with confidering dedications in no very common light. By obferving what qualities our writers think it will be moft pleafing to others to compliment them with, one may form fome judgment which are moft fo to themfelves; and, in confequence, what fort of people they are. Without this view, one can read very few dedications but will give us caufe to wonder, either how fuch things came to be faid at all, or how they were faid to fuch perfons. I have known an hero complimented upon the decent majefty and itate he affumed after victory, and a nobleman of a different character applauded for his condefcenfion to inferiors. This would have feemed very ftrange to me, but that I happened to know the authors. He who made the firft compliment was a lofty gentleman, whofe air and gait difcovered when he had publifhed a new book; and the other tippled every night with the fellows who laboured at the prefs, while his own writings were working off. It is obfervable of the female poets and ladies dedicatory, that here (as elfewhere) they far exceed us in any strain or rant. As beauty is the thing that fex are piqued upon, they speak of it generally in a more elevated ftyle than is ufed by the men. They adore in the fame manner as they would be adored. So when the authorefs of a famous modern romance begs a young nobleman's permiflion to pay him her kneeling adorations, I am far from cenfuring the expreffion, as fome critics would do, as deficient in grammar or fenfe; but I reflect, that adorations paid in that pofture are what a lady might expect herself, and my wonder immediately ceafes. Thefe, when they flatter moft, do but as they would be done unto: for as none are fo much concerned at being injured by calumnies, as they who are readieft to caft them upon their neighbours; fo it is certain none are fo guilty of flattery to others, as those who most ardently desire it themfelves. What led me into thefe thoughts, was a dedication I happened upon this morning. The reader muft understand that I treat the least inftances or remains of ingenuity with refpect, in what places foever found, or under whatever circumstances of disadvantage. From this love to letters I have been fo happy in my fearches after knowledge, that I have found unvalued repofitories of learning in the lining of band-boxes. I look upoft thefe pafteboard edifices, adorned with the fragments of the ingenious, with the fame veneration as antiquaries upon ruined buildings, whofe walls preferve divers infcriptions and names, which are no where elfe to be found in the world. This morning, when ore of LadyLizard's daughters was looking over fome hoods and ribbands, brought by her tire-woman, with great care and diligence, I employed no lefs in examining the box which contained them; it was lined with certain fcenes of a tragedy, written (as appeared by part of the title there extant) by one of the fair-fex. What was moft legible was the dedication; which, by reafon of the largenefs of the characters, was leaft defaced by those Gothick ornaments of flourifies and foliage, wherewith the compilers of thefe fort of ftructures do often induftriously obfcure the works of the learned. As much of it as I could read with any ease, I fhall communicate to the reader, as follows: Though it is a kind of profanation to approach your grace with fo poor an offering, yet when I reflect how acceptable a sacrifice of first-fruits was to Heaven, in the earliest and pureft ages of religion, that they were ho noured with folemn feafts, and confecrated to altars by a divine com'mand, * * * upon that confideration, as an argument of particular zeal, I • dedicate It is impoffible to behold you without adoring; yet dazzled and awed by the glory that furrounds you, men feel a facred power, that re fines their flames, and renders them pure as thofe we ought to offer to the Deity. *The thrine is worthy the divinity that inhabits it. In your grace we fee what woman was before the fell, how nearly allied to the purity and perfection of angels. And WE ADORE AND BLESS THE GLORIOUS WORK!' Undoubtedly thefe, and other periods of this most pious dedication, could not but convince the dutchess of what the eloquent authorefs affures her at the end, that he was her fervant with most ardent devotion. I think this a pattern of a new fort of style, not yet taken notice of by the critics, which is above the fublime, and may be called the Celestial; that is, when the most facred phrafes appropriated to the honour of the Deity are applied to a mortal of good quality. As As I am naturally emulous, I cannot but endeavour, in imitation of this lady, to be the inventor, or, at leaft, the firft producer, of a new kind of dedication, very different from her's and moft others, fince it has not a word but what the author religiously thinks in it. It may ferve for almost any book, either profe or verfe, that has, is, or fhall be publifhed, and might run in this manner. THE AUTHOR TO HIMSELF. MOST HONOURED SIR, THESE labours, upon many confiderations, fo properly belong to none as to you: first, as it was your most earneft defire alone that could prevail upon me to make them public; then as I am fecure (from that conftant indulgence you have ever shewn to all which is mine) that no man will fo readily take them into protection, or so zealously defend them. Moreover, there is none can fo foon difcover the beauties; and there are fome parts which, it is poffible, few befides yourself are capable of understanding. Sir, the honour, affection, and value, I have for you, are beyond expreffion; as great, I am fure, or greater, than any Dearest Sir, your affectionate friend, N° V. TUESDAY, MARCH 17. LAUDANTUR SIMILI PROLE PUERPERA. HOR. OD. v. 1. 