fame grave with her's; and that a monument fhall be erected over them, and their mutual love and happiness celebrated in an epitaph, which he himfelf has compofed for that purpose.

A few years ago I received a letter from a friend, who was abroad on his travels, and fhall here communicate it to the public. It contains fuch an instance of a philofophic fpirit, as I think pretty extraordinary, and may ferve as an example, not to depart too far from the received maxims of conduct and behaviour, by a refined fearch after happiness or perfection. The story I have been fince affured of as matter of fact.

Sir,

Paris, Aug. 2, 1737.

I know you are more curious of accounts of men than of buildings, and are more defirous of being informed of private history than of public transactions; for which reafon I thought the following flory, which is the common topic of converfation in this city, would be no unacceptable entertainment to you.

A young lady of birth and fortune, being left entirely at her own difpofal, perfifted long in a refolution of leading a fingle life, notwithstanding feveral advantageous offers that had been made to her. She had been determined to embrace this refolution, by obferving the many unhappy mar

riages among her acquaintances, and by hearing the complaints which her female friends made of the tyranny, inconftancy, jealoufy, or indifference of their husbands. Being a woman of strong fpirit and an uncommon way of thinking, fhe found no difficulty either in forming or maintaining this refolution, and could not suspect herself of such weaknefs, as ever to be induced, by any temptation to depart from it. She had, however, entertained a ftrong defire of having a fon, whofe education fhe was refolved to make the principal concern of her life, and by that means fupply the place of those other paffions, which she was refolved for ever to renounce. She pushed her philofophy to fuch an uncommon length, as to find no contradiction betwixt fuch a defire and her former refolution; and accordingly looked about with great deliberation to find among all her male acquaintance, one whofe character and person were agreeable to her, without being able to fatisfy herself on that head. length, being in the playhouse one evening, fhe fees in the parterre, a young man of a most engaging countenance and modeft deportment; and feels fuch a prepoffeffion in his favour, that she had hopes this must be the person she had long fought for in vain. She immediately dispatches a fervant to him; defiring his company at her lodgings next morning. The young man was overjoyed at the meffage, and could not command his fatisfaction, upon receiving fuch an advance from a lady of fo great beauty, reputation, and quality. He was, therefore, much difappointed, when he found a wo-.

Dd 3

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man,

man, who would allow him no freedoms; and amidst all her obliging behaviour, confined and overawed him to the bounds of rational difcourfe and converfation. She feemed, however, willing to commence a friendship with him; and told him, that his company would always be acceptable to her, whenever he had a leifure hour to beftow, He needed not much entreaty to renew his visits, being fo ftruck with her wit and beauty, that he must have been unhappy had he been debarred her company. Every converfation ferved only the more to inflame his paffion, and gave him more occafion to admire her perfon and understanding, as well as to rejoice in his own good fortune. He was not, however, without anxiety, when he con, fidered the difproportion of their birth and for, tune; nor was his uneafinefs allayed, even when he reflected on the extraordinary manner in which their acquaintance had commenced. Our philofo phical heroine, in the mean time, difcovered, that her lover's perfonal qualities did not belye his phyfiognomy; fo that judging there was no occafion for any farther trial, fhe takes a proper opportunity of communicating to him her whole intention. Their intercourfe continued for fome time, till at laft her wishes were crowned, and fhe was now mother of a boy, who was to be the object of her future care and concern. Gladly would fhe have continued her friendship with the father; but finding him too paffionate a lover to remain within the bounds of friendship, fhe was obliged to put a vio Jence upon herself. She fends him a letter, in

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which she had inclofed a bond of annuity for a thousand crowns; defiring him, at the fame time, never to see her more, and to forget, if poffible, all past favours and familiarities. He was thunderftruck at receiving this meffage; and having tried, in vain, all the arts that might win upon the refolution of a woman, refolved at last to attack her by her foible. He commences a law fuit against her before the parliament of Paris; and claims his fon, whom he pretends a right to educate as he pleafed, according to the ufual maxims of the law in fuch cafes. She pleads, on the other hand, their exprefs agreement before their commerce, and pretends that he had renounced all claim to any off fpring that might arife from their embraces. It is not yet known, how the parliament will determine in this extraordinary cafe, which puzzles all the lawyers, as much as it does the philofophers. As foon as they come to any iffue, I fhall inform you of it, and fhall embrace any opportunity of fub. scribing myself, as I do at present,

man, who would allow him no freedoms; and amidst all her obliging behaviour, confined and overawed him to the bounds of rational difcourfe and converfation. She feemed, however, willing to commence a friendship with him; and told him, that his company would always be acceptable to her, whenever he had a leisure hour to bestow, He needed not much entreaty to renew his vifits, being fo ftruck with her wit and beauty, that he must have been unhappy had he been debarred her company. Every converfation ferved only the more to inflame his paffion, and gave him more occafion to admire her perfon and understanding, as well as to rejoice in his own good fortune. He was not, however, without anxiety, when he con, fidered the disproportion of their birth and for, tune; nor was his uneafinefs allayed, even when he reflected on the extraordinary manner in which their acquaintance had commenced. Our philofo phical heroine, in the mean time, difcovered, that her lover's perfonal qualities did not belye his phyfiognomy; fo that judging there was no occafion for any farther trial, fhe takes a proper opportunity of communicating to him her whole intention. Their intercourfe continued for fome time, till at laft her wishes were crowned, and fhe was now mother of a boy, who was to be the object of her future care and concern. Gladly would fhe have continued her friendship with the father; but finding him too paffionate a lover to remain within the bounds of friendship, fhe was obliged to put a vioJence upon herself. She fends him a letter, in