Themistocles, the great Athenian General, being asked whether he would chuse to marry his Daughter to an indigent Man of Merit, or to a worthless Man of an Estate, replied, That he should prefer a Man without an Estate, to an Estate without a Man.  The worst of it is, our Modern Fortune-Hunters are those who turn their Heads that way, because they are good for nothing else.  If a young Fellow finds he can make nothing of Cook and Littleton, he provides himself with a Ladder of Ropes, and by that means very often enters upon the Premises.

The same Art of Scaling has likewise been practised with good Success by many military Ingineers.  Stratagems of this nature make Parts and Industry superfluous, and cut short the way to Riches.

Nor is Vanity a less Motive than Idleness to this kind of Mercenary Pursuit.  A Fop who admires his Person in a Glass, soon enters into a Resolution of making his Fortune by it, not questioning but every Woman that falls in his way will do him as much Justice as he does himself.  When an Heiress sees a Man throwing particular Graces into his Ogle, or talking loud within her Hearing, she ought to look to her self; but if withal she observes a pair of Red-Heels, a Patch, or any other Particularity in his Dress, she cannot take too much care of her Person.  These are Baits not to be trifled with, Charms that have done a world of Execution, and made their way into Hearts which have been thought impregnable.  The Force of a Man with these Qualifications is so well known, that I am credibly informed there are several Female Undertakers about the Change, who upon the Arrival of a likely Man out of a neighbouring Kingdom, will furnish him with proper Dress from Head to Foot, to be paid for at a double Price on the Day of Marriage.

We must however distinguish between Fortune-Hunters and Fortune-Stealers.  The first are those assiduous Gentlemen who employ their whole Lives in the Chace, without ever coming at the Quarry.  Suffenus has combed and powdered at the Ladies for thirty Years together, and taken his Stand in a Side Box, till he has grown wrinkled under their Eyes.  He is now laying the same Snares for the present Generation of Beauties, which he practised on their Mothers.  Cottilus, after having made his Applications to more than you meet with in Mr. Cowley’s Ballad of Mistresses, was at last smitten with a City Lady of 20,000L.  Sterling:  but died of old Age before he could bring Matters to bear.  Nor must I here omit my worthy Friend Mr. HONEYCOMB, who has often told us in the Club, that for twenty years successively, upon the death of a Childless rich Man, he immediately drew on his Boots, called for his Horse, and made up to the Widow.  When he is rallied upon his ill Success, WILL, with his usual Gaiety tells us, that he always found [her [1]] Pre-engaged.

Widows are indeed the great Game of your Fortune-Hunters.  There is scarce a young Fellow in the Town of six Foot high, that has not passed in Review before one or other of these wealthy Relicts.  Hudibrass’s Cupid, who