of it, ben't too favourable to the Women? And whether this be not an Encouragement to Offenders? A. If thofe Laws, and the Proof required, be too favoura the Person that lay kill'd in the Ditch had that Disease, befides his Wounds that he died of. It has been often obferv'd of dead Bodies digg'd out of their Graves, that there has been no Worms near 'em, nor any Mag-ble to the Women, they are fo gots, Lice, &c. in their Flesh, to the Men alfo, there being no but only their own Corruption effential Evil in the Crime comthat wasted 'em. But we are mitted by one, which is not in not without many Inflances of the others. And though next ftrange fores of monflrous worms, to Impunity in this Cafe, it may c. (not like Earth-worms) render the Perfons concerned bred in fome Carcaffes in the more confident and impenitent Grave: I remember one Paf-than they would otherwife be, fage in Camerarius (fays he) A and perhaps than the good of Young Gentleman in Germany Society requires, yet if they (whole Tomb I have often feen) could but look on a little fur was troubled with a grievous ther into the other World Sickness in the Flower of his they'd find Punishment fuffici Age, his Friends cou'd never ent to deterr 'em from that perfwade him to be reprefented and all other fuch' hainous Of in Sculpture, or Picture, to ferve fences. for Pofterity; only this through their Importunity he agreed unto, That after he fhou'd be dead, and fome Days in the Ground, they thou'd open his Grave, and A. It's true, that Writing's caufe him to be represented as a nice thing, 'tis not every they then found him. They One's Letters that will bear kept Promife with him, and being feen: Men when repulled, found that the Worms had half often grow malicious and de gnawn his Face, and that about fperate, and will make what In the Midriff and Back-bone there terpretation they pleafe of what were many Serpents: Upon this is written; or if that's too they caufed the Spectacle, fuch as prudently exprefs'd to admit of they found it, to be cut in ftone, any Cavils which is almost which is yet at this prefent to impoffible) they'll as feverely be feen among the armed Sta- cenfure the very Action of VVri tues of the Ancestors of this ring, or elle interpret it too fa Young Gentleman: which a vourably for themfelves, and grees much with the Obferva- put the Lady to further Trou tion of the Wife Man, Eccluble in undeceiving 'em. For 10. 12. When a Man dieth, he which reafons it had been much Q. Whether it is bonourable for a Lady to answer a Gentleman's Letters, when she intends not to entertain him? is the Heritage of Serpents, Beafts, more proper if the Query had and Worms. Whether our Laws a gainst Adultery, and the Proof been- Whether fuch Writing had been Prudent? Rather than Honourable; which in moft in ftances ftances we muft have refolved in the Negative. However, there may be fome fingular Cafes wherein it may be both Honourable and Prudent for a Lady to Write,as when fhe is farisfied the Perfon fhe Writes to is a Man of Honour, and cannot otherwife fo well dif-engage him from a fruitless Amour. That good or bad Sing ing depends upon the Tempera; ment of the Air,-For our Air or Climate is more Tem. perate than that of Italy, yer we are judged worfe Singers, and deny not but we are really fo. Its true, the Soil may make fome difference, and the Sea Airs make the Cold more moderate in England, than 'tis in other Places at the fame Dift Q. Nous vous demandons, cance from the Polt.We demand why the English both Men and Woman, are the finest People in the World, which depends upon the Temperature of the Air, and yet are the worst Singers in Europe, which depends on the Temperature of the Air as well as the other? Befides all which, there may be fométhing in the Strain of Men, taking for granted, we fhall, according to his Demand, firft enquire into the Reafon of it; which we can't allow to be that produc'd by the Querift; namely, the Temperament of the Air; because it muft then neceffarily follow, that all thofe who enjoy the fame Temperament, must be equally fair and lovely; and that even our Antipodes must have the fame Comeplexions that we have, which is known to be falfe. The other part of the Suppofi tion feems allo ill grounded, I as there is of Beafts; and yet it may be no more poflible to give any Natural Realon, why fome Men are fairer than others, or have thinner Lips, finer Nofes, cr better Complections, thin why a Grayhound is more clevery made than a Cur, or a Racer than a Car-horse. On