctrix, • Ornatrix, Sarcinatrix, Fextrix, Balneatrix, Portatrix, • Saltatrix, Divinatrix, Conjectriz, Comtrix, Debitrix, • Creditrix, Donatrix, Ambulatrix, Mercatrix, Adfectrix, Affectatrix, Palpatrix, Præceptrix, Piftrix. I am Yours,

Eliz. Potatrix.

St. James's Coffee-house, June 29.

LETTERS from Bruffels of the 2d of July, N. S. fay, That the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene having received Advice that the Marthal Villars had drawn a confiderable Body out of the Garrison of Tournay, to reinforce his Army, marched towards that Place, and came before it early in the Morning of the 27th. As foon as they came into that Ground, the Prince of Nassau was fent with a strong Detachment to take Post at St. Amand; and at the fame Time my Lord Orkney received Orders to poffefs himself of Mortagne; both which were fuccessfully executed; whereby we are Mafters of the Scheld and the Scarp. Eight Men were drawn out of each Troop of Dragoons and Company of Foot in the Garrison of Tournay, to make up the Reinforcement which was ordered to join Marshal Villars; but upon Advice that the Allies were marching towards Tournay, they endeavoured to return into the Town; but were intercepted by the Earl of Orkney, by whom the whole Body was killed or taken. These Letters add, That 1200 Dragoons (each Horfeman carrying a FootSoldier behind him) were detached from Mons to throw themselves into Tournay; but upon Appearance of a VOL. I.

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great Body of Horfe of the Allies, retired towards Conde. We hear that the Garrison does not confift of more than 3500 Men. Of the 60 Battalions defigned to be employed in this Siege, feven are English, viz. two of Guards, and the Regiment of Argyle, Temple, Evans and Meredith.

By Mrs. Jenny Diftaff, Half-Sifter to Mr. Bickerstaff.

N° 36.

MAN

Saturday, July 2, 1709.

From my own Apartment, June 30.

[ANY Affairs calling my Brother into the Country, the Care of our Intelligence with the Town is left to me for fome Time; therefore you must expect the Advices you meet with in this Paper to be fuch as more immediately and naturally fall under the Confideration of our Sex. History therefore written by a Woman, you will eafily imagine to confift of Love in all its Forms, both in the Abuse of, and Obedience to that Paffion. As to the Faculty of Writing itself, it will not, it is hoped, be demanded, that Stile and Ornament fhall be fo much confulted, as Truth and Simplicity; which latter Qualities we may more juftly pretend to beyond the other Sex. While therefore the Administration of our Affairs is in my Hands you shall from Time to Time have an exact Account of all falfe Lovers, and their fhallow Pretences for breaking off; of all termagant Wives who make Wedlock a Yoke; of Men who affect the Entertainments and Manners fuitable only to our Sex, and Women who pretend to the Conduct of such Affairs as are only within the Province of Men. It is neceffary further to Advertise the Reader, that the ufual Places of Refort being utterly out of my Province or Obfervation, I fhall be obliged frequently to change the Dates of Places, as Occurrences come into my Way. The following Letter I lately received from Epsom.

Epfom,

Epfom, June, 28.

T is now almoft three Weeks fince what you writ about happened in this Place: The Quarrel between my Friends did not run fo high as I find your Accounts have made it. The Truth of the Fact you shall have very faithfully. You are to understand, that the Perfons concerned in this Scene were Lady Autumn and Lady Springly: Autumn is a Perfon of good Breeding, Formality, and a fingular Way practifed in the laft Age; and Lady Springly, a modern Impertinent of our Sex, who affects as improper a Familiarity, as the other does Diflance. Lady Autumn knows to an Hair's Breadth where her Place is in all Affemblies and Converfations; but Springly neither gives nor takes Place of any Body, but understands the Place to fignify no more, than to have Room enough to be at eafe wherever she comes. Thus while Autumn takes the whole of this Life to confift in understanding Punctilio and Decorum, Springly takes every Thing to be becoming, which contributes to her Eafe and Satisfaction. These Heroines have married two Brothers, both Knights. Springly is the Spoufe of the elder, who is a Baronet ; and Autumn being a rich Widow, has taken the younger, and her Purfe endowed him with an equal Fortune and Knighthood of the fame Order. This Jumble of Titles, you need not doubt, has been an aching Torment to Autumn, who took Place of the other or no Pretence, but her Careleffness and Difregard of Diftinction. The fecret Occafion of Envy broiled long in the Breaft of Autumn; but no Opportunity of Contention on that Subject happening, kept all Things quiet till the Accident of which you demand an Account.

