pensed, and when a few months' attendance night happen to prove successful, was beyond all power of resolution.

"However, after a few years' more attendance, distributed in equal proportions upon each of these new patrons, I at length obtained a place of much trouble and small emolument. On the acceptance of this, my eyes seemed open all at once: I had no passion remaining for the splendor which was grown familiar to me, and for civility and confinement I entertained an utter aversion. I officiated, however, for a few weeks on my post, wondering still more and more how I could ever covet the life I led. I was ever most sincere, but sincerity clashed with my situation every moment of the day. In short, I returned home to a paternal income, not indeed intending that austere life in which you at present find me engaged: I thought to content myself with common necessaries, and to give the rest, if aught remained, to charity; determined, however, to avoid all appearance of singularity. But, alas! to my great surprise, the person who supplied my expenses had so far embroiled my little affairs, that, when my debts, &c. were discharged, I was unable to subsist in any better manner than I do at present. I grew at first entirely melancholy; left the country where I was born, and raised the humble roof that covers me in a country where I am not known. I now begin to think myself happy in my present way of life: I cultivate a few vegetables to support me; and the little well there is a very clear one. I am now an useless individual; little able to benefit mankind, but a prey to shame and to confusion, on the first glance of

every eye that knows me. My spirits are, indeed, something raised by a clear sky, or a meridian sun; but as to extensive views of the country, I think them well enough exchanged for the warmth and comfort which this vale affords me. Ease is at least the proper ambition of age, and it is confessedly my supreme one.

"Yet will I not permit you to depart from a her. mit, without one instructive lesson. Whatever situation in life you ever wish or propose for yourself, acquire a clear and lucid idea of the inconveniences attending it. I utterly contemned and rejected, after a month's experience, the very post I had all my life time been solicitous to procure."

VII. ON DISTINCTIONS, Orders, AND DIGNITIES. THE subject turned upon the nature of societies, ranks, orders, and distinctions, amongst men.

A gentleman of spirit, and of the popular faction, had been long declaiming against any kind of honours that tended to elevate a body of people into a distinct species from the rest of the nation : particularly titles and blue ribands were the object of his indignation: they were, as he pretended, too invidious an ostentation of superiority, to be allowed in any nation that styled itself free. Much was said upon the subject of appearances, so far as they were countenanced by law or custom. The bishop's lawn, the marshal's truncheon, the baron's robe, and the judge's peruke, were considered only as necessary substitutes, where genuine purity, real courage, native dignity, and suitable penetra

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ON DISTINCTIONS, ORDERS, AND DIGNITIES. tion, were wanting to complete the characters of those to whom they were assigned.

It was urged that policy had often effectually made it a point to dazzle in order to enslave; and instances were brought of groundless distinctions borne about in the glare of day by certain persons, who, being stripped of them, would be less esteemed than the meanest plebeian.

He acknowledged, indeed, that kings, the fountains of all political honour, had hitherto shown no complaisance to that sex whose softer dispositions rendered them more excusably fond of such peculiarities.

That, in favour of the ladies, he should esteem himself sufficiently happy in the honour of inventing one order, which should be styled, The powerful Order of Beauties.

That their number in Great Britain should be limited to five thousand; the dignity for ever to be conferred by the queen alone, who should be styled sovereign of the order, and the rest the companions.

That the instalment should be rendered a thousand times more ceremonious, the dresses more superb, and the plumes more enormous, than those already in use amongst the companions of the garter.

That the distinguishing badge of this order should be an artificial nosegay, to be worn on the left breast, consisting of a lily and a rose, the proper emblems of complexion, and intermixed with a branch of myrtle, the tree sacred to Venus.

That instead of their shields being affixed to the stalls appointed for this order, there should be a

C

gallery erected to receive their pictures at full length; their portraits to be taken by four painters of the greatest eminence, and he whose painting was preferred, to be styled A knight of the Rose and Lily.

That when any person addressed a letter to a lady of this order, the style should always be, To the right beautiful Miss, or lady such-a-one.

He seemed for some time undetermined whether they should forfeit their title upon marriage; but at length, for many reasons, proposed it should be continued to them.

And thus far the gentleman proceeded in his harangue; when it was objected, that the queen, unless she unaccountably chose to mark out game for her husband, could take no sort of pleasure in conferring this honour where it was most due: that as ladies grew in years, this epithet of beautiful would burlesque them; and, in short, considering the frailty of beauty, there was no lasting compliment that could be bestowed upon it.

At this the orator smiled, and acknowledged it was true; but asked, at the same time, why it was more absurd to style a lady right beautiful, in the days of her deformity, than to term a peer right honourable, when he grew a scandal to mankind?

That this was sometimes the case, he said, was not to be disputed, because titles have been sometimes granted to a worthless son, in consequence of a father's enormous wealth most unjustly acquired. And few had ever surpassed in villany the right honourable the earl of A ***.

The company was a little surprised at the sophistry of our declaimant. However, it was replied

to by a person present, that lord * * *'s title being fictitious, no one ought to instance him to the disadvantage of the p-rage, who had, strictly speaking, never been of that number.

VIII. ON THE SAME SUBJECT.

THE declaimant, I before mentioned, continued his harangue. "There are," said he, " certain epithets which so frequently occur, that they are the less considered; and which are seldom or never examined, on account of the many opportunities of examination that present themselves.

"Of this kind is the word Gentleman. This word, on its first introduction, was given, I suppose, to freemen, in opposition to vassals; these, being the two classes into which the nation was once divided. The freeman was he who was possessed of land, and could therefore subsist without manual labour; the vassal, he who tenanted the land, and was obliged to his thane for the necessaries of life. The different manners, we may presume, that sprung from their different situations and connexions, occasioned the one to be denominated a civilized or gentle personage, and the other to obtain the name of a mere rustic or villain.

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"But upon the publication of crusades, the state of things was considerably altered: it was then that every freeman distinguished the shield which he wore with some painted emblem or device; and this, in order that his fellow-combatants might attribute to him his proper applause, which, upon