the other fide, if 'tis true, that we Sing not as well as the French or Italians, there may be some thing in the Coldness of our Climates, compared with theirs, which perhaps may render our Voices generally more hoarfe or unpleafing than fome others. Befides, we have no Eunuchs, as are among them, which fometimes make their Conforts much finer than they would otherwife be. After all, they have a very merry Religion, the greateft and beft part whereof confifts in good Painting and Singing: Nor are we to wonder when they think they may efcape Pugatory, or get Heaven for an old Song, if they ftrain harder at it than others, and endeavour to do the very b.ft they are able; which uses T 'em are. V. II. 'em to't, befides their Opera's, that were unknown to the Anmuch more than our People cients; and their defenfive and heavy Armour generally negle Q. Whether it be good Con- cted; how comes it to pass duft in a General, to fit down that there are yet fewer kill'd before a Town, before he has in a Battle now, than were beaten the Enemy out of the then? Field? A. The Circumftances muft deside it, fince in fome cafe it's good Conduct, in others quite contrary: For Example; when the Enemy is the ftronger, it's madness to fit down before a City, where the Garrison is of any ftrength, and fo to have an Enemy before, and another behind which was the Ruin of the Turkish Army at the laft Siege of Vienna; tho' the quite contrary happen'd afterwards to the Chriftians in another Siege, when they took the Town in the Face of the whole Body of the Turkish Army, after they had foundly beaten them in their attempting to relieve it. Whence 'tis plain enough, that 'tis no ill Policy, where a General has a mind to draw an Enemy to a Battel, to fit down before fome confiderable Town, if his Troops are hearty and numerous, and fufficient at once, to fecure all his Works against the Town, and draw out and engage the Enemy In which cafe, one of these two things muft happen Either he takes the Town in their fight, or elfe, has his defire in fighting them, when they come to relieve it: But in these cafes, the Seafon of the Year, and the Strength of the Town, deferve alfo his Confideration. Q. Since there are so many new ways of murdering lately invented, A. As there are new ways of murdering invented, unknown to the Ancients; so there are many of their old ways forgotten, and unknown to us; for the World was always ingenious enough in Mischief; as we find in the Siege of Jerusalem by the Romans, fome of the Cties of the Gauls by Cafar, bur especially in the Siege and Defence of Syracufe by Marcellus and Archemides; tho' thefe, it must be own'd, were rather used among them in Sieges, than Field-fights. Their Ancient Darts, it's true, were almoft as deadly as our fmall Guns and as inevitable But their Piles were a very heavy fort of a Bufinefs, tho' ftrong and able where they took: Of their Swords, Slings, and other Weapons, read Lipfius. Their Horse were generally weak and few, vaftly unproportionable to their Foot, and good for little but Picqueering at one another. Their Chariots were dreadtul, as defcribed by Ancient Writers, arm'd with Sythes and Death : Their Elephants were rather troublesome than ferviceable: Their Foot was their greatest Force, unless among the Per fians, whereof confifted the Macedonian Phalanx, and greatest part of the Invincible Roman Legions. Now, the reason why we have fewer kill'd in our Fights, than they in theirs, is old Battles, they were ty'd to't by fuch a deal of Luggage as they had about 'em, and could hardly ftir, at least but very gravely, if they had ne'er fo much mind to't. This, after all, must be acknowledg'd in Defence of the prefent Age That (as one of the Irish Prifoners told our Men) a ftrong Artillery is a thing not to be fought with; they are a terrible and irrefiftible Enemy, and muft break in pieces any thing that ftands against 'em, where they come to bear; nor is it eafie for a confufed Body of Men to rally again, when once thus difanimated and broken and turn'd into a Rout instead of an Army. no better nor worfe, than be cause we run away fooner'; they then ftood it our, Foor to Foot, and hack'd one another for a whole Day, nay, fometimes feveral Days together. But now a great part of the boafted Art of War, is the Art of Running away, dodging about, keeping as long from Fighting as they can, and then Fighting as little as poffible, unless one fide vaftly out-numbers, or has other ways the Advantage of the other. Another reafon may be, they then commonly met in vafter Numbers; a Hundred thousand, three hundred, nay, fometimes Five hundred thoufand, or more, of a fide; and out of more, there must be more kill'd; though one would think it impoffible for 'em all, or one half of 'em, to engage; whereas the greateft Armies on this fide Europe, feldom a mount to above 50000; and tho' the Mascovites talk of Hundreds of thousands in the Field A. 