rally jumped over the Heads not only of all Pamphleteers, but of every Octavo Writer in Great Britain, that had written but one Book. I am also informed by my Bookfeller, that fix Octavo's have at all times been look'd upon as an Equivalent to a Folio, which I take notice of the rather, because I would not have the learned World furprized, if after the Publication of half a dozen Volumes I take my Place accordingly. When my scattered Forces are thus rallied, and reduced into regular Bodies, I flatter myself that I fhall make no defpicable Figure at the Head of them.

WHETHER thefe Rules, which have been received time out of mind in the Commonwealth of Letters, were not originally established with an Eye to our Paper Manufacture, I fhall leave to the Difcuffion of others, and fhall only remark further in this Place, that all Printers and Bookfellers take the Wall of one another, according to the abovementioned Merits of the Authors to whom they respectively belong.

I come now to that Point of Precedency which is fettled among the three learned Profeffions, by the Wisdom of our Laws. I need not here take notice of the Rank which is alloted to every Doctor in each of these Profeffions, who are all of them, though not fo high as Knights, yet a Degree above Squires; this laft order of Men being the illiterate Body of the Nation, are confequently thrown together into a Clafs below the three learned Profeffions. I mention this for the Sake of feveral rural 'Squires, whofe reading does not rise fo high as to the Present State of England, and who are often apt to ufurp that Precedency which by the Laws of their Country is not due to them. Their want of Learning, which has planted them in this Station, may in fome meafure extenuate their Misdeameanor, and our Profeffors ought to pardon them when they offend in this particular, confidering that they are in a State of Ignorance, or, as we ufually fay, do not know their Right Hand from their Left.

THERE is another Tribe of Perfons who are Retainers to the learned World, and who regulate themfelves upon all Occafions by feveral Laws peculiar to their Body. I mean the Players or Actors of both Sexes. Among

Among these it is a standing and uncontroverted Principle, that a Tragedian always takes place of a Comedian; and 'tis very well known the merry Drolls who make us laugh are always placed at the lower End of the Table, and in every Entertainment give way to the Dignity of the Bufkin. It is a Stage Maxim, Once a King and always a King. For this reafon it would be thought very abfurd in Mr. Bullock, notwithstanding the Height and Gracefulness of his Perfon, to fit at the Right Hand of an Hero, tho' he were but five Foot high. The fame Diftinction is observed among the Ladies of the Theatre. Queens and Heroines preferve their Rank in private Converfation, while those who are Waiting women and Maids of Honour upon the Stage, keep their Distance alfo behind the Scenes.

I fhall only add, that by a Parity of Reafon, all Writers of Tragedy look upon it as their due to be feated, ferved, or faluted before Comick Writers: Those who deal in Tragi-Comedy ufually taking their Seats between the Authors of either Side. There has been a long Difpute for Precedency between the Tragick and Heroick Poets. Ariftotle would have the latter yield the Pas to the former, but Mr. Dryden, and many others, would never fubmit to this Decifion. Burlefque Writers pay the fame Deference to the Heroick, as Comick Writers to their ferious Brothers in the Drama.

By this fhort Table of Laws, Order is kept up, and Diftinction preferved in the whole Republick of Letters.

Friday,

T it very usual for those who have been severe upon

I Marriage, in fome Part or other of their Lives to enter

into the Fraternity which they have ridicul'd, and to `. fee their Rallery return upon their own Heads. I fcarce ever knew a Woman-hater that did not fooner or later pay for it. Marriage, which is a Bleffing to another Man, falls upon fuch a one as a Judgment. Mr. Congreve's OldBatchelor is fet forth to us with much Wit and Humour, as an Example of this kind. In fhort, thofe who have moft diftinguished themselves by railing at the Sex in general, very often make an honourable Amends, by chusing one of the moft worthless Perfons of it, for a Companion and Yoke fellow. Hymen takes his Revenge in kind, on those who turn his Myfteries into Ridicule.

