the Cuftom was before Efchylus, and from the Behaviour of Punch, as if he had won the Goal, you may poffibly deduce its Antiquity, and fettle the Chronology, as well as fome of our modern Criticks. In its natural Transitions from mournful to merry; as from the hanging of a Lover to dancing upon the Rope; from the ftalking of a Ghoft to a Lady's prefenting you with a Fig, you may difcover fuch a Decorum as is not to be found elsewhere than in our TragiComedies. But I forget myself"; 'tis not for me to dictate: I thought fit, dear Coufin, to give you thefe Hints, to bew you, that the Beadleftaffs don't walk before Men of Letters to no purpose; and that though we do but hold up the Train of Arts and Sciences, yet like other Pages, we are now and then let into our Ladies Secrets. I am

From Mother Gour

don's, at Hedington

near Oxon, June 18.

Your most affectionate
Kinfman,

Benjamin Beadleftaff,

From my own Apartment, July 22.

I am got hither safe, but never spent Time with fo little Satisfaction as this Evening; for you must know, I was five Hours with three merry and two honeft Fellows. The former fang Catches; and the latter even died with laughing at the Noife they made. Well, (fays Tom Bellfrey) you Scholars, Mr. Bickerftaff, are the worst Company in the World. Ay, (fays his Oppofite) You are dull to night; prithee be merry. With that

I huzza'd, and took a jump cross the Table, then came clever upon my Legs, and fell a Laughing. Let Mr. Bickerstaff alone (fays one of the boneft Fellows) when he's in a good Humour, he's as good Company as any Man in England. He had no fooner fpoke, but I fnatch'd his Hat off his Head, and clap'd it upon my own, and burst out a Laughing again; upon which we all fell a Laughing for Half an Hour. One of the boneft Fellows got behind me in the Interim, and hit me a found Slap on the Back; upon which he got the Laugh out of my Hands, and it was fuch a Twang on my Shoulders, that I confefs he was much merrier than I. I was half angry; but refolv'd to keep up the good Humour

Humour of the Company; and after hollowing as loud as I could poffibly, I drank off a Bumper of Claret, that made me ftare again. Nay, (fays one of the honeft Fellows) Mr. Ifaac is in the Right, there is no Conversation in this; What fignifies jumping, or hitting one another on the Back? Let's drink about. We did fo from Seven of the Clock till Eleven; and now I am come hither, and after the Manner of the wife Pythagoras, begin to reflect upon the Paffages of the Day. I remember nothing but that I am bruised to Death; and as it is my way to write down all the good Things I have heard in the laft Converfation to furnish my Paper, I can from this only tell you my Sufferings and my Bangs.

I named Pythagoras juft now, and I proteft to you, as he believed Men after Death entered into other Species, I am now and then tempted to think other Animals enter into Men, and could name feveral on two Legs, that never discover any Sentiments above what is common with the Species of a lower Kind; as we fee in these bodily Wits whom I was with to-night, whofe Parts confift in Strength and Activity; but their boisterous Mirth gives me great Impatience for the Return of fuch Happiness as I enjoyed in a Conversation laft Week. Among others infthat Company we had Florio, who never interrupted any Man living when he was speaking; or ever ceafed to fpeak, but others lamented that he had done. His Difcourfe ever arifes from the Fulness of the Matter before him, and not from Oftentation or Triumph of his Understanding; for though he feldom delivers, what he need fear being repeated, he speaks without having that End in view; and his Forbearance of Calumny or Bit-terness is owing rather to his Good-nature than his Difcretion; for which Reason he is esteemed a Gentleman perfectly qualified for Conversation, in whom a general Good-will to Mankind takes off the Neceffity of Caution and Circumfpection.

WE had at the fame Time that Evening the best fort of Companion that can be, a Good-natured old Man. This Perfon meets, in the Company of young. Men, Veneration for his Benevolence, and is not only yalued for the good Qualities of which he is Mafter, but

M S

reaps

reaps an Acceptance from the Pardon he gives to other Mens Faults: And the ingenuous Sort of Men with whom he converses, have fo juft a Regard for him, that he rather is an Example, than a Check to their Behaviour. For this Reason, as Senecio never pretends to be a Man of Pleasure before Youth, fo young Men never fet up for Wisdom before Senecio; so that you never meet, where he is, thofe Monsters of Conversation, who are grave or gay above their Years. He never converses but with Followers of Nature and good Senfe, where all that is uttered is only the Effect of a communicable Temper, and not of Emulation to excel their Companions; all Defire of Superiority being a Contradiction to that Spirit which makes a juft Conversation, the very Effence of which is mutual Good-will. it is, that I take it for a Rule, that the natural, and not the acquired Man, is the Companion. Learning, Wit, Gallantry and Good Breeding, are all but fubordinate Qualities in Society, and are of no Value, but as they are fubfervient to Benevolence, and tend to a certain Manner of being or appearing equal to the reft of the Company; for Converfation is compofed of an Affembly of Men, as they are Men, and not as they are diftinguished by Fortune: Therefore he who brings his Quality with him into Conversation, fhould always pay the Reckoning; for he came to receive Homage, and not to meet his Friends.But the Din about.

