"No! were we join'd, even tho' it were in death, Our bodies burning in one funeral pile, The prodigy of Thebes wou'd be renew'd, And my divided flame should break from thine." The emperor of Barbary shows himself acquainted with the Roman poets as well as either of his prisoners, and answers the foregoing speech in the same classic strain:

"Serpent, I will engender poison with thee; Our offspring, like the seed of dragons' teeth, Shall issue arm'd, and fight themselves to death." 'Ovid seems to have been Muley Molock's favourite author, witness the lines that follow:

"She still inexorable, still imperious

And loud, as if, like Bacchus, born in thunder."

I shall conclude my remarks on his part with that poetical complaint of his being in love, and leave my reader to consider how prettily it would sound in the mouth of an emperor of Mo.

rocco:

"The god of love once more has shot his fires

Into my soul, and my whole heart receives him."

Muley Zeydan is as ingenious a man as his brother Muley Molock; as where he hints at the story of Castor and Pollux :

"May we ne'er meet!

For like the twins of Leda, when I mount,
He gallops down the skies"-—

As for the mufti, we will suppose that he was bred up a scholar, and not only versed in the law of Mahomet, but acquainted with all kinds of polite learning. For this reason, he is not at all surprised when Dorax calls him a Phaeton in one place, and in another tells him he is like Archimedes.

I AM very much concerned when I see young gentlemen of fortune and quality so wholly set upon pleasures and diversions, that they neglect all those improvements in wisdom and knowledge which may make them easy to themselves, and useful to the world. The greatest part of our British youth lose their figure, and grow out of fashion by that time they are five-andtwenty. As soon as the natural gayety and amiableness of the young man wears off, they have nothing left to recommend them, but lie by the rest of their lives among the lumber and refuse of the species. It sometimes happens, indeed, that for want of applying themselves in due time to the pursuits of knowledge, they take up a book in their declining years, and The mufti afterwards mentions Ximenes, grow very hopeful scholars by that time they Albornoz, and cardinal Wolsey by name. The are threescore. I must, therefore, earnestly poet seems to think he may make every person press my readers, who are in the flower of their in his play know as much as himself, and talk youth, to labour at those accomplishments which as well as he could have done on the same oc- may set off their persons when their bloom is casion. At least I believe every reader will gone, and to lay in timely provisions for managree with me, that the above-mentioned senti-hood and old age. In short, I would advise the ments, to which I might have added several others, would have been better suited to the court of Augustus, than that of Muley Molock. I grant they are beautiful in themselves, and much more so in that noble language which was peculiar to this great poet. I only observe that they are improper for the persons who make use of them. Dryden is, indeed, gene. rally wrong in his sentiments. Let any one read the dialogue between Octavia and Cleo. patra, and he will be amazed to hear a Roman lady's mouth filled with such obscene raillery. If the virtuous Octavia departs from her cha. racter, the loose Dolabella is no less inconsist ent with himself, when, all of a sudden, he drops the pagan, and talks in the sentiments of revealed religion.

"Heaven has but

Our sorrow for our sins, and then delights
To pardon erring man. Sweet mercy seems
Its darling attribute, which limits justice;
As if there were degrees in infinite:
And infinite would rather want perfection
Than punish to extent"-

youth of fifteen to be dressing up every day the man of fifty, or to consider how to make himself venerable at threescore.

Young men, who are naturally ambitious, would do well to observe how the greatest men of antiquity made it their ambition to excel all their contemporaries in knowledge. Julius Cæsar and Alexander, the most celebrated instances of human greatness, took a particular care to distinguish themselves by their skill in the arts and sciences. We have still extant several remains of the former, which justify the character given of him by the learned men of his own age. As for the latter, it is a known saying of his, 'that he was more obliged to Aristotle, who had instructed him, than to Philip, who had given him life and empire. There is a letter of his recorded by Plutarch and Aulus Gelius, which he wrote to Aristotle upon hearing that he had published those lectures he had given him in private. This letter was written in the following words, at a time when he was in the height of his Persian conquests.

• Alexander to Áristotle, greeting.

