my Business these three Days to liften after my own Fame; and as I have fometimes met with Circumstances which did not difpleafe me, I have been encounter'd by others which gave me as much Mortification. It is incredible to think how empty I have in this Time obferved fome part of the Species to be, what mere Blanks they are when they first come abroad in the Morning, how utterly they are at a Stand till they are fet a going by fome Paragraph in a News-Paper: Such Perfons are very acceptable to a young Author, for they defire no more in any thing, but to be new to be agreeable. If I found Confolation among fuch, I was as much difquieted by the Incapacity of others. These are Mortals who have a certain Curiofity without Power of Reflection, and perused my Papers like Spectators rather than Readers. But there is fo little Pleasure in Enquiries that fo nearly concern our felves, (it being the worst Way in the World to Fame, to be too anxious about it) that upon the whole I refolved for the future to go on in my ordinary Way; and without too much Fear or Hope about the Bufinefs of Reputa

tion, to be very careful of the Defign of my Actions, but very negligent of the Confequences of them.

IT is an endless and frivolous Purfuit to act by any other Rule than the Care of fatisfying our own Minds in what we do. One would think a filent Man, who concerned himself with no one breathing, fhould be very little liable to Mifinterpretations; and yet I remember I was once taken up for a Jefuit, for no other Reafon but my profound Taciturnity. It is from this Misfortune, that to be out of Harm's Way, I have ever fince affect ed Crowds. He who comes into Affemblies only to gratifie his Curiofity, and not to make a Figure, enjoys the Pleasures of Retirement in a more exquifite Degree, than he poffibly could in his Clofet; the Lover, the Ambitious, and the Mifer, are follow'd thither by a worse Crowd than any they can withdraw from. To be exempt from the Paffions with which others are tormented, is the only pleafing Solitude. I can very juftly fay with the ancient Sage, I am never lefs alone, than when alone. As I am infignificant to the Company in publick Places, and as

it is vifible I do not come thither, as moft do, to fhew my felf, I gratifie the Vanity of all who pretend to make an Appearance, and have often as kind Looks from well dreffed Gentlemen and Ladies, as a Poet would bestow upon one of his Audience. There are fo many Gratifications attend this publick fort of Obscurity, that some little Diftates I daily receive have loft their Anguish; and I did the other Day, without the leaft Difpleasure, overhear one fay of me, That ftrange Fellow; and another answer, I have known the Fellow's Face thefe twelve Years, and fo must you; but I believe you are the firft ever ask'd who he was. There are, I muft confefs, many to whom my Perfon is as well known as that of their nearest Relations, who give themselves no further Trouble about calling me by my Name or Quality, but fpeak of me very currently by Mr. What-dyecall-bim.

TO make up for these trivial Difad vantages, I have the highest Satisfaction of beholding all Nature with an unprejudiced Eye; and having nothing to do with Mens Paffions or Interefts, I can with the greater Sagacity confider

their Talents, Manners, Failings and Merits.

IT is remarkable, that those who want any one Senfe, poffefs the others with greater Force and Vivacity. Thus my Want of, or rather Refignation of Speech, gives me all the Advantages of a dumb Man. I have, methinks, a more than ordinary Penetration in Seeing; and flatter my felf that I have looked into the Higheft and Loweft of Mankind, and make shrewd Guesses, without being admitted to their Converfation, at the inmoft Thoughts and Reflections of all whom I behold. It is from hence that good or ill Fortune has no manner of Force towards affecting my Judgment. I fee Men flourishing in Courts, and languishing in Jayls, without being prejudiced from their Circumstances to their Favour or Difadvantage; but from their inward Manner of bearing their Condition, often pity the Profperous, and admire the Unhappy.

THOSE who converse with the Dumb, know from the Turn of their Eyes, and the Changes of their Countenance, their Sentiments of the Objects before them. I have indulged my

Silence to fuch an Extravagance, that the few who are intimate with me, anfwer my Smiles with concurrent Sentences, and argue to the very Point I shaked my Head at without my fpeaking. WILL. HONEYCOMB was ve ry entertaining the other Night at a Play, to a Gentleman who fat on his right Hand, while I was at his Left. The Gentleman believed WILL. was talking to himself, when upon my looking with great Approbation at a young thing in a Box before us, he faid, "I am quite of another Opinion. She has, I will allow, a very pleafing Afpect; but methinks that Simplicity in her Countenance is rather childish • than innocent. When I obferved her a fecond time, he faid, I grant her Drefs is very becoming, but perhaps the Merit of that Choice is owing to her Mother; for though, continued C he, I allow a Beauty to be as much to be commended for the Elegance of 'her Drefs, as a Wit for that of his Language; yet if the has stolen the Colour of her Ribands from another, or had Advice about her Trimmings, I fhall not allow her the Praife of Drefs, any more than I would call a 'Plagiary an Author. When I threw

my