kind, I cannot help thinking, that, as a publick writer, you should take the case of these truly compaffionable objects under your confideration.

These unhappy languishers in obfcurity fhould be furnished with fuch accounts of the employments of people of the world, as may engage them in their feveral remote corners to a laudable imitation; or, at least, so far inform and prepare them, that if by any joyful change of fituation they should be fuddenly transported into the gay fcene, they may not gape, and wonder, and ftare, and be utterly at a lofs how to behave, and make a proper appearance in

it.

It is inconceivable how much the welfare of all the country towns in the kingdom might be promoted, if you would use your charitable endeavours to raise in them a noble emulation of the manners and cuf toms of higher life.

For this purpose you should give a very clear and ample defcription of the whole fet of polite acquirements; a complete history of forms, fashions, frolicks, of routs, drums, hurricanes, balls, affemblies, ridottos, masquerades, auctions, plays, operas, puppet-fhows, and bear-gardens; of all thofe delights which profitably engage the attention of the most fublime characters, and by which they have brought to fuch amazing perfection the whole art and mystery of paffing day after day, week after week, and year after year, without the heavy affiftance of any one thing that formal creatures are pleased to call useful and neceffary.

In giving due inftructions through what steps to attain this fummit of human excellence, you may

add

add such irresistible arguments in its favour, as must convince numbers, who in other inftances do not seem to want natural understanding, of the unaccountable error of fuppofing they were fent into the world for any other purpose but to flutter, fport, and fhine. For, after all, nothing can be clearer than that an everlasting round of diverfion, and the more lively and hurrying the better, is the most important end of human life.

It is really prodigious, fo much as the world is improved, that there should in these days be perfons fo ignorant and stupid as to think it neceffary to mifpend their time, and trouble their heads about any thing else than pursuing the prefent fancy; for what else is worth living for?

It is time enough furely to think of confequences when they come; and as for the antiquated notions of duty, they are not to be met with in any French novel, or any book one ever looks into, but derived almost wholly from the writings of authors, who lived a yaft many ages ago, and who, as they were totally without any idea of those accomplishments which now characterise people of distinction, have been for fome time finking apace into utter contempt. It does not appear that even their most zealous admirers, for fome partizans of his own fort every writer will have, can pretend to fay they were ever at one ridotto.

In the important article of diverfions, the cere monial of yifits, the ecftatick delight of unfriendly intimacies and unmeaning civilities, they are abfolutely filent. Blunt truth, and downright honesty, plain clothes, ftaying at home, hard work, few

words,

words, and those unenlivened with cenfure or double meaning, are what they recommend as the ornaments and pleasures of life. Little oaths, polite diffimulation, tea-table fcandal, delightful indolence, the glitter of finery, the triumph of precedence, the enchantments of flattery, they feem to have had no notion of, and I cannot but laugh to think what a figure they would have made in a drawing-room, and how frighted they would have looked at a gam ing-table.

The noble zeal of patriotism that disdains autho rity, and tramples on laws for fport, was absolutely the averfion of these tame wretches.

Indeed one cannot difcover any one thing they pretend to teach people, but to be wife, and good; acquirements infinitely below the confideration of perfons of taste and fpirit, who know how to spend their time to fo much better purpose.

Among other admirable improvements, pray, Mr. Rambler, do not forget to enlarge on the very extenfive benefit of playing at cards on Sundays; a practice of fuch infinite use, that we may modeftly expect to see it prevail univerfally in all parts of this kingdom.

To perfons of fashion, the advantage is obvious becaufe, as for fome ftrange reafon or other, which no fine gentleman or fine lady has yet been able to penetrate, there is neither play, nor masquerade, nor bottled conjurer, nor any other thing worth living for, to be had on a Sunday; if it were not for the charitable affistance of whift or bragg, the genteel part of mankind muft, one day in feven, neceffarily fuffer a total extinction of being.

Nor

Nor are the perfons of high rank the only gainers by so falutary a custom, which extends its good influence, in fome degree, to the lower orders of people; but were it quite general, how much better and happier would the world be than it is even now?

'Tis hard upon poor creatures, be they ever fo mean, to deny them thofe enjoyments and liberties which are equally open for all. Yet if fervants were taught to go to church on this day, fpend fome part of it in reading or receiving inftruction in a family way, and the rest in mere friendly conversation, the poor wretches would infallibly take it into their heads, that they were obliged to be fober, modeft, diligent, and faithful to their masters and mistreffes.

Now furely no one of common prudence or humanity would wish their domesticks infected with fuch ftrange and primitive notions, or laid under fuch unmerciful restraints: all which may, in a great measure, be prevented by the prevalence of the goodhumoured fashion, that I would have you recommend. For when the lower kind of people fee their betters, with a truly laudable spirit, insulting and flying in the face of those rude, ill-bred dictators, piety and the laws, they are thereby excited and admonifhed, as far as actions can admonifh and excite, and taught that they too have an equal right of setting them at defiance in fuch inftances as their particular neceffities and inclinations may require; and thus is the liberty of the whole human fpecies mightily improved and enlarged.

In fhort, Mr. Rambler, by a faithful representation of the numberlefs benefits of a modifh life, you will have done your part in promoting what every body

seems

feems to confefs the true purpose of human existence, perpetual diffipation.

By encouraging people to employ their whole attention on trifles, and make amufement their fole study, you will teach them how to avoid many very uneafy reflections.

All the foft feelings of humanity, the fympathies of friendship, all natural temptations to the care of a family, and folicitude about the good or ill of others, with the whole train of domestick and focial affections, which create fuch daily anxieties and embarraffments, will be happily ftifled and fuppreffed in a round of perpetual delights; and all serious thoughts, but particularly that of hereafter, be banished out of the world; a moft perplexing apprehenfion, but luckily a moft groundlefs one too, as it is fo very clear a cafe, that nobody ever dies.

I am, &c.

CHARIESSA *,

Written by Mrs. Carter of Deal, the only furvivor of the

writers of that age.

C.