Hence

my Ears from the Clamour of the People I was with this Evening, has carried me beyond my intended Purpofe, which was to explain upon the Order of Merry: Fellows; but I think I may pronounce of them, as I heard good Senecio, with a Spice of the Wit of the last Age, fay, viz. That a merry Fellow is the faddeft FelA in the World.

Non bene conveniunt, nec in una Sede morantur,
Majeftas & Amor.

Majefty and Love refide not well in the fame Place.

N° 46:

Tuesday, July 26, 1709.

White's Chocolate-house, July 25.

WE E fee every Day Volumes written against that

Tyrant of human Life called Love, and yet there is no Help found against his Cruelties, or Barrier against the Inroads he is pleased to make into the Mind of Man. After this Preface, you will expect I am going to give particular Inftances of what I have afferted.. That Expectation cannot be raised too high for the No velty of the History, and Manner of Life, of the Emperor Aurengezebe, who has refided for fome Years in the Cities of London and Westminster, with the Air and Mien indeed of his Imperial Quality, but the Equipage and Appointment only of a private Gentleman. This Potentate, for a long Series of Time appeared from the Hour of Twelve till that of Two at a Coffee-house near the 'Change, and had a Seat (tho' without a Canopy) facred to himself, where he gave diurnal Audiences concerning Commerce, Politicks, Tare and Tret, Ufury and Abatement, with all Things neceffary for helping the Diftreffed, who are willing to give one Limb for the better Maintenance of the reft; or fuch joyous Youths, whofe Philofophy is confined to the prefent Hour, and were defirous to call in the Revenue of the next Half-Year to double the Enjoyment of this. Long did this growing Monarch employ himself after this Manner: And as Alliances are neceffary to all great Kingdoms, he took particularly the Interefts of Lewis the Fourteenth into his Care and Protection. When all Mankind were attacking that unhappy Monarch, and thofe who had neither Valour-or Wit to oppose against

him, would be ftill fhewing their impotent Malice, by laying Wagers in Oppofition to his Interefts; Aurengezebe ever took the Part of his Contemporary, and laid immenfe Treasures on his Side in Defence of his important Magazine of Toulon. Aurengexebe also had all this while a conftant Intelligence with India; and his Letters were answered in Jewels, which he foon made brilliant, and caufed to be affixed to his Imperial Caftor, which he always wears cock'd in front, to shew his Defiance; with an Heap of Imperial Snuff in the Middle of his ample Vifage, to fhew his Sagacity. The Zealots, for this little Spot called Great Britain, fell univerfally into this Emperor's Policies, and paid Homage to his fuperior Genius, in forfeiting their Coffers to his Treafury.

BUT Wealth and Wisdom are Poffeffions too folemn not to give Weariness to active Minds, without the Relief (in vacant Hours) of Wit and Love, which are the proper Amusements of the Powerful and the Wife: This Emperor therefore, with great Regularity, every Day at Five in the Afternoon leaves his Money-Changers, his Publicans, and little Hoarders of Wealth to their low Purfuits, and afcends his Chariot to drive to Will's; where the Tafte is refined, and a relish given to Mens Poffeffions, by a Polite skill in gratifying their Paffions and Appetites. There it is that the Emperor has learned to live and to love, and not, like a Mifer, to gaze only on his Ingots or his Treasures; but with a nobler Satisfaction to live theAdmiration of others, for his Splendor and Happiness in being Master of them. But a Prince is no more to be his own Caterer in his Love, than in his Food; therefore Aurengexebe has ever in waiting two Purveyors for his Dishes, and his Wenches for his retired Hours, by whom the Scene of his Diverfion is prepared in the following Manner :

THERE is near Covent Garden a Street known by the Name of Drury, which before the Days of Chrifianity, was purchafed by the Queen of Paphos, and is the only Part of Great Britain where the Tenure of Vaflalage is fill in Being. All that long Course of Building is under particular Diftricts or Ladyfhips, after the Manner of Lordships in other Parts, over which Matrons of known Abilities prefide, and have,

for