faction at his proficiency by a triumphant obfervation, that the believed nothing would make him blufb.

The filence with which I was contented to hear my pupil's praises, gave the lady reafon to fufpect me not much delighted with his acquifitions; but she attributed my difcontent to the diminution of my influence, and my fears of lofing the patronage of the family; and though the thinks favourably. of my learning and morals, the confiders me as wholly unacquainted with the cuf toms of the polite part of mankind; and therefore not qualified to form the manners of a young nobleman, or com municate the knowledge of the world. This knowledge the comprifes in the rules of vifiting, the hiftory of the prefent hour, an early intelligence of the change of fashions, an extenfive acquaint ance with the names and faces of perfons of rank, and a frequent appearance in places of refort.

All this my pupil purfues with great application. He is twice a day in the Mall, where he studies the dress of every man fplendid enough to attract his notice, and never comes home without fome observation upon fleeves, button-holes, and embroidery. At his return from the theatre, he can give an account of the gallantries, glances, whispers, fmiles, fighs, flirts, and blushes of every box, fo much to his mother's fatisfaction, that when I attempted to refume my character, by enquiring his opinion of the fentiments and diction of the tragedy, the at once repreffed my criticifin, by telling me that he hoped he did not go to lofe bis time in attending to the creatures on the frage.

But his acuteness was most eminently fignalized at the mafquerade, where he difcovered his acquaintance through their difguifes, with fuch wonderful facility, as has afforded the family an inexhauftible topick of converfation. Every new vifitor is informed how one was detected by his gait, and another by the fwing of his arms, a third by the tofs of his head, and another by his favourite phrafe; nor can you doubt but thefe performances receive their juft applaufe, and a genius thus haftening to maturity is promoted by every art of cultivation.

Such have been his endeavours, and fuch his affiftances, that every trace of literature was foon obliterated. He has

changed his language with his dresse and instead of endeavouring at purity of propriety, has no other care than to catch the reigning phrafe and current exclamation, till by copying whatever is peculiar in the talk of all those whofe birth or fortune entitle them to imitation, he has collected every fashionable barbarifm of the present winter, and fpeaks a dialect not to be understood among those who form their style by poring upon authors.

To this copioufnefs of ideas, and felicity of language, he has joined fuch eager nefs to lead the converiation, that he is celebrated among the ladies as the pret tiest gentleman that the age can boast of, except that fome who love to talk themfelves think him too forward, and others lament that, with so much wit and knowledge, he is not taller.

His mother liftens to his obfervations with her eyes fparkling and her heart beating, and can scarcely contain, in the most numerous affemblies, the expectations which he has formed for his fu ture eminence. Women, by whatever fate, always judge abfurdly of the intellects of boys. The vivacity and confidence which attract female'admiration, are feldom produced in the early part of life, but by ignorance at least, if not by ftupidity; for they proceed not from confidence of right, but fearleffness of wrong. Whoever has a clear apprehenfion, muft have quick fenfibility, and where he has no fufficient reason to truft his own judgment, will proceed with doubt and caution, because he perpetually dreads the difgrace of error. The pain of miscarriage is naturally proportionate to the detre of excellence; and, therefore, till men are hardened by long familiarity with reproach, or have attained, by frequent ftruggles, the art of fuppreffing their emotions, diffidence is found the infeparable affociate of understanding.

But fo little diftruft has my pupil of his own abilities, that he has for fome time profeffed himself a wit, and tortures his imagination on all occasions for burlesque and jocularity. How he fupports a character which, perhaps, no man ever affumed without repentance, may be easily conjectured. Wit, you know, is the unexpected copulation of ideas, the discovery of fome occult relation between images in appearance remote from each other; an effusion of 3 I

wit,

wit, therefore, prefuppofes an accumu lation of knowledge; a memory ftored with notions, which the imagination may cull out to compofe new affemblages. Whatever may be the native vigour of the mind, the can never form any combi nations from few ideas, as many changes can never be rung upon a few bells. Ac cident may indeed fometimes produce a lucky parallel or a ftriking contraft; but thefe gifts of chance are not frequent, and he that has nothing of his own, and yet condemn's himself to needlefs expences, muft live upon loans or theft.

