that while you are so devout at St. Paul's, we cannot fleep for you at St. Peter's.

From my own Apartment, August 29.

There has been lately fent me a much harder Question than was ever yet put to me fince I profeffed Aftrology; to wit, How far, and to what Age, Women ought to make their Beauty their chief Concern? The Regard and Care of their Faces and Perfons are as variously to be confider'd, as their Complexions themselves differ; but if one may tranfgrefs against the careful Practice of the Fair Sex fo much as to give an Opinion against it, I humbly prefume, that lefs Care, better apply'd,would increase their Empire, and make it last as long as Life. Whereas now, from their own Example, we take our Esteem of their Merit from it, for it is very just, that she who values her felf only on her Beauty, fhould be regarded by others on no other Confide

ration.

There is certainly a liberal and pedantick Education among Women as well as Men, and the Merit lafts accordingly. She therefore that is bred with Freedom, and in good Company, confiders Men according to their respective Characters and Diftin&tions; while fhe that is lock'd up from fuch Observations, will confider her Father's Butler not as a Butler, but as a Man. In like Manner, when Men converfe with Women, the Well-bred and Intelligent are looked upon with an Observation suitable to their dif ferent Talents and Accomplishments, without Refpect to their Sex; while a meer Woman can be observed under no Confideration but that of

a Woman; and there can be but one Reafon for placing any Value upon her, or lofing Time in her Company. Wherefore I am of Opinion, that the Rule for pleasing long, is, to obtain fuch Qualifications as would make them fo, were they not Women.

Let the beauteous Cleomira then fhew us her real Face, and know, that every Stage of Life has its peculiar Charms, and that there is no Neceffity for Fifty to be Fifteen; That Childish colouring of her Cheeks is now as ungraceful, as that Shape would have been when her Face wore its real Countenance. She has Senfe, and ought to know, that if she will not follow Nature, Nature will follow her. Time then has made that Perfon, which had (when I vifited her Grandfather) an agreeable Bloom, fprightly Air, and foft Utterance, now no lefs graceful in a lovely Afpect, an awful Manner, and maternal Wifdom. But her Heart was fo fet upon her first Character, that the neglects and repines at her prefent; not that she is against a more ftay'd Conduct in others, for the recommends Gravity, Circumfpection, and Severity of Countenance, to her Daughter. Thus, against all Chronology, the Girl is the Sage, the Mother the Fine Lady,

But these great Evils proceed from an unaccountable wild Method in the Education of the better half of the World, the Women, We have no fuch Thing as a Standard for good Breeding. I was the other Day at my Lady Wealthy's, and asked one of her Daughters, How Che did? She anfwered, She never convers'd

with Men. The fame Day I visited at Lady Plantwell's, and asked her Daughter the fame Question. She answers, What's that to you, you old Thief? And gives me a Slap on the Shoulders.

I defy any Man in England, except he knows the Family before he enters, to be able to judge whether he fhall be agreeable or not, when he comes into it. You find either fome odd old Woman, who is permitted to rule as long as the lives, in Hopes of her Death, and to interrupt all Things; or fome impertinent young Woman, who will talk fillily upon the Strength of looking beautifully. I will not anfwer for it, but it may be, that I (like all other old Fellows) have a Fondness for the Fafhions and Manners which prevailed when I was young and in Fafhion my felf: But certain it is, that the Tafte of Grace and Beauty is very much lower'd! The Fine Women they fhow me now-a-days, are at best but pretty Girls to me, who have feen Sachariffa, when all the World repeated the Poems the infpir'd; and Villaria, when a youthful King was her Subject. The Things you follow and make Songs on now, fhould be fent to knit, or fit down to Bobbins or Bone-lace: They are indeed neat, and fo are their Sempftreffes; they are pretty, and fo are their Handmaids. But that graceful Motion, that awful Mien, and that winning Attraction, which grew upon 'em from the Thoughts and Converfations they met with in my Time, are now no more seen. They tell [Vol. 2.]

G

me

me, I am old: I am glad I am fo; for I don't like your present young Ladies.

Thofe among us who fet up for any Thing of Decorum, do fo mistake the Matter, that they offend on the other Side. Five young Ladies who are of no fmall Fame for their great Severity of Manners, and exemplary Behaviour, would lately go no where with their Lovers but to an Organ-Loft in a Church, where they had a Cold Treat, and fome few Opera Songs, to their great Refreshment and Edification. Whether thefe prudent Perfons had not been as much fo, if this had been done at a Tavern, is not very hard to determine. 'Tis fuch filly Starts and Incoherences as these, which undervalue the beauteous Sex, and puzzle us in our Choice of Sweetness of Temper, and Simplicity of Manners, which are the only lafting Charms of Woman. But I must leave this important Subje& at prefent, for fome Matters which press for Publication; as you will obferve in the following Letter:

Dear Sir,

T

IS natural for diftant Relations to claim Kindred with a rising Family; though at this Time, Zeal to my Country, not Intereft, calls me out. The City-Forces being shortly to take the Field, all good Proteftants would be pleased that their Arms and Valour should shine with equal Luftre. A Council of War was lately held, the Honourable Colonel Mortar being Prefident. After many Debates, 'twas unanimously refolved, That

Major

4

Major Blunder, a most expert Officer, should be detached for Bromingham to buy Arms, and tó prove his Fire-locks on the Spot, as well to prevent Expence, as Disappointment in the Day of Battle. The Major being a Perfon of confummate Experience, was invested with a Difcretionary Power. He knew from ancient Story, that fecuring the Rear, and making a glorious Retreat, was the most celebrated Piece of Conduct. Accordingly fuch Measures were taken to prevent Surprize in the Rear of his Arms, that even Pallas her felf, in the Shape of Ruft, could not invadé 'em. They were drawn into clofe Order, firmly embodied, and arrived fecurely without Touch-boles. Great and National Actions deferve popular Applanfe; and as Praife is no Expence to the Publick, therefore, dearest Kinfman, I communicate this to you, as well to oblige this Nursery of Heroes, as to do Justice to my Native Country. I am

London, Aug. 26.

Artillery-Ground.

Your most

Affectionate Kinfman,
Offspring Twig

A War-Horfe, belonging to one of the Colonels of the Artillery, to be Let or Sold. He may be Jeen, adorn'd with Ribbands, and set forth to the beft Advantage, the next Training-Day.