you, and takes no notice of your saluting him:  The Truth on’t is, his Eyes are open, but he makes no use of them, and neither sees you, nor any Man, nor any thing else:  He came once from his Country-house, and his own Footman undertook to rob him, and succeeded:  They held a Flambeau to his Throat, and bid him deliver his Purse; he did so, and coming home told his Friends he had been robbed; they desired to know the Particulars, Ask my Servants, says_ Menalcas, for they were with me_.

X.

[Footnote 1:  Seneca ‘de Tranquill.  Anim.’ cap. xv.

  ‘Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae’

Dryden’s lines are in Part I of ’Absalom and Achitophel’.]

[Footnote 2:  ‘Caracteres’, Chap. xi. de l’Homme.  La Bruyere’s Menalque was identified with a M. de Brancas, brother of the Duke de Villars.  The adventure of the wig is said really to have happened to him at a reception by the Queen-Mother.  He was said also on his wedding-day to have forgotten that he had been married.  He went abroad as usual, and only remembered the ceremony of the morning upon finding the changed state of his household when, as usual, he came home in the evening.]

* * * * *

No. 78.  Wednesday, May 30, 1711.  Steele.

      Cum Talis sis, Utinam noster esses!

The following Letters are so pleasant, that I doubt not but the Reader will be as much diverted with them as I was.  I have nothing to do in this Day’s Entertainment, but taking the Sentence from the End of the Cambridge Letter, and placing it at the Front of my Paper; to shew the Author I wish him my Companion with as much Earnestness as he invites me to be his.

  SIR,

’I Send you the inclosed, to be inserted (if you think them worthy of it) in your SPECTATORS; in which so surprizing a Genius appears, that it is no Wonder if all Mankind endeavours to get somewhat into a Paper which will always live.

As to the Cambridge Affair, the Humour was really carried on in the Way I described it.  However, you have a full Commission to put out or in, and to do whatever you think fit with it.  I have already had the Satisfaction of seeing you take that Liberty with some things I have before sent you. [1]

  ’Go on, Sir, and prosper.  You have the best Wishes of

  SIR, Your very Affectionate,
  and Obliged Humble Servant.’

  Cambridge.

  Mr, SPECTATOR,