I fhall conclude this Effay with obferving that the two kinds of Hypocrify I have here spoken of, namely that of deceiving the World, and that of impofing on our felves, are touched with wonderful Beauty in the hundred thirty ninth Pfalm. The Folly of the firft kind of Hypocrify is there fet forth by Reflexions on God's Omniscience and Omniprefence, which are celebrated in as noble Strains of Poetry as any other I ever met with, either Sacred or Profane. The other kind of Hypocrify, whereby a Man deceives himself, is intimated in the two laft Verfes, where the Pfalmift addreffes himfelf to the great Searcher of Hearts in that emphatical Petition; Try me, O God, and feek the ground of my Heart; prove me, and examine my Thoughts. Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlafting.

L

N°

400. Monday, June 9.

Latet Anguis in Herba.

Virg.

T fhould, methinks, preferve Modefty and its Interefts in the World, that the Tranfgreffion of it always creates Offence; and the very Purposes of Wantonnefs are defeated by a Carriage which has in it fo much Boldness, as to intimate that Fear and Reluctance are quite extinguifh'd in an Object which would be otherwife defirable. It was faid of a Wit of the last Age,

Sidney has that prevailing gentle Art,
Which can with a refiftless Charm impart
The loofeft Wishes to the chafteft Heart;
Raife fuch a Conflict, kindle fuch a Fire,
Between declining Virtue and Defire,
That the poor vanquish'd Maid diffolves away
In Dreams all Night, in Sighs and Tears all Day.

THIS prevailing gentle Art was made up of Complaifance, Courtship, and artful Conformity to the Mo

defty

defty of a Woman's Manners. Rufticity, broad Expreffion, and forward Obtrufion, offend thofe of Education, and make the Tranfgreffors odious to all who have Merit enough to attract Regard. It is in this Tafte that the Scenary is fo beautifully ordered in the Defcription which Anthony makes, in the Dialogue between him and Dolabella of Cleopatra in her Barge.

Her Galley down the Silver Cidnos row'd;

The Tackling Silk, the Streamers wav'd with Gold;
The gentle Winds were lodg'd in purple Sails;
Her Nymphs, like Nereids, round her Couch were plac'd,
Where be, another Sea-born Venus, lay;
She lay, and lean'd her Cheek upon her Hand,
And caft a Look fo languishingly fweet,
As if, fecure of all Beholders Hearts,
Neglecting fhe could take 'em. Boys like Cupids
Stood fanning with their painted Wings the Winds
That play'd about her Face: but if the fmild,
Adarting Glory feem'd to blaze abroad,
That Men's defiring Eyes were never weary'd,
But hung upon the Object. To foft Flutes
The Silver Oars kept Time; and while they play'd,
The Hearing gave new Pleafure to the Sight,
And both to Thought

HERE the Imagination is warmed with all the Ob jects prefented, and yet there is nothing that is lufcious, or what raises any Idea more loose than that of a beautiful Woman fet off to Advantage. The like, or a more delicate and careful Spirit of Modefty, appears in the following Paffage in one of Mr. Philips's Paftorals.

Breathe foft ye Winds, ye Waters gently flow,
Shield her ye Trees, ye Flowers around her grow,
Ye Swains, I beg you, pass in Silence by,
My Love in yonder Vale afleep does lie.

DESIRE is corrected when there is a Tenderness or Admiration expreffed which partakes the Paffion. Licentious Language has fomething brutal in it, which difgraces Humanity, and leaves us in the Condition of the Savages in the Field. But it may be ask'd to what good Ufe can tend a Discourse of this Kind at all? It is

VOL. VI.

