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SPECTATOR.

No. 515-566.

THE

SPECTATOR.

N° 515. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1712.

Pudet me et miseret, qui harum mores contabat mihi,
Monuisse frustra-

TER. Heaut. act. ii. sc. 3.

I am ashamed and grieved, that I neglected his advice, who gave me the character of these creatures.

· MR. SPECTATOR,

I AM obliged to you for printing the account I lately sent you of a coquette who disturbed a sober congregation in the city of London. That intelligence ended at her taking a coach, and bidding the driver to go where he knew. I could not leave her so, but dogged her, as hard as she drove, to St. Paul's churchyard, where there was a stop of coaches, attending company coming out of the cathedral. This gave me an opportunity to hold up a crown to her coachman, who gave me the signal, that he would hurry on, and make no haste, as you know the way is when they favour a chase. By his many kind blunders, driving against other coaches, and slipping of his tackle, I could keep up with him, and lodged my fine lady in the parish of St. James's. As I guessed, when I first saw her at church, her business is to win hearts, and throw them away, regarding nothing but the triumph. I have had the

happiness, by tracing her through all with whom I heard she was acquainted, to find one who was intimate with a friend of mine, and to be introduced to her notice. I have made so good a use of my time, as to procure from that intimate of others one of her letters, which she writ to her when in the country. This epistle of her own, may serve to alarm the world against her in ordinary life, as mine, I hope, Idid those who shall behold her at church. letter was written last winter to the lady who gave it me; and I doubt not but you will find it the soul of a happy self-loving dame, that takes all the admiration she can meet with, and returns none of it in love to her admirers.

"DEAR JENNY,

The

“I am glad to find you are likely to be disposed of in marriage so much to your approbation, as you tell me. You say you are afraid only of me, for I shall laugh at your spouse's airs. I beg of you not to fear it, for I am too nice a discerner to laugh at any, but whom most other people think fine fellows; so that your dear may bring you hither as soon as his horses are in case enough to appear in town, and you be very safe against any raillery you may apprehend from me; for I am surrounded with coxcombs of my own making, who are all ridiculous in a manner your good man, I presume, cannot exert himself. As men who cannot raise their fortunes, and are uneasy under the incapacity of shining in courts, rail at ambition; so do awkward and insipid women, who cannot warm the hearts, and charm the eyes of men, rail at affectation: but she that has the joy of seeing a man's heart leap into his eyes at beholding her, is in no pain for want of esteem among the crew of that part of her own sex, who have no spirit but that of envy, and no language but

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