her age prefers the visionary happiness of reading Clelia and thinking on her Antonio, to the real blessings of those social relations, which in all probability she had enjoyed through life, if she had never been a reader of romances.

I am, &c.

No. LXXX. THURSDAY, JULY 11.

To Mr. Fitz-Adam.

SIR,

FROM the indulgence you have so often shewn to the productions of female correspondents, I am encouraged to hope that you will not refuse this epistle a place in your paper.

You must know, sir, that with a tolerable person, a very good fortune, and lovers in abundance, I have a particular humour to live and die a maid. This way of thinking, I protest, does not arise from disappointed love, but, on the contrary, from my never having seen any one man who has been possessed of those accomplishments which I think necessary for a husband.

You will imagine, perhaps, that I hardly know myself what sort of a man I would have; but to convince you of the contrary, I am going to give you a description of one, whom, notwithstanding my present humour, I would willingly marry, and reward with a fortune of ten thousand pounds. Such a declaration as this, while there are so many fortunehunters, witty sparks, pretty fellows, and grave wi

dowers about town, will undoubtedly strike some hundreds with a flattering hope that I am easily to be carried off; but to silence their pretensions all at once, here follows the description of the only man in the world that I will consent to marry; and whom I shall beg leave to entitle

THE MAID'S HUSBAND.

Notwithstanding it is a fatal maxim among women, "To please the eye, though they torment the heart," yet I am so far an advocate for pleasing the eye, that the man I have an idea of, must have a person graceful and engaging. The features of his face, must be regular; and though regular, agreeable; which as yet I hardly remember to have seen, having generally observed that where nature is most exact, she is least engaging. His eyes must be lively, sparkling, and affecting, and over the whole face there must be a clear complexion, health, cheerfulness and sensibility. His stature must be inclining to the tall; his motion easy and genteel; free from the short pert trip of the affected beau, or the haughty tragic step of the most solemn fop. His behaviour serious, but natural; neither too open, nor too reserved. His look, his laugh, his speech, and his whole manner must be just without affectation, and free without levity.

Thus much for his person: I now come to the endowments of his mind; without which, grace, beauty, and agreeableness will avail him nothing. His genius must be fanciful; his knowledge extensive. Men, as well as books, must have been his study. Learning, freedom, and gallantry, must be so blended in him, as to make him always the improving friend, the gay companion, and the entertaining lover. In conversation he must say nothing with study, nor yet any thing at random. His thoughts must flow from him

naturally, yet not without that delicacy of expression, which is necessary to give them a genteel turn. To the talents of his mind let me add (if I may be allowed the distinction) the qualities of his soul. He must be generous without prodigality; humane without weakness; just without severity; and fond without folly. To his wife he must be endearing; to his children affectionate; to his friends warm; and to mankind benevolent. Nature and reason must join their powers, and to the openness of the heart add the virtue of economy; making him careful without avarice, and giving him a kind of unconcernedness without negligence. With love he must have respect; and by a continued compliance always win upon the inclination. He must take care to retain his conquest by the means he gained it, and eternally look and speak with the same desires and affections, though with greater freedom.

It has been observed by experienced people, that the soul contracts a sort of blindness by loving; but the man I am speaking of must derive his sentiments from reason; and the passion, which in others is looked on as the mark of folly, be in him the true effect of judgment.

To these qualities I must add that charm which is to be considered before all the rest, though hard to be met with in this libertine age, Religion. He must be devout without superstition, and pious without melancholy far from that infirmity which makes men uncharitable bigots, infusing into their hearts a morose contempt of the world, and an antipathy to the pleasures of it. He must not be such a lover of society as to mix with the assemblies of knaves and blockheads, nor yet of an opinion that he ought to retire from mankind to seek God in the horror of solitude on the contrary, he must think that the Almighty is to be found amongst men, where his good

ness is most active, and his providence most employed. There it is that religion must enlighten, and reason regulate his conduct, both in the cares of salvation, and the duties of life.

With such a man, a woman must enjoy those pleasures in marriage which none but fools would ridicule. Her husband would be always the same, and always pleasing. Other wives are glad if they can now and then find with their husbands one agreeable hour; but with this a disagreeable minute will be impossible. On whatever occasions we should see or speak to each other, it must be with mutual pleasure, and assured satisfaction.

Now, Mr. Fitz-Adam, let your dressing, scribbling, handsome young fellows, whether of the Temple, of the university, of the army, or of the city, who would be glad of a woman of five-and-twenty, not disagreeable in her person, and with ten thousand pounds in her pocket, read this character; and if any one of them will assert and prove it to belong to himself, my heart, hand and fortune are entirely at his service. But I believe, sir, that instead of a man, I have been describing a monster of the imagination; a thing that neither is, was, nor ever will be. I am therefore resigned to my condition, and can think without repining of dying a maid (and I hope an old one) since I am not to expect a husband to the wishes of,

Sir,

Your humble servant,
Reader, and correspondent,

A. B.

Though I doubt not but my fair correspondent is thoroughly deserving of the husband she knows so well how to describe, yet I could have wished, for her own sake, as well as for the sake of some happy man, that she had added a qualifying postscript to

her letter, signifying that she was willing to make some little abatement in her demands. When gentlemen build houses, it is usual with them either to give up conveniency for a prospect, or prospect for conveniency. In this manner should a lady act in the choice of a husband; if she sets her heart upon á face, she should have no dislike to a coxcomb; or if she falls in love with a mind, á sloven should appear charming for the odds are against her, that the handsome man is the one, and the man of knowledge the other.

Exclusive of myself, I know of no such character as the lady has described: nor dare I say a word of my own person and accomplishments, being unfortunately near seventy, and a married man. It has also been hinted to me (for I scorn to deceive any body) that I have a small stoop in my gait, and that I am not quite so well bred upon all occasions as a young lady might expect me to be.

I am also cautious of recommending any of those gentlemen who are daily advertising for wives in the public papers: for whether it be owing to their extreme modesty, or whether they have really no other accomplishments than they usually set forth to the world, their descriptions of themselves amount to no more, than "that they are tall, well made, and very 66 agreeable; that they have healthy constitutions, "have had liberal educations, and are of sober mo"rals." But as these descriptions are by no means particular enough, I cannot be certain that the publishers of them will answer exactly the idea of The Maid's Husband. Besides, I have lately received let ters from particular ladies, who, either as principals or friends, have examined these gentlemen, which letters assure me that they do not at all come up to the idea given of themselves, even in their own modest advertisements.