be able to live. When thefe are joined to Men of warm Spirits, without Temper or Learning, they are frequently corrected with Stripes; but one of our famous Lawyers is of opinion, that this ought to be ufed fparingly; as I remember, those are his very Words: but as it is proper to draw fome fpiritual Ufe out of all Afflictions, I . hould rather recommend to those who are visited with Women of Spirit, to form themfelves for the World by Patience at home. Socrates, who is by all Accounts the undoubted Head of the Sect of the Hen-peck'd, own'd and acknowledged that he ow'd great part of his Virtue to the Exercife which his ufeful Wife conftantly gave it. There are feveral good Inftructions may be drawn from his wife Anfwers to People of lefs Fortitude than himself on her Subject. A Friend, with Indignation, afked how fo good a Man could live with fo violent a Creature? He obferv'd to him, That they who learn to keep a good Seat on horseback, mount the leaft manageable they can get, and when they have mafter'd them, they are fure never to be difcompos'd on the Backs of Steeds lefs reftive. At feveral times, to different Perfons, on the fame Subject, he has faid, My dear Friend, you are beholden to Xantippe, that I bear fo well your flying out in a Difpute. To another, My Hen clacks very much, but he brings me Chickens. They that live in a trading Street, are not difturbed at the Paffage of Carts. I would have, if poffible, a wife Man be contented with his Lot, even with a Shrew; for tho' he cannot make her better, he may, you fee, make himself better by her means. BUT instead of pursuing my Defign of Difplaying Conjugal Love in its natural Beauties and Attractions, I am got into Tales to the difadvantage of that State of Life. 1 muft fay therefore, that I am verily perfuaded that whatever is delightful in human Life, is to be enjoy'd in greater Perfection in the marry'd, than in the fingle Condition. He that has this Paffion in Perfection, in Occafions of Joy can say to himself, befides his own Satisfaction, How happy will this make my Wife and Children! Upon Occurrences of Diftrefs or Danger can comfort himself, But all this while my Wife and Children are fafe. There is fomething in it that doubles B 5 Satis Satisfactions because others participate them; and diffels Aflictions, because others are exempt from them. All who are marry'd without this Relifh of their Circumftance, are in either a taftelefs Indolence and Negligence, which is hardly to be attain'd, or elfe live in the hourly Repetition of fharp Anfwers, eager Upbraidings, and distracting Reproaches. In a word the married State, with and without the Affection fuitable to it, is the compleateft Image of Heaven and Hell we are capable of receiving in this Life. N° 480 Wednesday, September 10. Refponfare cupidinibus, contemnere bonores, T Hor. Sat. 7. 1. 2. v. 85 Who's proof against the Charms of vain delight: Τ CREECH. HE other Day looking over thofe old Manufcripts, of which I have formerly given fome account, and which relate to the Character of the mighty Pharamond of France, and the clofe Friendship between him and his Friend Eucrate; I found among the Letters which had been in the custody of the latter, an Epiftle from a Country Gentleman to Pharamond, wherein he excufes himself from coming to Court. The Gentleman, it feems, was contented with his Condition, had formerly been in the King's Service; but at the writing the following Letter, had, from Leifure and Reflexion, quite another Senfe of things than that which he had in the more active Part of his Life. Monfieur Monfieur Chezluy to Pharamond. Dread Sir, I HAVE from your own Hand (inclosed under the Cover of Mr. Eucrate of your Majefty's BedChamber) a Letter which invites me to Court. I ⚫ understand this great Honour to be done me out of Refpect and Inclination to me, rather than Regard to your own Service: For which Reafons I beg leave to lay before your Majefty my Reasons for declining to depart from home; and will not doubt but, as your Motive in defiring my Attendance was to make me an happier Man, when you think that will not be effected by my Remove, you will permit me to stay ' where I am. Those who have an Ambition to appear in Court, have ever an Opinion that their Perfons or their Talents are particularly formed for the Ser'vice or Ornament of that Place; or elfe are hurried by downright Defire of Gain, or what they call Honour, or take upon themfelves whatever the Generofity of their Mafter can give them Opportunities to grafp at. But your Goodness fhall not be thus impof'ed upon by me: I will therefore confefs to you, that frequent Solitude, and long Converfation with fuch who know no Arts which polifh Life, have made me the plaineft Creature