which give excellence to biography are of a volatile and evanefcent kind, fuch as foon efcape the memory, and are rarely tranfmitted by tradition. We know how few can pourtray a living acquaintance, except by his most prominent and obfervable particularities, and the groffer features of his mind; and it may be cafily imagined how much of this little knowledge may be loft in imparting it, and how foon a fucceffion of copies will Jofe all refemblance of the original.

If the biographer writes from perfonal knowledge, and makes hafte to gratify the publick curiofity, there is danger left his intereft, his fear, his gratitude, or his tenderness, overpower his

fidelity, and tempt him to conceal, if not to invent. There are many who think it an act of piety to hide the faults or failings of their friends, even when they can no longer fuffer by their detection; we therefore fee whole ranks of characters adorned with uniform panegyrick, and not to be known from one another, but by intrinfick and casual circumstances. Let me remember, fays Hale, when I find myfelf inclined to pity a criminal, that there is likewife a pity due to the country." If we owe regard to the memory of the dead, there is yet more respect to be paid to knowledge, to virtue, and t truth.

HOR.

TO THE RAMBLER.

One of the chief pleafures of my life is to hear what paffes in the world, to know what are the fchemes of the politick, the aims of the bufy, and the hopes of the ambitious; what changes of publick meafures are approaching; who is likely to be crushed in the collifion of parties; who is climbing to the top of power, and who is tottering on the precipice of difgrace. But, as it is very common for us to defire moft what we are the leaft qualified to obtain, I have fuffered this appetite of news to Outgrow all the gratifications which my prefent fituation can afford it; for being placed in a remote country, I am condemned always to confound the future with the past, to form prognoftications of events no longer doubtful, and to Confider the expediency of fchemes al

FRANCIS.

ready executed or defeated. I am perplexed with a perpetual deception in my profpects, like a man pointing his telefcope at a remote ftar, which before the light reaches his eye has forfaken the place from which it was emitted.

The mortification of being thus always behind the active world in my reflections and difcoveries, is exceedingly aggravated by the petulance of those whofe health, or bufinefs, or pleafure, brings them hither from London. For, without confidering the infuperable difadvantages of my condition, and the unavoidable ignorance which abfence muft produce, they often treat me with the utmost supercilioufnefs of contempt, for not knowing what no human fagacity can difcover; and fometimes feem to confider me as a wretch fcarcely worthy of human converfe, when I happen to talk of the fortune of a bankrupt, or propofe the healths of the dead, when I warn them of mifchiefs already incurred, or wish for meafures that have been lately taken. They feem to attribute to the fuperiority of their intellects what they only owe to the accident of their condition, and think themselves indifputably intitled to airs of infolence and authority, when they find another ignorant of facts; which, becaufe they echoed in the ftreets of Lon

don

don, they fuppofe equally publick in all other places, and known where they could neither be feen, related, nor conjectured. To this haughtiness they are indeed too much encouraged by the refpect which they receive amongst us, for no other reason than that they come from London. For no fooner is the arrival of one of thefe diffeminators of knowledge known in the country, than we croud about him from every quarter, and by innumerable enquiries flatter him into an opinion of his own importance. He fees himself furrounded by multitudes, who propofe their doubts, and refer their controverfies to him, as to a being defcended from fome nobler region; and he grows on a fudden oraculous and infallible, solves all difficulties, and fets all objections at defiance.

There is, in my opinion, great reason for fufpecting, that they fometimes take advantage of this reverential modefty, and impofe upon ruftick understandings with a falfe fhew of univerfal intelligence; for I do not find that they are willing to own themselves ignorant of any thing, er that they difmifs any enquirer with a pofitive and decifive anfwer. The court, the city, the park, and exchange, are to thofe men of unbounded obfervation equally familiar, and they are alike ready to tell the hour at which stocks will rife, or the miniftry be changed.

