I QUESTION not but my country customers will be surprised to hear me complain that this town is, of late years, very much infested with lions: and will perhaps, look upon it as a strange piece of news when I assure them that there are many of these beasts of prey, who walk our streets in broad day-light, beating about from coffee-house to coffee-house, and seeking whom they may devour.

To unriddle this paradox, I must acquaint my rural reader that we polite men of the town give the name of a lion to any one that is a great man's spy. And whereas I cannot discharge my office of Guardian without setting a mark on such a noxious animal, and cautioning my wards against him, I design' this whole paper as an essay upon the political lion.

self in the capacity of a spy, that from his time a master-spy goes under the name of a lion.

Walsingham had a most excellent penetration, and never attempted to turn any man inte a lion whom he did not see highly qualified for it when he was in his human condition. Indeed the speculative men of those times say of him, that he would now and then play them off, and expose them a little unmercifully; bat that, in my opinion, seems only good policy, for otherwise they might set up for men again, when they thought fit, and desert his service. But however, though in that very corrupt age he made use of these animals, he had a great esteem for true men, and always exerted the highest generosity in offering them more, without asking terms of them, and doing more for them out of mere respect for their talents, though against him, than they could expect from any other minister whom they had served never so conspicuously. This made Raleigh (who profest himself his opponent) say one day to a friend, Pox take this Walsingham, be baffles every body; he won't so much as let a man hate him in private.' True it is, that by the wanderings, roarings, and lurkings of his lions, he knew the way to every man breathing, who had not a contempt for the world itself. He had lions rampant whom he used for the service of the church, and couchant who were to lie down for the queen. They were so much at command, that the couchant would act as the rampant, and the rampant as couchant, without being the least out of countenance, and all this within four-and-twenty hours. Walsingham

It has cost me a great deal of time to discover the reason of this appellation, but after many disquisitions and conjectures on so obscure a subject, I find there are two accounts of it more satisfactory than the rest. In the republic of Venice, which has been always the mother of politics, there are near the doge's palace several large figures of lions curiously wrought in marble, with mouths gaping in a most enor-had the pleasantest life in the world; for, by mous manner. Those who have a mind to give the force of his power and intelligence, he the state any private intelligence of what passes saw men as they really were, and not as the in the city, put their hands into the mouth of world thought of them: all this was principally one of these lions, and convey into it a paper of brought about by feeding his lions well, or keepsuch private informations as any way regarding them hungry, according to their different the interest or safety of the commonwealth. constitutions. By this means all the secrets of state come out of the lion's mouth. The informer is concealed; it is the lion that tells every thing. In short, there is not a mismanagement in office, or a murmur in conversation, which the lion does not acquaint the government with. For this reason, say the learned, a spy is very properly distinguished by the name of lion.

Having given this short, but necessary ac count of this statesman and his barber, who, like the taylor in Shakspeare's Pyramus and Thysby, was a man made as other men are, notwithstanding he was a nominal lion, I shall proceed to the description of this strange species of creatures. Ever since the wise Walsingham was secretary in this nation, our statesmen are said to have encouraged the breed among us, as very well knowing that a lion in our British arms is one of the supporters of the crown, and that it is impossible for a government, in which there are such a variety of factions and intrigues, to subsist without this necessary animal.

A lion, or master-spy, hath several jackalls under him, who are his retailers in intelligence, and bring him in materials for his report; his chief haunt is a coffee-house, and as his voice is exceeding strong, it aggravates the sound of every thing it repeats.

