St. James's Coffee-house, February 20. This day came in a mail from Holland, with a confirmation of our late advices, that a treaty of peace would very suddenly be set on foot, and that yachts were appointed by the States No. 137.] Thursday, February 23, 1709-10.

....... ...

to convey the ministers of France from Moer-
dyke to Gertruydenburgh, which is appointed
for the place wherein this important negotia-
tion is to be transacted. It is said, this affair
has been in agitation ever since the close of the
last campaign; Mons. Pettecum having been
appointed to receive from time to time the over-
tures of the enemy. During the whole winter,
the minsters of France have used their utmost
skill in forming such answers as might amuse
the allies, in hopes of a favourable event either
in the north, or some other part of Europe,
which might affect some part of the alliance
too nearly to leave it in a capacity of adhering
firmly to the interest of the whole. In all this
transaction, the French king's own name has
been as little made use of as possible: but the
season of the year advancing too fast to admit
of much longer delays in the present condition
of France, Mons. Torcy, in the name of the
king, sent a letter to Mons. Pettecum, wherein

6

Sheer-lane, February 20.

I have been earnestly solicited for a further term, for wearing the fardingal by several of the fair sex, but more especially by the following petitioners.

'That the sale of the said cloaths is spoiled by your worship's said prohibition.

"

Your petitioners therefore most humbly pray, that your worship will please to allow, that all gentlewomen's gentlewomen may be allowed to wear the said dress, or to repair the loss of such a perquisite in such manner as your worship shall think fit.

'And your petitioners, &c.'

'The humble petition of Deborah Hark, Sarah
Threadpaper, and Rachel Thimble, spin-
sters and single women, commonly called
waiting-maids, in behalf of themselves and
their sisterhood;

SHEWETH,

That your worship has been pleased to order and command, that no person or persons shall presume to wear quilted petticoats, on forfeiture of the said petticoats, or penalty of wearing ruffs, after the seventeenth instant now expired.

I do allow the allegations of this petition to be just; and forbid all persons, but the petitioners, or those who shall purchase them, to wear the said garment after the date hereof.

"That your petitioners have, time out of mind, been entitled to wear their ladies' cloathes, or to sell the same.

Sheer-lane, February 22.

DICK REPTILE and I sat this evening later than the rest of the club: and as some men are better company when only with one friend, others when there is a larger number, I found Dick to be of the former kind. He was bewailing to me, in very just terms, the offences which he frequently met with in the abuse of speech: some use ten times more words than they need; some put in words quite foreign to their purpose; and others adorn their discourses with oaths and blasphemies, by way of tropes and figures. What my good friend started dwelt upon me after I came home this evening, and led me into an enquiry with myself, whence should arise such strange excrescences

he says, That the king is willing all the pre-in discourse? whereas it must be obvious to
liminary articles shall rest as they are during
the treaty for the 37th.

all reasonable beings, that the sooner a man
speaks his mind, the more complaisant he is to
the man with whom he talks: but, upon ma-
ture deliberation, I am come to this resolution,
that for one man who speaks to be understood,
there are ten who talk only to be admired.

The ancient Greeks had little independent syllables called expletives, which they brought into their discourses both in verse and prose, for no other purpose but for the better grace and sound of their sentences and periods. I know no example but this, which can authorise the use of more words than are necessary. But whether it be from this freedom taken by that wise nation, or however it arises, Dick Reptile hit upon a very just and common cause of offence in the generality of people of all orders. We have one here in our lane, who speaks nothing without quoting an authority; for it is always with him, so and so, as the man said.' He asked me this morning, how I did, as the man said?' and hoped I would come now and then to see him, as the mant

"

(

"

Ter centum tonat ore Deos, Erebùmque, Chaosque,
Tergeminám que Hecaten-
Virg. Æn. iv. 510.