A fhort refidence at London entitles a man to knowledge, to wit, to politenefs, and to a defpotick and dictatorial power of prefcribing to the rude multitude, whom he condefcends to honour with a biennial vifit; yet, I know not well upon what motives, I have lately found myself inclined to cavil at this prefcription, and to doubt whether it be not, on fome occafions, proper to withhold our veneration, till we are more authentically convinced of the merits of the claimant.

It is well remembered here, that, about Leven years ago, one Frolick, a tall boy, with lank hair, remarkable for stealing. eggs, and fucking them, was taken from the fchool in this parish, and fent up to London to study the law. As he had given amongst us no proofs of his genius, defigned by nature for extraordinary performances, he was, from the time of his departure, totally forgotten; nor was there any talk of his vices or virtues, his good or his ill fortune, till laft fummer a report burft upon us, that Mr. Frolick

was come down in the first poft-chaise which this village had feen, having tra velled with fuch rapidity, that one of his poftilions had broke his leg, and another narrowly escaped fuffocation in a quickfand. But that Mr. Frolick feemed totally unconcerned, for fuch things were never heeded at London.

Mr. Frolick next day appeared among the gentlemen at their weekly meeting on the bowling-green; and now were seen the effects of a London education. His drefs, his language, his ideas, were all new; and he did not much endeavour to conceal his contempt of every thing that differed from the opinions, or prac tice, of the modifh world. He fhewed us. the deformity of our fkirts and fleeves, informed us where hats of the proper fize were to be fold, and recommended to us the reformation of a thousand abfurdities in our cloaths, our cookery, and our converfation. When any of his phrafes were unintelligible, he could not fupprefs the joy of conteffed fuperiority, but frequently delayed the explanation, that he might enjoy his triumph over our barbarity.

When he is pleased to entertain us with a story, he takes care to croud into it names of streets, fquares, and buildings, with which he knows we are unacquainted. The favourite topicks of his difcourfe are the pranks of drunkards, and the tricks put upon country gentlemen by porters and link-boys. When he is with ladies, he tells them of the innumerable pleasures to which he can introduce them; but never fails to hint how much they will be deficient at their first arrival, in the knowledge of the town. What it is to know the torn, he has not indeed hitherto informed us; though there is no phrase fo frequent in his mouth, nor any fcience which he appears to think of fo great a value, or fo difficult attainment.

But my curiofity has been moft engaged by the recital of his own adventures and atchievements. I have heard of the union of various characters in fingle perfons, but never met with fuch a conftellation of great qualities as this man's narrative affords. Whatever has diftinguished the hero; whatever has elevated the wit; whatever has endeared the lover; are all concentered in Mr. Frolick, whofe life has, for feven years, been a regular interchange of intrigues,

dangers,

dangers, and waggeries, and who has diftinguished himself in every character that can be feared, envied, or admired. I question whether all the officers of the royal navy can bring together, from all their journals, a collection of fo many wonderful efcapes as this man has known upon the Thames, on which he has been a thousand and a thousand times on the point of perishing, fometimes by the terrors of foolish women in the fame boat, fometimes by his own acknowledged imprudence in paffing the river in the dark, and fometimes by fhooting the bridge, under which he has rencountered mountainous waves, and dreadful cataracts.

Nor lefs has been his temerity by land, nor fewer his hazards. He has reeled with giddinefs on the top of the Monument; he has croffed the ftreet amidst the rush of coaches; he has been furrounded by robbers without number; he has headed parties at the playhoufe; he has fealed the windows of every toaft of whatever condition; he has been hunted for whole winters by his rivals; he has flept upon bulks, he has cut chairs, he has bilked coachmen; he has refcued his friends from the bailiffs, has knocked down the conftable, has bullied the juf tice, and performed many other exploits, that have filled the town with wonder and with merriment.

