NUMB. 15. TUESDAY, May 8, 1750. Et quando uberior vitiorum copia? Quando Hos animos? What age fo large a crop of vices bore, Juv. Or when was avarice extended more? DRYDEN. THERE is no grievance, publick or private, of which, fince I took upon me the office of a periodical monitor, I have received fo many, or fo earneft complaints, as of the predominance of play; of a fatal paffion for cards and dice, which feems to have overturned, not only the ambition of excellence, but the defire of pleafure; to have extinguished the flames of the lover, as well as of the patriot; and threatens, in its further progrefs, to destroy all diftinctions, both of rank and fex, to crush all emulation but that of fraud, to corrupt all thofe claffes of our people, whose ancestors have, by their virtue, their industry, of their parfimony, given them the power of living in extravagance, idlenefs, and vice, and to leave them without knowledge, but of the modish games, and without wishes, but for lucky hands. I have found by long experience, that there are few enterprifes fo hopeless as contefts with the fashion, in which which the opponents are not only made confident by their numbers, and ftrong by their union, but are hardened by contempt of their antagonist, whom they always look upon as a wretch of low notions, contracted views, mean converfation, and narrow fortune, who envies the elevations which he cannot reach, who would gladly imbitter the happiness which his inelegance or indigence deny him to partake, and who has no other end in his advice than to revenge his own mortification by hindering those, whom their birth and tafte have fet above him, from the enjoyment of their fuperiority, and bringing them down to a level with himself. Though I have never found myself much affected by this formidable cenfure, which I have incurred often enough to be acquainted with its full force, yet I fhall, in fome measure, obviate it on this occafion, by offering very little in my own name, either of argument or intreaty, fince those who fuffer by this general infatuation may be fuppofed beft able to relate its effects. SIR, THERE feems to be fo little knowledge left in the world, and fo little of that reflection practised, by which knowledge is to be gained, that I am in doubt, whether I fhall be understood, when I complain of want of opportunity for thinking; or whether a condemnation, which at present seems irreversible, to perpetual ignorance, will raise any compaffion, either in you, or your readers: yet I will venture to lay my ftate before you, because, I believe it is natural, to most minds, to take fome pleasure in complain ing ing of evils, of which they have no reason to be afhamed. I am the daughter of a man of great fortune, whofe diffidence of mankind, and, perhaps, the pleasure of continual accumulation, incline him to refide upon his own eftate, and to educate his children in his own houfe, where I was bred, if not with the moft brilliant. examples of virtue before my eyes, at least remote enough from any incitements to vice; and wanting neither leifure nor books, nor the acquaintance of fome perfons of learning in the neighbourhood, I endeavoured to acquire fuch knowledge as might moft recommend me to esteem, and thought myself able to fupport à converfation upon moft of the fubjects, which my fex and condition made it proper for me to understand. I had, befides my knowledge, as my mamma and my maid told me, a very fine face, and elegant shape, and with all thefe advantages had been feventeen months the reigning toaft for twelve miles round, and never came to the monthly affembly, but I heard the old ladies that fat by wishing that it might end well, and their daughters criticifing my air, my features, or my drefs. You know, Mr. Rambler, that ambition is natural to youth, and curiofity to understanding, and therefore will hear, without wonder, that I was defirous to extend my victories over thofe who might give more honour to the conqueror; and that I found in a country life a continual repetition of the fame pleafures, which was not fufficient to fill up the mind for the prefent, or raise any expectations of the future; and I will confefs to you, that I was impatient for a VOL. IV. fight H fight of the town, and filled my thoughts with the discoveries which I fhould make, the triumphs that I should obtain, and the praises that I should receive. At laft the time came. My aunt, whofe husband has a feat in parliament, and a place at court, buried her only child, and fent for me to fupply the lofs. The hope that I fhould fo far infinuate myself into their favour, as to obtain a confiderable augmentation of my fortune, procured me every convenience for my departure, with great expedition; and I could not, amidft all my tranfports, forbear fome indignation to fee with what readiness the natural guardians of my virtue fold me to a ftate, which they thought more hazardous than it really was, as foon as a new acceffion of fortune glittered in their eyes. Three days I was upon the road, and on the fourth morning my heart danced at the fight of London. I was fet down at my aunt's, and entered upon the scene of action. I expected now, from the age and experience of my aunt, fome prudential leffons; but, after the firft civilities and firft tears were over, was told what pity it was to have kept fo fine a girl fo long in the country; for the people who did not begin young, feldom dealt their cards handfomely, or played them tolerably. Young perfons are commonly inclined to flight the remarks and counfels of their elders. I fmiled, perhaps, with too much contempt, and was upon the point of telling her that my time had not been paft in fuch trivial attainments. But I foon found that things are to be estimated, not by the importance of their effects, but the frequency of their ufe. A few A few day after, my aunt gave me notice, that fome company, which she had been fix weeks in collecting, was to meet that evening, and the expected a finer affembly than had been feen all the winter. She expreffed this in the jargon of a gamefter, and, when I asked an explication of her terms of art, wondered where I had lived. I had already found my aunt fo incapable of any rational conclufion, and fo ignorant of every thing, whether great or little, that I had loft all regard to her opinion, and dreffed myself with great expectations of an opportunity to display my charms among rivals, whofe competition would not difhonour me. The company came in, and after the curfory compliments of falutation, alike cafy to the lowest and the highest understanding, what was the refult? The cards were broke open, the parties were formed, the whole night paffed in a game, upon which the young and old were equally employed; nor was I able to attract an eye, or gain an ear, but being compelled to play without fkill, I perpetually embarraffed my partner, and foon perceived the contempt of the whole table gathering upon me. I cannot but fufpect, Sir, that this odious fashion is produced by a confpiracy of the old, the ugly, and the ignorant, against the young and beautiful, the witty and the gay, as a contrivance to level all diftinctions of nature and of art, to confound the world in a chaos of folly, to take from thofe, who could outshine them, all the advantages of mind and body, to withhold youth from its natural pleafures, deprive wit of its influence, and beauty of its charms, to fix those hearts upon money, to which love has hitherto been entitled, |