No. 80. FRIDAY, JUNE 1. Calum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt. In the year 1668, and on the fame day of that N the year 1668, and on the fame day of that females of exquifite feature and fhape; the one we fhall call Brunetta, the other Phillis. A clofe intimacy between their parents made each of them the first acquaintance the other knew in the world: they played, dreffed babies, acted vifitings, learned to dance and make curtefies, together. They were infeparabie companions in all the little entertainments their tender years were capable of: which innocent happiness continued till the beginning of their fifteenth year, when it happened that Mrs. Phillis had an head-drefs on, which became her fo very well, that inftead of being beheld any more with pleasure for their amity to each other, the eyes of the neighbourhood were turned to remark them with comparison of their beauty. They now no longer enjoyed the eafe of mind and pleasing indolence in which they were formerly happy, but all their words and actions were misinterpreted by each other, and every exceilence in their fpeech and behaviour was looked upon as an act of emulation to furpafs the other. Thefe beginnings of difinclination foon improved into a formality of behaviour, a general coldnefs, and-by natural steps into an irreconcilable hatred, Thefe two rivals for the reputation of beauty, were in their statute, countenance, and mien, fo very much alike, that if you were fpeaking of them in their abfence, the words in which you defcribed the one must give you an idea of the other, They were hardly diftinguishable, you would think, when they were apart, though extremely different when together. What made their enmity the more entertaining to all the reft of their fex was, that in detraction from each other neither could fall upon terms, which did not hit herfelf as much as her adverfary. Their nights grew reftlefs with meditation of new dreffes to outvie each other, and inventing new devices to recal admirers, who obferved the charms of the one rather than thofe of the other on the last meeting. Their colours failed at each other's appearance, Aufhed with pleasure at the report of a difadvantage, and their countenances withered upon inftances of applaufe. The decencies to which we. men are obliged, made thefe virgins flifle their rcfentment fo far as not to break into open violen ces, while they equally fuffered the torments of a regulated anger. Their mothers, as it is ufual, engaged in the quarrel, and fupported the feveral pretenfions of the daughters with all that ill-chofen fort of expence which is common with pcople of plentiful fortunes and mean tafte, The girls preceded their parents like queens of May, in all the gaudy colours imaginable, on every Sunday to church, and were expofed to the examination of the audience for fuperiority of beauty. During this conftant struggle it happened, that Phillis one day at public prayers fmote the heart of a gay Weft-Indian, who appeared in all the cofours which can affc&t an eye that could not di tinguish between being fine and taudry. This Who and Which, yet you should not suffer them to be rude and to call honeft people names for that bears very hard on fome of thofe rules of decency, which you are justly famous for establishing. They may find fault, and correct speeches in the fenate and at the bar: but let them try to get themfelves fo often, and with fo much eloquence repeated in a fentence, as a great orator doth frequently intra• duce me. |