But yet greater is the fame of his understanding than his bravery; for he informs us, that he is, at London, the eftablished arbitrator of all points of honour, and the decifive judge of all performances of genius; that no musical performer is in reputation till the opinion of Frolick has ratified his pretentions; that the theatres fufpend their fentence till he begins the clap or hits, in which all are proud to concurs that no publick entertainment has failed or fucceeded, but becaufe,he oppofed or favoured it; that all controverfies at the gaming-table are referred to his determination; that he adjufts the ceremonial at every affum

bly, and prefcribes every fashion of pleasure or of drefs.

With every man whofe name occurs in the papers of the day, he is intimately acquainted; and there are very few pofts, either in the ftate or army, of which he has not more or lefs influenced the dif pofal. He has been very frequently confulted both upon war and peace; but the time is not yet come when the nation fhall know how much it is indebted tọ the genius of Frolick.

Yet, notwithstanding all these declarations, I cannot hitherto perfuade myfelf to fee that Mr. Frolick has more wit, or knowledge, or courage, than the rest of mankind, or that any uncommon enlargement of his faculties has happened in the time of his abfence. For when he talks on fubjects known to the reft of the company, he has no advantage over us, but by catches of interruption, brifknefs of interrogation, and pertnefs of contempt; and therefore if he has ftunned the world with his name, and gained a place in the first ranks of humanity, I cannot but conclude, that either a little understanding confers eminence at London, or that Mr. Frolick thinks us unworthy of the exertion of his powers, or that his faculties are benumbed by rural ftupidity, as the magnetick needle lofes it's animation in the polar climes.

I would not, however, like many hafty philofophers, fearch after the cause till I am certain of the effect; and therefore I defire to be informed, whether you have yet heard the great name of Mr. Frolick. If he is celebrated by other tongues than his own, I fhall wil lingly propagate his praife; but if he has fwelled among us with empty boats, and honours conferred only by himself, I fhall treat him with ruftick fincerity, and drive him as an impoftor from this part of the kingdom to fome region of more credulity. I am, &c.

RURICOLA

N LXII.

SIR,

OVID.

TO THE RAMBLER.

I fortune, which, if my parents Am a young woman of a very large would have been perfuaded to comply with the rules and cuftoms of the polite part of mankind, might long fince have raifed me to the highest honours of the female world; but fo ftrangely have they hitherto contrived to wafte my life, that I am now on the borders of twenty, with out having ever danced but at our monthly affembly, or been toafted but among a few gentlemen of the neighbourhood, or feen any company in which it was worth a wifh to be diftinguifhed. My father having impaired his patrimony in foliciting a place at court, at laft grew wife enough to ceafe his purfuit; and, to repair the confequences of expenfive attendance and negligence of his affairs, married a lady much okler than himfelf, who had lived in the fashionable world til fhe was confidered as an encumbrance upon parties of pleafure, and, as I can collect from incidental informations, retired from affemblies juft gay time enough to efeape the mortification of univerfal neglect.

She was, however, ftill rich, and not yet wrinkled. My father was too diftrefsfully embarraffed to think much on any thing but the means of extrication; and though it is not likely that he wanted the delicacy which polite converfation will always produce in understandings not remarkably defective, yet he was contented with a match, by which he might be fet free from inconveniencies, that would have deftroyed all the plea

They had not much reafon to regret the change of their fituation; for their vanity, which had fo long been tormented by neglect and difappointment, was here gratified with every honour that could be paid them. Their long fami liarity with publick life made them the oracles of all those who afpired to intelligence, or politenefs. My father dictated politicks, my mother prefcribed the mode; and it was fufficient to entitle any family to fome confideration, that they were known to vifit at Mrs. Courtly's.

In this ftate they were, to speak in the ftyle of novelifts, made happy by the birth of your correfpondent. My parents had no other child; I was therefore not brow-beaten by a faucy brother, or loft in a multitude of co-heireffes, whofe fortunes being equal, would probably have conferred equal merit, and procured equal regard; and as my mo. ther was now old, my underftanding and my perfon had fair play, my enquiries were not checked, my advances towards importance were not repressed, and I was foon fuffered to tell my own opi

nions, and early accustomed to hear my own praises.

