tular in my Addrefs to the young Elifa, I know not; but Cards were propos'd; and the Mother and elder Sifter chufing to fit by, I was matchwi' the gentle Elifa. She won all; for I was incapable of attending to the Cards. After Supper the Company was entertained with Mr Bonifacio's Humour; my Attention was otherwife engag'd, I did not fleep all Night, and in the Morning my Paffion was confirm'd. In fhort, tho' always repuls'd, I courted this Lady by Intervals for two Years. But fhe had fix'd her Affections on a comely young Man, tho' much her Inferior in Fortune.

Instead of returning home with my Friend, I ftill refided near the Bath, and ftrove, as I was repuls'd, to fupplant my Paffion for the fair Elifa by raifing another; and, what looks like a Paradox, had I met with lefs Succefs, perhaps I had fucceeded.

But I fhan't trouble you with an Account of how many I made my Addreffes to, for I don't well remember.

In the House where I lodg'd, there was at the fame Time a Widow of Fashion, who had two Daughters very well bred. The youngest was about fixteen, and, tho' no perfect Beauty, yet in the Bloom of Youth, and had a Humor fo jocular, difengag'd and artless, that I could not help indulging a rifing Paffion for her. I was ever contriving to be of their Party, tho' the Mother chofe to be retired, notwithstanding her Wit and Breeding, which, with an agreeable Perfon, never fail'd of gaining her the Respect of all fhe convers'd with. The Landlady of the Houfe perceiving my Inclination, was fo charitable as to flatter it. To the Mother the reprefented me as a Perfon of Fortune; to the young Lady, that I was careless, generous, and paffionately fond of her. Parties to go abroad were form'd, the Mother confented, to our common Satisfaction, and things proceeded to that Degree, that I wrote Billet-doux, and fent 'em, tho' we were separated by only one Pair of Stairs. A Night was pitch'd upon for me to declare my Paffion to the young Lady; but the Mother, a Perfon of the greatest Prudence interpofed, before I could have Time to declare my Sentiments, and call'd her Daughter away. Tho' my Intentions were honourable, the Surprize confounded me, and render'd me unable to fpeak; but waiting on her next Morning, I excus'd myself to her Satisfaction; I told her my Circumstances fairly, and let her know that I would not pleasure myself at the Expence of her Quiet. She defir'd me, if I had any Regard for her, to promise to defift; I gave her my Word accordingly, and the reprefented fo many Inconveniences that would attend our Union, as fhew'd at once her Generofity and Prudence.

An accidental Meeting with Bonifacio, and a Vifit that I was always inclin'd to pay him, or any one of his Neighbourhood, reviv'd my Paffion for Elifa, and I immediately forgot my new Amour, no Trace of it remained in my Mind; but this renew'd Affection was unfuccefful, and honeft Bonifacio did all he could to efface it. He faid Elifa was otherwise engag'd; - but all he faid was to no Purpose, fince it was oppolite to my current Inclination. Quite diffatisfy'd, I was half inclin'd to be folitary and forlorn. I often walk'd in the Abbey, to footh MeJancholy;-An old Lady and her Daughter often pais'd by mne to Prayers; the Daughter was low and fomething afide, but Nature had made up this Difadvantage, by giving her a moft winning Face; he had the finest

blue

blue Eyes imaginable, they had a Luftre that bespoke Vivacity, and a fincere Temper; and as there is nothing more capricious than an amorous Imagination, I believed I read in her Looks fuch a Temper of Mind as actually made me in Love with her, before one Word of Converfation pafs'd between us : Not to tell you how often I ogled her in publick.

I happen'd to be engag'd with a large Party, to fee a fine Seat in the Neighbourhood, fhe being one of the Company; but we were all fo huddled together, that I had no Opportunity of fpeaking on any but indifferent Subjects. In an Apartment of this Houfe, one of the young Ladies accidentally pick'd up a Song-Book, and diverted us all for fome Time with her witty Remarks on the Songs. She put the Book in my Hand, for I ftood next her, and as they were going I call'd to the fair Sminthia, for fo I chufe to call this new and laft Favourite, and ask'd her what the thought of thofe Verfes, which I pointed to her,

My Eyes have oft told you their Wishes,

And can't you their Meaning explain?

She look'd at 'em, and took no Notice, but walk'd away, for which I admired and lov'd her ftill more; for when a Man is really in Love, the flightest and most infignificant Circumftance fans the Flame.

At last I found means to get acquainted in the Family of this young Lady, the fair Sminthia. They kept a handfome Equipage, my Mistress won upon my Heart every Hour, and one Day as we were taking an Airing I offer'd to marry her. She told me that he would do nothing without her Parents Confent; on which I confulted a Relation of the Family, who told me that her Father defigned examining my Affairs, and as he had several other Children, tho' all provided for, yet he was fure I fhould have a hard Bargain, little or nothing while he lived, and that he thought me extravagant. And why then does he fuffer us to meet fo often, return'd I?---No doubt, fays he, you may have the young Lady. I understand you, he'll connive at our Marrying, return'd I, and then take Offence.May be fo--and give her Nothing. From all Appearances this feeming to be the Cafe, I avoided the fair Sminthia's Company, who had fomething fo fincere and domeftic in her Temper, that fhe took it very much to Heart.

