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licitations. See here the bane of our sex! Let the flattery be never so apparent, the flatterer never so ill thought of, his praises are still agreeable, and we contribute to our own deceit. I was, therefore, ever fond of all opportunities and pretences of being in his company. In a word, I was at last ruined by him, and brought to this place, where I have been ever since immured ; and from the fatal day after my fall from innocence, my worshipper became my master and my tyrant.

Thus you see me habited in the most gorgeous manner, not in honour of me as a woman he loves, but as this attire charms his own eye, and urges him to repeat the gratification he takes in me, as the servant of his brutish lusts and appetites. I know not where to fly for redress : but am here pining away life in the solitude and severity of a nun, but the conscience and guilt of a harlot. I live in this lewd practice with a religious awe of my minister of darkness, upbraided with the support I receive from him, for the inestimable possession of youth, of innocence, of honour, and of conscience. I see, Sir, my discourse grows painful to you; all I beg of you is, to paint in so strong colours, as to let Decius see I am discovered to be in his possession, that I may be turned out of this detestable scene of regular iniquity, and either think no more, or sin no more. If your writings have the good effect of gaining my enlargement, I promise you I will atone for this unhappy step, by preferring an innocent, laborious poverty to all the guilty affluence the world can offer me.'

a

WILL'S COFFEE-HOUSE, JULY 21. To show that I do not bear an irreconcilable hatred to

my
mortal
enemy,

Mr. Powel at Bath, I do his function the honour to publish to the world, that plays represented by puppets are permitted in our universities, and that sort of drama is not wholly thought unworthy the critique of learned heads; but, as I have been conversant rather with the greater ode, as I think the critics call it, I must be so humble as to make a request to Mr. Powel, and desire him to apply his thoughts to answering the difficulties with which my kinsman, the author of the following letter, seems to be embarrassed.

6 TO MY HONOURED KINSMAN, ISAAC BICKERSTAFF,

ESQUIRE.

FROM MOTHER GOURDON'S AT HEDINGTON,

NEAR OXON, JUNE 16.

DEAR COUSIN,

Had the family of the Beadlestaffs, whereof I though unworthy, am one, known of your being lately at Oxon, we had in our own name, and in the university's, as it is our office, made you a compliment: but your short stay here robbed us of an opportunity of paying our due respects, and you of receiving an ingenious entertainment, with which we at present divert ourselves and strangers. A puppet-show at this time supplies the want of an act. And since the nymphs of this city are disappointed of a luscious music-speech, and the country ladies of hearing their sons or brothers speak verses ; yet the vocal machines, like them, by the help of a prompter, say things as much to the benefit of the

a

audience, and almost as properly their own. The license of a Terræ Filius is refined to the well-bred satire of Punchenello. Now, cousin Bickerstaff, though Punch has neither a French night-cap, nor long pockets, yet you must own him to be a pretty fellow, a very pretty fellow : nay, since he seldom leaves the company without calling son of a whore, demanding satisfaction, and duelling, he must be owned, a smart fellow, too. Yet by some indecencies towards the ladies, he seems to be of a third character distinct from any you have yet touched upon. A young gentleman who sat next me, for I had the curiosity of seeing this entertainment, in a tufted gown, red stockings, and long wig, which I pronounce to be tantamount to red heels, and a dangling cane, was enraged when Punchenello disturbed a soft love scene with his ribaldry. You would oblige us mightily by laying down some rules for adjusting the extravagant behaviour of this Almanzor of the play, and by writing a treatise on this sort of dramatic poetry, so much favoured, and so little understood, by the learned world.

• From its being conveyed in a cart after the Thespian manner, all the parts being recited by one person, as the custom was before Æschylus, and from the behaviour of Punch, as if he had won the goal, you may possibly deduce its antiquity, and settle the chronology, as well as some of our modern critics. In its natural transitions from mournful to merry; as from the hanging of a lover to dancing upon the rope ; from the stalking of a ghost to a lady's presenting you with a jig, you may discover such a decorum, as is not to be found elsewhere than in our tragi-comedies. But I forget myself; it is not for me to dictate: I thought fit, dear cousin, to give you these hints, to show you that the Beadle

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staffs do not walk before men of letters to no pur pose; and that though we do but hold up the train of arts and sciences, yet, like other pages, we are now and then let into our ladies' secrets.

I am your affectionate kinsman,

• BENJAMIN BEADLESTAFF.

FROM MY OWN APARTMENT, JULY 22. I am got hither safe, but never spent time with so little satisfaction as this evening; for you must know, I was five hours with three merry, and two honest fellows. The former sang catches; and the latter even died with laughing at the noise they made. Well,' says Tom Belfry, ‘you scholars, Mr. Bickerstaff, are the worst company in the world.' -Ay,' says his opposite, you are dull to-night; prythee be merry. With that I huzzaed, and took a jump across the table, then came clever upon my legs, and fell a-laughing. Let Mr. Bickerstaff alone,' say one of the honest fellows ; "when he is in a good humour, he is as good company as any man in England.' He had no sooner spoke but I snatched his hat off his head, and clapped it upon my own, and burst out a-laughing again: upon which we all fell a-laughing for half an hour. One of the honest fellows got behind me in the interim, and hit me a sound slap on the back; upon which he got the laugh out of my hands; and it was such a twang on my shoulders, that I confess he was much merrier than I. I was half angry; but resolved to keep up the good-humour of the company; and after hallooing as loud as I could possibly, I drank off a bumper of claret, that made me stare again. Nay,' says one of the honest fellows, “Mr. Isaac is in the right, there is no conversation in this; what signifies jumping, or hitting one another

6

on the back ? let us drink about.' We did so from seven of the clock until eleven; and now I am come hither, and, after the manner of the wise Pythagoras, begin to reflect upon the passages of the day. I remember nothing but that I am bruised to death; and as it is my way to write down all the good things I have heard in the last conversation, to furnish my paper, I can from this only tell you my sufferings and my bangs.

I named Pythagoras just now, and I protest to you, as he believed men after death entered into other species, I am now and then tempted to think other animals enter into men, and could name several on two legs, that never discover any

sentiment above what is common with the species of a lower kind; as we see in these bodily wits with whom I was to-night, whose parts consist in strength and activity ; but their boisterous mirth gives me great impatience for the return of such happiness as I enjoyed in a conversation last week. Among others in that company we had Florio, who never interrupted any man living when he was speaking; or ever ceased to speak but others lamented that he had done. His discourse ever arises from the fulness of the matter before him, and not from ostentation or triumph of his understanding; for though he seldom delivers what he need fear being repeated, he speaks without having that end in view ; and his forbearance of calumny or bitterness is owing rather to his good-nature than his discretion ; for which reason he is esteemed a gentleman perfectly qualified for conversation, in whom a general goodwill to mankind takes off the necessity of caution and circumspection.

We had at the same time that evening the best sort of companion that can be, a good-natured old

This person meets, in the company