the cold damp which this minute scizes upon my heart, I presage never will. What shall I do? To complain here is to talk to winds, or mortals as regardless as they. The tempestuous storms in the neighbouring mountains are not more relentless, or the crags more deaf, than the old gentleman is to my sighs and prayers. The lovely Pastorella indeed hears and gently sighs, but it is only to increase my tortures; she is too dutiful to disobey a father; and I am neither able, nor forward, to receive her by an act of disobedience.

As to myself, my humour, until this accident to ruffle it, has ever been gay and thoughtless, perpetually toying amongst the women, dancing briskly and singing softly. For I take it, more men miscarry amongst them for having too much than too little understanding. Pastorella seems willing to relieve me from my frights; and by her constant carriage, by admitting my visits at all hours, has convinced all hereabouts of my happiness with her, and occasioned a total defection amongst her former lovers, to my infinite contentment. Ah! Mr. Ironside, could you but see in a calm evening the profusion of ease and tenderness betwixt us! The murmuring river that glides gently by, the cooing turtles in the neighbouring groves, are harsh compared to her more tuneful voice. The happy pair first joined in Paradise, not more enamoured walked! more sweetly loved! But alas! what is all this? an imaginary joy, in which we trifle away our precious time, without coming together for ever. That must depend upon the old gentleman, who sees I cannot live without his daughter, and knows I cannot, upon his terms, be ever happy with her. I beg of you to send for us all up to town together, that we may be heard before you (for we all agree in a deference to your judgment) upon these heads: Whether the autho

rity of a father should not accommodate itself to the liberty of a free-born English woman?

Whether, if you think fit to take the old gentleman into your care, the daughter may not choose her lover for her Guardian?

Whether all parents are not obliged to provide for the just passions of their children when grown up, as well as food and raiment in their tender years? s?

These and such points being unsettled in the world, are cause of great distraction, and it would be worthy your great age and experience, to consider them distinctly for the benefit of domestic life. All which, most venerable Nestor, is humbly submitted by all your northern friends, as well as Your most obedient and devoted humble Servant,

MR. IRONSIDE,

PASTOR FIDO.

We who subscribe this, are man and wife, and have been so these fifteen years: but you must know we have quarrelled twice a day ever since we came together, and at the same time have a very tender regard for cne another. We observe this habitual disputation has an ill effect upon our children, and they lose their respect towards us from this jangling of ours. We lately entered into an agreement, that from that time forward, when either should fall into a passion, the party angry should go into another room, and write a note to the other by one of the children, and the person writ to, right or wrong, beg pardon; because the writing, to avoid passion, is in itself an act of kindness. This little method, with the smiles of the messengers, and other nameless incidents in the management of this correspondence with the next room, has produced inexpressible de

light, made our children and servants cheerful under our care and protection, and made us ourselves sensible of a thousand good qualities we now see in each other, which could not before shine out, because of our mutual impatience.

Your humble Servants,

PHILIP AND MARY.

P. S. Since the above, my wife is gone out of the room, and writes word by Billy that she would have in the above letter, the words 'jangling of ours,' changed into the words these our frequent debates. I allow of the amendment, and desire you would understand accordingly, that we never jangled, but went into frequent debates, which were always held in a committee of the whole house.

TO NESTOR IRONSIDE, ESQ.

SAGACIOUS SIR,

We married men reckon ourselves under your ward, as well as those who live in a less regular condition. You must know, I have a wife, who is one of those good women who are never very angry, or very much pleased. My dear is rather inclined to the former, and will walk about in soliloquy, dropping sentences to herself of management, saying, she will say nothing, but she knows when her head is laid what-and the rest of that kind of half expressions. I am never inquisitive to know what is her grievance, because I know it is only constitution. I call her by the kind appellation of my gentle Murmur, and I am so used to hear her, that I believe I could not sleep without it. It would not be amiss if you communicated this to the public, that

many who think their wives angry, may know they are only not pleased, and that very many come into this world, and go out of it at a very good old age, without having ever been much transported with joy, or, grief, in their whole lives.

Your humble Servant,

ARTHUR SMOOTH.

MOST VENERABLE NESTOR,

I am now three-and-twenty, and in the utmost perplexity how to behave myself towards a gentleman whom my father has admitted to visit me as a lover. I plainly perceive my father designs to take advantage of his passion towards me, and require terms of him which will make him fly off. I have orders to be cold to him in all my behaviour; but if you insert this letter in the Guardian, he will know that distance is constrained. I love him better than life, am satisfied with the offer he has made, and desire him to stick to it, that he may not hereafter think he has purchased me too dear. My mother knows I love him, so that my father must comply.

Your thankful Ward,

SUSANNA

P.S. I give my service to him, and desire the settlement may be such as shows I have my thoughts fixed upon my happiness in being his wife, rather than his widow.

No. 74. FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1713.

Magne Parens, sancta quam majestate verendus! BUCH.

Great Parent! how majestic! how adorable!

I WILL make no apology for preferring this letter, and the extract following, to any thing else which I could possibly insert.

SIR,

Cambridge, May 31.

You having been pleased to take notice of what you conceived excellent in some of our English divines, I have here presumed to send a specimen, which, if I am not mistaken, may for acuteness of judgment, ornament of speech, and true sublime, compare with any of the choicest writings of the ancient fathers or doctors of the church, who lived nearest to the apostles' times. The subject is no less than that of God himself; and the design, besides doing some honour to our own nation, is to show, by a fresh example, to what a height and strength of thought a person, who appears not to be by nature endued with the quickest parts, may arrive, through a sincere and steady practice of the Christian religion, I mean, as taught and administered in the church of England: which will, at the same time, prove that the force of spiritual assistance is not at all abated by length of time, or the iniquity of mankind; but that if men were not wanting to themselves, and (as our excellent author speaks) could