should endeavour conftantly to approach towards the inclination of each other, invigorate every motion of concurrent defire, and fan every fpark of kindred curiofity. It has been justly obferved, that difcord generally operates in little things; it is inflamed to its utmost vehemence by contrariety of tafte, oftener than of principles; and might therefore commonly be avoided by innocent conformity, which, if it was not at first the motive, ought always to be the confequence of indiffoluble union. NUMB. 100. SATURDAY, March 2, 1751. Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico Horace, with fly infinuating grace, PERSIUS. Laugh'd at his friend, and look'd him in the face; And tickle while he gently prob'd the wound. With feeming innocence the crowd beguil'd; But made the defperate paffes, when he fmil'd, DRYDEN. ŞIR, To the RAMBLER. AS very many well-difpofed perfons, by the una voidable neceffity of their affairs, are fo unfortunate as to be totally buried in the country, where they labour under the most deplorable ignorance of what is tranfacting among the polite part of man N 4 kind, kind, I cannot help thinking, that, as a publick writer, you should take the case of these truly compaffionable objects under your confideration. These unhappy languishers in obscurity should be furnished with fuch accounts of the employments of people of the world, as may engage them in their feveral remote corners to a laudable imitation; or, at leaft, fo far inform and prepare them, that if by any joyful change of fituation they fhould be fuddenly tranfported into the gay fcene, they may not gape, and wonder, and ftare, and be utterly at a lofs how to behave and make a proper appearance in it. It is inconceivable how much the welfare of all the country towns in the kingdom might be promoted, if you would use your charitable endeavours to raise in them a noble emulation of the manners and cuftoms of higher life. For this purpose you should give a very clear and ample description of the whole fet of polite acquirements; a complete hiftory of forms, fashions, frolicks, of routs, drums, hurricanes, balls, affemblies, ridottos, masquerades, auctions, plays, operas, puppet-fhows, and bear-gardens; of all thofe delights which profitably engage the attention of the moft fublime characters, and by which they have brought to fuch amazing perfection the whole art and mystery of paffing day after day, week after week, and year after year, without the heavy affistance of any one thing that formal creatures are pleased to call useful and neceffary. In giving due inftructions through what steps to attain this fummit of human excellence, you may add add fuch irresistible arguments in its favour, as must convince numbers, who in other inftances do not seem to want natural understanding, of the unaccountable error of fuppofing they were fent into the world for any other purpose but to flutter, fport, and fhine. For, after all, nothing can be clearer than that an everlasting round of diverfion, and the more lively and hurrying the better, is the most important end of human life. It is really prodigious, fo much as the world is improved, that there should in these days be perfons fo ignorant and stupid as to think it neceffary to mifpend their time, and trouble their heads about any thing else than pursuing the prefent fancy; for what else is worth living for? It is time enough furely to think of confequences when they come; and as for the antiquated notions of duty, they are not to be met with in any French novel, or any book one ever looks into, but derived almoft wholly from the writings of authors, who lived a vaft many ages ago, and who, as they were totally without any idea of thofe accomplishments which now characterise people of diftinction, have been for fome time finking apace into utter contempt. It does not appear that even their most zealous admirers, for fome partisans of his own fort every writer will have, can pretend to say they were ever at one ridotto. In the important article of diverfions, the ceremonial of visits, the extatick delight of unfriendly intimacies and unmeaning civilities, they are abfolutely filent. Blunt truth, and downright honesty, plain clothes, ftaying at home, hard work, few words, words, and those unenlivened with cenfure or double meaning, are what they recommend as the ornaments and pleafures of life. Little oaths, polite diffimulation, tea-table scandal, delightful indolence, the glitter of finery, the triumph of precedence, the enchantments of flattery, they feem to have had no notion of, and I cannot but laugh to think what a figure they would have made in a drawing-room, and how frighted they would have looked at a gaming-table. The noble zeal of patriotism that difdains authority, and tramples on laws for fport, was abfolutely the averfion of these tame wretches. Indeed one cannot difcover any one thing they pretend to teach people, but to be wife, and good; acquirements infinitely below the confideration of perfons of tafte and fpirit, who know how to spend their time to fo much better purpose. Among other admirable improvements, pray, Mr. Rambler, do not forget to enlarge on the very extenfive benefit of playing at cards on Sundays, a practice of fuch infinite use, that we may modeftly expect to see it prevail univerfally in all parts of this kingdom. To perfons of fafhion, the advantage is obvious; because, as for fome ftrange reafon or other, which no fine gentleman or fine lady has yet been able to penetrate, there is neither play, nor masquerade, nor bottled conjurer, nor any other thing worth living for, to be had on a Sunday; if it were not for the charitable affiftance of whift or bragg, the genteel part of mankind must, one day in seven, neceffarily fuffer a total extinction of being. Nor Nor are the perfons of high rank the only gainers by fo falutary a custom, which extends its good influence, in fome degree, to the lower orders of people; but were it quite general, how much better and happier would the world be than it is even now? 'Tis hard upon poor creatures, be they ever fo mean, to deny them thofe enjoyments and liberties which are equally open for all. Yet if fervants were taught to go to church on this day, spend some part of it in reading or receiving inftruction in a family way, and the reft in mere friendly conversation, the poor wretches would infallibly take it into their heads, that they were obliged to be fober, modeft, diligent, and faithful to their masters and miftreffes. Now furely no one of common prudence or humanity would with their domefticks infected with fuch ftrange and primitive notions, or laid under fuch unmerciful restraints: all which may, in a great measure, be prevented by the prevalence of the goodhumoured fashion, that I would have you recommend. For when the lower kind of people see their betters, with a truly laudable spirit, infulting and flying in the face of those rude, ill-bred dictators, piety and the laws, they are thereby excited and admonished, as far as actions can admonish and excite, and taught that they too have an equal right of fetting them at defiance in fuch inftances as their particular neceffities and inclinations may require; and thus is the liberty of the whole human fpecies mightily improved and enlarged. In short, Mr. Rambler, by a faithful reprefentation of the numberlefs benefits of a modifh life, you will have done your part in promoting what every body feems |