that England produces excellent painters as well as France, Italy, and Flanders.

By complying with this requeft, you will be admired and efteemed by a great many deferving young fellows, and particularly oblige

Your very humble fervant

J F. I am fo well pleafed with my correfpondent's true English fpirit, and his generous behaviour, that I fhall chearfully comply with his requeft, and recommend the artifts of my own country, without dreading the appellation of a tasteless Prater. And I hereby give public notice, that I expect all my relations, friends, acquaintance and readers, who would be thought found patriots, and encouragers of merit and industry, to fit immediately for their pictures to English painters only, and to order their houses, horses, dogs, parks and gardens, to be drawn by the fame hands. NICHOLAS BABBLE.

0000000000000000 NUMB. XII. Saturday, May 29, 1756.

dare jura marits. HOR.

To give laws to husbands.

WHILE I was looking over the Adverti

fer at a coffee-house near St. James's, I

heard

heard a dialogue between fome perfons of diftinction, which entertained me very much, and made fuch an impreffion, that I committed it to paper as foon as I returned to my lodgings.

Sir Charles Conftant, Lord Lovejoy.

Sir Ch. And fo I can't prevail on you, my lord, to be one of our party this evening?

Lord L. No faith, Charles, you must excufe me, for I have promifed Sukey Slammerkin to fup with her, and a man of honour you know can never think of breaking his word.

Sir Ch. Fie, my Lord, never boaft of your ho nour, I beseech you, if it is to be maintained. in fuch company.

Lord L. Nay, Charles, prythee don't be so severe upon the dear, little, delicious toad. -I have fcarce feen her this week, and

Sir Ch. If you made a refolution never to pay her another vifit, my lord, it would be the best you ever made in your life.

Lord L. Why, Sir Charles, do you never go to a girl? Can a man of your spirit and vivacity feaft every day on the features of a wife?

Sir Ch. I always find a rich banquet at home, my lord, and affure you, by all that's good, that I have not been to a girl fince my wedding-day. I have too high a notion of the

mar

marriage-ftate, and too great a regard for my wife. But fuppofing that was not the cafe, I have too great a regard for my character and conftitution.

Lord L. My character, Sir, is as unfullied as your's, let me tell you, and my constitution, as found.

Sir Ch. I am glad to hear you fay fo, my lord: then you have had better luck than you deserve excuse my freedom: but I own I am forry to fee you, who have fo fine a lady, leave her for a creature composed of vice, folly, impudence, affectation and paint.

Lord L. Why my wife is feldom at home, and when she is, I hear no complaints: we have feparate apartments, and are therefore never troublesome to each other.

Sir Ch. I am very ready to believe indeed my lord, that her ladyfhip has but little reason to complain of any from your company. But what The would do, if the knew you neglected her for Mifs Slammerkin, or any other gentlewoman of that ftamp, is another point.

Lord L. Why faith, I am apt to think the wou'dn't make herself uneafy about my intrigues.

Sir Ch. Then you must give me leave to fay, my lord, that he is ftill more valuable, and I

am

am the more aftonished that you can flight and difregard fo much worth

Lord L. By Gad now, I don't fee any thing fo extraordinary in my wife, let me perifh if I do; fhe is distractedly fond of auctions, operas, and plays, routs, riddottos and masquerades ; and while she is diverting herfelf one way, fure I am at liberty to amufe myself another.

Sir Ch. You make no difference then between going to Sukey's, and going to Langford's ? Lord L. Not I faith."

Sir Ch. Why then, we will fuppofe, only by way of converfation, that my lady fhould have as ftrong an inclination for a pretty fellow as you have for a pretty girl, and receive him in her private closet, while you are toying with Mifs Slammerkin.

Lord L. What do you mean, Sir ?—I don't understand you Sir, rat me if I do; - you talk, Sir

Sir Ch. Doucement, doucement, my lord. -We are only to fuppofe, you know.

Lord L. S'death, hell and furies, Sir, but, I won't fuppofe any fuch thing. If I had the least fufpicion

Sir Ch. Look'ee there now.-A palpaple hit by Jupiter: then pray, my lord, permit me to ask

you

you one question.

Does your lordship really

imagine that a married woman who keeps a gallant is more culpable than a married man who keeps a mistress ?

Lord L. Undoubtedly. Why there can be nothing more devilish than such a disposition in a wife. And I tell you plainly, if I thought mine had the flightest tendency that way, I would

Sir Ch. Hold, hold, my lord: you need not be apprehenfive of any fuch treatment from her: but if conjugal infidelity would be fuch a crime in her, it cannot, methinks, be a virtue in your lordship.-Custom indeed authorifes our fex to take a great many liberties, which would be cenfured with the utmost severity in the other; but that, I own, has to little weight with me, that if I kept or even vifited a wench, I should expect my wife to put the Lex Talionis in execution, and entertain the first agreeable fellow fhe met with.-If vice is unamiable in a woman, it cannot be amiable in a man.

Enter Colonel Careless.

Col. Your fervant, Gentlemen, your fervant. What news, what news?-what are you upon Lord L. Upon virtue, Jack, a thread-bare fubject, and, to increase your furprize, virtue in