cer in the Colony. He oppreffed his Subjects with great Frankness, till he became fenfible that he was heartily hated by every Man under his Command. When he had carried his Point, to be thus deteftable in a pretended Fit of Difhumour, and feigned Uneafinefs of living where he found he was fo univerfally unacceptable, he communicated to the chief Inhabitants a Defign he had to return for England, provided they would give him ample Teftimonials of their Approbation. The Planters came into it to a Man; and in proportion to his deferving the quite contrary, the Words Juftice, Generofity, and Courage, were inferted in his Commiffion, not omitting the general Good-liking of People of all Conditions in the Colony. The Gentleman returns for England, and within few Months after came back to them their Governor on the Strength of their own Teftimonials.

SUCH a Rebuke as this cannot indeed happen to eafy Recommenders, in the ordinary Courfe of Things from one Hand to another; but how would a Man bear to have it faid to him, The Perfon I took into Confidence on the Credit you gave him, has proved falfe, unjust, and has not answered any way the Character you gave me of him?

I cannot but conceive very good Hopes of that Rake Jack Toper of the Temple, for an honeft Scrupulousness in this Point. A Friend of his meeting with a Servant that had formerly lived with Jack, and having a mind to take him, fent to him to know what Faults the Fellow had, fince he could not please such a careless Fellow as he was. His An Iwer was as follows:

SIR,

THOMAS that lived with me was turned away because he was too good for me.

• You

You know I live in Taverns; he is an orderly < fober Rafcal, and thinks much to fleep in an Entry till two in a Morning. He told me one day 'when he was dreffing me, that he wondered I was not dead before now, fince I went to Din< ner in the Evening, and went to Supper at two in the Morning. We were coming down Ef"Sex-Street one Night a little fluftered, and I was 'giving him the Word to alarm the Watch; he had the Impudence to tell me it was against the Law. You that are married, and live one Day. after another the fame Way, and fo on the whole 'Week, I dare fay will like him, and he will be 'glad to have his Meat in due Seafon. The Fellow is certainly very honest. My Service to your Lady.

Yours, J. T.

Now this was very fair Dealing. Jack knew very well, that though the Love of Order made a Man very awkward in his Equipage, it was a valuable Quality among the queer People who live by Rule; and had too much good Sense and good Nature to let the Fellow ftarve, because he was not fit to attend his Vivacities.

I fhall end this Difcourfe with a Letter of Recommendation from Horace to Claudius Nero. You will fee in that Letter a Slownefs to ask a Favour, a ftrong Reafon for being unable to deny his good Word any longer, and that it is a Service to the Perfon to whom he recommends, to comply with what is asked: All which are neceffary Circumflances both in Juftice and Good-breeding, if a Man would ask fo as to have Reason to complain of a Denial; and indeed a Man fhould not in Strictness ask otherwise. In hopes the Authority of Horace, who perfectly understood how to live with great Men,

No 493. Men, may have a good Effect towards amending this Facility in People of Condition, and the Confidence of those who apply to them without Merit, I have tranflated the Epistle.

SIR,

To CLADIUS NERO.

SEptimius, who waits upon you with this, is very well acquainted with the Place you are pleased to allow me in your Friendship. For when ' he befeeches me to recommend him to your Notice, in fuch a manner as to be received by you, 'who are delicate in the Choice of your Friends, and Domesticks, he knows our Intimacy, and ⚫ understands my Ability to ferve him better than 'I do my felf. I have defended my self against

his Ambition to be yours, as long as I poffibly 'could; but fearing the Imputation of hiding my 'Power in you out of mean and felfish Confide rations, I am at last prevailed upon to give you this Trouble. Thus, to avoid the Appearance of a greater Fault, I have put on this Confidence. If you can forgive this Tranfgreffion of Modefty. in behalf of a Friend, receive this Gentleman in' to your Interefts and Friendship, and take it from me that he is an honest and a brave Man.

N° 494.

Friday, September 26.

T.

Agritudinem laudare, unam rem maximé deteftabilem, quorum eft tandem Philofophorum?

Cic.

Anand, an Age ago it was und be thought England, for every one that would be thought: religious, to throw as much Sanctity as poffible into his Face, and in particular to abstain from all

Appear

Appearances of Mirth and Pleasantry, which were looked upon as the Marks of a carnal Mind. The Saint was of a forrowful Countenance, and generally eaten up with Spleen and Melancholy. A Gentleman, who was lately a great Ornament to the learned World, has diverted me more than once with an Account of the Reception which he met with from a very famous Independent Minifter, who was Head of a College in thofe Times. This Gentleman was then a young Adventurer in the Republick of Letters, and just fitted out for the University with a good Cargo of Latin and Greek. His Friends were refolved that he should try his Fortune at an Election which was drawing near in the College, of which the Independent_Minister whom I have before mentioned was Governor. The Youth, according to Custom, waited on him in order to be examined. He was received at the Door by a Servant, who was one of that gloomy Generation that were then in Fafhion. He conducted him, with great Silence and Serioufnefs, to a long Gallery which was darkned at Noon-day, and had only a fingle Candle burning in it. After a fhort Stay in this melancholy Apartment, he was led into a Chamber hung with black, where he entertained himself for fome time by the glimmering of a Taper, till at length the Head of the College came out to him, from an inner Room, with half a dozen Night-caps upon his Head, and religious Horror in his Countenance. The young Man trembled; but his Fears encreased, when, instead of being asked what Progrefs he had made in Learning, he was examined how he abounded in Grace. His Latin and Greek stood him in little ftead; he was to give an Account only of the State of his Soul, whether he was of the Number of the Elect; what was the Occafion of his Converfion; upon what Day of the Month, and Hour of the Day it happened;

pened; how it was carried on, and when compleated. The whole Examination was fummed up with one short Question, namely, Whether he was prepared for Death? The Boy, who had been bred up by honeft Parents, was frighted out of his Wits at the Solemnity of the Proceeding, and by the last dreadful Interrogatory; fo that upon making his Escape out of this House of Mourning, he could never be brought a fecond time to the Examination, as not being able to go through the Terrors of it.

NOTWITHSTANDING this general Form and Outside of Religion is pretty well worn out among us, there are many Perfons, who, by a natural Unchearfulness of Heart, mistaken Notions of Piety, or Weakness of Understanding, love to indulge this uncomfortable way of Life, and give up themselves a Prey to Grief and Melancholy. Superftitious Fears and groundless Scruples cut them off from the Pleasures of Converfation, and all thofe focial Entertainments, which are not only innocent, but laudable, as if Mirth was made for Reprobates, and Chearfulness of Heart denied those who are the only Persons that have a proper Title to it.

SOMBRIUS is one of thefe Sons of Sorrow. He thinks himself obliged in Duty to be fad and difconfolate. He looks on a fudden Fit of Laughter as a Breach of his baptismal Vow. An innocent Jeft ftartles him like Blafphemy. Tell him of one who is advanced to a Title of Honour, he lifts up his Hands and Eyes; defcribe a publick Ceremony, he shakes his Head; fhew him a gay Equipage, he bleffes himself. All the little Ornaments of Life are Pomps and Vanities. Mirth is wanton, and Wit profane. He is fcandalized at Youth for being lively, and at Childhood for being playful. He fits at a Christening, or a Marriage Feast,

as