of a military Rake) the Air of St. James's has given his Vices a new Turn. By Dint of an embroidered Coat, he thrufts himself into the Beau Coffee-houses, where a dauntless Effrontery, and a natural Volubility of Tongue, confpire to make him pafs for a Fellow of Wit and Spirit.

A bastard Ambition makes him envy every great Character; and as he has juft Sense enough to know that his Qualifications will never recommend him to the Efteem of Men of Senfe, or the Favour of Women of Virtue, he has thence contracted an Antipathy to both; and by giving a boundless Loose to univerfal Malice, makes continual War against Honour and Reputation, where ever he finds them.

Hecatilla is a female Firebrand, more dangerous, and more artfully vindictive than Draco himself. Birth, Wit, and Fortune, combine to render her confpicuous; while a splenetic Envy fours her, otherwife amiable, Qualities; and makes her dreaded as a Poifon doubly dangerous, grateful to the Tafte, yet mortal in Effect. All who see Hecatilla at a Vifit, where the Brilliancy of her Wit heightens the Luftre of her Charms, are imperceptibly deluded into a Concurrence with her in Opinion, and fufpect not Diffimulation under the Air of Frankness, nor a ftudied Defign of doing Mischief in a feemingly cafual Stroke of Wit. The moft facred Character, the most exalted Station, the faireft Reputation, defend not against the infectious Blaft of fprightly Raillery: borne on the Wings of Wit, and supported by a Blaze

a Blaze of Beauty, the fiery Vapour withers the fweetest Bloffoms, and communicates to all who hear her, an involuntary Diflike to thofe at whofe Merit fhe points her Satyr.

At Ev'ning thus the unsuspecting Swain,
Returning homewards o'er a marfby Plain,
Pleas'd, at a Distance fees the lambent Light,
And, hafty, follows the mischievous Sprit;
Thro' Brakes and Puddles, over Hedge and Style,
Rambles, mifguided, many a weary Mile.
Confus'd, and wond'ring at the Space he'as gone,
Doubts, then believes, and hurries fafter on:
The Cheat detected, when the Vapour's spent,
Scarce he's convinc'd, and hardly can repent.

Next to these Cautions with refpect to Raillery, which, if we examine ftrictly, we shall find no better than a well-bred Phrase for speaking ill of Folks; it may not be amifs to warn our Readers of a certain Vehemence in Difcourfe exceedingly fhocking to others, at the fame Time that it not a little exhausts themselves.

If we trace this Error to its Source, we fhall find that the Spring of it is an Impatience at finding others differ from us in Opinion: And can there be any thing more unreasonable, than to blame that Difpofition in them, which we cherish in ourselves?

If Submiffion be a Thing fo disagreeable to us, why should we expect it from them? Truth only can justify Tenaciousness in Opinion. Let us calmly lay down what convinces us, and, if it is reasonable,

it

it will hardly fail of perfuading those to whom we speak. Heat begets Heat; and the Clafhing of Opinions feldom fails to ftrike out the Fire of Diffenfion.

As this is a Foible more especially incident to the Fair Sex, I think it will be highly neceffary to offer another, and perhaps a more cogent Argument to their Confideration. Paffion is a prodigious Enemy to Beauty It ruffles the sweetest Features, difcolours the finest Complexion, and, in a Word, gives the Air of a Fury to the Face of an Angel. Far be it from me to lay Restraints upon the Ladies; but, in diffuading them from this Method of enforcing their Sentiments, I put them upon an easier Way of effecting what they defire: For what can be denied to Beauty, when speaking with an Air of Satisfaction? Complacence does all that Vehemence would extort, as Anger can alone abate the Influence of their Charms.

Serene and mild we view the Ev'ning Air,
The pleafing Picture of the smiling Fair;
A thoufand Charms our fev'ral Senfes meet,
Cooling the Breeze, with fragrant Odours fweet.
But, fudden, if the fable Clouds deform
The azure Sky, and threat the coming Storm,
Hafty we flee- ere yet the Thunders roar,
And dread what we fo much admir'd before.

To Vehemence in Difcourfe, let me join Redun dancy in it alfo; a Fault flowing rather from Careleffness than Defign; and which is more dangerous, from its being more neglected. Paffion, as I have hinted, excites Opposition; and that very Oppofition,

to

to a Man of tolerable Senfe, will be the strongest Reproof for his Inadvertency: Whereas a Person of a loquacious Difpofition, may often escape open Cenfure from the Respect due to his Quality; or from an Apprehenfion in thofe with whom he converses, that a Check would but increase the Evil; and, like curbing a hard-mouthed Horse, serve only to make him run the fafter: From whence the Perfon in fault is often rivetted in his Error, by miftaking a filent Contempt for profound Attention.

Perhaps this fhort Defcription may fet many of my Readers right; which, whatever they may think of it, I affure them is of no fmall Importance. Converfation is a Sort of Bank, in which all who compose it have their respective Shares. The Man therefore who attempts to ingrofs it, trefpaffes upon the Rights of his Companions; and, whether they think fit to tell him fo or no, will, of Confequence, be regarded as no fair Dealer. Notwithstanding I confider Conversation in this Light, I think it neceffary to obferve, that it differs from other Copartnerships in one very material Point; which is this, that it is worse taken if a Man pays in more than his Proportion, than if he had not contributed his full Quota, provided he be not too far deficient: For the Prevention of which, let us have Horace's Caution continually in our Eye,

The indifcreet with blind Averfion run
Into one Fault, when they another foun.

It is the peculiar Privilege of the Fair, that, speak ing or filent, they never offend. Who can be weary

VOL. I.

S

of

of hearing the fofteft Harmony? or who, without Pleasure, can behold Beauty, when his Attention is not diverted from her Charms, by liftening to her Words? I would have ftopt here, but that my Deference for the Ladies obliges me to take Notice, that fome of their own Sex, when past the Noon of Life, or in their Wane of Power from fome other Reason, are apt to place an Inclination of obliging their Hearers amongst thofe Topics of Detraction, by which they would reduce the Luftre of those Stars that now gild the Hemisphere where they once fhone.

From this Cause only, I would advise the reigning Toafts, by an Equality of Behaviour, to avoid the Cenfure of these ill-natured Tatlers.

Such hapless Fate attends the young and fair,
Expos'd to open Force, and fecret Snare:
Purfu'd by Men, warm with destructive Fire,
Against their Peace while female Frauds confpire.
Efcap'd from thofe, in vain they hope for Reft.
What Fame's fecure from an invidious Feft?
By Flight the Deer, no more of Dogs afraid,
Falls by a Shot from fome dark Covert made:
So envious Tongues their foul Intentions hide ;
Wound, though unfeen, and kill ere they're defcry'd.

Of all the Follies which men are apt to fall into, to the Disturbance of others, and leffening of themfelves there is none more intolerable than continual Egotifms, and a perpetual Inclination to Self-panegyric. The mention of this Weakness is fufficient to expose it; fince I think no Man was ever posfeffed of fo warm an Affection for his own Perfon, as deliberately