made to come from the neck to the ground in a long train. The wait can be made fhort or long at pleafure; the fleeves are fo contrived that they can be either worn down to the wrifts, or tucked up above the elbow. The arms are ornamented with a bracelet à la Turque; and the robe forms a drapery on the breaft in the fhape of a heart. Sometimes a waistcoat à la Sultane is worn | over the waist, and forms a girdle at bottom:-this dress is very new, and very elegant. Robe à la Thefte.-This is a drefs very much admired for its fimplicity: it is open at the neck; the waift is formed by a lacing made with great art, and gives an infinite grace and elegance to the fhape; a light mantle is worn on the back, which can be taken up, or flow loofe, at pleasure. Riding Coat à la Pallas.-This dress makes the waift appear very neat and elegant: the lappel à la Minerve is made to go round the breast and shoulders in a drapery, and faftens with buttons at the throat. Chemife à l'Indienne.-This is a beautiful undrels, the waift is formed by plaits artfully arranged, and by bows of ribband; the train falls to the ground in an elegant drapery: it is made of delicate clear lawn. Robe Economique-forming at pleafure three kind of drefes,-a half drefs, a drefs for the country, and a riding dress. The DANGLER, No. II. Quis enim modus adfit amori 1 VIRG. Ah, cruel heav'n! that made no cure for love! DRYDEN. [APPENING the other day to HAR dine with fir Thomas Dangle, my near relation, after dinner, when VOL. XXVII. we went up to attend the ladies at tea, I feated myself between my lady and mifs Jane, her eldest daughter. I had not been long in that agreeable fituation, before the fervant announced the arrival of a young gentleman, who, after having faluted the reft of the company, inquired particularly after the health of mifs Jane, and at the fame time, I thought, feemed to eye me in the fame manner, on, account of my ftation, as Macbeth does the ghoft of Banquo, when he exclaims, upon being requefted to be feated, "The table's full," that I began to fufpect, as the cafe really was, that he was an humble admirer of the young lady. However, he feated himself oppofite, in order, I fuppofe, the better to obferve the motions of the enemy, for fuch he undoubtedly esteemed me. The converfation took a fprightly turn, in which he acquitted himfelt with infinite addrefs-I fay, infinite addrefs, because he was actually engaged in two converfations at the fame time; for, while he filled up the chafms of the apparent one by lively fallies, he was at the fame time expreffing the greatest regard, asking frequent queftions, and fhowing fome uneafinefs concerning me, whom he had never feen before, in a filent one to mifs Jane. The vehicle which he made ufe of for this latter conver fation was his eyes, which, indeed, were fufficiently expreffive for the purpofe. Unfortunately, in the midst of all our good-humour, the young lady let her tea-fpoon fall; I immediately picked it up; but, in giving it to her, whether I attempted to be more polite than usual, or from what other cause I know not, I happened to touch her hand. My young gentleman started and blufhed, and then became pale again :-he was visibly agitated;-and, to crown my ill-luck (for I was really con cerned for him), upon my recovery of pofture, I perceived I had gained a trophy of gallantry, upon my right M m arm, arm, from the hair of my fair coufin; for we had both ftooped at once, by which this aggravating circumftance happened. This, after fome time, was, however, got over; and things fecmed to bid fair for a return of tranquillity; when, to my utter confufion, lady Dangleremarked that my buckles were extremely elegant; to which the young lady added that I liad always a great deal of tafte.-Her younger fifter, Clara, who enjoyed the lover's confufion, declared that I was always a favourite of her fifter. This was not to be borne.— My oppofite neighbour became feriously alarmed-he bit his lipsthen looked eagerly at my lady-now at her daughter-then addreffed his dumb language to Clara, to endeavour to find out who the man was, who feemed to be fo intimate with the family. Having been the caufe of fo much difquict, I began to think it high time to retreat; but, in order to make fome atonement for it, before I departed, I addreffed a vast number of compliments to Clara; but the little gipfy, perceiving my intention, faid, in a laughing way, that if it would not break her elder fifter's heart, fhe fhould fall in Jove with me for my politenefs. Seeing misfortunes, crowd, fo faft upon me, I pleaded an engagement, and took my leave. 1 When I came home, I could not help ruminating upon the occurrences of the day, which had made a human being, for a time, completely miferable: and, upon turning them fit this way and then that in my mind, love, which had made them of importance, appeared to me, if not the first, at least the most tyranniling and extraordinary of paffions, This determined me to make it the fubject of my next paper. The ancients have defcribed this paffion with all that nicety of obfervation, for which they are fo justly famous. The happinef, the mifery, the anxiety, the tyranny of it, have been touched with the moft delicate ftrokes by Terence, not to mention the effects of it defcribed by Sappho, and feveral beautiful ideas fcattered through the works of many others, particularly of Theocritus, and, after him, of Virgil. Whatever critics may think of it as the fubject for