to every new play, and quoted in every controverfy upon theatrical merit; was in every publick place furrounded by a multitude of humble auditors, who retailed in other places of refort my maxims and my jefts, and was boasted as their intimate and companion, by many, who had no other pretensions to my acquaintance, than that they had drank chocolate in the fame room.

You will not wonder, Mr. RAMBLER, that I mention my fuccefs with fome appearance of triumph and elevation. Perhaps no kind of fuperiority is more flattering or alluring than that which is conferred by the powers of converfation, by extemporaneous fprightlinefs of fancy, copioufnefs of language, and fertility of fentiment. In other exertions of genius, the greater part of the praife is unknown and unenjoyed; the writer, indeed, fpreads his reputation to a wider extent, but receives little pleasure or advantage from the diffufion of his name, and only ob tains a kind of nominal fovereignty over regions which pay no tribute. The colloquial wit has always his own radiance reflected on himself, and enjoys all the pleasure which he bestows; he finds his power confeffed by every one that approaches him, fees friendship kindling with rapture, and attention fwelling into praise.

The defire which every man feels of importance and esteem, is so much gratified by finding an affembly, at his entrance, brightened with gladnefs and hushed with expectation, that the recollection of fuch distinctions can scarcely fail to be pleafing whenfoever it is innocent. And my confcience does not reproach me with any mean or criminal effects of va

nity; fince I always employed my influence on the fide of virtue, and never facrificed my understanding or my religion to the pleasure of applause.

There were many whom either the defire of enjoying my pleafantry, or the pride of being thought to enjoy it, brought often into my company; but I was careffed in a particular manner by Demochares, a gentleman of a large eftate, and a liberal difpofition. My fortune being by no means exuberant, inclined me to be pleased with a friend who was willing to be entertained at his own charge. I became by daily invitations habituated to his table, and, as he believed my acquaintance neceffary to the character of elegance, which he was defirous of establishing, I lived in all the luxury of affluence, without expence or dependence, and paffed my life in a perpetual reciprocation of pleasure, with men brought together by fimilitude of accomplishments, or defire of improvement.

But all power has its sphere of activity, beyond which it produces no effect. Demochares being called by his affairs into the country, imagined that he fhould increase his popularity by coming among his neighbours accompanied by a man whofe abilities were fo generally allowed. The report prefently spread through half the country that Demochares was arrived, and had brought with him the celebrated Hilarius, by whom fuch merriment would be excited, as had never been enjoyed or conceived before. I knew, indeed, the purpose for which I was invited, and, as men do not look diligently out for poflible miscarriages, was pleafed to find myfelf courted upon principles of intereft, and confidered.

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as capable of reconciling factions, compofing feuds, and uniting a whole province in focial happiness.

After a few days spent in adjusting his domestick regulations, Demochares invited all the gentlemen of his neighbourhood to dinner, and did not forget to hint how much my prefence was expected to heighten the pleasure of the feast. He informed me what prejudices my reputation had raised in my favour, and represented the fatisfaction with which he should fee me kindle up the blaze of merriment, and fhould remark the various effects that my fire would have upon fuch diversity of matter.

This declaration, by which he intended to quicken my vivacity, filled me with folicitude. I felt an ambition of fhining which I never knew before; and was therefore embarraffed with an unusual fear of difgrace. I paffed the night in planning out to myself the conversation of the coming day; recollected all my topicks of raillery, propofed proper fubjects of ridicule, prepared fmart replies to a thousand questions, accommodated answers to imaginary repartees, and formed a magazine of remarks, apophthegms, tales, and illuftrations.

The morning broke at laft in the midst of these bufy meditations. I rofe with the palpitations of a champion on the day of combat; and notwithstanding all my efforts, found my fpirits funk under the weight of expectation. The company foon after began to drop in, and every one at his entrance, was introduced to Hilarius. What What conception the inhabitants of this region had formed of a wit, I cannot yet difcover; but obferved that they all feemed, after the regular exchange of compli

ments,

ments, to turn away difappointed; and that while we waited for dinner, they caft their eyes first upon me, and then upon each other, like a theatrical affembly waiting for a fhew.

From the uneafinefs of this fituation, I was relieved by the dinner; and as every attention was taken up by the business of the hour, I funk quietly to a level with the rest of the company. But no fooner were the difhes removed, than, inftead of cheerful confidence and familiar prattle, an univerfal filence again fhewed their expectation of fome unusual performance. My friend endeavoured to roufe them by healths and questions, but they answered him with great brevity, and immediately relapfed into their former taciturnity.

I had waited in hope of fome opportunity to divert them, but could find no pafs opened for a fingle fally; and who can be merry without an object of mirth? After a few faint efforts, which produced neither applaufe nor oppofition, I was content to mingle with the mass, to put round the glass in filence, and folace myself with my own contemplations.

My friend looked round him; the guests stared at one another; and if now and then a few fyllables were uttered with timidity and hesitation, there was none ready to make any reply. All our faculties were frozen, and every minute took away from our capacity of pleasing, and difpofition to be pleased. Thus paffed the hours to which fo much happiness was decreed; the hours which had, by a kind of open proclamation, been devoted to wit, to mirth, and to Hilarius.

At last the night came on, and the neceffity of parting freed us from the perfecutions of each other. I heard them, as they walked along the court, murmuring at the lofs of the day, and inquiring whether any man would pay a second visit to a house haunted by a wit.

Demochares, whose benevolence is greater than his penetration, having flattered his hopes with the fecondary honour which he was to gain by my spright. liness and elegance, and the affection with which he fhould be followed for a perpetual banquet of gaiety, was not able to conceal his vexation and refentment, nor would easily be convinced, that I had not sacrificed his intereft to fullenness and caprice, and ftudiously endeavoured to disgust his guests, and suppressed my powers of delighting, in obftinate and premeditated filence. I am informed that the reproach of their ill reception is divided by the gentlemen of the country between us; fome being of opinion, that my friend is deluded by an impoftor, who, though he has found fome art of gaining his favour, is afraid to speak before men of more penetration; and others concluding, that I think only London the proper atre of my abilities, and difdain to exert my genius for the praife of rufticks.

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I believe, Mr. RAMBLER, that it has fometimes happened to others, who have the good or ill fortune to be celebrated for wits, to fall under the fame cenfures upon the like occafions. I hope therefore that you will prevent any mifreprefentations of fuch failures, by remarking that invention is not wholly at the command of its poffeffor; that the power of pleasing is very often obftructed by the defire; that all expectation