By thefe accidental advantages I was much exalted above the young ladies with whom I converfed, and was treated by them with great deference. I faw none who did not feem to confefs my fupcriority, and to be held in awe by the fplendour of my appearance; for the fondnefs of my father made himself pleafed to fee me dreffed, and my mother had no vanity nor expences to hinder her from concurring with his inclinations.

Thus, Mr. Rambler, I lived without much defire after any thing beyond the circle of our visits; and here I should have quietly continued to portion out my time among my books, and my needie, and my company, had not my curiofity been every moment excited by the converfation of my parents, who, whenever they fit down to familiar prattle, and endeavour the entertainment of each other, immediately tranfport themfelves to London, and relate some adventure in a hackney-coach, fome frolick at a mafquerade, fone converfation in the Park, or fome quarrel at an affembly; difplay the magnificence of a birth-night, telate the conquests of maids of honour, or give a hiftory of diverfions, fhows, and entertainments, which I had never known but from their accounts.

I am fo well verfed in the hiftory of the gay world, that I can relate, with great punctuality, the lives of all the Taft race of wits and beauties; can enumerate, with exact chronology, the whole fucceffion of celebrated fingers, muficians, tragedians, comedians, and harlequins; can tell to the last twenty years all the changes of fafhions; and am, indeed, a compleat antiquary with refpect to head-dreffes, dances, and operas. You willeafily imagine, Mr.Rambler, that I could not hear thefe narratives, for fixteen years together, without fuffering fome impreffion, and wifhing my felf nearer to thofe places where every hour brings fome new pleasure, and life is diverfified with an unexhausted fucceffion of felicity.

I indeed often afked my mother why the left a place which the recollected with fo much delight, and why she did not vifit London once a year, like fome other ladies, and initiate me in the world by fhowing me it's amufements, it's grandeur, and it's variety But the always told me that the days which the

had feen were fuch as will never come again; that all diverfion is now degenerated, that the converfation of the prefent age is infipid, that their fashions are unbecoming, their customs abfurd, and their morals corrupt; that there is no ray left of the genius which enlightened the times that the remembers; that no one who had seen, or heard, the ancient performers, would be able to bear the bunglers of this defpicable age; and that there is now neither politeness, nor pleafure, nor virtue, in the world. She therefore aflures me that the confults my happiness by keeping me at home, for I fhould now find nothing but vexation and difguft, and the fhould be ashamed to fee me pleafed with fuch fopperies and trifles, as take up the thoughts of the prefent fet of young people.

With this antwer I was kept quiet for feveral years, and thought it no great inconvenience to be confined to the country, till last fummer a young gentleman and his fifter came down to pass a few months with one of our neighbours. They had generally no great regard for the country ladies, but diftinguished me by a particular complaifance; and, as we grew intimate, gave me fuch a detail of the elegance, the fplendour, the mirth, the happiness of the town, that I am refolved to be no longer buried in ignorance and obfcurity, but to share with other wits the joy of being admired, and divide with other beauties the empire of

the world.

I do not find, Mr. Rambler, upon a deliberate and impartial comparison, that I am excelled by Belinda in beauty, in wit, in judgment; in knowledge, or in any thing, but a kind of gay, lively familiarity, by which the mingles with ftrangers as with perfons long acquainted, and which enables her to difplay her powers without any obftruction, hefitation, or confufion. Yet the can relate a thoufand civilities paid to her in publick, can produce, from a hundred lovers, letters filled with praifes, proteftations, extafies, and defpair; has been handed by dukes to her chair; has been the occafion of innumerable quarrels ; has paid twenty vifits in an afternoon; been invited to fix balls in an evening; and been forced to retire to lodgings in the country from the importunity of courtfhip, and the fatigue of pleasure.

I tell you, Mr. Rambler, I will ftay here no longer. I have at laft prevail