Univerfity, instead of employing their leifure Hours in the Purfuit of fuch Acquifitions as would fhorten their way to a better Fortune, enjoy thofe Moments at certain Houses in the Town, or repair to others at very pretty diftances out of it, where they drink and forget their Poverty, and remember their Mifery no more. Perfons of this Indigent Education are apt to pafs upon themselves and others for Modeft, especially in the Point of Behaviour; though 'tis cafie to prove, that this mistaken Modefty not only arifes from Ignorance, but begets the Appearance of its Oppofite, Pride. For he that is confcious of his own Infufficiency to addrefs his Superiors without appearing Ridiculous, is by that betrayed into the fame Neglect and Indifference towards them, which may bear the Conftruction of Pride. From this Habit they begin to argue against the bafe fubmiffive Application from Men of Letters to Men of Fortune, and to be grieved when they fee, as Ben. Johnson fays, The Learned Pate Duck to the Golden Fool though thefe are Points of Neceffity and Convenience, and to be eftemed Submiffions rather to the Occafion than to the Perfon. It was a fine Anfwer of Diogenes, who being ask'd in Mockery, why Philofophers were the Followers of Rich Men, and not Rich Men of Philofophers, replied, Because the one knew what they had need of, and the other did not. It certainly must be difficult to prove, that a Man of Business, or a Profeffion, ought not to be what we call a Gentleman, but yet very few of them are fo. Upon this Account they have little Converfation with those who might do them moft Service, but upon fuch occafions only as Application is made, to them in their particular Calling; and for any thing they can do or fay in fuch Matters have their Reward, and therefore rather receive than confer an Obligation: Whereas he that adds his being agreeable to his being ferviceable, is conftantly in a Capacity of obliging others. The Character of a Beau is, I think, what the Men that pretend to Learning please themselves in Ridiculing; and yet if we compare thefe Perfons as we fee them in Publick, we N° 5. fhall find that the Letter'd Coxcombs without good Breeding give more juft occafion to Raillery, than the Unletter'd Coxcombs with it. As our Behaviour falls within the Judgment of more Perfons than our Converfation,. and a Failure therefore more vifible. What pleasant Victories over the Loud, the. Sawcy, and the Illiterate, would attend the Men of Learning and Breeding, which Qualifications could we but join would beget fuch a Confidence, as, arifing from good Senfe and good Nature, would ne ver let us opprefs others; or defert our felves. In fhort, whether a Man intends a Life of Business or Pleasure, 'tis impotfible to purfue either in an elegant manner, with out the help of Good Breeding. I fhall conclude with the Face at leaft of a Regular Difcourfe; and fay, If 'tis our Behaviour and Address upon all common Occafions that Prejudice People in our Favour or to our Disadvantage, and the more Subftantial Parts, as our Learning and Induftry, can't poffibly appear but to few; it is not juftifiable to fpend fo much Time in that which fo very few - are Judges of, and utterly neglect that which falls within the Cenfure of fo many. N° 95. Tuesday, June 30. Aliena negotia centum. Hor. Find Bufinefs encrease upon me very much, as will ap-ð pear by the following Letters. SIR, Oxford, June 24, 1713. 'TH HIS Day Mr. Oliver Purville, Gent. Property Man to the Theatre-Royal in the room of Mr. William Peer Deceased, arrived here in Widow Bartlett's Waggon. He is an humble Member of the Little Club, and a Paffionate Man, which makes him tell the Di "fafters which he met with on his Road hither, a little too incoherently to be rightly understood. By what I can gather from him, that within three Miles of this ⚫ fide • fide Wickham the Party was set upon by Highway-Men. Mr. Purville was Supercargo to the great Hamper, in 'which were the following Goods. The Chains of Jafeir ' and Pierre, the Crowns and Scepters of the Pofterity of · Banquo; the Bull, Bear and Horfe of Captain Otter; 'Bones, Skulls, Pickaxes and a Bottle of Brandy, and five • Muskets; fourfcore Pieces of Stock-Gold, and thirty 'Pieces of Tin-Silver hid in a Green Purfe within a Skull. Thefe the Robbers, by being put up fafe, fuppofed to 'be true, and rid off with, not forgetting to take Mr. • Purville's own Current Coin. They broke the Armour of Jacomo, which was cafed up in the fame Hamper, and one of them put on the faid