their similies so many short episodes; to which you may add, if you please, that their metaphors are so many short similies. If the reader considers the comparisons in the first book of Milton, of the sun in an eclipse, of the sleeping leviathan, of the bees swarming about their hive, of the fairy dance, in the view wherein I have here placed them, he will easily discover the great beauties that are in each of those passages.

L

No. CCCIV. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18.

Vulnus alit venis et caeco carpitur igni..

A latent fire preys on his fev'rish veins.

VIRG.

THE circumstances of my correspondent, whose letter I now insert, are so frequent, that I cannot want compassion so much as to forbear laying it before the town. There is something so mean and inhuman in a direct Smithfield bargain for children, that if this lover carries his point, and observes the rules he pretends to follow, I do not only wish him success, but also that it may animate others to follow his example. I know not one motive relating to this life which would produce so many honourble and worthy actions as the hopes of obtaining a woman of merit; there would ten thousand ways of industry and honest ambition be pursued by young men, who believed that the persons admired had value enough for their passion to attend the event of their good fortune in all their applications, in order to make their circumstances fall in with the duties they owe to themselves, their families, and their country. All

these relations a man should think of who intends to go into the state of marriage, and expects to make it a state of pleasure and satisfaction.

MR. SPECTATOR,

I HAVE for some years indulged a passion for a young lady of age and quality suitable to my 6 own, but very much superior in fortune. It is the fashion with parents, how justly I leave you to 'judge, to make all regards give way to the article of wealth. From this one consideration it is that I • have concealed the ardent love I have for her; but I am beholden to the force of my love for many 'advantages which I reaped from it towards the better conduct of my life. A certain complacency 'to all the world, a strong desire to oblige wherever ' it lay in my power, and a circumspect behaviour in ' all my words and actions, have rendered me more 'particularly acceptable to all my friends and acquaintance. Love has had the same good effect upon my fortune; and I have increased in riches in pro'portion to my advancement in those arts which make a man agreeable and amiable. There is a certain sympathy which will tell my mistress from these circumstances, that it is I who writ this for her reading, if you will please to insert it. There ' is not a downright enmity, but a great coldness be'tween our parents; so that if either of us declared any kind sentiments for each other, her friends would be very backward to lay any obligation upon our family, and mine to receive it from her's. Under these delicate circumstances it is no easy matter to act with safety. I have no reason to fancy my mistress has any regard for me, but from a very disinterested value which I have for her.

،

If

from any hint in any future paper of your's she 'gives me the least encouragement, I doubt not but I shall surmount all other difficulties; and inspired

by so noble a motive for the care of my fortune, as 'the belief she is to be concerned in it, I will not des'pair of receiving her one day from her father's ( own hand.

'I am, SIR,

'your most obedient humble servant, 'CLYTANDER,'

TO HIS WORSHIP THE SPECTATOR.

The humble Petition of Anthony Title-Page, Stationer, in the centre of Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, SHEWETH,

THAT your petitioner and his forefathers have been sellers of books for time immemorial; "that your petitioner's ancestor, Crouchback TitlePage, was the first of that vocation in Britain; who 'keeping his station, în fair weather, at the corner of Lothbury, was, by way of eminence called the • stationer, a name which from him all succeeding 'booksellers have affected to bear; that the station ' of your petitioner and his father has been in the place of his present settlement ever since that เ square has been built that your petitioner has 'formerly had the honour of your worship's custom, and hopes you never had reason to complain of your penny-worths; that particularly he sold you. " your first Lilly's Grammar, and at the same time 'a Wit's Commonwealth, almost as good as new; ' moreover, that your first rudimental essays in spectatorship were made in your petitioner's shop, where you often practised for hours together, sometimes on his books upon the rails, sometimes on the little hieroglyphics either gilt, silvered, or 'plain, which the Egyptian woman on the other side of the shop, had wrought in ginger-bread, and sometimes on the English youth, who in sundry

' places there were exercising themselves in the traditional sports of the field.

From these considerations it is, that your petitioner is encouraged to apply himself to you, and 'to proceed humbly to acquaint your worship, that he has certain intelligence that you receive great numbers of defamatory letters designed by their authors to be published, which you throw aside and 'totally neglect your petitioner therefore prays, ' that you will please to bestow on him those refuse letters, and he hopes by printing them to get a < more plentiful provision for his family; or at the • worst, he may be allowed to sell them by the pound • weight to his good customers the pastry-cooks of • London and Westminster.

'And your petitioner shall ever pray, &c.'

TO THE SPECTATOR.

The humble Petition of Bartholomew Ladylove, of ‹ Round-Court, in the Parish of St. Martin's in the Fields, in behalf of himself and neighbours,

SHEWETH,

• THAT your petitioners have, with great indus• try and application, arrived at the most exact art of • invitation or intreaty: that by a beseeching air and ' persuasive address, they have for many years last past peaceably drawn in every tenth passenger, whether they intended or not to call at their shops, to come in and buy; and from that softness of be<haviour, have arrived among tradesmen to the gen'tle appellation of Fawners.

That there are of late set up amongst us certain persons from Monmouth-street and Long-lane, who, by the strength of their arms, and loudness of their throats, draw off the regard of all passengers

'from your said petitioners; from which violence 'they are distinguished by the name of Worriers.

That while your petitioners stand ready to re'ceive passengers with a submissive bow, and repeat with a gentle voice, " Ladies, what do you 'want? pray look in here;" the worriers reach out their arms at pistol-shot, and seize the customers at arms-length.

That while the fawners strain and relax the mus'cles of their faces in making distinction between a 'spinster in a coloured scarf and a hand-maid in a straw hat, the worriers use the same roughness to both, and prevail upon the easiness of the passengers, to the impoverishment of your petitioners.

เ

Your petitioners therefore most humbly pray, that the worriers may not be permitted to inhabit 'the politer parts of the town; and that Round-Court < may remain a receptacle for buyers of a more soft ' education.

And your petitioners, &c.'

The petition of the New-Exchange, concerning the arts of buying and selling, and particularly valuing goods by the complexion of the seller, will be considered on another occasion.

T