e sparkling cups delight our eyes, What cruel answer have I heard! Go boldly forth, my fimple lay, Whose accents flow with artless ease, Like orient pearls at random ftrung; Thy notes are sweet the damsels say: But oh! far fweeter if they please The nymphs for whom thefe notes are fung. NUMBER XXI. They stand amaz'd, and think me grown ADVENTURES OF A BASHFUL MAN. You must know, that, in my perfon, I am tall and thin, with a fair complexion, and light flaxen hair; but of such extreme sensi T bility of fname, that on the smallest fubject of confufion, my blood all rushes into my cheeks, and I appear a perfect full blown rofe. Having been fent to the university by my father, a farmer of no great property, the consciousness of my unhappy failing made me avoid fociety, and I became enamoured of a college life. But from that peaceful retreat I was called by the deaths of my father and of a rich uncle, who left me a fortune of thirty thousand pounds. I now purchased an estate in the country; and my company was much courted by the furrounding families, especially by fuch as had marriageable daughters. Though I wifhed to accept their offered friendship, I was forced repeatedly to excufe myself, under the pretence of not being quite fettled: for often, when I have rode or walked with full intention of returning their vifits, my heart has failed me as I approached their gates, and I have returned homeward, refolving to try again, next day. Determined, however, at length to conquer my timidity, I accepted of an invitation to dine with one, whofe open, eafy manner left me no room to doubt a cordial welcome. Sir Thomas Friendly, who lives about two miles diftant, is a baronet, with about two thousand pounds a year eftate, joining to that I purchased; he has two fons and five daughters, all grown up, and living with their mo ther and a maiden fifter of Sir Thomas's, at Friendly Hall, dependent on their father, Conscious of my unpolifhed gait, I have for fome time pat taken private leffons of a profeffor, who teachs grown gentlemen to dance; and though I at first found wonderous difficulty in the art he taught, my know ledge of the mathematics was of prodigious ufe in teaching me the equilibrium of my body, and the due adjustment of the centre of gravity to the five pofitions. Having now acquired the art of walking without tottering, and learned to make a bow, I boldly ventured to obey the baronet's invitation to a family dinner, not doubting but my new acquirements would enable me to fee the ladies with tolerable interpidity; but, alas how vain are all the hopes of theory, when unfupported by habitual practice. As I approached the house, a dinner bell alarmed my fears, left I had fpoiled the dinner by want of punctuality; impreffed with this idea, I blushed the deepest crimson, as my name was repeatedly announced by the feveral livery fervants, who ufhered me into the library, hardly knowing what or whom I faw. At my first entrance I fummoned all my fortitude, and made my new-learned bow to Lady Friendly; but unfortunately in bringing back my left foot to the third pofition I trod upon the gouty toe of poor Sir Thomas, who had followed clofe at my heels to be the nomenclator of the family. The confufion this occafioned in me is hardly to be conceived, fince none but bashful men tan judge of my diftrefs; and of that defcription the number I believe is very small. The baronet's politenefs by degrees diffipated my concern, and I was aftonifhed to fee how far good breeding could enable him to fupprefs his feelings, and to appear with perfect eafe after fo painful an accident. The chearfulness of her ladyship, and the familiar chat of the young ladies, infenfibly led me to throw off my referve and sheepishness, till at length I ventured to join in conversation, and even to start fresh fubjects. The library being richly furnished with books in elegant bindings, I conceived Sir Thomas to be a man of literature, and ventured to give my opinion concerning the feveral editions of the Greek claffics, in which the baronet's opinion exactly coincided with my own. To this fubject I was led by obferving an edition of Xenophon in fixteen volumes; which (as I had never before heard of fuch a thing) greatly excited my curiofity, and I rofe up to examine what it could be. Sir Thomas faw what I was about, and, as I fuppofe, willing to fave me trouble, rose to take down the book, which made me more eager to prevent him, an-1, haftily laying my hand on the first volume, I pulled it forcibly; but lo instead of books, a board which by leather and gilding had been made to look like fixteen volumes, came tumb- ling down, and unluckily pitched upon a wedgwood ink-stand on the table under it. In vain did Sir Thomas affure me there was no harm; I faw the ink ftreaming from an inlaid table on the Turkey carpet; and, scarce knowing what I did, attempted to stop its progress with my cambric handkerchief. In the height of this confufion we are informed that dinner was ferved up, and I with joy perceived that the bell, which at first had so alarmed my fears, was only the half-hour dinner bell. In walking through the hall, and fuite of apartments to the dining-room, I had tim to collect my fcattered fenfes, and was defired to take my feat betwixt Lady Friendly and her eldest daughter at the table. Since the fall of |