What an unfuitable Couple! infolent Woman! poor Sir Harry! yet why do I pity him !—He married her merely for her money, and knew the had nothing but that to recommend her,

By Titles dazzled, and by Wealth misled,
Minds ill-agreeing shame the nuptial Bed.

NUMB. IV. Saturday, April 3, 1756.

The Maid who modeftly conceals
Her Beauties while fhe hides, reveals,
Gives but a Glimpfe, and Fancy draws,
Whate'er the Grecian Venus was.

MOORE,

THE, following Letter, which came to my hands yefterday, has puzzled me not a little and I don't know whether I ought to publish it. I will be fo ingenuous as to own that I am very ignorant of the customs among thofe ingenious Gentlemen to which it alludes, and am therefore at a lofs to find out my Correfpondent's meaning: but as she is the first I have had fince I commenced Author, my vanity will

not

not let me fuppress it, though I am almost inclined to believe that fome wicked wits have drawn it up, in order to hum the old gentleman, and bring him into a choice ferape. If I was fure this was the cafe, adad! old NICHOLAS would give them' dash for dash, and fhew them that he is a man of fire, even at fixty odd.

"Dear Mr. BABBLE,

"I want fadly to afk you two or three questions "prodigiously; because, as you fay you are an "old man, I can better tell you, you knów, "about my affairs, than a young one. Well, "but I protest and vow I don't know how to "begin, for though I am fure you can't fee me,'

yet my face burns all over just like a red hot "fire coal: but it must out, fo you fhall hear : "but I think I'll begin with my Pa and Ma: "You must know Sir, that Pa is a picture. "frame maker, and Ma has brought us up in "a vaft handfome manner, for there's: Betfy and "Polly and I, but they are not fo old as me, "for I am juft turn'd eighteen-now you must "know, Mr. BABBLE,-law what a pretty 66 name you have that I am reckon'd very C "handfome

handfome by all our neighbours, and we lives " in St Martin's Lane: and Ma lets all the gen"tlemen come and fee us that will, becaufe fhe "fays, may be fome of them may take a fancy <to us now there comes among the reft, but "he comes a great deal oftner than they, one "Mr. Contour, who Ma thinks likes me: now "to be sure he is a very fine man, and to be "fure tells me that I am a delicate limb'd girl,. "with a great many pretty things that I can't "remember, and fays he wishes he had my "picture: now you know there is no hurt in

that is there Mr. BABBLE? and Ma fays the verily believes he has half a mind to marry <c me, but Pa fays, 'tis no fuch thing, because he ❝ overheard him one day ask me to come to his

lodgings and ftand without any cloaths for "him to draw me: now to be fure if he really "don't intend to marry me, why I had better "not go, though 'tis a pity that there should be

any harm in it, because I fwear I don't be"lieve Mr. Contour means any harm, for he is

one of the best natured men you ever saw in "the whole courfe of your life, and to be furé " is quite a fine gentleman: fo Pa has a mind "to forbid him the house, but Ma knows better

things, and the fays if he drives him away "from

" from the house he will never marry me; and "fo they are at daggers draw about it: but Pa "fwears I'fhan't go to his lodgings except he " will marry me firft,, and then Pa fays, he "may paint me from morning to night: now "dear, fweet Mr. BABBLE, tell me what I had " beft do, for I have no foul to advise with but "Ma, and the changes her mind as often as a "weathercock, so that I can't tell what to make "of her, no more than I do of Mr. Contour, "who I should be vaftly forry to affront, you' "know; fo pray, Mr. BABBLE, fay fome"thing to me about it, for Pa fays you are a "very good fort of a man, and if it is true, I "am fure you will answer the fcrawl of,

"Your humble fervant to command,

"RO SE PLUMP."

P. S. I had like to forget to tell you, "that there's a place in our lane, where women ftands before a dozen men at once, but I "would not go there for all the world."

In answer to Mifs Plump's letter, I can only fay, that if he has given me a true account of C 2

her

her cafe, I would not have her on any confideration think of going to Mr. Contour's lodgings, (because I dare venture to affure her that he is not the harmless man fhe takes, him to be); but follow her Pa's advice, keep out of his company, and perfuade her Ma to let him be forbidden the boufefhe need not be afraid of affronting him, for I am throughly fatisfied he has not the leaft intention to make her his wife. But there is a mystery in my correfpondent's poftfcript, which I have not penetration enough to unravel.› I own I should be extremely forry to fee the ftripping-fashion revived with new spirit, after it has been fo fuccefsfully rallied by my brothereffay-writers, Meffieurs Town and FITZADAM'Tis true, I am an old man, and must not be peeping, but I have not of late feen higher than a lady's garter, or lower than the pit of her ftomach, in any public place; how many other charms may be exhibited in a private room before only a dozen men at a time, I will not indeed prefume to fay: as I never have been prefent at any fuch rout, or to use a more expreffive word, riot;--for I was always reckon'd even by my enemies, a modeft man; but I intend to afk Jack Sulphur, if he ever faw whole groupes of females in their paradifaical ftate, and if he

tells