defcribes a wit, he always means a virtuous inan; and all his fentiments of men of genius, are fuch as fhew perfons diftinguished from the common level of mankind; such as placed happiness in the contempt of low fears, and mean gratifications: fears, which we are subject to with the vulgar; and pleasures which we have in common with beasts. With thefe illuftrious perfonages, the wifeft man was the greatest wit; and none was thought worthy of that character, unless he answered this excellent defcription of the poet :

Qui-metus omnes & inexorabile fatum
Subjecit pedibus, ftrepitumque Acherontis avari.
VIRG. Georg. ii. v. 492.

Happy the man

His mind poffeffing in a quiet ftate,
Fearlefs of fortune, and refign'd to fate.

St. James's Coffee-boufe, May 13.

DRYDEN,

WE had this morning advice, that fome English merchant fhips, convoyed by the Bristol of fifty-four guns, were met with by a part of monfieur du Gui Trouin's fquadron, who engaged the convoy. That ship defended itfelf until the English merchants got clear of the enemy; but being difabled, was herself taken. Within few hours after, my lord Durfly came up with part of his fquadron, and engaging the French, retook the Briftol (which being very much thattered, funk); and took the Glorieux, a fhip of forty-four guns, as alfo a privateer of fourteen. Before this action, his lordship had taken two French merchantmen, and had, at the dispatch of thefe advices, brought the whole fafe into Plymouth.

NO. 16. TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1709.

White's Chocolate-houfe, May 15.

SIR Thomas, of this houfe, has fhewed me fome letters from the Bath, which give accounts of what paffes among

the

the good company of that place; and allowed me to tranfcribe one of them, that feems to be writ by fome of fir Thomas's particular acquaintance, and is as follows:

• DEAR KNIGHT,

'. I DESIRE you would give my humble fervice to all our friends, which I speak of to you (out of method) in the very beginning of my epiftle, left the prefent diforders, by which this feat of gallantry and pleasure is torn to pieces, fhould make me forget it. You keep fo good company, that you know Bath is ftocked with fuch as come hither to be relieved from luxuriant health, or imaginary fickness; and confequently is always as well stowed with gallants, as invalids, who live together in a very good understanding. But the feafon is fo early, that our fine company is not yet arrived; and the warm bath, which in heathen times was dedicated to Venus, is now ufed only by fuch as really want it for health's fake. There are, however, a good many ftrangers, among whom are two ambitious ladies, who being both in the autumn of their life, take the opportunity of placing themselves at the head of fuch as we are, before the Chloe's, Clariffa's, and Paftorella's come down. One of these two is exceffively in pain, that the ugly being, called Time, will make wrinkles in fpite of the lead forehead-cloth; and therefore hides, with the gaiety of her air, the volubility of her tongue, and quickness of her motion, the injuries which it has done her. The other lady is but two years behind her in life, and dreads as much being laid afide as the former; and confequently has taken the neceffary precautions to prevent her reign over us. But he is very discreet, and wonderfully turned for ambition, being never apparently tranfported either with affection or malice. Thus, while Florimel is talking in public, and fpreading her graces in affemblies, to gain a popular dominion over our diverfions, Prudentia vifits very cunningly all the lame, the splenetic, and the fuperannuated, who have their diftinct claffes of followers and friends. Among thefe fhe has found, that fomebody has fent down printed certificates of Flori

3

mel's

mel's age, which she has read and diftributed to this un-
joyful fet of people, who were always enemies to those in
poffeffion of the good opinion of the company. This un-
provoked injury done by Prudentia was the firft occafion
of our fatal divifions here, and a declaration of war between
these rivals. Florimel has abundance of wit, which the
has lavished in decrying Prudentia, and giving defiance
to her little arts. For an inftance of her fuperior power,
fhe befpoke the play of Alexander the Great, to be acted
by the company of ftrollers, and defired us all to be there
on Thursday laft. When she spoke to me to come, As
you are, faid fhe, a lover, you will not fail the Death of
Alexander: the paffion of love is wonderfully hit-Sta-
tira! Oh that happy woman.
-to have a conqueror at
her feet--but you will be fure to be there. I, and feve-
ral others, refolved to be of her party. But fee the irre-
fiftible ftrength of that unfufpected creature, a filent wo-
man. Prudentia had counterplotted us, and had bespoke on
the fame evening the puppet fhow of The Creation of the
World. She had engaged every body to be there; and to
turn our leader into ridicule, had fecretly let them know,
that the puppet Eve was made the most like Florimel that
ever was feen. On Thursday morning the puppet-drum-
mer, Adam and Eve, and feveral others who lived before
the flood, paffed through the streets on horseback, to in-
vite us all to the paftime, and the reprefention of fuch
things as we all knew to be true; and Mr. Mayor was fo
wife, as to prefer these innocent people the puppets, who,
he faid, were to reprefent chriftians, before the wicked
players, who were to fhew Alexander, a heathen philo-·
fopher. To be fhort, this Prudentia had fo laid it, that
at ten of the clock footmen were sent to take places at the
puppet-thow, and all we of Florimel's party were to be out
of fashion, or defert her. We chose the latter. All the
world crowded to Prudentia's houfe, because it was given
out, nobody could get in. When we came to Noah's flood
in the show, Punch and his wife were introduced dancing
in the ark. An honeft plain friend of Florimel's, but a cri-
tic withal, rose up in the midft of the representation, and
made many very good exceptions to the drama itself, and
told us, that it was against all imorality, as well as rules

