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SIR ROGER, THE WIDOW, WILL HONEYCOMB, AND MILTON.

Torva leana lupum fequitur, lupus ipfe capellam;
Florentem cytifum fequitur lafciva capella. VIRG.

S we were at the Club laft Night, I obferved my Friend Sir ROGER, contrary to his ufual Cuftom, fat very filent, and instead of minding what was faid by the Company, was whistling to himself in a very thoughtful Mood, and playing with a Cork. I jogged Sir ANDREW FREEPORT who fat between us; and as we were both obferving him, we saw the Knight shake his Head, and heard him fay, to himself, A foolish Woman! I can't believe it. Sir ANDREW gave him a gentle pat upon the Shoulder, and offered to lay him a Bottle of Wine that he was thinking of the Widow. My old Friend ftarted, and recovering out of his brown Study, told Sir ANDREW that once in his Life he had been in the

right. In fhort, after fome little Hefitation, Sir ROGER told us in the Fulnefs of his Heart that he had just received a Letter from his Steward, which acquainted him that his old Rival and Antagonist in the Country, Sir David Dundrum, had been making a Vifit to the Widow. However, fays Sir ROGER, I can never think that she'll have a Man that's half a Year older than I am, and a noted Republican into the bargain.

WILL HONEYCOMB, who looks upon Love as his particular Province, interrupting our Friend with a jaunty Laugh; I thought, Knight, fays he, thou hadst lived long enough in the World, not to pin thy Happiness upon one that is a Woman and a Widow. I think that without Vanity I may pretend to know as much of the Female World as any Man in Great Britain, though the chief of my Knowledge confifts in this, that they are not to be known. WILL immediately, with his ufual Fluency, rambled into an Account of his own Amours. I am now, fays he, upon the Verge of Fifty, (though by the way we all knew he was turned of Threefcore.) You may eafily guess, continued WILL, that I have not lived fo long in the World without having had some Thoughts of fettling in it, as the Phrafe is. To tell you truly, I have several times tried my Fortune that

way, though I can't much boaft of my Success. I made my first Addreffes to a young Lady in the Country; but when I thought things were pretty well drawing to a Conclufion, her Father happening to hear that I had formerly boarded with a Surgeon, the old Put forbid me his House, and within a Fortnight after married his Daughter to a Fox-hunter in the Neighbourhood.

I made my next Application to a Widow, and attacked her fo brifkly, that I thought myself within a Fortnight of her. As I waited upon her one Morning, fhe told me, that she intended to keep her Ready Money and Jointure in her own Hand, and defired me to call upon her Attorney in Lions-Inn, who would adjust with me what it was proper for me to add to it. I was fo rebuffed by this Overture, that I never inquired either for her or her Attorney afterwards.

A few Months after I addreffed myself to a young Lady who was an only Daughter, and of a good Family: I danced with her at feveral Balls, squeezed her by the Hand, faid soft things to her, and in fhort made no doubt of her Heart; and tho' my Fortune was not equal to hers, I was in hopes that her fond Father would not deny her the Man she had fixed her Affections upon. But as I went one Day to the House in order to break the matter to

him, I found the whole Family in Confusion, and heard to my unspeakable Surprise, that Mifs Jenny was that very Morning run away with the Butler.

I then courted a fecond Widow, and am at a lofs to this Day how I came to miss her, for fhe had often commended my Perfon and Behaviour. Her Maid indeed told me one Day, that her Miftrefs had said she never faw a Gentleman with fuch a spindle Pair of Legs as Mr. HONEYCOMB.

AFTER this I laid Siege to four Heireffes fucceffively, and being a handfom young Dog in those Days, quickly made a Breach in their Hearts; but I don't know how it came to pass, though I seldom failed of getting the Daughters Confent, I could never in my Life get the old People on my fide.

I could give you an Account of a thousand other unfuccessful Attempts, particularly of one which I made fome Years fince upon an old Woman, whom I had certainly born away with flying Colours, if her Relations had not come pouring in to her Affiftance from all Parts of England; nay, I believe I should have got her at last, had not she been carried off by a hard Frost.

AS WILL'S Tranfitions are extremely quick, he turned from Sir ROGER, and applying himself to me, told me there was a Paffage in the Book I had confidered last Saturday, which deferved to be writ

in Letters of Gold; and taking out a Pocket-Milton, read the following Lines, which are Part of one of Adam's Speeches to Eve after the Fall.

Oh! why did God,

Creator wife! that peopled highest Heav'n
With Spirits mafculine, create at last
This Novelty on Earth, this fair Defect
Of Nature? and not fill the World at once
With Men, as Angels, without Feminine?
Or find fome other way to generate

Mankind?

This Mifchief had not then befall'n,
And more that shall befall, innumerable
Disturbances on Earth through Female Snares,
And ftrait Conjunction with this Sex: for either
He never fhall find out fit Mate; but fuch
As fome misfortune brings him, or mistake;
Or, whom he wishes moft, fhall feldom gain
Through her perverfeness; but shall fee her gain'd
By a far worse: or if she love, withheld
By Parents; or his happiest Choice too late
Shall meet already link'd, and Wedlock-bound
To a fell Adverfary, his Hate or Shame;
Which infinite Calamity fhall caufe

To buman Life, and Houshold Peace confound.

SIR ROGER liftened to this Paffage with great Attention, and defiring Mr. HONEYCOMB to fold down a Leaf at the Place, and lend him his Book, the Knight put it up in his Pocket, and told us that he would read over those Verses again before he went to Bed.

K K

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