ly made a Chriftian of her; and we were privately married at the Fleet. When I came to break the matter to the father, and to make an apology for having converted her, he received me with a loud laugh Sir, fays he, if my child had married the Devil, he fhould have had every penny that was her due: but, as he is only my Bastard, the law cannot oblige me to give her a farthing.'

This I found to be too true: and very happily for me my Christian wife had fo little regard for her new religion, that fhe again became an apoftate, and was taken into keeping (to which I readily gave my confent) by one of her own tibe and complexion. I fhall not tire you with a particular detail of what has happened to me fince: I fhall only acquaint you, that I have exactly followed the precept of becoming all things to ⚫ all men.' I was once fupported very fplendidly by a young rake of quality for my wit in talking blafphemy, and ridiculing the Bible, till my patron fhot himfelf through the head; and I lived at bed and board with an old Methodist lady for near a twelvemonth, on account of my zeal for the New Doctrine, till one of the maid- fervants wickedly laid a child to me. At prefent, Mr. Town, I am quite out of employ; having just loft a very profitable place which I held under a great man, in quality of his pimp. My difgrace was owing to the bafeness of an old Covent Garden acquaintance, whom I palmed upon his Honour for an innocent creature just come

Know no book fo fit for your purpofe as the Connoiffeur, lately publifhed in Two Pocket Volumes; which I would further recommend to all Fathers and Mothers, Grand-fathers and Grandmothers, Uncles and Aunts, God-fathers and God-mothers, to give to their Sons and Daughters, Grand-fons and Grand-daughters, Nephews and Nieces, God-fons and God-daughters-as being undoubtedly the best prefent at this feason of the year, that can poffibly be thought of.

TOWN, CONNOISSEUR.

N. B. Large allowance to thofe who buy quantities to give away.

VIRG.

T

nus; whom we may fairly ftile in our language, the God of the New Year. The medals, on which the image of this Deity was engraved, bore two faces, not ogling each other, like thofe on the fhillings of Philip and Mary, nor cheek by jowl like the double vifage on the coin of William and Mary, but turned from each other; one looking forwards, as it were, into futurity, and the other taking a retrospective view of what was palt. There cannot be devised a stronger, or more fenfible leffon of moral inftruction, than this figure teaches us. This double view comprehends in itself the fum of human prudence; for the most perfect reafon can go no higher than wifely to guess at the future, by reflecting on the paft; and morality is never fo likely to perfevere in a steady and uniform courfe, as when it fets out with a fixed determination of mutually regulating the New Year by a recollection of the Old, and at the fame time making the tucceeding a comment on the last."

Most of the faults in the general conduct of mankind, and their frequent mifcarriages in their most favourite en terprizes, will be found, upon examination, to refult from an imperfect and partial view of what relates to their duty or undertakings. Some regulate their actions by blind guets, and rathly prefaming on the future, without the least attention to the past. With thefe the impetuofity of the paffions gives then rexión no scope to exertitlelf, bur, neg lecting the premifes, they jump to a conclufion. Others; who are often taken for men of deep reflection and marvel lous understanding, meditate fo profoundly on the paf, that they fearce take any notice either of the prefent or the future. To thefe two characters, whole misconduct arifes from two fuch contrary jources, inay indeed be added a third, whofe wild irregular behaviour is founded on no fixt principles, but proceeds from a total abfence of thought and reflection. Thefe eaty creatures a&t entirely at random, neither troubling themselves with what has been, what is, or what will be; and, as the image of Janas feems to bear two heads, thefe Thoughtles vacant animals may aimolt be faid to have no head at all.

