the uneafiness of the coach, and obliged me to call feveral times on the coachman to take care and drive without jolting. The poor fellow endeavoured to pleafe us, and therefore moved very flowly, 'till Anthea found out that this pace would only keep us longer on the ftones, and defired that I would order him to make more fpeed. He whipped his horfes, the coach jolted again, and Anthea very complaifantly told us how much the repented that fhe made one of our company.

At last we got into the smooth road, and began to think our difficulties at an end, when, on a fudden, Anthea faw a brook before us, which fhe could not venture to pafs. We were, therefore, obliged to alight, that we might walk over the bridge; but when we came to it, we found it fo narrow, that Anthea durft not fet her foot upon it, and was content, after long confultation, to call the coach back, and with innumerable precautions, terrors, and lamentations, croffed the brook.

It was neceffary, after this delay, to mend our pace, and directions were accordingly given to the coachman, when Anthea informed us, that it was common for the axle to catch fire with a quick motion, and begged of me to look out every minute, left we fhould all be confumed. I was forced to obey, and give her from time to time the most folemn declarations that all was fafe, and that I hoped we fhould reach the place without lofing our lives either by fire or water.

Thus we paffed on, over ways foft and hard, with more or with lefs fpeed, but always with new viciffitudes of anxiety. If the ground was hard, we were jolted, if foft, we were finking. If we went faft, we should be overturned, if flowly, we fhould never reach the place. At length fhe faw fomething which the called a cloud, and began to confider that at that time of the year it frequently

thun

thundered. This feemed to be the capital terrour, for after that the coach was fuffered to move on; and no danger was thought too dreadful to be encountered, provided fhe could get into the house before the thunder.

Thus our whole converfation paffed in dangers, and cares, and fears, and confolations, and ftories of ladies dragged in the mire, forced to spend all the night on a heath, drowned in rivers, or burnt with lightening; and no fooner had a hairbreadth efcape fet us free from one calamity, but we were threatened with another.

At length we reached the house where we intended to regale ourselves, and I propofed to Anthea the choice of a great number of difhes, which the place, being well provided for entertainment, happened to afford. She made fome objection to every thing that was offered; one thing fhe hated at that time of the year, another fhe could not bear, fince she had seen it spoiled at lady Feedwell's table; another she was fure they could not drefs at this houfe, and another fhe could not touch without French fauce. At laft fhe fixed her mind upon falmon, but there was no falmon in the house. It was however procured with great expedition, and when it came to the table the found that her fright had taken away her ftomach, which indeed the thought no great lofs, for fhe could never believe. that any thing at an inn could be cleanly got.

Dinner was now over, and the company propofed, for I was now paft the condition of making overtures, that we fhould purfue our original defign of vifiting the gardens. Anthea declared that fhe could not imagine what pleasure we expected from the fight of a few green trees and a little gravel, and two or three pits of clear water; that for her part fhe hated walking till the cool of the evening, and thought it very likely to rain, and again wifhed that

fhe

fhe had ftaid at home. felves to our disappointment, and began to talk on common fubjects, when Anthea told us that fince we came to fee gardens, fhe would not hinder our fatisfaction. We all rofe and walked through the enclosures for fome time, with no other trouble than the neceffity of watching left a frog fhould hop across the way, which Anthea told us would certainly kill her, if she should happen to see him.

We then reconciled our-,

Frogs, as it fell out, there were none, but when we were within a furlong of the gardens, Anthea faw fome fheep, and heard the wether clink his bell, which fhe was certain was not hung upon him for nothing, and therefore no affurances nor intreaties fhould prevail upon her to go a step farther; fhe was forry to difappoint the company, but her life was dearer to her than ceremony.

We came back to the inn, and Anthea now difcovered that there was no time to be loft in returning, for the night would come upon us, and a thousand misfortunes might happen in the dark. The horses were immediately harneffed, and Anthea having wondered what could feduce her to stay fo long, was eager to set out. But we had now a new scene of terrour; every man we faw was a robber, and we were ordered fometimes to drive hard left a traveller whom we faw behind fhould overtake us, and fometimes to ftop, left we fhould come up to him who was paffing before us. She alarmed many an honeft man by begging him to fpare her life as he paffed by the coach, and drew me into fifteen quarrels with perfons who encreased her fright by kindly ftopping to enquire whether they could affift us. At laft we came home, and fhe told her company next day what a pleasant ride she had been taking.

I fuppofe, fir, I need not enquire of you what deductions may be made from this narrative, nor

what

what happiness can arife from the fociety of that woman, who mistakes cowardice for elegance, and imagines all delicacy to confift in refufing to be pleased.

I am, &c.

********

NUMB. 35. TUESDAY, July 17, 1750.

SIR,

As

To the RAMBLE R.

OVID.

ELPHINSTON.

S you have hitherto delayed the performance of the promife, by which you gave us reafon to hope for another paper upon matrimony, I imagine you defirous of collecting more materials than your own experience, or obfervation, can fupply; and I fhall therefore lay candidly before you an account of my own entrance into the conjugal ftate.

I was about eight and twenty years old, when, having tried the diverfions of the town till I began to be weary, and being awakened into attention to more ferious bufinefs, by the failure of an attorney to whom I had implicitly trufted the conduct of my fortune, I refolved to take my eftate into my own care, and methodise my whole life according to the ftricteft rules of ceconomical prudence.

In purfuance of this fcheme, I took leave of my acquaintance, who difmifled me with numberlefs jefts upon my new fyftem; having firft endeavoured to divert me from a defign fo little worthy of a man

of

of wit, by ridiculous accounts of the ignorance and rufticity into which many had funk in their retirement, after having distinguished themselves in taverns and play-houses, and given hopes of rising to uncommon eminence among the gay part of mankind.

When I came first into the country, which, by a neglect not uncommon among young heirs, I had never feen fince the death of my father, I found every thing in fuch confufion, that, being utterly without practice in business, I had great difficulties to encounter in difentangling the perplexities of my circumftances; they, however, gave way to diligent application, and I perceived that the advantage of keeping my own accounts would very much overbalance the time which they could require.

I had now vifited my tenants, furveyed my land, and repaired the old houfe, which, for fome years, had been running to decay. Thefe proofs of pecuniary wifdom began to recommend me, as a fober, judicious, thriving gentleman, to all my graver neighbours of the country, who never failed to celebrate my management in oppofition to Thriftless and Latterwit, two fmart fellows, who had estates in the fame part of the kingdom, which they vifited now and then in a frolick, to take up their rents 'beforehand, debauch a milk-maid, make a feast for the village, and tell ftories of their own intrigues, and then rode poft back to town to spend their money.

It was doubtful, however, for fome time, whether I fhould be able to hold my refolution; but a fhort perfeverance removed all fufpicions. I rose every day in reputation, by the decency of my converfation, and the regularity of my conduct, and was mentioned with great regard at the affizes, as a man very fit to be put in commiffion for the peace.