How can an Author, whose common Vocation is staining of Paper, and spending his whole Time in a Coffee-house or in a Garret, give a just Definition of a Prince, a Courtier, or a fine Lady?  He never sees those Persons but as he walks the Streets; and I can scarce think that the Mud with which he is often dash’d by their Equipages, communicates to him any Share of their Sentiments.  Yet there is not a wretched Author but makes a Duke and Dutchess speak as he fancies.  But when a Man of Fashion comes to cast his Eye on these ridiculous Performances, he is perfectly surpriz’d to see the Conversation of Margaret the Hawker, retail’d by the Name of the Dutchess of ——­, or the Marchioness of ——.  Yet be these Books ever so bad, abundance of ’em are sold; for many People, extravagantly fond of Novelty, who only judge of Things superficially, buy those Works, tho’ by the Perusal of ’em they acquire a Taste as remote from a happy Talent of Writing, as the Authors themselves are.

Don’t fear, dear Isaac, that I shall ever send thee a Collection of such paultry Books.  Be a Man ever so fond at Constantinople of Romances and Histories of Gallantry, ’tis expected they should serve not only for Pleasure but for Edification.

The second Book that I have bought, seems to me to be written with this View.  ’Tis intitled, Memoirs of the Marquis de Mirmon; or the Solitary Philosopher.  The Author writes with an easy lively Stile[19]; and ’tis plain, that he himself was acquainted with the Characters which he paints.  Without affecting to appear to have as much Wit as the former Author that I mention’d to thee, he delivers the Truth every where in an amiable Dress.  If any Fault can be found with him, ’tis explaining himself a little too boldly; and he is also reproach’d with a sort of Negligence pardonable in a Man whose Stile is in general so pure as his is.  The following is his Character of Solitude, ’Tis not to torment himself that a wise Man seems to separate himself from Mankind:  He is far from imposing new Laws on himself, and only follows those that are already prescrib’d to his Hands.  If he lays himself under any new Laws, he reserves to himself the Power of changing them, being their absolute Master, and not their Slave.  Being content to cool his Passions, and to govern them by his Reason, he does not imagine it impossible to tame them to his own Fancy, and does not convert what was formerly an innocent Amusement to him, into a Monster to terrify him.  He retains in Solitude all the Pleasures which Men of Honour have a Relish for in the World, and only puts it out of their Power of being hurtful, by preventing them from being too violent.

There are several other Passages in this Book, which are as remarkable for their Perspicuity as their Justness.  Such is the Description of the Disgust which sometimes attends Marriages. When Persons are in Love, they put the best Side outwards.  A Man who is desirous of pleasing, takes a world of Care to conceal his Defects.  A Woman knows still better how to dissemble.  Two Persons often study for six Months together to bubble one another, and at last they marry, and punish one another the Remainder of their Lives for their Dissimulation.