leau and Pope have given to their Satire the Ceftus of Venus: their ridicule is concealed and oblique; that of the Romans direct and open. The tenth fatire of Boileau on women is more bitter, and more decent and elegant, than the fixth of Juvenal on the fame subject; and Pope's epistle to Mrs. Blount far excels them both, in the artfulness and delicacy with which it touches female foibles. I may add, that the imitations of Horace by Pope, and of Juvenal by Johnfon, are preferable to their originals in the appofitenefs of their examples, and in the poignancy of their ridicule. Above all, the Lutrin, the Rape of the Lock, the Difpenfary, and the Dunciad, cannot be paralleled by any works that the wittiest of the ancients can boaft of: for by affuming the form of the epopea, they have acquired a dignity and gracefulrefs, which all fatires delivered merely in the poet's own perfon muft want, and with which the fatirifts of antiquity were wholly unacquainted; for the Batrachomuomachia of Homer cannot be confidered as the model of these admirable pieces.

Lucian is the greatest mater of Burlefque among the ancients: but the travels of Gulliver, though indeed evidently copied from his True History, do as evidently excel it. Lucian fets out with informing his readers, that he is in jeft, and intends to ridicule fome of the incredible ftories in Ctefias and Herodotus: this introduction furely enfeebles his fatire, and defeats his purpofe. The true hiftory confiits only of the moit wild, monftrous, and miraculous perfons and accidents: Gulliver has a concealed meaning, and his dwarfs and giants convey tacitly fome moral or political inftruction. The Charon, or the Profpect (ENISKOWOUTEC) One of the dialogues of Lucian, has likewife given occafion to that agreeable French fatire, entitled, Le Diable Boiteaux,' or The Lame Devil;' which has highly improved on it's original by a greater variety of characters and defcriptions, lively remarks, and interefting adventures. So if a parallel be drawn between Lucian and Cervantes, the ancient will ftill appear to difadvantage; the burlefque of Lu

cian principally confifts in making his gods and philofophers fpeak and act like the meanelt of the people; that of Cervantes arifes from the folemn and important air with which the most idle and ridiculous actions are related; and is, therefore, much more ftriking and forcible. In a word, Don Quixote, and it's copy Hudibras, the Splendid Shilling, the Adventures of Gil Blas, the Tale of a Tub, and the Rehearial, are pieces of humour which antiquity cannot equal, much less excel.

Theophraftus muft yield to La Bruyere for his intimate knowledge of human nature; and the Athenians never produced a writer whofe humour was fo exquifite as that of Addifon, or who delineated and fupported a character with fo much nature and true pleafantry as that of Sir Roger de Coverly. It ought, indeed, to be remembered, that every fpecies of wit written in diftant times and in dead languages, appears with many difadvantages to prefent readers. from their ignorance of the manners and customs alluded to and exposed; but the groffnefs, the rudeness, and indelicacy of the ancients will, notwithstanding, fufficiently appear, even from the sentiments of fuch critics as Cicero and Quintilian, who mention corporal defects and deformities as proper objects of raillery.

If it be now afked, to what can we afcribe this fuperiority of the moderns in all the fpecies of Ridicule? I answer, to the improved ftate of converfation. The great geniufes of Greece and Rome were formed during the times of a re publican government: and though it be certain, as Longinus afferts, that demo cracies are the nurseries of true fublimity, yet monarchies and courts are more productive of politenefs. The arts of civility, and the decencies of converfation, as they unite men more closely, and bring them more frequently together, multiply opportunities of obferving thofe incongruities and abfurdities of beha viour, on which Ridicule is founded. The ancients had more Liberty and Serioufnefs; the moderns have more Luxury and Laughter,

Z

N° CXXXIV,

SI was informed by your book

DRYDEN.

vial mischiefs which her own perverfe nefs or careleffnef had produced.

This fituation, however, was not without it's advantages; for inftead of a hard

days ago to make a small purchafe for my daughter, that your whole work would be comprifed in one hundred and forty papers, I can no longer delay to fend you the account of her life, which I gave you fome reason to expect when I related my own. This account the gave in that dreadful night, the remembrance of which ftill freezes me with horror; the night in which I had hired her as a profitute, and could not have been deterred from inceft, but by an event fo extraordinary that it was almoft miraculous. I have, indeed, frequently attempted to relate a story which I can never forget, but I was always diffatisfied with my own expreffions; nor could I ever produce in writing a narrative which appeared equal to the effect that it wrought upon my mind when I heard it. I have, therefore, prevailed upon the dear injured girl to relate it in her own words, which I fhall faithfully

tranfcribe.