Jacomo's Mask to efcape. They also did feveral Extravagancies with no other purpose but to do Mischief; they broke a Mace for the Lord-Mayor of London. They alfo deftroyed the World, the Sun and Moon, which lay loose in the Waggon. Mrs. Bartlett is frightned out of her Wits, for Purville fays he has her Servant's Receipt for the • World, and expects fhe fhall make it good. Purville is refolved to take no Lodgings in Town, but makes behind the Scenes a Bed-chamber of the Hamper: His Bed is that in which Desdemona is to die, and he uses the Sheet (in which Mr. Johnson is tied up in a Comedy) for his own Bed of Nights. It is to be hoped the Great ones will confider Mr. Purville's Lofs. One of the Robbers has fent, by a Country Fellow, the Stock-Gold, and had the Impudence to write the following Letter to Mr. Purville. SIR, "IF you had been an honeft Man, you would not have put “bad Mony upon Men who ventured their Lives for it. But we fhall fee you when you come back. Philip Scowrer. THERE are many things in this Matter, which employs the ableft Men here, as whether an Action will lie for the World among People who make the most of Words; or whether it be adviseable to call that round VOL. II. D • Ball Ball the World, and if we do not call it fo, whether we can have any Remedy? The ableft Lawyer here fays there is no help, for if you call it the World, it will be anfwered how could the World be in one Shire, to wit, that of Buckingham, for the County must be named, and if you do not Name it we fhall certainly be Nonfuited. I do not know whether I make my felf underfood; but you understand me right when you believe I am, Honoured SI R. Your most humble Servant, VOUR Character of Guardian makes it not only neceffary, but becoming to have feveral employ'd under you. And being my felf ambitious of your Ser vice, I am now your humble Petitioner to be admitted into a Place I don't find yet difpofed of. I mean that of your Lion-Catcher. It was, Sir, for want of 'fuch Commiffion from your Honour, very many Lions have lately escap'd. However I made bold to diftinguith a Couple. One I found in a Coffee House He was of the larger fort, look'd fierce, and roar'd loud." confidered wherein he was dangerous; and according ly exprefs'd my Difpleafure againft him in fuch a Man ner upon his Chaps, that now he is not able to fhew his Teeth. The other was a fmall Lion, who was flipping by me as I ftood at the Corner of an Alley imelt the Creature prefently, and catch'd at him, but & he got off with the Lofs of a Lock of Hair only. 'which prov'd of a dark Colour. This and the Teeth a• bovementioned I have by me, and defign them both ⚫ for a Present to Button's Coffee-house. 6 BESIDES this way of dealing with them, I have invented many curious Traps, Snares, and artificial Bairs which, it's humbly conceiv'd, cannot fail of clearing the Kingdom of the whole Species in a fhort Time. THIS is humbly submitted to your Honour's Confideration; and I am ready to appear before your Honour to answer to fuch Queftions as you, in your great Wif'dom, shall think meet to ask, whenever you please to ! command Your Honour's moft Obedient, Midfummer Day. Humble Servant, Hercules Crabtree. 4 N. B. I have an excellent Nose. Tom's Coffee-house in Cornhill, June 19, 1713. SIR, 'RE EADING in your Yesterday's Paper a Letter from · Daniel Button, in Recommendation of his Coffeehoufe for Polite Converfation, and Freedom from the Argument by the Button, I make bold to fend you this to affure you, that at this Place there is as yet kept up as good a Decorum in Debates of Politicks, Trade, Socks, c. as at Will's, or at any other Coffee-houfe at your End of the Town. In order therefore to preferve this Houfe from the Arbitrary way of forcing an Affent, by feizing on the Collar, Neckcloth or any other part of the Body or. Drefs, it would be of fignal Service if you would be pleased to intimate, that we, who frequent this Place after Exchange time, fhall have the Honour of feeing you here fometimes, for that would be a fuffi⚫cient Guard for us from all fuch petty Practices, and alfo be a Means of enabling the Honeft Man, who keeps the House, to continue to ferve us with the best Bohee, and Green Tea and Coffee, and will in a particular man⚫ner oblige, SIR, Your most humble Servant, P. S. THE Room above Stairs is the handsomest in this Part of the Town, furnished with large Peer-glaffes ' for Perfons to view themselves in, who have no Bufinefs with any Body elfe, and every Way fit for the Recep⚫tion of fine Gentlemen. |