on it for a debt due to the crown; A dower, either by the common but this privilege, being found great-law, or fpecial cuftom of the place, ly to, diminish the public revenue, was frequently confidered by the was at last difcontinued at this contracting parties as too great or day, however, the dower of a wi- too little; the prefent times have dow cannot be feized by the creditors hardly left any thing to run in that of her husband; for it would be un- channel, the parties thinking it bet just that she should not be entitled to ter to ftipulate and agree between an equivalent of her fortune, or a themselves on a specific quantity of recompenfe for her labour and care, land or money, which is, previous to as well as the creditors to payment the marriage, fettled upon the wife of their money. Besides the dotal by way of jointure, and which efright to a life-rent of one-third of fectually takes away all her right to her husband's real estate, which is any dower. The jointure, thus lecommonly allowed by law, where gally fettled, is ftill more inviolable the custom of the manor or place to the wife than her dower; it candoes not determine it otherwife, not be touched by the creditors of, when a husband lends money in the the husband, and though a dower be name of himself and his wife, if forfeited by the hufband being guilty the wife furvive him, and there be of high-treafon, a jointure is not. enough befides this money to pay Every jointure must be made to the his lawful debts, the wife is en- wife, for the term of her own natitled to it. No 'widow can be tural life; if made for the life of anendowed out of copyhold lands, other perfon, it is not legal, and unless by the local custom of the the may refuse it, and claim her manor, nor can fhe have any caftle, dower in its ftead, as fhe is confider.. 'or place of defence, as her dower; ed as having confented to it, while for the is confidered as incapable of in a free and independent state; but, managing it, fo as to make it answer if the jointure was made after the the purposes for which it was in- marriage, fhe may refuse it, and tended. have a right to a dower, as the is then confidered as having been obliged to give her confent by the impulfe and coercion of her husband. If a husband fettle upon his wife a jointure that fhall be of a certain yearly value, and it falls fhort of it, The may commit wafte, fo far as to make up her deficiency, though prohibited from fo doing in the deed of fettlement; for it is but justice that the widow. fhould have to the In the city of London, province of York, and in Scotland, the effects of him who dies inteftate are generally divided according to the ancient doctrine of giving every one a reasonable fhare. If the deceased leaves a widow and children, the widow is first allowed the furniture of her bed chamber and wearingapparel; then all the rest is divided in the following proportions: if the deceased left a widow and two chil-full extent of what was intended her dren, the widow fhall have eight parts, (fix by the custom, and two by law) and each of the children five (three by the custom and two by law). If he leaves a widow and one child, each fhall have one half; if he leaves a widow and no child, the widow fhall have three fourths of the whole, and the remaining fourth fhall go to the next generation. by her husband. The widow muft have a right to enter upon her jointure immediately upon the death of her husband; and if any fubfequent period is fixed for it, fhe may claim her dower in preference. In fome parts of England there remains still a Saxon custom, called Borough-English, by which the youngest, inflead of the eldest fon fuc Efay on Society, &c. fucceeds to the estate of his father; and the widow, as guardian for that fon, has the whole eftate for life. By the custom of thofe laws called Gavel-kind, the widow has no join ture, but fucceeds to one half of the lands of her deceased husband, and holds them fo long as the remains chafte and unmarried. Before the time of William the Conqueror, when a widow married within the year, the forfeited the dower, or jointure; but that custom long fince fell into difufe, and at prefent the law does not prefcribe any time in which the shall not re-marry; cuftom, however, fixes a kind of ftigma upon fuch as take fecond hufbands, before they have dedicated a decent time to grief and mourning. SHORT ESSAY ON SOCIETY, AN is fo habituated to live in 87 In confidering the infinite variety of characters mankind poffefs, we are led to obferve, that thofe characters are fo equally mixed in all places, that each tafle is provided for with no trouble, and at no expence. A village has all the ingredients of a metropolis, though each lefs in quantity; and a metropolis is a compofition from every part of the universe. We obferve too how natural it is for families to select their particular acquaintances, and form a little circle of "friends," more from fomething fimilar in dis. pofition than from the connections of trade or the ties of blood. It is not uncommon for a lady, who is afked-" do you know fuch a perfon?" to answer-" No, he (or fhe) is not upon my lift,"-and thofe families who are not defirous of a very extenfive acquaintance, keep fo clofely within themfelves, as to resist the intrusion of a new perfon, or stranger, however agreeable they may be. A lady the other day M fociety, that external things faid to me," I have received an in in general conftitute his principal vitation to vifit Mrs., but I happiness. In a populous nation en- could not think of accepting it."joying the bleffings of peace, folitude"No! Surely you used to say she as a matter of neceffity, is unknown; was a moft agreeable woman.' it is, therefore, unprovided for, and "True, but I am unwilling to inwe commonly