!

ladies, imbibing no new ideas, go on in the fame
routine. But this is a digreffion, I was going to
fay, when the ufual topics are exhausted, the ac-
tions and characters of our acquaintance come in
as a fresh supply.

Till now we have been innocent, though trif ling: one step farther-and we approach to guilt; how usefully then is the card table introduced? a vole, or four by honours, engrofs our whole attention; characters, and families, remain undifturbed. Behold us then fet down to amufe ourfelves; amufement is profeffedly our end; but how ftrangely pursued!

The peevish fretfulness of fome, the paffion or fullenness of others, too often fruftrate that defign: while all affect a total indifference, as to their lofs or gain, the majority behave as if gain was their fole pursuit. If they have a bad run of cards, they can hardly be civil to any part of the company; but should you unfortunately play a wrong card, or in a manner different from what they think right, the ftorm burfts forth; and if (which is not always the cafe) their language keeps within the bounds of decency, their looks anawed by any reAraint, express the strongest emotions.

K

I never

I never could fee what right any one has to call another to account for not playing well. We are content to excel in mufic, dancing, every polite accomplishment, and look with complacent pity on those poor mortals whofe inferior abilities prevent their arriving at fuch excellence: why must indifferent play be the only fault without excufe?

As it is every one's intereft to play the best he can, fo there is no doubt but every one does fo. How is it then that people allow themselves on thefe occafions to make ufe of fuch expreffions, as they would think the higheft breach of common good manners in any other cafe?

If the fuppofed bad play fhould proceed from ignorance, or inattention, in the player, warmth and pettishness will but make it worfe: to inform him better, with good nature and politenefs, is the only poffible method of improving him.

For my own part, who really play for amusement, I am all aftonishment, when I fee fo many pleafing countenances fet down to cards, and, in an hour's time, behold them wear fo different an appearance; and wonder how reasonable creatures can conjure up all the troublesome paffions they poffefs, at a time when they profefs a defign of amufing themselves.

The

The likelieft way to avoid any fhare in these foolish altercations, is to fit down with a married pair: the gentleman's good manners generally keeps his ill-humour confined to his wife, who having taken him for better and for worse, muft be content to bear the whole force of it.

I am particularly acquainted in a family where that is the cafe; the lady is not fond of cards, but plays fometimes to oblige her husband; and he good man, out of all patience, that his rib fhould not be a second Hoyle, by crofs looks, and sharp fpeeches, totally banishes, every idea fhe ever had: the rest of the company feel themselves unhappy, and yet this is called amufement! Indeed I would advife every fingle lady, if poffible, to attend her inamorato, pretty frequently at the card table; and however genteel and agreeable his behaviour should be to herfelf, if he is hafty or pettifh with any one elfe in company, fhe may depend on the fame fate when once the knot is tied.

I advise the gentlemen to purfue the fame method, for I do not pretend to fay the ladies play with more good humour than themselves. They may both, on thefe occafions, make fad difcoveries; and the who can rage, fret, or pout at the trifling

K&

trifling disappointments which happen at cards, gives fmall proof of that patience, fortitude, and refignation which, joined to sweetness of temper, make the chief ornaments of a female character, and are indifpenfably neceffary in our paffage through life. My defign, is not to cenfure, indifcriminately, all who play: I am so happy as to be intimately acquainted with feveral families, whofe chearfulnefs, good humour, and evenness of temper, make cards really a relaxation: but as I think, in our most trivial actions, we fhould aim at the pleasure or profit of each other, and even in trifles do as we would be done by, fo I cannot help wifhing every one to fit down with a determined refolution of being pleafed himself, or at least to appear fo, and contributing all in his power towards the pleasure of others.

I must confefs I never could fee the poffibility of any perfon's being happy when he found he had given pain to another. I believe if we endeavour to govern our tempers in these leffer inftances, we fhould find our account in it, and more easily behave with propriety in things of greater confequence, and then our very amufements would improve us. I have ever thought the inattention of most people to the foibles of their tempers, a very dangerous neglect, and often productive of

the

the moft fatal confequences. The regulation can never be begun too early. The difpofition of children fhould be carefully watched, and whatever we find unamiable there, we fhould endea vour to correct, if we cannot totally eradicate it by our authority, till they are capable of reason, and when that period is arrived, by argument, convincing them, if poffible, of the neceffity of it, in a religious light, as well as in every other: but nothing will ever be fo convincing as our own example.

The Folly and Mifery of a Spendthrift.

HERE is fcarcely among the evils of human

TH

life, any fo generally dreaded as poverty. Every other fpecies of mifery, those who are not much accustomed to difturb the prefent moment with reflection, can eafily forget, because it is not always forced upon their regard: but it is impoffible to pass a day or an hour in the confluxes of men, without feeing how much indigence is exposed to contumely, neglect, and infult; and, in its lowest state, to hunger and nakedness; to injuries against which every paffion is in arms, and to wants which nature cannot sustain.

Against