To the NEW SPECTATOR. Mr. SPECTATOR, THERE is a certain gentleman in this kingdom nick-named Oliver Cromwell. I beg you will recommend to his attention, in particular, and to the attention of all men who wish to distinguish themselves as true patriots and good men, the following lines of the best poet Europe ever faw. CROMWELL, I charge thee, fling away AMBITION; To filence envious tongues. Be JUST and fear not. Thou fall'st a blessed martyr! These are the fentiments, and this the language of Shakspeare, Truth, and Chriftianity! Yours, &c. WOLRUTH. To other CORRESPONDENTS. A PRIVATE letter is left at Mr. Swift's for R. B.-The request of G. J. is complied with. The lines on the Duchefs of Devonshire, figned A Fox Tail, have fome wit, but are indecent.-The lift of Town Authors, with an estimate of the abilities of fome modern dramatic writers, are under confideration. The ftanzas on Katterfelto's Black Cat, are fit only for the perufal of the faid Cat. The French verfes fent by a lady, who defires a tranf lation, fhall appear in my next. LONDON: Printed by T. RICKABY, No. 15, Duke's-Court, Bow-Street, Covent-Garden; And Sold by T. AXTELL, No. 1, Finch-Lane, Cornhill, and at the Royal Exchange; by W. SWIFT, Bookfeller, Charles-Street, St. James's-Square; by P. BRETT, Bookfeller and Stationer, oppofite St. Clement's-Church in the Strand; by G. KEARSLEY, No. 46, Fleet-Street; and by W. THISELTON, Bookfeller and Stationer, No. 37, Goodge-Street, Rathbone-Place. CORRESPONDENTS are requested to address their favours to the NEW SPECTATOR, to be left at Mr. SWIFT's, in Charles-Street, St. James's-Square, where a LETTER-Box is affixed for their reception. An hundred men's affairs confound HOUGH I am daily honoured with the favours of numerous correfpondents, they have of late, turned fo much on electioneering, that I am obliged to reject many, on account of their relating folely to politics. It is true that the politics of these days by exhibiting some characters in different points of view, and fhewing, by striking examples, the influence of ambition in one, and meanness in another, afford ample scope for the moralift; and to fuch letters of my correfpondents as are likely to have any influence on the manners as well as the politics of my readers, I fhall give place; and fhall therefore make no further apology for inferting the following epiftle from a gentleman who tells me that its contents are grounded on truth. To the NEW SPECTATOR. Mr. SPECTATOR, My wife is gone mad!-and, what is worse, politically mad! Now, of all madness, I hate your political madness. Ever fince the commencement of the Westminster election, my wife has been intoxicated with politics, my servants with strong beer, myself with vexation, and my house has refounded with nothing but FRANCIS. Fox for ever! It would have been fome confolation had fhe confined her folly to her own house, but alas! she has been making a fool of herself all over the town! She has been canvaffing, with a vengeance! And what with palming one fellow, kiffing another, and coaxing with thousands, has driven me almost hornmad! PREVIOUS to her marriage, my wife was remarkable for delicacy of fentiment and elegance of manners; and afterwards was looked up to as the arbitress of fashion, and a leader of female taste. She then plunged into excefs of dissipation and of drefs; by the former she drained my purfe, and by the latter deprived me of an heir. I have been a confiderable time in lopping these follies, and had brought her mind to taste the sweets of domestic tranquillity, and now she is electioneering mad! Ir is true that an election cannot last for ever; but that is a small confolation for the lofs of that delicacy and of those graces which rendered her amiable in the eyes of others, and doubly dear to me. Her reputation is indeed unimpeached, and I believe her prefent conduct arifes folely from that fingularity fhe always affumed, and which is her chief, if not her only fault, But fhe fhould remember that female reputation is of flender contexture; and that "To her belongs The care to fhun the blast of fland'rous tongues.” This, however, is impoffible fo long as fhe interferes in matters which, by no means, concern her or her fex. WHEN I read, in the daily prints, of the meannesses to which fhe ftoops; of the wagers fhe is perpetually betting, in the ftyle of a Newmarket jockey; of the hilles fhe receives from all moderate fpectators; when I think on the plaudits bestowed on her in common with fome of the most infamous women of the age, in fuch of the morning papers as are famous for extolling the meretricious airs and pursuits of what they term the Cyprian corps; when I fee her return home befpattered with dirt, frowning with vexation at public infult, and biting, in anger, those lips which once were facred to nuptial love and me, the equanimity of my temper almoft forfakes me: I ftand aftonifhed at the havoc curfed politics have made, and am almoft tempted to challenge the mob of voters, for feducing the attention of my wife to the very object which muft render her defpicable in the eyes of all judicious men, and women of common sense, SUCH, good