fide of France, may be fo alter'd for the future, that it may become as common with Frenchmen to come to England for their finishing Stroke of Breeding, as it has been for Englishmen to go to France for it.

THIRDLY, Whereas feveral great Scholars, who might have been otherwise useful to the World, have fpent their time in ftudying to defcribe the Dreffes of the Ancients from dark Hints, which they are fain to interpret and fupport with much Learning; it will from henceforth happer, that they fhall be freed from the Trouble, and the World from ufelefs Volumes. This Project will be a Registry, to which Pofterity may have recourse, for the clearing fuch obfcure Paffages as tend that way in Authors; and therefore we fhall not for the future fubmit ourselves to the Learning of Etymology, which might perfuade the Age to come, that the Farthingal was worn for Cheapnefs, or the Furbelow for Warmth.

FOURTHLY, Whereas they who are old themfelves, have often a Way of railing at the Extravagance of Youth, and the whole Age in which their Children live; it is hoped that this ill Humour will be much fupprefs'd, when we can have recourse to the Fashions of their Times, produce them in our vindication, and be able to fhew that it might have been as expenfive in Queen Elizabeth's time only to wash and quill a Ruff, as it is now to buy Cravats or Neck Handkerchiefs.

WF defire alfo to have it taken notice of, That because we would fhew a particular Respect to Foreigners, which may induce them to perfect their Breeding here in a Knowledge which is very proper for pretty Gentlemen, we have conceived the Motto for the Houfe in the learned Language. There is to be a Picture over the Door with a Looking-Glass and a Dreffing Chair in the middle of it: Then on one fide are to be feen, above one another, Patch Boxes, Pin-Cushions, and little Bottles on the other, Powder-Bags, Puffs, Combs, and Brushes; beyond thefe, Swords with fine Knots, whofe Points are hidden, and Fans almoft closed, with the Handles downward, are to ftand out interchangeably from the Sides,

they meet at the Top, and form a Semicircle over

the

the rest of the Figures: Beneath all, the Writing is to run in this pretty founding Manner:

Adefte, O quotquot funt, Veneres, Gratie, Cupidines,

En vobis adfunt in promptu

Faces, Vincula, Spicula;

Hinc eligite, fumite, regite.

All ye Venus's, Graces, and Cupids, attend:
See prepared to your Hands

Darts, Torches, and Bands:

Your Weapons here choofe, and your Empire extend.
I am, S IR,

Your most humble Servant,

A. B.

THE Propofal of my Correfpondent I cannot but look upon as an ingenious Method of placing Perfons (whofe Parts make them ambitious to exert themselves in frivolous things) in a Rank by themfelves. In order to this, I would propofe that there be a Board of Direcors of the fashionable Society; and because it is a Matter of too much Weight for a private Man to determine alone, I fhould be highly obliged to my Correfpondents if they would give in Lifts of Perfons qualify'd for this Truft. If the chief Coffee-houfes, the Conversations of which Places are carry'd on by Perfons, each of whom has his little number of Followers and Admirers, would name from among themselves two or three to be inferted, they should be put up with great Faithfulness. Old Beaus are to be prefented in the firft place; but as that Sect, with relation to Drefs, is almoft extinct, it will, I fear, be abfolutely neceffary to take in all Time-fervers, properly fo deem'd; that is, fuch as, without any Conviction of Confcience or View of Intereft, change with the World, and that merely from a Terror of being out of fashion. Such alfo, who from Facility of Temper, and too much Obfequioufnefs, are vicious against their Will, and follow Leaders whom they do not approve, for want of Courage to go their own way, are capable Perfons for this Superintendency. Thofe who are loth to grow old, or would do any thing contrary to the Courfe

B 3

Course and Order of things, out of fondnefs to be i fashion, are proper Candidates. To conclude, thofe wh are in fashion without apparent Merit, must be fuppofed to have latent Qualities, which would appear in a Poi of Direction; and therefore are to be regarded in form ing thefe Lifts. Any who fhall be pleafed according to thefe, or what farther Qualifications may occur to him felf, to fend a Lift, is defired to do it within fourtee Days after this Date.

N. B. The Place of the Phyfician to this Society, accord ing to the last mentioned Qualification, is already engag`d.

T

479 Tuesday, September 9.

N° 479

Dare Jura maritis.

To regulate the matrimonial Life.

M

Hor. Ars Poet. v. 398.

