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"backs of the nation; and high fhoulders, as well as high nofes, were the top of the fashion. But to come "to ourselves, gentlemen, though I find by my quin"quennial obfervations, that we shall never get ladies enough to make a party in our own country, yet might we meet with better fuccefs among fome of our allies. "And what think you if our board fat for a Dutch piece? Truly I am of opinion, that as odd as we appear in flesh and blood, we should be no such strange "things in metzo-tinto. But this project may reft 'till "our number is complete; and this being our election night, give me leave to propofe Mr. Spectator. "fee his inclinations, and perhaps we may not have his "fellow."

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You

I found most of them (as is ufual in all fuch cafes) were prepared; but one of the feniors (whom by the by Mr. Prefident had taken all this pains to bring over) fat ftill, and cocking his chin, which feemed only to be levelled at his nofe, very gravely declared, "That in cafe he had had fufficient knowledge of you, "no man fhould have been more willing to have ferved you; but that he, for his part, had always had re"gard to his own confcience, as well as other people's "merit; and he did not know but that you might be a "handfome fellow; for as for your own certificate, it "was every body's bufinefs to speak for themselves."

Mr. Prefident immediately retorted,' " A handsome "fellow why he is a wit, Sir, and you know the pro"verb:" and to cafe the old gentleman of his fcruples,

6.

cried, "That for matter of merit it was all one, you "might wear a mafk." This threw him into a pause, and he looked defirous of three days to confider on it; but Mr. Prefident improved the thought, and followed him up with an old ftory, "That wits were privileged to wear what masks they pleafed in all ages; and that a vizard had been the conftant crown of their labours, "which was generally prefented them by the hand of "fome fatyr, and fometimes of Apollo himfelf:" For the truth of which he appealed to the frontispiece of feveral books, and particularly to the English Juvenal,

• to

.

to which he referred him; and only added; "That "fuch authors were the Larvati, or Larva donati of the "ancients." This cleared up all, and in the conclu

fion you were chofe probationer: and Mr. Prefident put round your health as fuch, protefting, "That "though indeed he talked of a vizard, he did not be"lieve all the while you had any more occafion for it "than the cat-a-mountain;" fo that all you have to do now is to pay your fees, which here are very rea-. fonable, if you are not impofed upon: and you may • ftile yourself Informis Societatis Socius: which I am defired to acquaint you with; and upon the fame I beg you to accept of the congratulation of,

A FRIEND of mine has two daughters, whom I will

call Lætitia and Daphne; the former is one of the greatest beauties of the age in which the lives, the latter no way remarkable for any charms in her perfon. Upon this one circumstance of their outward forin, the good and ill of their life feems to turn. Lætitia has not,

from

from her very childhood, heard any thing else but commendations of her features and complexion, by which means the is no other than nature made her, a very beautiful out-fide. The confcioufnefs of her charms has rendered her infupportably vain and infolent towards all who have to do with her. Daphne, who was almost twenty before one civil thing had ever been faid to her, found herself obliged to acquire fome accomplishments to make up for the want of those attractions which she saw in her fifter. Poor Daphne was feldom fubmitted to in a debate wherein fhe was concerned; her discourse had nothing to recommend it but the good fenfe of it, and fhe was always under a neceffity to have very well confidered what she was to fay before the uttered it; while Lætitia was listened to with partiality, and approbation fat in the countenances of thofe the converfed with, before the communicated what fhe had to say. These caufes have produced suitable effects, and Lætitia is as infipid a companion, as Daphne is an agreeable one. Lætitia, confident of favour, has ftudied no arts to please; Daphne, defpairing of any inclination towards her perfon, has depended only on her merit. Lætitia has always fomething in her air that is fullen, grave, and difconfolate. Daphne has a countenanee that appears chearful, open, and unconcerned. A young gentleman faw Lætitia this winter at a play, and became her captive. His fortune was fuch, that he wanted very little introduction to speak his fentiments to her father. The lover was admitted with the utmoft freedom into the family, where a conftrained behaviour, fevere looks and diftant civilities, were the highest favours he could obtain of Lætitia; while Daphne ufed him with the good-humour, familiarity, and innocence of a fifter; infomuch that he would often fay to her, "Dear Daphne, wert thou but "as handfome as Lætitia"--She received fuch language with that ingenuous and pleafing mirth, which is natural to a woman without defign. He fill fighed in vain for Lætitia, but found certain relief in the agreeable converfation of Daphne. At length, heartily tired with the haughty impertinence of Lætitia, and charmed

