Since I have touched upon this Subject, I fhall communicate to my Reader Part of a Letter I have received from an Ingenious Friend at Amsterdam, where there is a very noble Theatre; though the Manner of furnishing it with Actors is fomething peculiar to that Place, and gives us Occafion to admire both the Politeness and Frugality of the People.

M

Y Friends have kept me here a Week longer than ordinary to fee one of their Plays, which was performed laft Night with great Applause. The Actors are all of them Tradesmen, who, after their Day's Work is over, earn about a Gilder a Night by perfonating Kings and Generals. The Hero of the Tragedy I saw, was a Journey-man Taylor, and his First Minister of State a Coffeeman. The Empress made me think of Parthenope in the Rehearfal; for her Mother keeps an Alehoufe in the Suburbs of Amfterdam. When the Tragedy was over, they entertained us with a short Farce, in which the Cobler did his Part to a Miracle; but upon Enquiry, I found he had really been working at his own Trade, and representing on the Stage what he acted every Day in his Shop. The Profits of the Theatre maintain an Hofpital: For as here they do not think the Profeffion of an Actor the only Trade that a Man ought to exercise, fo they will not allow any Body to grow rich on a Profeffion that in their Opinion fo little conduces to the Good of the Commonwealth. If I am not mistaken, your Play-houses in England have done the fame Thing; for, unless I am misinformed, the Hofpi

tal

tal at Dulledge was erected and endowed by Mr. Allen a Player: And it is also said, A famous She-Tragedian has fettled her Eftate, after her Death, for the Maintenance of decay'd Wits, who are to be taken in affoon as they grow dull, at whatever Time of their Life that shall happen.

St. James's Coffee-house, May 25.

Letters from the Hague of the 31st Instant, N. S. fay, That the Articles Preliminary to a General Peace were fettled, communicated to the States-General, and all the Foreign Minifters refiding there, and transmitted to their respective Masters on the 28th. Monf. Torcy immediately returned to the Court of France, from whence he is expected again on the 4th of the next Month, with thofe Articles ratified by that Court. The Hague is agreed upon for the Place of Treaty, and the 15th of the next Month the Day on which it is to com> mence. The Terms whereon this Negotiation is founded, are not yet declared by publick Authority; but what is most generally received, is as follows:

Her Majefty's Right and Title, and the Protestant Succeffion to thofe Dominions, is forthwith to be acknowledged. King Charles is to be owned the lawful Sovereign of Spain. The French King fhall not only recall his Troops out of that Kingdom, and deliver up to the Allies the Towns of Rofes, Fonterabia, and Pampelona; but in cafe the Duke of Anjou shall not retire out of the Spanish Dominions, N

he

he fhall be obliged to affift the Allies to force him from thence. A Ceffation of Arms is agreed upon for Two Months from the first Day of the Treaty. The Port and Fortifications of Dunkirk are to be demolished within 4 Months; but the Town it self left in the Hands of the French. The Pretender is to be obliged to leave France. All Newfoundland is to be reftored to the English. As to the other Parts of America, the French are to reftore whatever they may have taken from the English, as the English in like Manner to give up what they may have taken from the French before the Commencement of the Treaty. The Trade be tween Great Britain and France fhall be fettled upon the fame Foundation as in the Reign of King Charles the Second.

The Dutch are to have for their Barriers, Newport, Berg, St. Vinox, Furnes, Ipres, Lille, Tournay, Douay, Valenciennes, Conde, Maubeuge, Mons, Charleroy, Namur, and Luxemburg; all which Places fhall be delivered up to the Allies before the End of June. The Trade between Holland and France fhall be on the fame Foot as in 1664. The Cities of Strasburgh, Brifac, and Alfatia, fhall be restored to the Emperor and Empire; and the King of France, pursuant to the Treaty of Weftphalia in 1648, shall only retain the Protection of Ten Imperial Cities, viz. Colmar, Schleftat, Haguenau, Munster, Turkeim, Keifemberg, Obrenheim, Rofheim, Weifemburg, and Landan. Huninguen, Fort Louis, Fort Khiel, and New Brifac, fhall

be

179 be demolished, and all the Fortifications from Bafil to Philipsburg. The King of Prussia shall remain in the peaceable Poffeffion of Neufchatel. The Affair of Orange, as alfo the Pretenfions of his Pruffian Majesty in the French Comte, fhall be determined at this general Negotiation of Peace. The Duke of Savoy fhall have a Reftitution made of all that has been taken from him by the French, and remain Mafter of Exilles, Chamont, Feneftrelles, and the Valley of Pragelas.

The TATLER. [N° 21. From Thurfd. May 26. to Saturd. May 28. 1709. White's Chocolate-boufe, May 26.

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Gentleman has writ to me out of the Country a very civil Letter, and faid Things which I fupprefs with great Violence to my Vanity. There are many Terms in my Narratives which he complains want explaining, and has therefore defired, that, for the Benefit of my Country Readers, I would let him know what I mean by a Gentleman, a Pretty Fellow, a Toaft, a Coquet, a Critick, a Wit, and all other Appellations of those now in the gayer World who are in Poffeffion of thefe feveral Characters; together with an Account of those who unfortunately pretend to 'em. I fhall begin with him we usually call a Gentleman, or Man of Conversation.

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It is generally thought, That Warmth of Imagination, quick Relish of Pleasure, and a Manner of becoming it, are the most effential Qualities for forming this Sort of Man. But any one that is much in Company will observe, That the Height of good Breeding is shown rather in never giving Offence, than in doing obliging Things. Thus, he that never fhocks you, though he is feldom entertaining, is more likely to keep your Favour, than he who often entertains, and fometimes difpleases you. The most neceffary Talent therefore in a Man of Conversation, which is what we ordinarily intend by a Fine Gentleman, is a good Judgment. He that has this in Perfection, is Mafter of his Companion, without letting him fee it; and has the fame Advantage over Men of any other Qualifications whatsoever, as one that can fee would have over a blind Man of Ten times his Strength.

This is what makes Sophronius the Darling of all who converse with him, and the most Powerful with his Acquaintance of any Man in Town. By the Light of this Faculty, he acts with great Eafe and Freedom among the Men of Pleasure, and acquits himself with Skill and Difpatch among the Men of Business. All which he performs with fuch Succefs, that, with as much Difcretion in Life as any Man ever had, he neither is, nor appears, Cunning. But as he does a good Office, if he ever does it, with Readinefs and Alacrity; fo he denies what he does

not