-Lucent genialibus altis Aurea fulera toris, epulaque ante ora parata They lie below on golden beds difplay'd, DRYDEN. That I may a little alleviate the severity of this my fpeculation (which otherwife may lofe me feveral of my polite readers) I fhall translate a story that has been quoted upon another occafion by one of the most learned men of the prefent age, as I find it in the original. The reader will fee it is not foreign to my prefent fubject, and I dare fay will think it a lively reprefentation of a perfon lying under the torments of fuch a kind of Tantalism, or Platonick hell, as that which we have now under confideration. Monfieur Pontignan speaking of a love-adventure that happened to him in the country, gives the following account of it. When I was in the country laft fummer, I was often in company with a couple of charming women, who had all the wit and beauty one could ' defire in female companions, with a dash of coquetry, that from time to time gave me a great " many agreeable torments. I was, after my way, in love with both of them, and had fuch frequent opportunities of pleading my paffion to them when they were afunder, that I had reafon to hope for particular favours from each of them. As I was 'walking one evening in my chamber with nothing about me but my night-gown, they both came in Ꭰ 3 to an to my room and told me, They had a very plea. 'fant trick to put upon a gentleman that was in 'the fame houfe, provided I would bear a part in it. Upon this they told me fuch a plaufible ftory, that I laughed at their contrivance, and agreed to do whatever they fhould require of me. They immediately began to fwaddle me up in my nightgown with long pieces of linen, which they folded about me till they had wrapt me in above hundred yards of fwathe: My arms were preffed to my fides, and my legs closed together by fo many wrapers one over another, that I 'looked like an Egyptian mummy. As I ftood bolt-upright upon one end in this antique figure, 'one of the ladies burft out a laughing. "And "now, Pontignan, fays fhe, we intend to perform "the promise that we find you have extorted from "each of us. You have often afked the favour "of us, and I dare fay you are a better bred cava"lier than to refufe to go to bed to two ladies, that "defire it of you." 'After having flood a fit of laughter, I begged them to uncafe me, and dɔ with me what they pleased. No, no, faid they, we like you very well as you are; and upon that ordered me to be carried to one of their houses, and put to bed in all my fwaddles. The room was lighted up on all fides; and I was laid very ' decenty between a pair of fheets, with my head (which was indeed the only part that I could move) upon a very high pillow: This was no 'fooner done, but my two female friends came into bed to me in their fineft night-cloaths. You may eafily guefs at the condition of a man that faw a couple of the most beautiful women in the ' world undreft and abed with him, without being able to ftir hand or foot. I begged them to release me, and struggled all I could to get loofe, which I did with fo much violence, that about • midnight they both leaped out of the bed, crying < out out they were undone. But feeing me fafe, they took their pots again, and renewed their rallery. Finding all my prayers and endeavours were loft, I compofed myself as well as I could, and told them, that if they would not unbind me, I would 'fall asleep between them, and by that means dif< grace them for ever: But alas! this was impoffible; could I have been disposed to it, they 'would have prevented me by feveral little ill-natur'ed careffes and endearments which they beftowed upon me. As much devoted as I am to womankind, I would not pass fuch another night to be 'master of the whole fex. My reader will doubtlefs be curious to know what became of me the 'next morning: Why truly my bed-fellows left me about an hour before day, and told me, if I would be good and ly ftill, they would fend fomebody to take me up as foon as it was time for me 'to rife: Accordingly, about nine o'clock in the morning, an old woman came to unfwathe me. I bore all this very patiently, being refolved to 'take my revenge of my tormentors, and to keep 6 no measures with them as foon as I was at liberty; but upon asking my old woman what was become of the two ladies, fhe told me the believed they were by that time within fight of Pa ris, for that they went away in a coach and fix 'before five o'clock in the morning.' L THURSDAY, tet etetett et ettet ettttttttt No. 91. THURSDAY, JUNE 14. In furias ignemque ruunt, amor omnibus idem. VIRG. Georg. iii. ver. 244. -They rufh into the flame; For love is lord of all, and is in all the fame. TH DRYDEN. HOUGH the fubject I am now going upon would be much more properly the foundation of a comedy, I cannot forbear inferting the circumstances which pleased me in the account a young lady gave me of the loves of a family in town, which fhall be nameless; or rather, for the better found and elevation of the history, instead of Mr and Mrs Such-a-one, I fhall call them by feigned names. Without further preface, you are to know, that within the liberties of the city of Weftminster lives the lady Honoria, a widow about the age of forty, of a healthy conftitution, gay temper, and elegant perfon. She dreffes a. little too much like a girl, affects a childish fondness in the tone of her voice, fometimes a pretty fullennefs in the leaning of her head, and now and then a down-cast of her eyes on her fan: Neither her imagination nor her health would ever give her to know that the is turned of twenty; but that in the midst of these pretty foftneffes, and airs of delicacy and attraction, the has a tall daughter within a fortnight of fifteen, who impertinently comes into the room, and towers fo much towards woman, that her mother is always checked by her prefence, and every charm of Honoria droops at the entrance of Flavia. The agreeable Flavia would be what fhe is not, as well as her mother Honoria; but all their beholders are more partial to an affectation of what a perfon is grow ing up to, than of what has been already enjoyed, and is gone for ever. It is therefore allowed to Flavia to look forward, but not to Honoria to look back. Flavia is no way dependent on her mother with relation to her fortune, for which reason they live almost upon an equality in converfation; and as Honoria has given Flavia to understand, that it is ill-bred to be always calling mother, Flavia is as well-pleafed never to be called a child. It happens by this means, that thefe ladies are generally rivals in all places where they appear; and the words mother and daughter never pass between them but out of fpite. Flavia one night at a play obferving Honoria draw the eyes of feveral in the pit, called to a lady who fat by her, and bid her afk her mother to lend her her fnuff-box for one moment. Another time, when a lover of Honoria was on his knees befeeching the favour to kifs her hand, Flavia, rufhing into the room, kneeled down by him and afked bleffing. Several of thefe contradictory acts of duty have raifed between them fuch a coldness that they generally converfe when they are in mixed company by way of talking at one another, and not to one another. Honoria is ever complaining of a certain fufficiency in the young women of this age, who affume to themselves an authority of carrying all things before them, as if they were poffeffors of the esteem of mankind, and all, who were but a year before them in the world, were neglected or deceased. Flavia, upon such a provocation, is fure to obferve, that there are people who can refign nothing, and know not how to give up what they know they cannot hold; that there are those who will not allow youth their follies, not because they are themselves paft them, but becaufe they love to continue in them. Thefe beauties rival each other on all occafions, not that they have always had the fame lovers, but each has kept up a vanity to fhew the other the charms of her lover. Dick Craftin and Tam |