in your Dominions. Those less Capacities of moving with a good Grace, bearing a ready Affability to all around me, and acting with eafe before many, have quite left me. I am come to that, with regard to my Perfon, that I confider it only as a Machine I am obliged to take care of, in order to enjoy my Soul in its Faculties with Alacrity; 'well remembring, that this Habitation of Clay will in a few Years be a meaner Piece of Earth than any • Utenfil about my House. When this is, as it really is. the most frequent Reflexion I have, you will eafily 'imagine how well I fhould become a Drawing-Room: Add to this, What fhall a Man without Defires do ' about the generous Pharamond? Monfieur Eucrate has hinted to me, that you have thoughts of diftinguifhing me with Titles. As for myself, in the Temper of my prefent Mind, Appellations of Honour would • but 6 but embarrass Difcourfe, and new Behaviour towards me perplex me in every Habitude of Life. I am alfo to acknowledge to you, that my Children, of whom your Majefty condefcended to inquire, are all of them. mean, both in their Perfons and Genius. The Eftate my eldeft Son is Heir to, is more than he can enjoy 'with a good Grace. My Self-love will not carry me fo far, as to impofe upon Mankind the Advancement of Perfons (merely for their being related to me) into high Diftinctions, who ought for their own Sakes, as "well as that of the Public, to affect Obfcurity. I wish, my generous Prince, as it is in your Power to give Honours and Offices, it were alfo to give Talents fuitable to them: Were it fo, the noble Pharamond ' would reward the Zeal of my Youth with Abilities to do him Service in my Age. < 6 THOSE who accept of Favour without Merit, fupport themselves in it at the expence of your Majefty. Give me leave to tell you, Sir, this is the Reason that we in the Country hear fo often repeated the Word Prerogative. That Part of your Law which is reserved in yourself for the readier Service and Good of the Public, flight Men are eternally buzzing in our Ears to cover their own Follies and Miscarriages. It would be an Addition to the high Favour you have done me, if you would let Eucrate fend me word how often, and in what Cafes you allow a Conftable to infift upon the Prerogative. From the higheft to the loweft Officer in your Dominions, fomething of their own Carriage they would exempt from Examination under the Shelter of the Word Prerogative. I would fain, most noble Pharamond, fee one of your Officers affert your Prerogative by good and gracious Actions. When is it used to help the Afflicted, to refcue the Innocent, to comfort the Stranger? Uncommon Methods, apparently undertaken to attain worthy Ends, would never make Power invidious. You fee, Sir, I talk to you with the • Freedom your noble Nature approves in all whom you admit to your Conversation. BUT, to return to your Majefty's Letter, I humbly conceive, that all Diftinctions are useful to Men, only as they are to act in public; and it would be a ⚫ romantic ⚫ romantic Madness, for a Man to be a Lord in his 'Closet. Nothing can be honourable to a Man apart 'from the World, but the Reflexion upon worthy Ac⚫tions; and he that places Honour in a Consciousness of Well-doing, will have but little relish for any outward Homage that is paid him, fince what gives him dif⚫tinction to himself, cannot come within the Obferva⚫tion of his Beholders. Thus all the Words of Lordfhip, Honour, and Grace, are only Repetitions to a Man that the King has order'd him to be called fo; but no Evidences that there is any thing in himself that would give the Man, who applies to him, those Ideas, without the Creation of his Mafter. I have, moft noble Pharamond, all Honours and all Titles in your own Approbation; I triumph in them as they are your Gift, I refuse them as they are to give me the Obfervation of others. Indulge me, my noble • Mafter, in this Chastity of Renown; let me know my⚫ felf in the Favour of Pharamond; and look down upon the Applause of the People. I am, SIR, I In all Duty and Loyalty, Your Majefty's most obedient Jean Chezluy. NEED not tell with what Difadvantages Men of low Fortunes and great Modefty come into the • World; what wrong Measures their Diffidence of them. felves, and Fear of offending, often obliges them to take; and what a Pity it is that their greatest Virtues and Qualities, that fhould fooneft recommend them, are the main Obftacle in the way of their Prefer 'ment. THIS, Sir, is my Cafe; I was bred at a Country-School, where I learned Latin and Greek. The • Misfortunes of my Family forced me up to Town, where a Profeffion of the politer fort has protected me against Infamy and Want. I am now Clerk to a Lawyer, and in times of Vacancy and Recefs from Bufi nefs, |