But that the neceffity of taking this comprehenfive view of our affairs may appear in the stronger light, let us confider the many difficulties, in which

men of any the above characters are involved, from a total neglect or partial furvey of matters that should infiuence their conduct. The first fort of men, who nourish great expectations from the future, and fuffer hope to lay their prudence to fleep, are very common: indeed, almost every man, like the dairy maid with her pail of milk, pleafes himself with calculating the advantages he fhall reap from his undertakings. There is scarce a fervitor at either university, who, when he takes orders, does not think it more than poffible he may one day be a bishop, or at least head of a college, though perhaps at firft he is glad to fnap at a curacy. Every walking attendant on our hofpitals flatters himself that a few years will fettle him in high practice and a chariot: and among thofe few gentlemen of the inns of court, who really deferve the name of ftudents, there is hardly one who fits down to Lord Coke without imagining that he may himself, fome time or other, be Lord Chancellor. At this early period of life these vain hopes may perhaps ferve as fpurs to diligence and virtue; but what fhall we fay to thofe people, who, in spite of experience and repeated difappointments, tilf place their chief dependance on groundless expectations from their futhe fortune! This town warms with people who rely almoft folely on contingencies: and our gaols are often filled with wretches who brought on their own poverty and misfortunes by promifing themfelves great profit from fome darling fcheme, which has at last been attended with bankruptcy. The prefent extravagance of many of our spendthrifts is built on fome ideal riches, of which they are foon to be in poffeffion; and which they are laying out as freely as the girl in the farce fquanders the ten thoufand pounds fhe was to get in the lottery. I am myfelf acquainted with a young fellow, who had great expectations from an old uncle. He had ten thoufand pounds of his own in ready money; and as the old gentleman was of an infirm conftitution, and turned of fixty, the nephew very confiderately computed, that his uncle could hardly latt above five years, during which time he might go on very genteelly at the rate of 200cl. for cnu. However, the old. gentleman held together above feven years, the two laft of which our young

fpark

fpark had no confolation but the daily hopes of his uncle's death. The happy hour at length arrived; the will was tore open with rapture; when, alas! the fond youth difcovered, that he had never once reflected, that though he had a ticket in the wheel, it might poffibly come up a blank, and had the mortification to find himself difinherited. I shall not dwell fo particularly on the ridiculous folly of thofe profound fpeculatifts, who fix their attention entirely on what is paft, without making their reflections of fervice either for the prefent or the future, because it is not a very common or tempting species of abfurdity: but fhall rather advife the reader to confider the time paft as the fchool of experience from which he may draw the most useful leffons for his future conduct. This kind of retrospect would teach us to provide with forefight against the calamities to which our inexperience has hitherto exposed us, though at the fame time it would not throw us fo far back, as to keep us lagging, like the Old Stile, behind the rest of the world. To fay the truth, thofe fage perfons who are given to fuch deep reflection, as to let to-day and to-morrow pass unregarded by meditating on yesterday, are as ridiculous in their conduct as country beaux in their dress, who adopt the two modes juk after they are become unfashionable in London.

But there is no task fo difficult as to infufe ideas into a brain hitherto entirely unaccustomed to thinking: for how can we warn a man to avoid the misfortunes which may hereafter befal him, or to improve by the calamities he has already fuffered, whose actions are not the refult

of thought, or guided by experience? Thefe perfons are, indeed, of all others, the most to be pitied. They are prodigal and abandoned in their conduct, and by vicious exceffes ruin their con ftitution, till at length poverty and death ftare them in the face at the fame time; or if, unfortunately, their crazy frame holds together after the utter destruction of their fortune, they finish a thoughtless life by an act of defperation, and a pistol puts an end to their miferies.

Since then good fortune cannot be expected to fall into our laps, and it requires fome thought to enfure to ourfelves a likelihood of fuccefs in our undertakings, let us look back with attention on the Old Year, and gather inftructions from it in what manner to conduct ourselves through the New. Let us alfo endeavour to draw from it a lefson of morality: and I hope it will not be thought too folemn a conclufion of this paper, if I advife my readers to carry this reflection even into religion. This train of thought, that teaches us at once to reflect on the past, and look forward to the future, will also naturally lead us to look up with awe and admiration towards that Being who has exifted from all eternity, and fhall exift world without end. No confideration can give us a more exalted idea of the Power who first created us, and whose provi dence is always over us. Let us then confider with attention this pagan image, by which we may add force to our morality, and prudence to our ordinary conduct; nor let us blush to receive a leffon from Heathens, which may animate our zeal and reverence for the Author of Christianity,

Ovid.