IT was given out among all the gay People of this Place, that on the 9th Infant feveral Damfels, fwift of Foot, were to run for a Suit of Head-clothes at the Old Wells. Lady Autumn on this Occafion invited Springly to go with her in her Coach to fee the Race. When they came to the Place, where the Governor of Epfom, and all his Court of Citizens were affembled, as well as a Croud of People of all Orders, a brifk young Fellow addreffes himself to the younger of the Ladies, viz. Springly, and offers her his Service to conduct her inte

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the Mufick-Room. Springly accepts the Compliment, and is led triumphantly through a bowing Croud, while Autumn is left among the Rabble, and has much ado to get back into her Coach; but he did it at laft: And as it is ufual to fee by the Horfes my Lady's prefent Difpofition, she orders John to whip furiously home to her Husband; where, when he enters, down fhe fits, began to unpin her Hood, and lament her foolish fond Heart, to marry into a Family where fhe was fa little regarded; fhe that might

But

Here fe ftops; then rifes up, and ftamps, and fits down again. Her gentle Knight made his Approach with a fupple befeeching Gefture. My Dear, faid be,Tell me no Dears, replied Autumn,-in the Prefence of the Governor and all the Merchants-What will the World jay of a Woman that has thrown herself away at this Rate? Sir Thomas withdrew, and knew it would not be long a Secret to him; as well as that Experience told him, He that marries a Fortune is of Course guilty of all Faults against his Wife, let them be committed by whom they will. Springly, an Hour or two after, returns from the Wells, and finds the whole Company together. Down fhe fat, and a profound Silence enfued. You know a premeditated Quarrel ufually begins and works up with the Words, Some People. The Silence was broken by Lady Autumn who began to Jay, There are fome People who fancy, that if fome People-Springly immediately takes her up, There are some People who fancy, if other People-Autumn repartees, People may give themselves Airs; but other People, perhaps, who make lefs Ado, may be, perhaps, as agreeable as People who set themselves out more. All the other People at the Table fat mute, while these two People, who were quarrelling, went on with the Ufe of the Word People, inftancing the very Accidents between them, as if they kept only in diftant Hints. Therefore, says Autumn, redning. There are fome People will go abroad in other People's Coaches and leave those with whom they went to shift for themselves: And if, perhaps, those People have married the younger Brother; yet, perhaps, he may be beholden to thofe People for what he is. Springly Smartly anfvers, People may bring fo much Illhumour into a Family, as People may repent their re

ceiving

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ceiving their Money; and goes on-Every body is not confiderable enough to give her Uneafinefs. Upon this Autumn comes up to her, and defired her to kiss her, and never to fee her again; which her Sifter refusing, my dy gave her a Box on the Ear- -Springly returns; Ay, ay, faid fhe, I knew well enough you meant me by your fome People; and gives her another on t'other Side. To it they went with moft mafculine Fury; each Hufband ran in. The Wives immediately fell upon their Husbands, and tore Periwigs and Cravats. The Company interpos'd; when (according to the Slip knot of Matrimony, which makes them return to one another when any put in between) the Ladies and their Husbands fell upon all the rest of the Company; and having beat all their Friends and Relations out of the Houfe, came to themselves time enough to know, there was no bearing the Jeft of the Place after these Adventures, and therefore march'd off the next Day. It is faid, the Governor has fent feveral Joints of Mutton, and bas propofed divers Dibes very exquifitely dreffed, to bring them down again. From his Addrefs and Knowledge in Roaft and Boiled, all our Hopes of the Return of this good Company depend. I am,

Dear Jenny,
Your ready Friend
and Servant,

Martha Tatler.

White's Chocolate-houfe, June 30.

THIS Day appeared here a Figure, of a Perfon, whofe Services to the Fair Sex have reduced him to a Kind of Exiftence for which there is no Name. If there be a Condition between Life and Death, without being abfolutely dead or living, his State is that. His Afpect and Complexion in his robuft Days gave him the illuftrious Title of Africanus : But it is not only from the warm Climates in which he has ferved, nor from the Difafters which he has fuffered, that he deserves the fame Appellation with that renowned Roman; but the Magnanimity with which he appears in his laft Moments, is what gives him the undoubted Character of Hero. Cato ftabb'd

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