4. v. 23. THE MOTHER'S VIRTUES IN THE DAUGHTERS SHINE. Have in my fecond paper mentioned by the friend of my youth; and given the reader to understand, that my obligations to it are fuch as might well naturalize me into the interefts of it. They have, indeed, had their deferved effect; and if it were poffible for a man who has never entered into the state of marriage to know the instincts of a kind father to an honourable and numerous house, I may fay I have done it. I do not know but my regards, in fome confiderations, have been more ufeful than thofe of a father; and as I wanted all that tenderness, which is the bias of in clination in men towards their own offfpring, I have had a greater command of reafon when I was to judge of what Concerned my wards, and confequently was not prompted, by my partiality and fondnefs towards their perfons, to tranf, grefs against their interefts. As the female part of a family is the more constant and immediate object of care and protection, and the more liable to misfortune or difhonour, as being in themfelves more fenfible of the former, and from custom and opinion for let's offences more expofed to the latter; I fhall begin with the more delicate part of my guardianship, the women of the family of Lizard. The ancient and reli gious lady, the dowager of my friend Sir Ambrofe, has for fome time estranged herself from converfation, and admits only of the vifits of her own family. The obfervation, that old people remem ber beft thofe things which entered into their thoughts when their memories were in their full ftrength and vigour, is very remarkably exemplified in this good lady and myfelf when we are in converfations I chufe indeed to go thither, to divert any anxiety or weariness, which at any time I find grow upon me from any prefent bufinefs or care. It is faid, that little mirth and diverfion are what re C cleate create the fpirits upon thofe occafions; but there is a kind of forrow from which I draw a confolation that strengthens my faculties and enlarges my mind beyond any thing that can flow from merriment. When we meet, we foon get over any occurrence which paffed the day before, and are in a moment hurried back to thofe days which only we call good ones: the paffages of the times when we were in fashion, with the countenances, behaviour, and jollity, fo much, forfooth, above what any appear in now, are prefent to our imaginations, and almoft to our very eyes. This converfation revives to us the memory of a friend, that was more than my brother to me; of a husband, that was dearer than life to her: difcourfes about that dear and worthy man generally fend her to her closet, and me to the dispatch of fome neceffary bufinefs, which regards the remains, I would fay the numerous defcendants, of my generous friend. I am got, I know not how, out of what I was going to fay of this lady; which was, that he is far gone towards a better world; and I mention her (only with refpect to this) as he is the object of veneration to thofe who are derived from her; whofe behaviour towards her may be an example to others, and make the generality of young people apprehend, that when the ancient are past all offices of life, it is then the young are to exert themselves in their most laudable duties towards them. The widow of Sir Marmaduke is to be confidered in a very different view. My lady is not in the fhining bloom of life, but at thofe years wherein the gratifications of an ample fortune, thofe of pomp and equipage, of being much cfteemed, much vifited, and generally admired, are ufually more ftrongly purfued than in younger days: in this condition fhe might very well add the pleafures of courtship, and the grateful perfecution of being followed by a crowd of lovers; but she is an excellent mother and great economist; which confiderations, joined with the pleature of living her own way, preferve her against the intrusion of love. I will not fay that my lady has not a ferret vanity in being ftill a fine woman, and neglecting thofe addreffes to which, perhaps, we in part owe her conftancy in that fier neglect. Her daughter Janc, her eldest child of that fex, is in the twenty-third year of her age, a lady who forms herself after the pattern of her mother; but in my judgment, as the happens to be extremely like her, the fometimes makes her court unfkilfully, in affecting that likenefs in her very mien, which gives the mother an uneafy fenfe, that Mrs. Jane really is what her parent has a mind to continue to be: but it is poffible I am too obferving in this particular, and this might be overlooked in them both, in refpect to greater circumftances; for Mrs. Jane is the right-hand of her mother; it is her ftudy and conftant endeavour to affiit her in the management of her houfhold, to keep all idle