My Friend Will. Honeycomb, who was fo unmercifully witty upon the Women, in a couple of Letters, which I lately communicated to the Publick, has given the Ladies ample Satisfaction by marrying a Farmer's Daughter; a Piece of News which came to our Club by the laft Post. The Templer is very pofitive that he has married a Dairymaid: But Will, in his Letter to me on this Occafion, fets the best Face upon the matter that he can, and gives a more tolerable Account of his Spoufe. I must confets I frfpected fomething more than ordinary, when upon opening the Letter I found that Will was fallen off from his former Gaiety, having changed Dear Spec. which was his ufual Salute at the Beginning of the Letter, into my worby Friend, and subscribed him felf in the latter End of it at full length William Honeycomb. In fhort, the gay, the loud, the vain William Honeycomb, who had made Love to

every great Fortune that has appeared in Town for about thirty Years together, and boafted of Favours from Ladies whom he had never feen, is at length wedded to a plain Country Girl.

His Letter gives us the Picture of a converted Rake. The fober Character of the Husband is dafhed with the Man of the Town, and enlivened with thofe little Cantphrafes which have made my Friend Will often thought very pretty Company. But let us hear what he says for

himfelf.

My worthy Friend,

I

QUESTION not but you, and the rest of my Acquaintance, wonder that I who have lived in the • Smoke and Gallantries of the Town for thirty Years together, fhould all on a fudden grow fond of a Country Life. Had not my Dog of a Steward run away as he did, without making up his Accounts, I had still been immerfed in Sin and Sea-coal. But fince my late 'forced Vifit to my Eftate, I am fo well pleafed with it, that I am refolved to live and die upon it. I am every Day abroad among my Acres, and can fcarce forbear filling my Letter with Breezes, Shades, Flowers, Meadows, and purling Streams. The Simplicity of Manners, which I have heard you fo often fpeak of, and which appears here in Perfection, charms me wonderfully. As an Inftance of it, I must acquaint you, and by your Means the whole Club, that I have lately married one of my Tenant's Daughters. She is born of honeft Parents, and tho' fhe has no Portion, fhe has a great deal of Virtue. The natural Sweetness an • Innocence of her Behaviour, the Freshness of her Complexion, the unaffected Turn of her Shape and Perfon, fhot me thro' and thro' every time I faw her, and did more Execution upon me in Grogram, than the greateft Beauty in Town or Court had ever done in Brocade. In fhort, fhe is fuch an one as promifes me a good Heir to my Eftate; and if by her Means I cannot leave to my Children what are falfely called the Gifts of Birth, high Titles and Alliances, I hope to convey to thei the more real and valuable Gifts of Birth, ftrong Bodies and healthy Conftitutions. As for your fine WoVOL. VII.

K

men,

men, I need not tell thee that I know them. I have 6 had my Share in their Graces, but no more of that. It fhall be my Business hereafter to live the Life of an honeft Man, and to act as becomes the Master of a Family. I queftion not but I fhall draw upon me the Raillery of the Town, and be treated to the Tune of the Marriage-hater match'd; but I am prepared for it. I have been as witty upon others in my Time. To tell thee truly, I faw fuch a Tribe of fashionable young fluttering Coxcombs fhot up, that I did not think my Poft of an Homme de ruelle any longer tenable. I felt a certain Stiffness in my Limbs, which entirely deftroyed that Jauntynefs of Air I was once Mafter of. Befides, for I may now confefs my Age to thee, I have ⚫ been eight and forty above these twelve Years. Since my Retirement into the Country will make a Vacancy in the Club, I could wish you would fill up my Place with my Friend Tom Dapper wit. He has an infinite deal of Fire, and knows the Town. For my own Part, as I have faid before, I fhall endeavour to live hereafter fuitable to a Man in my Station, as a prudent Head of a Family, a good Husband, a careful Father (when it fhall fo happen) and as

Your most fincere Friend,

and humble Servant,

WILLIAM HONEYCOMB.

Saturday,