could fafely fay at that moment I had no temptation to any one of the feven lively fins; and, in the innocent way I was, happy had it been for me, if I had died! Moralizing fat I by the hazard-table; I looked upon the uncertainty of riches, the decay of beauty, and the crash of worlds, with as much contempt as ever Plato did. But ah! the frailty of human nature! fome ridiculous thought came into my head, wakened my paffions, which burft forth into a violent laughter: I rose from my feat, and not confidering the just resentments of the lofing gamesters, hurled a ball of paper cross the table, which stopped the dice, and turned up seven instead of five. Curfed on all fides, and not knowing where to fly, I threw myself into a chair, which I demolished, and never spoke a word after. We went to fupper, and a lady faid, Miss G. looks prodigiously like a Tree. Every body agreed to it, and I had not curiofity to ask the meaning of that sprightly fancy: find it out, and let me know. Adieu, 'tis time to dress, and begin the business of the day.

LETTER VI.

IN THE STYLE OF A LADY.

what is

PRAY your opinion of Fate? For I must

confefs I am one of thofe that believe in Fate and

Predestination.-No, I can't go fo far as that, but I own I am of opinion one's stars may incline, though not compel one; and that is a fort of free-will; for we may be able to refift inclination, but not compulfion.

Don't you think they have got into the moft prepofterous fashion this winter that ever was, of flouncing the petticoat fo very deep, that it looks like an entire coat of luteftring?

It is a little cool indeed for this time of year, but then, my dear, you will allow it has an extreme clean, pretty look.

Ay, fo has my muflin apron; but I would not chufe to make it a winter fuit of cloaths.

Well now I'll fwear, child, you have put me in mind of a very pretty drefs; let me die if I don't think a muflin flounce, made very full, would give one a very agreeable Flirtation-air.

Well, I fwear it would be charming! and I should like it of all things-Do you think there are any fuch things as Spirits?

Do you believe there is any fuch place as the Elyfian Fields; O Gad, that would be charming! I wish I were to go to the Elysian Fields when I die, and then I fhould not care if I were to leave the world to-morrow: but is one to meet there with what one has loved moft in this world?

Now you must tell me this pofitively. To be fure you can, or what do I correspond with you for, if you will not tell me all? you know I abominate Referve.

LETTER VII.

Bath, 1714.

ou are to understand, Madam, that my paffion γου

for your fair felf and your fifter, has been divided with the most wonderful regularity in the world. Even from my infancy I have been in love with one after the other of you, week by week, and my journey to Bath fell out in the three hundred feventy-fixth week of the reign of my fovereign Lady Sylvia. At the present writing hereof it is the three hundred eighty-ninth week of the reign of your most ferene majesty, in whose service I was lifted fome weeks before I beheld your fifter. This information will account for my writing to either of you hereafter, as either shall happen to be queen-regent at that time.

Pray tell your fifter, all the good qualities and virtuous inclinations fhe has, never gave me so much pleasure in her converfation, as that one vice of her obftinacy will give me mortification this month. Ratcliffe commands her to the Bath, and fhe refuses! indeed if I were in Berkshire I should honour her for this obftinacy, and magnify her no lefs for difobedience than we do the Barcelonians. But people change with the change of places (as we fee of late) and virtues become vices when they ceafe to be for one's intereft, with me, as with others.

Yet let me tell her, she will never look fo finely while fhe is upon earth, as she would here in the water. It is not here as in most other inftances, for those ladies that would please extremely, must go out of their own element. She does not make half so good a figure on horseback as Christina Queen of Sweden; but were the once feen in the Bath, no man would part with her for the best mermaid in Chriftendom. You know I have feen you often, I perfectly know how look in black and in white, I have expeyou rienced the utmost you can do in colours; but all your movements, all your graceful steps, deferve not half the glory you might here attain, of a moving and easy behaviour in buckram: something between swimming and walking, free enough, and more modeftlyhalf-naked than you can appear any where else. You have conquered enough already by land; fhow your ambition, and vanquish also by water. The buckram I mention is a dress peculiarly useful at this time, when, we are told, they are bringing over the fashion of German ruffs: you ought to use yourself to fome degrees of stiffness before-hand; and when our ladies chins have been tickled a-while with ftarched muflin and wire, they may poffibly bear the brush of a German beard and whisker.

I could tell you a delightful story of Dr. P. but want room to display it in all its fhining circumftances. He had heard it was an excellent cure for love, to kifs the aunt of the perfon beloved, who is generally

of

of years and experience enough to damp the fierceft flame; he try'd this courfe in his paffion, and kiffed Mrs. E at Mr. D-'s, but, he fays, it will not do, and that he loves you as much as ever.

Your, etc.

LETTER VIII.

TO THE SAME.

IF you ask how the waters agree with me, I must tell you, fo very well, that I question how you and I should agree if we were in a room by ourselves. Mrs.

has honestly affured me, that but for fome whims which fhe can't entirely conquer, fhe would go and fee the world with me in man's cloaths. Even you, Madam, I fancy, (if you would not partake in our adventures,) would wait our coming in at the evening with some impatience, and be well enough pleased to hear them by the fire-fide. That would be better than reading romances, unless Lady M. would be our hiftorian. What raises these defires in me, is an acquaintance I am beginning with my Lady Sandwich, who has all the spirit of the last age, and all the gay experience of a pleasurable life. It were as fcandalous an omiffion to come to the Bath, and not see my Lady Sandwich, as it had formerly been to have travelled to Rome without vifiting the Queen of Sweden. She is, in a word, the best thing this country has to boast of; and as

fhe