over, with a laughing eye, Crastin's thin legs, meagre looks, and spare body. The old gentleman immediately left the room with some disorder, and the conversation fell upon untimely passion, after love, and unseasonable youth. Tulip sung, danced, moved before the glass, led his mistress half a minuet, hummed 'Celia the fair in the bloom of fifteen! when there came a servant with a letter to him, which was as follows: 'SIR, 'I UNDERSTAND very well what you meant by your mention of Platonic love. I shall be glad to meet you immediately in Hyde-park, or behind Montague-house, or attend you to Barn-elms, or any other fashionable place that's fit for a gentleman to die in, that you shall appoint for, 'SIR, your most humble servant, Tulip's colour changed at the reading of this epistle; for which reason his mistress snatched it to read the contents. While she was doing so, Tulip went away; and the ladies now agreeing in a common calamity, bewailed together the danger of their lovers. They immediately undressed to go out, and took hackneys to prevent mischief: but after alarm This famous duelling place is a fine green meadow half encircled by the Thames, and shaded by rows of very lofty elm-trees, under which the duellists usually fought. This was the scene of the famous duel between the duke of Bucks and the earl of Shrewsbury with two seconds on each side. All the six fought, and the earl of Shrewsbury and one of the seconds lost their lives.-Spect. in folio. ing all parts of the town, Crastin was found by his widow in his pumps at Hyde-park, which appointment Tulip never kept, but made his escape into the country. Flavia tears her hair for his inglorious safety, curses and despises her charmer, and is fallen in love with Crastin: which is the first part of the history of the Rival Mother. R.1 At Drury-lane, on Tuesday, June 19, The Libertine Destroyed. Don John by Mr. Mills; D. Antonio, Mr. Thurmond; D. Lopez, Mr. Bicker. staff; D. Francisco, Mr. Keen; Jacomo, Mr. Johnson; Leonora, Mrs. Knight; Maria, Mrs. Porter; Clara, Miss Willis; and Flavia, Miss Sherbon. -Spect. in folio. LOOKING Over the late packets of letters which have been sent to me, I found the following one: MR. SPECTATOR, 'YOUR paper is part of my tea-equipage; and my servant knows my humour so well, that calling for breakfast this morning (it being past my she answered, the Spectator was not but that the tea-kettle boiled, and she my usual hour), yet come in; 1 This paper was written by Mr. John Hughes, though here distinguished by Steele's signature, as it is likewise in the original publication in folio. See Nos. 4, and 324, final notes on Steele's signatures. expected it every moment. Having thus in part signified to you the esteem and veneration which I have for you, I must put you in mind of the catalogue of books which you have promised to recommend to our sex; for I have deferred furnishing my closet with authors, till I receive your advice in this particular, being your daily disciple and humble servant, 'LEONORA.' m In answer to my fair disciple, whom I am very proud of, I must acquaint her and the rest of my readers, that since I have called out for help in my catalogue of a lady's library," I have received many letters upon that head, some of which I shall give an account of. In the first class, I shall take notice of those which come to me from eminent booksellers, who every one of them mention with respect the authors they have printed, and consequently have an eye to their own advantage more than to that of the ladies. One tells me, that he thinks it absolutely necessary for woman to have true notions of right and equity, and that therefore they cannot peruse a better book than Dalton's Country Justice. Another thinks they cannot be without The Complete Jockey. A third, observing the curiosity and desire of prying into secrets, which he tells me is natural to the fair sex, is of opinion this female inclination, if well directed might turn very much to their advantage, and therefore recommends to me Mr. Mede upon the Revelations. A fourth lays it down as an unquestioned truth, that a lady cannot be thoroughly accomplished who has m Miss Shepheard. See Nos. 37, 140, and 163; and final note. not read the secret Treaties and Negociations of the Marshal d'Estrades. Mr. Jacob Tonson, junior, is of opinion, that Bayle's Dictionary might be of very great use to the ladies, in order to make them general scholars. Another, whose name I have forgotten, thinks it highly proper that every woman with child should read Mr. Wall's History of Infant Baptism: as another is very importunate with me to recommend to all my female readers The finishing Stroke; being a Vindication of the Patriarchal Scheme, &c. In the second class, I shall mention books which are recommended by husbands, if I may believe the writers of them. Whether or no they are real husbands or personated ones, I cannot tell, but the books they recommend are as follow:-A Paraphrase on the History of Susanna. Rules to keep Lent. The Christians Overthrow prevented. A Dissuasive from the Play-house. The Virtues of Camphire, with Directions to make Camphire Tea. The Pleasures of a Country Life. The Government of the Tongue. A letter dated from Cheapside desires me that I would advise all young wives to make themselves mistresses of Wingate's Arithmetic, and concludes with a Postscript, that he hopes I will not forget The Countess of Kent's Receipts. I may reckon these ladies themselves as a third class among these my correspondents and privycounsellors. In a letter from one of them, I am advised to place Pharamond at the head of my catalogue, and, if I think proper, to give the second place to Cassandra. Coquetilla begs me not to think of nailing women upon their knees with man • Two celebrated French Romances, written by M. La Calprenede. uals of devotion, nor of scorching their faces with books of housewifery. Florella desires to know if there are any books written against prudes, and entreats me, if there are, to give them a place in my library. Plays of all sorts have their several advocates: All for Love is mentioned in about fifteen letters; Sophonisba, or Hannibal's Overthrow, in a dozen; The Innocent Adultery is likewise highly approved of; Mithridates King of Pontus has many friends; Alexander the Great and Aurenzebe have the same number of voices; but Theodosius, or the Force of Love, carries it from all the rest. But as I find the I should, in the last place, mention such books as have been proposed by men of learning, and those who appear competent judges of this matter; and must here take occasion to thank A. B. whoever it is that conceals himself under those two letters, for his advice upon this subject. work I have undertaken to be very difficult, I shall defer the executing of it till I am farther acquainted with the thoughts of my judicious contemporaries, and have time to examine the several books they offer to me; being resolved, in an affair of this moment, to proceed with the greatest caution. In the mean while, as I have taken the ladies under my particular care, I shall make it my business to find out in the best authors, ancient and modern, such passages as may be for their use, and endeavour to accommodate them as well as I can to their taste; not questioning but the valuable part of the sex will easily pardon me, if from time to time I laugh at those little vanities and follies which appear in the behaviour of some of them, and which are more proper for ridicule than a serious censure. Most books being calculated for male readers, and gener |