THE firft fituation that I remember

was in a cellar; where, I fuppofe, I had been placed by the parish officers with a woman who kept a little dairy. My nurfe was obliged to be often abroad, and I was then left to the care of a girl, who was just old enough to lug me about in her arms, and who, like other pretty creatures in office, knew not how to fhew her authority but by the abufe of it. Such was my dread of her power ani refentment, that I fuffered almoft whatever the inflicted, without complaint; and when I was icarcely four years old, had learnt fo far to furmount the fente of pain, and fupprefs my paffons, that I have been pinched black and blue without wincing, and patiently fuffered her to impute to me many tri

bably have been the principal part of my fubfiftence if I had been placed with a perfon of the fame rank, but of a different employment, I had always plenty of milk, which, though it had been fkimmed for cream, was not four, and which indeed was wholfome food; upon which I throve very faft, and was taken notice of by every body, for the frethnefs of any looks, and the clearness of my skin.

Almoft as foon as I could speak plain, I was fent to the parifh-fchool to learn to read; and thought myself as fine in my blue gown and badge, as a court beauty in a birth-night fuit. The miftrefs of the fchool was the widow of a clergyman, whom I have often heard her mention with tears, though he had been long dead when I firft came under her tuition, and left her in fuch circumftances as made her folicit an employment, of which before fhe would have dreaded the labour, and fcorned the meanne's. She had been very genteelly educated, and had acquired a general knowledge of literature after her marriage; the communication of which enlivened their hours of retirement, and afforded fuch a fubject of converfation, as added to every other enjoyment the pleafures of beneficence and gratitude.

There was fomething in her manner, which won my affection and commanded my reverence. I found her a perfon very different from my nurse; and I watched her looks with fuch ardour and attention, that I was fometimes able, young as I was, to anticipate her commands. It was natural that the should love the virtue which the had produced, nor was it incongruous that he fhould reward it. I perceived with inexpreffible delight, that the treated me with pe

tuliar tenderness; and when I was about eight years old, he offered to take my education wholly upon herfelf, without putting the parish to any farther charge for my maintenance. Her offer was readily accepted, my nurfe was discharged, and I was taken home to my miftrefs, who called me her little maid, a name which I was ambitious to deferve, because she did not, like a tyrant, exact my obedience as a flave, but like a patent invited me to the duty of a child. As our family confitted only of my miftrefs and myself, except fometimes a chair-woman, we were always alone in the intervals of bufinefs; and the good matron amufed herself by inftructing me, not only in reading, writing, and the first rules of arithmetic, but in various kinds of needlework; and, what was yet of more moment, in the principles of virtue and religion, which in her life appeared to be fo amiable, that I wanted neither example nor motive. She gave me alfo fome general notions of the decorum practifed among perfons of a higher clafs; and I was thus acquainted, while I was yet a child, and in an obfcure ftation, with fome rudiments of good breeding.

Before I was fifteen, I began to affift my benefactress in her employment, and by fome plain-work which he had procured me, I furaifhed myfelf with decent cloaths. By an infenfible and fpontaneous imitation of her manner, I had acquired fuch a carriage, as gained me more refpect in a yard-wide fluff, than is often paid by ftrangers to an upperfervant in a rich filk.

Such was now the fimplicity and innocence of my life, that I had fcarce a with unfatisfied; and I often reflected upon my own happiness with a fenfe of gratitude that increafed it. But, alas! this felicity was fcarce fooner enjoyed than loft: the good matron, who was in the most endearing fenfe my parent and my friend, was feized with a fever, which in a few days put an end to her life, and left me alone in the world without alliance or protection, overwhelmed with grief, and diftra&ted with anxiety. The world, indeed, was before me; but I trembled to enter it alone. I knew no, art by which I could fubfift myfelf; and I was unwilling to be condoned to a ftate of fervitude, in which no fuch art could be learned. I therefore applied again to the officers of the pa

rifh, who, as a teftimony of respect to my patronefs, condefcended ftill to confider me as their charge, and with the ufual fum bound me apprentice to ■ mantua-maker; whofe bulineis, of which indeed he had but little, was among perfons that were fomething below the middle clafs, and who, as I verily believe, had applied to the church-wardens for an apprentice, only that he might filence a number of petty duns, and obtain new credit with the money that is given as a confideration for neceffary

cloaths.