It is true, I was extravagant, and liv'd much above my Income, and if I had marry'd one of her Fashion with little or no Fortune, I must have retrench'd very much; and retrenching at all is difagreeable enough, fo difagreeable that hardly any Thing but Neceffity obliges People to it.

While I was in this Situation, a good Eftate fell to me by the Death of a diftant Relation: I went to take Poffeffion, and found it much encumber'd. A young Lady, who had her Fortune in her own Hands, liv'd in the fame Village; her Estate was fuperior to mine: The People of the Village mark'd her out for me: You know, Sir, Country Villages are great Match-makers. I began to be afham'd of abufing fo many fair Innocents, especially Mifs Folly, and the true-hearted Smintbia; I thought I had an Opportunity of putting it out of my Power of tranfgreffing that way, and clearing my Fortune at the fame Time. I made my Addreffes to the Lady I am now married to; the Village Report had that Success that I met with no Difficulty.

Before

Before the Match was confummated I went to the Bath, to fettle my Affairs. Fame had been beforehand with me, as to my Estate and new Amour; the Town pitied poor Sminthia, and cenfur'd me. I met with no Countenance from any Acquaintance, unless it were the Men of Pleasure and Intrigue; my boon Companions gave me up; your Bottlemen, with all the Profeffions of Friendship they commonly abound with, have no real Esteem for any who are not Partners in their drunken Revels.

I went into the Country, and married the Lady I courted laft; the Country Report, which brought us together, founded after we were married, as follows: That I wanted her Money, and She a Husband.' And it was very true on my Part, but I am at the fame Time fo fortunate, that I have a Wife into the Bargain, (as the Proverb fays), and I must do her the Juftice to declare, that fhe behaves fo as to merit any Man's Affection.

It might be proper, perhaps, after this Detail of my Amours, to make fome Reflections in the Manner of writing a Moral under a Fable, but it may look too encroaching, I fear. The Humour of making Reflections prevails fo much, that I have known People do it, without having any Foundation for their Reflections.

But with your Leave, Sir, I'll make one or two; the first on my Brethren, the Men of Pleasure.

This Character of a general Lover, this Male-Coquetry, is running the fame Ring; and they are further from true Pleasure, when they have run themselves out of Breath, than at first setting out; giving themselves up to this loose Humour, is leaving themselves to a Sea of Paffion, without any Steerage. I might add the Immorality of difturbing the Repole of Families; for a whole Family muft be uneafy, when a Child or Sifter is tormented, and I'll leave it to themselves to judge whether there is greater Torment than loving without Hopes of any Return of Love. It may be Sport to them, as it is in Children, to pelt Frogs; but as in the Fable, a fage Frog remonftrated, Children, tho' your Pelting is Diverfion to you, it is Death and Lofs of Limbs to us."

I know this Humour is fed by aFrenchNotion of Gallantry, and the lewd Morality of our beft Plays. I wish the Author of Jofeph Andrews and David Simple would, among other falfe Sentiments and Manners, expose this; tho' if the Gentlemen of Pleasure confider'd, it would be unneceffary. The Misfortune is, they don't confider the fatal Confequence; if they did, Perjury or a Breach of Contract, where Affection, natural Affection, was the Article of Agreement, mult appear blacker than any Breach of Agreement whatever about any Circumftance of Trade, or fimple Interelt.

My next Remarks regard the fair Sex, in abufing whom I have spent fomeYears, tho' now but twenty-five. I prefume to advise that most amiable Part of the Creation, not the Finebred, who live about the Metropolis, and understand the Ceremonies of Gallantry, and their Sterling Value, but those who are most likely to be impos'd upon, that they not only be fure the Man loves them, but confider whether it is proper for them to love him, before they fuffer their Imaginations to dwell upon his Person and Accomplishments, and to ask Advice, if not of their Mothers, at leaft of fuch Females as they can't fufpect will be Rival; and to ask it, not as the Manner too often is, when it is too late, and they have made their Choice. I am, &c. Yours, S..

Mr URBAN,

Nov. 1744.

I bave fent you a Copy of a Letter, defign'd by the Writer, as rough Draught only upon the Subject of it, and published with the Hopes of exciting fome more able Hand to undertake a Cafe that fo well deferves the ferious Confideration of the Publick.

I

To the Reverend the Arch-deacon of

Reverend Sir,

Have the Honour and Satisfaction to be one of the Clergy of your Archdeaconry; but of fo little Note, and fo defervedly unknown, that I dare not venture to lay my Name before you.

I am perfuaded, that when I have affured you, Sir, that what I offer, proceeds from an honeft Heart, and well-meant Intention, nothing else will be wanting to induce you, Sir, to give it the reading, and, if approved of, your Favour and Encouragement.

