a young LADY. 277 Lady of your Acquaintance, married to a very valuable Person, whom yet she is fo unfortunate as to be always commending for those Perfections, to which he can least pretend. I CAN give you no Advice upon the Article of Expence; only, I think, you ought to be well informed how much your Husband's Revenue amounts to, and be fo good a Computer, as to keep within it, in that Part of the Management which falls to your Share; and not to put yourself in the Number of those politick Ladies, who think they gain a great Point, when they have teazed their Husbands to buy them a new Equipage, a laced Head, or a fine Petticoat; without once confidering what long Scores remain unpaid to the Butcher. I DESIRE you will keep this Letter in your Cabinet, and often examine impartially your whole Conduct by it: And fo God bless you, and make you a fair Example to your Sex, and a perpetual Comfort to your Husband, and your Parents. I am with great Truth and Affection, MADAM, Your most faithful Friends And bumble Servant. T 2 THE THE INTELLIGENCE NUMBER III. Ipfe per omnes Ibit perfonas, & turbam reddet in una T HE Players having now almo with the Comedy called the Opera, for the Seafon; it may unpleasant Speculation, to i little upon this Dramatick F fingular in the Subject and Manner, for Original, and which hath frequently giver agreeable an Entertainment. ALTHOUGH an evil Tafte be very apt to both here and in London; yet there is a Po whoever can rightly touch, will never fail ing a very great Majority; fo great, that likers, out of Dulnefs or Affectation, will and forced to fall in with the Herd: Th The INTELLIGENCER. 279 N° 3. mean, is what we call Humour; which, in its Perfection, is allowed to be much preferable to Wit; if it be not rather the most useful, and agreeable Species of it. I AGREE with Sir William Temple, that the Word is peculiar to our English Tongue; but I differ from him in the Opinion, that the Thing itself is peculiar to the English Nation, because the contrary may be found in many Spanish, Italian, and French Productions: And particularly, whoever hath a Tafte for true Humour, will find an hundred Inftances of it, in those Volumes printed in France, under the Name of Le Theatre Italian: To fay nothing of Rabelais, Cervantes, and many others. Now I take the Comedy, or Farce (or whatever Name the Criticks will allow it) called the Beggar's Opera, to excel in this Article of Humour; and upon that Merit to have met with fuch prodigious Succefs, both here and in England. As to Poetry, Eloquence, and Mufick, which are faid to have moft Power over the Minds of Men; it is certain, that very few have a Taste or Judgment of the Excellencies of the two former; and if a Man fucceed in either, it is upon the Authority of those few Judges, that lend their Taste to the Bulk of Readers, who have none of their own. I am told, there are as few good Judges in Mufick; and that among those who crowd the Opera's, Nine in Ten go thither merely out of Curiofity, Fashion, or Affectation. BUT a Tafte for Humour, is in fome Manner fixed to the very Nature of Man, and generally obvious to the Vulgar, except upon Subjects too refined, and fuperior to their Understanding. AND, as this Taste of Humour is purely natural, fo is Humour itself; neither is it a Talent confined to Men Men of Wit, or Learning; for we observe it sometimes among common Servants, and the meanest of the People, while the very Owners are often ignorant of the Gift they poffefs. I KNOW very well, that this happy Talent is contemptibly treated by Criticks, under the Name of low Humour, or low Comedy; but I know likewise, that the Spaniards and Italians, who are allowed to have the most Wit of any Nation in Europe, do most excel in it, and do most esteem it. By what Difpofition of the Mind, what Influence of the Stars, or what Situation of the Climate, this Endowment is bestowed upon Mankind, may be a Question fit for Philofophers to difcufs. It is certainly the best Ingredient towards that Kind of Satyr, which is most useful, and gives the least Offence; which, instead of lashing, laughs Men out of their Follies, and Vices; and is the Character that gives Horace the Preference to Juvenal. AND, although fome Things are too serious, folemn, or facred to be turned into Ridicule, yet the Abuses of them are certainly not; fince it is allowed, that Corruptions in Religion, Politicks, and Law, may be proper Topicks for this Kind of Satyr. THERE are two Ends that Men propose in writing Satyr; one of them lefs noble than the other, as regarding nothing further than the private Satisfaction, and Pleasure of the Writer; but without any View towards perfonal Malice: The other is a publick Spirit, prompting Men of Genius and Virtue, to mend the World as far as they are able. And as both these Ends are innocent, fo the latter is highly commendable. With regard to the former, I demand, whether I have not as good a Title to laugh, as Men have to be ridiculous; and to expofe Vice, as another hath to be vicious. If I ridicule the Fol lies The INTELLIGENCER. 281 lies and Corruptions of a Court, a Miniftry, or a Senate, are they not amply paid by Penfions, Titles, and Power; while I expect, and defire no other Reward, than that of Laughing with a few Friends in a Corner? Yet, if those who take Offence, think me in the Wrong, I am ready to change the Scene with them, whenever they please. Bur, if my Defign be to make Mankind better; then I think it is my Duty; at leaft, I am fure it is the Intereft of thofe very Courts and Minifters, whofe Follies or Vices I ridicule, to reward me for my good Intentions: For, if it be reckoned a high Point of Wisdom to get the Laughers on our Side; it is much more eafy, as well as wife, to get those on our Side, who can make Millions laugh when they please. My Reason for mentioning Courts, and Ministers, (whom I never think on, but with the most profound Veneration) is, because an Opinion obtains, that in the Beggar's Opera, there appears to be fome Reflection upon Courtiers and Statefmen, whereof I am by no means a Judge. It is true, indeed, that Mr GAY, the Author of this Piece, hath been fomewhat fingular in the Course of his Fortunes; for it hath happened, that after fourteen Years attending the Court, with a large Stock of real Merit, a modeft and agreeable Conversation, a Hundred Promises, and Five hundred Friends, hath failed of Preferment; and upon a very weighty Reason. He lay under the Sufpicion of having written a Libel, or Lampoon against a great *Minister. It is true, that great Minister was demonstratively convinced, and publickly owned his Conviction, that Mr. GAY was not the Author; but * Sir Robert Walpole, having |