Country; but when I thought things were pretty well drawing to a Conclusion, 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 so briskly, that I thought myself within a Fortnight of her. As I waited upon her one Morning, she told me, that she intended to keep her Ready Money and Jointure in her own Hand, and desired 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 so rebuffed by this Overture, that I never inquired either for her or her Attorney afterwards.

A few Months after I addressed myself to a young Lady who was an only Daughter, and of a good Family: I danced with her at several Balls, squeezed her by the Hand, said soft things to her, and in short 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 Miss Jenny was that very Morning run away with the Butler.

I then courted a second Widow, and am at a loss to this Day how I came to miss her, for she had often commended my Person and Behaviour. Her Maid indeed told me one Day, that her Mistress had said she never saw a Gentleman with such a spindle Pair of Legs as Mr. HONEYCOMB.

After this I laid Siege to four Heiresses successively, and being a handsom 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' Consent, I could never in my Life get the old People on my side.

I could give you an Account of a thousand other unsuccessful Attempts, particularly of one which I made some Years since upon an old Woman, whom I had certainly born away with flying Colours, if her Relations had not come pouring in to her Assistance 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 Transitions are extremely quick, he turned from Sir ROGER, and applying himself to me, told me there was a Passage in the Book I had considered last Saturday, which deserved 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 wise! that peopled highest Heav'n
With Spirits masculine, 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 some other way to generate
Mankind?

This Mischief had not then befall'n,
And more that shall befall, innumerable
Disturbances on Earth through Female Snares,
And strait Conjunction with this Sex: for either
He never shall find out fit Mate; but such
As some misfortune brings him, or mistake;
Or, whom he wishes most, shall seldom gain
Through her perverseness; but shall see 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 Adversary, his Hate or Shame;
Which infinite Calamity shall cause

To human Life, and Houshold Peace confound.'

Sir ROGER listened to this Passage with great At

tention, and desiring 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.

CHAPTER XXVI.

SIR ROGER PASSETH AWAY.

Heu Pietas! heu prisca Fides! VIRG.

E last Night received a Piece of ill News at our

WE

Club, which very sensibly afflicted every one of us. I question not but my Readers themselves will be troubled at the hearing of it. To keep them no longer in suspense, Sir ROGER DE COVERLEY is dead. He departed this Life at his House in the Country, after a few Weeks' Sickness. Sir ANDREW FREEPORT has a Letter from one of his Correspondents in those Parts, that informs him the old Man caught a Cold at the County-Sessions, as he was very warmly promoting an Address of his own penning, in which he succeeded according to his Wishes. But this Particular comes from a Whig Justice of Peace, who was always Sir ROGER'S Enemy and Antagonist. I have Letters both from the Chaplain and Captain SENTRY which mention nothing of it, but are filled with many Particulars to the honour of the good old Man. I have likewise a letter from the Butler, who took so much

care of me last Summer when I was at the Knight's House. As my Friend the Butler mentions, in the Simplicity of his Heart, several Circumstances the others have passed over in silence, I shall give my Reader a Copy of his Letter, without any Alteration or Diminution.

6

'Honoured Sir,

K

NOWING that you was my old Master's good

Friend, I could not forbear sending you the 'melancholy News of his Death, which has afflicted 'the whole Country, as well as his poor Servants, who 'loved him, I may say, better than we did our Lives. 'I am afraid he caught his Death the last County'Sessions, where he would go to see Justice done to a 'poor Widow Woman, and her Fatherless Children, that had been wronged by a neighbouring Gentlemen; for you know, Sir, my good Master was al'ways the poor Man's Friend. Upon his coming 'home, the first Complaint he made was, that he had 'lost his Rost-Beef Stomach, not being able to touch a 'Sirloin, which was served up according to custom; 'and you know he used to take great delight in it. 'From that time forward he grew worse and worse, 'but still kept a good Heart to the last. Indeed we were once in great hope of his Recovery, upon a