of Horace's Simplex Munditiis; which, whoever can tranflate in Two Words, has as much Eloquence as Lady Courtly. I took the Liberty to tell her, That all she had faid with so much good Grace, was spoken in Two Words in Horace, but would not undertake to tranflate them; upon which she smiled, and told me, She believed me a very great Scholar, and I took my Leave.

From my own Apartment, August 31.

I have been just now reading the Introduction to the History of Catiline by Salluft, an Author who is very much in my Favour; but when I reflect upon his profeffing himself wholly dif interested, and at the fame Time fee how industriously he has avoided faying any Thing to the Praife of Cicero, to whofe Vigilance the Commonwealth owed its Safety, it very much leffens my Esteem for that Writer; and is one Argument, among others, for laughing at all who pretend to be out of the Interests of the World, and profess purely to act for the Service of Mankind, without the least Regard to themselves. I do not deny but that the Rewards are different; fome aim at Riches, others at Honour, by their publick Services. However, they are all purfuing fome End to themselves, tho' indeed those Ends differ as much as Right and Wrong. The most graceful Way then, I fhould think, would be to acknowledge, that you aim at serving your felves; but at the fame Time make it appear, it is for the Service of others that you have these Opportunities.

Of all the difinterested Profeffors I have ever heard of, I take the Boatswain of Dampier's Ship

to

1

to be the most impudent, but the most excufa-
ble. You are to know, that in the wild Searches
that Navigator was making, they happen'd
to be out at Sea, far diftant from any Shore, in
Want of all the Neceffaries of Life; infomuch,
that they began to look, not without Hunger,
on each other. The Boatswain was a fat, heal-
thy, fresh Fellow, and attracted the Eyes of the
whole Crew. In fuch an extreme Neceffity, all
Forms of Superiority were laid afide: The Cap-
tain and Lieutenant were fafe only by being
Carrion, and the unhappy Boatswain in Danger
only by being worth eating. To be short, the
Company were unanimous, and the Boatswain
must be cut up.
He saw their Intention, and
defired he might speak a few Words before they
proceeded; which being permitted, he delive
red himself as follows:

Gentlemen Sailors,

Far be it that I should fpeak it for any private Interest of my own, but I take it, that I should not die with a good Confcience, if I did not confefs to you that I am not found. I fay, Gentlemen, Juftice, and the Teftimony of a good Confcience, as well as Love of my Country, to which I hope you will all return, oblige me to own, that Black Kate at Debtford has made me very unsafe to eat ; and (I Speak it with Shame) I am afraid, Gentlemen, I should poifon you.

This Speech had a good Effect in the Boatfwain's Favour; but the Surgeon of the Ship protested, he had cured him very well, and offered to eat the first Stake of him himself.

The

The Boatswain replied, (like an Orator, with a true Notion of the People, and in Hopes to gain Time) That he was heartily glad if he could be for their Service, and thanked the Surgeon for his Information. However, faid he, I must inform you, for your own Good, that I have ever fince my Cure been very thirsty and dropfical; therefore I prefume it would be much better to tap me, and drink me off, than eat me at once, and have no Man in the Ship fit to be drank. As he was going on with his Harangue, a fresh Gale arofe, and gave the Crew Hopes of a better Repast at the nearest Shore, to which they arrived next Morning.

Moft of the Self-denials we meet with are of this Sort; therefore I think he acts faireft who owns, he hopes at leaft to have Brother's Fare, without profeffing that he gives himself up with Pleasure to be devoured for the Prefervation of bis Fellows.

St. James's Coffee-houfe, Aug. 31.

Letters from the Hague of the 6th of September, N. S. fay, That the Governor of the Citadel of Tournay having offered their Highneffes the Duke of Marlborough and the Prince of Savoy to furrender that Place on the 31ft of the last Month, on Terms which were not allowed them by thofe Princes, Hoftilities were thereupon renewed; but that on the 3d the Place was furrendered, with a seeming Condition granted to the Befieged above that of being Prifoners of War; for they were forthwith to be conducted to Conde, but were to be exchanged for Prisoners of the Allies, and particularly thofe of Warneton were mentioned

K

mentioned in the Demand. Both Armies having stretched towards Mons with the utmost Diligence, that of the Allies, tho' they paffed the much more difficult Road, arrived first before that Town, which they have now actually invested; and the Quartermaster-General was, at the Time of dispatching these Letters, marking the Ground for the Encampment of the covering Army.

To the Bookfellers, or others, whom this Advertisement may concern.

Mr. Omicron, the Unborn Poet, gives Notice, That he writes all Treatifes as well in Verfe as Profe, being a Ninth Son, and tranflates out of all Languages, without Learning or Study.

If any Book feller will treat for his Paftoral on the Siege and Surrender of the Citadel of Tournay, he muft fend in his Proposals before the News of a Capitulation for any other Town.

The Undertaker for either Play-honfe may have an Opera written by him; or, if it shall fuit their Defign, a Satyr upon Opera's ; both ready for next Winter.

This is to give Notice, That Richard Farloe, M. A. well known for his Acuteness in Diffection of dead Bodies, and his great Skill in Ofteology, has now laid by that Practice; and having, by great Study, and wuch Labour, acquired the Knowledge of an Antidote for all the most common Maladies of the Stomach, is removed, and may be applied to, at any Time of the Day, in the South Entrance from Newgate-street into Chrift's-Hofpital.

The

93

The TATLER. [N° 63. From Thursday Sept. 1. to Saturday Sept. 3. 1709.

I

White's Chocolate-house, September 2. Of the Enjoyment of Life with Regard to others. Have ever thought it the greatest Diminution to the Roman Glory imaginable, that in their Institution of Publick Triumphs, they led their Enemies in Chains when they were Prisoners. It is to be allowed, that doing all Honour to the Superiority of Heroes above the rest of Mankind, must needs conduce to the Glory and Advantage of a Nation; but what fhocks the Imagination to reflect upon, is, that a polite People should think it reasonable, that an unhappy Man, who was no way inferior to the Victor, but by the Chance of War, fhould be led like a Slaves at the Wheels of his Chariot. Indeed, these other Circumstances of a Triumph, That it was not allowed in a Civil War, left Part of it should be in Tears, while the other was making Acclamations; That it fhould not be granted, except fuch a Number were flain in Battle; That the General fhould be difgraced who made a false Muster of his Dead: Thefe, I fay, had great and polítick Ends in their being established, and tended to the apparent Benefit of the Commonwealth. But this Behaviour to the Conquered had no Foundation in Nature or Policy, only to gratify the Infolence of an

haughty