she is turned Girl again, and fallen to eating of Chalk, pretending twill make the Child’s Skin white; and nothing will serve her but I must bear her Company, to prevent its having a Shade of my Brown:  In this however I have ventur’d to deny her.  No longer ago than yesterday, as we were coming to Town, she saw a parcel of Crows so heartily at Break-fast upon a piece of Horse-flesh, that she had an invincible Desire to partake with them, and (to my infinite Surprize) begged the Coachman to cut her off a Slice as if twere for himself, which the Fellow did; and as soon as she came home she fell to it with such an Appetite, that she seemed rather to devour than eat it.  What her next Sally will be, I cannot guess:  but in the mean time my Request to you is, that if there be any way to come at these wild unaccountable Rovings of Imagination by Reason and Argument, you’d speedily afford us your Assistance.  This exceeds the Grievance of Pin-Money, and I think in every Settlement there ought to be a Clause inserted, that the Father should be answerable for the Longings of his Daughter.  But I shall impatiently expect your Thoughts in this Matter and am SIR, Your most Obliged, and most Faithful Humble Servant, T.B.

  Let me know whether you think the next Child will love Horses as much
  as Molly does China-Ware.

T.

* * * * *

No. 327.  Saturday, March 15, 1712.  Addison.

  Major rerum mihi nascitur ordo.

  Virg.

We were told in the foregoing Book how the evil Spirit practised upon Eve as she lay asleep, in order to inspire her with Thoughts of Vanity, Pride, and Ambition.  The Author, who shews a wonderful Art throughout his whole Poem, in preparing the Reader for the several Occurrences that arise in it, founds upon the above-mention’d Circumstance, the first Part of the fifth Book.  Adam upon his awaking finds Eve still asleep, with an unusual Discomposure in her Looks.  The Posture in which he regards her, is describ’d with a Tenderness not to be express’d, as the Whisper with which he awakens her, is the softest that ever was convey’d to a Lovers Ear.

  His wonder was, to find unwaken’d Eve
  With Tresses discompos’d, and glowing Cheek,
  As through unquiet Rest:  he on his side
  Leaning half-rais’d, with Looks of cordial Love
  Hung over her enamour’d, and beheld
  Beauty, which whether waking or asleep,
  Shot forth peculiar Graces:  then, with Voice
  Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
  Her Hand soft touching, whisper’d thus:  Awake
  My Fairest, my Espous’d, my latest found,
  Heavns last best Gift, my ever new Delight! 
  Awake:  the Morning shines, and the fresh Field
  Calls us, we lose the Prime, to mark how spring
  Our tended Plants, how blows the Citron Grove,
  What drops the Myrrh, and what the balmy Reed,
  How Nature paints her Colours, how the Bee
  Sits on the Bloom, extracting liquid Sweets.