the esteem and thanks of the public. Such a benefactor is a gentleman of this houfe; who is obferved by the furgeons with much envy; and is ranked among, and received by the modern wits, as a great promoter of gallantry and pleasure. But, I fear, pleasure is lefs understood in this age, which fo much pretends to it, than in any fince the creation. It was admirably faid of him, who first took notice, that (Res eft Severa voluptas) "there is a certain feverity in 66 pleasure." Without that, all decency is banished; and if reason is not to be present at our greatest fatisfactions, of all the race of creatures, the human is the moft miferable. It was not fo of old; when VIRGIL defcribes a witt, he always means a virtuous man; and all his fentiments of men of genius, are fuch as fhew perfons diftinguished from the common level of mankind; fuch as placed happiness in the contempt of low fears, and mean gratifications fears which we are fubject to with the vulgar; and pleasures which we have in common with beafts. With thefe illuftrious perTonages, the wifeft man was the greatest wit; and none was thought worthy of that character, unlefs he answered this excellent defcription of the poet: The true relifh of pleafure pre-fuppofes felf-command, + Sec TAT. N° 6, note. Qui metus omnes & inexorabile fatum Subjecit pedibus, ftrepitumque Acherontis avari. Happy the man, * VIRG. Georg. II. 492. His mind poffeffing in a quiet ftate, Fearless of fortune, and refign'd to fate. DRYDEN. St. James's Coffee-house, May 13. We had this morning advice, that fome Englifh merchant fhips, convoyed by the Bristol of fifty-four guns, were met with by a part of Monfieur du Gui Trouin's fquadron, who engaged the convoy. That fhip defended itself until the English merchants got clear of the enemy; but, being difabled, was herself taken. Within few hours after, my Lord DURSLEY † came up with part, of his fquadron, and, engaging the French, retook the Bristol (which, being very much shattered, funk); and took the Glorieux, a fhip of forty-four guns, as also a privateer of fourteen. Before this action, his lordship had taken two French merchant men, and had, at the dispatch of these advices, brought the whole fafe into Plymouth. * VIRGIL feems to speak here as an Epicurean, and might probably allude to fome lines in LUCRETIUS, lib. III. 37—and 995. It is only by Chriftianity that men can be trained to that elevation of foul, which the doctrine of EPICURUS, &c. aimed at in vain. French TATLER. JAMES Vifcount DURSLEY, who was in confequence raised to the rank of Vice Admiral of the Blue in November 1709; and, in the beginning of October 1710 fucceeded his father in the title of Earl of Berkeley. N° 16. N° 16. Tuesday, May 17, 1709. Quicquid agunt homines noftri eft farrago libelli. Juv. Sat. i. 85, 86. "Whate'er men do, or fay, or think, or dream, "Our motley paper feizes for it's them." STR White's Chocolate-houfe, May 15. P; IR Thomas, of this house, has fhewed me fome letters from the Bath, which give accounts of what paffes among the good company of that place; and allowed me to transcribe one of them, that feems to be writ by fome of Sir Thomas's particular acquaintance, and is as follows: "Dear Knight, May 9, 1709. "I defire you would give my humble fervice to all our friends, which I fpeak of to you. (out of method) in the very beginning of my epifle, left the prefent disorders, by which this feat of gallantry and pleafure is torn to pieces,. fhould make me forget it. You keep fo good company, that you know BATH is ftocked with The nick-name of a waiter at White's, TAT. No 26 and. No 36. SPECT. N° 49. fuch as come hither to be relieved from luxu riant health, or imaginary fickness; and confequently is always as well stowed with gallants, as invalids, who live together in a very good understanding. But the feafon is fo early, that our fine company is not yet arrived; and the warm bath, which in heathen times was dedicated to VENUS, is now ufed only by fuch as really want it for health's fake. There are, however, a good many ftrangers, among who are two ambitious ladies, who, being both in the autumn of their life, take the opportunity of placing themselves at the head of fuch as we are, before the Chloe's, Clariffa's, and Paftorella's come down. One of these two is excef fively in pain, that the ugly being, called Time, will make wrinkles in fpite of the lead forehead cloth; and therefore hides, with the gaiety of her air, the volubility of her tongue, and quickness of her motion, the injuries which it has done her. The other lady is but two years behind her in life, and dreads as much being laid afide as the former; and confequently has taken the neceffary precautions to prevent her reign over us. But she is very difcreet, and wonderfully turned for ambition, being never apparently tranfported either with affection or malice. Thus, while FLORIMEL is *To which the black-lead comb and powder of every colour in the rainbow have fince been the fuccedanea. talking talking in public, and fpreading her graces in affemblies, to gain a popular dominion over our diverfions, PRUDENTIA vifits very cunningly all the lame, the fplenetic, and the fuperannuated, who have their diftinct claffes of followers and friends. Among these fhe has found, that fomebody has fent down printed certificates of FLORIMEL's age, which the has read and diftributed to this unjoyful fet of people, who are always enemies to thofe in poffeffion of the good opinion of the company. This unprovoked injury done by PRUDENTIA was the first occafion of our fatal divifions here, and a declaration of war between these rivals. FLORIMEL has abundance of wit, which she has lavifhed in decrying PRUDENTIA, and giving defiance to her little arts. For an inftance of her fuperior power, the bespoke the play of ALEXANDER THE GREAT, to be acted by the company of ftrollers, and defired us all to be there on I hurfday laft. When the spoke to me to. come," As you are," faid fhe, "a lover, you will "not fail the death of ALEXANDER the paf"fion of love is wonderfully hit-STATIRA! "O that happy woman to have a conqueror at her feet!-But you will be fure to "be there." I, and feveral others, refolved to be of her party. But fee the irrefiftible ftrength of that unfufpected creature, a "Silent Wo"man." PRUDENTIA had counterplotted us, and had bespoke on the fame evening the pup Ί |