TO MR. TOWN.

recorded T has been my good fortune to be

the Herald's Dictionary as one of the moft ancient in the kingdom. We are fuppofed to have come into England

the Lady Ifabel's Saltire in Chief, or only her Sinifter Corners; the being one of the feventeen coheireles of my great great great great great grandfather's fourth wife Dorothy, the daughter and fole heirel's of Simon de la Frogpool of Croakham in Suffolk. This unexpect ed vifit mult have difconcerted me to an invincible degree, if upon recollection I had not only remembered Mr. Rouge Dragon as a conitant companion to my late brother, but as a kind of tutor in initiating him into the Science of He raldry, and the Civil and Military Atchievements, to which our nobility and gentry are entitled. As foon, therefore, as I could recover myfelf from my firft furprize in hearing an unknown English language, I humbly thanked Mr. Dra gon for the pains he had taken in confidering my Coat of Arms fo minutely, but hoped he would give himself no far ther trouble upon, my account, because I was fully determined to bear the plain Shield of my grandfather Peter, without taking the least notice of Lady Ifabel's Saltire in Chief, or even of her Sinifter Corners.

Be it to my fhame or not, I must confels that Heraldry is a Science which I have never much cultivated; nor do I find it very prevalent among the fathion able tudies of the age. Arms, and Armorial Tokens, may, I fuppofe, be regularly distinguished, and properly emblazoned, upon the family plate to which they belong: but I have oblerved of late, that thefe honourable enligns are not confined entirely to their proper owners, but are ufurped by every body who thinks fit to take them; infomuch that there is fearce an hackney coach in London which is not in poffeffion of a Ducal Creit, an Earl's Coronet, or a Baroner's Bloody Hand., This, indeed, has often given me great offence, as it reflects a scandal on our nobility and gentry; and I cannot but thinks it very indecent for a Duke's coach to be feen waiting at a night cellar, or for a Countefs's landau to fet down ladies at the, door of a common bawdy-house. member I was one morning difturbed at my breakfast by a fashionable rap at my door; when looking qut at my window, I faw the coach of the Lady Dowager

I re

drawn up before it. I was extremely furprized at to early and unexpected a visit from her Ladyship; and while I was preparing to receive her, I

I have fometimes doubted, whether nobility and high rank are of that real advantage which they are generally esteemed to be; and I am almost inclined to think, that they answer no desirabie end, but as far as they indulge our vanity and oftentation. A long roll of ennobled anceitors makes, I confels, a very alluring appearance. To fee corenet after coronet paffing before our view in an uninterrupted fucceffion, is the molt foothing profpect that perhaps can prefent itfelt to the eye of human pride: the exultation that we feel upon fuch a review, takes rife in a vifionary and fecret piece of flattery, that as glori ous, and as long, or even a longer line of future coronets may fpring from our. felves, as have defcended from our Ancettors. We read in Virgil, that Anchifes, to inspire his fon with the propereft incitements to virtue, shews him a long race of kings, emperors, and ber roes, to whom Eneas is fore-doomed to give their origin; and the mifery of Macbeth is made by Shakespeare to proceed lefs from the confcicufhefs of guilt, than from the difappointed pride that none of his own race fhall fucceed him

in the throne.

The pride of ancestry, and the defire of continuing our lineage, when they tend to an incitement of virtuous and noble actions, are undoubtedly laudable; and I'fhould perhaps have indulged my felf in the pleafing reflection, had not a particular fory in a French Novel, which I lately met with, put a stop to all vain glories that can poffibly be de duced from a long race of progenitors.

