brats; where there are none, fhe cannot bear a place without fome cheerfulnefs and rattle. If many fervants are kept in a houfe, fhe never fails to tell how Lord Lavish was ruined by a numerous retinue; if few, the relates the ftory of a mifer that made his company wait on themfelves. She quarrelled with one family, because she had an unpleafant view from their windows; with another, because the squirrel leaped within two yards of her; and with a third, because the could not bear the noife of the parrot. Of milliners and mantua-makers fhe is the proverbial torment. She compels them to alter their work, then to unmake it, and contrive it after another fashion; then changes her mind, and likes it better as it was at firft; then will have a small improvement. Thus she proceeds till no profit can recompenfe the vexation; they at last leave the clothes at her houfe, and refuse to serve her. Her maid, the only being that can endure her tyranny, profeffes to take her own course, and hear her mistress talk. Such is the confequence of peevifhnefs; it can be borne only when it is defpifed. It fometimes happens that too close an attention to minute exactnefs, or a too rigorous habit of examining every thing by the ftandard of perfection, vitiates the temper, rather than improves the understanding, and teaches the mind to difcern faults with unhappy penetration. It is incident likewife to men of vigorous imagination to please themfelves too much with futurities, and to fret becaufe thofe expectations are disappointed which should never have been formed. Knowledge and genius are often enemies to quiet, by fuggefting ideas of excellence, which men and the performances of men cannot attain. But let no man rafhly determine, that his unwillingness to be pleafed is a proof of understanding, unless his fuperiority appears from lefs doubtful evidence; for though peevishnefs may foinetimes jutly boaft it's defcent from learning or from wit, it is much oftener of base extraction, the child of vanity, and nurfling of ignorance. N° LXXV. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1750. BIR, DILIGITUR NEMO, NISI CUI FORTUNA SECUNDA EST, WHEN SMILING FORTUNE SPREADS HER GOLDEN RAY, TO THE RAMBLER. THE diligence with which you en deavour to cultivate the knowledge of nature, manners, and life, will perhaps incline you to pay fome regard to the obfervations of one who has been taught to know mankind by unwelcome information, and whofe opinions are the refult, not of folitary conjectures, but of practice and experience. I was born to a large fortune, and bred to the knowledge of thofe arts which are fupposed to accomplish the mind, and adorn the perfon of a woman. To these attainments, which cuftom and education almost forced upon me, I added fome voluntary acquifitions by the ufe of books, and the converfation of that OVID. MISS A. W. fpecies of men whom the ladies gene rally mention with terror and averfion under the name of Scholars, but whom I have found a harmless and inoffenfive order of beings, not fo much wifer than ourfelves, but that they may receive as well as communicate knowledge, and more inclined to degrade their own character by cowardly fubmiffion, than to overbear or opprefs us with their learning or their wit. From these men, however, if they are by kind treatment encouraged to talk, fomething may be gained, which, embellifhed with elegancy, and foftened by modefty, will always add dignity and value to female converfation; and from my acquaintance with the bookish part of the world I derived many principles of judgment and maxins of prudence, Y by 170 I fhall make no fcruple of confeffing that I was pleafed with this univerfal veneration, because I always confidered it as paid to my intrinfick qualities and infeparable merit, and very eafily perfuaded myfelf, that fortune had no part in my fuperiority. When I looked upon my glafs I faw youth and beauty, with health that might give me reafon to hope their continuance; when I examined my mind, I found fome ftrength of judgment, and fertility of fancy; and was told that every action was grace, and that every accent was perfuafion. In this manner my life paffed like a continual triumph amidst acclamations, and envy, and courtship, and caresses: to pleafe Meliffa was the general ambition, and every ftratagem of artful flattery was practifed upon me. To be flattered is grateful, even when we know that our praises are not believed by thofe who pronounce them: for they prove, at leaft, our power, and fhew that our favour is valued, fince it is purchafed by the meannefs of