was fure they could not drefs at this house, and another she could not touch without French fauce. At last the fixed her mind upon falmon, but there was no falmon in the house. It was however procured with great expedition, and when it came to the table fhe found that her fright had taken away her ftomach, which indeed fhe thought no great lofs, for fhe could never believe that any thing at an inn could be cleanly got. Dinner was now over, and the company propofed, for I was now paft the condition of making overtures, that we should pursue our original defign of vifiting the gardens. Anthea declared that fhe could not imagine what pleasure we expected from the fight of a few green trees and a little gravel, and two or three pits of clear water; that for her part fhe hated walking till the cool of the evening, and thought it very likely to rain; and again wished that he had ftaid at home. We then reconciled ourselves to our disappointment, and began to talk on common fubjects, when Anthea told us, that fince we came to fee gardens, fhe would not hinder our fatisfaction. We all rofe, and walked through the enclosures for fome time, with no other trouble than the neceffity of watching left a frog fhould hop across the way, which Anthea told us would certainly kill her, if the fhould happen to fee him. Frogs, as it fell out, there were none; but when we were within a furlong of the gardens, Anthea faw fome fheep, and heard the wether clink his bell, which fhe was certain was not hung upon him for nothing, and therefore no affurances nor intreaties should prevail upon her to go a step farther; fhe was forry forry to disappoint the company, but her life was dearer to her than ceremony. We came back to the inn, and Anthea now difcovered that there was no time to be loft in returning, for the night would come upon us, and a thoufand misfortunes might happen in the dark. The horses were immediately harneffed, and Anthea having wondered what could seduce her to stay so long was eager to set out. But we had now a new scene of terrour, every man we faw was a robber, and we were ordered fometimes to drive hard, left a traveller whom we faw behind fhould overtake us; and fometimes to ftop, left we fhould come up to him who was paffing before us. She alarmed many an honeft man, by begging him to fpare her life as he paffed by the coach, and drew me into fifteen quarrels with perfons who encreased her fright, by kindly stopping to enquire whether they could affist At last we came home, and fhe told her company next day what a pleasant ride fhe had been taking. us. I fuppofe, Sir, I need not enquire of you what deductions may be made from this narrative, nor what happiness can arise from the fociety of that woman who mistakes cowardice for elegance, and imagines all delicacy to confift in refusing to be pleased. I am, &c. VOL. IV. NUMB. 35. TUESDAY, July 17, 1750. Non pronuba Juno, Non Hymenæus adeft, non illi Gratia lecto. SIR, As To the RAMBLER. OVID ELPHINSTON. S you have hitherto delayed the performance of the promise, by which you gave us reason to hope for another paper upon matrimony, I imagine you defirous of collecting more materials than your own experience, or obfervation, can supply; and I fhall therefore lay candidly before you an account of my own entrance into the conjugal state. I was about eight and twenty years old, when, having tried the diverfions of the town till I began to be weary, and being awakened into attention to more ferious bufinefs, by the failure of an attorney to whom I had implicitly trufted the conduct of my fortune, I refolved to take my estate into my own care, and methodise my whole life according to the ftricteft rules of economical prudence. In purfuance of this fcheme, I took leave of my acquaintance, who difmiffed me with numberless jelts upon my new fyftem; having firft endeavoured to divert me from a defign fo little worthy of a man of wit, by ridiculous accounts of the ignorance and and rufticity into which many had funk in their retirement, after having diftinguifhed themfelves in taverns and playhoufes, and given hopes of rifing to uncommon eminence among the gay part of mankind. When I came firft into the country, which by a neglect not uncommon among young heirs, I had never seen fince the death of my father, I found every thing in fuch confufion, that, being utterly without practice in bufinefs, I had great difficulties to encounter in difentangling the perplexities of my circumstances; they however gave way to diligent application; and I perceived that the advantage of keeping my own accounts would very much overbalance the time which they could require. I had now vifited my tenants, furveyed my land, and repaired the old houfe, which, for fome years, had been running to decay. Thefe proofs of pecuniary wisdom began to recommend me, as a fober, judicious, thriving gentleman, to all my graver neighbours of the country, who never failed to celebrate my management in oppofition to Thriftless and Latterwit, two fmart fellows, who had eftates in the fame part of the kingdom, which they vifited now and then in a frolick, to take up their rents beforehand, debauch a milk-maid, make a feaft for the village, and tell ftories of their own intrigues, and then rode poft back to town to fpend their money. It was doubtful, however, for fome time, whether I should be able to hold my resolution; but a short perfeverance removed all fufpicions. I rofe every day in reputation, by the decency of my converfation, and the regularity of my conduct, and was mentioned with great regard at the affizes, as a men very fit to be put in commiffion for the peace. During the confufion of my affairs, and the daily neceffity of vifiting farms, adjufting contracts, letting leafes, and fuperintending repairs, I found very little vacuity in my life, and therefore had not many thoughts of marriage; but, in a little while, the tumult of business fubfided, and the exact method which I had established enabled me to dispatch my accounts with great facility. I had, therefore, now upon my hands, the task of finding means to fpend my time, without falling back into the poor amufements which I had hitherto indulged, or changing them for the sports of the field, which I faw pursued with fo much eagernefs by the gentlemen of the country, that they were indeed the only pleasures in which I could promise myself any partaker. The inconvenience of this fituation naturally difpofed me to wifh for a companion, and the known value of my eftate, with my reputation for frugality and prudence, eafily gained me admiffion into every family; for I foon found that no enquiry was made after any other virtue, nor any testimonial neceffary, but of my freedom from incumbrances, and my care of what they termed the main chance. I faw, not without indignation, the eagerness with which the daughters, wherever I came, were fet out to fhow; nor could I confider them in a state much different from prostitution, when I found them ordered to play their airs before me, and to exhibit by fome feeming chance, fpecimens of their mufick, |