ried me to the Opera, given me Tickets to Concerts, lent me his Books and his Chariot, wrote Letters to me, and Verses on me. - In short, he has done every thing but what he ought to have done that is, marry me.

Miss O. Well, and because he has not done that, I shall believe he never designed it.

Miss T. Lard, Jenny, you are very ridiculous to night; I am fure you can't tell what he designed. - Now I believe he did design it as much as I believe I am in this Garden, only that nonfenfical Belville was always thrusting himself in the way. I was fool enough to encourage him, because Lucy told me, that was the only method to bring Sir Francis forward; but instead of that, I know he thinks I like Belville best, because I could not help now and then coquetting a little with the odious thing: but I shall deteft him for ever, if I can't recall Sir Francis.

Miss O. I thought you intended to marry him. Miss T. So I do, but not unless Sir Francis is entirely loft. You don't imagine, I hope, that 1 shall let them both flip through my fingers.

Miss O. Indeed my dear Bell they will, if you don't look sharp. I am sure I have been trying and trying these seven years, ever since I was out of my Robe-Coat, to fix a Man, but to no purpose, though my Eyes have been as much admired as other Peoples; and I look upon dexterity in the management of the Eyes to be every thing. thing. I am sure I have ogled many a Man till he has not known what to do with himself.

Miss T. Phaw, nonsense - well, if I lose Sir Francis, I am sure I can have Belville at any time, and he is better than nobody.

I had Patience to hear no more, Mr. BABBLE, but immediately quitted my hiding place, with a resolution to difappoint my fanguine Nymph, and defire you will publish this Letter for the benefit of all young Fellows in my fituation, and believe

me to be

Your very humble Servant,

BELVILLE.

NUMB. XXVII. Saturday, September 11, 1756.

One Letter from the Heart is worth a thousand
from the Head.
ANON.

"INCE the Publication of my last Number,

S

the following Letters came to my Hands, which are written with fo much Spirit, that I will Venture to make them public for the Benefit of my Readers. Here they are, without any farther Preface, Introduction or Apology.

To

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TO NICHOLAS BABBLE, Esq;

Dear BABBLE,

P-Hall, Sept. 6, 1756..

I am ftill at P Hall from whence I fent my last Letter to you; and when I shall be able to prevail on myself to withdraw from so enchanting 'a Spot, I cannot at present inform you.

We have a very agreeable Party: Sir William D, his Brother Jack, Mrs. F, and Mifs R. By the addition of these Gentlemen and Ladies to our own Family (as I now call it) every hour in the day is most delightfully filled up.

Pis itself extremely inviting without all this good Company; but though I am an enthufiaftic Admirer of Woods and Lawns, Hills and Dales, Trees and Flowers, and can spend a day or two with an infinite deal of Satisfaction en Solitaire; I am of a sociable difpofition, nevertheless, and have a mortal aversion to an Hermitage.

Don't think, however, that I chufe to live in a Crowd, because I tell you I love Society; or that I am never happy but when I am half stunned with being talked to, or half fuffocated by the cordial Embraces of a numerous Acquaintance. No, my Friend, - I abhor a Crowd and a Noife; and could, notwithstanding my fond

1

ness for Society, contentedly pass a whole day by myfelf myself, rather than spend the fourth part of an hour in Westminster Hall.

I am not fo fond of Company as to simper in the Drawing Room, or to herd among the Cringers at a Great Man's Levee. Nay, I have been often heartily fick of a Beauty's Rout. I have been confiderably incommoded by the sudden, impetuous flirtation of a Hoop in a Side-Box, and the preffure of a stiffen'd Brocade at a Ridotto, though the dear Wearer, or rather Supporter of it, had the face of a Cherubim.;

You know I love Ease as I love my Life, and that the free, chearful chit-chat of a few picked Friends, is my dear delight. -Iam at present situated entirely to my mind, and quite upon an agreeable footing; and to shew you that I am not furrounded by a parcel of empty Praters,, I will tell you in what manner we employ ourselves, and give you a small sketch of the Family I am with, and the Amusements we follow.

I rise early if the Weather is tempting, and ftroll into the Garden, in order to digest, before Breakfast, what I heard the preceding Night. But I am seldom there long, without being joined by Jack D-- and by Mrs. R-, who says if the lies a-bed after seven, at this time of the year, she is always punished by terrifying Visions.

As we three are violently fond of the Beauties of Nature, we peep into every Bush, Thicket and Plant, in search of Animalculas; and when

we

we stumble upon any curious or uncommon Creature, we convey it immediately to Mr. H Repofitory; where it is closely examined by the assistance of a Microscope.

In this manner we generally amuse ourselves fo long, that the remainder of the Family flock about us to know what we are doing. Sir William never fails to rally us for having so minute a Taste, as he calls it, and Mrs. H frequently puts a stop to our Philosophical Enquiries, by telling us that the Breakfast has waited above an hour for us.

When we have finished our Morning-Repaft, we retire to our favourite Occupations. Mifs H trips with her Work-Basket to a little Bower in the Garden, canopied with Honeyfuckles and Jessamines, whom Miss R-accompanies with her Pencil, with which she designs Flowers. These Flowers her Companion copies with her Needle. - Jack D- bufies himself in the Library for a couple of Hours, and then emerges with a Sonnet, an Epigram, or an Enigma, for the Amusement of his Friends. Mrs. F entertains Sir William and your humble, with a Lesson on the Harpsichord, which she touches in a masterly manner. Sometimes we read a favourite Author to her and Mrs. H while they are flouncing their Aprons and puffing their Caps.-Mr. H in the mean time, strides

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