But perhaps it may look trivial to infift fo much upon Mens Perfons; I fhall therefore turn my Thoughts rather to examine their Behaviour, and confider, whether the feveral Parts are written up to that Chara&ter which Mr. Powell piques himself upon, of an able and judicious Dramatist. I have for this Purpose provided my felf with the Works of above Twenty French Criticks, and shall examine, (by the Rules which they have laid down upon the Art of the Stage) whether the Unity of Time, Place, and Action, be rightly obferved in any one of this celebrated Author's Productions; as alfo, whether in the Parts of his feveral Actors, and that of Punch in particular, there is not fometimes an Impropriety of Sentiments, and an Impurity of Diction.

White's Chocolate-house, January 2.

I came in here to Day at an Hour when only the Dead appear in Places of Refort and Gallantry, and faw hung up the Efcutcheon of Sir Hannibal, a Gentleman who used to frequent this Place, and was taken up and interred by the Company of Upholders, as having been feen here at an unlicensed Hour. The Coat of the Deceafed is, Three Bowls and a Jack in a green Field; the Creft, a Dice-Box, with the King of Clubs and Pam for Supporters. Some Days ago the Body was carried out of Town with great Pomp and Ceremony, in order to be buried with B 3

his

his Ancestors at the Peak. It is a Maxim in Morality, That we are to speak nothing but Truth of the Living, nothing but Good of the Dead. As I have carefully observed the first during his Life-time, I fhall acquit my felf as to the latter now he is deceased.

He was Knighted very young, not in the ordinary Form, but by the common Confent of Mankind.

He was in his Perfon between round and fquare; in the Motion and Gesture of his Body he was unaffected and free, as not having too great a Refpect for Superiors. He was in his Difcourfe bold and intrepid; and as every one has an Excellence as well as a Failing which distinguishes him from other Men, Eloquence was his predominant Quality, which he had to fo great a Perfection, that it was easier to him to speak than to hold his Tongue. This fometimes exposed him to the Derifion of Men who had much less Parts than himself: And indeed his great Volubility and inimitable Manner of Speaking, as well as the great Courage he fhewed on those Occafions, did fometimes betray him into that Figure of Speech which is commonly distinguish'd by the Name of Gasconade. To mention no other, he profeffed in this very Place fome few Days before he died, That he would be One of the Six that would undertake to affault me; for which Reason I have had his Figure upon my Wall till the Hour of his Death: And am refolved for the fu

ture

ture to bury every one forthwith who I hear has an Intention to kill me.

Since I am upon the Subject of my Adverfaries, I fhall here publish a fhort Letter which I have received from a Well-wisher, and is as follows:

Sage SIR,

OU cannot but know, there are many Scrib

Yblers and others who revile

you and your Writings. It is wondered that you do not exert your felf, and crush them at once.

SIR,

(With great Refpect)

I am,

Your moft humble Admirer,

and Disciple.

my

Pre

In anfwer to this, I shall act like deceffor Hop, and give him a Fable instead of a Reply.

It happened one Day, as a stout and honeft Mastiff (that guarded the Village where he lived against Thieves and Robbers) was very gravely walking, with one of his Puppies by his Side, all the little Dogs in the Street gather'd about him, and barked at him. The little Puppy was fo offended at this Affront done to his Sire, that he asked him, Why he would not fall upon them, and tear them to Pieces? To which the Sire answered, with a great Compofure of Mind, If there were no Curs, I should be no Maftiff.

8

་

The TATLER. [N° 116.

Pars minima eft ipfa Puella fui. Ovid, From Tuefd. Jan. 3. to Thurfd. Jan. 5. 1709.

TH

Sheer-lane, January 4.

HE Court being prepared for proceeding on the Caufe of the Petticoat, I gave Orders to bring in a Criminal who was taken up as he went out of the PuppetShow about Three Nights ago, and was now ftanding in the Street with a great Concourfe of People about her. Word was brought me, that she had endeavour'd Twice or Thrice to come in, but could not do it by reason of her Petticoat, which was too large for the Entrance of my House, though I had ordered both the Folding-Doors to be thrown open for its Reception. Upon this, I defired the Jury of Matrons, who ftood at my Right Hand, to inform themselves of her Condition, and know whether there were any private Reasons why she might not make her Appearance feparate from her Petticoat. This was managed with great Difcretion, and had fuch an Effect, that upon the Return of the Verdict from the Bench of Matrons, I iffued out an Order forthwith, That the Criminal fhould be ftripped of her Incum

brances,

brances, till fhe became little enough to enter my House. I had before given Directions for an Engine of feveral Legs, that could contract or open it self like the Top of an Umbrello, in order to place the Petticoat upon it, by which Means I might take a leifurely Survey of it, as it should appear in its proper Dimenfions. This was all done accordingly; and forthwith, upon the Clofing of the Engine, the Petticoat was brought into Court. I then directed the Machine to be fet upon the Table, and dilated in fuch a Manner as to show the Garment in its utmost Circumference; but my great Hall was too narrow for the Experiment; for before it was half unfolded, it defcribed fo immoderate a Circle, that the lower Part of it brush'd upon my Face as I fate in my Chair of Judicature. I then enquired for the Person that belonged to the Petticoat; and to my great Surprize, was directed to a very beautiful young Damfel, with fo pretty a Face and Shape, that I bid her come out of the Crowd, and feated her upon a little Crock at my Left Hand. "My pretty Maid, (faid I) do

you own your felf to have been the Inhabi"tant of the Garment before us? The Girl I found had good Senfe, and told me with a Smile, That notwithstanding it was her own Petticoat, she should be very glad to see an Example made of it; and that she wore it for no other Reason, but that she had a Mind to look as big and burly as other Persons of

her