He thrice invokes th' infernal powers profound
Of Erebus and Chaos; thrice he calls
On Hecate's triple form-

R. Wynne.

said. I am acquainted with another, who never delivers himself upon any subject, but he cries,' he only speaks his poor judgment; this is his humble opinion; as for his part, if he might presume to offer any thing on that subject.'-But of all the persons who add elegances and superfluities to their discourses, those who deserve the foremost rank are the swearers; and the lump of these may, I think, be very aptly divided into the common distinction of high and low. Dulness and barrenness of thought is the original of it in both these sects, and they differ only in constitution: The low is generally a phlegmatic, and the high a choleric coxcomb. The man of phlegm is sensible of the emptiness of his discourse, and will tell you, that,' I'fackins,' such a thing is true; or, if you warm him a little, he may run into passion, and cry, ‘Odsbodikins, you do not say right.' But the high affects a sublimity in dulness, and invokes hell and damnation' at the breaking of a glass, or the slow-figure which Shakspeare gives Harry the Fifth

St. James's Coffee-house, February 22. There arrived a messenger last night from Harwich, who left that place just as the duke of Marlborough was going on board. The character of this important general going out by the command of his queen, and at the request of his country, puts me in mind of that noble

ness of a drawer.

upon his expedition against France. The poet wishes for abilities to represent so great a hero:

coachman? D-n

I was the other day trudging along Fleetstreet on foot, and an old army friend came up with me. We were both going towards Westminster; and, finding the streets were so crowded that we could not keep together, we resolved to club for a coach. This gentleman I knew to be the first of the order of the choleric. I must confess, were there no crime in it, nothing could be more diverting than the impertinence of the high juror: for, whether there is remedy or not agaiust what offends him, still he is to show he is offended; and he must, sure, not omit to be magnificently passionate, by falling on all things in his way We were stopped by a train of coaches at Temple-bar. 'What the devil!' says my companion, cannot you drive on, you all, for a set of sons of whores; you will stop here to be paid by the hour! There is not such a set of confounded dogs as the coachmen, unhanged! But these rascally cits-'Ounds, why should not there be a tax to make these dogs widen their gates? Oh! but the hellhounds move at last.' Ay,' said I, 'I knew you would make them whip on, if once they heard you'——‘No,' says he, but would it not fret a man to the devil, to pay for being carried slower than he can walk? Look ye! there is for ever a stop at this hole by St. Clement's church. Blood, you dog! Hark ye, sirrah !Why, and be d▬▬d to you, do not you drive over that fellow ?--Thunder, furies, and damnation! I will cut your ears off, you fellow before there--Come hither, you dog yon, and let me wring your neck round your shoulders.' We had a repetition of the same eloquence at the Cockpit, and the turning into Palace yard.

6

mity; and made me conclude, that it is ever want of sense makes a man guilty in this kind. It was excellently well said, that this folly had no temptation to excuse it, no man being born of a swearing constitution.' In a word, a few rumbling words and consonants clapped together without any sense, will make an accomplished swearer. It is needless to dwell long upon this blustering impertinence, which is already banished out of the society of wellbred men, and can be useful only to bullies and ill tragic writers, who would have sound and noise pass for courage and sense.

'Oh for a muse of fire!

Then should the warlike Harry like himself,

Assume the port of Mars, and at his heels,

Leash'd in, like hounds, should fainine, sword, and fire,
Crouch for employments.'

A conqueror drawn like the god of battle, with such a dreadful leash of hell-hounds at

his command, makes a picture of as much majesty and terror, as is to be met with in any

poet.

ticular allegory so well, that he had it in his Shakspeare understood the force of this par. gether as daring and sublime as the former. thoughts in another passage, which is altoWhat I mean is in the tragedy of Julius Cæsar, where Antony, after having foretold the bloodshed and destruction that should be brought upon the earth by the death of that great man, to fill up the horror of his description, adds the following verses:

And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate by his side, come hot from hell,

Shall in these confines, with a monarch's voice,
Cry hivock; and let slip the dogs of war.'

I do not question but these quotations will call to mind, in my readers of learning and taste, that imaginary person described by Virgil with the same spirit. He mentions it upon the occasion of a peace which was restored to the Roman empire; and which we may now hope for from the departure of that great man, who has given occasion to these reflections. The temple of Janus, says he, shall be shut, and in the midst of it military Fury shall sit upon a pile of broken arms, loaded with a hundred chains, bellowing with madness, and

This gave me a perfect image of the insignifcancy of the creatures who practise this enor-grinding bis teeth in blood.

