not presage good luck, I shall desire nothing for my Pains; not questioning at the same time that those who consult me will be so reasonable as to afford me a moderate Share out of any considerable Estate, Profit or Emolument which I shall thus discover to them.  I interpret to the Poor for nothing, on condition that their Names may be inserted in Publick Advertisements, to attest the Truth of such my Interpretations.  As for People of Quality or others, who are indisposed, and do not care to come in Person, I can interpret their Dreams by seeing their Water.  I set aside one Day in the Week for Lovers; and interpret by the great for any Gentlewoman who is turned of Sixty, after the rate of half a Crown per Week, with the usual Allowances for good Luck.  I have several Rooms and Apartments fitted up, at reasonable rates, for such as have not Conveniences for dreaming at their own Houses.

  Titus Trophonius.

  N.  B.  I am not dumb.

O.

[Footnote 1:  Bedlam was then in Moorfields.]

* * * * *

No. 206.  Friday, October 10, 1712.  Budgell.

  ’Candida perpetuo reside, concordia, lecto,
  Tamque pari semper sit Venus aequa jugo. 
  Diligat illa, senem quondam:  Sed et ipsa marito,
  Tunc quoque cum fuerit, non videatur anus.’

  Mart.

The following Essay is written by the Gentleman, to whom the World is oblig’d for those several excellent Discourses which have been marked with the Letter X.

I have somewhere met with a Fable that made Wealth the Father of Love.  It is certain a Mind ought, at least, to be free from the Apprehensions of Want and Poverty, before it can fully attend to all the Softnesses and Endearments of this Passion.  Notwithstanding we see Multitudes of married People, who are utter Strangers to this delightful Passion amidst all the Affluence of the most plentiful Fortunes.

It is not sufficient to make a Marriage happy, that the Humours of two People should be alike; I could instance an hundred Pair, who have not the least Sentiment of Love remaining for one another, yet are so like in their Humours, that if they were not already married, the whole World would design them for Man and Wife.

The Spirit of Love has something so extremely fine in it, that it is very often disturbed and lost, by some little Accidents which the Careless and Unpolite never attend to, till it is gone past Recovery.