T.

[Footnote 1:  Rochester’s ’Allusion to the 10th Satire of the 1st Book of Horace.’]

[Footnote 2:  Dryden’s All for Love, Act III. sc. i. ]

[Footnote 3:  The Sixth.]

[Footnote 4:  Two stanzas from different parts of Ambrose Philips’s sixth Pastoral.  The first in the original follows the second, with three stanzas intervening.]

[Footnote 5:  (, for want of other Amusement, often study Anatomy together; and what is worse than happens in any other Friendship, they)]

* * * * *

No. 401.  Tuesday, June 10, 1712.  Budgell.

  ’In amore haec omnia insunt vitia:  Injuriae,
  Suspiciones, Inimicitiae, Induciae,
  Bellum, pax rursum:’ 

  Ter.

I shall publish for the Entertainment of this Day, an odd sort of a Packet, which I have just received from one of my Female Correspondents.

  Mr. SPECTATOR,

Since you have often confess’d that you are not displeased your Paper should sometimes convey the Complaints of distressed Lovers to each other, I am in Hopes you will favour one who gives you an undoubted Instance of her Reformation, and at the same time a convincing Proof of the happy Influence your Labours have had over the most Incorrigible Part of the most Incorrigible Sex.  You must know, Sir, I am one of that Species of Women, whom you have often Characteriz’d under the Name of Jilts, and that I send you these Lines, as well to do Publick Penance for having so long continued in a known Error, as to beg Pardon of the Party offended.  I the rather chuse this way, because it in some measure answers the Terms on which he intimated the Breach between us might possibly be made up, as you will see by the Letter he sent me the next Day after I had discarded him; which I thought fit to send you a Copy of, that you might the better know the whole Case.

I must further acquaint you, that before I Jilted him, there had been the greatest Intimacy between us for an Year and half together, during all which time I cherished his Hopes, and indulged his Flame.  I leave you to guess after this what must be his Surprize, when upon his pressing for my full Consent one Day, I told him I wondered what could make him fancy he had ever any Place in my Affections.  His own Sex allow him Sense, and all ours Good-Breeding.  His Person is such as might, without Vanity, make him believe himself not incapable to be beloved.  Our Fortunes indeed, weighed in the nice Scale of Interest, are not exactly equal, which by the way was the true Case of my Jilting him, and I had the Assurance to acquaint him with the following Maxim, That I should always believe that Man’s Passion to be the most Violent, who could offer me the largest Settlement.  I have since changed my Opinion, and have endeavoured to let him know so much by several Letters, but the barbarous Man has refused them all; so that I have no way left of writing to him, but by your Assistance.  If we can bring him about once more, I promise to send you all Gloves and Favours, and shall desire the Favour of Sir ROGER and your self to stand as God-Fathers to my first Boy.  I am, SIR, Your most Obedient most Humble Servant, Amoret.

    Philander to Amoret.