membrance days long past, and the juvenile fociety of thofe who are now no more, is an awful operation of the human mind; and, while it fpeaks loudly the truth of St Paul's obfervation, that" the fashion of this world "paffeth away," imperceptibly leads to a train of thinking that might here be out of place, though it is neither unpleafing nor unfuitable to the character of a rational being, who hath been taught and accustomed to confider himfelf as an immortal part of the creation.

N° 95.

SATURDAY, April 4. 1780

To the AUTHOR of the MIRROR.

SIR,

S you have, by feveral of your publica

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tions, given proof that you do not think the occurrences of domeftic life unworthy your attention, I fhall, without further preface, addrefs you on a subject full as deferving of it as any yet offered to your confideration. It is now above four years fince I became the wife of a gentleman, my equal in rank and fortune; and, what was more material, of a difpofition and turn of mind every way fuitable to mine. His eftate lies at a confiderable diftance from the capital; but, as it is fituated in an agreeable neighbourhood, and as we have both a taste for reading, and Mr B. is not averfe to rural employments, we spent our time as happily as poffible, till about half a year ago, that my ill ftars directed me to renew my acquaintance with a young lady, who had been my companion at school, and

who

who now came on a vifit to a relation who lived at no great diftance from our house.

Before I proceed in my ftory, I must beg a candid confideration of it. From the introduction to the difagreeable part of it, you will be apt to imagine that I am one of those selftormentors justly ridiculed by the ingenious author of the Jealous Wife. No fuch thing, Mr MIRROR: my husband's attention to other women never gave me the slightest uneafinefs. Convinced of his attachment, fatisfied with his treatment of me, I never expected him to be blind to the charms of a beautiful woman, or infenfible of the merit of an agréeable one; nor had I the mistaken policy of many wives, of never fuffering a tolerable female to enter my doors, or of courting the intimacy of fome tall elderly maiden, that I might gain by the comparifon. No, Sir! I depended wholly upon my unremitting attention to please Mr B. for the continuance of his attachment. Nor can I in the least reproach myfelf with giving caufe for the abatement I too plainly perceive in it.

But to return to my ftory. I was much pleafed at feeing my old fchool-fellow: We had been parted many years, and I found the

wild lively romp improved into an elegant woman. She still, however, retained a good deal of the heedlefs manner that marked her childish days; and, though she has an excellent understanding, fhe never feemed to make use of it in the regulation of her conduct or behaviour. She expreffed herfelf much pleafed at finding me fo happily fettled: Mr B. appeared to her a moft amiable man, and my children (particularly my little Befs) fhe faid were angels. Her attention to them, I own, endeared her to me very much; though, indeed, Mr MIRROR, no one can help loving them, for they are charming children. Her good-humoured playful ways made the little creatures doat on her. At my return from walking, I have frequently found her on her knees on the floor, building card-houses for their entertainment. Mr B. has obferved to me, on thofe occafions, how amiable it was in a young admired woman, who had spent her life in the ufual round of folly and diffipation, to preferve fuch natural and right feelings. He generally concluded his obfervations with faying, that he believed he would make a most excellent wife. I, for a long time, agreed with him in opinion, and ufed to tell VOL. III.

her

her before his face, the fine things Mr B. faid of her. She received them in a rattling goodhumoured way, infifting that her conduct in the married state would depend on her huf band's; for the declared that she did not find in herself that exalted turn of mind to love virtue for its own fake, and fhe believed fhe would make but an indifferent wife to half the men in the world. Such converfation generally produced an argument between her and Mr B. which, as it was carried on with fpirit and temper, had no other effect than making them ftill more pleased with one another. If the found the argument growing ferious, he would call over the children, and, putting them on their father's knee, defire them to kifs him into good humour, which never failed having the effect; or, if fhe faid a flippant thing to him, with which he feemed half offended, fhe used to take his hand, and smile fo fweetly in his face, it was impoffible for him to continue displeased with her; and, generally, a kifs and a game of billiards fealed their reconciliation. I own to you, I began not to relish her behaviour; yet it feemed fo unpremeditated, and fo perfectly correfponding with her general character, that