NUM B. XXXII. Saturday, October 16, 1756.

TER.

Speculum Vitæ.

The Looking Glafs of Life.

Yesterday spent the Evening with my Friend Jack Tattle, who has for fome time expreffed an inclination to introduce me to his Sifter, because the longed to be acquainted with the PRAShe received me with all the Freedom and Familiarity of an old Acquaintance (for the Tattlefamily never knew what Reserve was) and foon began to entertain me with the relation of a Vifit' fhe made the Day before to one of her female Intimates, lately married, and just arrived from her Hufband's Seat. The detail of this Vifit I fhall communicate for the benefit of those young Ladies who are never contented, and yet don't know what they would have.

"You know Mifs Wifhfort, Brother, faid fhe, and have often heard me fay, how fhe was idoli

zed

zed by her Father and Mother, who made it the Study of their Lives to gratify her most fantastical Whims and capricious Inclinations. As this young Lady, Mr. BABBLE, had not a very inviting Perfon, and was very humourfome, she had not a multitude of Admirers: though as Mr. Wishfort is known to be rich, he received and rejected a great many offers for his Daughter. At laft Mr. Supple, a young Gentleman of good Character and Fortune, was propofed by his Uncle, who wanted to fee him fettled. He faw the Lady, made no Objections to her, and they were soon after married. I then thought my Friend might be happy if she had but a Man who would give her her own Way; and waited impatiently, to pay my congratulatory Vifit, at her return to London. I happened unluckily to be extremely ill, when she firft faw Company, and went yesterday to her, fully expecting to have found her the gay eft Creature breathing, as I knew she had always discovered an immoderate propenfity to be marri ed, and had frequently fretted herself fick, to fee other Girls have Lovers when she had none. But, to my infinite furprize, I found her fitting in her Dreffing-Room, at Seven in the Evening, not adorned with the neatness and elegance of a Bride, but in her Bed-Gown and Slippers, with her: Cap half off, and her Hair about her Ears. She. rose to receive me with a melancholy Air, and cried, Ah, Bell I am married! I know you

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are

are, my Dear, faid I, and am come to pay my compliments to you on the joyful occafion. - I have no Joy, I can affure you, said she, I an the most unhappy of Women. I am very forry to hear you say fo, replied I; what can have madefo difagreeable a Change in your Situation? you feemed to like Mr. Supple very well when he made his Addreffes to you. Aye, faid fhe, I knew but little of him then, and thought it would be a fine thing to be married; to have a vaft quantity of fine Cloaths made in the newest Fashion; to be covered with Jewels; to have a House ;and a Coach of my own, and to go every where without having my Mamma tagging after me,But it's all over I have fhewn myself to all my Acquaintance, nay to all the World, for I have, been to all the public Diverfions twice over in different D:effes: and now I am weary of every Thing and every Creature. Well, all this I-expected, faid I, and should have thought you very undeferving of the Man you have married, if you had placed your whole happiness in Equipage and Drefs. Mr. Supple added I, ought to be your only Delight, as I don't doubt but he merits the higheft Efteem. Mr. Supple cried fhe, (lifting up her Hands and Eyes) aye Child- one may fee plainly you have never been married you talk as if you knew nothing of the Matter. He, all my delight! O how grofly are you mistaken. Why he is nothinga meer Chip in Porridge:

he has not the least notion of any thing, no taste at all; and though I have been these fix weeks beating it into him, I am never the nearer; will you believe me my Dear; I have had three different fets of Furniture in this Dreffing-Room already, and though they were all fo fweetly fancied, that I was half distracted about the choice of them, that stupid Soul looked at them with as much indifference, as if he had been ftaring at a great stack of Hay in the Country. Nay, I dare swear, he would have thought that a much finer Sight.— Why, may be he would, faid I, but did you not know that he wanted Tafte before you married him O, no, cried fhe, the Man was always well drefs'd, civil, and did as he was bid by my Papa and Mama; I did not mind him, and as he made a mighty fufs about me, they approved of the Match and as I longed to be my own Miftrefs, I confented. Well, and is his Affection for you abated do you think? said I. — O no, cried fhe, He is fulfome enough. Well then, faid I, have you discovered any difagreeable qualities in him? No Child, cried fhe, I tell you I have difcovered no qualities at all: I fancied there was a mighty deal of pleasure in a married Life, but how wretchedly am I difappointed? Yet I can't say the Man has any Faults neither-in fhort, he is nothing at all. What, has he no Talent for Conversation? faid I.-Lard, no Child, faid he, I don't know what you call conversation,

but

but I will tell you how he spends his time, like a queer, regular Animal as he is. He rifes and goes to bed exactly, because it is fo much a Clock, He eats three good Meals a Day. He walks, and rides juft as many Miles a Day, because it is wholesome, and then pores over fome mufty Book, to correct his Thoughts and improve his Mind, as he fays. All this is very rational, faid I, and more Women would be extremely glad of fuch a regular Husband. — Aye, may be fo, faid, fhe, he may be very rational for aught I know, but he spends his Time, in my Opinion, very ftupidly. Well, but while he is thus employed, faid I, you have Liberty to divert yourself with paying and receiving vifits among your Acquaintance. -Liberty? cried fhe, Liberty, Child? Yes, indeed, with the Fortune I brought, Mifs Tattle, Ithink I may have Liberty to go where I please, and do what I will: but have I not told you that I have been every where, and feen every thing, that 'tis all over and over again, and that 'tis infipid to the laft degree: yet you would infinuate that I have but justLierty to do as I pleafe; O! I fhould be glad to fee him dare to offer to hinder me. I would foon let him fee who would get the better. But my dear Mrs. Supple, faid I, ready to laugh in her face at the violent flurry fhe put herself into, Why all this eagerness about nothing? You are your own Mistress; you married to be your own Mistress you know; I only congratulated you on