The Caufe, I hope, will not fuffer for having fo bad an Advocate. 'Tis the Caufe of Charity that I plead, that Branch of it, in particular, that is converfant about Briefs.

The Wisdom of the Nation have endeavour'd to correct fome Abufes that had crept into this Trade of Charity, as it might be called. And undoubtedly their Endeavours have been of Service, by removing fome Prejudices and Difcouragements that lay in the Way, and obftructed this Kind of Charity.

But the fame Coldnefs to Acts of this Nature is again getting Ground amongst us, tho' arifing from a different Cause. Its Progreis I have for fome Years obferved, and 'tis now almoft got to its Crifis. So that the Sufferers are but little, if, in fome Cafes, at all advantaged by thofe Means which are defigned for their Relief.

The Grievance, Sir, is the great Expence that attends the procuring and difperfing of Briefs; which, according to the Brief annexed, amounts to upwards of five hundred Pounds. But what greater Difcouragement to Charity, Sir, can there be, than what must arise from this fingle Circumftance only? Surely, Sir, whatever else is, Charity fhould not be, taxed, especially at the Rate of almost 300l. per Cent. Methinks, Sir, I hear you express your Concern for the unhappy Sufferers, but at the fame Time faying, "How can it be redress'd?Officers will have their Fees."

Officers, Sir, may have their Fees, and Fees enough they have. But, for God's fake, if it be poffible, let this be an exempted Cafe.

Where Officers have done any thing, attended with extraordinary Expence or Trouble, there they ought, in Proportion to either, to be confidered, and I hope, in this particular Cafe, no further.

The common Charge of laying a Brief is upwards of four hundred Pounds. This certainly might be done at a much cheaper Rate, if executed even as the Demand fuppofes. But, Sir, you know, that this is attended with hardly any Trouble at all. The Briefs are delivered to the Church wardens at one Vifitation, and received again the next, without any intermediate further Trouble of the Officer, whofe Bufincfs it is to lay them himself. Almost this whole Article, therefore, might be lopp'd off at once.

As

As to the remaining Claims, I can't fee any neceffary Demand, befides Paper and Printing. And both these are of that Sort, that as much, and of equal Goodness, may be bought in the Streets at an Halfpenny a Sheet, and many an honeft Livelihood got by it too.

I know it will be faid, that the Stamp and the royal Fiat are neceffary.

But, how, Sir, does it look to have fuch a folemn Declaration, that his Majefty, out of his abundant Goodness, has granted his royal Licence for a Brief, under the present Management and Burthen of it? It' feems to be a Proftitution of the Name of Majefty, when, under a Shew and real Intention of Charity, it permits a Number of Officers to prey upon the Distresses of the Miserable.

But why fhould this facred Impreffion be neceffary? if necessary, why expenfive? if expenfive, what can fo well become the royal Bounty, as to take the Expence upon itself?

As for the Demand for laying the Brief, if that must not be quite removed, fuppofe the Situation of it were to be a little altered. Suppofe, Sir, this Charge was not deducted from the general Produce at laft, but laid upon the Receivers of the Brief in every particular Parifh, antecedent to what may be collected from it.

This, Sir, I am fenfible does not remove the Ground of the Complaint, the Expence of Laying. But thus much will be gained by the Sufferers, that every Parish will at least pay for its own Brief, and the Abfenters from the Worship of God will not escape that Share of Burthen, that falls on them who attend it beft. And I verily believe the Contributions of thofe, who are well-difpos'd, will not be much the lefs for this general Contribution. They would certainly give with the more Cheerfulnefs, and perhaps Liberality too, were they affured that every Farthing they told out numbered to the Sufferers.

Suppofe again, Sir, by way of further Regulation, fuppofe, if the Burthen of Laying cannot be removed, that the Officers were obliged to lay their Briefs themselves in every Parish, separately, a Month at least to intervene between one Brief and another. This, I am fenfible again, will not remove the Ground of the Complaint; but there will be this good Effect flowing from it, that this iniquitous Trade will not be fo gainful. And fure I am, as Things now ftand, it deferves every Difcouragement poffible.

I am the more induced, Sir, to lay thefe Thoughts, rough as they are, before you, because there is an evil Branch fhooting out of this Stock, which will in a few Years grow and fpread very much to the Prejudice of the Church, which is this-that tho' there generally is fome fmall Contribution towards Damages fuftained by Fires, Inundations and the like, yet a Brief for repairing the Houfe of God is heard with no manner of Regard at all.

Undoubtedly, 'tis the Want of a dne Senfe of Religion, that gives Rife to fo unreasonable a Diftinction.

But be the Caufe what it will, fince it is Fact it fhould, if poffible, be guarded againft, and very foon; or, according to the prefent Profpect of Things, in another Century, half the Churches of the Nation, like the Temple of Jerufalem formerly, will hardly have one Stone left on another.

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