A Nobleman of an ancient houfe, of

very high rank and great fortune,' fays the Novellit, died fuddenly, and without being permitted to top at Purgatory, was fent down immediately into Hell. He had not been long there, before he met with his coachman Thomas, who, like his no'ble master, was gnathing his teeth among the damned. Thomas, furprized to behold his lordship amidit the harpers, thieves, pickpockets, and all the canaille of Hell, ftarted, and 'cried out in a tone of admiration "Is it poffible, that I fee my late ma❝fter among Lucifer's tribe of beggars,

rogues, and p lferers! How much am "I aftonished to find your lordship in "this place! Your lordship! whofe ge"nerofity was fo great, whofe affluent "housekeeping drew fuch crowds of "nobility, gentry, and friends to your "table, and within your gates; and "whole fine taste employed fuch num"brs of poor in your gardens, by "building temples and obelifks, and "by forming lakes of water, that feem"ed to vie with the largest oceans of "the creation! Pray, my lord, if I 86 may be fo bold, what crime has "brought your lordship into this curfed affembly ?" Ah, Thomas," replied his lordship, with his ufual condefcenfion, "I have been fent hither "for having defrauded my royal ma

fter, and cheating the widows and "fatherlets, folely to enrich, and pur. **chafe titles, honours, and eftates, for that ungrateful rafcal, my only fon. But prithee, Thomas, tell me, as "thou didit always feem to be an ho** neft, careful, fober fervant, what "brought thee hither?"-" Alas! my ** noble lord," replied Thomas, "I was fent hither for begetting that

* fon!"

I am, Sir, your most humble servant, REGINALD FITZWORM.

I must agree with my correfpondent, that the study of Heraldry is at prefent in very little repute among us: and our nobility are more anxious about preferv. ing the genealogy of their horfes, than of their own family. Whatever value their progenitors may have formerly fet upon their Blood, it is now found to be of no value, when put into the scale and weighed against fold plebeian gold: nor would the moft illuftrious defcendant from Cadwallader, or the Irifh Kings, cruple to debafe his lineage by an al

liance with the daughter of a cityplumb, though all her ancestors were yeomen, and none of her family ever bore arms. Titles of quality, when the owners have no other meric to recommend them, are of no more eftimation than thofe which the courtety of the vul gar has beltowed on the deformed: and when I look over a long Tree of Defcent, I fometimes fancy I can dif cover the real characters of Sharpers, Reprobates, and Plunderers of their country, concealed under the titles of Dukes, Earls, and Vifcounts.

It is well known, that the very fervants, in the ablence of their masters, affume the fame titles; and Tom or Harry, the footman or groom of his Grace, is always my Lord Duke in the kitchen or ftables. For this reafon, I have thought proper to prefent my reader with the Pedigree of a Foorman, drawn up in the fame founding titles as are fo pompoutly difplayed on thefe occafions: and I dare fay, it will appear no less illuftrious than the pedigrees of many families which are neither celebrated for their actions nor diftinguished by their virtues.

The Family of the Skips, or Skipkennels, is very ancient and noble, The founder of it, Maitre Jacques, came into England with the Dutchess of Mazarine. He was fon of a Prince of the Blood, his mother one of the Meldames of France: this family is therefore related to the moft illuftrions Maitres d'Hotel and Valets de Chambre of that kingdom. Jacques had itlue two Sons, viz. Robert ani Paul; of whom Paul, the youngest, was invested with the purple before he was eighteen, and made a Bishop, and foon after became an Archbishop. Robert, the elder, came to be a Duke, but died without iffue: Paul, the Archbishop, left behind him an only daughter, Barbara, base-born, who was afterwards Maid-of- Honour; and intermarrying with a Lord of the Bedchamber, had a very numerous iffue by him; viz. Rebecca, born a week after their marriage, and died young; Jofeph, firit a Squire, afterwards Knighted, High Sheriff of a County, and Colon the Militia; Peter, raifed from a Coin Boy to a Lord of the Admiralty, William, a Faggot in the Firft Regiment of Guards, and a Brigadier; Thomas, at firft an Eari's Eldest Son, and afterwards a Brewer, and Lord Mayor of the City of London. The feveral

branches