Will's Coffee-house, May 13. To Night was acted a Second Time a Comedy, call'd, The Bufie Body: This Play is written by a Lady. In old Times, we us'd to fit upon a Play here after it was acted; but now the Entertainment is turn'd another Way; not but there are confiderable Men appear in all Ages, who, for fome eminent Quality or Invention, deserve the Efteem and Thanks of the Publick. Such a Benefactor is a Gentleman of this House, who is obferv'd by the Surgeons with much Envy; for he has invented an Engine for the Prevention of Harms by Love-Adventures, and by great Care and Application, hath made it an Immodesty to name his Name. This Act of Self-denial has gain'd this worthy Member of the Commonwealth a great Reputation. Some Law-givers have departed from their Abodes for ever, and commanded the Observation of their Laws till their Return; others have us❜d other Artifices to fly the Applause of their Merit; but this Perfon fhuns Glory with greater Address, and has, by giving his Engine his own Name, made it obfcene to speak of him more. However, he is rank'd among, and receiv'd by the modern Wits, as a great Promoter of Gallantry and Pleasure, But I fear, Pleasure is lefs underftood in this Age, which fo much pretends to it, than in any fince the Creation. 'Twas admirably faid of him who first took Notice, That (Res eft fevera Voluptas) there is a certain Severity in Pleasure, Without that, all Decency Decency is banished; and if Reafon is not to be present at our greatest Satisfactions, of all the Races of Creatures, the Humane is the most miferable. It was not fo of old; when Virgil describes a Wit, he always means a Virtuous Man; and all his Sentiments of Men of Genius are fuch as fhow Perfons diftinguish'd from the common Level of Mankind; fuch as placed Happiness in the Contempt of low Fears, and mean Gratifications: Fears, which we are subject to with the Vulgar; and Pleasures, which we have in common with Beafts. With these illustrious Perfonages, the Wisest Man was the Greatest Wit; and none was thought worthy of that Character, unless he answered this excellent Description of the Poet : 1 Qui Metus omnes & inexorabile Fatum St. James's Coffee-house, May 13. We had this Morning Advice, That fome English Merchant Ships, convoyed by the Bristol of 54 Guns, were met with by a Part of Mr. du Gui Trouin's Squadron, who engag'd the Convoy. That Ship defended it self till the English Merchants got clear of the Enemy, but being difabled, was her felf taken. Within few Hours after, my Lord Durfley came up with Part of his Squadron, and engaging the French, retook the Bristol (which being very much shattered, funk), and took the Glorieux, a Ship of 44 Guns, as also a Privateer of 14. Before this Action, his Lordship had taken Two French Merchant Merchant-Men; and had, at the Dispatch of thefe Advices, brought the whole fafe into Plymouth. The TATLER. [N° 16. From Saturd. May 14. to Tuefd. May 17. 1709. STR White's Chocolate-house, May 15. IR Thomas, of this House, has fhow'd me fome Letters from the Bath, which give Accounts of what paffes among the good Company of that Place; and allow'd me to tranfcribe one of them, that seems to be writ by fome of Sir Thomas's particular Acquaintance, and is as follows: I Dear Knight, Defire you would give my humble Service to all our Friends, which I fpeak of to you (out of Method) in the very Beginning of my Epistle, left the prefent Disorders, by which this Seat of Gallantry and Pleasure is torn to Pieces, fhould make me forget it. You keep fo good Company, that you know Bath is ftock'd with fuch as come hither to be relieved from luxuriant Health, or imaginary Sickness, and confequently is always as well stowed with Gallants as Invalids, who live together in a very good Understanding. But the Seafon is fo early, that our fine Company is not yet arriv'd; and the Warm Bath, which in Heathen 139 Heathen Times was dedicated to Venas, is now used only by such as really want it for Health's Sake. There are however a good many Strangers, among whom 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 Cloe's, Clariffa's, and Paftorella's come down. One of thefe Two is exceffively in Pain, that the Ugly Being called Time will make Wrinkles in Spite 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 transported either with Affection or Malice. Thus, while Florimel is talking in Publick, and spreading her Graces in Affemblies, to gain a Popular Dominion over our Diverfions, Prudentia vifits very cunningly all the Lame, the Splenatick, and the Superannuated, who have their diftinct Claffes of Followers and Friends. Among thefe, the has found that fome Body has fent down printed Certificates of Florimel's Age, which The has read and diftributed to this unjoyful Set of People, who are always Enemies to thofe in Poffeffion of the good Opinion of the Company, Company. This unprovoked Injury done by Prudentia, was the firft Occafion of our fatal Divifions here, and a Declaration of War between these Rivals. Florimel has abundance of Wit, which fhe has lavish'd 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 Strollers, and defired us all to be there on Thursday laft. When she spoke to me to come, As you are, faid fhe, a Lover, you will not fail the Death of Alexander: The Paffion of Love is wonderfully hit —Statira! Oh that happy Woman To have a Conqueror at her Feet- But you'll be fure to be there. I, and several others, refolv'd to be of her Party, But fee the irresistible Strength of that unfufpected Creature, a Silent Woman. Prudentia had counter-plotted us, and had bespoke on the fame Evening the Poppet-Show of The Creation of the World. She had engaged every Body to be there, and, to turn our Leader into Ridicule, had fecretly let 'em know, that the Poppet Eve was made the most like Florimel that ever was feen. On Thursday Morning the Poppet-Drummer, Adam and Eve, and feveral others who lived before the Flood, pafs'd thro' the Streets on Horfeback, to invite us all to the Paftime, and the Reprefentation of fuch Things as we all knew to be true; and Mr. Mayor was fo wife as to prefer these innocent People the Poppets, who, he said, were to reprefent Chriftians, before the wicked Players, |