" Madam, faid Bellair, and since you have fo judiciously pointed out the Rocks on which so

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many of your Sex split, I hope, you will, in "the next Place, tell them how to avoid them." "There is no occafion for me, replied she, to " enlarge on this Subject. Mr. BABBLE has

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given us all a very good Lesson. Let us shun "the failings of Zulima, and copy the virtues of "Zelis; and then every Woman will, I doubt not, have a Hamed at her devotion. -- " I "don't know, after all, said Harriot, whether "Zulima was so much to blame in rejecting Ha" med. A Woman is certainly not obliged to

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accept of the first Man who offers her his heart, before she knows whether that heart is "worth her acceptance." "True, Madam, " replied Bellair, but that was not the cafe here. "We are informed that Hamed was a man un" commonly amiable, aud encouraged to believe "that Zulima liked him as well as she was capa"ble of liking any thing: but she strove to in" crease the power she thought she had over his

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heart, and by playing with it too carelesly, loft it." "Indeed, faid Miss Filt, if People "form their conduct from fsuch rules as these, " they may well make most ridiculous figures in "the world; these trifling stories are very well " for children, though I think even they may be " instructed much better; Girls especially can't " be too early made sensible of their consequence, " and

" and of the advantages that tyrant custom has "given the Men over them. - A lesson in"deed! Yes upon my word, it is a very

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good one for the Men, but they want no in"struction; they can make fools of us fast e"nough!" "Yes, indeed, faid Miss Bloom, "flirting her fan, 'tis not an easy matter to make "them more knowing than they are.""faid Miss Filt again, any body could tell us "how to lower their pride, baffle the arts by "which they so often impose upon us, or con

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"If,

quer their indifference, it might, perhaps be "worth while to listen to such stuff as this. I

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can fee neither moral nor meaning in it for my part."-Why, Madam, faid Bellair, I can " tell you how to effect these three important " things, and by a very concise method too Keep out of their way."-" Umph! cried she with a tofs of her head, and rapping her fan violently upon her fingers, like Lady Townly when she is lectured by her Husband. "Perhaps not, "Sir, perhaps not: People who have been " once known, are not so eafily forgotten." Harriot, who perceived that her fair Companion was greatly discomposed, faid with a good humoured fimper, " I don't understand you per"fectly Mr. Bellair-tho' it may be wrong to be "always making a shew of ourselves, yet we must " sometimes be seen, or else we can never be " admired you know."-" Very true, Madam, " faid

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"said Bellair, and one view is altogether suffi"cient to make some Ladies desirable ever after." -Here all the Company apprehending that Mr. Bellair was going to be particular again, rose up, and gathering round Harriot, began to talk about fifty infignificant things, and after they had settled a few momentous points relating to Dress, proposed a turn in the Park. - While Harriot was putting on her Hat and Mantle, most of her Companions took her to pieces. Lard, Miss Aimwell, faid Miss Bloom, " your "Hat's like a Shuttlecock, it shews too much of

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your face." - - Yes, faid Miss filt, it gives you rather too much assurance. Modesty and Humility, Child, you know are your shining Virtues. - Let me tie it on for you. - I know Polly Ogle's Cock to a hair -- Billy Languish swears by his Eau-de-luce bottle that I wear my hat smarter than any Woman in Town.- "Your "Mantle is extremely genteel, Miss Aimwell, "said Miss Scar; to be sure white is vastly elegant, but it won't suit all complexions.". "Blefs me Child, faid Miss Defame, what do you do with that puny Patch: you look shock" ingly with it- stay - I'll give you one three times as large".- Harriot rejected this offer with contempt. Miss Defame then turned to Miss Filt, and said softly, "the Girl smoaks " us I believe, or else as you would have placed "her Hat, and I her Patch, not a foul but " would

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" would have betted any fum that she was a demi-rep." - "Lard, what do you do " with your Train tucked up, cried two or "three more well, it looks so trudging, just "like a Market-woman. I love to have mine "drawl a yard behind me. Lady Betty Sweep's "Train is not half so long as mine." -- The smart Girl, who stood during the delivery of these sarcastical speeches with looks of contempt on the envious utterers of them, took Harriot under the arm, and said, " Come, my dear Miss "Aimwell, let them say what they please, I will " lay any wager, that you and I shall gain the " most deserving Lovers; and when we have "got them, Child, we will come to Mr. BAB"BLE, to know how to keep them." -- The latter part of this Speech was particularly addreffed to me, and concluded with a fmiling Curt'sy.

I then found the Company were all on the Wing, and therefore wished them a great deal of diverfion, and returned to my own Apart

ment.

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NUMB.

• NUMB. XVII. Saturday, July 3, 1756.

Obscuris vera involvens.

Making Truth alluring by dressing her in the Robes • of Fiction.

I

Receive complaints from all quarters of this Metropolis touching the misbehaviour of Servants to their Masters and Mistresses. One of my Correspondents is extremely defirous of fome emendation in this particular, and I confess not without reason, for according to her own account (which is drawn up with such an air of fimplicity that I cannot doubt the truth of it) she has been grossly abused. - Without any farther Preamble, I shall lay before the Public her Letter.

Sir,

Grosvenor-Street.

Your Writings convince me that you have the welfare of your Fellow-Creatures at heart. I wish you would take notice of the ridiculous and pernicious Fashion almost universally prevailing with regard to the recommendation of Servants -My