for things, which in themselves are so frivolous, that it is impossible, without this affectation, to make them appear worthy either of blame or praise. There is Will Glare, so passionately intent upon being admired, that when you see him in public places, every muscle of his face discovers, his thoughts are fixed upon the consideration of what figure he makes. He will often fall into a musing posture, to attract observation; and is then obtruding himself upon drawn from it. Such little arts are the certain the company, when he pretends to be withand infallible tokens of a superficial mind, as the avoiding observation is the sign of a great and sublime one. It is therefore extremely difficult for a man to judge even of his own actions, without forming to bimself an idea of what he should act, were it in his power to execute all his desires without the observation of the rest of the world. There is an allegoCre-rical fable in Plato, which seems to admonish us, that we are very little acquainted with ourselves, while we know our actions are to pass the censures of others; but, had we the power to accomplish all our wishes unobserved, we should then easily inform ourselves how far we are possessed of real and intrinsic virtue. The fable I was going to mention is that of Gyges, who is said to have had an enchanted ring, which had in it a miraculous quality, making him who wore it visible or invisible, as he turned it to or from his body. The use. Gyges made of his occasional invisibility was, by the advantage of it, to violate a queen, and Virg. Æn. vii. 670. murder a king. Tully takes notice of this alApart from these, the happy souls he draws, legory, and says very handsomely, that a man And Cato's pions ghost dispensing laws. of honour who had such a ring would act just in the same manner as he would without it,' It is indeed no small pitch of virtue, under the temptation of impunity, and the hopes of accomplishing all a man desires, not to transgress the rules of justice and virtue; but this is rather not being an ill man, than being positively a good one; and it seems wonderful, that so great a soul as that of Tully should not form to himself a thousand worthy actions, which a virtuous mind would be prompted to by the possession of such a secret. There are certainly some part of mankind who are guardian-beings to the other. Sallust could say of Cato, That he had rather be, than appear, good,' but, indeed, this eulogium rose no higher than, as I just now hinted, to an inoffensiveness, rather than an active virtue. Had it occured to the noble orator to represent, in his language, the glorious pleasures of a man secretly employed in beneficence and generosity, it would certainly have made a more charming page than any he has left behind him. How might a man, furnished with Gyges's secret, employ it in bringing together

No. 138.] Saturday, February 25, 1709-10.

Secretosque pios, his dantem jura Catonem.

Dryden.

Sheer-lane, February 24.

It is an argument of a clear and worthy spirit in a man to be able to disengage himself from the opinions of others, so far as not to let the deference due to the sense of mankind ensnare him to act against the dictates of his own reason. But the generality of the world are so far from walking by any such maxim, that it is almost a standing rule to do as others do, or be ridiculous. I have heard my old friend, Mr. Hart, speak it as an observation among the players,' that it is impossible to act with grace, except the actor has forgot that he is before an audience.' Until he is arrived at that, his motion, his air, his every step and gesture, has something in them which discovers he is under a restraint, for fear of being ill received; or if he considers himself as in the presence of those who approve his behaviour, you see an affectation of that pleasure run through his whole carriage. It is as common in life, as upon the stage, to behold a man in the most indifferent action betray a sense he has of doing what he

is about gracefully. Some have such an immo-distant friends; laying snares for creating derate relish for applause, that they expect it good-will in the room of groundless hatred ;

Claudentur belli portæ, Furor impius intus
Sæva sedens super arma, et centum vinctus ahenis
Post tergum nodis, fremit horridus ore cruento.
Virg. Æn. i. 293.

Janus himself before his fane shall wait,
And keep the dreadful issues of his gate,
With bolts and iron bars. Within remains
Imprison'd Fury bound in brazen chains;
High on a trophy rais'd of useless arms,
He sits, and threats the world with vain alarms
Dryden.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

The tickets which were delivered out for the benefit of Signor Nicolini Grimaldi on the twenty-fourth instant will be taken on Thursday the second of March, his benefit being deferred until that day.

N. B. In all operas for the future, where it thunders and lightens in proper time and in tune, the matter of the said lightning is to be of the finest rosin; and, for the sake of harmony, the same which is used to the best mona fiddles.

Note also, that the true perfumed lightning is only prepared and sold by Mr. Charles Lillie, at the corner of Beaufort-buildings.

The lady who has chosen Mr. Bickerstaff for her Valentine, and is at a loss what to present him with, is desired to make him, with her own hands, a warm nightcap.

in removing the pangs of an unjust jealousy, the shyness of an imperfect reconciliation, and the tremor of an awful love! Such a one could give confidence to bashful merit, and confusion to overbearing impudence.

