"their dinner. I fometimes imagine myself con"trouler of the universe, and that these accounts 66 are officially laid before me. In short, it is im"poffible to tell you how much tender anxiety is "bred in me for my species by this kind of reading, " and how much I learn to forget myself in these "glowing pictures and moving details of other "men's actions and concerns. Indeed, I would "have every motion of the Great, however mi"nute, announced in the way which a grave au"thor informs me is practifed in Monomotapa, "where, when the King sneezes in a room, those "prefent greet him in a voice loud enough to be "heard by those in the antichamber; these give "the fame warning to those in the next rooms; "thence it goes into the court, next into the places nearest the palace, and at length into "the town; fo that in a few moments all "places refound with acclamations. If every "action of those above us could be fo ex"tended, and every found that iffues from them "be promulgated in the fame authentic and offi"cial manner, it would afford infinite fatisfaction "to their curious inferiors; and I am fure none "would I O imitatores, fervum pecus, ut mihi fape O imitators vile! O flavish herd! How oft within me have your efforts ftirr'd The fpleen, how oft with laughter hook my beard! KNOW of no quality of the mind, of a more general force than the love of imitation: every circumstance of opinion or behaviour bends to it by degrees; and often, while we fuppofe ourselves entrenched in a moft inflexible fingularity, we are working after fome fecret model which engages us infenfibly, and in a manner fteals us from ourselves. My old Housekeeper is an instance of the truth of this obfervation; the irregularities and roughneffes of whofe temper are every day yielding to the contagion of tranquillity, and to the gentle influence of my Mother's example. My principal Correfpon my dent in town, between whom and myfelf there fubfifts fo regular an intercourse, and who is my first coufin by my father's fide, is mightily taken with the fmooth and uniform character of the 'Olive-branch family. I am informed he has fo fuccefsfully hit my manner, and the turn of features, that the other day, upon his entering the Coffee-room, a Northamptonshire Gentleman declared, that Old Simon was come up to townand spread a general alarm. The curiofity of all prefent grew fo troublesome to my representative, that he could not forbear contracting his brows, and fhewing evident figns of diffatisfaction and distress, which immediately convinced the whole room that the original Mr. Simon Olive-branch must be ftill in Northamptonshire. I have defired him to add a tail to his wig, and to difimifs his little round buckles and fugar-loaf buttons, that he may be less fufpicious for the future in public places. In our own Society, I have seen both the good and the bad effects of this love of imitation. It appears very evident to me that the gentlemanlike and easy manners of Mr. Shapely have greatly won upon upon Mr, Barnaby the Churchwarden, with whofe homely ftyle of behaviour my readers have been long ago made acquainted. If my friend Mr. Barnaby could have contented himfelf with catching the fpirit of Mr. Shapely's behaviour, his fear of difconcerting, his attention to the perfon addreffing himfelf to him, his tenderness of contradiction, his filence on all matters of obligation, his frugal mention of himself, and his little curiofity in other mn's concerns, he might have gained his point without laying himself open to ridicule by abandoning his natural manners. But, unhappily, it is the exterior about which Mr. Barnaby is grown fo folicitous; and being of a bulky unactive make, the determined manner in which he executes his civilities, frequently ends in a catastrophe that completely difappoints his purpose. If you drop your tea-fpoon, your head encounters Mr. Barnaby's as you endeavour to recover it. As he rifes with the prize in his hand, he comes with fuch fury against the table, that every glass and tea-cup is thrown down, and the Echo vehemently excited. At laft, you are prefented with your spoon, but the fame courteous hand overfets your tea. You are fcalded, and rendered uncomfortable for the evening; and Mr. Barnaby retires to his place, with K 4 with a fit of coughing, that lafts him a quarter of an hour, and keeps the Echo in constant amaze. Last night this fingular Gentleman came to our Society, with a pair of ruffles and a snuff-box; looking, as Mr. Allworth fays, like beef à la mode. Every tender of his fnuff-box is fure to be followed by fome inconvenience to his neighbour; for as he generally gives his arm a swing upon these occafions, it is fure to take by the way fomebody's nose, or wig, or spectacles, and give them a very rude affault. In short, Mr. Barnaby's hoftile civilities have put us all in fuch bodily fear, that it is agreed amongst us, that, unless the paroxyfin die away of itself, which we truft it will foon do, we must think of fome laws for the restraint of boisterous breeding. I obferve with great pleasure, however, that this love of imitation is directed to another object in our Club, from which no ridiculous mifconceptions can poffibly arife. The fentiments and maxims of Mr. Allworth begin to be retailed by every member of the Society, and his temperate use of words is becoming very general. Thus when we are emulous of a perfon's spirit and principles, rather than |