that depended merely upon his being an Eye-Witness, and therefore was fully fatisfied he could give me no Information, for the very fame reason he believed he could, for he was there. However, I heard him with the fame Greediness as Shakespear describes in the following Lines:

I faw a Smith ftand on his Hammer, thus, • With open Mouth swallowing a Taylor's News.

.

I confefs of late I have not been fo much amazed at the Declaimers in Coffee-houfes as I formerly was, being fatisfied that they expect to be rewarded for their Vociferations. Of thefe Lyars there are two forts. The Genius of the firft confifts in much Impudence and a strong Memory; the others have added to these Qualifications a good Understanding and fmooth Language. These therefore have only certain Heads, which they are as eloquent upon as they can, and may be called Embellishers; the others repeat only what they hear from others as literally as their Parts or Zeal will permit, and are called Reciters. Here was a Fellow in Town fome Years ago, who used to divert • himself

himself by telling a Lye at CharingGrofs in the Morning at eight of the Clock, and then following it through all parts of the Town till eight at Night; at which time he came to a Club of his Friends, and diverted 'them with an Account what Cenfure it had at Will's in Covent-Garden, how dangerous it was believed to be at Child's, and what Inference they drew "from it with relation to Stocks at Jo'nathan's. I have had the Honour to travel with this Gentleman I speak of in fearch of one of his Falfhoods; and have been present when they have "described the very Man they have C spoken to, as him who firft reported C it, tall or short, black or fair, a Gentleman or a Raggamuffin, according as they liked the Intelligence. I have heard one of our ingenious Writers of News fay, that when he has had a Customer come with an Adver'tisement of an Apprentice or a Wife C run away, he has defired the Advertifer to compofe himself a little, before he dictated the Defcription of the Offender: For when a Perfon is put ◄ into a publick Paper by a Man who is angry with him, the real Defcrip

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tion

tion of fuch Perfon is hid in the Deformity with which the angry Man defcribed him; therefore this Fellow C always made his Cuftomers defcribe him as he would the Day before he "offended, or else he was fure he would C never find him out. These and C many other Hints I could fuggeft to C for the Elucidation of all Fictiyou ons; But I leave it to your own Sagacity to improve or neglect this Spe

'culation.

I am, SIR,

Your moft Obedient,

Humble Servant.

Poftfcript to the Spectator, Number 5oz. N. B. There are in the Play of the Self-Tormentor of Terence, which is allowed a most excellent Comedy, feveral Incidents which would draw Tears from any Man of Senfe, and not one which would move his Laughter.

T

Wednes

No 522.

Wednesday, October 29.

-Adjuro nunquam eam me deferturum,

Non, fi capiundos mihi fciam effe inimicos om

neis bomines.

Hanc mihi expetivi, contigit: conveniunt mores : valeant

Qui inter nos diffidium volunt; hanc, nifi mors Mi adimet nemo.

I

Ter.

Should efteem my felf a very happy Man, if my Speculations could in the leaft contribute to the rectifying the Conduct of my Readers in one of the most important Affairs of Life, to wit, their Choice in Marriage. This State is the Foundation of Community, and the chief Band of Society; and I do not think I can be too frequent on Subjects which may give Light to my unmarried Readers, in a Particular which is fo effential to their following Happiness or Mifery. A virtuous Difpofition, a good Understanding, an agreeable Perion, and an easy

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For

Fortune, are the things which should be chiefly regarded on this Occafion. Because my present View is to direct a young Lady, who, I think, is now in doubt whom to take of many Lovers, I fhall talk at this time to my female Reader. The Advantages, as I was going to fay, of Senfe, Beauty and Riches, are what are certainly the chief Motives to a prudent young Woman of Fortune for changing her Condition; but as fhe is to have her Eye upon each of thefe, fhe is to ask herself whether the Man who has most of these Recom-mendations in the Lump is not the most defirable. He that has excellent Talents, with a moderate Eftate, and an agreeable Perfon, is preferable to him who is only rich, if it were only that good Faculties may purchase Riches, but Riches cannot purchase worthy Endowments. I do not mean that Wit, and a Capacity to entertain, is what fhould be highly valued, except it is founded upon Good-nature and Humanity. There are many ingenious Men, whofe Abilities do little elfe but make themselves and those about them uneafy: Such are thofe who are far gone in the Pleasures of the Town, who

can