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their chief if not their only Aim? How rare is it for a Man, when he engages himself in the Thoughts of Marriage, to place his Hopes of having in fuch a Woman a conftant, agreeable Companion? One who will divide his Cares and double his Joys? Who will manage that Share of his Eftate he intrufts to her Con⚫duct with Prudence and Frugality, govern his House ⚫ with Oeconomy and Discretion, and be an Ornament to himself and Family? Where fhall we find the Man who looks out for one who places her chief Happiness in the Practice of Virtue, and makes her Duty her ⚫ continual Pleasure ? No: Men rather feek for Money as the Complement of all their Defires; and regardlefs of what Kind of Wives they take, they think Riches will be a Minister to all Kind of Pleasures, ⚫ and enable them to keep Miftreffes, Horfes, Hounds, to drink, feaft, and game with their Companions, pay their Debts contracted by former Extravagancies, or ⚫ fome fuch vile and unworthy End; and indulge them⚫ felves in Pleafures which are a Shame and Scandal to human Nature. Now as for the Women; how few of them are there who place the Happiness of their Marriage in the having a wife and virtuous Friend? • One who will be faithful and just to all, and constant and loving to them? Who with Care and Diligence ⚫ will look after and improve the Eftate, and without grudging allow whatever is prudent and convenient? Rather, how few are there who do not place their Happiness in out-fhining others in Pomp and Show? And that do not think within themselves when they have married fuch a rich Perfon, that none of their Acquaintance shall appear fo fine in their Equipage, fo adorned in their Perfons, or fo magnificent in their Furniture as themfelves? Thus their Heads are filled ⚫ with vain Ideas; and I heartily wish I could fay that Equipage and Show were not the Chief Good of fo many Women as I fear it is.

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AFTER this Manner do both Sexes deceive themfelves, and bring Reflections and Difgrace upon the moft happy and most honourable State of Life; whereas if they would but correct their depraved Tafte, moderate their Ambition, and place their Happiness upon ⚫ proper

proper Objects, we should not find Felicity in the Marriage State fuch a Wonder in the World as it now is. SIR, if you think thefe Thoughts worth inferting among your own, be pleafed to give them a better Drefs, and let them pafs abroad; and you will oblige Your Admirer,

Mr. SPECTATOR,

A

A. B.

SI was this Day walking in the Street, there happened to pafs by on the other Side of the Way a Beauty, whofe Charms were fo attracting that it drew my Eyes wholly on that Side, infomuch that I neglected my own Way, and chanced to run my Nofe directly against a Poft; which the Lady no fooner perceived, but she fell out into aFit of Laughter, though at the fame Time fhe was fenfible that herfelf was the 'Caufe of my Misfortune, which in my Opinion was 'the greater Aggravation of her Crime. I being bufy wiping off the Blood which trickled down my Face, had not Time to acquaint her with her Barbarity, as ⚫ alfo with my Refolution, viz. never to look out of my 'Way for one of her Sex more: Therefore, that your ⚫ humble Servant may be revenged, he defires you to 'infert this in one of your next Papers, which he hopes 'will be a Warning to all the rest of the Women • Gazers, as well as to poor

Mr. SPECTATOR,

I'

Anthony Gape.

Defire to know in your next, if the merry Game of the Parfon has loft his Cloak, is not mightily in Vogue amongst the fine Ladies this Christmas; be'cause I fee they wear Hoods of all Colours, which I fuppole is for that Purpofe: If it is, and you think it proper, I will carry fome of thofe Hoods with me to our Ladies in Yorkshire; because they enjoined me to bring them something from London that was very new. If you can tell any Thing in which I can obey ⚫ their Commands more agreeably, be pleased to inform me, and you will extremely oblige

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Your humble Servant.

Mr. SPEC

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Mr. SPECTATOR,

Oxford, Dec. 29. INCE you appear inclined to be a Friend to the

under which I have fuffered very much. The reigning Toaft of this Place is Patetia; I have pursued her with the utmoft Diligence this Twelve-month, and • find nothing stands in my Way but one who flatters her more than I can. Pride is her Favourite Passion ; therefore if you would be fo far my Friend as to make a favourable Mention of me in one of your Papers, I ⚫ believe I fhould not fail in my Addreffes. The Scho- . lars ftand in Rows, as they did to be fure in your Time, at her Pew-door; and fhe has all the Devotion paid to her by a Crowd of Youths who are unacquainted with the Sex, and have Inexperience added to their Paffion However, if it fucceeds according to my Vows, you will make me the happiest Man in the ⚫ World, and the most obliged amongit all

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Mr. SPECTATOR,

Your humble Servants.