'Tis an unanswerable Que against the Tartars, yet they are ftion; for 'tis impoffible for a fo wife as feldom or never to Perfon that keeps a, Publick come to a Battle with them. Houfe to carry himself fo The Turks indeed have gene- (under the forementioned Cir. rally great Armies, having vaft cumftances) that he should not Territories to raise them, and fo offend God, and yet gratifie his have the Eaftern Nations, efpe- Guests ; ( generally speaking) but cially the Chinese; but then thus far may be done, which is when they meet, we find pro- the moft that can be expected, portionable Slaughter made a- viz. That no juft Caufe of Of mong 'em, and many times more fence may be given; and fuch kill'd than would compofe one People as think they have cause, or two whole European Ar- when they have nor, you have mies. As for the heavy Ar- this fatisfaction, That you do mour of the Ancients, our Mo-'em a Friendship, and such as dern Warriours have wifely all honeft Men must applaud, thrown it off, because it hin- nay, themselves, when they ders them both from Fighting, come to be fober. The Me and Running away But in the thod to be taken in fuch a Ma Q. One that keeps a Publick House, defires to know what Rules to follow that he may not difplease God, nor of fend bis Guests, as to the SeaSon of Time, and Quantity of Liquors? Ta hagement to my nagement (we conceive) is this Correspondence than ever, fo long As to the Quantity of Liquors as I mention not any thing, or to be vended to particular Per- fend any Letter tending fons, no Limits can be affign'd former Addrefs; but as often as fince Perfons are of fo different I Court her Complacency, Conftitutions, that what is ne- not only gives me most sharp ceffary to the Refreshment of and grating Dengals, but for Naru e in fome Perions, may be fome Time absents herself from Intemperance in others; fo that me; yet I am informed of ber the Rule here, is, You may let Uneasiness and Melancholy Temper all Perfons call on, till you find when I am gone, and of the they begin to exceed their due Pleasure and Satisfaction fh: Limits; and when you perceive takes when. I am Talkt of, 'em entering the Confines of or in Company; likewise Drankennels, 'tis Wickedness daly, long, private and fregle in you to let 'em procced any Conversation, both the Freedom further, fince thereby you be- and Liberty of Honourable Altcome acceffary to all the Irregu ions, Difcourfe, and filent natural larities they fhall commit in Love, not only confirm_me their Drunken Humours; and the belief of it, but I am afhow great ones fome have been certain'd on all hands, and apguilty of then, is Argument e-parently perceive the Loves me nough to deter all thinking Per-extremely well: fons.. As to the Time you may (as near as you can) fately observe the Cuftom of your Civiliz'd Neighbours; to exceed, may be Scandalous, and bring an ill Repute upon you, and to do leis, may be against an honeft Intereft. ORT in Now, being fully affured I fhall never gain her Confent, or prevail upon her by express Court hip; and knowing that she is a Lady of Honour and entire Chastity, i defire your Opinion, what tacit Method I shall aft to Marry her, without either Speaking or Writing to her of Love and Affection ? Q. I having an intimate Acquaintance with a Lady of Quality and confiderable Fortune, and being by frequent and familiar Ex- A. Now would you do rarely preffions of uncommon Favours, well, if you could buc Conjure induced into belief of more than hither one of the Mutes of the ord nary Kindness, at laft pre- Seraglio, to be your Tutor for vail'd with my self to declare one Quarter of a Year, and my amoitious Affection; but Teach you to make Dumb Love, when I discovered my preat which they are fo excellent. fumptious Inclinations, the feem'd But, fince the Black Art is not to corn my Proposals with lawfull, and 'twould be a great the greatest Regret and Difdain way about to fetch him either imaginable; yet notwithstanding by Land or Sea, you must be Continues a more ftrict and kind content with the Council of Christendome in this weighty Af |