before Flavia's door, and if the called him to her, and afked whether it was Cynthio who paffed by, he fhould at first be loth to own it was, but upon importunity confefs it. There needed not much fearch into that part of the town to find a well-dreffed huffey fit for the purpofe Cynthio defigned her. As foon as he believed Robin was pofted, he drove by Flavia's lodgings in a hackney-coach and a woman in it. Robin was at the door talking with Flavia's maid, and Cynthio pulled up the glafs as furprised, and hid his affociate. The report of this circumftance foon flew up ftairs, and Robin could not deny but the gentleman favoured his master; yet if it was he, he was fure the lady was but his coufin whom he had seen ask for him; adding, that he believed fhe was a poor relation, because they made her wait one morning till he was awake. Flavia immediately writ the following epiftle, which Robin brought to Will's.

*.

‹ SIR,

I

June 4, 1712.

Tis in vain to deny it, baseft, falfeft of mankind;
my maid, as well as the bearer, faw you.
• The injured FLAVIA."

After Cynthio had read the letter, he asked Robin how fhe looked, and what fhe faid at the delivery of it. Robin faid the fpoke fhort to him, and called him back again, and had nothing to fay to him, and bid him and all the men in the world go out of her fight; but the maid followed, and bid him bring an answer.

'MADAM,

4 2

Cynthio returned as follows.

June 4, Three Afternoon, 1712. THAT your maid and the bearer has feen me very ing engaged at piquet, what your letter means by 'tis in vain to deny it. I fhall stay here all the evening.

Your amazed CYNTHIO

* refembled,

As

As foon as Robin arrived with this, Flavia answered:

Dear CYNTHIO,

HAVE walked a turn or two in my anti-chamber

an impertinent fit which you ought to forgive me, and defire you would come to me immediately to laugh off a jealoufy that you and a creature of the town went by in an hackney-coach an hour ago.

I am your most humble fervant,

'FLAVIA."

⚫ I will not open the letter which my Cynthio writ upon the misapprehenfion you must have been under when you writ, for want of hearing the whole circumftance.'

Robin came back in an inftant, and Cynthio answered; Half an hour, fix minutes after three, June 4, Will's coffee-house.

< MADAM,

T is certain I went by your lodging with a gentle

fhe is indeed my relation, and a pretty fort of a woman. But your starting manner of writing, and owning you have not done me the honour fo much as to open my letter, has in it fomething very unaccountable, and alarms one that has had thoughts of paffing his days with you. But I am born to admire you ⚫ with all your little imperfections.

• CYNTHIO.'

Robin run back, and brought for answer;

XACT Sir, that are at Will's coffee-houfe fix

thoughts, and all my little imperfections. Sir, come to me immediately, or I fhall determine what may perhaps not be very pleafing to you.

2

FLAVIA.'

Robin

Robin gave an account that she looked exceffive angry when the gave him the letter ; and that he told her, for the afked, that Cynthio only looked at the clock, taking snuff, and writ two or three words on the top of the letter when he gave him his.

Now the plot thickened fo well, as that Cynthio faw he had not much more to accomplish being irreconcileably banished, he writ,

• MADAM,

I

HAVE that prejudice in favour of all you do, that it is not poffible for you to determine upon what will not be very pleafing to

This was delivered, and the anfwer returned, in a little more than two feconds.

SIR,

Is it come to this? You never loved me; and the creature you were with is the propereft perfon for your affociate. I defpife you, and hope I shall foon •hate you as a villain to

་

Robin ran back with

‹ MADAM,

The credulous FLAVIA.'

YOUR credulity when you are to gain your point, and fufpicion when you fear to lofe it, make it a

very hard part to behave as becomes

Your humble flave,

CYNTHIO.'

Robin whipt away, and returned with,

Mr. WELLFORD,

LAVIA and Cynthio are no more.

I relieve you

from the hard part of which you complain, and banish you from my fight for ever.

ANN HEART.'

Robin had a crown for his afternoon's work; and this is published to admonish Cecilia to avenge the injury done to Flavia.

T*

* STEELE's editorial fignature.

N° 399

Saturday, June 7, 1712.

Ut nemo in fefe tentát defcendere!- Perf. Sat. iv. 23.

None, none defcends into himself, to find
The fecret imperfections of his mind.

HY

DRYDEN,

YPOCRISY at the fashionable end of the town, is very different from hypocrify in the city. The modifh hypocrite endeavours to appear more vicious than he really is, the other kind of hypocrite more virtuous. The former is afraid of every thing that has the fhew of religion in it, and would be thought engaged in many criminal gallantries and amours, which he is not guilty of. The latter affumes a face of fanctity, and covers a multitude of vices under a feeming religious deportment.

But there is another kind of hypocrify, which differs. from both thefe, and which I intend to make the fubject of this Paper: I mean that hypocrify, by which a man does not only deceive the world, but very often impofes on himfelf; that hypocrify which conceals his own heart from him, and makes him believe he is more virtuous

virtuous than he really is, and either not attend to his vices, or mistake even his vices for virtues. It is this fatal hypocrify, and felf-deceit, which is taken notice of in thofe words, Who can understand his errors ?

"cleanse thou me from fecret faults."

If the open profeffors of impiety deferve the utmost application and endeavours of moral writers to recover them from vice and folly, how much more may thofe lay a claim to their care and compaffion, who are walking in the paths of death, while they fancy themfelves engaged in a courfe of virtue! I fhall endeavour, therefore, to lay down fome rules for the discovery of those vices that lurk in the fecret corners of the foul, and to shew my reader those methods by which he may arrive at a true and impartial knowledge of himself. The ufual means prescribed for this purpofe, are to examine ourfelves by the rules which are laid down for our direction in Sacred Writ, and to compare our lives with the life of that person who acted up to the perfection of human nature, and is the standing example, as well as the great guide and inftructor, of those who receive his doctrines. Though these two heads cannot be too much infifted upon, I fhall but juft mention them, fince they have been handled by many great and eminent writers.

I would therefore propofe the following methods to the confideration of fuch as would find out their secret faults, and make a true estimate of themselves.

In the first place, let them confider well what are the characters which they bear among their enemies. Our friends very often flatter us, as much as our own hearts. They either do not see our faults, or conceal them from us, or foften them by their representations, after fuch a manner, that we think them too trivial to be taken notice of. An adverfary, on the contrary, makes a stricter search into us, difcovers every flaw and imperfection in our tempers, and though his malice may fet them in too ftrong a light, it has generally fome ground for what it advances. A friend exaggerates a man's virtues, an enemy inflames his crimes. A wife man fhould give a juft attention to both of them, fo far as they may tend to the improvement of one, and the diminution