Came to my Mistress's Toilet this Morning, for I am admitted when her Face is ftark naked: She frowned, and cried Pish when I said a Thing that Í ⚫ stole; and I will be judged by you whether it was not very pretty. Madam, faid I, you fhall forbear that Part of your Drefs; it may be well in others, but you cannot place a Patch where it does not hide a Beauty. T

• • • • S• • • Ni

Si••••••

No.269. Tuesday, January 8.

I

Evo rariffima noftro

Simplicitas.

Ovid.

Was this Morning furprized with a great knocking at the Door, when my Landlady's Daughter came up to me, and told me, that there was a Man below defired to speak with me. Upon my asking her who it was,

The

she told me it was a very grave elderly Perfon, but that fhe did not know his Name. I immediately went down to him, and found him to be the Coachman of my wor thy Friend Sir ROGER DE COVERLEY. He told me that his Mafter came to Town laft Night, and would be glad to take a Turn with me in Grays-Inn Walks. As I was wondring in my felf what had brought Sir RoGER to Town, not having lately received any Letter from him, he told me that his Mafter was come up to get a Sight of Prince Eugene, and that he defired I would immediately meet him.

I was not a little pleased with the Curiofity of the old Knight, though I did not much wonder at it, having heard him fay more than once in private Difcourse, that he looked upon Prince Eugenio (for fo the Knight always calls him) to be a greater Man than Scanderbeg.

I was no fooner come into Grays-Inn Walks, but I heard my Friend upon the Terrace hemming twice or thrice to himfelf with great Vigour, for he loves to clear his Pipes in good Air (to make use of his own Phrase) and is not a little pleased with any one who takes Notice of the Strength which he ftill exerts in his Morning

Hemms.

I was touched with a fecret Joy at the Sight of the good old Man, who before he faw me was engaged in Converfation with a Beggar-man that had asked an Alms of him. I could hear my Friend chide him for not finding out fome Work ; but at the fame Time saw him put his Hand in his Pocket and give him Six-pence.

OUR Salutations were very hearty on both Sides, con fifting of many kind Shakes of the Hand, and feveral affectionate Looks which we caft upon one another. Af ter which the Knight told me my good Friend his Chaplain was very well, and much at my Service, and that the Sunday before he had made a moft incomparable Sermon out of Doctor Barrow. I have left, fays he, all my Affairs in his Hands, and being willing to lay an Obligation upon him, have depofited with him thirty Marks, to be diftributed among his poor Parishioners.

He then proceeded to acquaint me with the Welfare of Will Wimble. Upon which he put his Hand into his Fob, and prefented me in his Name with a Tobacco Stopper,

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Stopper, telling me that Will had been bufy all the Beginning of the Winter in turning great Quantities of them; and that he made a Prefent of one to every Gentleman in the Country who has good Principles, and fmoaks. He added, that poor Will was at prefent under great Tribulation, for that Tom Touchy had taken the Law of him for cutting fome Hazel Sticks out of one of his Hedges.

AMONG other Pieces of News which the Knight brought from his Country Seat, he informed me that Moll White was dead; and that about a Month after her Death the Wind was fo very high, that it blew down the End of one of his Barns. But for my Part, fays Sir ROGER, I do not think that the old Woman had hand in it.

any

HE afterwards fell into an Account of the Diverfions which had paffed in his Houfe during the Holidays; for Sir ROGER, after the laudable Custom of his Ancestors, always keep open Houfe at Christmas. I learned from him, that he had killed eight fat Hogs for this Seafon, that he had dealt about his Chines very liberally amongst his Neighbours, and that in particular he had fent a ftring of Hoggs-puddings with a Pack of Cards to every poor Family in the Parish. I have often thought, fays Sir ROGER, it happens very well that Christmas fhould fall out in the middle of the Winter. It is the most dead uncomfortable Time of the Year, when the poor People would fuffer very much from their Poverty and Cold, if they had not good Cheer, warm Fires, and Chrifimas Gambols to fupport them. I love to rejoice their poor Hearts at this Season, and to fee the whole Village merry in my great Hall. I allow a double Quantity of Malt to my fmall Beer, and fet it a running for twelve Days to every one that calls for it. I have always a Piece of cold Beef and a Mince-Pye upon the Table, and am wonderfully pleafed to fee my Tenants pafs away a whole Evening in playing their innocent Tricks, and fmutting one another. Our Friend Will Wimble is as merry as any of them, and fhews a thousand roguish Tricks upon thefe Occafions.

I was very much delighted with the Reflection of my old Friend, which carried fo much Goodness in it:

He

th en