B

to

to alarm chafte Ears against fuch as have what is above called the prevailing gentle Art. Mafters of that Talent are capable of clothing their Thoughts in fo foft a Drefs, and fomething fo diftant from the fecret Purpose of their Heart, that the Imagination of the Unguarded is touched with a Fondnefs which grows too infenfibly to be refifted. Much Care and Concern for the Lady's Welfare, to feem afraid left she should be annoyed by the very Air which furrounds her, and this uttered rather with kind Looks, and expreffed by an Interjection, an Ah, or an Oh, at fome little Hazard in moving or making a Step, than in any direct Profeffion of Love, are the Methods of skilful Admirers: They are honeft Arts when their Purpofe is fuch, but infamous when mifapplied. It is certain that many a young Woman in this Town has had her Heart irrecoverably won, by Men who have not made one Advance which ties their Admirers, tho' the Females languifh with the utmost Anxiety. I have often, by way of Admonition to my Female Readers, given them Warning against agreeable Company of the other Sex, except they are well acquainted with their Characters. Women may difguife it if they think fit, and the more to do it, they may be angry at me for faying it; but I fay it is natural to them, that they have no manner of Approbation of Men, without fome Degree of Love: For this Reafon he is dangerous to be entertain'd as a Friend or Vifitant, who is capable of gaining any eminent Efteem or Obfervation, though it be never fo remote from Pretenfions as a Lover. If a Man's Heart has not the Abhorrence of any treacherous Defign, he may eafily improve Approbation into Kindness, and Kindness into Paffion. There may poffibly be no manner of Love between them in the Eyes of all their Acquaintance, no it is all Friendfhip; and yet they may be as fond as Shepherd and Shepherdefs in a Paftoral, but ftill the Nymph and the Swain may be to each other no other I warrant you, than Pylades and Orefles.

When Lucy decks with Flowers her fwelling Breaf, And on her Elbow leans, diffembling Reft, Unable to refrain my madding Mind,

Nor Sleep nor Pafiure worth my Care I find.

Once

Once Delia Лlept, on eafy Mofs reclin'd,

Her lovely Limbs half bare, and rude the Wind;
Ifmooth'd her Coats, and fiole a filent Kifs:
Condemn me, Shepherds, if I did amifs.

SUCH good Offices as thefe, and fuch friendly Thoughts and Concerns for one another, are what make up the Amity as they call it, between Man and Woman.

IT is the Permiffion of fuch Intercourfe, that makes a young Woman come to the Arms of her Husband, after the Difappointment of four or five Paflions which fhe has fucceffively had for different Men, before he is prudentially given to him for whom fhe has neither Love nor Friendship. For what fhould a poor Creature do that has loft all her Friends? There's Marinet the Agreeable, has, to my Knowledge, had a Friendship for Lord Wel ford, which had like to break her Heart; then fhe had fo great a Friendfhip for Colonel Hardy, that he could not endure any Woman elfe fhould do any thing but rail at him. Many and fatal have been Difafters between Friends who have fallen out, and thefe Refentments are more keen than ever thofe of other Men can poffibly be: But in this it happens unfortunately, that as there ought to be nothing concealed from one Friend to another, the Friends of different Sexes very often find fatal Effects from their Unanimity.

FOR my part, who ftudy to pafs Life in as much Innocence and Tranquillity as I can, I fhun the Company of agreeable Women as much as poffible; and must confefs that I have, though a tolerable good Philofopher, but a low Opinion of Platonick Love: for which Reafon I thought it neceffary to give my fair Readers a Caution againft it, having, to my great Concern, obferved the Waste of a Platonift lately fwell to a Roundness which is inconfiftent with that Philofophy.

T

N° 401. Tuesday, June 10.

In amore hæc omnia infunt vitia: Injuriæ,
Sufpiciones, Inimicitiæ, Induciæ,

Bellum, pax rurfum.

Ter.

Shall publish for the Entertainment of this Day, an odd fort of a Packet, which I have just received from one of my Female Correspondents.

Mr. SPECTATOR,

INCE you have often confefs'd that you are not difpleafed your Paper should fometimes convey the Complaints of diftreffed Lovers to each other, I am in Hopes you will favour one who gives you an ⚫ undoubted Inftance of her Reformation, and at the ⚫ fame time a convincing Proof of the happy Influence your Labours have had over the most incorrigible Part of the moft incorrigible Sex. You must know, Sir, I am one of that Species of Women, whom you have often Characteriz'd under the Name of Filts, and that I fend you thefe Lines as well to do Pub⚫lick Penance for having fo long continued in a 'known Error, as to beg Pardon of the Party offend

ed. I the rather choose this way, because it in fome measure answers the Terms on which he intimated the Breach between us might poffibly be made up, as you will fee by the Letter he fent me the next Day after I had difcarded him; which I thought fit to fend you a Copy of, that you might the better know the whole Cafe.

I muft further acquaint you, that before I Jilted him, there had been the greatest Intimacy between us for a Year and half together, during all which time I cherished his Hopes, and indulged his Flame. I leave you to guefs after this what must be his Surprise, when upon his preffing for my full Confent one Day,