I must confess this etymology is plausible enough, and I did for some time acquiesce in it, till about a year or two ago I met with a little manuscript which sets this whole matter in a clear light. In the reign of queen Elizabeth, says my author, the renowned Walsingham had many spies in his service, from whom the government received great advantage. The most eminent among them was the statesman's barber, whose surname was Lion. This fellow had an admirable knack of fishing, out the secrets of his customers, as they were under his hands. He would rub and lather a man's As the lion generally thirsts after blood, and head, till he had got out every thing that was is of a fierce and cruel nature, there are no sein it. He had a certain snap in his fingers and crets which he hunts after with more delight, a volubility in his tongue, that would engage a than those that cut off heads, hang, draw, and man to talk with him whether he would or no. quarter, or end in the ruin of the person who By this means he became an inexhaustible fund becomes his prey. If he gets the wind of ary of private intelligence, and so signalized him-word or action, that may do a man good, it is

not for his purpose, he quits the chace and falls | talk there is about a public act, and that the into a more agreeable scent.

gay part of the university have great expectaHe discovers a wonderful sagacity in seeking tion of a Terre-filius, who is to lash and sting after his prey. He couches and frisks about in all the world in a satyrical speech. Against the a thousand sportful motions to draw it within great licence which hath heretofore been taken his reach, and has a particular way of imitating in these libels, he expresses himself with such the sound of the creature whom he would en-humanity, as is very unusual in a young persnare; an artifice to be met with in no beast of prey, except the hyæna and the political lion. You seldom see a cluster of newsmongers without a lion in the midst of them. He never misses taking his stand within ear-shot of one of those little ambitious men, who set up for orators in places of public resort. If there is aa gentleman, a scholar, and a christian. More. whispering-hole, or any public-spirited corner in a coffee-house, you never fail of seeing a lion couched upon his elbow in some part of the neighbourhood.

son, and ought to be cherished and admired. For my own part, I so far agree with him, that if the university permits a thing, which I think much better let alone; I hope those, whose duty it is to appoint a proper person for that office, will take care that he utter nothing unbecoming

over, I would have them consider that their learned body hath already enemies enough, who are prepared to aggravate all irreverent insinuations, and to interpret all oblique indecencies, who will triumph in such a victory, and bid the university thank herself for the consequences.

A lion is particularly addicted to the perusal of every loose paper that lies in his way. He appears more than ordinary attentive to what In my time I remember the Terre-filius he reads, while he listens to those who are about contented himself with being bitter upon the him. He takes up the Post-man, and snuff's pope, or chastising the Turk; and raised a sethe candle, that he may hear the better by it. I rious and manly mirth, and adapted to the have seen a lion pore upon a single paragraph dignity of his auditory, by exposing the false in an old gazette for two hours together, if his reasoning of the heretic, or ridiculing the clumneighbours have been talking all that while. sy pretenders to genius and politeness. In the Having given a full description of this mon- jovial reign of king Charles the Second, wherein ster, for the benefit of such innocent persons as never did more wit or more ribaldry abound, may fall into his walks, I shall apply a word or the fashion of being arch upon all that was two to the lion himself, whom I would desire to grave, and waggish upon the ladies, crept into consider that he is a creature hated both by God our seats of learning upon these occasions. This and man, and regarded with the utmost con- was managed grossly and awkwardly enough, tempt even by such as make use of him. Hang- in a place where the general plainness and simmen and executioners are necessary in a state, plicity of manners could ill bear the mention and so may the animal I have been here men- of such crimes, as in courts and great cities are tioning; but how despicable is the wretch that called by the specious names of air and gallanttakes on him so vile an employment? There ry. It is to me amazing, that ever any man, is scarce a being that would not suffer by a bred up in the knowledge of virtue and huma comparison with him, except that being onlynity, should so far cast off all shame and tenderwho acts the same kind of part, and is both the temper and accuser of mankind.

N. B. Mr. Ironside has, within five wocks last past, muzzled three lions, gorged five, and killed one. On Monday next the skin of the dead one will be hung up in terrorem, at Button's coffee-house, over against Tom's, in Covent.Garden.

ness, as to stand up in the face of thousands, and utter such contumelics as I have read

and heard of. Let such a one know that he is that, in the eye of considering persons, he hath making fools merry, and wise men sick; and less compunction than the common hangman, and less shame than a prostitute.

