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HERE is nothing which one regards fo much with Can Eye of Mirth and Pity as Innocence, when it has in it a Dafh of Folly. At

the fame time that one efteems the Virtue, one is tempted to laugh at the Simplicity which accompanies it. When a Man is made up wholly of the Dove, without the least Grain of the Serpent in his Compofition, he becomes ridiculous in many Circumftances of Life, and very often difcredits his beft Actions. The Cordeliers tell a Story of their Founder St. Francis, that as he paffed the Streets in the Dusk of the Evening, he discovered a young Fellow with a Maid in a Corner; upon which the good Man, fay they, lifted up his Hands to Heaven with a fecret Thanksgiving, that there was ftill fo much Chriftian Charity in the World. The Innocence

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of the Saint made him mistake the Kifs of a Lover for a Salute of Charity. I am heartily concerned when I fee a virtuous Man without a competent Knowledge of the World; and if there be any Ufe in these my Papers, it is this, that without reprefenting Vice under any falfe alluring Notions, they give my Reader an Infight into the Ways of Men, and reprefent humane Nature in all its changeable Colours. The Man who has not been engaged in any of the Follies of the World, or, as ShakeSpear expreffes it, hackney'd in the Ways of Men, may here find a Picture of its Follies and Extravagancies. The Virtuous and the Innocent may know in Speculation what they could never arrive at by Practice, and by this means avoid the Snares of the Crafty, the Corruptions of the Vicious, and the Reafonings of the Prejudiced. Their Minds may be opened without being vitiated.

IT is with an Eye to my following Correfpondent, Mr. Timothy Doodle, who feems a very well-meaning Man, that I have written this fhort Preface, to which I fhall fubjoin a Letter from the faid Mr. Doodle.

SIR,

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SIR,

Could heartily wish that you would let us know your Opinion upon feveral innocent Diverfions which are in ufe among us, and which are very C proper to pass away a Winter Night for thofe who do not care to throw away their Time at an Opera, or at the Play-house. I would gladly know in particular what Notion you have of Hot-Cockles; as alfo whether you think that Questions and Commands, Mottoes, Similies, and crofs Purposes, have not more Mirth and Wit in them, C than those publick Diverfions which are grown fo very fashionable among us. If you would recommend to our Wives and Daughters, who read your Papers with a great deal of Pleasure, fome of thofe Sports and Paftimes that

may be practifed within Doors, and by the Fire-fide, we who are Masters of Families fhould be hugely obliged to you. I need not tell you that I would have these Sports and Paftimes not only merry but innocent, for which Reafon I have not mentioned either Whisk or Lanterloo, nor indeed fo 'much as One and Thirty. After hav

ing communicated to you my Request upon this Subject, I will be fo free as to tell you how my Wife and I pafs away thefe tedious Winter Evenings with a great deal of Pleasure. Tho' the be young, and handfome, and good humoured to a Miracle, fhe does not care for gadding abroad like others of her Sex. There is a very friendly 'Man, a Colonel in the Army, whom I am mightily obliged to for his Civilities, that comes to fee me almost every Night; for he is not one of those giddy young Fellows that cannot live out of a Play-house. When we are together, we very often make a Party at Blind-Man's Buff, which is a Sport that I like the better, because there is a good deal of Exercife in it. The Colonel and I are blinded by turns, and you would laugh your Heart out to fee what Pains my Dear takes to hoodwink us, fo that it is impoffible for us to fee the leaft Glimpse of Light. The poor Colonel fometimes hits his Nofe against a Poft, and makes us die with laughing. I have generally the good Luck not to hurt my felf, but am very often above half an 'hour before I can catch either of

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them for you must know we hide our felves up and down in Corners, that we may have the more Sport. Í only give you this Hint as a Sample of fuch innocent Diverfions as I would have you recommend; and am, Moft efteemed SIR,

your ever loving Friend,

Timothy Doodle.

THE following Letter was occafioned by my last Thursday's Paper upon the Abfence of Lovers, and the Methods therein mentioned of making fuch Abfence fupportable.

SIR,

AMONG the feveral Ways of

Confolation which abfent Lovers 'make ufe of while their Souls are in that State of Departure, which you fay is Death in Love, there are fome very material ones, that have escaped your notice. Among these, the

first and most received is a crooked Shilling, which has adminiftred great Comfort to our Fore-fathers, and is • ftill made ufe of on this Occafion with very good Effect in moft Parts of her VOL. VII. • Ma

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