'greatest men among the old Romans derived many of their virtues from it, the comman'ders being frequently in other refpects fome of the most shining characters of the age. The army not only gives a man opportu'nities of exercising thofe two great virtues, patience and courage, but often produces them • in minds where they had scarce any footing ⚫ before. I must add, that it is one of the best schools in the world to receive a general no⚫tion of mankind in, and a certain freedom of behaviour, which is not fo eafily acquired in any other place. At the fame time I must own, that some military airs are pretty extraordinary, and that a man who goes into the army a coxcomb will come out of it a fort of public nuisance: but a man of sense, or one who before had not been fufficiently used to a mixed conversation, generally takes the true 6 turn. The court has in all ages been allowed to be the standard of good-breeding; and I 'believe there is not a jufter obfervation in 'Monfieur Rochefoucault, than that a man "who has been bred up wholly to business "can never get the air of a courtier at court, "but will immediately catch it in the camp.' The reason of this most certainly is, that the very effence of good-breeding and politeness confifts in feveral niceties, which are fo minute that they escape his obfervation, and he ⚫ falls fhort of the original he would copy after; but when he fees the fame things charged and aggravated to a fault, he no fooner endea vours to come up to the pattern which is fet • before him, than, though he stops fomewhat fhort of that, he naturally refts where in reality he ought. I was, two or three days ago, mightily pleafed with the observation of an humorous gentleman upon one of his friends, who was in other refpects every way an accomplished perfon, that he want"ed nothing but a dash of the coxcomb in "him; by which he understood a little of that alertnefs and unconcern in the common. actions of life, which is ufually fo vifible among gentlemen of the army, and which a campaign or two would infallibly have given • him. You will cafily guefs, Sir, by this my panegyric upon a military education, that I 6 am mviclf a foldier; and indeed I am fo. I • remember, within three years after I had been in the army, I was ordered into the country a recruiting. I had very particular fuccefs in this part of the fervice, and was over and above affured, at my going away, that I might have taken a young Lady, who was the moft confiderable fortune in the country, along with me. I preferred the puriuit of fame at that time to all other confiderations; and, though I was not abfolutely bent on a wooden leg, refolved at leaft to get a fcar or two for the good of Europe. I have at prefent as much as I defire of this fort of honour, and if you could recommend me effectually, fhould be well enough contented to pafs the • remainder ' remainder of my days in the arms of fome dear kind creature, and upon a pretty eftate. in the country. This, as I take it, would 'be following the example of Lucius Cincinnatus, the old Roman dictator, who, at the end of a war, left the camp to follow the plough. I am, Sir, with all imaginable refpect, Your moft, obedient,.,. Humble fervant, WILL WARLEY. 6 • Mr. SPECTATOR, AM an half-pay officer, and am at prefent with a friend in the country. Here is a rich widow in the neighbourhood, who has 'made fools of all the fox-hunters within fifty miles of her. She declares fhe intends to marry, but has not yet been afked by the man she could like. She ufually admits her • humble admirers to an audience or two; but, after he has once given them denial, will never fee them more. I am affured by a female relation that I fhall have fair play at her; but as my whole fuccefs depends on my 'first approaches, I defire your advice, whether I had beft ftorm or proceed by way of fap. I am, SIR, Yours, &c. 6 'P. S. I had forgot to tell you that I have already carried one of her outworks, that is, fecured her maid.' • Mr. • Mr. SPECTATOR, HAVE affifted in feveral fieges in the LowCountries, and being ftill willing to employ my talents as a foldier and engineer, lay 'down this morning at feven o'clock before • the door of an obstinate Female, who had for • fome time refused me admittance. I made a lodgment in an outer parlour about twelve: the enemy retired to her bed-chamber, yet I ftill purfued, and about two o'clock this • afternoon she thought fit to capitulate. Her. ⚫ demands are indeed fomewhat high, in rela⚫tion to the settlement of her fortune. But, being in poffeffion of the house, I intend to • infift upon Carte Blanche, and am in hopes, • by keeping off all other pretenders for the fpace of twenty-four hours, to starve her ⚫ into a compliance. I beg your speedy advice, • and am, SIR, Yours, PETER PUSH. From my camp in Red-lion-fquare, Saturday, four in the afternoon +.' + See SPECT. Vol. II. No. 152. N. 567. I N° 567. Wednesday, July 14, 1714. Inceptus clamor fruftratur hiantes. VIRG. En. vi. 493 The weak voice deceives their grafping throats. The HAVE received private advice from fome of my correfpondents, that if I would give my Paper a general run I fhould take care to feafon it with SCANDAL. I have indeed observed of late that few writings fell which are not filled with great names and illuftrious titles. reader generally cafts his eye upon a new book, and, if he finds feveral letters feparated from one another by a dafh, he buys it up and perufes it with great fatisfaction. fatisfaction. An M and an h, a T and an r*, with a fhort line between them, has fold many infipid pamphlets. Nay, I have known a whole edition go off by virtue of two or three well-written, &c- -S. A fprinkling of the word faction, Frenchman, papift, plunderer, and the like fignificant terms, in an Italic character, have alfo a very good effect upon the eye of the purchafer; not to mention fcribbler, liar, rogue, rafcal, knave, and villain, without which it is impoffible to carry on a modern controversy. M and an h means Malborough, and a T and an r means Treasurer. Our |