falfehood. But, perhaps, the flatterer is not often detected, for an honest mind is not apt to fufpect, and no one exerts the power of difcernment with much vigour when felf-love favours the deceit. The number of adorers, and the perpetual diftraction of my thoughts by new fchemes of pleafure, prevented me from liftening to any of thofe who crowd in multitudes to give girls advice, and kept me unmarried and unengaged to my twenty-feventh year, when, as I was towering in all the pride of uncontefted excellency, with a face yet little impaired, and a mind hourly improving, the failure of a fund, in which my money was placed, reduced me to a fru gal competency, which allowed litrie It was in my power to have concealed the lofs, and to have married, by continuing the fame appearance, with all the credit of my original fortune; but I was not fo far funk in my own esteem, as to fubmit to the bafenefs of fraud, or to defire any other recommendation than fenfe and virtue. I therefore difimiffed my equipage, fold thofe ornaments which were become unfuitable to my new condition, and appeared among those with whom I ufed to converfe with lefs glitter, but with equal fpirit. I found myself received at every vifit, with forrow beyond what is naturally felt for calamities in which we have no part, and was entertained with condolence and confolation, fo frequently repeated, that my friends plainly confulted rather their own gratification than my relief. Some from that time refufed my acquaintance, and forbore, without any provocation, to repay my vifits; fome vifited me, but after a longer interval than ufual, and every return was ftill with more delay; nor did any of my female acquaintances fail to introduce the mention of my misfortunes, to compare my prefent and former condition, to tell me how much it must trouble me to want the fplendor which I became fo well, to look at pleafures which I had formerly enjoyed, and to fink to a level with thofe by whom I had been confidered as moving in a higher fphere, and who had hitherto approached me with reverence and fubmiflion, which I was now no longer to expect. Obfervations like thefe are commonly nothing better than covert infults, which ferve to give vent to the flatulence of pride, but they are now and then imprudently uttered by honefty and benevolence, and inflict pain where kind nefs nefs is intended; I will, therefore, so far maintain my antiquated claim to politenefs, as to venture the establishment of this rule, that no one ought to remind another of misfortunes of which the fufferer does not complain, and which there are no means propofed of alleviating. You have no right to excite thoughts which neceffarily give pain whenever they return, and which perhaps might not have revived but by abfurd and unfeafonable compaffion. My endless train of lovers immediately withdrew, without raifing any, emotions. The greater part had indeed always profeffed to court, as it is termed, upon the fquare, had enquired my fortune, and offered fettlements; thefe had undoubtedly a right to retire without cenfure, fince they had openly treated for money, as neceflary to their happinefs, and who can tell how little they wanted any other portion? I have always thought the clamours of women unreafonable, who imagine themselves injured because the men who followed them upon the fuppofition of a greater fortune, reject them when they are difcovered to have lefs. I have never known any lady who did not think wealth a title to fome ftipulations in her favour; and furely what is claimed by the poffeffion of money is juftly forfeited by it's lofs. She that has once demanded a fettlement has allowed the importance of fortune; and when the cannot fhew pecuniary merit, why should she think her cheapener obliged to purchase? My lovers were not all contented with filent defertion. Some of them revenged the neglect which they had formerly endured by wanton and fuperfluous in fults, and endeavoured to mortify me, by paying, in my prefence, thofe civilities to other ladies which were once devoted only to me. But, as it had been my rule to treat men according to the rank of their intellect, I had never fuffered any one to walte his life in fufpenfe, who could have employed it to better purpofe, and had therefore no etinies but coxcombs, whofe refent ment and respect were equally below my confideration. The only pain which I have felt from degradation, is the lofs of that influence which I had always exerted on the fide of virtue, in the defence of innocence, and the affertion of truth. I now find my opinions flighted, my