to these ladies is, by the alternate and proper use of clamour and sullenness, invectives and tears, to reduce their husbands to seek for qui et in town.

How useful these my endeavours for the service of my fair countrywomen may prove, I cannot pretend to say; but I hope, at least, they will be acceptable to them, and that, in return for my good intentions, they will admit my paper, with their tea-tables, to dissipate some of the tedious moments of their retirements.

DECORUM.

We are accused by the French, and perhaps but too justly, of having no word in our language, which answers to their word police, which therefore we have been obliged to adopt, not having, as they say, the thing.

It does not occur to me, that we have any one word in our language, I hope not from the same reason, to express the ideas which they comprehend under their word les mœurs. Manners are too little, morals too much. I should define it thus: a general exterior decency, fitness, and propriety of conduct, in the common intercourse of life.

Cicero, in his Offices, makes use of the w decorum, in this sense, to express what the Greeks signified by their word (I will not shock the eyes of my polite readers with Greek types) prepon.

to

1

a

The thing, however, is unquestionably of importance, by whatever word it may be dignified or degraded, distinguished or mistaken; it shall therefore be the subject of this paper to explain and recommend it; and upon this occasion I shall adopt the word decorum.

But, as I have some private reasons for desiring not to lessen the sale of these my lucubrations, I must premise, that, notwithstanding this serious introduction, I am not going to preach either religious or moral duties. On the contrary, it is a scheme of interest, which I mean to communicate, and which, if the supposed characteristic of the present age be true, must, I should apprehend, be highly acceptable to the generality of my readers.

I take it for granted that the most sensible and informed part of mankind, I mean people of fashion, pursue singly their own interests and pleasures; that they desire, as far as possible, to enjoy them exclusively, and to avail themselves of the simplicity, the ignorance, and the prejudices, of the vulgar, who have neither the same strength of mind, nor the same advantages of education. Now it is certain that nothing would more contribute to that desirable end than a strict observance of

decorum, which, as I have already hinted, ‹ not extend to religious or moral duties, es not prohibit the enjoyment of vice, but only rows a veil of decency between it and the lgar, conceals part of its native deformity,

and prevents scandal and bad example. It is a sort of pepper-corn quitrent paid to virtue, as an acknowledgment of its superiority; but according to our present constitution, is the easy price of freedom, not the tribute of vassalage.

Those who would be respected by others must first respect themselves. A certain exterior purity and dignity of character commands respect, procures credit, and invites confidence: but the public exercise and ostentation of vice has all the contrary effects.

The middle class of people in this country, though generally straining to imitate their bet ters, have not yet shaken off the prejudices of their education; very many of them still be lieve in a Supreme Being, in a future state of rewards and punishments, and retain some coarse, home-spun notions of moral good and evil. The rational system of materialism has not yet reached them, and, in my opinion, it may be full as well it never should; for, as I am not of levelling principles, I am for preserving a due subordination from inferiors to superiors, which an equality of profligacy, must totally destroy.

A fair character is a more lucrative thing than people are generally aware of; and I am informed that an eminent money-scrivener has lately calculated with great accuracy the ad vantage of it, and that it has turned out clear profit of thirteen and a half per cent.

in the general transactions of life; which advantage, frequently repeated, as it must be in the course of the year, amounts to a very considerable object.

To proceed to a few instances. If the courtier would but wear the appearance of truth, promise less, and perform more, he would acquire such a degree of trust and confidence, as would enable him to strike on a sudden, and with success, some splendid stroke of perfidy, to the infinite advantage of himself and his party.

A patriot, of all people, should be a strict observer of this decorum, if he would, as it is to be presumed he would, bear a good price at the court market. The love of his dear country, well acted and little felt, will certainly get him into good keeping, and perhaps procure him a handsome settlement for life; but, if his prostitution be flagrant, he is only made use of in cases of the utmost necessity, and even then only by cullies. I must observe, by the by, that of late the market has been a little glutted with patriots, and consequently they do not sell quite so well.

Few masters of families are, I presume, desirous to be robbed indiscriminately by all their servants; and as servants in general are more afraid of the devil, and less of the gallows, than their masters, it seems to be as imprudent as indecent to remove that wholesome fear, either by their examples, or their philosophical

dissertations, exploding in their presence, though ever so justly, all the idle notions of future punishments, or of moral good and evil. At present, honest, faithful servants rob their masters conscientiously only in their respective stations: but, take away those checks and restraints which the prejudices of their education have laid them under, they will soon rob indiscriminately, and out of their several departments; which would probably create some little confusion in families, especially in nu

merous ones.

I cannot omit observing, that this decorum extends to the little trifling offices of common life; such as seeming to take a tender and affectionate part in the health or fortune of your acquaintance, and a readiness and alacrity to serve them, in things of little consequence to them, and of none at all to you. These attentions bring in good interest; the weak and the ignorant mistake them for the real sentiments of your heart, and give you their esteem and friendship in return. The wise, indeed, pay you in your own coin, or by a truck of commodities of equal value, upon which, however, there is no loss; so that, upon the whole, this commerce, skilfully carried on, is a very lucrative one.

In all my schemes for the general good of mankind, I have always a particular attention to the utility that may arise from them to my fair fellow subjects, for whom I have the ten