" even before this laft mortification, I had be16 gun to find, that the expectations I had "formed of the pleafures of a country-life "were by far too fanguine. I must confefs, "that, notwithstanding the high relish I have "for the beauties of nature, I have often felt, "amidst the most romantic fcenes, that lan"gour of spirit which nothing but fociety can "diflipate. Even when occupied with my "favourite studies, I have fometimes thought, "with the bard of Mantua, that the cafe and "retirement which I courted were rather ig"noble. I have fuffered an additional dif "appointment in the ideas I had formed of "the characters of the country-people. It is "but a treacherous picture, my friend, which "the poets give us of their innocence and "honeft fimplicity. I have met with fome "instances of infincerity, chicane, and even "downright knavery, in my fhort acquaint"ance with them, that have quite fhocked " and mortified me.

"Whether I fhall ever again enter into the cr bufy world, (a fmall concern in the house, "without allowing my name to appear, would 65 perhaps be fome amufement), I have not yet determined, Of this, and other matters,

"we

"we shall talk fully at meeting. Meantime be

"lieve me, dear Sir, yours,

EUPHANOR."

Euphanor has been for this month past in town. I expected to have found him peevish, chagrined, and out of humour with the world. But in this I was difappointed. I have never feen my friend in better health, or higher fpirits. I have been with him at feveral convivial meetings with our old acquaintances, who felt equal fatisfaction with himself at what they term his recovery. He has actually resumed a fmall share in trade, and purposes, for the future, to devote one half of the year to bufinefs. His counfel have given him affurance. of gaining his law fuit: he expects, in a few. months, to return in triumph to shire, and has invited all his friends to be present at a Fete Champetre he intends to celebrate, on the restoration of his beloved rivulet to its wonted channel.

The life of Euphanor must be a feries of disappointments; but, on the whole, I muft confider him as a HAPPY MAN.

N° 38.

N° 38.

T

SATURDAY, June 5. 1779.

HE following letter I received only yefterday; but, as I am particularly interefted in every project of ingenious men, I postponed another effay which was ready for publication, and put my printer to confiderable inconvenience to get it ready for this day's paper. I was the more folicitous, likewife, to give it a place as foon after my 35th N° as poffible, in order to fhew my impartiality. This paper, (as the London Gazetteer fays), is open to all parties; with this provifo, however, which is exactly the reverfe of the terms of admiffion into the Gazetteer, that my correspondents do not write politics.

To the AUTHOR of the MIRROR.

SIR,

Na late paper, you showed the neceffity of accommodating ourselves to the temper of perfons with whom we are particularly connected, by fometimes fubmitting our own taste, inclination, and opinions, to the tafte, inclination, and opinions of thofe perfons. I apprehend,

apprehend, Sir, you might have carried your idea a good deal farther, and have prescribed to us the fame receipt for happiness in our intercourse, not only with our wives and children, but with our companions, our acquaint ance, in fhort, with all mankind.

But, as the difpofition to this is not always born with one, and as to form a temper is not fo eafy as to regulate a behaviour, it is the bufinefs of mafters in the art of politeness, to teach people, at least the better fort of them, to counterfeit as much of this complacency in their deportment as poffible. In this, indeed, they begin at quite the different end of the matter from you, Sir; complacency to husbands, wives, children, and aelations, they leave people to teach themfelves; but the art of pleasing every body elfe, as it is a thing of much greater importance, they take proportionably greater pains to inftil into their difciples.

I have, for fome time paft, been employed in reducing this art into a fyftem, and have fome thoughts of opening a fubfcription for a courfe of lectures on the fubject. To qualify. myself for the task, I have ftudied, with unwearied attention, the letters of the immortal VOL. II.

B

Earl

Earl of Chesterfield, which I intend to use as my text-book on this occafion, allowing only for the difference which even a few years produce in an art fo fluctuating as this. Before I lodge my fubfcription-paper with the bookfellers, I wish to give a fpecimen of my abilities to the readers of the MIRROR; for which purpose I beg the favour of you to infert in your next number the following fubftance of a lecture on Simulation. Our Noble author, indeed, extends his doctrine the length of Diffimulation only, from which he distinguishes Simulation as fomething not quite fo fair and honeft. But, for my part, I have not sufficient nicety of ideas to make the diftinction, and would humbly recommend to every perfon who wishes to be thoroughly well-bred, not to confufe his head with it. Taking,

therefore, the fhorter word as the more gentlemanlike, I proceed to my fubject of

"SIMULATION.

"SIMULATION is the great bafis of

"the art which I have the honour to teach. "I fhall humbly endeavour to treat this branch "of my fubject, though much lefs ably, yet 66 more