The indulgence which his youth has hitherto obtained, and the refpect which his rank fecures, have hitherto fupplied the want of intellectual qualifications; and he imagines that all admire who ap plaud, and that all who laugh are pleaf. ed. He therefore returns every day to the charge with increase of courage, though not of ftrength, and practifes all the tricks by which wit is counterfeited. He lays trains for a quibble;

he contrives blunders for his footman; he adapts old stories to prefent characters; he mistakes the queftion, that he may return a fmart anfwer; he anticipates the argument, that he may plaufibly object; when he has nothing to reply, he repeats the laft words of his antagonist, then fays Your humble fervant,' and concludes with a laugh of triumph.

These miftakes I have honeftly attempted to correct; but, what can be expected from reafon, unfupported by fashion, fplendour, or authority? He hears me, indeed, or appears to hear me, but is foon refcued from the lecture by more pleafing avocations; and shows, diverfions, and careffes, drive my precepts from his remembrance.

He at laft imagines himfelf qualified to enter the world, and has met with adventures in his first fally, which I fhall by your paper communicate to the publick. I am, &c. EUMATRES

FA

Hon.

TO THE KAMBLER.

AVOURS of every kind are doubled when they are fpeedily conferred. This is particularly true of the gratification of curiofity: he that long delays a story, and foffers his auditor to torment himself with expectation, will feldom be able to recompenfe the uneafinefs, or equal the hope which he fuffers to be raised.

For this reafon, I have already fent you the continuation of my pupil's hiftory, which, though it contains no events very uncommon, may be of use to young en who are in too much hate to truft their own prudence, and quit the wing of protection before they are able to shift for themselves.

FRANCIS.

When he firft fettled in London, he was so much bewildered in the enormous extent of the town, fo confounded by inceffant noife, and crowds, and hurry, and fo terrified by rural narratives of the arts of harpers, the rudeness of the populace, malignity of porters, and treachery of coachmen, that he was afraid to go beyond the door without an attendant, and imagined his life in danger if he was obliged to pafs the ftreets at night in any vehicle but his mother's chair.

He was therefore contented, for time, that I should accompany him in all his excurfions. But his fear abated... as he grew more familiar with it's ob jects; and the contempt to which his rufticity expofed him from fuch of his companions as had accidentally known

the

the town longer, obliged him to diffem. ble his remaining terrors,

His defire of liberty made him now willing to fpare me the trouble of ob, ferving his motions; but knowing how much his ignorance expofed him to mifchief, I thought it cruel to abandon him to the fortune of the town. We went together every day to a coffee-houfe, where he met wits, heirs, and fops, airy, ignorant, and thoughtless as himself, with whom he had become acquainted at card-tables, and whom he confidered as the only beings to be envied or admired. What were their topicks of converfation I could never difcover; for fo much was their vivacity depreffed by my intrufive ferioufness, that they feldom proceeded beyond the exchange of nods and fhrugs, an arch, grin, or a broken hint; except when they could retire, while I was looking on the papers, to a corner of the room, where they feemed to difburden their imaginations, and commonly vented the fuperfluity of their fprightlinefs in a peal of laughter. When they had tittered themselves into negligence, I could fometimes overhear a few fyllables, fuch as Solemn rafcal-academical airs-smoke the tutor-com⚫pany for gentlemen!' and other broken phrafes, by which I did not fuffer my quiet to be disturbed, for they never proceeded to avowed indignities, but contented themselves to murmur in fecret, and, whenever I turned my eye upon them, fhrunk into stillness.

He was, however, defirous of withdrawing from the fubjection which he could not venture to break, and made a fecret appointment to affift his companions in the perfecution of a play. His footman privately procured him a catcal, on which he practifed in a backgarret for two hours in the afternoon. At the proper time a chair was called; he pretended an engagement at Lady Flutter's, and hattened to the place where his critical affociates had affembled. They hurried away to the theatre, full of malignity and denunciations against a man whole name they had never heard, and a performance which they could not understand; for they were refolved to judge for themselves, and would not fuffer the town to be impofed upon by fcribblers. In the pit, they exerted themselves with great fpirit and vivacity; called out for the tunes of obfeene fongs, talked loudly at intervals of Shakespeare

and Johnson, played on their catcals a fhort prelude of terror, clamoured vehemently for the prologue, and clapped with great dexterity at the firft entrance of the players.