live as if always to live creafe the number of my acquainttogether, and always be fupported ance, as I have already fully as in body and mind by mutual inter- many as I can vifit or be vifited by, changes of kindness. And this love confiftently with our plan of life." of fociety is fo natural to us, that we are averfe to admit even the plea of a man who tells us that he fhuns fociety on purpose to fhun its vices : fuch a man will be branded with cowardic by the majority; few or none wil allow him the merit of virtue :-"we cannot," fays a learned writer," be greatly virtuous, unless we can be greatly vicious," and he, unquestionably, who refifts the criminal importunity, who baffles the attempts of his enemies, and who conquers "the fin that befets him" is the Chriftian hero, and the true philofopher. To this I could make no answer, and had only to approve the judgment that directed this lady rather to a felect than a general acquaintance. For I am perfuaded that the real pleasure of fociety may be found in the former, the tumultuous hurry of compliment only in the latter. But of felect focieties it is wonderful to confider how various the characters are, and how variously eftimated. I have often considered a circle of acquaintances or friends, as a fort of government of the aristocratic kind; the married couples are the leaders; the unmarried and the young young are the fubjects. Priority of merit gives diftinction, and wealth is looked up to in a small parlour or drawing-room with as much regard as at the levee of a minifter. Some excel in one accomplishment, which brings them forward in this miniature life, and fome in another. As to those who have no diftinguishing character, and yet are not dif agreeable, they are generally your MIGHTY GOOD KIND OF PEOPLE, whom every body refpects, but whom nobody admires or envies. They are very very harmless- -no one fears from them a fiart repartee, or the "retort courteous," and they do well if by this nothingnefs of character they escape being (like Sir John Falstaff) "the caufe that there is it in other men." In all focieties fome must rule, and fome obey.-In all polite focieties we are under the control and government of the ladies. - And thefe we diftinguish as having more or lefs power over us, or as com. manding more or less respect. But we yet exclude "the mighty good kind of people," from any dominion over us; we owe no fealty to them; we respect them because they are mighty good; but, in order to be feared or beloved, they must be mighty clever, fmart, lively, and contribute largely to the entertainment of their company. A "mighy good kind of wo man" may efcape unnoticed in a company of wits from her unobtru five manners, but a wit among a company of "mighty good k nd of · women, "would foon find herself in a very aukward fituation. Her wit would avail her nothing because it would not be understood-her re partees would be ufelefs, because he would have nobody to answer ; and in fpite of the vivacity, neatnefs, and point of a Congreve, fhe would be obliged to defcend to a profe difcuffion on the art of making plum-pudding without fuct, or putting an old trimming on a new petticoat-and perhaps, to add farther to her mortification, and remove her at a more awful distance from wit and humour, fhe would be com pelled to defcant upon the weather, and deplore the failure of the wheat in one place, and the want of froft in another. But is the WIT without any refource in this cafe? Muft fhe die unrevenged for fuch a humdrum evening as this? Can fhe compenfate in no way for this constraint on her talents? YES-Fertile are her refources, and glorious her revenge in store-for fhe goes next night into a company of wits, a jury of her peers: there fhe recapitulates the bufinefs of the preceding night, and with the addition of fome imaginary touches, and fome well-executed mimickry, fhe fets the table in a roar at the expence of her tormentors.— She plays with her fan like one of them; twifts her apron-ftring like another; looks prim and ftarched, like a third; blows upon her tea like a fourth; takes ideal fnuff from an imaginary box, like a fifth-and at last concludes wish hobbling across the room like Mrs. Deborah Hipgout--adding, however, that they are "mighty good kind of people,' only one would not wish to be often in their company." 66 The "mighty good kind of people" are fometimes honoured by another appellation; "as good a kind of perfon, Ma'am, as you would wish to fee," but the character is the fame; and equally hoftile to the lively, the loquacious, and the sprightly, who cannot bear to glide down the fiream of life like motionless bodies from a wreck, but must dafh about, and raife a little tempest around them. The refult of all these remarks is, however, that we are rather too much difpofed to place our happiness in externals, and to expect that from the fociety which ought only, and Сад Domeftic Leffons for the Ufe of Female Readers. 