Mr. SPECTATOR, is my fituation. I have reasoned with her in vain. She is encouraged by the idle and the worthlefs in all her pursuits. She reads your paper, and probably your animadverfions may tend to fhew her how deformed fhe is become, and induce her to retire into the country with me, and learn once more to feek her chief happinefs in the attention of a fond husband, and the fafcinating smiles of a lovely infant. THIS gentleman very juftly calls himself a fond husband: he is indeed too fond and too indulgent in permitting his wife to difgrace herfelf, by a conduct fo highly reprehenfible. He fays he has reasoned with her in vain." If reasoning fails, he should have recourse to remonftrance; and fhould that also fail, he should hurry her into the country and by taking her from the fcene of action, endeavour to reclaim her. Ir has, of late years, been too much the vogue amongst the fashionable fair to imitate in every thing the example of the other fex ; particularly in modes of dress, and matters of amusement. Thefe circumstances have been fufficiently reprobated and ridiculed by writers of every clafs; but, unluckily, without any vifible effect. There are some women who have a peculiar veneration for the maxim, that it is as well to be out of the world, as out of the fashion, and who, therefore, "catch the manners living as they rife," and however, abfurd, immediately adopt them. THE wife of my correfpondent indeed feems. not to be content with following the fashions of others but is ambitious of leading the van of female folly and boldly commences a female canvaffer on a contested election. This is a character fo totally repugnant to all ideas of decency, that the who affumes it must have no small share of impudence to continue it. The buffoonery and obscenity of the vulgar, to which fhe is perpetually expofed, let the party fhe efpouses be what it may, must at the very onset fhock her in a high degree. If fhe continues the purfuit, fhe bids defiance to decency, and to every thing feminine in the female character. She becomes the pity of her friends, the reproach of her enemies, the fcorn of the moderate, and the admiration of a mob. To conclude. I cannot but think it a duty in cumbent on my correfpondent, if his wife be, as he fays, a leader of fafhions, to put an immediate ftop to her electioneering perambulations, left her example fhould influence others to follow the fame ungracious pursuits. To the NEW SPECTATOR. Friend SPEC, PARTICULAR praife is due to Lady --, Lady W, Lady GG———————, and the indefatigable Duchess for their late patriotic exertions in which, I understand, they have received no fmall help from the influence of the Perdita, and two other ladies who having paffed for Ducheffes, have been essentially ferviceable to the good caufe. I defire therefore that you will dedicate a number or two of your entertaining paper to these female patriots, to whom the public are daily indebted for fingular favours. FORTITUDE generally arrifes from a liberal education, or philofophic principle, imbibed at an carly age, but Mifs Barbara Eafy is always in poffeffion of tranquillity, though a stranger to the latter, and in want of the former. Her foul is only fufceptible of one paffion. Indifference is her hobby-horfe, which always goes one pace and one road. She never experienced the effect of forrow, or the fatisfaction of joy. The fingular conduct of this original, I fincerely think, arifes from the extremity of affectation, which is an attendant friend on our modern females. Chance led me into the company of Mifs Barbara, my entering the room there was a general moving to receive the customary falutations which are naturally used when a ftranger first enters into any fociety; but Barbara infifted that every one fhould fit down and not make fuch a fufs about nothing. This reflection, from a lady whom I had never seen, excited my furprize, which was soon annihilated by ten minutes converfation. On AFTER the company were re-feated Mifs Barbara began with- I'm amazed that people will "give themselves so much trouble as to facrifice "tranquillity for politenefs. How horrid to use "ceremony!-Bless me!—I have left my watch "at home!-What fhall I do!-Dear Sir" at that inftant taking me by the hand with as much freedom as if she had known me from my infancy" if "if you will ftep to my house the ser"vant will give it you-I hate formality, Sir; it ❝is freedom alone that creates my admiration." THAT politeness which the despised, obliged me to be wet to the skin, as it rained the whole period of my going for Mifs Barbara's watch. So loft in indifference is this Original, that she will employ a whole company merely out of freedom! Her affectation even extends fo far as to permit her to fit a whole comedy, or opera, without raifing the leaft admiration at the performance of an Abington, or the finging of a Martyr. THOUGH infenfible to the paffions of nature, yet, to the astonishment of her acquaintance, she has her gallant!