The fame policy is no lefs neceffary to him that writes, than to him that governs; for men would not more patiently fubmit to be taught, than commanded, by one known to have the fame follies and weaknesses with themfelves. A fudden intruder into the clofet of an author would perhaps feel equal indignation with the officer who, having long folicited admiffion into the prefence of Sardanapalus, faw him not confuiting upon laws, enquiring into grievances, or modelling armies, but employed in feminine amufements, and directing the ladies in their work.

It is not difficult to conceive, however, that for many reafons a man writes much better than he lives. For without entering into refined fpeculations, it may be fhewn much easier to defign than to perform. A man propofes his fchemes of life in a state of abitraction and difengagement, exempt from, the enticements of hope, the folicitations of affection, the importunities of appetite, or the depreffions of fear; and is in the fame ftate with him that teaches upon land the art of navigation, to whom the fea is always fmooth, and the wind always profperous.

The mathematicians are well acquainted with the difference between pure fcience, which has to do only with ideas, and the application of it's laws to the ufe of life, in which they are conftrained to fubmit to the imperfection of matter and the influence of accidents. Thus, in moral difcuffions, it is to be remembered that many impediments obstruct our practice, which very eafily give way to theory. The fpeculatift is only in danger of erroneous reafoning, but the man involved in life has his own paffions and thofe of others to encounter, and is embarraffed with a thoufand inconveniencies, which confound him with variety of impulfe, and either perplex or obftruct his way. He is forced to act without deliberation, and obliged to chufe before he can examine; he is furprized by fudden alterations of the frate of things, and changes his meatures according to fuperficial appearances; he is led by others, either because he is indolent, or because he is timorous; he is fometimes afraid to know what is right, and sometimes finds friends or enemies diligent to deceive him.

We are, therefore, not to wonder that most fail, amidst tumult and fnares, and danger, in the obfervance of thofe precepts which they lay down in foli

tude, fafety, and tranquillity, with a mind unbiaffed, and with liberty unobftructed. It is the condition of our prefent ftate to see more than we can attain; the exacteft vigilance and caution can never maintain a fingle day of unmingled innocence, much less can the utmoft efforts of incorporated mind reach the fummits of fpeculative virtue. む

It is, however, neceffary for the idea of perfection to be propofed, that we may have fome object to which our endeavours are to be directed; and he that is moft deficient in the duties of life, makes fome atonement for his faults, if he warns others againft his own failings, and hinders, by the falubrity of his admonitions, the contagion of his example.

Nothing is more unjust, however common, than to charge with hypocrify him that expreffes zeal for thofe virtues which he neglects to practife; fince he may be fincerely convinced of the advantages of conquering his paffions without having yet obtained the victory, as a man may be confident of the advantages of a voyage, or a journey, without having courage or industry to undertake it, and may honeftly recommend to others thofe attempts which he neglects himself.

The intereft which the corrupt part of mankind have in hardening themfelves against every motive to amendment, has difpofed them to give to these contradictions, when they can be produced against the cause of virtue, that weight which they will not allow them in any other cafe. They fee men act in oppofition to their intereft, without fuppofing that they do not know it; those who give way to the fudden violence of paffion, and forfake the most important purfuits for petty pleasures, are not fuppofed to have changed their opinions, or to approve their own conduct. In moral or religious queftions alone they deter mine the fentiments by the actions, and charge every man with endeavouring to impofe upon the world whole writings are not confirmed by his life. never confider that themfelves neglect or practife fomething every day inconfiftently with their own fettled judgment; nor difcover that the conduct of the advocates for virtue can little increase, or leffen, the obligations of their dictates : argument is to be invalidated only by argument, and is in itself of the fame force, whether or not it convinces him by whom it is propofed.

They

Yet fince this prejudice, however un reafonable,

reasonable, is always likely to have fome prevalence, it is the duty of every man to take care left he should hinder the efficacy of his own inftructions. When he defires to gain the belief of others, he fhould fhew that he believes himself; and when he teaches the fitnels of virtue by his reafonings, he should, by his example, prove it's poffibility: thus much at leaft may be required of him, that he fhall not act worfe than others, because he writes better; nor imagine that, by the merit of his genius, he may claim indulgence beyond mortals of the lower claffes, and be excufed for want of prudence, or neglect of virtue.