a tragedy, it is certain, that into almost every other kind of poetry it may be introduced with addrefs. Homer did not difdain to make it a very leading circumftance in both his Iliad and his Ody fley; and Virgil made it the very circumftance upon which moft of his events depend in the Æneid. Among the moderns, nobody has wrought a more affecting fable upon its foundation than Cervantes; witness the beautiful epifode of Cardenio and Lucinda in his Don Quixote. The defpair, and indeed. every other attribute of fuccefslefs love, are here prefented to our view, in a manner, which must for ever evince the liveliness of his fancy and the correctnefs of his genius. Thomfon has alfo given us fome very charming thoughts upon this fubject in his poems; but the reftlefinefs, little jealoufy, doubts and fears of it, have fcarcely ever been pourtrayed by any one with the fame felicity, as by the ingenious author of the Rivals. In the character of Faulkland, we behold a man of fentiment, who would wish to exalt his ideas of his mistress even to angelic perfection. He feems to with to exclaim, with Eloifa My fancy form'd thee of angelic Some emanation of th' all-beauteous Upon fuch a fubject as this, who, if any creature was born for a pecu liar purpose, feems destined to fuffer the keenest torments and the most acute happiness, love tyrannifes with the moft arbitrary fway: he is, to borrow a metaphor, the very temple of the deity. How extremely ten der with captain Abfolute, when he defcribes his fears for her health and welfare There is a thought in Virgil very like this, where Gallus exclaims Ah! te ne frigora lædant! Ye frofts and fnows, her tender body fpare! der is that part of his converfation f It inclines the foul to virtue, by giv. ing it that delicate, uneafy fenfation, under which we are most capable of good actions, and which always accompanies them.-It gives courage to the coward, and modefty to the impudent. A look has infpired many a man with heroifm, - has prompted him to ferve his country in the most effential manner, who never otherwife would have thought of it: and a glance of difapprobation has fubdued the infolence of the most licentious. In fort, if a man be really in love, he always exalts his ideas of his miftrefs to perfection; confequently, he wishes to arrive at it himfelf, in order to become more agreeable in her eyes. How naturally does the boorish defcription of his miftrefs's hilarity, by Acres, wind up his heart-ftrings to agony! The reprefentation of what a young lady fhould be in the abfence of her lover, is inimitably delicate and poetical; and, notwithftanding this paffage always creates a fmile, a man of any taste could scarcely doubt the ferioufnefs of the author. The agitations, the affected indifference,-his fufpenfe, the determination of Julia never to be united to him, while her heart is bleeding at the idea, his contrition, and her declaration, that the would have followed him in beggary through the world, are thoughts all exquifitely conceived: and the author has put a fpeech into the mouth of Faulkland, which would have done honour to the noblest and most delicate of poets, when he fays: "Olove! tormentor! fiend!-whofe influence, like the moon's, acting on men of dull fouls, makes idiots of them; but, meeting subtler fpirits, betrays their courfe, and urges fenfibility to mad nefs!" Nothing has a greater influence upon amity than love; for, when does friendship appear more dear to man than when it hears the diftrelles of affection, or launches into encomiums on the perfon who is most dear to him? This kind of intercourfe has been obferved to cement friendship in the ftrongeft manner; and many friendships have refulted entirely from it. Le Sage, who understood nature as well as any man, has made Don Gafton de Cogollos entertain a friendship for Gil Blas, becaufe, when they were both that young cavalier's complaints of in prifon together, he ufed to hear his unfortunate paffion for the beautiful daughter of Don George, with fympathy. Does a man fall in love ?-he instantly contracts fentiments of reThe power of love over the foul is gard for the whole family of the aftonishing it refines the ideas al-object whom he admires. Has the moft beyond humanity, and is able; to produce the most wonderful effects. While this reigns, every other paffion is advanced in its excellence. Ambition is purified and directed to noble purfuits. It foftens the heart to pity; for we feldom find the most obdurate, if under its influence, capable of fhutting his ears to the claims of charity and generosity. any little favourite, as a lap-dog or bird ?--they are foon difcovered to be the moit extraordinary of their kind: the one is the most faithful creature in the world, and the harmony of the other is preferred to every thing but the mufic of its miftrefs's voice. Nay, the very house, air, and fituation, become in fome degree dear to him. Does fue M m 2 like the town the country is thought infupportably ftupid.