ANY are the Epiftles I every day receive from Hufbands, who complain of Vanity, Pride, but above all Ill-nature, in their Wives. I cannot tell how it is, but I think I fee in all their Letters that the Caufe of their Uneafinefs is in themfelves; and indeed I have hardly ever obferved the married Condition unhappy, but for want of Judgment or Temper in the Man. The Truth is, we generally make Love in a Stile, and with Sentiments very unfit for ordinary Life: They are half Theatrical, half Romantic. By this means we raise our Imaginations to what is not to be expected in human Life; and because we did not beforehand think of the Creature we are enamoured of, as fubject to Difhumour, Age, Sickness, Impatience or Sullennefs, but altogether confidered her as the Object of Joy, human Nature itfelf is often imputed to her as her particular Imperfection or Defect.

I take it to be a Rule proper to be observed in all Occurrences of Life, but more efpecially in the domestic

or

or matrimonial Part of it, to preferve always a Difpofition to be pleased. This cannot be fupported but by confidering things in their right Light, and as Nature has form'd them, and not as our own Fancies and Appetites would have them. He then who took a young Lady to his Bed, with no other Confideration than the Expectation of Scenes of Dalliance, and thought of her (as I faid before) only as fhe was to administer to the Gratification of Defire; as that Defire flags, will, without her fault, think her Charms and her Merit abated: From hence muft follow Indifference, Diflike, Peevifhnefs, and Rage. But the Man who brings his Reafon to fupport his Paffion, and beholds what he loves as liable to all the Calamities of human Life both in Body and Mind, and even at the best what must bring upon him new Cares and new Relations; fuch a Lover, I fay, will form himfelf accordingly, and adapt his Mind to the Nature of his Circumftances. This latter Perfon will be prepared to be a Father, a Friend, an Advocate, a Steward for People yet unborn, and has proper Affections ready for every Incident in the Marriage State. Such a Man can hear the Cries of Children with Pity inftead of Anger; and when they run over his Head, he is not difturb'd at their Noife, but is glad of their Mirth and Health. Tom Trufty has told me, that he thinks it doubles his Attention to the most intricate Affair he is about, to hear his Children, for whom all his Cares are applied, make a Noife in the next Room: On the other fide Will Sparkish cannot put on his Periwig, or adjuft his Cravat at the Glafs, for the Noife of thofe damned Nurfes and fqualling Brats; and then ends with a galant Reflexion upon the Comforts of Matrimony, runs out of the Hearing, and drives to the Chocolate- Houfe.

ACCORDING as the Hufband is difpos'd in himself, every Circumftance of his Life is to give him Torment or Pleasure. When the Affection is well placed, and fupported by the Confiderations of Duty, Honour, and Friendship, which are in the higheft Degree engaged in this Alliance, there can nothing rife in the common Course of Life, or from the Blows or Favours of Fortune, in which a Man will not find Matters of fome Delight unknown to a fingle Condition.

HE

HE who fincerely loves his Wife and Family, and ftudies to improve that Affection in himself, conceives Pleasure from the most indifferent things; while the married Man, who has not bid adieu to the Fashions and falfe Galantries of the Town, is perplexed with every thing around him. In both thefe Cafes Men cannot, indeed, make a fillier Figure, than in repeating fuch Pleafures and Pains to the reft of the World; but I speak of them only, as they fit upon those who are involved in them. As I vifit all forts of People, I cannot indeed but fmile, when the good Lady tells her Hufband what extraordinary things the Child fpoke fince he went out. No longer than yesterday I was prevail'd with to go hone with a fond Hufband; and his Wife told him, that his Son, of his own head, when the Clock in the Parlour ftruck two, faid, Papa would come home to din. ner prefently. While the Father has him in a rapture in his Arms, and is drowning him with Kiffes, the Wife tells me he is but just four Years old. Then they both ftruggle for him, and bring him up to me, and repeat his Obfervation of two o'clock. I was called upon, by Looks upon the Child, and then at me, to fay fomething; and I told the Father, that this Remark of the Infant of his coming home, and joining the Time with it was a certain Indication that he would be a great Hiftorian and Chronologer. They are neither of them Fools, yet received my Compliment with great acknowledgment of my Prefcience. I fared very well at Dinner, and heard many other notable Sayings of their Heir, which would have given very little Entertainment to one lefs turned to Reflexion than I was; but it was a pleafing Speculation to remark on the Happiness of a Life, in which things of no moment give occafion of Hope, Self-Satisfaction, and Triumph. On the other hand, I have known an ill natur'd Coxcomb, who has hardly improved in any thing but Bulk, for want of this Dif pofition, filence the whole Family, as a Set of filly Women and Children, for recounting things which were really above his own Capacity.

WHEN I fay all this, I cannot deny but there are perverfe Jades that fall to Mens lots, with whom it requires more than common Proficiency in Philosophy to

be