89 can only be found in the individual. | The very firft day, fo fplendid and The excellence of moral character, piquant an entertainment was exhithe fuperiority of genius, the folidity bited, that Gertrude was quite in of the understanding, are too often raptures: the praised every dish in fecondary confiderations in the choice the warmest terms, and ate fo voraof our acquaintances, while the pof- ciously of all the faw upon the table, feffion of accomplishments which are that they were struck with astonishat beft but amufing, and the talents ment, and none more than the inwhich perhaps may be dangerous is a tended bridegroom, who really befure recommendation. "Mighty good gan to apprehend he would be quite kind of people" are feldom objects of fick in confequence of being furfeitcontempt; to a confiderate minded:-fhe went through the dinner they never can be fo; they may have qualities that are useful and folid, though not shining and attractive. In them we may find friendship, if not quit, and they may repay us with the kindest confolations of affection at a time when we are not fufceptible of the pleasures of fociety. Domeftic Leffons for the Ufe of the younger Part of the FEMALE READERS of the LADY'S MAGAZINE. The LITTLE EPICURE. with very little uneafinefs, and that uneafinefs fhe did all in her power to conceal, and then jumped into the garden, where it was proposed to take tea and coffee. At the bottom of this garden there was a pleasant meadow in which three fine cows were kept, from which a fyllabub was ordered. Poor Gertrude, in whose way fuch a temptation had never fallen before, drank repeated glaffes of it, and spooned up the delicious froth in fuch quan tities, that her lover, equally furprifed and alarmed, ventured to remonftrate, and begged her to for-. bear taking any more left it fhould injure her health; but he would not be reafoned out her luxurious appetite, declaring that he had nelover her mother then talk- ver tafted any thing fo very pleafant ed to her very ferioufly, and told in her life. This, with the large her how happy it was to be the choice fhare of an elegant fupper, quite fiof a worthy and amiable man, add. nifhed her. As foon as the ladies, ing, that she had no fear of her lofing who attended her to her apartments the heart she had gained, if he could for the night, had taken leave of get the better of that paffion for in-her, fhe gave pretty fufficient proofs dulging her appetite in fo greedy a of her having done more than `nɛceffary honour to their entertainment. M (Continued from p. 24.) R. Seward was an accepted manner. Gertrude fimiled, and promised When Gertrude retired to her every thing; but fomething hap- chamber, Mr. Seward's mother took pened towards the conclufion of the notice, addreffing herself to her fon, courtship, indeed a few days before but in a mild manner, of mifs Sothe wedding, which almoft put a mers's behaviour; telling him that ftop to the nuptial proceedings. The fhe feared fhe would injure her health ladies of Mr. Seward's family infift- by partaking fo freely of the pleaed upon his intended wife's fpending fures of the table-but, poffibly, a few days with them at a charming added fhe, after a paufe, imagining villa which they had on the banks that her fon was hurt by her reof the Thames; which was at length marks, he may have been too much agreed to by Mr. and Mrs. Somers.reftrained by her parents; and fome VOL. XXI. N restric reftrictions are attended with very bad confequences, though occafioned by the best defigns, as they make young people indulge themfelves more than they ought, and in a manner not confiftent with a proper attention to delicacy and health, when they find themfelves at liberty to act as they like. agreeable object in his eyes; and, Gertrude blufhed at the word glutton, but foon confoled herfelf by imputing her mother's language to a ftrong way of fpeaking. She determined, however, to be more circumfpect in her mother's prefence, especially as the fhould foon be out of the reach of her controul. Seward was filent; he had obferved with concern the variety, the quantity of viands which Gertrude had devoured, and in a flyle of eating perfectly voracious; but, as he had gone fo far, he could not think of breaking off a treaty fo nearly concluded upon fuch an cccafion; and, as he knew he was good-na tured and very young, he hoped, and believed he wou'd be eafily prevailed upon to be more moderate,On the wedding-day, therefore, and flattered himfeif that if the truly loved him, as he really believed the did, he could perfuade her to any thing. The next morning fhe looked pale and ill, and as fhe knew that the alteration in her countenance could not be concealed, fhe confeffed that she had been unwell, and that he was fubject to fits of indigeftion. The best way to cure them, my dear miss Somers," faid Mrs. ward, will be to eat but little of innocent and light food, and to drink chiefly water, acidulated with lemon, orange, &c." which was celebrated at her father's house with great eclat, fhe was rather more guarded, eating and drinking with a moderation which induced her parents to hope that he had altered her conduct at the table, in confequence of their admonitions and reproofs. She also, on her first leaving home, being very much engaged with her own, and by her hulband's relations, kept her proSe-penfity to good living from appearing in colours fufficiently glaring to make them be noticed too much: but when he was alone with Mr. Seward, the indulged herself in every thing which he liked, and contriv ed to have plenty at table of what was mot agreeable to her tafte.However, as fhe now could order what the chofe, fhe was not tempted to eat enough to disorder her at particular times, though, in general, her health was confiderably injured by her mode of living. Her perfon was fpoilt-her manners were rendered fluggish and difagreeable. Gertrude received her advice as fhe always did the admonitions of her parents, with a fimile; but when her own mother saw her return fo ill as her ftomach and head were very much difoidered-fhe began to fear that he had been guilty of excefs, and told her, in the kindeft and gentleft manner, that "if the continued to indulge her appetite, fhe would not only injure her health, but entirely difquft her husband, No man," added he, "can be pleafed to find his wife an picure, as the must not only prove very expenfive to him, but render herfelf a dif Mr. Seward, at his first fetting out in the marriage-ftate, was fond of his young wife, and, therefore, did not pay much attention to her continued relifh for good-living: but, |