tyrant, each of them strove who should be the criminal, that he might fave the life of his friend. Amidst the vehemence of each afferting himself to be the offender, the Roman audience gave a thunder of applause, and by that means, as the author hints, approved in others what they would have done themfelves on the like occafion. Methinks a people of fo much virtue were defervedly placed at the head of mankind; but, alas! pleasures of this nature are not frequently to be met with on the English stage.

The Athenians, at a time when they were the most polite, as well as the most powerful, government in the world, made the care of the stage one of the chief parts of the administration; and I must confefs, I am astonished at the spirit of virtue which appeared in that people upon fome expreffions in a scene of a famous tragedy, an account of which we have in one of Seneca's epiftles. A covetous perfon is reprefented speaking the common fentiments of all who are poffeffed with that vice in the following foliloquy, which I have translated literally:—

"Let me be called a base man, fo I am called a rich one. If a man is rich, who afks if he is good? The question is, how much we have, not from whence, or by what means we have it. Every one has fo much merit as he has wealth. For my own part, let me be rich, oh, ye gods! or let me die. The man dies happily who dies increasing his treasure. There is more pleasure in the poffeffion of wealth than in that of parents, children, wife, or friends."

The audience were very much provoked by the first words of this speech, but when the actor come to the close of it, they could bear no longer. In fhort, the whole affembly rose up at once in the greatest fury, with a design to pluck him off the stage, and brand the work itself with infamy. In the midst of the tumult the author came out from behind the scenes, begging the audience to be compofed for a little while, and they should see the tragical end which this wretch fhould come to immediately. The promise of punishment appeased the people, who fat with great attention and pleasure to fee an example made of fo odious a criminal. It is with fhame and concern that I speak it, but I very much question whether it is poffible

to make a speech fo impious as to raife fuch a laudable horror and indignation in a modern audience. It is very natural for an author to make oftentation of his reading, as it is for an old man to tell stories, for which reason I must beg the reader will excufe me, if I for once indulge myself in both these inclinations. We fee the attention, judgment, and virtue of a whole audience in the foregoing instances. If we could imitate the behaviour of a single spectator, let us reflect upon that of Socrates, in a particular which gives me as great an idea of that extraordinary man as any circumftance of his life, or, what is more, of his death. This venerable person often frequented the theatre, which brought a great many thither, out of a defire to fee him, on which occafion it is recorded of him, that he sometimes stood to make himself the more confpicuous, and to fatisfy the curiofity of the beholders. He was one day present at the first representation of a tragedy of Euripides, who was his intimate friend, and whom he is said to have affisted in several of his plays. In the midst of the tragedy, which had met with very great fuccefs, there chanced to be a line that feemed to encourage vice and immorality.

This was no fooner spoken, but Socrates rofe from his feat, and without any regard to his affection for his friend, or to the fuccefs of the play, fhewed himself displeased at what was faid, and walked out of the affembly. I queftion not but the reader will be curious to know what the line was that gave this divine heathen fo much offence. If my memory fails me not, it was in the part of Hippolitus, who, when he is preffed by an oath, which he had taken to keep filence, returned for anfwer, "That he had taken the oath with his tongue, but not with his heart." Had a perfon of a vicious character made fuch a speech, it might have been allowed as a proper representation of the baseness of his thoughts; but fuch an expreffion out of the mouth of the virtuous Hippolitus, was giving a fanction to falfehood, and establishing perjury by a maxim.

BECOMINGLY.

HAVE a letter from a young fellow who complains to me that he was bred a mercer, and is now juft out of his time, but unfortunately (for he has no manner of education fuitable to his prefent eftate) an uncle has left him 1,000l. per annum. The young man is fenfible, that he is fo fpruce, that he fears he fhall never be genteel as long as he lives, but applies himfelf to me, to know what method to take to help his air, and be a fine gentlemen.