whispers from her, and difcourage them before they can come at her from any other hand; to enforce every thing that makes for the merit of her brothers and fifters towards her, as well as the diligence and chearfulness of her fervants. It is by Mrs. Jane's management, that the whole family is governed, neither by love nor fear, but a certain reverence which is compofed of both. Mrs. Jane is what one would call a perfect good young woman; but neither ftrict piety, diligence in domeftic affairs, or any other avocation, have preferved her against love, which the bears to a young gentleman of great expectation but fmall fortunes at the fame time, that men of very great eftates afk her of her mother. My lady tells her, that prudence must give way to paffion; fo that Mrs. Jane, if I cannot accommodate the matter, muft conquer more than one paffion, and out of prudence banifh the man the loves, and marry the man the hates. The next daughter is Mrs. Annabella, who has a very lively wit, a great deal of good fenfe, is very pretty, but gives me much trouble for her, from a certain difhoneft cunning I know in her; the can feem blind and carelefs, and full of herfelf only, and entertain with twenty affected vanities, whilft fhe is obferving all the company, laying up ftore for ridicule; and, in a word, is felfifh, and interested under all the agreeable quali tics in the world. Alas! what shall { do with this girl? Mrs. Cornelia paffes away her time very much in reading, and that with fo great an attention, that it gives her the air of a ftudent, and has an ill effect upon her, as the is a fine young woman: the giddy part of the fex will have it the is in love; none will allow that the affects fo much being alone, but for want of particular company. I have railed at romances before her, for fear of her falling into thofe deep ftudies: the has fallen in with my humour that way for the time; but I know not how, my imprudent prohibition has, it feems, only excited her curiofity; and I am afraid the is better read than I know of, for the faid of a glass of water, in which the was going to wash her hands after dinner, dipping her fingers with a pretty lovely air It is cryftalline. I hall examine further, and wait for clearer proofs. Mrs. Betty is (I cannot by what means or methods imagine) grown mightily acquainted with what paffes in the town; the knows all that matter of my lord fuch-a-one's leading my lady fuch-aone out from the play; the is prodigioufly acquainted, all of a fudden, with the world; and asked her fifter Jane the other day in an argument- Dear fifter, how hould you know any thing, that hear nothing but what we do in our own 'family?' I do not much like her maid. Mrs. Mary, the youngest daughter, whom they railly and call Mrs. Ironfide, because I have named her the Sparkler, is the very quinteffence of good-nature and generofity; the is the perfect picture of her grandfather; and if one can imagine all good qualities which adorn humin life become feminine, the feeds, nay, the bloffom of them, are apparent in Mrs. Mary. It is a weakness I can not get over, (for how ridiculous is a regard to the bodily perfections of a man who is dead) but I cannot relift my partiality to this child, for being fo like her grandfather: how often have I turned from her, to hide the melting of my heart when the has been talking to me! I am fure the child has no fkill in it, for artifice could not dwell under that vifage; but if I am abfent a day from the family, he is fure to be at my lodging the next morning to know what is the matter. At the head of thefe children, who have very plentiful fortunes, provided, they marry with mine and their mother's confent, is my Lady Lizard; who, your cannot doubt, is very well vifited. Sir William Oger, and his fon almoft at age, are frequently at our house on a double confideration. The knight is willing (for fo he very gallantly expreffes himself) to marry the mother, or he will confent, whether that be fo or not, that his fon Oliver fhall take any one of the daughters Noll likes beft. Mr. Rigburt of the fame county, who gives in his eftate much larger, and his family more ancient, offers to deal with us for two daughters. Sir Harry Pandolf has writ word from his feat in the country, that he alfo is much inclined to an alliance with the Lizards, which he has declared in the following letter to my lady; the fhewed it me this morning. MADAM, Have heard your daughters very well fpoken of: and though I have very great offers in my own neighbourhood, and heard the fmall-pox is very rife at London, I will fend my eldeft fon to fee them, provided that by your ladyfhip's anfwer, and your liking of the rent-roll which I fend herewith, your ladyfhip affures me he fhall have one of them, for I do not think to have my fon refused by any woman; and fo, Madam, I conclude, Your most humble fervant, HENRY PANDOLF. I fear I cannot dispatch the account of NO VI. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18. Have dispatched my young women, Itis neceffary for the elucidation of my future difcourfes, which I defire may be denominated, as they are the precepts of a Guardian, Mr. Ironfide's Precautions: I fay it is, after what has been already declared, in the next place neceffary to give an account of the males of this worthy family, whofe annals I am writing. The affairs of women being chiefly domeftic, and not made up of fo many ircumftances as the duties of men are, as I did the explanation which regarded my women. Sir Harry Lizard, of the county of Northampton, fon and heir of the late Sir Marmaduke, is now entered upon the twenty-fixth year of his age, and is now at his feat in the country. The eftate at prefent in his hands is above three thoufand a year after payment of taxes, and all neceffary charges whatfoever. He is a man of good un Cz derstanding, derstanding, but not at all what is ufually called a man of thining parts. His virtues are much greater than his accomplishments, as to his converfation. But when you come to confider his conduct with relation to his manners and fortune, it would be a very great injury not to allow him a very fine gentleman. It has been carefully provided in his education, that he should be very ready at calculations. This gives hima quick, alarm inwardly upon all undertakings and in a much shorter time than is ufual with men who are not verfed in bufinefs, he is master of the question before him, and can inftantly inform himfelf with great exactnefs in the matter of profit or fofs that shall arife from any thing propofed to him. The fame capacity, joined to an honeft nature, makes him very just to other men, as well as to himfelf. His payments are very punc tual; and I dare anfwer he never did, or ever will, undertake any piece of build. ing, or any ornamental improvement of his houfe, garden, park, or lands, before the money is in his own pocket, where with he is to pay for fuch undertaking. He is too good to purchafe labourers or artificers (as by this means he certainly could) at an under rate; but he has by this means what I think he deferves from his fuperior prudence, the choice of all who are moft knowing and able to ferve him. With his ready-money the builder, mafon, and carpenter, are enabled to make their market of gentlemen in his neighbourhood, who inconfiderately employ them; and often pay their undertakers by fale of fome of their land: whereas, were the lands on which those improvements are made, fold to the artificers, the buildings would be rated as lumber in the purchafe. Sir Harry has for ever a year's income, to extend his charity, ferve his pleasures, or regale his friends. His fervants, his cattle, his goods, fpeak their mafter a rich man. Thofe about his perfon, as his bailiff, of his chamber, and his butgroom ler, have a chearful, not a gay air; the fervants below them feem to live in plenty, but not in wantonnefs. As Sir Henry is a young man, and of an active difpofition, his beft figure is on horfeback. But before I fpeak of that, I fhould acquaint you, that during his infancy all the young gentlemen of the neighbourhood were welcome to a part of the house, which was called the fchool, the where, at the charge of the family, there was a grammar mafter, a plain fober man, maintained (with a falary, befides his diet, of fifty pounds a year) to inftruct all fuch children of gentlemen, or lower people, as would partake of his education. As they grew up, they were allowed to ride out with him upon his horfes. There were always ten or twelve for the faddle in readiness to attend him and his favourites; in the choice of whom he fhewed a good difpofition, and diftributed his kindness among them, by turns, with great good-nature. All horfes, both for the faddle and fwift draught, were very well bitted, and a fkilful rider, with a riding-houfe, where 'he (the riding-mafter) commanded, had it in orders to teach any gentleman's fon of the county that would please to learn that exercife. We found our account in this proceeding, as well in real profit, as in efteem and power in the country; for as the whole fhire is now poffeffed by gentlemen, who owe Sir Harry a part of education, which they all value themselves upon, (their horfemanfhip) they prefer his horfes to all others, and it is 10 per cent. in the price of a fteed, which appears to come out of his riding-house. By this means it is that Sir Harry, as I was going to fay, makes the best figure on horfeback, for his usual hours of being in the field are well known; and at thofe feafons the neighbouring gentlemen, his friends and schoolfellows, take a pleasure in giving him their com pany, with their fervants well behaved, and horfes well commanded. I cannot enough applaud Sir Harry for a particular care in his horfes. He not only bitts all which are ridden, but alfo all which are for the coach or swift draught; for grace adds mightily to the price of strength; and he finds his accounts in it at all markets, more especially for the coach or troop horfes, of which that county produces the most ftrong and oftentatious. To keep up a breed for any ufe whatever, he gives plates for the belt performing horfe in every way in which that animal can be ferviceable. There is fuch a prize for him that trots beft, fuch for the best walker, fuch for the best galloper, fuch for the best pacer; then for him who draws most in such a time to fuch a place; then to him that carries beft fuch a load on his back. He delights in this, and has an admirable fancy |