incurfions of the enemy, and laying a bridge over the Rhine. Several veffels laden with corn are daily paffing before Frankfort for the Lower Rhine.

Letters from Poland inform us, that a detachment of Mufcovite cavalry, under the command of general Infland, had joined the confederate army; and the infantry, commanded by general Goltz, was expected to come up with in few days. Thefe fuccours will amount to

twenty thoufand men.

Our laft advices from the Hague, dated June the fourth, N. S. fay, that they expected a courier from the French court, with a ratification of the preliminaries, that night or the day following. His grace the duke of Marlborough will fet out for Bruffels on Wednesday or Thurfday next, if the difpatches which are expected from Paris do not alter his refolutions. Letters froin Majorca confirm the honourable capitulation of the caftle of Alicant, and alfo the death of the governor, major-general Richards, colonel Sibourg, and major Vignolles, who were all buried in the ruins of that place by the springing of the great mine, which did, it feems, more execution than was reported. Monfieur Torcy paffed through Mons in his return, and had there a long conference with the elector of Bavaria; after which, that prince fpoke publicly of the treatment he had received from France, with the atmost indignation.

Any perfon that fhall come publicly abroad in a fantaftical habit, contrary to the prefent mode and fashion, except don Diego Difmallo, or any other out of poverty, fhall have his name and drefs inferted in our

next.

'N. B. Mr. How'd'yecall is defired to leave off those buttons.'

NO. 22. TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1709.

White's Chocolate-house, May 28.

6

I CAME hither this evening to fee fashions, and who fhould I first encounter, but my old friend Cynthio, (encompaffed by a crowd of young fellows) dictating on the paffion of love with the gayeft air imaginable. Well,' fays he, as to what I know of the matter, there is nothing but ogling with fkill carries a woman; but indeed it is not every fool that is capable of this art; you will find twenty can speak elequently, fifty that can fight manfully, and a thousand that can drefs genteely at a mistress, where there is one that can gaze fkilfully. This requires an exquifite judgment, to take the language of her eyes to yours exactly, and not let yours talk too faft for hers; as at a play between the acts, when beau Frisk. ftands upon a bench full in Lindamira's face, and her dear eyes are fearching round to avoid that flaring open fool; the meets the watchful glance of her true lover, and fees his heart attentive on her charms, and waiting for a fecond twinkle of her eye for its next motion.' Here the good company fneered; but he goes on. Nor is this attendance a flavery, when a man meets with encourage ment, and her eye comes often in his way: for, after an evening fo spent, and the repetition of four or five fignificant looks at him, the happy man goes home to his lodging, full of ten thoufand pleafing images: his brain is dilated, and gives him all the ideas and profpects which it ever lets into its feat of pleasure. Thrus a kind look from Lindamira revives in his imagination all the beauteous lawns, green fields, woods, forefts, rivers, and foli-) tudes, which he had ever before seen in picture, defcription, or real life: and all with this addition, that he now fees them with the eyes of an happy lover, as before only with thofe of a common man. You laugh, gentlemen, but confider yourfelves, (you common people that were never in love) and compare yourselves in good humour

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with

with yourfelves out of humour, and you will then acknowledge, that all external objects affect you according to the difpofitions you are in to receive their impreffions, and not as those objects are in their own nature. How

much more shall all that paffes within his view and obfervation, touch with delight a man who is prepoffeffed with fuccessful love, which is an affemblage of foft affection, gay defires, and hopeful refolutions?'

Poor Cynthio went on at this rate to the crowd about him, without any purpose in his talk, but to vent an heart overflowing with fenfe of fuccefs. I wondered

what could exalt him from the distress, in which he had long appeared, to fo much alacrity. But my familiar has given me the state of his affairs. It feems then, that lately coming out of the playhouse, his mistress, who knows he is in her livery, as the manner of infolent beauties is, is refolved to keep him ftill fo, and gave him fo much wages as to complain to him of the crowd fhe was to pass through. He had his wits and refolution enough about him to take her hand, and fay, he would attend her to the coach. All the way thither my good young man ftammered at every word, and ftumbled at every step. His miftrefs, wonderfully pleafed with her triumph, put to him a thoufand queftions, to make a man of his natural wit fpeak with hefitation; and let drop her fan, to fee him recover it awkwardly. This is the whole foundation of Cynthio's recovery to the sprightly air he appears with at present.