He fays, "That feveral of thofe ladies who were formerly his customers, vifit his mother on purpose to fall, in his way, and fears he fhall be obliged to marry against his will; for (fays he) if any one of them should ask me, I fhall not be able to deny her. I am (fays he further) utterly at a lofs how to deal with them, for though I was the most pert creature in the world when I was foreman, and could hand a woman of the first quality to her coach, as well as her own gentleman usher, I am now quite out of my way and fpeechlefs in their company. They commend my modefty to my face. No one fcruples to fay, 'I fhould certainly make the beft husband in the world, a man of my fober education.'-Mrs. Would-be watches all opportunities to be alone with me: therefore, good Mr. Bickerftaff, here are my writings inclofed, if you can find any flaw in my title, fo as it may go to the next heir, who goes to St. James's coffee-houfe, and White's, and could

enjoy it, I should be extremely well pleased with two thousand pounds to set up my trade, and live in a way I know I should become, rather than be laughed at all my life among too good company. If you could fend for my coufin, and perfuade him to take the estate on these terms, and let nobody know it, you would extremely oblige me."

Upon first fight, I thought this a very whimsical propofal; however, upon more mature confideration, I could not but admire the young gentleman's prudence and good sense, for there is nothing fo irksome as living in a way a man knows he does not become. I confulted Mr. Obadiah Greenhat on this occafion, and he is fo well pleased with the man, that he has half a mind to take the estate himself, but upon fecond thoughts he proposed this expedient: I fhould be very willing (faid he) to keep the estate where it is, if we could make the young man any way easy, therefore I humbly propose he should

begin his education anew; for it is a maxim, that one who is ill-taught, is in a worfe condition than he who is wholly ignorant, therefore a spruce mercer is farther off the air of a fine gentleman than a downright clown. To make our patient anything better, we must unmake him what he is. I indeed proposed to flux him, but Greenhat answered, "That if he recovered, he'd be as prim and feat as ever he was:" therefore he would have it his way,..... after which we will send him down to smoke, and be buried with his ancestors in Derbyfhire. I am indeed defirous he should have his life in the estate, because he has fuch a just sense of himself and his abilities, to know that it is an unhappiness to him to be a man of fortune.

This youth feems to understand, that a gentleman's life is that of all others the hardest to pafs through with propriety of behaviour; for though he has a fupport without art or labour, yet his manner of enjoying that circumftance is a thing to be confidered; and you fee among men who are honoured with the common appellation of gentlemen, fo many contradictions to that character, that it is the utmost ill-fortune to bear it, for which reason I am obliged to change the circumstances of feveral about this town. Harry Lacker is so very exact in his

drefs, that I fhall give his eftate to his younger brother, and make him a dancing-mafter. Nokes Lightfoot is fo nimble, and values himself fo much upon it, that I have thoughts of making him huntsman to a pack of beagles, and give his land to fomebody that will stay upon it.

Now I am upon the topick of becoming what we enjoy, I forbid all perfons who are not of the first quality, or who do not bear fome important office that requires fo much diftinction, to go to Hyde Park with fix horfes, for I cannot but esteem it the highest infolence; therefore, hereafter no man fhall do it merely because he is able, without any other pretenfion. But what may ferve all purpofes quite as well, it shall be allowed all fuch who think riches the chief distinction, to appear in the ring with two horfes only, and a rent-roll hanging out of each fide of their coach. This is a thought of Mr. Greenhat's, who defigns very foon to publish a fumptuary difcourfe upon the fubject of equipage, wherein he will give us rules on that fubject, and affign the proper duties and qualifications of masters and fervants, as well as that of hufbands and wives, with a treatise of economy without doors, or the complete art of appearing in the world. This will be very ufeful to all who are fuddenly rich, or are afhamed of being poor.

Sunt certa piacula, quæ te

Ter pure lecto poterunt recreare libello.

And like a charm, to the upright mind and pure,
If thrice read o'er, will yield a certain cure.