to entertain you in the progrefs, as much as they do on the commencement of their acquaintance. A little common-place chat, `readiness of addrefs, and fuperficial breeding, take you in at firft. Ye have not the leaft delicacy! the freedom of their converfation, the liveliness of their manners, even the irregularity of their conduct, bewitch ye for the time; a giddy, thoughtless tranf port poffeffes itself of your fenfes; and thus ye dream whole hours away, as

minutes.

But happily for you, they have feldom fubftance enough to fupport a miterial part: they generally want education and improvement, and confequently foon run the course of their narrow circle. The fame ftories, the fame conceits, and the fame mimickries recur again; and one feldom laughs at the fame jest twice, when fome efteem for the perfon does not fupport the humour.

The Countess then, may be perfectly eafy with regard to thefe galantries. I know you well enough to be apfwerable for it, that fuch miftreffes can never be able to rival her. But, there are a certain fort of women, that may be truly dangerous to you, namely your ladies of clandeftine galantry. These are a kind of equivocal clafs in life, who hold a middle rank between women of character, and those I have been speaking of. They affociate with the former, and differ from the latter, only in appearances. More free than fond, they impofe upon your fex, by lending to fentiments the leaft refined, a certain air of paffion, which is mistaken for love. They have the art of ftamping an impreffion of tenderness, upon the vulgar appetite for pleasure. They would make you believe, that it is from choice, upon a thorough conviction of your extraordinary merits, they furrender. If you are not aware of their true character,

you

you will find it difficult to diftinguish the motives of their kindnefs, from a real fenfibility of heart; and be apt to mistake for an excefs of paffion, what is only a fever of the fenfes. You flatter yourfelf that you are accepted, as a lover, when you are but invited as a ga lant.

I

These are the fort of women I fhould moft fufpect, for fupplanting the Coun tels. The financier's widow, who has been lately introduced into her parties, is of this character. I perceived it the first evening we spent together; and in' your former letter, you hint at fome lures the let drop before you. Had not the Countefs reafon to be alarmed at these advances? Your paffion for this latter, I do really believe at prefent, to be ftrong enough to induce you to facrifice every confideration to it. But.

*

1 A receiver general of the French revenues.

F 5

how

how long may it continue fo? The la dy we are speaking of, is handsome, has gayety and fpirit, and but just entered into that ftage of life, when women willingly undertake the charge of young men, introduce them into the world, and teach them their first leffons of galantry.

That tender and attentive air, with which she receives and accofts you, may have its effect. Be on your guard: remember I give you warning. Men un awares, attach themfelves to fuch women, even while they are defpifing, them; and they have the art, often to make ye do more filly things, than any other fort of women in the world.

Adieu.

LET

LETTER XXXVIII.

I AM impatient to acquaint you Marquis, that I have been juft now fupporting an argument, against Monfieur de la Bruyere. Don't you admire at my affurance? It is true for all that. He faid that Corneille has drawn the characters of mankind, as they ought to be, and Racine fuch as they really are.. I maintained the direct contrary opi

nion.

We had a very critical audience at this difpute; and I carried the queftion, upon a poll. This perhaps, I was› not a little vain of. But the pro and con would take up too much of my letter. Call to fee me foon, and I may entertain you perhaps, with both fides of the argument. Every one has their own manner of painting things, and I' have mine among the reft. I sketch. out women just as I find them, and am forry I cannot reprefent them as they would