Bacon, in his Hiftory of the Winds, after having offered fomething to the imagination as defirable, often propofes lower advantages in it's place to the reafon as attainable. The fame method may be fometimes pursued in moral endeavours, which this philofopher has obferved in natural enquiries: having firft fet pofitive and abfolute excellence before us, we may be pardoned though we fink down to humbler virtue; trying, however, to keep our point always in view, and struggling not to lofe ground, though we cannot gain it.

It is recorded of Sir Matthew Hale, that he for a long time concealed the confecration of himself to the stricter duties of religion, left, by fome flagitious and fhameful action, he should bring piety into difgraçe. For the fame reafon it may be prudent for a writer who apprehends that he fhall not enforce his own maxims by his domeftick character, to conceal his name, that he may not injure them.

There are, indeed, a great number whofe curiofity to gain a more familiar knowledge of fuccefsful writers is not fo much prompted by an opinion of their power to improve as to delight; and who expect from them not arguments against vice, or differtations on temperance or juftice, but flights of wit, and fallies of pleafantry, or, at least, acute remarks, nice diftinctions, juftnefs of fentiment, and elegance of diction.

This expectation is, indeed, fpecious and probable; and yet, fuch is the fate of all human hopes, that it is very often frustrated, and those who raife admira

tion by their books, difguft by their company. A man of letters for the moft part fpends, in the privacies of ftudy, that feafon of life in which the manners are to be foftened into ease, and polished into elegance; and, when he has gained knowledge enough to be refpected, has neglected the minuter acts by which he might have pleased. When he enters life, if his temper be foft and timorous, he is diffident and bafhful, from the knowledge of his defects; or if he was born with spirit and refolution, he is ferocious and arrogant, from the confcioufnels of his merit: he is either diffipated by the awe of company, and unable to recollect his reading, and arrange his arguments; or he is hot and dogmatical, quick in oppofition, and tenacious in defence; difabled by his own violence, and confufed by his hafte to triumph.

The graces of writing and converfation are of different kinds; and though he who excels in one might have been with opportunities and application equally fuccefsful in the other, yet as many pleate by extemporary talk, though utterly unacquainted with the more accurate method, and more laboured beauties, which compofition requires; fo it is very poffible that men, wholly accustomed to works of study, may be without that readiness of conception, and affluence of language, always neceffary to colloquial entertainment. They may want addrefs to watch the hints which converfation offers for the difplay of their particular attainments, or they may be fo much unfurnished with matter on common fubjects, that difcourfe not profeffedly literary glides over them as heterogeneous bodies, without admitting their conceptions to mix in the circulation.

A tranfition from an author's book to his converfation is too often like an en→ trance into a large city, after a diftant ♬ profpect. Remotely, we fee nothing but fpires of temples, and turrets of palaces, and imagine it the refidence of iplendour, grandeur, and magnificence; but, when we have paffed the gates, we find it perplexed with narrow paffages, difgraced with defpicable cottages, embarraffed with obstructions, and clouded with linoke,

HOS ANIMOS.

Juv.

T

HERE is no grievance, publick or private, of which, fince I took upon me the office of a periodical monitor, I have received fo many, or fo earnett complaints, as of the predominance of play; of a fatal paffion for cards and dice, which feems to have overturned, not only the ambition of excellence, but the defire of pleafure; to have extinguished the flames of the lover, as well as of the patriot; and threatens, in it's further progrefs, to deftroy all diftinctions, both of rank and fex, to crush all emulation but that of fraud, to corrupt all thofe claffes of our people whofe ancestors have, by their virtue, their industry, or their parfimony, given them the power of living in extravagance, idlenefs, and vice, and to leave them without knowledge, but of the modifh games, and without withes but for lucky hands.

I have found, by long experience, that there are few enterprizes fo hopelefs as contefts with the fafhion; in which the opponents are not only made confident by their numbers, and ftrong by their union, but are hardened by contempt of their antagonist, whom they always look upon as a wretch of low notions, contracted views, mean converfation, and narrow fortune; who envies the elevations which he cannot reach, who would gladly imbitter the happinefs which his inelegance or indigence deny him to partake, and who has no other end in his advice, than to revenge his own mortification by hindering thofe whom their birth and tafe have fet above him, from the enjoyment of their fuperiority, and bringing them down to a level with himfuf.

