them, are not we certain, alas, that fuch errors will infallibly draw on the guilty head a train of misfortunes, which ought rather to excite our pity than our mirth?

BESIDES, tho' we may be acquainted with the fault, we seldom can be fo with the circumstances by which the perfon has been, perhaps, enfnared into it, and it often happens, that while we are railing at them for it, a fecret conviction may have reached their hearts; they may judge themfelves with the fame feverity we do, and refolve to atone for their past behaviour by the greatest regularity of future conduct. How inhuman is it then to expofe fuch a one, and, it is ten to one, disappoint all their good intentions by fo doing; fince nothing is more common, than when a woman finds her reputation intirely ruined by the difcovery of one fault, she makes no fcruple to commit more, as the cannot fuffer more than she has already done! - All fenfe of fhame grows dead within her, and the thinks fhe has nothing to do but go on in defiance of the world, and despise the cenfures she had it not in her power to filence.

IN fine, there is no circumftance whatever which can justify one perfon in vilifying the character of another; and as I believe it is more often done through a certain wantonnefs of the tongue, than any propense malice in the mind, I would have every one, who find in themselves an inclination that way, to keep in memory Shakespear's reflection upon it.

Good name in man or woman,
Is the immediate jewel of their fouls:
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Who fteals my purse, steals trash : 'tis something, nothing;

'Twas mine, 'tis his; and has been slave to
thoufands.

But he that filches from me my good name,
Rebs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.

CURIOSITY is the parent of this vice; if we were not eager to pry into the affairs of others, it would be impoffible for us to know fo much of them as we do : the paffion for finding out secrets, is in reality fo predominant in moft of us, that it requires a very great fund of good fenfe and confideration, to enable us to fabdue it: yet if we remember how fevere the men are upon our fex on account of this weakness, we should not, methinks, grudge taking a little pains to fhew it is in our power to diveft ourselves of it.

WILL the knowledge of what other people do, make us wifer or happier?—Yes, fome will anfwer, we may profit by taking example by the good ceconomy of fome, and take warning by the mistakes of others, not to fall into the fame.

THIS argument might be of fome weight, indeed, were there no written examples of both for our direction; but, thank Heaven, they are numerous of the firft fort, and are to be found much easier in history, than in prefent obfervation. In an age where vice and folly fhine with fo much Juftre, the virtuous and the wife chufe to fit in the fhade rather than expofe themfeives to the influence of too warm a fun; their actions therefore must be lefs confpicuous, and confequently can ferve as a pattern but to a few; and as for others, if the moniter within our own bofom fails

to

to admonish us we are doing wrong, no examples from without will have fufficient efficacy to prevent us from falling into the very errors we condemn in others.

CURIOSITY, therefore, on this score has a very flender excuse, and they who make it but deceive themselves; nor have we any real motive for being follicitous in our enquires after things no way relating to us, but to gratify that idle vanity of reporting them, and attain the reputation of being one whom nothing can escape.

THE men too, however they may condemn it in us, are not altogether free from this foible; efpecially thofe among them who affect to be great politicians: - fome, if they happen to get a fecret, can neither eat nor fleep till they have communicated it to as many as they know; and those who pass for more wife and prudent, tho' they declare it not in words, cannot help, on any talk of the affair, giving fignificant fhrugs, nods, winks, fmiles, and a thousand indications, that they know more than they think proper to speak : how do men of this caft haunt the levees of the great, the lobby, the court of requests, think they read meanings in the looks of every face they fee there, and if they chance to hear a word en paffant, compli ment their own penetration with having difcovered wonders from a fingle sentence; then run from coffee-house to coffee-house, and with a folemn countenance whisper the imaginary fecret, from one to another quite round the room.

BUT thefe male goffips, have been fufficiently expofed already, and I fhould not have made any mention of them, but to take off fome part of the

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edge of that raillery they are so ready to treat our fex with on this occafion.

THE best way, however, is for us to give them no pretence for it; and I think nothing can be lefs difficult, if we would once seriously set about it, and reflect how much we lay ourselves open to cenfure, while we are expofing others :-how natural is it for people to return in kind an injury of this fort! and that even if they fhould be lefs fevere than we in reafon can expect, yet we are certain of incurring the character of a malicious perfon from as many as hear us.

Ir is ftrange, methinks, that this wide world, and all the various fcenes which the hand of the Creator has fo bounteously scattered through the whole, can afford no matter of converfation to an intelligent being, without having recourse to degrading the most exquifite and perfect of his works, at least of all that nature prefents us with beneath the moon, or that we are able to difcoves with mortal eyes!

THE Turks maintain that women have no fouls, and there are not wanting some among Christians who lean to that opinion: how mean is it, therefore, in us to give any room for arguments fo unworthy and difgraceful to ourselves, by behaving as if we were incapable of thought and reflection, which are indeed the effence of the foul!

THE ufe of speech was given us to communi. cate fuch things, as reafon and judgment fupply us with from the ftorehoufe of the mind, for the mutual improvement of each other: let us not then convert this noble benefit to purposes fo contrary to the intention of the giver let not the

tongue,

tongue, inftead of displaying talents not inferior to the other sex, be employed in leffening the dignity of our species by defamation and evil-fpeaking. What faults we find among ourselves, it is certainly our business to conceal and palliate as much as poffible; the men are but too quickfighted to our prejudice, and while they call us angels, are ready enough to think us of the number of the fallen ones.

BUT as I have before obferved, the number of those who through envy and malice make, or re< peat fcandalous ftories, is fmall in comparison with those who do it meerly because they find it pleases others, or for the want of any thing elfe to fay; it obliges me to return to my old argument, of the neceflity there is for us to have a little retrospect into ourselves, and never to speak, any more than to do, any thing of moment without having well deliberated on what may be the confequence.

THE flighteft afperfion, or even an ambiguous hint, thrown out before perfons who may make a cruel advantage of it, is liable to be improved into the blackeft tale, and frequently has been fo to the utter ruin both of character and fortune, the fails of ill-report are fwelled by every breath of hate, detraction, and envy; even vain furmifes help to waft the envenomed loading, till it reaches belief, where moft it will be fatal, poisoning all love, all tenderness, all respect, between the dearest friends or relations.

WHAT irreconcilable jars has fometimes one rash word occafioned !-What unhappy differences have arose, what endless jealoufies have been excited, only to gratify the spleen or inconfiderate folly

of