I might show several faults of the same nature in the celebrated Aureng Zebe. The impropriety of thoughts in the speeches of the You have not done well to publish your great mogul and his empress has been gene-books of Select Knowledge; for what is there

multitudes of beholders. Instead of this, I shall present my reader with the following letter from an artist, who is now taken up with this invention, and conceals his true name under that of Dedalus.

sexes like the outside of a pigeon-house. Nothing would be more frequent than to see a beau flying in at a garret window, or a gallant giving chace to his mistress, like a hawk after a lark. There would be no walking in a shady wood without springing a covey of toasts. The poor husband could not dream what was doing over his head. If he were jealous, indeed, he might clip his wife's wings, but what would this avail when there were flocks of whore-masters per. petually hovering over his house? What concern would the father of a family be in all the time his daughter was upon the wing? Every heiress must have an old woman flying at her heels. In short, the whole air would be full of this kind of gibier, as the French call it. I do allow, with my correspondent, that there would be much more business done than there is at present. However, should he apply for such a patent as he speaks of, I question not but there would be more petitions out of the city against it, than ever yet appeared against any other monopoly whatsoever. Every tradesman that cannot keep his wife a coach, could keep her a pair of wings, and there is no doubt but she would be every morning and evening taking the air with them.

MR. IRONSIDE,-Knowing that you are a great encourager of ingenuity, I think fit to acquaint you, that I have made a considerable progress in the art of flying. I flutter about my room two or three hours in a morning, and when my wings are on, can go above a hundred yards at a hop, step, and jump. I can fly already as well as a turkey.cock, and improve every day. If I proceed as I have begun, I intend to give the world a proof of my proficiency in this art. Upon the next public thanksgiving day it is my design to sit astride the dragon upon Bow steeple, from whence, after the first discharge of the Tower guns, I intend to mount into the air, fly over Fleet-street, and pitch upon the May-pole in the Strand. From thence, by a gradual de. scent, I shall make the best of my way for St. James's-park, and light upon the ground near Rosamond's-pond. This I doubt not will convince the world that I am no pretender; but before I set out, I shall desire to have a patent for making of wings, and that none shall pre- I have here only considered the ill conse sume to fly, under pain of death, with wings of quences of this invention in the influence it any other man's making. I intend to work for would have on love affairs. I have many more the court myself, and will have journeymen un-objections to make on other accounts; but these der me to furnish the rest of the nation. I like- I shall defer publishing until I see my friend wise desire that I may have the sole teaching astride the dragon. of persons of quality, in which I shall spare neither time nor pains until I have made them as expert as myself. I will fly with the women upon my back for the first fortnight. I shall appear at the next masquerade dressed up in my feathers and plumage like an Indian prince, that the quality may see how pretty they will look in their travelling habits. You know, sir, there is an unaccountable prejudice to projectors of all kinds, for which reason when I talk of practising to fly, silly people think me an owl for my pains; but, sir, you know better things. I need not enumerate to you the benefits which will accrue to the public from this invention; as how the roads of England will be saved when we travel through these new highways, and how all family accounts will be lessened in the article of coaches and horses. I need not mention posts and packet-boats, with many other conveniences of life, which will be supplied this way. In short, sir, when mankind are in possession of this art, they will be able to do more business in threescore and ten years, than they could do in a thousand by the methods now in use. I therefore recommend myself and art to your patronage, and am your most humble servant.'

I have fully considered the project of these our modern Dædalists, and am resolved so far to discourage it, as to prevent any person from flying in my time. It would fill the world with innumerable immoralities, and give such occasions for intrigues as people cannot meet with who have nothing but legs to carry them. You should have a couple of lovers make a midnight assignation upon the top of the monument, and see the cupola of St. Paul's covered with both

No. 113.]

Tuesday, July 21, 1713.
Amphora cæpit
Institui, currente rota, cur urceus exit?

Hor. Ars Poet. ver. 21.
When you begin with so much pomp and show,
Why is the end so little and so low?
Roscommon.

I LAST night received a letter from an honest citizen, who it seems is in his honey-moon. It is written by a plain man on a plain subject, but has an air of good sense and natural honesty in it, which may perhaps please the public as much as myself. I shall not therefore scruple the giving a place in my paper, which is designed for common use, and for the benefit of the poor as well as rich.

Cheapside, July 18.

'GOOD MR. IRONSIDE,-I have lately married a very pretty body, who being something younger and richer than myself, I was advised to go a wooing to her in a finer suit of clothes than ever I wore in my life; for I love to dress plain, and suitable to a man of my rank. However, I gained her heart by it. Upon the wedding day I put myself, according to custom, in another suit, fire-new, with silver buttons to it. I am so out of countenance among my neighbours upon being so fine, that I heartily wish my clothes well worn out. I fancy every body observes me as I walk the street, and long to be in my old plain gear again. Besides, forsooth, they have put me in a silk night-gown and a gaudy fool's cap,

