whether my gaily gilded frame is too apt to infect the mind of the beholder with vanity :- -Or laftly, whether it be from the brittlenefs of my other materials, which, by a kind of fympathy, affects people who are too frequently converfant with me.- From whatever caufe it proceeds, a lady who has a fine face, might almost as well fall into the small-pox, as be too often in my company. How many charming creatures have I fpoil'd, and made beauty the greatest misfortune that could befal them :—— -I can't think on't without concern ;-why am I fated to be thus unlucky, and injure thofe the moft that love me beft!-Alas! Why was I made a looking glafs !-Was it my defire to be covered with filver, and inclosed in a frame of gold !-Did I afpire to be fixed in this honourable place, and become a lady's favourite!--Oh! that I had been fome meaner piece of furniture! lefs refpected, and less mischievous! Keep off, dear madam, I beseech you, from an unhappy thing, which destiny makes pernicious to the loveliest creature under heaven: Or I fhall foon infect you with the worst disease incident to beauty; and that is va nity I am, 'tis true, a ufeful fervant, if employed only when I ought to be, which is feldom; but if a lady grows fo fond of me, that she runs to ask my opinion of every look; if the confults me forty times for once that she goes to her prayer-book or bible, I fhall certainly prove much more hurtful to her than age or uglinefs. I beg, madam, that you'll interpret what your poor fervant fays, to proceed wholly from refpect and love for you :-The tender regard I have for your ladyship, together with fome symptoms I have lately difcovered, make me fearful for you. I dread the apprehenfion of bringing contempt on fo good a miftress, and would not for the world be the occafion of your lofing any one grace of a fine woman :-No! rather let me be broken into a thousand pieces! I am not without fear of giving offence by the freedom have taken; but tho' you banish me your prefence, I cannot forbear speaking, in a cafe where your ladyship's good feems fo much concerned; and, indeed, if what I dread should come to pass, it would be better for us both to part for ever :-) -Better for you to be without my fervice, than fuffer by it; and better for me to lose my lady, and be thrown into a corner, than remain where I am, and be neceffary and inftruméntal in fpoiling as much sweetness and beauty as ever looking-glafs had the happiness to shew. I am, MISS J Madam, with the most dutiful respect, devoted humble servant, PARLOUR LOOKING-GLASS. TO MISS LOVELACE, ON LETTER WRITERS, AND HER OPINION OF A WELL-WROTE LETTER. Want of time, is, I think, the general complaint of all letter-writers; and your's in hafte, includes wit, bufiness, every thing. For my own part, my whole life is little more than a perpetual hurry of doing nothing; and, I think, I never had more bufinefs of that fort upon my hands than now. But as I can generally find time to do any thing I've a mind to do, fo can always contrive to be at leisure to pay my respects to Mifs L. But the most univerfal complaint among scribblers of my rank is want of fenfe. These generally begin with an apology for their long filence; and end with that moving petition, excuse this nonsense. This is modeft, indeed; but though I'm exceffive good-natured, I'm refolved for the future not to pardon it entirely, in any one but myself. I have often thought there never was a letter wrote well, but what was more eafily; and, if I had not fome private reafons for being of a contrary opinion at this time, fhould conclude this to be a mafter-piece of the kind, both in eafinefs of thought and facility of expreffion. And in this eafinefs of writing (which Mr. Wycherly fays, is easily wrote) methinks I excel even Mr. Pope himself; who is often too elaborate and orna mental, even in fome of his best letters; though it must be confeffed he out does me in some few trifles of another fort, fuch as fpirit, tafte, and fenfe. But let me tell Mr. Pope, that letters, like beauties, may be over dreft. There is a becoming negligence in both; and if Mr Pope could only contrive to write without a genius, I don't know any one fo likely to hit off my manner as himself. But he infifts upon it, that a genius is as neceffary towards writing, as ftraw towards making bricks; bricks; whereas, 'its notorious that the Ifraelites made bricks without that materal, as well as with. The conclufion of the whole matter is this, I never had more inclination to write to you, and never fewer materials at hand to write with. Therefore have fled for refuge to my old companion, Dullness, who is ever at hand to affist me; and have made ufe of all thofe genuine expreffions of herself, which are included under the notion of Want of Time, Want of Spirit, and, in fhort, Want of every Thing, but the most unfeigned regard for that lady whofe moft devoted I remain, &c. TO MISS D. ON THE EXPRESSIONS AND COMPLIMENTS COMMONLY MADE USE OF IN LETTERS, THE money and books came found as a roach. Safe is fo common an expreffion, that I'm tired of telling people for ever, things came lafe. We geniuses are forced to vary our expreffions, and invent new terms; as well to fhew our furprifing compafs of thought, as our great command of language. This fometimes appears ftiff and affected, to the common clafs of readers, or hearers, who are apt to be out of their element, upon hearing any new or unufual founds; but our nicer ears cannot always bear the fame cadences. There's fomething peculiar in the make and structure of the auditory nerve, that that requires diverfification, and variety, as well as some skill in the anatomy of language, to make an impreffion on it, without wounding it. "Tis for this reafon, when I ask a favour (a thing I feldom choose to do) I always felect the most delicate phrases I'm mistress of; but in regard to forms, which most people are fick of, and yet surfeit their friends with, these I vary according as my own humour or inclination preponderates. Of confequence, when I come towards the end, or perroration of a letter, I fometimes communicate my compliments, sometimes defire they may be made known—or where there's a large family, and of consequence a number of civilities to be paid, the laconic style of my deferences as ufual, has fometimes fucceeded beyond my expectation. I'm fick of faying for ever, I beg my compliments to fuch -But as I propofe foon to give your ladyship a particular differtation upon ftyle, and as I have many flowers of rhetoric yet inexhausted, I fhall wind up the words above-mentioned into the form of a letter, and communicate all the things I have to fay in the poftfcript. a one. FROM MISS TO HER BROTHER, TO ACQUAINT HIM WITH THE DEATH OF THEIR MOTHER. My dear brother, WHAT fhall I tell you? How will you be able to bear the fatal news of the death of our much honoured mother, whofe lofs is to me more bitter than death, and will |