undo me. ' practifed all thofe arts that helped before to I am not to be deceived a fecond time by him. I hate and abhor his odious paf• fion; and as he plainly perceives it, either out of spite or diverfion he makes it his business to 'expofe me. I never fail feeing him in all public company, where he is always most induftriously spiteful. He hath, in fhort, told all his acquaintance of our unhappy affair; they tell theirs; fo that it is no fecret among his companions, which are numerous. They to 'whom he tells it, think they have a title to be very familiar. If they bow to me, and I out of good manners return it, then I am pestered with freedoms that are no way agreeable to myself or company. If I turn mine eyes from them, or feem difpleafed, they foar upon it, and whisper the next perfon; he his next; until I have at at laft the eyes of the whole company upon me. Nay, they report abominable falfehoods, under that mistaken notion, "She that will grant favours to one man will "to a hundred." I beg you will let thofe who are guilty know how ungenerous this way of proceeding is. I am fure he will know himself the perfon aimed at, and perhaps put a ftop to the infolence of others. Curfed is the fate of unhappy women! that men may boast and glory in thofe things that we must think of with fhame and horror! You have the art ' of making fuch odious cuftoms appear deteftable. For my fake, and, I am fure, for the fake of feveral others who dare not own it, but like me, lie under the fame misfortunes, make VOL. VIII. U it • it as infamous for a man to boaft of favours, or expofe our fex, as it is to take the lie or a box on the ear, and not refent it. • Your conftant reader and admirer, • LESBIA. P. S. I am the more impatient under this misfortune, having received fresh provocation, laft Wednesday, in the Abbey.' I entirely agree with the amiable and unfortunate Lefbia, that an infult upon a woman in her circumstances is as infamous in a man, as a tame behaviour when the lie or buffet is given; which truth I fhall beg leave of her to illuftrate by the following obfervation. It is a mark of cowardice paffively to forbear refenting an affront, the refenting of which would lead a man into danger; it is no less a fign of cowardice to affront a creature, that hath not power to avenge itself. Whatever name therefore this ungenerous man may bestow on the helpless lady he hath injured, I fhall not fcruple to give him, in return for it, the appellation of coward. A man, that can fo far descend from his dignity as to strike a lady, can never recover his reputation with either fex, because no provocation is thought ftrong enough to justify fuch treatment from the powerful towards the weak. In the circumftances in which poor Lefbia is fituated she can appeal to no man whatsoever to avenge an infult, more grievous than a blow. If he could open her mouth, the base man knows knows that a husband, a brother, a generous friend, would die to fee her righted. A generous mind, however enraged against an enemy, feels its refentments fink and vanish away when the object of its wrath falls into its power. An eftranged friend, filled with jealousy and discontent towards a bofom acquaintance, is apt to overflow with tenderness and remorfe, when a creature that was once dear to him undergoes any misfortune. What name then shall we give to his ingratitude, who (forgetting the favours he folicited with eagerness, and received with rapture) can infult the miferies that he himfelf caufed, and make sport with the pain to which he owes his greatest pleasure? There is but one being in the creation whofe province it is to practise upon the imbecillities of frail creatures and triumph in the woes which his own artifices brought about; and we well know those who follow his example will receive his reward. Leaving my fair correfpondent to the direction of her own wifdom and modefty; and her enemy, and his mean accomplices, to the compunction of their own hearts; I fhall conclude this Paper with a memorable inftance of revenge, taken by a Spanish lady upon a guilty lover, which may ferve to fhew what violent effects are wrought by the most tender paffion, when foured into hatred; and may deter the young and unwary from unlawful love. The ftory, however romantic it may appear, I have heard affirmed for truth. Not many years ago an English gentleman, who, in a rencounter by night in the streets of Madrid, had the misfortune to kill his man, fled into a church-porch for fanctuary. Leaning against the door he was furprifed to find it open, and a glimmering light in the church. He had the courage to advance towards the light; but was terribly startled at the fight of a woman in white, who afcended from a grave with a bloody knife in her hand. The phantom marched up to him, and asked him what he did there. He told her the truth, without referve, believing that he had met a ghost; upon which the spoke to him in the following manner: "Stranger, thou "art in my power: I am a murderer as "thou art. Know then that I am a nun of a "noble family. A bafe perjured man undid me, "and boafted of it. I foon had him dispatched; but, not content with the murder, I have "bribed the fexton to let me enter his grave, "and have now plucked out his falfe heart from "his body; and thus I use a traitor's heart.' At thefe words the tore it in pieces and trampled it under her feet. *Yefterday was published Mr. STEELE'S Apology for himself and his writings, occafioned by his expulfion from the House of Commons. Just published, the following Poems; An Epiftle to the Right Hon. Charles Earl of HALIFAX. By Mr. PHILIPS A Letter to Mr. ADDISON, on the King's Acceffion to the Throne. By Mr. EUSDEN.-A Poem on the late Queen's Death, and his Majefty's Acceffion; infcribed to JOSEPH ADDISON, Efq. By EDWARD YOUNG, Fellow of All Souls College, Oxon. Printed for J. Tonfon in the Strand, and fold by Robert Burleigh in Amen Corner. SPECT. in folio. N° 612. N° 612. Wednesday, October 27, 1714. Murranum hic atavos & avorum antiqua Jonantem I Murranus, boafting of his blood, that fprings Is by the Trojan from his chariot thrown, T is highly laudable to pay refpect to men who are defcended from worthy ancestors, not only out of gratitude to thofe who have done good to mankind, but as it is an encouragement to others to follow their example. But this is an honour to be received, not demanded, by the defcendants of great men; and they, who are apt to remind us of their ancestors, only put us upon making comparisons to their own difadvantage. There is fome pretence for boafting of wit, beauty, ftrength, or wealth, because the communication of them may give pleasure or profit to others; but we can have no merit, nor ought we to claim any respect, because our fathers acted well, whether we would or no. The following letter ridicules the folly I have mentioned, in a new, and, I think, not difagreeable light. |