"T ADY Racket sends compliments to the ** Rambler, and lets him know, she shall "have cards at her house, every Sunday, the "remainder of the season, where he will be sure "of meeting all the good company in town. "By this means she hopes to see his papers inter"spersed with living characters. She longs to "see the torch of truth produced at an assembly, "and to admire the charming lustre it will "throw on the jewels, complexions, and behaviour •' of every dear creature there." It is a rule with me to receive every offer with the same civility as it is made; and, therefore, though lady Racket may have had some reason to guess, that I seldom frequent card-tables on Sundays, I shall not insist upon an exception, which may to her appear of so little force. My business, has been to view,- as opportunity was offered, every place in which mankind was to be seen; but at card-tables, however brilliant, I have always thought my visit lost, for I could know nothing of the company, but their clothes and their saces. I saw their looks clouded at the beginning of every game with an uniform solicitude, now and then in its progress varied with a short triumph, at one time wrinkled with cunning, at another deadened with despondency, or by accident flushed with rage at the unskilsul or unlucky play of a partner. From such assemblies, in whatever humour I happened to enter them, I was, quickly forced to retire; they were too trifling for me, me, when I was grave, and too dull, when I was cheerful. Yet I cannot but value myself upon this token of regard from a lady who is not asraid to stand before the torch of truth. Let her not, however, consult her curiofity more than her prudence; but reflect a moment on the sate of Semele, who might have lived the savourite of Jupiter, if she could have been content without his thunder. It is dangerous for mortal beauty, or terrestrial virtue, to be examined by too strong a light. The torch of truth shows much that we cannot, and all that we would not see. In a sace dimpled with smiles, it has often discovered malevolence and envy, and detected, under jewels and brocade, the frightsul forms of poverty and distress. A fine hand of cards have changed before it into a thousand spectres of sickness, misery, and vexation; and immense sums of money, while the winner counted them with transport, have at the first glimpse of this unwelcome lustre vanished from before him. If her ladyship therefore designs to continue her assembly, I would advise her to shun such dangerous experiments, to satissy herself with common appearances, and to light up her apartments rather with myrtle than the torch of truth. "^ M O D E S T young man sends his service <c to the author of the Rambler, and will "be very willing to assist him in his work, but is "sadly asraid of being discouraged by having his "first essay rejected, a disgrace he has woesully ex "perienced I "perienced in every offer he had made of it to every "new writer of every new paper; but he com"forts himself by thinking, without vanity, that "this has been from a peculiar savour of the muses, "who saved his performance from being buried in "trash, and reserved it to appear with lustre in the « Rambler." I am equally a friend to modesty and enterprize; and therefore mall think it an honour to correspond with a young man who possesses both in so eminent a degree. Youth is, indeed, the time in which these qualities ought chiefly to be found; modesty suits well with inexperience, and enterprize with health and vigour, and an extensive profpect of lise. One of my predecessors has justly observed, that, though modesty has an amiable and winning appearance, it ought not to hinder the exertion of the active powers, but that a man should show under his blushes a latent resolution. This point of persection, nice as it is, my correspondent seems to have attained. That he is modest, his own declaration may evince; and, I think, the latent refolution may be discovered in his letter by an acute observer. I will advise him, since he so well deserves my precepts, not to be discouraged, though the Rambler should prove equally envious, or tasteless, with the rest of this fraternity. If his paper is resused, the presses of England are open, let him try the judgment of the publick. If, as it has sometimes happened in general combinations against merit, he cannot persuade the world to buy his works, he may present present them to his friends; and if his friends are seized with the epidemical insatuation, and cannot find his genius, or will not consess it, let him then reser his cause to posterity, and reserve his labours for a wiser age. Thus have I dispatched some of my correspondents in the usual manner, with sair words, and general civility. But to Flirtilla, the gay Flirtilla, what shall I reply? Unable as I am to fly, at her command, over land and seas, or to supply her, srom week to week, with the sashions of Paris, or the intrigues of Madrid, I am yet not willing to incur her surther displeasure, and would save my papers srom her monkey on any reasonable terms. By what propitiation, therefore, may I atone for my sormer gravity, and open, without trembling, the future letters of this sprightly persecutor? To write in desence of masquerades is no easy task; yet something difficult and daring may well be required, as the price of so important an approbation. I therefore consulted, in this great emergency, a man of high reputation in gay lise, who having added, to his other accomplishments, no mean proficiency m the minute philofophy, aster the sifth perusal of her letter, broke out with rapture into these words: 'And can you, Mr. Rambler, stand out against 'this charming creature? Let her know, at least, 'that from this moment Nigrinus devotes his lise 'and his labours to her service. Is tVere any stub'born prejudice of education, that stands between * thee and the most amiable of mankind? Behold, * Flirtilla, at thy seet, a man grown grey in the 'study of those noble arts by which right and 5 'wrong ( wrong may be consounded; by which reason 'may be blinded, when we have a mind to escape * from her inspection; and caprice and appetite 'instated in uncontrouled command, and boundless 'dominion! Such a casuist may surely engage, * with certainty of success, in vindication of an 'entertainment, which in an instant gives confif dence to the timorous* and kindles ardour in the * cold; an entertainment where the vigilance of ■ jealousy has so often been eluded, and the virgin 'is set free from the necessity of languishing in * silence; where all the outworks of chastity are 'at once demolished $ where the heart is laid open * without a blush; where bashsulness may survive 'virtue, and no wish is crushed under the frown of 'modesty. Far weaker influence than Flirtilla's * might gain over an advocate for such amusements. 'It was declared by Pompey, that, if the commonc wealth was violated, he could stamp with his foot, 'and raise an army out of the ground; if the rights 'of pleasure are again invaded, let but Flirtilla 'crack her san, neither pens, hor swords, shall be * wanting at the summons; the wit and the colonel * shall march out at her command, and neither law 'nor reason shall stand before us.' Vol. V. F |