that such a Creature as this shall come from a jaunty Part of the Town, and give herself such violent Airs, to the disturbance of an innocent and inoffensive Congregation, with her Sublimities.  The Fact, I assure you, was as I have related; but I had like to have forgot another very considerable Particular.  As soon as Church was done, she immediately stepp’d out of her Pew, and fell into the finest pitty-pat Air, forsooth, wonderfully out of Countenance, tossing her Head up and down as she swam along the Body of the Church.  I, with several others of the Inhabitants, follow’d her out, and saw her hold up her Fan to an Hackney-Coach at a Distance, who immediately came up to her, and she whipp’d into it with great Nimbleness, pull’d the Door with a bowing Mein, as if she had been used to a better Glass.  She said aloud, You know where to go, and drove off.  By this time the best of the Congregation was at the Church-Door, and I could hear some say, A very fine Lady; others, I’ll warrant ye, she’s no better than she should be; and one very wise old Lady said, She ought to have been taken up.  Mr. SPECTATOR, I think this Matter lies wholly before you:  for the Offence does not come under any Law, tho’ it is apparent this Creature came among us only to give herself Airs, and enjoy her full Swing in being admir’d.  I desire you would print this, that she may be confin’d to her own Parish; for I can assure you there is no attending any thing else in a Place where she is a Novelty.  She has been talked of among us ever since under the Name of the Phantom:  But I would advise her to come no more; for there is so strong a Party made by the Women against her, that she must expect they will not be excell’d a second time in so outrageous a manner, without doing her some Insult.  Young Women, who assume after this rate, and affect exposing themselves to view in Congregations at t’other end of the Town, are not so mischievous, because they are rivall’d by more of the same Ambition, who will not let the rest of the Company be particular:  But in the Name of the whole Congregation where I was, I desire you to keep these agreeable Disturbances out of the City, where Sobriety of Manners is still preserv’d, and all glaring and ostentatious Behaviour, even in things laudable, discountenanced.  I wish you may never see the Phantom, and am,’

  SIR,

  Your most humble Servant,

  Ralph Wonder.

T.

* * * * *

No. 504.  Wednesday, October 8, 1712.  Steele.

  ‘Lepus tute es, et pulpamentum quaeris.’

  Ter.