fentiments criticiied, and my arguments oppofed by thofe that ufed to liften to me without reply, and struggle to be first in exprefing their conviction. The female difputants have wholly thrown off my authority; and if I endeavour to enforce my reafons by an appeal to the fcholars that happen to be prefent, the wretches are certain to pay their court by facrificing me and my fyftem to a finer gown, and I am every hour infulted with contradiction by cowards, who could never find till lately that Meliffa was liable to error. There are two perfons only whom I cannot charge with having changed their conduct with my change of fortune. One is an old curate that has pafled his life in the duties of his profeffion, with great reputation for his knowledge and piety; the other is a lieutenant of dragoons. The parfon made no difficulty in the height of my elevation to check me when I was pert, and inftruct me when I blundered; and if there is any alteration, he is now more timorous leit his freedom should be thought rudcness. The foldier never paid me any particular addrefles, but very rigidly obferved all the rules of politenefs, which he is now fo far from relaxing, that whenever he ferves the tea, he obtinately carries me the firft difh, in defiance of the frowns and whispers of the table. This, Mr. Rambler, is to fee the world. It is impoffible for thofe that have only known affluence and profperity, to judge rightly of themselves or others, The rich and the powerful live in a perpe tual mafquerade, in which all about them wear borrowed characters; and we only difcover in what ettimation we are held, when we can no longer give hopes or fears, I am, &c, MELISSA, N° LXXVI. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1750. -SILVIS UBI PASSIM PALANTES ERROR CERTO DE TRAMITE PELLIT, ILLE SINISTRORSUM, HIC DEXTRORSUM ABIT, UNUS UTRIQUE WHILE MAZY ERROR DRAWS MANKIND ASTRAY FROM TRUTH'S SURE PATH, EACH TAKES HIS DEVIOUS WAY; ELPHINSTON. tion. When their hearts are burthened with the conicioufncfs of a crime, inftead of feeking for fome remedy within themselves, they look round upon the reft of mankind, to find others tainted with the fame guilt: they please themfelves with obferving, that they have numbers on their fide; and that, though they are hunted out from the fociety of good men, they are not likely to be condemned to folitude. Tis eafy for every man, whatever be his character with others, to find reafons for eftening himself; and therefore cenfure, contempt, or conviction of crimes, feldom deprive him of his own favour. Thofe, indeed, who can fee only external facts, may look upon him with abhorrence; but when he calls himfelf to his own tribunal, he finds every fault, if not abfolutely effaced, yet fo much palliated by the goodness of his intention, and the cogency of the mo- It may be obferved, perhaps without tive, that very little guilt or turpitude exception, that none are fo industrious remains; and when he takes a furvey to detect wickednefs, or fo ready to imof the whole complication of his cha- pute it, as they whofe crimes are apracter, be difcovers fo many latent ex- parent and confefled. They envy an cellencies, fo many virtues that want unblemished reputation, and what they but an opportunity to exert themselves envy they are busy to deftroy: they are in act, and fo many kind withes for uni- unwilling to fuppofe themfelves meaner, verfal happiness, that he looks on him- and more corrupt than others; and therefelf as fuffering unjustly under the in- ́fore willingly pull down from their elefamy of fingle failings, while the general temper of his mind is unknown or unregarded. It is natural to mean well, when only abftracted ideas of virtue are propofed to the mind, and no particular paffion turns us aide from rectitude; and fo willing is every man to flatter himself, that the difference between approving laws, and obeying them, is frequently forgotten; he that acknowledges the obligations of morality, and pleases his vanity with enforcing them to others, concludes himself zealous in the caufe of virtue, though he has no longer any regard to her precepts, than they conform to his own defires; and counts himfelf among her warmest lovers, becaufe he praises her beauty, though every rival fteals away his heart. There are, however, great numbers who have little recourfe to the refinements of fpeculation, but who yet live at peace with themfelves, by means which require lefs understanding, or lefs atten vations thofe with whom they cannot rife to an equality. No man yet was ever wicked without fecret