at the corner of an alley-I smelt the creature presently, and catched at him, but he got off with the loss of a lock of hair only, which proved of a dark colour. This and the teeth above-mentioned I have by me, and design them both for a present to Button's coffee-house.

• Besides this way of dealing with them, I have invented many curious traps, snares, and artificial baits, which, it is humbly conceived, cannot fail of clearing the kingdom of the whole species in a short time.

This is humbly submitted to your honour's consideration ; and I am ready to appear before your honour, to answer to such questions as you, in your great wisdom, shall think meet to ask, whenever you please to command,

"Your Honour's most obedient

Midsummer-day.

' humble servant,

'HERCULES CRABTREE 5.

'N. B. I have an excellent nose.'

Tom's coffee-house, in " SIR, Cornhill, June 19, 1713. 'READING in your yesterday's paper a letter from Daniel Button, in recommendation of his coffee-house for polite conversation and freedom from the argument by the Button ", I make bold to send you this to assure you, that at this place there is as yet kept up as good a decorum in the debates of politics, trade, stocks, &c. as at Will's, or at any other coffeehouse at your end of the town. In order therefore to preserve this house from the arbitrary way of forcing an assent, by seizing on the collar, neckcloth, or any other part of the body, or dress, it would be of 6 See N° 85.

5 See N° 84.

signal service if you would be pleased to intimate, that we, who frequent this place after Exchange-time, shall have the honour of seeing you here sometimes; for that would be a sufficient guard to us from all such petty practices, and also be a means of enabling the honest man, who keeps the house, to continue to serve us with the best bohea and green tea, and coffee, and will in a particular manner oblige,

6 SIR,

"Your humble servant,

• JAMES DIAPER.'

་ P. S. The room above stairs is the handsomest in this part of the town, furnished with large pier glasses for persons to view themselves in, who have no business with any body else, and every way fit for the reception of fine gentlemen.'

" SIR,

I AM a very great scholar, wear a fair wig, and have an immense number of books curiously bound and gilt. I excel in a singularity of diction and manners, and visit persons of the first quality. In fine, I have by me a great quantity of cockle-shells, which however does not defend me from the insults of another learned man, who neglects me in a most insupportable manner: for I have it from persons of undoubted veracity, that he presumed once to pass by my door without waiting upon me. Whether this be consistent with the respect which we learned men ought to have for each other, I leave to your judgment, and

am,

'SIR,

Your affectionate friend,

7 See Tat. 216, and 221.

'PHILAUTUS".'

Oxford, June 18,

1713.

་ FRIEND NESTOR, 'I HAD always a great value for thee, and have so still: but I must tell thee, that thou strangely affectest to be sage and solid: now pr'ythee let me observe to thee, that though it be common enough for people as they grow older to grow graver, yet it is not so common to become wiser. Verily, to me thou seemest to keep strange company, and, with a positive sufficiency incident to old age, to follow too much thine own inventions. Thou dependest too much likewise upon thy correspondence here, and art apt to take people's words without consideration. But my present business with thee is to expostulate with thee about a late paper occasioned as thou sayest, by Jack Lizard's information (my very good friend), that we are to have a Public Act.

'Now I say, in that paper there is nothing contended for which any man of common-sense will deny; all that is there said, is that no man or woman's reputation ought to be blasted, i. e. nobody ought to have an ill character, who does not deserve it. Very true; but here's this false consequence insinuated, that therefore nobody ought to hear of their faults; or in other words, let any body do as much ill as he pleases, he ought not to be told of it. Art thou a patriot, Mr. Ironside, and wilt thou affirm, that arbitrary proceedings and oppressions ought to be concealed, or justified? Art thou a gentleman, and would'st thou have base, sordid, ignoble tricks connived at, or tolerated? Art thou .a scholar, and would'st thou have learning and good-manners discouraged? Would'st thou have cringing servility, parasitical shuffling, fawning, and dishonest compli

* See N° 72.

ances, made the road to success? Art thou a Christian, and would'st thou have all villanies within the law practised with impunity? Should they not be told of it? It is certain, there are many things which though there are no laws against them, yet ought not to be done; and in such cases there is no argument so likely to hinder their being done, as the fear of public shame for doing them. The two great reasons against an Act are always, the saving of money, and hiding of roguery.

"Here many things are omitted which will be in the speech of the Terræfilius."

And now, dear Old Iron, I am glad to hear that at these years thou hast gallantry enough left to have thoughts of setting up for a knight-errant, a tamer of monsters, and a defender of distrest damsels.

Adieu, old fellow, and let me give thee this advice at parting. E'en get thyself case-hardened 9; for though the very best steel may snap, yet old iron you know will rust.

'Be just, and publish this.'

· UMBRA.'

MR. IRONSIDE, Oxford, Sat. 27, 1713. "THIS day arrived the vanguard of the theatrical army. Your friend, Mr. George Powel, commanded the artillery both celestial and terrestrial. The magazines of snow, lightning, and thunder, are safely laid up 10. We have had no disaster on the way, but that of breaking Cupid's bow by a jolt of the waggon: but they tell us they make them very well in Oxford. We

9 Case-hardening of iron is a superficial conversion of that metal into steel: the observation is a pun upon Steele's name. See the last paragraph of No 102.

10 See an inventory of the playhouse in Tat. No 42.

all went in a body, and were shown your chambers in Lincoln college. The Terræfilius expects you down, and we of the theatre design to bring you into town with all our guards. Those of Alexander the Great, Julius Cæsar, and the faithful retinue of Cato, shall meet you at Shotover. The ghost of Hamlet, and the statue which supped with Don John, both say, that though it be at noon-day, they will attend your entry. Every body expects you with great impatience. We shall be in very good order when all are come down. We have sent to town for a brick-wall which we forgot. The sea is to come by water.

"Your most humble servant,

' and faithful correspondent,
'THE PROMPTER.'

STEELE.

N° 96. WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1713.

Cuncti adsint, meritæque expectent præmia palmæ.

VIRG. Æn. v. 70.

Let all be present at the games prepar'd;
And joyful victors wait the just reward.
DRYDEN.

THERE is no maxin in politics more indisputable, than that a nation should have many honours in reserve for those who do national services. <This raises emulation, cherishes public merit, and inspires every one with an ambition which promotes the good of his country. The less expensive these honours are to the public, the more still do they turn to its advantage.