other Foreign Trinkets; in sowing, in knitting Garters, in knotting of Fringe, and every gentle Exercife of Feminine Oeconomy.

If from their Studies we turn our Attention to their Conversation, we must be convinced, that in this Refpect likewise they are fo far from meriting Contempt, that nothing in the World can be more refined, or more engaging.

It is an established Maxim in this School of Manners, never to oppose the Sentiments of the Company. Every Gentleman affents to every thing that is faid. Sometimes indeed, you may hear what appears, at first, like a Difference of Judgment: But have a little Patience, and you will find it is only the genteel Interchange of Sentiments: For Sippius will go over to the Opinion of Fannius, rather than be fo rude to contradict him; and Fannius will allow his Friend to be in the right, rather than be thought fo ill-bred as not to give up fuch a Trifle as his own Judgment. Whereas your unrectified Spirits are eternally infifting upon the natural Right of maintaining their Opinions, and the Liberty of speaking their Minds.

The Liberty of Speaking your Mind! A pretty Affertion truly! I know not what Arguments may be drawn, in favour of it, from the mufty Precepts of antiquated Sages, but I am certain, that Goodbreeding abfolutely difallows it: Neither indeed is it reconcileable with common Senfe and Discretion;

for

for he who difapproves my Sentiments, does, in effect, tell me I am a Fool. Confequently, let him talk ever fo well, and reason (as you call it) ever so justly, he is fure to give Offence: Whilst the yielding Companion, the well-bred Affenter, never fails to conciliate Favour; for there is not a more engaging Compliment to the Understanding, than to facrifice your own Vanity to That of another.

A Pretty Gentleman therefore fcarce ever diffents. He will indeed fometimes fay, Oh! pard'n me, mi Dear! I ke'n't poffibly be of that Apinion! But then this is only a polite Artifice, that he may flatter your Judgment with a finer Address, when he afterwards fuffers himself to be convinced by your fuperior Reafoning. To give him his Due, he has no Attachment to any one Opinion in the World, but that of preserving the Rules of Good-breeding. In all other Cafes, he has an Affent entirely at your Servicę ; and you cannot change Sides oftener, than this most obfequious humble Servant will follow you. A Tranfgreffion of Decorum is indeed fo fhocking to his Nature, that he cannot let it pafs without Correction; but then it is always inflicted with a gentle Hand. The fevereft Adnimadverfion never rises beyond this,

O! fie! ye filthy Creter!

The Epithet filthy, as it appears upon Paper, may feem fomewhat coarse and unclean: But were you to hear how he liquidates the Harthness of the Sound, and conceals the Impurity of the Ide. by a fweetened

Accent,

Accent, you would grow enamoured of his Addrefs, and admire the enchanting Beauties of refined Elocution. Oh! fie! ye filt-by Creter! How eafy, how gentle, how humane a Chastisement for the highest Offence !

It has been obferved (but I don't remember by what Author) that there are two Kinds of Conversation: The one, clofe and continued; the other, loose and unconnected. The First was practifed amongst us whilft the Enemies of Elegance prevailed: But now the Latter has defervedly gained the Afcendant; as it is perfectly fuited to the Turn and Caft of our polite Affemblies of every Denomination [b]. The Gravity of dull Knowledge is at laft happily exploded: Mafculine Sense and Wit are rejected as obfolete and unfashionable Talents; and better fupplied by the more engaging Charms of the contrary Qualities. Nothing is now heard, but sweet Chitchat, and tender Prittle-Prattle, Shreds of Sentiments, and Cuttings of Sentences, all foft and charming, elegant and polite.

By this fhort Abstract of the prevailing Turn in polite Conversation, the Reader fees, that the Pretty Gentleman must neceffarily be the best Company; because he will neither offend by the abominable Coarfnefs of manly Reafon, nor the ungrateful Poignancy of keen Repartee: But though he is not fuch

[6] Drums, Kettle-Drums, Drum-Majors, Routs, Hurries, Riots, Tumults, and Helter Skelters, the feveral Appellations by which the modern Affemblies are aptly characterized and diftinguished.

a Fool,

a Fool, or fo ill-bred as to be down-right Witty, he will now and then indulge himself in what he calls, The little Efcapes of Fancy, which I will not injure fo much as to rank them under the Denomination of Wit. If the Company happens to grow languid, Fannius has an admirable Talent at reviving their Spirits by fome pretty familiar Remark or other; which, obvious as it is, would never have entered On fuch an into the Head of an unrefined Mortal.

Occafion this little Wag will pat a Lady over the Shoulder, and tell her, with the most facetious Leer, I vew, Me'me, yur'e immoderately entertaining.

And though this is all he fays, yet there is fomething in the Manner, in the Accent, and in the — Į don't know what; that the Company instantly revive, and begin again to exchange their Words. Nor let any Man imagine that this is a trifling Talent, which can raise Something out of-Nothing, and reftore a Society to Chearfulness and Pleasantry; for good Manners require that Conversation should be kept up at any Rate,

But when I told you that their Raillery was the moft inoffenfive thing in Nature, and operated fo finely, that it could scarce be felt; yet as there are no general Maxims but what have fome Exceptions, I confefs that Lepidulus now and then fteps beyond the Rules of the Community, and like a little Wafp as he is, leaves his Sting in the Wound he inflicts, A certain Lady, who affects a mafculine Senfe and Spirit of Jocularity, gave herself the Liberty to rally

the

the modern Refinement, and in the Ardor of her Zeal was tranfported fomewhat beyond the Limits of Decorum. Upon this, Lepidulus was fo exafperated, that he could not, for the Soul of him, contain any longer, but steps towards her with a nettled Air, looks her full in the Face, and with a rebuking Countenance, mixed with Fear, gave Vent to his Spleen. " I vew, Me'me! it-it-it's not-without infinite "Pains that yu're able to make yureself less Sam'able."

This cutting Reproof, just and seasonable as it was, would hardly have paffed uncenfured by the Fraternity, had it not been excufed by the high Provocation, which occafioned it..

The other Day, when the whole Body was affembled, they had the Patience to perufe that abominable Farce now under my Correction. "It is the "most astonishing Thing in Nater, cries Tenellus, "that fo low a Performence fhould meet wi' fuch "pop'ler Applause !-O Lard! Oh Lard! as I hope "for Mircy, replies Lepidulus, there's re'lly now "nothing at all fupprizing in the Cafe; for pop'ler "Fame is nothing but Air; and Air (as you Scho"lars tells us) nat'rally preffes into――a Vacʼuum. "He-he-he-he!"

Though this was a keen Conceit, yet as it reflected Honour on the Community, it was fo highly relished, that they had certainly broke out into a loud Laughter, were it not that fuch Bursts of Mirth are looked

I

upon