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'go on to take notice of a most impertinent licence 'married women take, not only to be very loving to their spouses in public, but also make nauseous 'allusions to private familiarities, and the like. Lu'cinda is a lady of the greatest discretion, you must know, in the world; and withal very much a physician: upon the strength of these two qualities 'there is nothing she will not speak of before us vir'gins; and she every day talks with a very grave air ' in such a manner, as it is very improper so much as 'to be hinted at, but to obviate the greatest extre'mity. Those whom they call good bodies, notable 'people, hearty neighbours, and the purest goodest 6 company in the world, are the great offenders in this kind. Here I think I have laid before you an 6 open field for pleasantry; and hope you will shew 'these people that at least they are not witty: in 'which you will save from many a blush a daily 'sufferer, who is very much

• Your most humble servant,

SUSANNA LOVEWORTH.'

6 MR. SPECTATOR,

IN your's of Wednesday the 30th past, you ' and your correspondents are very severe on a sort ' of men, whom you call male coquettes: but with' out any other reason, in my apprehension, than that ' of paying a shallow compliment to the fair-sex, but accusing some men of imaginary faults, that the 6 women may not seem to be the most faulty sex; ' though at the same time you suppose there are 'some so weak as to be imposed upon by fine things ' and false addresses. I cannot persuade myself that 6 your design is to debar the sexes the benefit of each 'other's conversation, within the rules of honour; nor will you, I dare say, recommend to them, or 6 encourage the common tea-table talk, much less 'that of politics and matters of state and if these

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' are forbidden subjects of discourse, then, as long ' as there are any women in the world who take a 'pleasure in hearing themselves praised, and can 'bear the sight of a man prostrate at their feet, so 'long I shall make no wonder that there are those of 'the other sex who will pay them most impertinent 'humiliations. We should have few people such 'fools as to practise flattery, if all were so wise as to despise it. I do not deny but you would do a meri'torious act, if you could prevent all impositions on 'the simplicity of young women; but I must confess 'I do not apprehend you have laid the fault on the 'proper person, and if I trouble you with my thoughts ' upon it, I promise myself your pardon. Such of 'the sex as are raw and innocent, and most exposed 'to these attacks, have, or their parents are much 'to blame if they have not, one to advise and guard

them, and are obliged themselves to take care of 'them; but if these, who ought to hinder men from ⚫ all opportunities of this sort of conversation, instead of that encourage and promote it, the suspicion is very just that there are some private reasons for it; and I will leave it to you to determine on which side a part is then acted. Some women there are who are arrived at years of discretion, I mean are 'got out of the hands of their parents and governors, and are set up for themselves, who are yet liable to these attempts; but if these are prevailed upon, you 'must excuse me if I lay the fault upon them, that their wisdom is not grown with their years. My client, Mr. Strephon, whom you summoned to declare himself, gives you thanks, however, for your ' warning, and begs the favour only to enlarge his 'time for a week, or to the last day of the term, and then he will appear gratis, and pray no day over.

Your's,

PHILANTHROPOS.'

MR. SPECTATOR,

'I WAS last night to visit a lady whom I much ' esteem, and always took for my friend; but met ' with so very different a reception from what I ex'pected, that I cannot help applying myself to you ' on this occasion. In the room of that civility and 'familiarity I used to be treated with by her, an af'fected strangeness in her looks, and coldness in her 'behaviour, plainly told me I was not the welcome 6 guest which the regard and tenderness she has often < expressed for me gave me reason to flatter myself to think I was. Sir, this is certainly a great fault, and I assure you a very common one; therefore I ' hope you will think it a fit subject for some part of a 'Spectator. Be pleased to acquaint us how we must ' behave ourselves towards this valetudinary friend'ship, subject to so many heats and colds, and you ' will oblige,

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SIR,

'SIR, your humble servant,

6 MIRANDA.'

I CANNOT forbear acknowledging the delight your late Spectators on Saturdays have given me ; 'for they are writ in the honest spirit of criticism, ⚫ and called to my mind the following four lines I had 'read long since in a prologue to a play called Julius 'Cæsar, which has deserved a better fate. ses are addressed to the little critics.

T

"Shew your small talent, and let that suffice ye;
"But grow not vain upon it. I advise ye.
"For every fop could find out faults in plays:
"You'll ne'er arrive at knowing when to praise."

The ver

'Your's,

'D. G.'

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WE are generally so much pleased with any little accomplishments, either of body or mind, which have once made us remarkable in the world, that we endeavour to persuade ourselves it is not in the power of time to rob us of them. We are eternally pursuing the same methods which first procured us the applauses of mankind. It is from this notion that an author writes on, though he is come to dotage; without ever considering that his memory is impaired, and that he hath lost that life, and those spirits, which formerly raised his fancy, and fired his imagination. The same folly hinders a man from submitting his behaviour to his age, and makes Clodius, who was a celebrated dancer at five and twenty, still love to hobble in a minuet, though he is past threescore. It is this, in a word, which fills the town with elderly fops, and superannuated coquettes.

Canidia, a lady of this latter species, passed by me yesterday in her coach. Canidia was an haughty beauty of the last age, and was followed by crowds of adorers, whose passions only pleased her, as they gave her opportunities of playing the tyrant. She then contracted that awful cast of the eye and forbidding frown, which she has not yet laid aside, and has still all the insolence of beauty without its charms. If she now attracts the eyes of any beholders, it is only by being remarkably ridiculous; even her own sex laugh at her affectation; and the men, who always

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