Infamy is so cutting an evil, that most persons who have any elevation of soul, think it worse than death. Those who have it not in their power to revenge it, often pine away in anguish, and loath their being; and those who have, enjoy no rest till they have vengeance. I shall therefore make it the business of this paper to show how base and ungenerous it is to traduce the women, and how dangerous to expose men of learning and character, who have generally been the subjects of these invectives.

OXFORD is a place which I am more inquisi- It hath been often said, that women seem tive about than even that of my nativity; and formed to soften the boisterous passions, and when I have an account of any sprightly saying, sooth the cares and anxieties to which men are or rising genius from thence, it brings my own exposed in the many perplexities of life. That youthful days into my mind, and throws me having weaker bodies, and less strength of forty years back into life. It is for this reason, mind than man, nature hath poured out her that I have thought myself a little neglected of charms upon them, and given them such tenlate by Jack Lizard, from whom I used to hear derness of heart, that the most delicate delight at least once a week. The last post brought we receive from them is, in thinking them ens ne his excuse, which is, that he hath beentirely ours, and under our protection. Accord. wholly taken up in preparing some exercises ingly we find, that all nations have paid a decent for the theatre. He tells me likewise, that the homage to this weaker and lovelier part of the

are but too apt to diffuse his infamy as far as their own reputation; and perhaps triumph in secret, that they have it in their power to make his name the scoff and derision of after-ages This, I say, they are too apt to do. For some times they resent the exposing of their little af fectations or slips in writing, as much as wounds upon their honour. The first are trifles they should laugh away, but the latter deserves their utmost severity.

rational creation, in proportion to their removal | To be even therefore with their enemy, they from savageness and barbarism. Chastity and truth are the only due returns that they can make for this generous disposition in the nobler sex. For beauty is so far from satisfying us of itself, that whenever we think that it is communicated to others, we behold it with regret and disdain. Whoever therefore robs a woman of her reputation, despoils a poor defenceless creature of all that makes her valuable, turns her beauty into loathsomeness, and leaves her friendless, abandoned, and undone. There are many tempers so soft that the least calumny gives them pains they are not able to bear. They give themselves up to strange fears, gloomy reflections, and deep melancholy. How savage must he be, who can sacrifice the quiet of such a mind to a transient burst of mirth! Let him who wantonly sports away the peace of a poor lady consider what discord he sows in families; how often he wrings the heart of a hoary parent; how often he rouses the fury of a jealous husband; how he extorts from the abused woman curses, perhaps not unheard, and poured out in the bitterness of her soul! What weapons hath she wherewith to repel such an outrage! How shall she oppose her softness and imbecility to the hardened forehead of a coward who hath trampled upon weakness that could not resist him to a buf foon, who hath slandered innocence to raise the laughter of fools! who hath scattered firebrands, arrows, and deaths, and said, am I not in sport!'

I must confess a warmth against the buff cries mentioned in the beginning of this paper, as they have so many circumstances to aggra vate their guilt. A license for a man to stand up in the schools of the prophets, in a grave decent habit, and audaciously vent his oblonies against the doctors of our church, and directors of our young nobility, gentry and clergy, in their hearing and before their eyes: to throw calumnies upon poor defenceless women, and offend their ears with nauseous ribaldry, and name their names at length in a public theatre, when a queen is upon the throne: such a li cense as this never yet gained ground in our playhouses; and I hope will not need a law to forbid it. Were I to advise in this matter, I should represent to the orator how noble a field there lay before him for panegyric; what a happy opportunity he had of doing justice to the great men who once were of that famous body, or now shine forth in it; nor should I neglect to insinuate the advantages he might propose by gaining their friendship, whose worth, Irreverent reflections upon men of learning by a contrary treatment, he will be imagined and note, if their character be sacred, do great either not to know, or to envy. This might res disservice to religion, and betray a vile mind cue the name from scandal; and if, as it ought, in the author. I have therefore always thought this performance turned solely upon matters of with indignation upon that accuser of the bre- wit and learning, it might have the honour of thren,' the famous antiquary,* whose employ-being one of the first productions of the magni ment it was for several years, to rake up all the ficent printing house just erected at Oxford. ill-natured stories that had ever been fastened

