some particular attention, gave me an account of the great distresses which had laid waste that her very fine face, and had given an air of melancholy to a very agreeable person. That lady, and a couple of sisters of hers, were, said Will, fourteen years ago, the greatest fortunes about town; but without having any loss by bad tenants, by bad securities, or any damage by sea or land, are reduced to very narrow circumstances. They were at that time the most inaccessible, haughty beauties in town; and their pretensions to take upon them at that unmerciful rate, were raised upon the following scheme, according to which all their lovers were answered.

'Our father is a youngish man, but then our mother is somewhat older, and not likely to have any children. His estate being £800 per annum, at 20 years purchase, is worth £16,000. Our uncle, who is above 50, has £400 per annum, which at the aforesaid rate, is £8000. There is a widow aunt, who has £10,000 at her own disposal left by her husband, and an old maiden aunt, who has £6000. Then our father's mother has £900 per annum, which is worth £18,000, and £1000 each of us has of her own, which can not be taken from us. These summed up together stand thus.

Father's 800

This equally divid-16,000 ed between us three, 8000 amounts to £20,000

Aunt's 10,000-6000 16,000 each; and allowance

Uncle's 400

18,000 being given for 3000 enlargement upon common fame, we

may lawfully pass

for £30,000 for

Total 61,000 tunes.

'In prospect of this, and the knowledge of their own personal merit, every one was contemptible in their eyes, and they refused those offers which had been frequently made them. But mark the end: the mother dies, the father is married again, and has a son; on him was entailed the father's, uncle's, and grandmother's estate. This cut off £42,000. The maiden aunt married a tall Irishman, and with her went the £6000. The widow

died, and left but enough to pay her debts and bury her; so that there remained for these three girls but their own £1000. They had by this time passed their prime, and got on the wrong side of thirty; and must pass the remainder of their days upbraiding mankind that they mind nothing but money, and bewailing that virtue, sense, and modesty are had at present in no manner of estimation.'

I mention this case of ladies before any other, because it is the most irreparable: for though youth is the time least capable of reflection, it is in that sex the only season in which they can advance their fortunes. But if we turn our thoughts to the men, we see such crowds of them unhappy, from no other reason but an ill-grounded hope, that it is hard to say, which they rather deserve, our pity or contempt. It is not unpleasant to see a fellow, after growing old in attendance, and after having passed half a life in servitude, call himself the unhappiest of all men, and pretend to be disappointed because a courtier broke his word. He that promises himself any thing but what may naturally arise from his own property or labour, and goes beyond the desire of possessing above two parts in three even of that, lays up

for himself an increasing heap of afflictions and disappointments. There are but two means in the world of gaining by other men, and these are by being either agreeable or considerable. The generality of mankind do all things for their own sakes; and when you hope any thing from persons above you, if you can not say I can be thus agreeable or thus serviceable, it is ridiculous to pretend to the dignity of being unfortunate when they leave you; you were injudicious in hoping for any other than to be neglected, for such as can come within these descriptions of being capable to please or serve your patron, when his humour or interests call for their capacity either way.

It would not, methinks, be an useless comparison between the condition of a man who shuns all the pleasures of life, and of one who makes it his business to pursue them. Hope in the recluse makes his austerities comfortable, while the luxurious man gains nothing but uneasiness from his enjoyments. What is the difference in the happiness of him who is macerated by abstinence, and his who is surfeited with excess? he who resigns the world has no temptation to envy, hatred, malice, anger, but is in constant possession of a serene mind; he who follows the pleasures of it, which are in their very nature disappointing, is in constant search of care, solicitude, remorse, and confusion.

MR. SPECTATOR,

January the 14th, 1712. I am a young woman and have my fortune to make; for which reason I come constantly to church to hear divine service and make conquests; but one great hindrance in this my design is, that

our clerk, who was once a gardener, has this Christmas so over-deckt the church with greens, that he has quite spoiled my prospect, insomuch that I have scarce seen the young baronet I dress at these three weeks, though we have both been very constant at our devotions, and don't sit above three pews off. The church, as it is now equipt, looks more like a green-house than a place of worship. The middle isle is a very pretty shady walk, and the pews look like so many arbours on each side of it. The pulpit itself has such clusters of ivy, holly and rosemary, about it, that a light fellow in our pew took occasion to say, that the congregation heard the word out of a bush, like Moses. Sir Anthony Love's pew in particular, is so well hedged, that all my batteries have no effect. I am obliged to shoot at random among the boughs, without taking any manner of aim. Mr. Spectator, unless you'll give orders for removing these greens, I shall grow a very awkward creature at church, and soon have little else to do there but to say my prayers. I am in haste, Dear Sir, Your most obedient servant, JENNY SIMPER.

No. 283. THURSDAY, JAN. 24. By Budgell.

Magister artis et largitor ingeni

Venter

PERS. Prolog. v. 10.
Necessity is the mother of invention.

ENG. Prov.

LUCIAN rallies the philosophers in his time, who could not agree whether they should admit riches into the number of real goods; the profesors

of the severer sects threw them quite out, while others as resolutely inserted them.

I am apt to believe, that as the world grew more polite, the rigid doctrines of the first were wholly discarded, and I do not find any one so hardy at present as to deny, that there are very great advantages in the enjoyment of a plentiful fortune. Indeed the best and wisest of men, though they may possibly despise a good part of those things which the world calls pleasures, can, I think, hardly be insensible of that weight and dignity which a moderate share of wealth adds to their characters, counsels, and actions.

We find it is a general complaint in professions and trades, that the richest members of them are chiefly encouraged; and this is falsely imputed to the ill-nature of mankind, who are ever bestowing their favours on such as least want them. Whereas, if we fairly consider their proceedings in this case, we shall find them founded on undoubted reason: since supposing both equal in their natural integrity, I ought in common prudence to fear foul play from an indigent person rather than from one whose circumstances seem to have placed him above the bare temptation of money.

This reason also makes the commonwealth regard her richest subjects as those who are most concerned for her quiet and interest, and consequently fittest to be intrusted with her highest employments. On the contrary, Catiline's saying to those men of desperate fortunes who applied themselves to him, and of whom he afterwards composed his army, that they had nothing to hope for but from a civil war, was too true not to make the impressions he desired.