that England produces excellent painters as well as France, Italy, and Flanders.

By complying with this request, you will be admired and efteemed by a great many deferving young fellows, and particularly oblige

Your very humble servant
JF.

I am fo well pleased with my correspondent's true English spirit, and his generous behaviour, that I shall chearfully comply with his request, and recommend the artists of my own country, without dreading the appellation of a tasteless Prater. And I hereby give public notice, that I expect all my relations, friends, acquaintance and readers, who would be thought found patriots, and encouragers of merit and industry, to fit immediately for their pictures to English painters only, and to order their houses, horses, dogs, parks and gardens, to be drawn by the fame hands. NICHOLAS BABBLE.

NUMB. XII. Saturday, May 29, 1756.

- dare jura marits. Hor.
To give laws to husbands.

HILE I was looking over the Adverti

W

fer at a coffee-house near St. James's, I heard heard a dialogue between some perfons of diftinction, which entertained me very much, and made such an impression, that I committed it to paper as foon as I returned to my lodgings. Sir Charles Constant, Lord Lovejoy.

Sir Ch. And so I can't prevail on you, my lord, to be one of our party this evening ?

Lord L. No faith, Charles, you must excuse me, for I have promifed Sukey Slammerkin to sup with her, and a man of honour you know can never think of breaking his word.

Sir Ch. Fie, my Lord, never boast of your honour, I beseech you, if it is to be maintained in such company.

Lord L. Nay, Charles, prythee don't be so severe upon the dear, little, delicious toad. I have scarce seen her this week, and

Sir Ch. If you made a resolution never to pay her another visit, my lord, it would be the best you ever made in your life.

Lord L. Why, Sir Charles, do you never go to a girl? Can a man of your spirit and vivacity feast every day on the features of a wife ?

Sir Ch. I always find a rich banquet at home, my-lord, and affure you, by all that's good, that I have not been to a girl fince my wedding-day. I have too high a notion of the

marriage-state, and too great a regard for my wife. But supposing that was not the cafe, I have too great a regard for my character and constitution.

Lord L. My character, Sir, is as unsullied as your's, let me tell you, and my constitution, as found.

Sir Ch. I am glad to hear you say so, my lord: then you have had better luck than you deserve: excuse my freedom: but I own I am forry to fee you, who have so fine a lady, leave her for a creature composed of vice, folly, impudence, affectation and paint.

Lord L. Why my wife is feldom at home, and when she is, I hear no complaints: we have feparate apartments, and are therefore never troublesome to each other.

Sir Ch. I am very ready to believe indeed my lord, that her ladyship has but little reason to complain of any from your company. But what the would do, if the knew you neglected her for Miss Slammerkin, or any other gentlewoman of that stamp, is another point.

Lord L. Why faith, I am apt to think the wou'dn't make herself uneasy about my intrigues. Sir Ch. Then you must give me leave to say, my lord, that she is still more valuable, and I

am

am the more aftonished that you can flight and disregard so much worth

Lord L. By Gad now, I don't fee any thing so extraordinary in my wife, let me perish if I do; she is distractedly fond of auctions, operas, and plays, routs, riddottos and masquerades; and while she is diverting herself one way, sure I am at liberty to amuse myself another.

Sir Ch. You make no difference then between going to Sukey's, and going to Langford's? Lord L. Not I faith.

Sir Ch. Why then, we will suppose, only by way of converfation, that my lady should have as strong an inclination for a pretty fellow as you have for a pretty girl, and receive him in her private closet, while you are toying with Miss Slammerkin.

Lord L. What do you mean, Sir? I don't understand you Sir, rat me if I do; - you talk, Sir

Sir Ch. Doucement, doucement, my lord. -We are only to fuppose, you know.

Lord L. S'death, hell and furies, Sir, but I won't suppose any such thing. If I had the least fufpicion

Sir Ch. Look'ee there now. -A palpaple hit by

Jupiter: then pray, my lord, permit me to afk

you

!

you one question. Does your lordship really imagine that a married woman who keeps a gallant is more culpable than a married man who keeps a mistress ?

Lord L. Undoubtedly. Why there can be nothing more devilish than such a disposition in a wife. And I tell you plainly, if I thought mine had the flightest tendency that way, I would

Sir Ch. Hold, hold, my lord: you need not be apprehenfive of any fuch treatment from her: but if conjugal infidelity would be such a crime in her, it cannot, methinks, be a virtue in your lordship. Custom indeed authorises our sex to take a great many liberties, which would be censured with the utmost severity in the other; but that, I own, has to little weight with me, that if I kept or even vifited a wench, I should expect my wife to put the Lex Talionis in execution, and entertain the first agreeable fellow she met with.-If vice is unamiable in a woman, it cannot be amiable in a man.

Enter Colonel Careless.

Col. Your fervant, Gentlemen, your fervant. What news, what news?-what are you upon ? Lord L. Upon virtue, Jack, a thread-bare fubject, and, to increase your surprize, virtue in

a man.

Cal