I grew mighty curious to know fomething more of that lady's affairs, as being amazed how fhe could dally with an offer of one of his merit and fortune. 1. fent Pacolet to her lodgings, who immediately brought me back the following letter to her friend and confident Amanda in the country, wherein fhe has opened her heart and all its folds.

DEAR AMANDA,

THE town grows fo empty, that you muft expect my letter fo too, except you will allow me to

talk

talk of myself inftead of others: you cannot imagine what pain it is, after a whole day spent in public, to want your company, and the eafe which friendship allows in being vain to each other, and fpeaking all our minds. An account of the flaughter which thefe unhappy eyes have made within ten days laft paft, would make me appear too great a tyrant to be allowed in a christian country. I fhall therefore confine myfelf to my principal conquefts, which are the hearts of beau Frifk and Jack Freeland, befides Cynthio, who, you know, wore my fetters before you went out of town. Shall I tell you my weakness? I begin to love Frifk: it is the beft humoured impertinent thing in the world: he is always too in waiting, and will certainly carry me off one time or other. Freeland's father and mine have been upon treaty without confulting me; and Cynthio has been eternally watching my eyes, without approaching me, my friends, my maid, or any one about me: he hopes to get me, I believe, as they fay the rattlefnake does the fquirrel, by staring at me until I drop into his mouth. Freeland demands me for a jointure, which he thinks deferves me; Cythio thinks nothing high enough to be my value: Freeland therefore will take it for no obligation to have me; and Cynthio's idea of me is what will vanith by knowing me better. Familiarity will equally turn the veneration of the one and the indifference of the other, into contempt. I will ftick therefore to my old maxim, to have that fort of man, who can have no greater views, than what are in my power to give him poffeffion of. The utmoft of my dear Frifk's ambition is, to be thought a man of fashion; and therefore has been fo much in mode, as to refolve upon me, because the whole town likes me. Thus I choose rather a man who loves me because others do, than one who approves me on his own judgment. He that judges for himself in love will often change his opinion; but he that follows the fenfe of others must be conftant, as long as a woman can make advances. The vifits I make, the entertainments give, and the addreffes I receive, will be all arguments for me with a man of Frifk's fecond-hand

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genius;

genius; but would be fo many bars to my happiness with any other man. However, fince Frifk can wait, I fhall enjoy a fummer or two longer, and remain a fingle woman, in the fublime pleasure of being followed and admired; which nothing can equal, except that of being beloved by you.

I am, &c.'

Will's Coffee-houfe, May 30.

My chief business here this evening was to speak to my friends in behalf of honeft Cave Underhill, who has been a comic for three generations: my father admired him extremely when he was a boy. There is certainly nature excellently reprefented in his manner of action; in which he ever avoided that general fault in players, of doing too much. It must be confeffed, he has not the merit of fome ingenious perfons now on the ftage, of adding to his authors; for the actors were fo dull in the laft age, that many of them have gone out of the world, without having ever spoke one word of their own in the theatre. Poor Cave is fo mortified, that he quibbles and tells you, he pretends only to act a part fit for a man who has one foot in the grave, viz. a grave-digger. All admirers of true comedy, it is hoped, will have the gratitude to be prefent on the laft day of his acting, who, if he does not happen to please them, will have it even then to say, that it is his firft offence.

But there is a gentleman here, who fays he has it from good hands, that there is actually a fubfcription 'made by many perfons of wit and quality, for the encouragement of new comedies. This defign will very much contribute to the improvement and diverfion of the town: but as every man is most concerned for himself, I, who am of a faturnine and melancholy complexion, cannot but murmur, that there is not an equal invitation to write tragedies; having by me, in my book of common places, enough to enable me to finish a very fad one by the fifth of the next month. I have the farewell of a general, with a truncheon in his hand, dying

for