vity, fo he may fometimes be allowed to fhew the firmnefs, the decifion, and the intrepidity of the gentleman. If this be the real portrait of a Saunterer, I have perhaps been delineating a contraft to my own imperfections. Although I have the vanity to affume the name, I cannot hope to support the character; I will not flatter myfelf that 1 fhall be able to attract the gay by brilliancy of wit, or please the grave by extent of learning. Unlike the original of my portrait, I may tire the idle by folemnity, or disgust the busy by impertinence. The ftudent may converse with me without hearing a fentence of Greek on which to criticife, and the beau devote the time which he does not spend in the purfuits of gallantry, to teaze me in vain for a bon mot or a witticism. Yet whatever may be the confequence of thefe deficiencies, like the rest of mankind I expect to pleafe. I can teach the plain how to excite defire, and inftruct the beautiful in the art of preferving it; I can communicate to the trifling the fecret of living without fcandal, and to the young the art of fhining without debauchery, The girls, by liftening to my perfuafions, may gain husbands, and the matrons preferve unwithered the wreath of con nubial felicity. To attempt to amuse or instruct the world after the appearance of the Spectator or the Rambler may be confidered as foolish or unneceffary; but whatever may be the knowledge of mankind which they have displayed, I can not not believe that they have left no room for the exertions of fucceeding writers. Human nature will fill furnish new materials for reflection, and new fubjects for satire; and he who cannot command admiration by his genius, may at least attract attention by his novelty. Though envy may be excited by the merit of a contemporary writer, it is feldom, if he be of tolerable abilities, that his advice is not more eagerly read than that of the longdeparted heroes of literature. A new book is read by every man who wishes to fhine in fashionable or even refpectable tittle-tattle, and among the number fomẽ may be found on whom admonition will not be ineffectual. That there is already a fufficient number of writers in the world might have been equally urged against Horace, Dryden, Pope, or Johnson; yet who would not lament the lofs of any of their productions as a real injury to the world? If it be urged that fuch writers may be excufed, but that petty fcribblers ought not to force their writings. into notice, it may be asked in return, in what manner is a fcribbler to difcover his defects but by the judgment of the world? Let it be remembered, that fuch an argument as this would have equally denied to the critic the works of Milton and Tate, of Burke and Bolinbroke. Horace has fupported, by well felected examples, the opinion I have advanced. Non fi priores mæonius tenet Sedes Homerus, Pindarica latent Ceæque, et alcei minaces Stefichorique graves Camena. B 3 And And Pope, with equal felicity of judgment, Tho' daring Milton fits fublime, In Spencer native muses play; Nor penfive Cowley's moral lay. Perhaps, like myriads of those who have preceded me, I may have raised expectations which I cannot gratify; but when I have ceased to please, I shall retire without a murmur; and if I am not able to gain applaufe, fhall endeavour to fly from the voice of cenfure. If I have fhewn prefumption in attempting what I am unable to perform, 1 may at leaft convince my readers that I am not devoid of fhame, by fubmitting to their decifion without impertinent resistance. SIR, To the Author of the Saunterer. AS the writer who pretends to regard the happinefs of mankind, and who wishes to allay the animofities of private life, ought not, while he attends to the fighs of the lover, to forget the miseries of the husband. I flatter myself fo far as to believe that my present com. plaints may not be unregarded, and that my wife may have an opportunity of distinguishing her portrait in the Saunterer. My wife, when I first married her, was a plump, fprightly girl, with eyes that sparkled with vivacity, and cheeks that proclaimed the health of innocence. She could play and laugh, and dance and fing, with all the gaiety of youth. During the honeymoon, as might naturally be expected, our hours were spent in a round of happiness and feftivity. The sprightliness of Emily enchanted me, while in her folitary hours fhe difplayed that delicacy of feeling which conftitutes the excellence of a female. But, alas! Sir, my wife has changed from a good-tempered, cheerful and fprightly girl, and is become what is generally called a nervous wife; every breeze has now the power of putting my whole family into confufion, and of occupying the whole neighbourhood in enquiries and conjectures; a change of the moon can discharge our servants, and our vifitors have been more than once difmiffed, be. caufe one of them has chanced to remark that the weather was more hazy than ufual, and that we might expect a return of the shower. Το To defcribe all the fymptoms with which a nervous wife is affected would deftroy your patience If the clouds begin to lower, she is afraid that the moisture may affect her lungs. If the fun fhines, the heat is too power ful to be fupported. In winter the fharpness of the wind cannot be endured. In fummer the rarefaction of the air produces faintnefs. In fpring the variation of the weather hurts her nerves, and in autumn the perpetual calmnefs renders her low-fpirited. In January Fune would reStore her health, and in June the is always feverish, except in January. Every feafon brings with it fomething ruin ous to her conftitution, and every morning produces fome change of weather which renders her life infupportable. If I wish her to take a walk, it is imprudent to venture` out, as the air is dangerous. If I wish to remain at home, too much confinement makes her melancholy. When I prefer chocolate, fhe thinks that tea is a greater cordial; and when I order tea, the defires chocolate as a better reftorative. If I expect company, her health will be ruined by fo much disturbance; and if we are by ourselves, the wifhes for company to amufe her. Sometimes the thinks that a book would raise her spirits, and when I have procured it, too much attention will deflroy them. As the window of the parlour fronts to the ftreet, my wife difcovered that the murmur of the croud made her uneafy; I therefore contrived a window which command. ed a view of the country, and then the prospect was dull, and fhe wifhed for amufement. The fight of a fire produced the headache; 1 procured her a ftove, and then the |