difcontent; and, according to the different degrees of remaining virtue, or unextinguished reafon, he either endeavours to reform himfelf, or corrupt others; either to regain the ftation which he has quitted, or prevail on others to imitate his defection. It has always been confidered as an alleviation of mifery not to fuffer alone, even when union and fociety can contribute nothing to refiftance or escape; fome comfort of the fame kind feems to incite wickednefs to feek affociates; though, indeed, another reafon may be given, for as guilt is propagated, the power of reproach is diminished, and· among numbers equally deteftable,every individual may be fheltered from shame, though not from confcience. Another lenitive by which the throbs of the breaft are affuaged, is the contemplation, not of the fame, but of different crimes. He that cannot justify himfelf himfelf by his refemblance to others, is ready to try fome other expedient, and to enquire what will rife to his advantage from oppofition and diffimilitude. He cafily finds fome faults in every human being, which he weighs against his own, and easily makes them preponderate while he keeps the balance in his own hand, and throws in or takes out at his pleasure, circumftances that make them heavier or lighter. He then triumphs in his comparative purity, and fets himfelf at eafe, not because he can refute the charges advanced againft him, but because he can cenfure his accufers with equal justice; and no longer fears the arrows of reproach, when he has ftored his magazine of malice with weapons equally sharp and equally envenomed. This practice, though never juft, is yet fpecious and artful, when the cenfure is directed againft deviations to the contrary extreme. The man who is branded with cowardice may, with fome appearance of propriety, turn all his force of argument against a ftupid contempt of life, and rath precipitation into unneceffary danger. Every receflion from temerity is an approach towards cowardice; and though it be confeffed that bravery, like other virtues, ftands between faults on either hand, yet the place of the middle point may always be difputed; he may, therefore, often impofe upon careless understandings, by turning the attention wholly from himfelf, and keeping it fixed invariably on the oppofite fault; and by fhewing how many evils are avoided by his behaviour, he may conceal for a time thofe which are incurred. But vice has not always opportunities or addrefs for fuch artful fubterfuges; men often extenuate their own guilt, only by vague and general charges upon others, or endeavour to gain reft to themfelves by pointing fome other prey to the purfuit of cenfure. Every whisper of infamy is induftrioufly circulated, every hint of fufpicion eagerly improved, and every failure of conduct joyfully publifhed, by thofe whofe intereft it is that the eye and voice of the publick fhould be employed on any rather than on themfelves. All these artifices, and a thoufand others equally vain and equally defpicable, are incited by that conviction of the deformity of wickednefs, from which none can fet himfelf free; and by an abfurd defire to feparate the caufe from the effects, and to enjoy the profit of crimes without fuffering the fhame. Men are willing to try all methods of reconciling guilt and quiet, and when their understandings are stubborn and uncomplying, raise their passions against them, and hope to overpower their own knowledge. It is generally not fo much the defire of men, funk into depravity, to deceive the world as themfelves; for when no particular circumftances make them dependant on others, infamy difturbs them little, but as it revives their remorse, and is echoed to them from their own hearts. The fentence mott dreaded is that of reafon and confcience, which they would engage on their fide at any price but the labours of duty and the forrows of repentance. For this purpose every feducerent and fallacy is fought, the hopes ftill reft upon fome new experiment till life is at an end; and the laft hour steals on unperceived, while the faculties are engaged in refifting reafon, and repreffing the fenfe of the Divine difapprobation. N° LXXVII. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1750. OS DIGNUM ÆTERNO NITIDUM QUOD FULGEAT AURO, PRUDENT. A GOLDEN STATUE SUCH A WIT MIGHT CLAIM, AMONG thofe whofe hopes of dif tinction, or riches, arife from an opinion of their intellectual attainments, F. LEWIS, it has been, from age to age, an established cuftom to complain of the ingratitude of mankind to their inftructors, and the difcourage |