But so little distrust has my pupil of his own abilities, that he has for some time professed himself a wit, and tortures his imagination on all occasions for burlesque and jocularity. How he supports a character which, perhaps, no man ever assumed without repentance, may be easily conjectured. Wit, you know, is the unexpected copulation of ideas, the discovery of some occult relation between images in appearance remote from each other; an effusion of wit, therefore, presupposes an accumulation of knowledge; a memory stored with notions, which the imagination may cull out to compose new assemblages. Whatever may be the native vigour of the mind, she can never form many combinations from few ideas, as many changes can never be rung upon a few bells. Accident may indeed sometimes produce a lucky parallel or a striking contrast; but these gifts of chance are not frequent, and he that has nothing of his own, and yet condemns himself to needless expences, must live upon loans or theft. The indulgence which his youth has hitherto obtained, and the respect which his rank secures, have hitherto supplied the want of intellectual qualifications; and he imagines that all admire who applaud, and that all who laugh are pleased. He therefore returns every day to the charge with increase of courage, though not of strength, and practises all the tricks by which wit is counterfeited. He lays trains for a quibble; he contrives blunders for his footman; he adapts old stories to present characters; he mistakes the question, that he may return a smart answer; he anticipates the argument, that he may plausibly object; when he has nothing to reply, he repeats the last words of his antagonist, then says, "your humble servant," and concludes with a laugh of triumph. These mistakes I have honestly attempted to correct; but what can be expected from reason unsupported by fashion, splendour, or authority? He hears me, indeed, or appears to hear me, but is soon rescued from the lecture by more pleasing avocations; and shows, diversions, and caresses, drive my precepts from his remembrance. He at last imagines himself qualified to enter the world, and has met with adventures in his first sally, which I shall, by your paper, communicate to the publick. I am, &c. EUMATHES. NUMB. 195. TUESDAY, January 28, 1752. Nescit equo rudis Hærere ingenuus puer, Seu Græco jubeas trocho, Nor knows our youth, of noblest race, To mount the manag'd steed, or urge the chace; More skill'd in the mean arts of vice, HOR. The whirling troque, or law-forbidden dice. FRANCIS. SIR, TO THE RAMBLER. FAVOURS of every kind are doubled when they are speedily conferred. This is particularly true of the gratification of curiosity: He that long delays a story, and suffers his auditor to torment himself with expectation, will seldom be able to recompense the uneasiness, or equal the hope which he suffers to be raised. For this reason, I have already sent you the continuation of my pupil's history, which, though it contains no events very uncommon, may be of use to young men who are in too much haste to trust their own prudence, and quit the wing of protection before they are able to shift for themselves. When he first settled in London, he was so much bewildered in the enormous extent of the town, so confounded by incessant noise, and crowds, and hurry, and so terrified by rural narratives of the arts : pace. I smut somermes perineur a few syllables, sie-sien sal-amatemial airs;-smoke tie "utor: —zamnany fr gentlemen-and other brosen mrases y viich I did not suffer my quiet to e tissure, ir hey never proceeded to avowed inguntes. but contented themselves to murmur in secret, and, whenever I turned my eye upon them, sarunk into silness. He was, however. desirous of withdrawing from he actection vinch he could not venture to break, and naue 1 secret appointment to assist his companons ʼn ne persecution pay. His footman priBL217 Tecured marail. m vini he practised A-IZetor woours n de moon. At ta: Tower (2004, thur vas mileede pretended an enlogovrat & Jay Sutters, mi hustened to the place were N TIL Bass had assembled. They hurry a the theatre, ful of malignity and denunciations guns: a man whose name they had never heave. As pertummuunst which they could not understand: to the were reived to judge for themselves, and work was the town to be impused upon by scribbles 1. the nit, they exerted themselves with grea, sari and vivacity; called out the tunes of obscene songs, talked loudly at inhule of Shakespeare and Jonson, nirved on their yakutte & short prelude of terroin. clamoured veheinly for the prologue, and clanned with great destety at the first entrance of the players. Two phones they heard without attempting interruption; but, being no longer able to restrain their impatience, they then began to exert themselves in |