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of wit in all conditions of life; and, mixing with these people at their diversions, I have heard coquettes and prudes as well rallied, and insolence and pride exposed, allowing for their want of education, with as much humour and good sense as in the politest companies. It is a general observation, that all dependents run in some measure into the manners and behaviour of those whom they serve. You shall frequently meet with lovers and men of intrigue among the lacqueys as well as at White's or in the side-boxes. I remember some years ago an instance of this kind. A footman to a captain of the guards used frequently, when his master was out of the way, to carry on amours and make assignations in his master's clothes. The fellow had a very good person, and there are very many women that think no further than the outside of a gentleman: besides which, he was almost as learned a man as the colonel himself: I say, thus qualified, the fellow could scrawl billets-doux so well, and furnish a conversation on the common topics, that he had, as they call it, a great deal of good business on his hands. It happened one day, that, coming down a tavern stairs in his master's fine guard-coat with a welldressed woman masked, he met the colonel coming up with other company; but with a ready assurance he quitted his lady, came up to him, and said, 'Sir, I know you have too much respect for yourself to cane me in this honourable habit. But you see there is a lady in the case, and I hope on that score also, you will put off your anger till I have told you all another time.' After a little pause the colonel cleared up his countenance, and with an air of fami liarity whispered his man apart, Sirrah, bring the

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In the Spect. in folio, and in the edit. of 1712, in 8vo. this officer is styled both captain and colonel.

lady with you to ask pardon for you: then aloud, Look to it, Will, I'll never forgive you else.' The fellow went back to his mistress, and telling her, with a loud voice and an oath, that was the honestest fellow in the world, conveyed her to a hackney

coach.

But the many irregularities committed by servants in the places above mentioned, as well as in the theatres, of which masters are generally the occasions, are too various not to need being resumed on another occasion.

R

No. 89. TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 1711.

Petite hinc, juvenesque, senesque,

Finem animo certum, miserisque viatica canis.
Cras hoc fiet. Idem cras fiet. Quid? Quasi magnum.
Nempe diem donas? Sed cùm lux altera venit,
Jam cras hesternum consumpsimus; ecce aliud cras
Egerit hos annos, et semper paulùm erit ultrà.
Nam quamvis prope te, quamvis temone sub uno,
Vertentem sese frustrà sectabere canthum.

PERS. SAT. V. 64.

Pers. From thee both old and young, with profit, learn

The bounds of good and evil to discern.

Corn. Unhappy he who does this work adjourn,
And to to-morrow would the search delay:

His lazy morrow will be like to-day.

Pers. But is one day of ease too much to borrow?

Corn. Yes, sure; for yesterday was once to-morrow.

That yesterday is gone, and nothing gain'd,

And all thy fruitless days will thus be drain'd:

For thou hast more to-morrows yet to ask,

And wilt be ever to begin thy task!

Who, like the hindmost chariot-wheels, are curst,
Still to be near, but ne'er to reach the first.

DRYDEN.

As my correspondents upon the subject of love are very numerous, it is my design, if possible, to range them under several heads, and address myself to them at different times. The first branch of them, to whose service I shall dedicate this paper, are those that have to do with women of dilatory tempers, who are for spinning out the time of courtship to an immoderate length, without being able either to close with their lovers or to dismiss them. I have many letters by me filled with complaints against this sort

of women. In one of them no less a man than a brother of the coif* tells me, that he began his suit vicesimo nono Caroli secundi, before he had been a twelvemonth at the Temple; that he prosecuted it for many years after he was called to the bar; that at present he is a serjeant at law; and, notwithstanding he hoped that matters would have been long since brought to an issue, the fair one still demurs. I am so well pleased with this gentleman's phrase, that I shall distinguish this sect of women by the title of Demurrers. I find by another letter from one who calls himself Thyrsis, that his mistress has been demurring above these seven years. But among all my plaintiffs of this nature, I most pity the unfortunate Philander, a man of a constant passion and plentiful fortune, who sets forth that the timorous, and irresolute Sylvia has demurred till she is past child-bearing. Strephon appears by his letter to be a very choleric lover, and irrevocably smitten with one that demurs out of self-interest. He tells me with great passion that she has bubbled him out of his youth; that she drilled him on to five and fifty; and that he verily believes she will drop him in his old age, if she can find her account in another. I shall conclude this narrative with a letter from honest Sam Hopewell, a very pleasant fellow, who it seems has at last married a Demurrer. I must only premise, that Sam, who is a very good bottle-companion, has been the diversion of his friends, upon account of his passion, ever since the year one thousand six hundred and eighty-one.

66 DEAR SIR,

"You know very well my passion for Mrs. Martha, and what a dance she has led me. She took

i. e. A serjeant at law.

me out at the age of two and twenty, and dodged with me above thirty years. I have loved her till she is grown as gray as a cat, and am with much ado become the master of her person, such as it is at present. She is however in my eye a very charming old woman. We often lament that we did not marry sooner, but she has nobody to blame for it but herself. You know very well that she would never think of me whilst she had a tooth in her head. I have put the date of my passion, anno amoris trigesimo primo, instead of a poesy on my wedding ring. I expect you should send me a congratulatory letter, or if you please, an epithalamium upon this occasion. "Mrs. Martha's and yours eternally,

66 SAM HOPEWELL."

In order to banish an evil out of the world that does not only produce great uneasiness to private persons, but has also a very bad influence on the public, I shall endeavour to show the folly of demurring, from two or three reflections which I earnestly recommend to the thoughts of my fair readers.

First of all, I would have them seriously think on the shortness of their time. Life is not long enough for a coquette to play all her tricks in. A timorous woman drops into her grave before she has done deliberating. Were the age of man the same that it was before the Flood, a lady might sacrifice half a century to a scruple, and be two or three ages in demurring. Had she nine hundred years good, she might hold out to the conversion of the Jews before she thought fit to be prevailed upon. But, alas! she ought to play her part in haste, when she considers that she is suddenly to quit the stage and make room for others.

In the second place, I would desire my female readers to consider, that, as the term of life is short,

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