-If the is fond of rural amufements, the town is a frene of empty noife, and not to be endured. The power of love over the female foul has nearly the fame effect as over that of man. The fair fex have become heroic, and no misfortunes have been able totally to deprefs them. Nay, the confolations of a wife have often smoothed the rugged paths of misfortune, and restored eafe to a heart from which it might have flown for ever. As reciprocal affection is the greateft pleasure we are capable of tafting, fo fcorn, if we love, produces the moft fixed and steady hatred: but if a man be once beloved, and a doubt of conftancy enters his brain, he is no longer himself. How dreadfully acute are his fenfations! This is noble, virtuous, and good,-every Amor et melle et felle fecundiffimus. DERWENT PRIORY; In a Series of Letters. Lady Laura to Mifs Lumly. far more lamentable than indifference that cafts a languor upon the whole perfon, it is true; a man In such a fituation is filently wretch-juft now rudely took hold of Ellen, ed; his affairs are fcorned, and he greets defpair, even as a comfort: but this roufes him to distraction ; and as every thing that occurs ferves to infpire affection with new tendernefs, fo the most indifferent circumftance adds to the torment of jealoufy. Since this paffion feems to produce fuch various effects, how careful ought we to be to combat its first approaches for an unworthy object; for it is equally certain, that as the virtuous and the good can polifh the understanding and the perfon nearly to perfection, nothing is more dreadful than the unprincipled of either fex. My fair readers will pardon the-mention of this, as experience has fhown that there will be bad of both fexes. I fhall not enlarge upon the idea, but content myself with faying, that fuch a perfon may taint the mind with every vice that the horrid catalogue affords. Thus we fee every thing that is who was dreffed in her habit, as we had agreed to go out for a ride,fwore fhe was a tight little filly, and from his violence, and placed herself fit to grace a royal ftud. She fhrunk by the fide of Clifford; on which occafion, Merioneth looked with the dignity of an emperor. Julia, Ellen, Mrs. Maynard, and myfelf, are going out on horfeback, efcorted by Merioneth, Severn, Clifford, and the baronet, every one a beau, you may perceive. Mrs. Maynard, El len, and Julia, ride hories they are acquainted with; but to mine I am an entire ftranger :-Merioneth has character.The horfes are ready. ridden him, and gives him a good Adieu. Wednesday night.. SUCH an accident! but I fuppofe only another contrivance of Dan Cupid's;-however, take the parti culars. This has been rather an eventful day. I took my leave of you you in the morning, juft as we were Letting off for a ride. We had not gone far, when Mrs. Maynard challenged fir John to gallop with her through the park. He would not go without a bet. "Well (cried this fpirited lady), two guineas to one, that my horfe reaches the gate first." "Done!" cried the knight,-and off they rode. They had fcarcely paffed us, be fore my unruly beaft fnorted, and pawed, and finally infifted on following them. I endeavoured in vain to reftrain him; he flew off, and distanced them in an inftant. I perceived that I could not keep my feat long; fo, difengaging my foot from the stirrup, I prepared to throw myself from his back as foon as I could fee a favourable opportunity, -for the road which we were in was fo much interfected with trees, that it was difficult to chufe a fafe place to fall in. At length we approached a gate, which I feared he would attempt to leap ;-fo I inftantly threw myfelf down. I fell against a tree, but without receiving any injury. My fteed flew over the gate; and, as I leaned against the tree to recover my breath, I was alarmed by the approach of a cow, who bellowed outrageoufly. I was in the greateft tertor; for I recollected hearing of the exploits of this vicious animal; but, to my great relief, I faw Clifford app oaching. He obferved my fituation, and rode up to the cow, which he, with fome difficulty, drove away: then, difmounting, he came up to me, and inquired, with great tenderness, whether I had received any injury from the accident? "None (faid 1); but it is very doubtful what might have been the confequence if you had not again arrived at a critical minute." "To have been inftrumental to lady Laura's fafety (faid he), is an event I fhall ever think on with pleafure.", "And I with gratitude.-But where is the party?" "Not far off," he anfwered.[As he spoke they appeared.] That unfeeling wretch, fir John, (continued he) propofed to bet five guineas to two that you kept your feat, provided nobody pretended to follow. Mrs. Maynard had declined the race, on feeing the unexpected flight of your horfe." "Oh! Oh! (faid Mrs. Maynard, as they approached) fir John, if any one had taken up your bet, you would have been prettily lurched.— Here is the lady, it is true; but where is the fteed?" "Gone to the devil, for aught I care! (faid the knight)-I thould furely have won, if the race had not been interrupted by him." The lady replied, fhe would ride against him any other day. Put neither of thefe well bred folks thought proper to afk me if I had received any injury from my fall. The reft of the party were very politely inquiring into the particu lars of my difafter, when they were interrupted by Mrs. Maynard, who exclaimed," What a fufs you all make about nothing! the lady, you may perceive, is very well; and the gentleman is much obliged to your runaway fleed, lady Laura, for giving him fuch an opportunity of fhowing his gallantry." "Indeed, madani, (faid Clifford, warmly) you are much mistaken; no event which places this lady in danger (bowing to me) can be fatisfactory to her friends." "And among thofe of that defcription, you have the vanity to rank yourfelf?" faid the lady. "Mr. Clifford (faid I), madam, has done me an honour I will ftudy to deferve." |