nomy them, to nothing but what an hundred before me have ascribed it to, the custom of giving board-wages. This one inftance of falfe oecois fufficient to debauch the whole nation of fervants, and makes them as it were but for fome part of their time in that quality. They are either attending in places where they meet and run into clubs, or elfe if they wait at taverns, they eat after their mafters, and referve their wages for other occafions. From hence it arifes, that they are but in a lower degree what their masters themselves are; and usually affect an imitation of their manners: and you have in liveries, beaux, fops, and coxcombs, in as high perfection as among people that keep equipages. It is a common humour among the retinue of people of quality, when they are in their revels, that is when they are out of their masters' fight, to affume in a humorous way the names and titles of those whofe liveries they wear. By which means characters and diftinctions become fo familiar to them, that it is to this, among other causes, one may impute a certain infolence among our fervants, that they take no notice of any gentleman, though they know him ever fo well, except he is an acquaintance of their master's. My obfcurity and taciturnity leave me at liberty without scandal, to dine if I think fit, at a common ordinary, in the meaneft as well as the most sumptuous house of entertainment.— Falling in the other day at a victualling-houfe near the house of peers, I heard the maid come down and tell the landlady at the bar, that my lord bishop fwore he would throw her out at window, if she did not bring up more mild beer, and that my lord duke would have a double mug of purl. My furprise was increased, in hearing loud and ruftic voices speak and answer to each other upon the public affairs, by the names of the most illustrious of our nobility; till of a fudden one came running in, and cried the houfe was rifing. Down came all the company together and away! The alehoufe was immediately filled with clamour, and fcoring one mug to the marquis of fuch a place, oil and vinegar to fuch an earl, three quarts to my new lord for wetting his title, and fo forth. It is a thing too notorious to mention the crowds of fervants, and their infolence, near the courts of juftice, and the stairs towards the fupreme affembly, where there is an univerfal mockery of all order, fuch riotous clamour and licentious confufion, that one would think the whole nation lived in jest, and that there were no fuch thing as rule and diftinction among us. The next place of refort, wherein the fervile world are let loose, is at the entrance of HydePark, while the gentry are at the Ring. Hither people bring their lacqueys out of ftate, and here it is that all they fay at their tables, and act in their houses, is communicated to the whole town. There are men of wit in all con b The ring in Hyde-Park was formerly the resort of people of quality on Sunday evenings. There they fhewed their fine chariots and equipages. Their footmen were always left behind at the gate, who in the mean time were employed in wrestling, &c. and frequently in lefs innocent diverfions. ditions of life; and mixing with these people at their diverfions, I have heard coquettes and prudes as well rallied, and infolence and pride expofed, (allowing for their want of education) with as much humour and good sense, as in the politeft companies. It is a general obfervation, that all dependents run in fome measure into the manners and behaviour of those whom they ferve. You fhall frequently meet with lovers and men of intrigue among the lacqueys as well as at White's or in the fide-boxes. I remember fome years ago an inftance of this kind. A footman to a captain of the guards used frequently, when his mafter was out of the way, to carry on amours and make affignations in his mafter's clothes. The fellow had a very good perfon, and there are very many women that think no further than the outside of a gentleman: befides which, he was almoft as learned a man as the colonel himself: I say, thus qualified, the fellow could fcrawl billet-doux fo well, and furnish a conversation on the common topics, that he had, as they call it, a great deal of good business on his hands. It happened one day, that coming down a tavern stairs in his master's fine guard-coat with a well-dreffed woman masked, he met the colonel coming up with other company; but with a ready assurance he quitted his lady, came up to him and faid, Sir, I know you have too much refpect for yourself to cane me in this honourable habit. But you c In the Spect. in folio, and in the edit. of 1712 in 8vo, this officer is stiled both captain and colonel. fee there is a lady in the cafe, and I hope on that score alfo, you will put off your anger till I have told you all another time.' After a little pause the colonel cleared up his countenance, and with an air of familiarity whispered his man apart, Sirrah, bring the lady with you to afk pardon for you:' then aloud, Look to it, Will, I'll never forgive you elfe.' The fellow went back to his mistress, and telling her, with a loud voice and an oath, that was the honestest fellow in the world, conveyed her to an hackneycoach. But the many irregularities committed by fervants in the places above-mentioned, as well as in theatres, of which mafters are generally the occafions, are too various not to need being refumed on another occafion. Rd. d By Steele. See final note N° 4, on R. Adv. This is to give notice, that the three critics who laft Sunday fettled the characters of my lord Rochester and Boileau, in the yard of a coffee-houfe in Fuller's Rents, will meet this next Sunday at the fame time and place, to finish the merits of several dramatic writers; and will alfo make an end of the nature of true fublime.-This advertisement was fubjoined to Eufden's letter in N° 87. N° 89. Tuesday, June 12, 1711. -Petite hinc, juvenefque fenefque, Finem animo certum, miferifque viatica canis. PERS. Sat. v. 64. Perf. From thee both old and young, with profit, learn Corn. Unhappy he, who does this work adjourn, His lazy morrow will be like to-day. Perf. But is one day of eafe too much to borrow? And all thy fruitless days will thus be drain'd: Who, like the hindmoft chariot-wheels, are curst,. DRYDEN. As my correfpondents upon the subject of love are very numerous, it is my defign, if poffible, to range them under feveral heads, and addrefs myself to them at different times. The first branch of them, to whofe fervice I fhall dedicate this paper, are those that have to do with women of dilatory tempers, who are for fpinning out the time of courtship to an immoderate length, without being able either to clofe with their lovers, or to dismiss them. I have many letters by me filled with complaints against this fort of women. In one of them no lefs a |