upon celebrated men, and transmit them to posterity with cruel industry, and malicious joy. Though the good men, ill-used, may out of a meek and Christian disposition, so far subdue their natural resentment, as to neglect and forgive; yet the inventors of such calumnies will find generous persons, whose bravery of mind makes them think themselves proper instru. ments to chastise such insolence. And I have in my time, more than once known the discipline of the blanket administered to the offenders, and all their slanders answered by that kind of syllogism which the ancient Romans called the argumentum bacillinum.

This paper is written with a design to make my journey to Oxford agreeable to me, where I design to be at the Public Act. If my advice is neglected, I shall not scruple to insert in the Guardian whatever the men of letters and ge nius transmit to me, in their own vindication; and I hereby promise that I myself will draw my pen in defence of all injured women.

Ter. Eun. Act i. Sc. 1.

All these things are inseparable from love.

I have less compassion for men of sprightly parts and genius, whose characters are played upon, because they have it in their power to Ir is a matter of great concern that there revenge themselves tenfold. But I think of all come so many letters to me, wherein I see pa the classes of mankind, they are the most par-rents make love for their children, and, without donable if they pay the slanderer in his own coin. For their names being already blazed abroad in the world, the least blot thrown upon them is displayed far and wide; and they have this sad privilege above the men in obscurity, that the dishonour travels as far as their fame.

* Anthony Wood, author of the Athene Oxoniensis, a valuable collection of the lives of writers and bishops

educated at Oxford, 2 vols. folio, 1691.

any manner of regard to the season of life, and the respective interests of their progeny, judge of their future happiness by the rules of ordinary commerce. When a man falls in love in some families, they use him as if his land was mortgaged to them, and he cannot discharge himself, but by really making it the same thing in an unreasonable settlement, or foregoing what is dearer to him than his estate itself

לן

These extortioners are of all others the most cruel, and the sharks, who prey upon the inadvertency of young heirs, are more pardonable than those who trespass upon the good opinion of those who treat with them upon the foot of choice and respect. The following letters may place in the reader's view uneasiness of this

vers, to my infinite contentment. Ah! Mr. Ironside, could you but see in a calm evening the profusion of case 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

[ sort, which may perhaps be useful to some un-enamoured walked! more sweetly loved! But der the circumstances mentioned by my correspondents.

"To Nestor Ironside, Esquire. 'From a certain town in Cumberland, May 21.

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 authority 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?

VENERABLE SIR,-It is impossible to express the universal satisfaction your precautions give in a country so far north as ours; and indeed it were impertinent to expatiate in a case that is by no means particular to ourselves, all mankind who wish well to one another, being equally concerned in their success. However, as all nations have not the genius, and each particular man has his different views and taste, we northerns cannot but acknowledge our obligations in a more especial manner, for your matrimonial precautions, which we more immediately are interested in. Our climate has ever been recorded as friendly to the continuation of our These and such points being unsettled in kind; and the ancient histories are not more the world, are cause of great distraction, and it full of their Goths and Vandals, that in swarms would be worthy your great age and experience, overspread all Europe, than modern story of its to consider them distinctly for the benefit of Yorkshire hostlers and attorneys, who are re-domestic life. All which, most venerable Nesmarkably eminent and beneficial in every mar-tor, is humbly submitted by all your northern ket-town, and most inns of this kingdom. I friends, as well as your most obedient, and deshall not here presume to enter, with the an- voted humble servant, PASTOR FIDO.' cient sages, into a particular reasoning upon the case, as whether it proceeds from the cold temper of the air, or the particular constitutions of the persons, or both; from the fashionable want of artifice in the women, and their entire satisfaction in one conquest only, or the happy ignorance in the men, of those southern vices which effeminate mankind.