Though I have never found myself much affected by this formidable cenfure, which I have incurred often caough to be acquainted with it's full force, yet I thall, in fome meature, obviate it on this occafion, by offering very little in my own name, either of argument or

DRYDEN.

intreaty, fince thofe who fuffer by this general infatuation may be fuppofed beft,

able to relate it's effects.

SIR,

HERE feems to be fo little know

TH

Iledge left in the world, and fo little of that reflection practifed by which knowledge is to be gained, that I am in doubt whether I shall be understood when I complain of want of opportunity for thinking, or whether <a condemnation, which at prefent feems ireverfible, to perpetual ignorance, will raife any compaffion either in you or your readers; yet I will venture to lay my state before you, becaufe I believe it is natural to moft • minds to take fome pleafure in complaining of evils of which they have no reafon to be ashamed.

I am the daughter of a man of great fortune, whofe diffidence of mankind, and perhaps the pleafure of continual accumulation, incline him to refide upon his own eftate, and to edu< cate his children in his own houfe, 'where I was bred, if not with the

moft brilliant examples of virtue be'fore my eyes, at least remote enough from any incitements to vice; and wanting neither leisure nor books, nor "the acquaintance of fome perfons of Icarning in the neighbourhood, I endeavoured to acquire fuch knowledge

as might most recommend me to cf'teem, and thought myself able to fup'port a converfation upon most of the fubjects which my fex and condition made it proper for me to understand.

I had, befides my knowledge, as my mamma and my maid told me, a very fine face, and elegant fhape, and with all these advantages had been feventeen months the reigning toaft for twelve miles round, and never came to the monthly affembly, but I heard the old ladies that fat by, wifhing that it might

sendavell, and their daughters criticising my air, my features, or my drefs.

You know, Mr. Rambler, that ambition is natural to youth, and curiofity to understanding; and therefore will hear, without wonder, that I was ⚫ defirous to extend my victories over thofe who might give more honour to the conqueror; and that I found in a country life a continual repetition of ⚫ the fame pleasures, which was not sufficient to fill up the mind for the prefent, or raife any expectations of the future; and I will confefs to you, that I was impatient for a fight of the town, and filled my thoughts with the difcoveries which I fhould make, the triumphs that I should obtain, and the praises that I fhould receive.

At laft the time came. My aunt, whofe husband has a feat in parliament, and a place in court, buried her only child, and fent for me to fupply the lofs. The hope that I fhould fo far infinuate myself into their favour, as to ⚫ obtain a confiderable augmentation of my fortune, procured me every convenience for my departure, with great expedition; and I could not, amidit all my transports, forbear fome indignation to fee with what readiness the natural guardians of my virtue fold me to a state which they thought more ha⚫zardous than it really was, as foon as a ⚫ new acceffion of fortune glittered in their eyes.

Three days I was upon the road, and on the fourth morning my heart ⚫ danced at the fight of London. I was fet down at my aunt's, and entered up⚫ on the scene of action. I expected now,

from the age and experience of my aunt, fome prudential leffons: but, af⚫ter the first civilities and firft tears were over, was told what pity it was to have kept fo fine a girl fo long in the country; for the people who did not begin young feldom dealt their cards handfomely, or played them tolerably.

Young perfons are commonly inclined to flight the remarks and counfels of their elders. I fmiled, perhaps, with too much contempt, and was upon the point of telling her that my < time had not been past in fuch trivial ⚫ attainments. But I foon found that <things are to be eftimated, not by the <importance of their effects, but the frequency of their use.

A few days after, my aunt gave me notice, that fome company, which the • had been fix weeks in collecting, was to meet that evening, and the expected a finer aflembly than had been feen all the winter. She expreffed this in the jargon of a gamefter; and, when I asked an explication of her terms of art, wondered where I had lived. I had already found my aunt to incapable of any rational conclufion, and fo ignorant of every thing, whether great or little, that I had loft all regard to her opinion, and dreffed myfelf with great expectations of an opportunity to difplay my charms ⚫ among rivals whofe competition would not dishonour me. The company came in, and after the curfory compliments of falutation, alike cafy to the lowest and to the highest understanding, what was the refult? The cards were broke open, the parties were formed, the whole night paffed in a game upon which the young and old were equally employed: nor was I able to attract an eye, or gain an ear; but being compelled to play without fkill, I perpetually embarraffed my partner, and foon perceived the contempt of the whole table gathering upon me.

