are told that this is such a gentleman's Folly. The munificence of a man of taste raises at an immoderate expence a column or turret in his garden, for no other purpose than the generous one of giving delight and wonder to travellers; and the ungrateful public call it his Folly. Nay, were her late Majesty queen Anne, of pious memory, to reign again, and fifty new churches to be really built, I doubt if in this dissolute age, this also might not be called her Majesty's Folly. But notwithstanding these discouragements, I am daily entertained with new beauties; and it is with great impatience that I wait the completion of a Chinese temple, now rising on the top of a very elegant villa upon the road-side near Brumpton. I have often too, with great satisfaction, beheld a structure of this kind, on the top of a very handsome green-house, now in the possession of a noble foreigner at Turnham-green; which, as I am informed, is a matter of great curiosity to his countrymen who frequent it; nothing of this sort being to be met with in the environs of Paris, or indeed of Pekin itself, or in any country but this. A most majestic peacock, as big as the life, on the spindle of a weather-cock, adds also to its merit; which with all the beauty of the bird itself, has not its disagreeable vociferous quality; and though it does not foretel by its noise a change in the weather, it informs you with more certainty of the va riation of the wind.

I am somewhat of an invalid, and being sensible how much exercise conduces to health, I seldom fail,* when the weather does not allow me the use of my physician, a trotting horse, to take a flurry (as it is elegantly called) in a hackney-coach; which affords: exercise to the imagination as well as the body, and creates thinking (if I may be allowed the expression) as much as it does an appetite. The air of business in the crowds that are constantly passing; the variety

of the equipages, and the new and extraordinary sights, that still present themselves in this great metropolis, the centre of trade, industry and invention, fill my mind with ideas, which if they do not always instruct, at least amuse me.

I take great pleasure in guessing at the ranks and professions of men by their appearance; and though I may now and then be mistaken, yet I believe I am generally in the right. Once indeed I mistook a right reverend divine, on the other side Temple-bar for a Jew, till the mitre on his coach convinced me of my error; as I also did a Jew, by the decorations on his chariot, for a peer of the realm. And indeed, Mr. Fitz-Adam, since the herald's-office has suspended its authority, it is surprising what liberties are taken with the arms of the first families in the kingdom; insomuch that a man must have a quick eye who can distinguish between the pillars, flower-pots, and other inventions of the curious painter, and the supporters of the nobility. But what most of all perplex me are the ornaments, after the Chinese manner,' over the arms by way of coronet: and were not these distinctions confined solely to Europe, I should sometimes be in danger of mistaking an India director for a Mandarin.

It has not escaped your notice how much of late we are improved in architecture; not merely by the adoption of what we call Chinese, nor by the restoration of what we call Gothic; but by a happy mixture of both. From Hyde-park to Shoreditch, scarce a chandler's shop or an oyster-stall but has embellishments of this kind; and I have heard that there is a design against the meeting of the new parliament to fit up St. Stephen's chapel with Chinese benches and a throne, from the model of that on which the eastern monarch distributes justice to his extensive empires. It is whispered also that the

portico to Covent-garden church is to give place to one of the Gothic order. But before I leave the city, let me not neglect to do justice to that excellent engineer, the great pastry-cook in St. Paul's churchyard. My good fortune conducted me thither on twelfth-day; when seeing a vast concourse of people assembled, my ruling passion, curiosity, engaged me to quit my vehicle to partake in the satisfaction so visible in all their countenances. But how shall I describe the pomp and parade of so noble an appearance? The triumph of a lord mayor's day is nothing to it, though, if I mistake not, those brave and faithful guardians of the wealth and safety of the city, the train-bands and militia, make a most comely and warlike appearance: for, not to mention the flags shining with silver and gold; troops innumerable of gingerbread, both horse and foot, finer in these uniforms than the French king's household; there was not even the smallest mince-pye, but for its strength and just proportion was equal at least to the chefd'œuvre of a Vauban or a Cohorn. But what above all excited my praise and admiration, was a citadel of an enormous magnitude, that would have appeared impregnable to a whole army of Dutchmen, had it not been for several breaches that had been made in it by some small pieces of copper; but this indeed astonished me the less, having been told that the towns in Flanders which cost so much blood, which were so stubbornly disputed in the former war, and which fell so easily into the hands of the immortal Saxe in seventeen hundred and forty-four, were chiefly obtained by an ordnance of this kind, though somewhat heavier in its quality.

And now, Mr. Fitz-Adam, if I was not afraid of troubling you with more observations, I should lead you again into the country. But were I to expatiate on the hermitages and sylvan temples, formed like

the earths of those instructive builders, the badgers, (from whom the hint was taken) and furnished with ivy, moss, cobwebs, and straw-beds, with all the ele gance of primitive simplicity, contrasting the magnificent structures of our most favourite architects, I fear my letter would exceed your patience. I shall therefore defer at least, these most important subjects, till I find how these my observations have been received; and whether you do them justice or not, I shall continue

Your constant admirer.

No. LX. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21.,

Quid domini facient, audent cum talia fures? VIRG.

To Mr. Fitz-Adam.

SIR,

Of all the advantages and superior excellencies which this nation has confessedly over many others, I know of none, to which we may more fairly lay in our claim, than the spirit of generosity, which is so eminently exerted amongst us. I question whether our great attribute of bravery deduces more real honour on us, or is more deservedly celebrated. But there is a certain limit which true valour never exceeds; and it is from this excess that a just distinction is made between courage and rashness, magnanimity and fool hardiness. In the same manner, liberality differs from profusion. When this amiable quality of benevolence is perverted from its high and

noble uses, when it is applied to no meritorious services, but is degraded into the indiscriminate overflowings of the purse, the appellation that accompanies it is by no means a desirable part of a character.

What led me into this turn of thinking, was an incident in one of my morning walks. Passing by the house of a noble lord with my friend, he raised my attention by assuring me, that in that house he spent a great deal of money every week: and I do not doubt, added he, that we shall in a short time be able to raise a very comfortable subsistence for the family. I was somewhat astonished at the easy freedom of his expression, and could not help expostulating with him upon the terms he had used. He continued his humour, and increased my admiration by assuring me, that he dined there very often, and found his dinners more expensive to him, than in any house in London. We pay, says he, as we do at our club at the St. Alban's, so much a head: but as we know the people of the house very well, and can depend upon their honesty, we do not trouble ourselves at all with a bill. As I was very well convinced his lordship kept no tavern, I began to imagine that my friend, who has naturally a great share of wit and vivacity, had a mind to impose upon the belief and ready assent that I always pay to his conversation. While I was in this state of suspicion, Come, says he, my honest country gentleman, I will explain all the mystery that seems to perplex you: and as you have too good a spirit to be under an obligation to persons you cannot well make a return to, I will teach you how you may pay for your dinner when you dine with a duke. You must know then, that this noble lord, like others of his quality, keeps a great number of servants; which servants, when you sit down to table, his lordship, out of great complaisance, immediately makes