Two fcenes they heard without attempting interruption; but being no longer able to reftrain their impatience, they then began to exert themfelves in groans and hiffes, and plied their catcals with inceffant diligence; fo that they were foon confidered by the audience as difturbers of the house, and fome who fat near them, either provoked at the obftruction of their entertainment, or defirous to preferve the author from the mortification of feeing his hopes deftroyed by children, fnatched away their inftruments of criticifin, and by the feasonable vibration of a stick, fubdued them inftantaneously to decency and filence.

To exhilarate themselves after this vexatious defeat, they posted to a tavern, where they recovered their alacrity, and after two hours of obftreperous jollity, burst out big with enterprize, and panting for fome occafions to fignalize their prowels. They proceeded vigorously through two ftreets, and with very little oppofition difperfed a rabble of drunkards lefs daring than themselves, then rolled two watchmen in the kennel, and broke the windows of a tavern in which the fugitives took fhelter. At last it was determined to march up to a row of chairs, and demolish them for ftanding on the pavement; the chairmen formed a line of battle, and blows were exchanged for a time with equal courage on both fides. At laft the affailants were overpowered, and the chairmen, when they knew their captives, brought them home by force.

The young gentleman, next morning, hung his head, and was so much afhamed of his outrages and defeat, that perhaps he might have been checked in his fir follies, had not his mother, partly in pity of his dejection, and partly in approbation of his fpirit, relieved him from his perplexity by paying the damages privately, and difcouraging all animadverfion and reproof.

This indulgence could not wholly preferve him from the remembrance of his difgrace, nor at once reftore his confidence and elation. He was for three days filent, modeft, and compliant, and thought himself neither too wife for in

ala Aruction,

Atruction, nor too manly for reftraint. But his levity overcame this falutary forrow; he began to talk with his former raptures of mafquerades, taverns, and frolicks; bluftered when his wig was not combed with exactness; and threatened deftruction to a tailor who had mistaken his directions about the pocket.

I knew that he was now rifing again above controul, and that this inflation of fpirits would burst out into fome mifchievous abfurdity. I therefore watched him with great attention; but one evening, having attended his mother at a vifit, he withdrew himself, unfufpected, while the company was engaged at cards. His vivacity and officioufnels were foon miffed, and his return impatiently expected; fupper was delayed, and converfation fufpended; every coach that rattled through the street was expected to bring him, and every fervant that entered the room was examined concerning his departure. At laft the lady returned home, and was with great difficulty preferved from fits by fpirits and cordials. The family was difpatched a thoufand ways without fuccefs, and the houfe was filled with diftraction, till, as we were deliberating what further meafures to take, he returned from a petty gaming table, with his coat torn, and his head broken; without his fword, fnuff-box, fleeve-buttons, and watch.

Of this lofs or robbery he gave little account; but, inftead of finking into

his former fhame, endeavoured to fupport himself by furliness and afperity. He was not the firft that had played away a few trifles, and of what ufe were birth and fortune if they would ⚫ not admit fome fallies and expences?" His mamma was fo much provoked by the coft of this prank, that the would neither palliate nor conceal it; and his father, after fome threats of ruftication which his fondness would not fuffer him to execute, reduced the allowance of his pocket, that he might not be tempted by plenty to profufion. This method would have fucceeded in a place where there are no panders to folly and extravagance, but was now likely to have produced pernicious confequences; for we have discovered a treaty with a broker, whofe daughter he seems difpofed to marry, on condition that he shall be fupplied with prefent money, for which he is to repay thrice the value at the death of his father.

There was now no time to be loft. A domeftick confultation was immediately held, and he was doomed to pass two years in the country; but his mother, touched with his tears, declared, that she thought him too much of a man to be any longer confined to his book, and he therefore begins his travels tomorrow under a French governor. I am, &c. EUMATHES.

HOR.

in the

own life, has enumerated feveral opinions, which, though he thought them evident and inconteftable at his first entrance into the world, time and experience difpofed him to change.