and make me now and then stand in the window with it. I am ashamed to be dandled thus, and cannot look in the glass without blushing to see myself turned into such a pretty little master. They tell me I must appear in my wedding-suit for the first month at least; after which I am resolved to come again to my every day's clothes, for at present every day is Sunday with me. Now, in my mind, Mr. Ironside, this is the wrongest way of proceeding in the world. When a man's person is new and unaccustomed to a young body, he does not want any thing else to set him off. The novelty of the lover has more charms than a wedding-suit. I should think, therefore, that a man should keep his finery for the latter seasons of marriage, and not begin to dress until the honey-moon is over. I have observed at a lord mayor's feast that the sweet-meats do not make their appearance until people are cloyed with beef and mutton, and begin to lose their stomachs. But instead of this, we serve up delicacies to our guests, when their appetites are keen, and coarse diet when their bellies are full. As bad as I hate my silverbuttoned coat and silk night-gown, I am afraid of leaving them off, not knowing whether my wife will not repent of her marriage when she sees what a plain man she has to her husband. Pray, Mr. Ironside, write something to prepare her for it, and let me know whether you think she can ever love me in a hair button. I am, &c. 'P. S. I forgot to tell you of my white gloves, which they say too, I must wear all the first month.'

time of courtship. His natural temper and good breeding hindered him from doing any thing disagreeable, as his sincerity and frankness of behaviour made him converse with her, before marriage, in the same manner he intended to continue to do afterwards. Tom would often tell her, 'Madam, you see what a sort of man I am. If you will take me with all my faults about me, I promise to mend rather than grow, worse.' I remember Tom was once hinting his dislike of some little trifle his mistress had said or done. Upon which she asked him, how he would talk to.her after marriage, if he talked at this rate before? No, madam,' says Tom, 'I mention this now because you are at your own disposal; were you at mine I should be too generous to do it.' In short, Tom succeeded, and has ever since been better than his word. The lady has been disappointed on the right side, and has found nothing more disagreeable in the husband than she discovered in the lover.

No. 114.]

·

Wednesday, July 22, 1713.

Alveos accipite, et ceris opus infundite:
Fuci recusant, apibus conditio placet.

Phedr. Lib. 3. Fab. xiii. 9.

Take the hives, and empty your work into the combs;
The drones refuse, the bees accept the proposal.

I THINK myself obliged to acquaint the public that the lion's head, of which I advertised them about a fortnight ago, is now erected at Button's coffee-house in Russel-street, Covent-garden, My correspondent's observations are very where it opens its mouth at all hours for the rejust, and may be useful in low life; but to turn ception of such intelligence as shall be thrown them to the advantage of people in higher sta- into it. It is reckoned an excellent piece of tions, I shall raise the moral, and observe some workmanship, and was designed by a great thing parallel to the wooing and wedding-suit, hand in imitation of the antique Egyptian lion, in the behaviour of persons of figure. After the face of it being compounded out of that of long experience in the world, and reflections a lion and a wizard. The features are strong upon mankind, I find one particular occasion of and well furrowed. The whiskers are admired unhappy marriages, which, though very com- by all that have seen them. It is planted on mon, is not very much attended to. What I the western side of the coffee-house, holding its mean is this: Every man in the time of court-paws under the chin upon a box, which contains ship, and in the first entrance of marriage, puts every thing that he swallows. He is indeed a on a behaviour like my correspondent's holiday proper emblem of knowledge and action, being suit, which is to last no longer than until he is all head and paws. I need not acquaint my settled in the possession of his mistress. He readers, that my lion, like a moth, or bookresigns his inclinations and understanding to worm, feeds upon nothing but paper, and shall her humour and opinion. He neither loves nor only beg of them to diet him with wholesome hates, nor talks, nor thinks, in contradiction to and substantial food. I must, therefore, desire, her. He is controlled by a nod, mortified by a that they will not gorge him either with nonfrown, and transported by a smile. The poor sense or obscenity; and must likewise insist, young lady falls in love with this supple crea- that his mouth be not defiled with scandal, for ture, and expects of him the same behaviour for I would not make use of him to revile the hulife. In a little time she finds that he has a will man species, and satirise those who are his betof his own, that he pretends to dislike what she ters. I shall not suffer him to worry any man's approves, and that instead of treating her like a reputation, nor indeed fall on any person whatgoddess, he uses her like a woman. What still soever, such only excepted as disgrace the name makes the misfortune worse, we find the most of this generous animal, and under the title of abject flatterers degenerate into the greatest ty- lions contrive the ruin of their fellow-subjects. rants. This naturally fills the spouse with sul- I must desire, likewise, that intriguers will not lenness and discontent, spleen and vapour, make a pimp of my lion, and by his means conwhich, with a little discreet management, make vey their thoughts to one another. Those who a very comfortable marriage. I very much ap-are read in the history of the popes observe, prove of my friend Tom Truelove in this par- that the Leos have been the best, and the Innoticular. Tom made love to a woman of sense, cents the worst of that species, and I hope that and always treated her as such during the whole I shall not be thought to derogate from my