The dwelling of my new mistress was two back rooms in a dirty street near the Seven Dials. She received me, however, with great appearance of kindness; we breakfafted, dined, and supped together; and though I could not but regret the alteration of my condition, yet I comforted inyfelf with reflecting, that in a few years I fhould be miftrefs of a trade by which I might become inde pendent, and live in a manner more agreeable to hy inclinations. But my indentures were no fooner figned, than fuffered a new change of fortune. The firft ftep my mitreis took was to turn away her maid, a poor flave who was covered only with rags and dirt, and whofe ill qualities I foothly thought were the only caule of her ill treatment. I was now compelled to light fires, go of errands, wash linen, and drefs victuals, and, in short, to do every kind of houfhold drudgery, and to fit up half the night, that the talk of hemming and running feams, which had been affigned me, might be performed.

Though I fuffered all this without murmur or complaint, yet I became pen-, five and melancholy; the tears would' often fteal filently from my eyes, and my mind was fometimes fo abftraed in the contemplation of my own mifery, that I did not hear what was faid to me. But my fenfibility produced refintment, instead of pity; my melancholy drew upon me the reproach of fullennels; I was formed at for fpoiling my work with fniveling I knew not why, and threatened that it should not long be without caufe; a menace which was generally executed the moment it was uttered; my aims and neck continually bore the marks of the yard, and I was in every refpect treated with the moft. brutal unkindness.

In the mean time, however, I applied myfelf

myfelf to learn the bufinefs as my lait refource, and the only foundation of my hope. My diligence and affiduity atoned for the want of inftruction; and it might have been truly faid, that I ftole the knowledge which my mistress had engaged to communicate. As I had a talte for drefs, I recommended myself to the beft customers, and frequently corrected a fault of which they complained, and which my miftrefs was notable to difcover. The countenance and courtefy which this gained, though it encouraged my hope of the future, yet it made the prefent lefs tolerable. My tyrant treated me with yet more inhumanity, and my fufferings were fo great, that I frequently meditated an efcape, though I knew not whither to go, and though I forefaw that the moment I became a fugitive, I fhould forfeit all my intereft, juftify every complaint, and incur a difgrace which I could never obliterate.

I had now groaned under the most cruel oppreffion fomething more than four years; the cloaths which had been the purchase of my own money I had worn out, and my miftrefs thought it her intereft not to furnish me with any better than would juft ferve me to go out on her errands, and follow her with a bundle. But as fo much of my time was paft, I thought it highly reafonable, and indeed necefiary, that I fhould make a more decent appearance, that I fhould attend the customers, take their orders and their measure, or at least fit on the work. After much premeditation, aud many attempts, I at length furmounted

my fears; and in fuch terms and manner as I thought least likely to give offence, I entreated that I might have fuch cloaths as would anfver the purpofe, and propofed to work fo many hours extraordinary as would produce the money they fhould coft. But this request, however modeft, was answered only with reproaches and infult. I wanted, forfooth, to be a gentlewoman: yes, I fhould be equipped to fet up for myself. This the might have expected, for taking a beggar from the parish; but I fhould fee that the knew how to mortify my pride, and difappoint my cunning. I was at once grieved and angered at this treatment; and I believe, for the first time, expreffed myself with fome indignation and refentment. My refentinent, however, the treated with derifion and contempt, as an impotent attempt to throw off her authority; and declaring that he would foon thew me who was miftrefs, fhe ftruck me fo violent a blow, that I fell from my chair. Whether he was frighted at my fall, or whether the fufpected I fhould alarm the houfe, fhe did not repeat her blow, but contented herself with reviling the poverty and wretchednefs which the laboured to perpetuate.

I burst into tears of anguish and refentment,' and made no reply; but from this moment my hatred became irreconcileable, and I fecretly determined at all events to escape from a flavery, which I accufed myfelf for having already endured too long.

