and affections, and wonder fo many are brought to take us for companions for life when they fee our endearments fo triflingly placed; for, to my knowledge, Mr. Truman would give half his estate for half the affection you have fhewn to that Shock; nor do I believe you would be ashamed to confess that I faw you cry when he had the cholick laft week with lapping four milk. What more could you do for your lover himfelf?" "What more!" replied the lady, "there is not a man in England for whom I could lament half fo much." Then fhe ftifled the animal with kiffes, and called him beau, life, dear, Monfieur, pretty fellow, and what not, in the hurry of her impertinence. Sappho rofe up, as she always does at anything the obferves done which discovers in her own fex a levity of mind which renders them inconfiderable in the opinion of ours. It may be thought very unaccountable that I, who can never be supposed to go to White's, should pretend to talk to you of matters proper for or in the style of that place. But though I never vifit these publick haunts, I converfe with those that do; and for all they pretend fo much to the contrary, they are as talkative as our fex, and as much at a loss to entertain the prefent company, without facrificing the last, as we ourfelves. This reflection has led me into the confideration of the use of speech, and made me look over in my memory all my acquaintance of both fexes to know to which I may more justly impute the fin of fuperfluous discourse in regard to converfation, without entering into it, as it refpects religion. I forefee my acquaintance will immediately, upon ftarting this fubject, afk me how I fhall celebrate Mrs. Alfe Copfwood, the Yorkshire huntrefs, who is come to town lately, and moves as if she were on her nag and going to take a five-bar gate; and is as loud as if fhe were following her dogs! I can eafily answer that, for fhe is foft as Damon, in comparison of her brother-in-law, Tom Bellfrey, who is the most accomplished man in this kingdom for all gentleman-like activities and accomplishments. It is allowed that he is a profeffed enemy to the Italian performers in mufick. But then for our own native manner, according to the customs and known ufages of our island, he is to be preferred, for the generality of the pleasure he bestows, much before thofe fellows, though they fing to full theatres. For what is a theatrical voice to that of a fox-hunter? I have been at a musical entertainment in an open field, where it amazed me to hear to what pitches the chief mafters would reach. There was a meeting near our feat in Staffordshire, and the most eminent in all the counties of England were at it. How wonderful was the harmony between men and dogs! Robin Cartail, of Bucks, was to anfwer to Jowler; Mr. Tinbreast, of Cornwall, was appointed to open with Sweetlips, and Beau Slimber, a Londoner, undertook to keep up with Trips, a whelp just fet in; Tom Bellfrey and Ringwood were coupled together, to fill the cry on all occafions, and be in at the death of the fox, hare, or stag, for which both the dog and the man were excellently fuited, and loved one another, and were as much together as Banister and King. When Jowler first alarmed the field, Cartail repeated every note; Sweetlips' treble fucceeded, and fhook the wood; Tinbreaft echoed a quarter of a mile beyond it. We were foon after all at a loss, till we rid up and found Trips and Slimber at a default in half notes; but the day and the tune was recovered by Tom Bellfrey and Ringwood, to the great joy of us all, though they drowned every other voice, for Bellfrey carries a note four furlongs, three rods, and fix paces further than any other in England. I fear the mention of this will be thought a digreffion from my purpose about fpeech, but I answer, no. Since this is ufed where speech rather should be employed, it may come into confideration in the fame chapter. For Mr. Bellfrey being at a vifit where I was, viz. his coufin's (Lady Dainty's) in Soho, was asked what entertainments they had in the country? Now Bellfrey is very ignorant, and much a clown, but confident withal. In a word, he ftruck up a fox-chafe. Lady Dainty's dog, Mr. Sippet, as the calls him, started and jumped out of his lady's lap, and fell a barking. Bellfrey went on, and called all the neighbouring parishes into the fquare. Never was woman in fuch confufion as that delicate lady. But there was no stopping her kinfman. A room full of ladies fell into the most violent laughter. My lady looked as if she was fhrieking; Mr. Sippet, in the middle of the room, breaking his heart with barking, but all of us unheard. As foon as Bellfrey became filent, up gets my lady and takes him by the arm to lead him off: Bellfrey was in his boots. As fhe was hurrying him away, his fpurs take hold of her petticoat, his whip throws down a cabinet of china; he cries, "What! are your crocks rotten? are your petticoats ragged? A man can't walk in your house for trincums." Every county of Great Britain has one hundred or more of this fort of fellows, who roar instead of speaking. Therefore, if it be true that we women are alfo given to a greater fluency of words than is neceffary, fure she that disturbs but a room or a family is more to be tolerated than one who draws together whole parishes and counties, and fometimes (with an estate that might make him the blessing and ornament of the world around him) has no other view and ambition but to be an animal above dogs and horfes, without the relish of any one enjoyment which is peculiar to the faculties of human nature. I know it will here be faid, that talking of mere country 'fquires at this rate is, as it were, to write against Valentine and Orfon. To prove anything against the race of men, you must take them as they are adorned with education, as they live in courts, or have received instructions in colleges. But I am fo full of my late entertainment by Mr. Bellfrey, that I must defer pursuing this fubject to another day, and waive the proper obfervations upon the different offenders in this kind, fome by profound eloquence on fmall occafions, others by degrading speech upon great circumstances. Expect, therefore, to hear of the whisperer without business, the laugher without wit, the complainer without receiving injuries, and a very large crowd, which I shall not forestall, who are common (though not commonly obferved) impertinents-whofe tongues are too voluble for their brains, and are the general despisers of us women, though we have their fuperiors, the men of fenfe, for our fervants. Mrs. Distaff has taken upon her, while she writes this paper, to turn her thoughts wholly to the service of her own sex, and to propose remedies against the greatest vexations attending female life. She has for this end written a small treatise concerning the “Second Word,” with an appendix on the use of a "reply," very proper for all fuch as are married to perfons either ill-bred or ill-natured. There is in this tract a digreffion for the use of virgins, concerning the words, 'I will.' "SIR, FIND among my brother's papers the following letter "The end of all publick papers ought to be the benefit and inftruction, as well as the diverfion of the readers, to which I fee none fo truly conducive as your late performances, especially thofe tending to the rooting out from among us, that unchriftianlike and bloody cuftom of duelling, which, that you have already in fome measure performed, will appear to the publick in the following no lefs true than heroic story. "A noble gentleman of this city, who has the honour of ferving his country as major in the train-bands, being at the general mart of stock-jobbers called Jonathan's, endeavouring to raise himself (as all men of honour ought) to the degree of colonel at least, it happened that he bought the bear of another officer, who, though not commiffioned in the army, yet no less eminently ferves the publick than the other, in raising the credit of the kingdom, by raifing that of the ftocks. However, having fold the bear, and words arifing about the delivery, the most noble major, no lefs fcorning to be outwitted in the coffee-houfe than' to run into the field, according |