“Here, Withers, rest! thou bravest, gentlest mind,
    Thy country’s friend, but more of human-kind.”
]

[Footnote 448:  John, second Duke of Argyle (1678-1743), took an active part in the battles of Ramilies, Oudenarde, and Malplaquet, and at the siege of Tournay.]

[Footnote 449:  There was a long-standing hostility between the Duke of Marlborough and the Duke of Argyle.]

No. 47. [STEELE.

From Tuesday, July 26, to Thursday, July 28, 1709.

Quicquid agunt homines ... nostri farrago libelli. 
Juv., Sat. i. 85, 86.

* * * * *

White’s Chocolate-house, July 27.

My friend Sir Thomas[450] has communicated to me his letters from Epsom of the 25th instant, which give, in general, a very good account of the posture of affairs at present in that place; but that the tranquillity and correspondence[451] of the company begins to be interrupted by the arrival of Sir Taffety Trippet,[452] a fortune-hunter, whose follies are too gross to give diversion; and whose vanity is too stupid to let him be sensible that he is a public offence.  But if people will indulge a splenetic humour, it is impossible to be at ease, when such creatures as are the scandal of our species, set up for gallantry and adventures.  It will be much more easy therefore to laugh him into reason, than convert him from his foppery by any serious contempt.  I knew a gentleman that made it a maxim to open his doors, and ever run into the way of bullies, to avoid their insolence.  The rule will hold as well with coxcombs:  they are never mortified, but when they see you receive, and despise them; otherwise they rest assured, that it is your ignorance makes them out of your good graces; or, that it is only want of admittance prevents their being amiable where they are shunned and avoided.  But Sir Taffety is a fop of so sanguine complexion, that I fear it will be very hard for the fair one he at present pursues to get rid of the chase, without being so tired, as for her own ease to fall into the mouth of the mongrel she runs from.  But the history of Sir Taffety is as pleasant as his character.  It happened, that when he first set up for a fortune-hunter, he chose Tunbridge for the scene of action; where were at that time two sisters upon the same design.  The knight believed of course the elder must be the better prize; and consequently makes all his sail that way.  People that want sense, do always in an egregious manner want modesty, which made our hero triumph in making his amour as public as was possible.  The adored lady was no less vain of his public addresses.  An attorney with one cause is not half so restless as a woman with one lover.  Wherever they met, they talked to each other aloud, chose each other partner at balls, saluted at the most conspicuous parts of the service at church, and practised in honour of each other all the remarkable particularities which