of

of the ftage, that Punch fhould be in jeft in the deluge, or indeed that he should appear at all. This was certainly a just remark, and I thought to fecond him; but he was hiffed by Prudentia's party: upon which, really, fir Thomas, we, who were his friends, hiffed him too. Old Mrs. Petulant defired both her daughters to mind the moral; then whispered Mrs. Mayorefs, This is very proper for young people to fee. Punch at the end of the play made madam Prudentia a compliment, and was very civil to the whole company, making bows until his buttons touched the ground. All was carried triumphantly against our party. In the mean time Florimel went to the tragedy, dressed as fine as hands could make her, in hopes to fee Prudentia pine away with envy. Inftead of that, fhe fat a full hour alone, and at laft was entertained with this whole relation from Statira, who wiped her eyes with her tragical-cut handkerchief, and lamented the ignorance of the quality. Florimel was ftung with this affront, and the next day bespoke the puppet-how. Prudentia, infolent with power, bespoke Alexander. The whole company came then to Alexander. Madam Petulant defired her daughters to mind the moral, and believe no man's fair words: For you will fee, children, faid fhe, these foldiers are never to be depended upon; they are fometimes here, fometimes there. Do not you fee, daughter Betty, colonel Clod, our next neighbour in the country, pull off his hat to you? court'fy, good child, his eftate is juft by us. Florimeĺ was now mortified down to Prudentia's humour; and Prudentia exalted into hers. This was obferved; Florimel invites us to the play a fecond time, Prudentia to the show. See the uncertainty of human affairs! the beaux, the wits, the gamefters, the prudes, the coquettes, the valetudinarians and gallants, all now wait upon Florimel. Such is the state of things at this prefent date; and if there happens any new commotions, you fhall have immediate advice from,

Bath, May 11, 1709.

Sir,

Your affectionate friend,

and fervant.'

Το

go

MADAM,

TO CASTABELLA.

I HAVE the honour of a letter from a friend of yours, relating to an incivility done to you at the opera, by one of your own fex; but I, who was an eye-witness of the accident, can testify to you, that though the pressed before you, fhe left her ends in that defign; for fhe was taken notice of for no other reason, but her endeavours to hide a finer woman than herself. But indeed, I dare not farther in this matter, than just this bare mention; for though it was taking your place of right, rather than place of precedence, yet it is fo tender a point, and on which the very life of female ambition depends, that it is of the laft confequence to meddle in it. All my hopes are from your beautiful fex; and thofe bright eyes, which are the bane of others, are my only funfhine. My writ ings are facred to you; and, I hope, I fhall always have the good fortune to live under your protection; therefore take this public opportunity to fignify to all the world, that I defign to forbear any thing that may in the leaft tend to the diminution of your intereft, reputation, or power. You will therefore forgive me, that I ftrive to conceal every wrong step made by any who have the honour to wear petticoats, and fhall at all times do what is in my power to make all mankind as much their flaves as myself. If they would confider things as they ought, there needs not much argument to convince them, that it is their fate to be obedient to you, and that your greatest rebels do only ferve with a worse grace. I am,

May 16.

Madam,

Your moft obedient and
moft humble servant,

ISAAC BICKERSTAFF'

St. James's Coffee-house, May 16.

LETTERS from the Hague, bearing date the twenty-first inftant, N. S advife, that his grace the duke of Marlborough, immediately after his arrival, fent his fecretary to VOL. I.

F

the