with in the whole course of my life. This however, though plague enough of itfelf, is but half the injury of which we have to complain from him. Mr. Glib, Sir, not content with the question, always takes the answer upon him likewife; fo that it is impoffible to get in a word. I fhall illuftrate my meaning by giving you, verbatim, his converfation this morning. He came in wiping his forehead, and, as I hoped, out of breath; but he was scarcely feated when he began as ufual: "Mercy on us! "how hot it is! Boy, fetch me a glass of Port "and water. Dr. Phlogiston, did Dr. Phlogifton, did you obferve "what the thermometer stood at this morning? "Mine was at 76 in the shade.-Well, this has "cleared my throat of the dust a little.-What a duft there is in the New Town! Gentle"( men, were any of you in Prince's Street fince "breakfast? I went to call on a friend who lives "at the farther fide of the Square, and I had "like to have been fmother'd.-Sir John, how "were you entertain'd at the play last night? "Mrs. Pope's playing was admirable. Were "not you amaz'd at the thinness of the house? "But fashion, not taste, rules every thing. "Give the women but a crowd within, and a "squeeze at the door, and they don't care a

pin for the excellence of the entertainment."Captain Paragraph, how long is it fince the

"poft

poft came in? I got my paper about an hour "ago. When is it thought Parliament will "rife?. I have a letter that fays the 12th."Mr. M'Blubber, you are a Highlander, what, "is your opinion of those encouragements to "the fishery? I have no great notion of build❝ing towns; find the birds, fay I, and they "will find nefts for themselves.—Mr. Rupee "(you have been in India), what do you fay to "this impeachment? I am inclined to think it "will come to nothing.-Pray, what is the "exact definition of a bulfe? I understand it to "be a package for diamonds, as a rouleau is for "guineas. Ha! is not that Mr. Hazard walk"ing yonder, who came yesterday from Lon"don? Yes it is, I know him by his gait."Sir, is my cane any where near you? Oh! "yes, I left it in the corner of the box.-Boy, "how much did I owe the houfe fince yefter"day? Eighteen-pence. Here it is.”

Now, Mr. Lounger, you must be fatisfied what an aggravated offence this way of talking of Mr. Glib's is, against other people who wish to have fome fhare in the conversation. The most unconscionable querists, if they keep within their own department, are contented with half the talk of the company; Mr. Glib,cuts it in two, and very modeftly helps himself to both pieces. When he has fet the fancy agog, and

one's tongue is just ready to give it vent, pop, he comes between one and the game he has started, and takes the word out of one's mouth. Do write a few lines, Sir, to let Mr. Glib know how unreasonable and how ridiculous his behaviour is; 'tis as if one fhould play at shuttlecock alone, or take a game at piquet, one's righthand against one's left, or fit down with three dead men at whift.-I should never have done, were I to fay all I think of its abfurdity.

I am a married man, Mr. Lounger, and have a wife and three grown-up daughters at home. I am a pretty conftant frequenter of the coffeehoufe, where I go to have the pleasure of a little converfation; but if Mr. Glib is to come there every morning as he does at prefent, never to have done afking queftions, and never to allow any body but himself to answer them, I may just as well stay at home.

Yours, &c.

GABRIEL GOSSIP.

Before I ftir further in this matter, Mr. Goffip will be kind enough to inform me, whether it would fatisfy him, if Mr. Glib were allowed to ask questions, and he, Mr. Goffip, to answer them, for all the rest of the coffeehouse.

Z

N° 77. SATURDAY, July 22, 1786.

Species Virtutibus fumiles.

TAC.

BESIDES, the great incitements to depravity or ill conduct which paffion and interest hold forth, there are other temptations to vice, other apologies for the want of virtue, which, as they lefs fhock the ingenuous feelings of our nature, are perhaps fully as dangerous as motives which apparently are of a much more powerful kind. We are often led aftray by habits, which in fingle actions seemed unimportant or venial; we are feduced by opinions, to which a fort of plausible fallacy gives the fhew of reafon. Sometimes we hide our errors and our weakness under the veil of virtue, and afcribe to ourselves the merit of good qualities, from circumstances, which, if justly confidered, fhould cover us with blame. At other times we are contented to wear the livery, though we are not in the fervice of Virtue, and pride ourselves on speaking her language, though we do not conform our actions to her precepts.

I happened lately to spend a day in company with a gentleman whofe appearance prepoffeffed E

VOL. III.

me

me much in his favour, and whose converfation and deportment did not lefs conciliate my good opinion. There was a certain delicacy in his remarks, which bespoke an uncommon elegance of mind; a warmth in his fentiments, which feemed to flow from a high principle of difinterestedness and generofity. After he was gone, I could not help expreffing myself very warmly in his commendation, in which the friend at whose house we were did not join in fo cordial a manner as I expected. When I pressed him a little on that score, he told me that Woodfort (fo the gentleman was called) had long been a fubject of his fpeculation on human character and conduct. "Woodfort, (faid he,) ❝in manner and converfation, is always the "elegant and interesting man you saw him. "Nay, he poffeffes, I believe, in reality those "feelings which he knows so well how to ex

prefs. I have frequently found him weeping "at the perufal of a tender novel, and have feen him ftruggling to keep down the emo❝tions of his heart at the representation of a "tragedy. You faw how his eye kindled at "the recital of a benevolent or a generous "deed, and at that moment I am persuaded "that Woodfort was benevolent, was generous. "Yet, in real life, (for I have had the best " opportunities of knowing it,) Woodfort's

"feeling