as they are now-a-days, and that he should be glad to fee them taken down in the Treaty of Peace, if it might be done without Prejudice to the Publick Affairs.

ONE who fat at the other end of the Table, and feemed to be in the Interefts of the French King, told them, that they did not take the matter right, for that his moft Christian Majefty did not refent this matter because it was an Injury done to Monfieur Mefnager's Footmen; for, fays he, what are Monfieur Mefnager's Footmen to him? but because it was done to his Subjects. Now, fays he, let me tell you, it would look very odd for a Subject of France to have a bloody Nofe, and his Sovereign not to take notice of it. He is obliged in Honour to defend his People against Hoftilities; and if the Dutch will be fo infolent to a crowned Head, as, in any wife, to cuff or kick thofe who are under his Protection, I think he is in the right to call them to an Account for it.

THIS Diftinction fet the Controverfy upon a new foot, and feemed to be very well approved by most that heard it, 'till a little warm Fellow, who declared himself a Friend to the Houfe of Auftria, fell moft unmercifully upon his Gallick Majefty, as encouraging his Subjects to make mouths at their Betters, and afterwards fkreening them from the Punishment that was due to their Infolence. which he added, that the French Nation was fo addicted to Grimace, that if there was not VOL. VII.

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a Stop put to it at the general Congress, there would be no walking the Streets for them in a time of Peace, especially if they continued Masters of the Weft-Indies. The little Man proceeded with a great deal of Warmth, declaring, that if the Allies were of his Mind, he would oblige the French King to burn his Gallies, and tolerate the Proteftant Religion in his Dominions, before he would fheath his Sword. He concluded with calling Monfieur Mefnager an infignificant Prig.

THE Dispute was now growing very warm, and one does not know where it would have ended, had not a young Man of about one and twenty, who seems to have been brought up with an Eye to the Law, taken the Debate into his hand, and given it as his Opinion, that neither Count Rechteren nor Monfieur Mefnager had behaved themselves right in this Affair. Count Rechteren, fays he, should have made Affidavit that his Servants had been affronted, and then Monfieur Mefnager would have done him Juftice, by taking away their Liveries from them, or fome other way that he might have thought the most proper; for let me tell you, if a Man makes a mouth at me, I am not to knock the Teeth out of it for his pains. Then again, as for Monfieur Mefnager, upon his Servants being beaten, why, he might have had his Action of Affault and Battery. But as the Cafe now ftands, if you will have my Opinion, I think they ought to bring it to Referees.

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I HEARD a great deal more of this Conference, but I must confefs with little Edification; for all I could learn at laft from these honest Gentlemen, was, that the matter in Debate was of too High a nature for fuch Heads as theirs, or mine, to comprehend.

N° 482 Friday, September 12.

Floriferis ut apes in faltibus omnia libant.

Lucr. 1. 3. V. II. As from the fweeteft Flow'rs the lab'ring Bee Extracts her precious Sweets.

W

CREECH.

HEN I have published any fingle Paper that falls in with the popular Tafte, and pleases more than ordinary, it always brings me in a great return of Letters. My Tuesday's Difcourfe, wherein I gave feveral Admonitions to the Fraternity of the Henpeck'd, has already produced me very many Correfpondents; the Reafon I cannot guefs at, unless it be that fuch a Difcourfe is of general Ufe, and every married Man's Money. An honeft Tradefman, who dates his Letter from Cheapfide, fends me Thanks in the name of a Club, who, he tells me, meet as often as their Wives will give them leave, and stay together 'till they are fent for home. He informs me, E 2

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that my Paper has adminiftred great Confolation to their whole Club, and defires me to give fome further Account of Socrates, and to acquaint them in whofe Reign he lived, whether he was a Citizen or a Courtier, whether he buried Xantippe, with many other Particulars: For that by his Sayings he appears to have been a very wife Man and a good Chriftian. Another, who writes himself Benjamin Bamboo, tells me, that being coupled with a Shrew, he had endeavoured to tame her by fuch lawful means as those which I mentioned in my laft Tuesday's Paper, and that in his Wrath he had often gone further than Bracton allows in those Cafes; but that for the future he was refolved to bear it like a Man of Temper and Learning, and confider her only as one who lives in his Houfe to teach him Philofophy. Tom Dapperwit fays, that he agrees with me in that whole Difcourfe, excepting only the last Sentence, where I affirm the married State to be either an Heaven or an Hell. Tom has been at the charge of a Penny upon this Occafion, to tell me, that by his Experience it is neither one nor the other, but rather that middle kind of State, commonly known by the name of Purgatory.

THE Fair Sex have likewife obliged me with their Reflexions upon the fame Discourse. A Lady, who calls herself Euterpe, and seems a Woman of Letters, afks me whether I am for establishing the Salick Law in every Family,

and

and why it is not fit that a Woman who has Discretion and Learning fhould fit at the Helm, when the Husband is weak and illiterate? Another, of quite contrary Character, subscribes herself Xantippe, and tells me, that the follows the Example of her Name-fake; for being married to a Bookish Man, who has no Knowledge of the World, she is forced to take their Affairs into her own hands, and to spirit him up now and then, that he may not grow mufty, and unfit for Conversation.

AFTER this Abridgment of fome Letters which are come to my Hands upon this Occafion, I shall publish one of them at large.

Mr. SPECTATOR,

You have given us a lively Picture of

that kind of Husband who comes under the Denomination of the Hen-peck'd; but I do not remember that you have ever touched upon one that is of the quite different Character, and who, in feveral Places of England, goes by the Name of a Cot-Quean. I have the Misfortune to be joined for Life with one of this Character, who in reality < is more a Woman than I am. He was bred up under the Tuition of a tender Mother, 'till she had made him as good a Housewife as herself. He could preferve Apricots, and 'make Gellies, before he had been two Years out of the Nursery. He was never fuffered to go abroad, for fear of catching Cold: When

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