Actions of this kind have in them something so transcendant, that it is an injury to applaud them, and a diminution of that merit which consists in shunning our approbation. We shall therefore leave them to enjoy that glorious obscurity; and silently admire their virtue who can contemn the most delicious of human pleasures, that of receiving due praise. Such celestial dispositions very justly suspend the discovery of their benefactions, until they come where their actions cannot be misinterpreted, and receive their first congratulations in the company of angels.

produce a certificate of the same from Mr. Tintoret, or some other credible wine-painter.

Certain it is, that secret kindnesses done to mankind are as beautiful as secret injuries are

detestable. To be invisibly good, is as godlike, as to be invisibly ill, diabolical. As degenerate as we are apt to say the age we live in is, there are still amongst us men of illustrious minds, who enjoy all the pleasures of good actions, except that of being commended for them. There happens, among other very No 139.] Tuesday, February 28. 1709-10. worthy instances of a public spirit, one which I am obliged to discover, because I know not otherwise how to obey the commands of the benefactor. A citizen of London has given directions to Mr. Rayner, the writing-master of St. Paul's-school, to educate at his charge ten boys, who shall be nominated by me, in writing and accounts, until they shall be fit for any trade; I desire, therefore, such as know any proper objects for receiving this bounty, to give notice thereof to Mr. Morphew, or Mr. Lillie; and they shall, if properly qualified, have instructions accordingly.

ADVERTISEMENT.

Whereas Mr. Bickerstaff, by a letter bearing date this twenty-fourth of February, has received information, that there are in and about the Royal-Exchange a sort of people commonly known by the name of Whetters, who drink themselves into an intermediate state of being neither drunk nor sober before the hours of Exchange, or business; and in that condition buy and sell stocks, discount notes, and do many other acts of well-disposed citizens; this is to give notice, that from this day forward, no Whetter shall be able to give or endorse any note, or execute any other point of commerce, after the third half-pint, before the hour of one and whoever shall transact any matter or matters with a Whetter, not being himself of that order, shall be conducted to Moor-fields upon the first application of his next of kin.

N. B. No tavern near the exchange shall deliver wine to such as drink at the bar standing, except the same shall be three-parts of the best cider; and the master of the house shall

Whereas the model of the intended Bedlam is now finished, and the edifice itself will be very suddenly begun; it is desired, that all such as have relations, whom they would recommend to our care, would bring in their

proofs with all speed: none being to be admitted, of course, but lovers, who are put into an immediate regimen. Young politicians also are received without fees or examination.

-Nihil est quod credere de se
Non possit, cum laudatur Diis æqua potestas.
Juv. Sat. iv. 70.
Nothing so monstrous can be said or feign'd,
But with belief and joy is entertain'd,
When to her face a giddy girl is prais'd.
By ill-judg'd flattery to an angel rais'd.

Dryden.

Sheer-lane, February 27.

WHEN I reflect upon the many nights I have sat up for some months last past, in the greatest anxiety for the good of my neighbours and contemporaries, it is no small discouragement to me, to see how slow a progress I make in the reformation of the world. But indeed I must do my female readers the justice to own, that their tender hearts are much more susceptible of good impressions, than the minds of the other sex. Business and ambition take up men's thoughts too much to leave room for philosophy: but if you speak to women in a style and manner proper to approach them, they never fail to improve by your counsels. I shall, therefore, for the future, turn my thoughts more particularly to their service; and study the best methods to adorn their persous, and inform their minds in the justest methods to make them what nature designed them, the most beauteous objects of our eyes, and the most agreeable companions of our lives. But when I say this, I must not omit, at the same time, to look into their errors and mistakes, that being the readiest way to the intended end of adorning and instructing them. It must be acknowledged, that the very inadvertences of this sex are owing to the other; for if men were not flatterers, women could not fall into that general cause of all their follies and our misfortunes, their love of fiattery. Were the commendation of these agreeable creatures built upon its proper foundation, the higher we raised their opinion of themselves, the greater would be the advantage to our sex ; but all the topic of praise is drawn from very senseless and extravagant ideas we pretend we have of their beauty and perfection. Thus, when a young man falls in love with a young woman, from that moment she is no more Mrs. Alice such-a-one, born of such a father, and educated by such a mother; but from the