and passions for est and overrun as the good hapis paced by my anno farLoter's Leap, - v neck upon Spiccatur of sir Caernaraal. Wales, O must also me; but Now, there a very high Buge deal do throw swers, for do my pas th cordial a P.S. My at I have lost solutions to g Ridicule pe which is sent n the temple of Apollo a summary accomt of lover's leap, and of As there seem deviations from the wholly satisfed my rather the protec phisters, who have ing sparious works of th of precaution, caue Age The following letter was occasioned by my last Thursday's paper upon the absence of lovers, and the methods therein mentioned of making such absence supportable. < SIR, AMONG the several ways of consolation which absent lovers make use of while their souls are in that state of departure, which you say is death in love, there are some very material ones that have escaped your notice. Among these, the first and most received is a crooked shilling, which has administered great comfort to our forefathers, and is still made use of on this occasion with very good effect in most parts of her majesty's dominions. There are some, I know, who think a crown piece cut into two equal parts, and preserved by the distant lovers, is of more sovereign virtue than the former. But since opinions are divided in this particular, why may not the same person make use of both? The figure of a heart, whether cut in stone or cast in metal, whether bleeding upon an altar, stuck with darts, or held in the hand of a Cupid, has always been looked upon as talismanic in distresses of this nature. I am acquainted with many a brave fellow, who carries his mistress in the lid of his snuff-box, and by that expedient has supported himself under the absence of a whole campaign. For my own part, I have tried all these remedies, but never found so much benefit from any as from a ring, in which my mistress's hair is plaited together very artificially in a kind of true-lover's-knot. As I have received great benefit from this secret, I think myself obliged to communicate it to the public for the good of my fel low-subjects. I desire you will add this letter as an appendix to your consolations upon absence, and am Your very humble servant, T. B.' I shall conclude this paper with a letter from an university gentleman, occasioned by my last Tuesday's paper, wherein I gave some account of the great feuds which happened formerly in those learned bodies, between the modern Grecks and Trojans. 'SIR, THIS will give you to understand, that there is at present in the society whereof I am a member, a very considerable body of Trojans, who, upon a proper occasion, would not fail to declare ourselves. In the mean while we do all we can to annoy our enemies by stratagem, and are resolved by the first opportunity to attack Mr. Joshua Barnes *, whom we look upon as the Achilles of the opposite party. As for myself, I have had the reputation ever since I came from school, of being a trusty Trojan, and am resolved never to give quarter to the smallest particle of Greek, wherever I chance to meet it. It is for this reason I take it very ill of you, that you sometimes hang out Greek colours at the head of your paper, and sometimes give a word of the enemy even in the body of it. When I meet with any thing of this nature, I throw down your speculations upon the table, with that form of words which we make use of when we declare war upon an author, Græcum est, non potest legi. I give you this hint, that you may for the future abstain from any such hostilities at your peril, C. TROILUS.' *The noted Greek professor of the university of Cambridge. N° 246. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 12, 1711. Οὐκ άρα σοί γε πατὴρ ἦν ἱππότα Πηλεὺς, HOM. Iliad. xvi. 33. No amorous hero ever gave thee birth, Nor ever tender goddess brought thee forth: MR. SPECTATOR, POPE. As your paper is part of the equipage of the tea-table, I conjure you to print what I now write to you; for I have no other way to communicate what I have to say to the fair sex on the most important circumstance of life, even the care of children.' I do not understand that you profess your paper is always to consist of matters which are only to entertain the learned and polite, but that it may agree with your design to publish some which may tend to the information of mankind in general; and when it does so, you do more than writing wit and humour. Give me leave then to tell you, that of all the abuses that ever you have as yet endeavoured to reform, certainly not one wanted so much your assistance as the abuse in nursing of children. It is unmerciful to see, that a woman endowed with all the perfections and blessings of nature, can, as soon as she is delivered, turn off her innocent, tender and helpless infant, and give it up to a woman that is (ten thousand to one) neither in health nor good |