I cannot but fufpect, Sir, that this odious fathion is produced by a confpiracy of the old, the ugly, and the ignorant, against the young and beautiful, the witty and the gay, as a contrivance to level all diftinctions of nature and of art; to confound the world in a chaos of folly, to take from thofe who could outshine them all the advantages of mind and body, to withhold youth from it's natural pleasures, deprive wit of it's influence, and beauty of it's charms, to fix thofe hearts upon money, to which love has hitherto been entitled, to fink life into a tedious uniformity, and to allow it no ⚫ other hopes or fears but those of rob, bing and being robbed.

Be pleafed, Sir, to inform thofe of my fex who have minds capable of nobler fentiments, that, if they will ⚫ unite in vindication of their pleafures • and their prerogatives, they may fix a

time at which cards fhall cease to be in fashion, or be left only to those who have neither beauty to be loved, nor fpirit to be feared; neither knowledge to teach, nor modefty to learn; and who, having paffed their youth in vice,

• are

are justly condemned to spend their age • in folly. I am, Sir, &c.

SIR,

'CLEORA.'

VEXATION will burft my heart, if I do not give it vent. As you publish a Paper, I infift upon it, that you infert this in your next, as ever you hope for the kindness and encouragement of any woman of taste, spirit, and virtue. I would have it pub⚫lifhed to the world, how deferving wives are ufed by imperious coxcombs, that thenceforth no woman may marry who has not the patience of Grizzel. Nay, if even Grizzel had been married to a gamefter, her temper would never have ← held out. A wretch that lofes his goodhumour and humanity along with his money, and will not allow enough from his own extravagancies to fupport a woman of fashion in the neceffary ⚫amufements of life! Why does not he employ his wife head to make a figure ← in parliament, raise an estate, and get a title? That would be fitter for the mafter of a family, than rattling a noify dice-box; and then he might indulge his wife in a few flight expences and elegant diverfions.

What if I was unfortunate at Brag? -Should he not have ftaved to fee how luck would turn another time? • Initcad of that, what does he do, but picks a quarrel, upbraids me with lofs of beauty, abufes my acquaintance, ridicules my play, and infults my understanding, fays, forfooth, that women have not heads enough to play with any thing but dolis, and that they fhould be employed in things proportionable to their underftanding, keep at home, and mind family affairs.

6

at nurfe in villages as cheap as any two little brats can be kept, nor have I ever feen them fince; fo he has no trouble about them. The fervants live at board-wages. My own dinners come from the Thatched House; and I have never paid a penny for any thing I have bought fince I was 'married. As for play, I do think I may, indeed, indulge in that, now I am my own miftrefs. Papa made me drudge at Whift till I was tired of it; and, far from wanting a head, Mr. Hoyle, when he had not given me above forty leffons, faid I was one of his beft fcholars. I thought then with myself, that, if once I was at liberty, I would leave play, and take to reading romances, things fo forbidden at our houfe, and fo railed at, that it was impoffible not to fancy them very charming. Moft unfor'tunately, to fave me from abfolute undutifulness, juft as I was married, came dear Brag into fashion, and ever fince it has been the joy of my life; fo eafy, fo cheerful and careless, fo void of thought, and fo genteel! Who can help loving it? Yet the perfidious thing has ufed me very ill of late, and to-morrow I fhould have changed it for Faro. But, oh! this deteftable to-morrow, a thing always expected, and never found. • Within thefe few hours must I be dragged into the country. The wretch, Sir, left me in a fit which his threatenings had occafioned, and un"mercifully ordered a poft-chaife. Stay I cannot, for money I have none, and 'credit I cannot get-But I will make the monkey play with me at piquet upon the road for all I want. I am almoft fure to beat him, and his debts of honour I know he will pay. Then who can tell but I may ftill come back and conquer Lady Packer? Sir, you need not print this latt fcheme; and, upon fecond thoughts, you may.. Oh, diftraction! the poft-chaife is at the door. Sir, publish what you will, only let it be printed without a

name.'

N° XVI.