with repeated inftances of good-humour he had obferved in Daphne, he one day told the latter, that he had fomething to fay to her he hoped fhe would be pleafed with -"Faith, Daphne, continued he, I am in love with "thee, and defpife thy fifter fincerely." The manner of his declaring himself gave his miftrefs occafion for a very hearty laughter.- "Nay, fays he, I knew you would "laugh at me, but I'll afk your father." He did fo; the father received his intelligence with no lefs joy than furprife, and was very glad he had now no care left but for his beauty, which he thought he could carry to market at his leifure. I do not know any thing that has pleafed me fo much a great while, as this conquest of my friend Daphne's. All her acquaintance congratulate her upon her chance-medley, and laugh at that premeditating murderer her fifter. As it is an argument of a light mind, to think the worfe of ourselves for the imperfections of our perfons, it is equally below us to value ourfelves upon the advantages of them. The female world feem to be almoft incorrigibly gone aftray in this particular; for which reafon, I fhall recommend the following extract out of a friend's letter to the profeffed beauties, who are a people almoft as unfufferable as the profeffed wits.

MONSIEUR St. Evremond has concluded one of

his effays with affirming, that the last fighs of a handfome woman are not fo much for the lofs of her life as of her beauty. Perhaps this raillery is purfued too far, yet it is turned upon a very obvious remark, that woman's strongest paffion is for her own beauty, and that the values it as her favourite diftinction. From hence it is that all arts, ⚫ which pretend to improve or preferve it, meet with fo general a reception among the fex. To fay nothing of many falfe helps, and contraband wares of beauty, which are daily vended in this great mart, there is not a maiden gentlewoman of a good family in any country of South-Britain, who has not heard of the virtues of May-dew, or is unfurnished with

• fome

fome receipt or other in favour of her complexion; and I have known a phyfician of learning and sense, after eight years ftudy in the univerfity, and a courfe of travels into moft countries in Europe, owe the first raifing of his fortunes to a cofmetic waih.

This has given me occafion to confider how fo univerfal a disposition in womankind, which springs ✦ from a laudable motive, the defire of pleafing, and proceeds upon an opinion, not altogether groundlefs, that nature may be helped by art, may be turned to their advantage. And, methinks, it would be an acceptable fervice to take them out of the hands of quacks and pretenders, and to prevent their impofing upon themfelves, by difcovering to them the true fecret and art of improving beauty.

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In order to this, before I touch upon it directly, it will be neceffary to lay down a few preliminary ❝ mazims, viz.

That no woman can be handfome by the force of features alone, any more than fhe can be witty only by the help of fpeech.

That pride deftroys all fymmetry and grace, and affectation is a more terrible enemy to fine faces than the fmall-pox.

That no woman is capable of being beautiful, who is not incapable of being falfe.

And, that what would he odious in a friend, is deformity in a mistress.

From these few principles, thus laid down, it will be eafy to prove, that the true art of affifting beauty confifts in embellishing the whole perfon by the proper ornaments of virtuous and commendable quali ties. By this help alone it is, that thofe who are the favourite work of nature, or, as Mr. Dryden expreffes it, the Porcelain clay of human kind, become animated, and are in a capacity of exerting their charms; and thofe who fecm to have been neglected by her, like models wrought in hafte, are capable in a great measure of finishing what he has left imperfect.