and with a very fignificant grin, "So, my dear, "faid he, I fuppofe you ftaid late last night at "high life below ftairs!"-A great horse-laugh rung through the room, and I, who for my part, had no conception what he meant, blushed to the ears, and replied very innocently, "High Life below Stairs, my lord-indeed, not "I, I was better engaged!". “Better en"gaged, Mifs, faid he, why I conceived you "thought no engagement fuperior to that." Still I was at a lofs, and the laugh continued at my perplexity; while his lordship affected a filly ftupor, and my lady cried out to him, "For goodness fake, my lord, don't kill me: I pro"fefs, my lord, your lordship will make me die "with laughing. Poor Selima don't understand

you; he means, child, your city-ball."-Then a louder peal of unmeaning laughter re-echoed, and to conceal my disorder, I grin'd a ghaftly fmile; for ghaftly, I am sure it must be, as my features were distorted with anger, vexation and disappointment.

To think, Mr. Vifitor, of calling fuch a grand, fuch a refpectable, worthy, wealthy, every-thing assembly," High Life below Stairs!” -Fie fie, upon him. But between ourselves, lord Billy was never one of the wisest !

He was not fatisfied however with this triumph of his Wit, as he term'd it!" And fo, Mifs, he

faid

faid presently, you're an honourable member of the city-ball. The merchants affembly, Sir, faid I (for I would not call him, my Lord) that's the name by which it is known." You are ashamed then of the city, Mifs, I find, said her ladyship,And truly, we, at this end of the town, can't much wonder your cits look like another fpecies. La! how they throw on their fine cloaths-Monftrous, what appearances!" "Indeed, my lady, faid I, I believe your ladyfhip would change your opinion, if you were to be at the merchants affembly. Merchants affem← bly-good la! faid lord Billy, what nobleman, with high blood in his veins, can mix with your common tradefmen.-The men are useful enough in their way: but when they would tread upon our heels in politeness-It makes one fick, Selima, perfectly fick! The merchants affembly!" An elderly maiden-lady, who fat mear my relation, the lady of the house, and who had teftified her applause only by frown-like fmiles; for her forehead was covered with wrinkles, and four malevolence lived in her eye-balls; " You fee, coufin, faid she (for fhe was an ancient Seeker) that the name of your assembly gives high disgust to these noble perfonages permit me to chriften your polite meeting, and then, perhaps, there may be a coalition of parties; ftile, it, child, the Metro

politan

politan-ball; and give the nobles your good leave to attend it; and there will be more amity amongst you, peradventure."-The Metropolitan ball now was repeated by every tongue; and, though there was nothing to laugh at in my opinion, nothing but laughter, and Metropolitan ball was heard at every interval. 'Till at laft, perdition feize my exiftence, faid lord Billy, pulling out his watch, if I have not an affignation; and have overftaid my time. Adieu, dear ladies: Mifs Selima, my respects to our friends, the Metropolitans." And I affure you, when delivered from his impertinence, the ladies heard me with much attention, and we had a very entertaining and inftructive chat about the company, and the dreffes at the laft affembly.

But as I can't write you an account of that now, I send to defire you will chastise these infolent ones, who so affect to defpife us. And tho I am perfuaded lady Anna Rugofa Seeker, threw out that name by way of fneer, yet I think it a very valuable hint, and do by thefe prefents, enjoin and direct, that in our meeting, the of fenfive and difgufting words (which I will never utter from my lips again) be wholly dropt and abfolutely forgotten: that it never more be stiled The Cball, or Mts affembly: but throughout the whole world, be known and called, the Metropolitan ball A name highly approved

approved by the members: and particularly

pleafing to

Yours eternally,

SELIMA SEEKER.

MR

NUMBER XLIX.

Trabit fua quemque voluptas.

VIRG.

R. TOMESWELL had fcarcely concluded that mournful lamentation, recorded in our paper of last Thursday, (N° 46.) before Mr. Equation, who fat oppofite to him, reddening into warmth, rejoined, with a good deal of ardour; "Sir, I profess, the Bishops and Clergy will henceforward be judged by me, men of more sense and penetration than I ever imagined them before. The world, Sir, is fick of divinity: folio's of divinity! Good Angels; when nobody thinks of giving themselves the trouble of reading a fix-penny fermon! and folio's of cafuiftical, controverfial, school divinity; why you might as well suppose, that the voluminous, tiresome works of those old Spin-texts, the Puritans, would be encouraged, as what you offer to the public. Take my advice, good Sir; turn the course of your ftudies another way, and

I

you'll

you'll foon find it answer. There is a branch of science, I don't pretend to say I am an adept in it, but they who know me, will allow me the credit of fome little knowledge in that way.It is algebra, I mean, the most useful and excellent of all the sciences: the key, the mistress, the queen of the mathematics. Now if you would intenfely apply to this moft necessary and delightful study, you might probably not only make many new discoveries, but gain great advantages to yourself. For as nothing is more wanted, fo nothing would be more encouraged than a good algebraist: indeed, this charming fcience is by my vexatious and multifarious bufinefs in life, permitted only to indulge my vacant hours: or, perhaps I fhould have made no inconfiderable figure in it myself. Let me hint to you, Sir, that if you would undertake an algebraical magazine, (as magazines are so much in fashion) it might fell in a very extraordinary manner, and would diffuse the knowledge of this wonderful art, which to be sure we owe to the ingenuity of the Arabs: for algebra is certainly derived from the Arabic words al, and gabber a but this by the bye.-As to the magazine, pray. think of it; and perhaps you may procure the affiftance of the moft induftrious and worthy gentleman, fuperior to all praife, who hath lately refreshed our fpirits with a charming book

in