Whoever reviews the state of his own mind from the dawn of manhood to it's decline, and confiders what he pursued or dreaded, flighted or esteemed at different periods of his age, will have no reafon to imagine fuch changes of fenti ment peculiar to any station or character. Every man, however careless and inat

FRANCIS.

tentive, conviction forced

the lectures of time obtrude themselves upon the moft unwilling or diffipated auditor; and, by comparing our past with our prefent thoughts, we perceive that we have changed our minds, though perhaps we cannot difcover when the alteration happened, or by what caufes it was produced.

This revolution of fentiments oecafions a perpetual contest between the old and young. They who imagine themfelves entitled to veneration by the prerogative of longer life, are inclined to

treat

treat the notions of those whofe conduct they fuperintend with fupercilioufnefs and contempt, for want of confidering that the future and the past have different appearances; that the difproportion will always be great between expectation and enjoyment, between new poffeffion and fatiety; that the truth of many maxims of age, gives too little pleasure to be allowed till it is felt; and that the miferies of life would be encreafed beyond all human power of endurance, if we were to enter the world with the fame opinion as we carry from it.

We naturally indulge thofe ideas that pleafe us. Hope will predominate in every mind, till it has been fuppreffed by frequent difappointments. The youth has not yet difcovered how many evils are continually hovering about us, and when he is fet free from the fhackles of difcipline, looks abroad into the world with rapture; he fees an elyfian region open before him, fo variegated with beauty, and so stored with pleasure, that his care is rather to accumulate good, than to fhun evil; he ftands diftracted by different forms of delight, and has no other doubt, than which bath to follow of thofe which all lead equally to the bowers of happiness.

He who has feen only the fuperficies of life, believes every thing to be what it appears, and rarely fuipects that external fplendor conceals any latent forrow or vexation. He never imagines that there may be greatnefs without fafety, affluence without content, jollity without friendship, and folitude without peace. He fancies himself permitted to cull the bleffings of every condition, and to leave it's inconveniencies to the idle and the ignorant. He is inclined to believe no man miferable but by his own fault, and feldom looks with much pity upon failings or miscarriages, because he thinks them willingly admitted, or negligently incurred.

It is impoffible, without pity and contempt, to hear a youth of generous fentiments, and warm imagination, declaring in the moment of openness and confidence his defigns and expectations; becaufe long life is poffible, he confiders it as certain, and therefore promifes himfelf all the changes of happinefs, and provides gratifications for every defire. He is, for a time, to give himself wholly to frolick and diverfion, to range the world in search of pleasure, to de

light every eye, to gain every heart, and to be celebrated equally for his pleafing levities and folid attainments, his deep reflections, and his sparkling repartees. He then elevates his views to nobler enjoyments, and finds all the fcattered excellencies of the female world united in a woman, who prefers his addreffes to wealth and titles. He is afterwards to engage in business, to diffipate difficulty, and overpower oppofition; to climb by the mere force of merit to fame and greatnefs; and reward all those who countenanced his rife, or paid due regard to his early excellence. At laft he will retire in peace and honour; contract his views to domeftick pleasures; form the manners of children like himself; ob-. ferve how every year expands the beauty of his daughters, and how his fons catch ardour from their father's history; he will give laws to the neighbourhood; dictate axioms to pofterity; and leave the world an example of wisdom and of happinefs.

With hopes like these, he fallies jocund into life; to little purpofe is he told, that the condition of humanity admits no pure and unmingled happiness; that the exuberant gaiety of youth ends in poverty or difeafe; that uncommon qualifications and contrarieties of excellence, produce envy equally with applaufe; that whatever admiration and fondnefs may promise him, he must marry a wife like the wives of others, with fome virtues and fome faults, and be as often difgufted by her vices, as delighted by her elegance; that if he adventures into the circle of action, he muft expect to encounter men as artful, as daring, as refolute as himself; that of his children, fome may be deformed, and others vicious; fome may difgrace him by their follies, fome offend him by their infolence, and some exhauft him by their profufion. He hears all this with obftinate incredulity, and wonders by what malignity old age is influenced, that it cannot forbear to fill his ears with predictions of mifery.

Among other pleafing errors of young minds, is the opinion of their own importance. He that has not yet remarked how little attention his cotemporaries can spare from their own affairs, conceives all eyes turned upon himself, and imagines every one that approaches him to be an enemy or a follower, an admirer or aspy. Hetherefore confiders

his