IT next I T happened that the next morning I Chelsea : it was about the middle of May. Upon me, who had long toiled in the fmoke and darkness of London, and had feen the fun-fhine only upon a chimney or a wall, the frefhnefs of the air, the verdure of the fields, and the fongs of the birds, had the power of enchantment. I could not forbear lingering in my walk: and every moment of delay made me le's willing to return; not indeed by increating my enjoyment, but my fear: I

could make home lefs dreadful. My torment encreased as my walk became shorter; and when I had returned as far as the lower end of the Mallin St. James's Park, I was quite overwhelmed with regret and defpair; and, fitting down on one of the benches, I burit into tears. As my mind was wholly employed on my own diftrefs, and my apron held up to my eyes, it was fome time before I difcovered an elderly lady who had fat down by me. The moment I faw her, fuch is the force of habit, all thoughts of my own wretchednefs gave way to a fenfe of indecorum; and as the appeared by her dress to be a person in whofe company it was prefumption in me to fit, I started up in great confufion, and would have left the feat. This, however, the would not fuffer; but taking hold of my gown, and gently drawing me back, addreffed me with an accent of tenderness, and foothed me with pity before the knew my diftrefs. It was fo long fince I had heard the voice of kindnefs, that my heart melted as the fpoke with gratitude and joy. I told her all my story; to which the liftened with great attention, and often gazed ftedfatly in my face. When my narrative was ended, the told me, that the manner in which I had related it was alone fufficient to convince her that it was true; that there was an air of fimplicity and fincerity about me, which had prejudiced her in my favour as foon as the faw me; and that, therefore, fhe was determined to take me home; that I fhould live with her till fhe had established me in my bufinefs, which he could easily do by recommending me to her acquaintance; and that, in the mean time, the would take care to prevent my mistress from being troublesome.

It is impoffible to exprefs the tranfport that I felt at this unexpected deliverance. I was utterly unacquainted with the artifices of those who are hackneyed in the ways of vice; and the remembrance of the difinterested kindness of my first friend, by whom I had been brought up, came fresh into my mind: I therefore indulged the hope of having found fuch another without fcruple; and uttering fome incoherent expreffions of gratitude, which was too great to be formed into compliment, I accepted the offer, and followed my conductress home. The houfe was fuch as I had never entered before; the rooms were spacious,

and the furniture elegant. I looked round with wonder; and blushing with a fenfe of my own meannefs, would have followed the fervant who opened the door into the kitchen, but her miftrefs prevented me. She faw my confufion; and,encouraging me with a fimile, took me up stairs into a kind of dreffingroom, where the immediately furnished me with clean hoes and ftockings, a cap, handkerchief, ruffles and apron, and a night-gown of genteel Irish tuff, which had not been much worn, though it was spotted and ftained in many places: they belonged, she said, to her coutin, a young lady for whom she had undertaken to provide; and infifted upon my putting them on, that I might fit down with her family at dinner; For,' faid fhe, I have no acquaintance to whom I could recommend a mantua-maker that I kept in my kitchen.'

6

I perceived that he watched me with great attention while I was dreffing, and feemed to be greatly delighted with the alteration in my appearance when I had done. I fee,' faid he, that you was made for a gentlewoman; and a gentlewoman you fhall be, or it shall be your own fault.' I could only curtfey in anfwer to this compliment; but notwithstanding the appearance of diffi dence and modeity in the blush which I felt burn upon my cheek, yet my heart fecretly exulted in a proud confidence that it was true. When I came down ftairs, I was introduced by my patronels (who had told me that her name was Wellwood) to the young lady her coufin, and three others; to whom, foon after we were feated, fhe related my story, intermixing much invective against my mistress, and much flattery to me; with neither of which, if the truth be confeffed, I was much difpleased.

After dinner,. as I underftood that company was expected, I entreated leave to retire, and was fhewn up ftairs into a fmall chamber very neatly furnished, which I was defired to confider as my own. As the company staid till it was very late, I drank tea and fupped alone, one of the fervants being ordered to at

tend me.

The next morning, when I came down ftairs to breakfatt, Mrs. Wellwood prefented me with a piece of printed cotton fufficient for a fack and coat, and about twelve yards of flight filk for a nightgown, which, the faid, I fhould make