such a way of employing themselves.  It happens often that this sort of Man is heavy enough in his Nature to be a good Proficient in such Matters as are attainable by Industry; but alas! he has such an ardent Desire to be what he is not, to be too volatile, to have the Faults of a Person of Spirit, that he professes himself the most unfit Man living for any manner of Application.  When this Humour enters into the Head of a Female, she gently professes Sickness upon all Occasions, and acts all things with an indisposed Air:  She is offended, but her Mind is too lazy to raise her to Anger, therefore she lives only as actuated by a violent Spleen and gentle Scorn.  She has hardly Curiosity to listen to Scandal of her Acquaintance, and has never Attention enough to hear them commended.  This Affectation in both Sexes makes them vain of being useless, and take a certain Pride in their Insignificancy.

Opposite to this Folly is another no less unreasonable, and that is the Impertinence of being always in a Hurry.  There are those who visit Ladies, and beg Pardon afore they are well seated in their Chairs, that they just called in, but are obliged to attend Business of Importance elsewhere the very next Moment:  Thus they run from Place to Place, professing that they are obliged to be still in another Company than that which they are in.  These Persons who are just a going somewhere else should never be detained; [let [2]] all the World allow that Business is to be minded, and their Affairs will be at an end.  Their Vanity is to be importuned, and Compliance with their Multiplicity of Affairs would effectually dispatch em.  The Travelling Ladies, who have half the Town to see in an Afternoon, may be pardoned for being in constant Hurry; but it is inexcusable in Men to come where they have no Business, to profess they absent themselves where they have.  It has been remarked by some nice Observers and Criticks, that there is nothing discovers the true Temper of a Person so much as his Letters.  I have by me two Epistles, which are written by two People of the different Humours above-mentioned.  It is wonderful that a Man cannot observe upon himself when he sits down to write, but that he will gravely commit himself to Paper the same Man that he is in the Freedom of Conversation.  I have hardly seen a Line from any of these Gentlemen, but spoke them as absent from what they were doing, as they profess they are when they come into Company.  For the Folly is, that they have perswaded themselves they really are busy.  Thus their whole Time is spent in suspense of the present Moment to the next, and then from the next to the succeeding, which to the End of Life is to pass away with Pretence to many things, and Execution of nothing.

  SIR,

The Post is just going out, and I have many other Letters of very great Importance to write this Evening, but I could not omit making my Compliments to you for your Civilities to me when I was last in Town.  It is my Misfortune to be so full of Business, that I cannot tell you a Thousand Things which I have to say to you.  I must desire you to communicate the Contents of this to no one living; but believe me to be, with the greatest Fidelity,

  SIR,