dess, who consolidated the union of her parents, and contributed to the regular vicissitudes of their reign, by dispensing her gifts to thofe only who shared their lives in just proportions between Rest and Labour.

Numb. 34. Saturday, July 14, 1750.

Kon f.nt vano

Aurarum et Jilute melu. — Hor.

Alarm'd with cv'ry rising gale,

Inev'rywood, in cv'ry vale. Elphinston.

IHave been censured for having hitherto dedicated so sew of my speculations to the ladies; and indeed the moralist, whofe instructions are accommodated only to one half of the human species, must be consessed not sufficiently to have extended his views. Yet it is to be considered, that masculine duties afford more room for counsel-, and observations, as they are less uniform, and connected with things more subject to vicissitude and accident; we therefore find that in philofophical discourses which teach by precept,. or historical narratives that instruct by example, the peculiar virtues or saults of women fill but a small part; perhaps generally too small, for so much of our domestick happiness is in their hands, and their influence is so great upon our earliest years, that the universal interest of the world requires them to be well instructed in their province; nor can it be

thought

thought proper that the qualities by which so much pain or pleasure may be given, should be lest to the direction of chance.

I have, theresore, willingly given a place in rrqr paper to a letter, which perhaps may not be wholly useless to them whose chies ambition is to please, as it shews how certainly the end is missed by absurd and injudicious endeavours at distinction.

To the RAMBLER.

S I R,

T AM a young gentleman at my own.dispofal, with a considerable estate; and having passed through the common forms of education, spent some time in foreign countries, and made myself distinguished since my return in the politest company, I am now arrived at that part of lise in which every man is expected to settle, and provide for the continuation of his lineage. I withstood for some time the solicitations and remonstrances of my aunts and uncles, but at last was persuaded to visit Anthea, an heiress, whose land lies contiguous to mine, and whose birth and beauty arc without objection. Our friends declared that we were born for each other, all those on both sides who had no interest in hindering our union, contributed to promote it, and were conspiring to hurry us into matrimony, besore we had an opportunity of knowing one another. I was, however, too old to be given away without my own consent, and having happened to pick up an opinion, which to many of my relations seemed extremely odd, that a man might be unhappy with a large

estate,

estate, determined to obtain a nearer knowledge of the person with whom I was to pass the remainder of my time. To protract the courtship was by no means difficult, for Anthea had a wondersul facility of evading questions which I seldom repeated, and os barring approaches which I had no great eagerness to press.

Thus the time passed away in visits and civilities, without any ardent prosessions of love, or formal offers of settlements. I often attended her to publick places, in which, as is well known, all behaviour is lo much regulated by custom, that very little insight can be gained into the private character, and therefore I was not yet able to insorm myself of her humour and inclinations.

At last I ventured to propofe to her to make one of a small party, and spend a day in viewing a seat and gardens a sew miles distant; and having, upon her compliance, collected the rest of the company, I brought, at the hour, a coach which I had borrowed from an acquaintance, having delayed to buy one myself, till I should have an opportunity of taking the lady's opinion for whofe use it was intended. Anthea came down, but as she was going to step into the coach, started back with great appearance of terror, and told us that she durst not enter, for the shocking colour of the lining had so much the air of the mourning-coach, in which she followed her aunt's funeral three years besore, that she should never have her poor dear aunt out of her head.

I knew that it was not for lovers to argue with their mistresses; I theresore sent back the coach, and got another more gay. Into this we all entered,

tered, the coachman began to drive, and we were amusing ourselves with the expectation of what we should see, when, upon a small inclination of the carriage, Anthea screamed out, that we were overthrown. We were obliged to fix all our attention upon her, which she took care to keep up by renewing her outcries, at every corner where we had occasion to turn: at intervals Ihe entertained us with fretsul complaints of the uneasiness ot the coach, and obliged me to call several times on the coachman to take care and drive without jolting. The poor sellow endeavoured to please us, and therefore moved very flowly, till Anthea found out that this pace would only keep us longer on the stones, and desired that I would order him to make more speed. He whipped his horses, the coach jolted again, and Anthea very complaisantly told us how much she repented that she made one of our company.

At last we got into the smooth road, and began to think our difficulties at an end, when, on a sudden, Anthea saw a brook before us, which she could not venture to pass. We were, therefore, obliged to alight, that we might walk over the bridge; but when we came to it, we found it so narrow, that Anthea durst not set her foot upon it, and was content, aster long consultation, to call the coach back, and with innumerable precautions, terrors, and lamentations, crossed the brook.

It was necessary, aster this delay, to amend our pace, and directions were accordingly given to the coachman, when Anthea iiiformed us, that it was common for the axle to catch fire with a quick 5 motion, motion, and begged of me to look out every minute, lest we mould all be consumed. I was forced to obey, and gave her from time to time the most solemn declarations that all was sase, and that I hoped we should reach the place without lofing our lives either by sire or water.

Thus we passed on, over ways soft and hard, with more or less speed, but always with new vicissitudes of anxiety. If the ground was hard, we were jolted; if soft, we were sinking. If we went sast, we should be overturned; if slowly, we should never reach the place. At length she saw something which she called a cloud, and began to consider that at that time of the year it frequently thundered. This seemed to be the capital terror, for aster that the coach was suffered to move on; and no danger was thought too dreadsul to be encountered, provided she could get into a house before the thunder.

Thus our whole conversation passed in dangers, and cares, and sears, and consolations, and stories of ladies dragged in the mire, forced to spend all the night on a heath, drowned in rivers, or burnt with lightning; and no sooner had a hairbreadth escape set us free from one calamity, but we were threatened with another.

At length we reached the house where we intended to regale ourselves, and I propofed to Anthea the choice of a great number of dishes, which the place, being well provided for entertainment, happened to afford. She made some objection to every thing that was offered; one thing she hated at that time of the year, another she could not bear since she had seen it spoiled at lady Feedwell'% table; another she

was