was sure they could not dress at this house, and another she could not touch without French sauee. At last she fixed her mind upon salmon, but there was no salmon in the house. It was however procured with great expedition, and when it came to the table she found that her fright had taken away her stomach, which indeed she thought no great lose; for she could never believe that any thing at an inn could be cleanly got.

Dinner was now over, and the company proposed, for I was now past the condition of making overtures, that we should pursue our original design of visiting the gardens. Anthea declared that she could not imagine what pleasure we expected from the sight of a sew green trees and a little gravel, and two or three pits of clear water; that for her part she hated walking till the cool of the evening, and thought it very likely to rain; and again wished that she had staid at home. We then reconciled ourselves to our disappointment, and began to talk on common subjects, when Anthea told us, that since we came to see gardens, she would not hinder our satissaction. We all rofe, and walked through the enclosures for some time, with no other trouble than the necessity of watching lest a frog should hop acrofs the way, which Anthea told us would certainly kill her, isshe should happen to see him.

Fro s, as it sell out, there were none; but when we wen within a surlong of the gardens, Anthea saw some s ecp, and heard the wether clink his bell, which .he was certain was not hung upon him for nothi and therefore no assurances nor intreaties shoul prevail upon her to go a step sarther i she was

sorry sorry to disappoint the company,'but her lise was dearer to her than ceremony.

We came back to the inn, and Anthea now discovered that there was no time to be lost in returning, for the night would come upon us; and a thousand misfortunes might happen in the dark. The horse* " were immediately harnessed, and Anthea having wondered what could seduce her to stay so long was eager to set out. But we had now a new scene of terrour, every man we saw was a robber, and we were ordered sometimes to drive hard, lest a traveller whom we saw behind should overtake us; and sometimes to stop, lest we should come up to him who was passing before us. She alarmed many an honest man, by begging him to spare her lise as he passed by the coach, and drew me into fifteen quarrels with persons who encreased her fright, by kindly stopping to enquire whether they could assist us. At last we came home, and she told her company next day what a pleasant ride she had been taking.

I suppofe, Sir, I need not enquire of you what deductions may be made from this narrative, nor what happiness can arise from the society of that woman who mistakes cowardice for elegance, and imagines all delicacy to consist in refusing to be pleased.

I am, &c.

Vol. V.

Numb. 35. Tuesday, July 17, 1750.

. Ken pronuba Juno,

Hon Hymenzus adejl, non illi Gratia ItJIo. Otis

Without connubial Juntas aid they wed;

Nor Hjnun nor the Grattt bless the bed. Elprivstok.

To the RAMBLER.

SIR,

AS you have hitherto delayed the performance of the promise, by which you gave us reason to hope for another paper upon matrimony, I imagine you desirous of collecting more materials than your own experience, or observation, can supply; and I shall theresore lay candidly besore you an account of my own entrance into the conjugal state.

I was about eight and twenty years old, when, having tried the diversions of the town till I began to be weary, and being awakened into attention to more serious business, by the failure of an attorney to whom I had implicitly trusted the conduct of my fortune, I resolved to take my estate into my own care, and methodise my whole lise according to the strictest rules of economical prudence.

In pursuance of this scheme, I took leave of my acquaintance, who dismissed me with numberless jests upon my new system; having first endeavoured to divert me from a design so little worthy of a man of wit> by ridiculous accounts of the ignorance

and and rusticity into which many had sunk in their retirement, aster having distinguished themselves in taverns and playhouses, and given hopes of rising to uncommon eminence among the gay part of mankind.

When I came first into the country, which, by a neglect not uncommon among young heirs, I had never seen since the death of my father, I found every thing in such consusion, that, being utterly without practice in business, I had great difficulties to encounter in disentangling the perplexities of my circumstances; they however gave way to diligent application, and I perceived that the advantage of keeping my own accounts would very much overbalance the time which they could require.

I had now visited my tenants, surveyed my land, and repaired the old house, which, for some years, had been running to decay. These prooss of pecuniary wisdom began to recommend me, as a sober, judicious, thriving gentleman, to all my graver neighbours of the country, who never failed to celebrate my management in opposition to Thristless and Latter.wit, two smart sellows, who had estates in the fame part of the kingdom, which they visited now and then in a frolick, to take up their rents besorehand, debauch a milk-maid, make a seast for the village, and tell stories of their own intrigues, and then rode post back to town to spend their money.

It was doubtsul, however, for some time, whether I should be able to hold my resolution; but a short perseverance removed all suspicions. 1 rose every day in reputation, by the decency of my

Q^2 con verfa

conversation, and the regularity of my conduct, and was mentioned with great regard at the assizes, as a man very fit to be put in commission for the

peace.

During the consusion of my asfairs, and the daily necessity of visiting sarms, adjusting contracts, letting leases, and superintending repairs, I found very little vacuity in my lise, and therefore had not many thoughts of marriage; but, in a little while, the tumult of business subsided, and the exact method which I had established enabled me to dispatch my accounts with great sacility. I had, therefore, now upon my hands, the talk of finding means to spend my time, without salling back into the poor amusements which I had hitherto indulged, or changing them for the sports of the field, which I saw pursued with so much eagerness by the gentlemen of the coi ntry, that they were indeed the only pleasures in which I could promise myself any partaker.

The inconvenience of this situation naturally disposed me to w ish for a companion, and the known value os my estate, with my reputation for frugality and prudence, easily gained me admission into every samily j for I soon found that no enquiry was made alter any other virtue, nor any testimonial necessary, but of my freedom from incumbrances, and my care of what they termed the main chance. I saw, not without indignation, the eagerness with which the daughters, wherever I came, were set out to show j nor could I consider th?m in a state much disscrent from prostitution, when I found them ordered to play their airs before me, and to exhibit by some seeming chance, specimens of their musick,

their