pose it into silence; and nothing can be done, or, rather, nothing can be said, till the introduction of a card-table breaks up the spell, and releases the valiant knights and fair damsels from captivity. A table indeed, of any kind, considered as a centre of union, is of eminent service to conversation at all times; and never do we more sensibly feel the truth of that old philosophical axiom, that nature abhors a vacuum, than upon its removal. I have been told, that even in the blue-stocking society, formed solely for the purpose of conversation, it was found, after repeated trials, impossible to get on, without one card-table. In that same venerable society, when the company is too widely extended to engage in the same conversation, a custom is said to prevail -and a very excellent one it is—that every gentleman, upon his entrance, selects his partner, as he would do at a ball; and when the conversationdance is gone down, the company change partners, and begin afresh. Whether these things be so, or not, most certain it is, that the lady or the gentleman deserves well of the society, who can devise any method, whereby so valuable an amusement can be heightened and improved.

Z.

(No. IX.)

SATURDAY, May 12, 1787.

Mane salutantum totis vomit ædibus undam.

VIRGIL.

AMONG the grievances of modern days, much complained of, but with little hope of redress, is the matter of receiving and paying Visits, the number of which, it is generally agreed, "has been increas

ing, is increased, and ought to be diminished." You meet frequently with people, who will tell you, they are worn to death by visiting; and that what with morning visits, and afternoon visits, dining. visits, and supping visits, tea-drinking visits, and card-playing visits, exclusive of balls and concerts, for their parts, they have not an hour to them-selves in the four and twenty.-But they must gohome and dress, or they shall be too late for their visit.

Nor is this complaint by any means peculiar to the times in which we have the honour to live. Cowley was out of all patience on the subject above an hundred years ago. "If we engage, says he, in "a large acquaintance, and various familiarities, we

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set open our gates to the invaders of most of our "time: we expose our life to a quotidian ague of "frigid impertinences, which would make a wise man tremble to think of."

But as Cowley was apt to be a little out of humour between whiles, let us hear the honourable, pious, and sweet-tempered Mr. Boyle, who, among the troubles of life, enumerates as one "the busi"ness of receiving senseless visits, whose continuance, "if otherwise unavoidable, is capable, in my opin❝ion, to justify the retiredness of a hermit."

Bishop Jeremy Taylor is clear, that "men will "find it impossible to do any thing greatly good, "unless they cut off all superfluous company, and

❝ visits."

If we consult the ladies (as indeed we ought to do upon all occasions), we find it recorded by Ballard of the very learned and excellent Mrs. Astell, that "when she saw needless visitors coming, whom she "knew to be incapable of conversing on any useful "subject, but coming merely for the sake of chat " and tattle, she would look out of the window, "and jestingly tell them (as Cato did Nasica), "Mrs. Astell is not at home; and in good earnest

kept them out, not suffering such triflers to "make inroads upon her more serious hours.”

And now what shall we say to these things? For, after all, nothing can be more certain, than, whatever learned or unlearned folk may pretend to the contrary, visit we must, or the world will be at an end; we may as well go supercargoes to Botanybay at once.

Distinction is the parent of perspicuity. Suppose, therefore, we take in order the different sorts of visits above-mentioned, and consider them (as a worthy and valuable author phrases it)" will their roots, reasons, and respects."

And first of the first, namely, morning visits. It is evident, that, as things are now regulated amongst us, all visits of business must be made at this season; for we dine late for this very purpose; and no Gentleman does any thing after dinner, but-drink. In the days of our forefathers, under Elizabeth, and her successor James, it was otherwise; for Bishop Andrews, we are told, entertained hopes of a person who had been guilty of many faults and foilies, till, one day, the young man happened unfortunately to call in a morning. Then the good bishop gave him up.

Mrs. Astell herself would not have disdained to take her share in a little chat, and tattle, over the tea-table. They may be styled correlatives, and go' together as naturally as ham and chickens.

If it be asked, what number of friends it is expedient to collect, in order to make a visit com fortable, I must confess myself unable to answer the question, so diverse are the opinions and customs that have prevailed in different ages and countries. Among ourselves, at present, if one were to lay down a general rule, it should be done, perhaps, in these words,-The more, the merrier.

Some years ago, these multitudinous meetings were known by the various names of assemblies, routs, drums, tempests, hurricanes, and earthquakes. If you made a morning visit to a lady, she would tell you very gravely, what a divine rout, a sweet hurricane, or a charming earthquake, she had been at, the night before.

To have discussed all these subdivisions of visits, and distinguished properly the nature of each, as considered in itself, would have been an arduous task, from which I find myself happily relieved by the modern very judicious adoption of the term PARTY, which is what the logicians style an universal, and includes every thing of the kind.

A company of twelve at dinner, with a reinforcement of eighteen at tea and cards, may, I believe, be called a small party, which a lady may attend, without any assistance from the hair-dresser.