has been too blind towards him, and has too fincere an, Heart of her own to observe a thousand things which would have difcovered this Change of Mind to any one lefs engaged than fhe was. Cynthio was mufing Yesterday in the Piazza in Covent-Garden, and was faying to himself that he was a very ill Man to go on in vifiting and profeffing Love to Flavia, when his Heart was enthralled to another. It is an Infirmity that I am not conftant to Flavia; but it would be still a greater Crime, fiuce I cannot continue to love her, to profefs that I do. To marry a Woman with the Coldnefs that ufually indeed comes on after Marriage, is ruining ones felf with ones Eyes open; befides, it is really doing her an Injury. This laft Confideration, forfooth, of injuring her in perfifting, made him refolve to break off upon the first favourable Opportunity of making her angry. When he was in this Thought, he faw Robin the Porter, who waits at Will's Coffee-house, paffing by. Robin, you must know, is the best Man in Town for carrying a Billet; the Fellow has a thin Body, fwift Step, demure Looks, fufficient Senfe, and knows the Town, This Man carried Cynthia's first Letter to Flavia, and by frequent Errands ever fince, is well known to her. The Fellow covers his Knowledge of the Nature of his Meffages with the most exquifite low Humour imaginable: The firft he obliged Flavia to take, was by complaining to her that he had a Wife and three Children, and if fhe did not take that Letter, which, he was fure, there was no Harm in, but rather Love, his Family would go Supperlefs to Bed, for the Gentleman would pay him according as he did his Bufinefs. Robin therefore Cynthio now thought fit to make ufe of, and gave him Orders to wait before Flavia's Door, and if the called him to her, and asked whether

it was Cynthio who paffed by, he fhould at first be loth to own it was, but upon Importunity confefs it. There needed not much Search into that Part of the town to find a well dreffed Huffey fit for the purpofe Cynthio defigned her. As foon as he believed Robin was pofted, he drove by Flavia's Lodgings in an Hackney-Coach and a Woman in it. Robin was at the Door talking with Flavia's Maid, and Cynthio pull'd up the Glafs as furprized, and hid his Affociate. The Report of this Circumstance foon flew up Stairs, and Robin could not deny but the Gentleman favoured his Mafter; yet if it was he, he was fure the Lady was but his Coufin whom he had feen ask for him; adding, that he believed she was a poor Relation, because they made her wait one Morning till he was awake. Flavia immediately writ the following Epistle, which Robin brought to Will's. June 4, 1712. Tis in vain to deny it, baseft, falfeft of Mankind, my Maid, as well as the Bearer, faw The injured Flavia.

SIR,

•IT

you.

2

AFTER Cynthio had read the Letter, he asked Robin how the looked, and what she said at the -Delivery of it. Robin said she spoke short to him, and called him back again, and had nothing to fay to him, and bid him and all the Men in the World go out of her Sight; but the Maid followed, and bid him bring an Answer.

CYNTHIO returned as follows.

Madam,

T

June 4, Three Afternoon, 1712.

HAT your Maid and the Bearer has feen me very often is very certain; but I defire to know, being engaged at Picket, what your

• Letter

"Letter means by 'tis in vain to deny it. I fhall stay here all the Evening.

Your amazed Cynthio.

A-s foon as Robin arrived with this, Flavia anfwered;

Dear Cynthio,

I Have walked a Turn or two in my AntiChamber fince I writ to you, and have re'covered my felf from an impertinent Fit which " you ought to forgive me; and defire you would come to me immediately to laugh off a Jealoufie that you and a Creature of the Town went by in an Hackney-Coach an Hour ago.

I am your most humble Servant,

FLAVIA:

'I will not open the Letter which my Cynthio writ, upon the Mifapprehenfion you must have < been under when you writ for want of hearing the whole Circumftance.

ROBIN came back in an Inftant, and Cynthio answered;

Half an Hour, fix Minutes after Three, Madam, June, 4. Will's Coffee-boufe. T is certain I went by your Lodging_with a Gentlewoman to whom I have the Honour to be known, she is indeed my Relation, and a pretty fort of Woman. But your starting Manner of Writing, and owning you have not done me the Honour fo much as to open my Letter, has in it fomething very unaccountable, and a'larms one that has had Thoughts of paffing his Days with you. But I am born to admire you with all your little Imperfections.

CYNTHIO.

ROBIN run back and brought for Answer;

XACT Sir, that are at Will's Coffee-house

fix Minutes after Three, June 4; one that has had Thoughts, and all my little Imperfections. 6 Sir, come to me immediately, or I fhall deter'mine what may perhaps not be very pleafing to 'you.

FLAVIA.

ROBIN gave an Account that the looked exceffive Angry when he gave him the Letter, and that he told her, for the asked, that Cynthio only looked at the Clock, taking Snuff, and writ two or three Words on the Top of the Letter when he gave him his.

Now the Plot thickened fo well, as that Cynthio faw he had not much more to do to accomplish being irreconcileably banished, he writ,

Madam,

Have that Prejudice in Favour of all you do, that it is not poffible for you to determine upon what will not be very pleafing to,

Your obedient Servant,

CYNTHIO.

THIS was delivered, and the Anfwer returned, in a little more than two Seconds.

SIR,

IS it come to this? You never loved me; and the Creature you were with is the properest Person for your Affociate. I defpife you, ' and hope I fhall foon hate you as a Villain to The Credulous Flavia.

ROBIN ran back, with

Madam,

Madam,

Y

OUR Credulity when you are to gain your Point, and Sufpicion when you fear 6 to lose it, make it a very hard Part to behave as • becomes

Your bumble Slave,

CYNTHIO.

ROBIN whipt away, and returned with,

Mr. Wellford.

• FLAVIA and Cynthio are no more. I re

lieve you from the hard Part of which you complain, and banish you from my Sight for

ever.

Ann Heart.

ROBIN had a Crown for his Afternoon's Work; and this is published to admonish Cecilia to avenge the Injury done to Flavia.

N° 399.

Saturday, June 7:

T

Ut nemo in fefe tentat defcendere! - Perf. HYPOCRISIE, at the fashionable End of

the Town, is very different from Hypocrifie in the City. The modifh Hypocrite endeavours to appear more Vicious than he really is, the o ther kind of Hypocrite more Virtuous. The former is afraid of every thing that has the Shew of Religion in it, and would be thought engaged in many Criminal Gallantries and Amours, which he is not guilty of. The latter affumes a Face of Sanctity, and covers a Multitude of Vices under a feeming Religious Deportment.

BUT there is another kind of Hypocrifie, which differs from both these, and which I intend to make

the