92.  Nature of cunning.

93.  Sam Softly’s history.

94.  Obstructions of learning.

95.  Tim Wainscot’s son a fine gentleman.

96.  Hacho of Lapland.

97.  Narratives of travellers considered.

98.  Sophia Heedful.

99.  Ortogrul of Basra.

100.  The good sort of woman.

101.  Omar’s plan of life.

102.  Authors inattentive to themselves.

103.  Honour of the last.

THE

Adventurer.

No. 34.  Saturday, march 3, 1753.

  Has toties optata exegit gloria paenas. Juv.  Sat. x. 187. 
  Such fate pursues the votaries of praise.

To the adventurer.

Sir,

Fleet Prison, Feb. 24.

To a benevolent disposition, every state of life will afford some opportunities of contributing to the welfare of mankind.  Opulence and splendour are enabled to dispel the cloud of adversity, to dry up the tears of the widow and the orphan, and to increase the felicity of all around them:  their example will animate virtue, and retard the progress of vice.  And even indigence and obscurity, though without power to confer happiness, may at least prevent misery, and apprize those who are blinded by their passions, that they are on the brink of irremediable calamity.  Pleased, therefore, with the thought of recovering others from that folly which has embittered my own days, I have presumed to address the adventurer from the dreary mansions of wretchedness and despair, of which the gates are so wonderfully constructed, as to fly open for the reception of strangers, though they are impervious as a rock of adamant to such as are within them: 

 —­Facilis descensus Averni: 
  Noctes utque dies patet atri janua Ditis: 
  Sed revocare gradum, superasque evadere ad auras,
  Hoc opus, hic labor est.—­Virg.  AEn. vi. 126.

  The gates of hell are open night and day;
  Smooth the descent, and easy is the way: 
  But to return and view the cheerful skies;
  In this the task and mighty labour lies.  Dryden.

Suffer me to acquaint you, Sir, that I have glittered at the ball, and sparkled in the circle; that I have had the happiness to be the unknown favourite of an unknown lady at the masquerade, have been the delight of tables of the first fashion, and envy of my brother beaux; and to descend a little lower, it is, I believe, still remembered, that Messrs. Velours and d’Espagne stand indebted for a great part of their present influence at Guildhall, to the elegance of my shape, and the graceful freedom of my carriage.

 —­Sed quae praeclara et prospera tanti,
  Ut rebus laetis par sit mensura malorum?  Juv.  Sat. x. 97.

  See the wild purchase of the bold and vain,
  Where every bliss is bought with equal pain!