Univers. Spectator, Jan. 23. No. 120.
Entertains his readers with two letters; the first is from Tristitia Stale, who complains that she is continually persecuted, merely because she is an old maid.
Virginity, she says, has not always been a reproach, sees no encouragement in matrimony, and begs the Spectator to reprimand the malaperts, who ridicule chastity; adds, that a single life in woman was esteem’d among the ancient as well as modern Romans; vestals then, and nuns now.
The other letter is from Charlotte Wilful, a young lady of 19, who says she has two admirers. The first is ’squire Scrape, who has 1200l. per annum, which he keeps in his own hands and farms himself, and therefore is favour’d in his pretentions by her father.
Mr Myrtle, her mother’s favourite, is the other, who, by his own account is near 40, by that of his acquaintance 10 years older, has squander’d away a good estate, but by the death of an uncle is now worth 1000l. per annum, and is a perfect humourist.
But to both these she prefers Mr Plume of the Inner-Temple, who has no estate, but is of a sweet temper. Concludes with desiring Mr Stonecastle to declaim on parents making choices for their Children, with a stroke on antiquated beaus, and rural animals, and to recommend a fine gentleman with no fortune. Desires, by way of postscript, that he would not delay publishing her letter, because Mr Plume and she had agreed to run away together on Tuesday next.
The Universal Spectator, Jan. 30. No. 121.
Among all those amusements people find to pass away the time, Poesy and Musick are the most elegantly entertaining. By the ancients they were look’d upon as immediately inspired from above, and the professors reverenc’d as sacred, and the favourites of heaven.
He adds, that we excel the ancients in musick, if not in poetry, and prefers a good English song, tho’ set to a common tune, before the Italian trifling unnatural compositions. The one ravishes the ear only, the other entertains the understanding also.——Hence he takes occasion to recommend A collection of Lyric poems and songs with musick annexed, lately publish’d.