⚫ fired with an honest Ambition to imitate every illuftrious Example. The Battles of Blenheim and Ra• millies have more than once made me with my self a Soldier. And when I have feen thofe Actions fo nobly celebrated by our Poets, I have fecretly afpired to be one of that diftinguifh'd Clafs. But in vain I 'wifh, in vain I pant with the Defire of Action. I C am chained down in Obfcurity, and the only Pleafure I can take, is in feeing fo many brighter Ge← nius's join their friendly Lights, to add to the Splen dor of the Throne. Farewel then dear Spec, and believe me to be with great Emulation, and no ⚫ Envy, ་ SIR, Your profefs'd Admirer, Will. Hopeless. Middle Temple, October 26. 1714. "T" Subject of one or more of your Papers, I do 'HO' you have formerly made Eloquence the not remember that you ever confidered it as poffeffed by a Set of People, who are fo far from making Quintilian's Rules their Practice, that, I dare fay for them, they never heard of fuch an Author, and yet are no lefs Mafters of it than Tully or Demofthenes among the Ancients, or whom you pleafe amongst the Moderns. The Perfons I am fpeaking of are our common Beggars about this Town; and that what I fay is true, I appeal to any Man who has a Heart one Degree fofter than a Stone. As for my part, who don't pretend to more Humanity than my Neighbours, I have oftentimes .. gone from nty Chambers with Mony in my. Pocket, and returned to them not only Pennylefs, but de. ftitute of a Farthing, without beftowing of it any other way than on these feeming Objects of Pity. In fhort, I have feen more Eloquence in a LookTM ..from one of these despicable Creatures, than in the Eye of the fairest She I ever faw, yet no one a great 6. ་ N° 613. < er Admirer of that Sex than my felf. What I have to defire of you is, to lay down fome Directions in order to guard against these powerful Orators, or • elfe I know nothing to the contrary but I must my felf be forced to leave the Profeffion of the Law, and endeavour to get the Qualifications neceffary to that more profitable one of Begging. But in which foever of these two Capacities I fhine, I fhall • always defire to be your conftant Reader, and ever will be Your most humble Servant, J. B. SIR, "U Mrs. Famy Fickle fubmitted the Choice of a FTPON Reading a Spectator laft Week, where Lover for Life to your decifive Determination, • and imagining I might claim the Favour of your Advice in an Affair of the like, but much more difficult Nature, I called for Pen and Ink, in order to draw the Characters of Seven Humble Servants, whom I have equally incouraged for fome time: But alas! while I was reflecting on the agreeable Subject, and contriving an advantageous Defcription ⚫ of the dear Perfon I was moft inclined to favour, I happened to look into my Glafs. The fight of the • Small-Pox, out of which I am juft recovered, tor⚫mented me at once with the Lofs of my captivating Arts and my Captives: The Confufion I was in, on this unhappy, unfeafonable Discovery, is inex-preffible. Believe me, Sir, I was fo taken up with the Thoughts of your fair Correfpondent Cafe, and fo intent on my own Defign, that I fancied my felf as Triumphant in my Conquefts as ever. NOW, Sir, finding I was incapacitated to Amufe my self on that pleafing Subject, I refolv'd to apply my felf to you, or your Cafuiftical Agent, for Advice in my prefent Circumftances. I am fenfible . the 215 the Tincture of my Skin, and the Regularity of my Features, which the Malice of my late Illness has altered, are irrecoverable; yet don't defpair, but that Lofs, by your Affiftance, may in fome Measure be reparable, if you'll pleafe to propofe a way for the Recovery of one only of my Fugitives. ONE of them is in a more particular Manner beholden to me than the reft; he for fome private Reafons being defirous to be a Lover Incognito, always addreffed me with Billet-Doux, which I was fo careful of in my Sickness, that I fecured the Key of my Love-Magazine under my Head, and hearing a Noife of opening a Lock in my Chamber, indanger'd my Life by getting out of Bed, to prevent, if it had been attempted, the Discovery of that A mour. I have formerly made ufe of all thofe Artifices, ⚫ which our Sex daily practifes over yours, to draw, as it were undefignedly, the Eyes of a whole Congregation to my Pew; I have taken a Pride in the • Number of Admirers at my Afternoon Levée; but am now quite another Creature. I think, could I regain the attractive Influence I once had, if I had a Legion of Suitors, I fhould never be ambitious of Entertaining more than one. I have almost contracted an Antipathy to the trifling Difcourfes of Impertinent Lovers, though I must needs own, I have thought it very odd of late, to hear Gentlemen, instead of their ufual Complacencies, fall into Difputes before me of Politicks, or elie weary me with the tedious Repetition of how thankful I ought 'to be, and satisfied with my Recovery out of fo dangerous a Diftemper: This, though I am very fenfible of the Bleffing, yet I cannot but diflike, becaufe fuch Advice from them rather feems to Infult than Com❝ fort me, and reminds me too much of what I was; which Melancholy Confideration I cannot-yet perfectly furmount, but hope your Sentiments on this Head will make it fupportable. ΤΟ TO fhew you what a Value I have for your DiEtates, these are to certifie the Perfons concerned; that unless one of them returns to his Colours, (if I may fo call them now) before the Winter is over, I'll voluntarily confine my felf to a Retirement, where I'll punish them all with my Needle. I' be revenged on them by deciphering them on a Carpet, humbly begging Admittance, my self scornfully refufing it: If you difapprove of this, as favouring too much of Malice, be pleased to acquaint me with a Draught you like better, and it fhall be faithfully performed. By the Unfortunate Monimia; N° 614. Monday, November 1. Si mihi non animo fixum, immotumque federet, Virg. THE following Account hath been transmitted to me by the Love-Cafuist. Mr. SPECTATOR, HA AVING, in fome former Papers, taken Cire ⚫ of the two States of Virginity and Marriage, and being willing that all People fhould be ferved in. their Turn; I this Day drew out my Drawer of Widows, where I met with feveral Cafes, to each • whereof ⚫ whereof I have returned fatisfactory Answers by the Poft. The Cafes are as follow: Q. WHETHER Amoret be bound by a Promise of Marriage to Philander, made during her Husband's • Life? 4 L Q. WHETHER Sempronia, having faithfully given a Promife to two feveral Perfons during the laft Sickness of her Husband, is not thereby left at Liberty to chufe which of them fhe pleases, or to reject them both for the Sake of a new Lover? CLEORA asks me, Whether fhe be obliged to continue fingle, according to a Vow made to her • Husband at the Time of his prefenting her with a Diamond Neck-lace; fhe being informed by a very pretty young Fellow of a good Confeience, that fuch Vows are in their Nature finful? · ANOTHER enquires, Whether the hath not the Right of Widowhood, to difpofe of her felf to • a Gentleman of great Merit, who preffes very hard; her Husband being irrecoverably gone in a Con• fumption? AN unreasonable Creature hath the Confidence to ask, Whether it be proper for her to marry a Man who is younger than her elde ft Son? A fcrupulous well-spoken Matron, who gives me a great many good Words, only doubts, Whether fhe is not obliged in Confcience to fhut up her two marriageable Daughters, till fuch time as the hath comfortably difpofed of her felf? • SOPHRONIA, who feems by her Phrase and Spelling to be a Perfon of Condition, fets forth, That whereas the hath a great Eftate, and is but a Woman, fhe defires to be informed, whether the 'would not do prudently to marry Camillus, a very idle tall young Fellow, who hath no Fortune of his own, and confequently hath nothing else to do but to manage hers? BEFORE I fpeak of Widows, I cannot but ob ferve one thing, which I do not know how to account for; a Widow is always more fought after, than |