'From this encomium, I do not question but by this time you infer me happy already in the legal possession of some fair one, or in a probable way of being so. But alas! neither is my case, and from the cold damp which this minute seizes 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 neither able, nor forward, to receive her by an act of disobedience.

MR. IRONSIDE,-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 one 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 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 delight, 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, As to myself, my humour, until this acci- which could not before shine out, because of dent to ruffle it, has ever been gay and thought-our mutual impatience. Your humble servants, less, perpetually toying amongst the women, dancing briskly, and singing softly. For I take it, more men miscarry amongst them for hav- 'P. S. Since the above, my wife has gone out ing too much than too little understanding.- of the room, and writes word by Billy, that she Pastorella seems willing to relieve me from my would have in the above letter, the words "janfrights; and by her constant carriage, by ad-gling of ours," changed into the words, "these mitting my visits at all hours, has convinced all our frequent debates." I allow of the amend hereabouts of my happiness with her, and occa-ment, and desire you would understand accordsioned a total defection amongst her former lo-ingly, that we never jangled, but went into fre

'PHILIP AND MARY.

quent debates, which were always held in a com- | speech, and true sublime, compare with any of mittee of the whole house.'

the choicest writings of the ancient fathers or doctors of the church, who lived nearest to the 'To Nestor Ironside, Esquire. apostles' times. The subject is no less than that of God himself; and the design, besides 'SAGACIOUS SIR,-We married men reckon doing some honour to our own nation, is to ourselves under your ward, as well as those who show by a fresh example, to what a height and live in a less regular condition. You must strength of thought a person, who appears not know, I have a wife, who is one of those good to be by nature endued with the quickest parts, women who are never very angry, or very much may arrive, through a sincere and steady praepleased. My dear is rather inclined to the tice of the Christian religion; I mean, as taught former, and will walk about in soliloquy, drop-and administered in the church of England: ping sentences to herself of management, say ing "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,

• ARTIIUR 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 beliaviour; 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.'

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 but be persuaded to conform to our church's rules, they might still live as the primitive Christians did, and come short of none of those eminent saints for virtue and holiness. The author from whom this collection is made, is bishop Beve ridge, vol. ii. serm. 1. PHILOTHEUS.

In treating upon that passage in the book of Exodus, where Moses being ordered to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, he asked God what name he should mention him by to that people, in order to dispose them to obey him; and God answered, “I Am that I Am" and bade him tell them, “I Am hath sent me unto you;" the admirable author thus discourses: God having been pleased to reveal himself to us under this name or title, "I Am that I Am," he thereby suggests to us, that he would not have us apprehend of him, as of any particular or limited being, but as a being in general, of the Being of all beings; who giveth being to, and therefore exercises authority over, all things in the world. He did not answer Moses, "I am the great, the living, the true, the everlasting God," he did not say, "I am the almighty ereator, preserver, and governor, of the whole world," but "I Am that I Am" intimating, that if Moses desired such a name of God as might fully describe his nature as in itself, that found in any language, whereby to express the is a thing impossible, there being no words to be glory of an infinite being, especially so as that finite creatures should be able fully to conceive it. Yet, however, in these words he is pleased to acquaint us what kind of thoughts he would have us entertain of him, insomuch, that could we but rightly apprehend what is couched under, and intended by them, we should doubtless have as high and true conceptions of God as it is possible for creatures to have.'-The answer given suggests farther to us these following notions of the most high God. First, that he is one being, existing in and of himself: his unity is implied in that he saith, "I" his existence in that he saith, "I Am ;" his existence in and of himself, in that he saith, "I Am that I Am," that is, "I am in and of myself," not receiving any thing from, nor depending upon any other.

-The same expression implies, that as God is only one, so that he is a most pure and simple being; for here, we see, he admits nothing into the manifestation of himself but pure essence,