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Young persons are commonly inclined to flight the remarks and counsels of their elders. I smiled, perhaps, with too much contempt, and was upon the point of telling her, that my time had not been . past in such trivial attainments. But I soon found that things are to be estimated, not by the importance of their effects, but the frequency of their use.

A sew days aster, my aunt gave me notice, that some company, which she had been fix weeks in collecting, was to meet that evening, and she expected a finer assembly than had been seen all the winter. She expressed this in the jargon of a gamester, and, when I asked an explication of her terms of art, wondered where I had lived. I had already found my aunt so incapable of any rational conclusion, and so ignorant of every thing, whether great or little, that I had lost all regard to her opinion, and dressed myself with great expectations of an opportunity to display my charms among rivals, whofe competition would nor dishonour me. The company came in, and aster the cursory compliments of salutation, alike easy to the lowest and the highest understanding, what was the result? The cards were-broke open, the parties were formed, the whole night passed 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 skill, I perpetually embarrassed my partner, and soon perceived the contempt of the whole table gathering upon me.

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I cannot but suspect, Sir, that this odious sashion is produced by a conspiracy of the old, the ugly, and the ignorant, against the young and beautisul, the witty and the gay, as a contrivance to level all distinctions 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 its natural pleasures, deprive wit of its influence, and beauty of its charms, to fix thofe hearts upon money, to which love has hitherto been entitled, to fink lise into a tedious uniformity, and to allow it no other hopes or sears, but thofe of robbing, and being robbed.

Be pleased, Sir, to insorm thofe of my sex, who have minds capable of nobler sentiments, that, if they will unite in vindication of their pleasures and their prerogatives, they may fix a time, at which cards shall cease to be in sashion, or be left only to those who have neither beauty to be loved, nor spiri: to he fcared; neither knowledge to teach, nos modestv to learn; and who, having pasted their youth in vice, arc justly condemned to spend their age in folly.

I am, S I R, &c.

Cleora.

S I R,

yEXATION will burst my heart, if I do not give it vent. As you publish a paper, 1 insist upon it, that you insert this in your next, as ever you hope sor the kindness and encouragement of any woman of taste, spirit, and virtue.

I would I would have it published to the world, how deserving wives are used by imperious coxcombs, that hencesorth no woman may marry, who has not the patience of Grizzel. Nay, is even Grizzel had been married to a gamester, her temper would never have held out. A wretch that lofes his good-humour and humanity along with' his money, and will not allow enough from his own extravagances to support a woman of fashion in the necessary amusements of lise !—Why does not he employ his wise head to make a figure in parliament, raise an ellate, and get a title? That would be sitter for the master of a familv, than rattling a noisy dice-box; and then he might indulge his wise in a sew slight expences and elegant diversions.

What is I was unsortunate at Bras;?—Should he not have stayed to fee how luck would turn another time? Instead of that, what does he do, but picks a quarrel, upbraids me with lofs of beauty, abuses my acquaintance, ridicules my play, and insults my understanding; fays, forlooth, that women have not headi enough to play with any thing but dolls, and that they should be employed in things proportionable to their underltanding, keep at home, and mind family affairs.

I do stay at home, Sir, and all the world knows I am at home every Sunday. I have had six routes this winter, and sent out ten packs of cards in invitations to private parties. As for management, J am sure he cannot call me extravagant, or fay I

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do not mind my samily. The children are out at nurse in villages as cheap as any two little brats can be kept, nor have I ever seen them since; so he has no trouble about them. The servants live at board wages. My own dinners come from the Thatch'd House; and I have never paid a penny for any thing I have bought since I was married. As for play, I do think I may, indeed, indulge in that, now I am my own mistress. Papa made me drudge at whist till I was tired of it; and, far from wanting a head, Mr. Hoyle, when he had not given me above forty lesions, said I was one of his best scholars. \ thought then with myself, that, if once 1 was at liberty^ I would leave play, and take to reading romances, things so forbidden at our house, and so railed at, that it was impossible not to sancy them very charming. Most unsortunately, to save me from absolute undutisulness, just as I was married, came dear Brag into sashion, and ever since it has been the joy of my lise; so easy, so cheersul and careless, so void of thought, and so genteel! Who can help loving it? Yet the perfidious thing has used me very ill of late, and to-morrow I should have, changed it for Faro. But, oh! this detestable toTmorrow, a thing always expected, and

never found. Within these sew hours must J

be dragged into the country. The wretch, Sir, left me in a fit, which his threatening had occafioned, and unmercifully ordered a post-chaise. Stay I cannot, for money 1 have none, and ere-.

dit 1 cannot get. But I will make the monkey

play

play with me at picquet upon the road for all I want. I am almost sure to beat him, and his debts of honour I know he will pay. Then who can tell but I may still come back and conquer lady Packer? Sir, you need not print this last scheme,

&nd, upon. second thoughts, you may. Oh

distraction! the post-chaise is at the door. Sir, publish what you will, only let it be printed without a name.

r 1 ■■ 1 1 '1' i 1' 1 1 hi 1 j 'in ij.

Numb. 16. Saturday, May 12, 175Q.

- Multis dicendi copia torrent,

Et sua mart if era ejl facundia—— J UT.

Some who the depths of sloquence have found,

la that unnavigable ftream were drown'4. Pryorh.

;sir,

I AM the modest young man whom you favoured with your advice, in a late paper; and, as J am very far from suspecting that you forefaw the numberless inconveniencies which I have, by following it, brought upon myself, I will lay my* condition open besore you, for you seem bound to extricate me from the perplexities, in which your counsel, however innocent in the intention, has contributed to involve me,

You told me, as you thought, to my comfort, that a writer might easily find means of introducing his genius to the world, for the frejsts of England

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