-This very circumstance proves that our ancient authors knew nothing of that fublime paffion Love; as they reprefented it to be created by beauty, youth, and fenfe. Now, Mifs Barbara, though on the verge of fix-and-thirty, pitted with the small pox, and poffeffing not the leaft fhare of beauty, has her lover, and indeed fhe inwardly glories in the conquest of Tommy Sapwell, though, to appearance, his attachment only merits her indifference. When in company, Tommy is treated as an attendant, and obliged to obey her orders, however abfurd. If he declares his paffion, Barbara takes half an hour on the fubject of formality; protefting that a declaration of love is almost as execrable as going to be married. Such are the effects of affectation and freedom. LAST fummer fhe was invited to spend three months out of town, to which the readily acquiefced. When she arrived at the place of invitation, the mistress of the house received her with friendship, but seemed rather surprised at her coming to remain three months, without bringing fome baggage with her; to which Mifs Barbara replied—“ I know you hate formality, there"fore I will make free, and what I want, during "my stay, ask you for, A friend of mine is coming down to stay a month with me, but I know me; I "need not make an apology; you "hate ceremony." The refult of hating ceremony was that Mifs Barbara, during her refidence in the country, was the mistress of the house, and had every thing in her own, way; drank the best wines, wore the best clothes, because" know I hate ceremony!" you THE Confequence which muft arife from fuch an affected mean conduct is, that a fecond invitation never enfues. If the vifit is attempted to be repaid, and Mifs Barbara's friends call to fee her, fhe is very forry that fhe is engaged, but an apology is unneceffary, as they know the hates ceremony. These are the true outlines of Mifs Barbara Easy, who was once in poffeffion of a fet of worthy and agreeable friends, but which fhe has loft by difdaining ceremony. When freedom extends beyond its compass, it is disgusting, and only creates derifion. [To be continued. ] To the NEW SPECTAT O R. Mr. SPECTATOR, PRAY is the liberty of the prefs in danger? I fee by the Irish papers that such an idea is entertained on that fide the water. But fo long as I fee the print-fhops in London, I fhall never despair of the liberty of one kind of prefs, however. But the praise they merit in one respect they lose in another. Let them banish obfcenity, and receive the thanks of the community. Yours, &c. L.A. 4 WHEN that the fields put on their gay attire, The pittance due to thy well-warbled song; Sweet bird! fing on; for oft near lonely hatch, Like thee, myself have pleas'd the ruftic throng, And oft for entrance, 'neath the peaceful thatch, EXTEMPORE, On fecing a Print of a YOUNG GENTLEMAN as a SPARTAN BOY. By Fox the Spartan Boy with honour stamp'd his name; And thou by Fox art "damn'd to everlasting fame!" To the NEW SPECTATOR. Dear SPEC, I BELIEVE there will be no end of this fame electioneering. Every artifice is ufed to procure votes, and the minds of the people continue agitated by two monofyllables: Wray and Fox. With refpect to the contest, the Black-legs of Covent Garden, bet" Ten Guineas to Ten Shillings, that Mr. Fox will not be a fitting member for Westminster." For my own part, I intereft my felf only in contemplating the moral effects of this election; and am truly fhocked when I hear of the great number of perjuries which it has produced, and is likely ftill to produce. THE adminiftering of an oath, is now become fo common, that many regard it as a matter of form, and would do much more than take a falle oath to serve a party. Ignorant wretches in abundance, influenced by violent zeal, or unlawful interference, have, I understand, been giving their voices at Covent Garden, totally deftitute of any right fo to do. These transactions have a vifible effect on the moral character of the people. Guilty of perjury in their public tranfactions, villainous principles will foon pervade their private dealings. I truft, therefore, that if any enquiry is made into the legality of votes, every perjured man will be made to suffer the punifhment due to his offence, and that a crime which fome of the favage Indians punish with death, will not efcape with impunity in a country which boasts of the purity of its religion, and the excellence of its laws. THEATRE S. ́ Drury-Lane. ON Thursday the Countess of Salisbury was performed to an uncommonly crouded audience. It is indeed a defpicable play, but nevertheless exhibits Mrs. Siddons to peculiar advantage. There are tranfitions in the character of the Countess wonderfully adapted to Mrs. Siddons's mode of playing; and I know not of any cha racter in which the appears to more advantage. Mr. Kemble appeared for the first time, in Salisbury, and rendered that character interesting which, in the hands of Mr. Smith, has nothing in the world to recommend it, but its being effential to the piece. This you will naturally conceive when I tell you that it requires fome feeling, and of Smith you may as well require the pathos of Pacchierotti! Palmer did all he or any body elfe could do with Raymond. He ought to be doubly paid for his trouble; for the character is so vilely written, that it is up-hill work, |