other, Society is upon a wrong Bafis, and we fhall be ever after without Rules to guide our Judgment in what is really becoming and ornamental. Nature and Reafon direct one thing, Paffion and Humour another: To follow the Dictates of these two latter, is going into a Road that is both endless, and intricate; when we pursue the other, our Paffage is delightful, and what we aim at eafily attainable.

I do not doubt but England is at prefent as polite a Nation as any in the World, but any Man who thinks can eafily fee, that the Affectation of being Gay and in Fashion, has very near eaten up our good Senfe and our Religion. Is there any thing fo juft, as that Mode and Gallantry fhould be built upon exerting our felves in what is proper and agreeable to the Inftitutions of Justice and Piety among us? And yet is there any thing more common, than that we run in perfect Contradiction to them? All which is fupported by no other Pretenfion, than that it is done with what we call a good Grace.

NOTHING ought to be held laudable or becoming, but what Nature it self should prompt us to think

fo.

fo. Refpect to all kind of Superiors is founded, methinks, upon Instinct; and yet what is fo ridiculous as Age? I make this abrupt Transition to the Mention of this Vice more than any other, in order to introduce a little Story, which I think a pretty Inftance that the most polite Age is in danger of being the most vicious.

IT happened at Athens, during a publick Reprefentation of fome Play exhibited in Honour of the Commonwealth, that an old Gentleman came too late for a Place fuitable to his Age and Quality. Many of the young Gentlemen who obferved the Diffi.C culty and Confufion he was in, made Signs to him that they would accommodate him if he came where they fate: The good Man buftled through the Crowd accordingly; but when he came to the Seats to which he was invited, the Jeft was to fit close, and expofé him, as he stood out of CounC tenance, to the whole Audience. The Frolick went round all the Athenian C Benches. But on thofe Occafions there were alfo particular Places affigned for Foreigners: When the good Man skulked towards the Boxes

appoint

.

appointed for the Lacedemonians, that honeft People, more virtuous than polite, rose up all to a Man, and with the greateft Refpect received him among them. The Athenians being fuddenly touched with a Senfe of the Spartan Virtue and their own Degeneracy, gave a Thunder of Applaufe; and the old Man cry'd out, The Athenians understand what is good, • but the Lacedemonians practife it. R

N° 7.

Thursday, March 8.

Somnia, terrores magicos, miracula, Sagas, Nocturnos lemures, portentaque Theffala rides ?

G

Hor.

OING yesterday to dine with an old Acquaintance, I had the Misfortune to find his whole Family very much dejected. Upon asking him the Occafion of it, he told me that his Wife had dreamt a ftrange Dream the Night before, which they were afraid portended fome Misfortune to them

At her

felves or to their Children. coming into the Room I observed a fettled Melancholy in her Countenance, which I fhould have been troubled for, had I not heard from whence it proceeded. We were no fooner fat down, but, after having looked upon me a little while, My Dear, (fays he, turning to her Husband) you may now see the Stranger that was in the Candle laft Night. Soon after this, as they began to talk of Family Affairs, a little Boy at the lower End of the Table told her, that he was to go into Join-hand on Thurfday. Thursday? (fays fhe) no Child if it pleafe God, you shall not begin upon Childermas-day; tell your Writing-Mafter that Friday will be foon enough. I was reflecting with my felf on the Oddnefs of her Fancy, and wondering that any Body would establish it as a Rule to lofe a Day in every Week. In the midst of thefe my Mufings, the defired me to reach her a little Salt upon the Point of my Knife, which I did in fuch a Trepidation and Hurry of Obedience, that I let it drop by the Way, at which the immediately startled, and faid it fell towards her. Upon this I looked very blank; and, observing the Concern of

the

T the whole Table, began to confider my felf, with fome Confufion, as a Perfon that had brought a Difafter upon the Family. The Lady however recovering her self, after a little Space, faid to her Husband, with a Sigh, My Dear, Miffortunes never come fingle. My Friend, I found, acted but an Under-Part at his Table, and being a Man of more Goodnature than Understanding, thinks himfelf obliged to fall in with all the Paffions and Humours of his Yoke-fellow: Do not you remember, Child, (fays fhe) that the Pidgeon-house fell the very Afternoon that our careless Wench Spilt the Salt upon the Table? Yes, (fays he) My Dear, and the next Poft brought us an Account of the Battle of Almanza. The Reader may guefs at the Figure I made, after having done all this, Mifchief. I difpatched my Dinner as foon as I could, with my ufual Taciturnity; when, to my utter Confufion, the Lady feeing me quitting my Knife and Fork, and laying them acrofs one another upon my Plate, defired me that I would humour her fo far as to take them out of that Figure, and place them Side by Side. What the Abfurdity was which I had committed I did

not