with more fuccefs; for when the demanded entrance of the PASSIONS, they often mistook her for FALSEHOOD, and delivered their charge. But when she had once taken poffeffion, she was foon difrobed by REASON, and fhone out in her original form, with native effulgence, and refiftlefs dignity. Primùm inquinavere, et genus, et domos ; T In patriam populumque fluxit. HOR. HE reader is indebted for this day's entertainment to an author from whom the age has received greater favours; who has enlarged the knowledge of human nature, and taught the paffions to move at the command of virtue. W To the RAMBLER. Hen the SPECTATOR was first published in fingle papers, it gave me fo much pleasure, that it is one of the favourite amusements of my age to recollect it; and when I reflect on the foibles of thofe times as defcribed in that useful work, and compare them with the vices now reigning among us, I cannot but with, that you would oftener take VOL. IV. cognifance T cognisance of the manners of the better half of the human fpecies, that, if your precepts and obfervations be carried down to pofterity, the SPECTATORS may fhew to the rifing generation what were the fashionable follies of their grandmothers, the RAMBLER of their mothers, and that from both they may draw instruction and warning. When I read thofe SPECTATORS which took notice of the misbehaviour of young women at church, by which they vainly hope to attract admirers, I used to pronounce fuch forward young women SEEKERS, in order to distinguish them, by a mark of infamy, from those who had patience and decency to stay till they were fought. But I have lived to fee fuch a change in the manners of women, that I would now be willing to compound with them for that name, although I then thought it difgraceful enough, if they would deferve no worse; fince now they are too generally given up to negligence of domeftic bufinefs, to idle amufements, and to wicked rackets, without any fettled view at all, but of fquandering time. In the time of the SPECTATOR, excepting fometimes an appearance in the ring, fometimes at a good and chofen play, fometimes on a visit at the houfe of a grave relation, the young ladies contented themselves to be found employed in domeftic duties; for then routs, drums, balls, af femblies, and fuch like markets for women, were not known. Modefty and diffidence, gentleness and meeknefs, were looked upon as the appropriate virtues and characteristic graces of the fex. And if a forward spirit pushed itself into notice, it was exposed in print as it deferved. The Men The churches were almost the only places where fingle women were to be feen by strangers. went thither expecting to fee them; and perhaps too much for that only purpose. But fome good often refulted, however improper was their motive. Both fexes were in the way of their duty. The man must be abandoned indeed, who loves not goodness in another; nor were the young fellows of that age fo wholly loft to a fense of right, as pride and conceit has fince made them affect to be. When therefore they faw a fair-one whose decent behaviour and chearful piety fhewed her earnest in her firft duties, they had the lefs doubt, judging politically only, that she would have a confcientious regard to her fecond. With what ardour have I feen watched for, the rifing of a kneeling beauty? and what additional charms has devotion given to her recommunicated features? The men were often the better for what they heard. Even a Saul was once found prophefying among the prophets whom he had fet out to deftroy. To a man thus put into good humour by a pleafing object, religion itself looked more amiably. The MEN-SEEKERS of the SPECTATOR'S time loved the holy place for the object's fake, and loved the object for her fuitable behaviour in it, Reverence mingled with their love; and they thought that a young lady of fuch good principles must be addreffed only by the man, who at least made a fhew of good principles, whether his heart was yet quite right or not. Nor did the young lady's behaviour, at any time of the fervice, leffen this reverence. Her eyes were her own, her ears the preacher's. Women are always most observed |