The LONDON MAGAZINE:

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NOVEMBER,

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THE

LONDON MAGAZINE.
NOVEMBER, 1753.

Two Letters from The WORLD, Nov. 15-
To Mr. FITZ-ADAM.

SIR,

HEN a rich man fpeaketh, fays the fon of Sirach, every man holdeth his tongue, and lo! what A he fayeth is extolled to the clouds; but if a poor man fpeak, they fay, what fellow is this? I had a mortifying opportunity yefterday of experiencing the truth of this obfervation.

It is not material, that I fhould tell you who or what I am; it will be enough to fay, that tho' I dine every day, and B always make my appearance abroad in a clean fhirt, I have no thoughts of offering myself as a candidate for a borough at the next general election; nor am I quite fo rich as a certain man of fashion, who took fuch a fancy to me this fummer in the country, as hardly to be eafy out of my company.

This great perfon came to town last week for the winter, whither I was called upon business foon after; and having received a general invitation to his table, I went yesterday to dine with him. Upon my being fhewn into the parlour, I found him fitting with two young gentlemen, who, as I afterwards learnt, were perfons of great quality, and who, before I was bid to fit down, entered into a short whisper with my friend, which concluded with a broad ftare in my face, and the words, "I thought fo," uttered with a careless contempt, and loud enough for me to hear.

ables a modeft man to fit eafier in his
chair, I now and then attempted to put
in a word, but found I had not the good
fortune to make myself hea.d. The
playhouses happening to be mentioned,
I asked very respectful if any thing new
was to be exhibited this season ? Upon
which it was observed, "that the winter
was come in upon us all at once, and
that there had been ice in Hyde park of
near half an inch thick." Upon my
friend's taking notice that there had been
a very great court that morning, I took
occafion to inquire how the king did?
when it was immediately remarked,
"that the opera this winter would cer-
tainly be a very grand one."
As I was

".

a proficient in mufick, and a friend to
the Italian opera, I hoped to be attended
to, by faying fomething in favour of fo
elegant an entertainment; but before I
had proceeded thro' half a fentence, the
converfation took another turn, and it
was unanimously agreed, "that my lord
C fomebody's Greenland dog was the finest
of the kind ever feen in England." It
was now high time for me to have done ;
I therefore contented myfelf with playing
the dumb man till the cloth was removed,
and then took my leave.

At my return to my lodgings, I could
not help thinking that it was not ab-
folutely impoffible for great men to be
D
very ill brod; but however that matter
may be, I fhall eat my dinner at the chop-
houfe to-day, notwithstanding I have
just received a card from my friend to
tell me, "that he dines alone, and fhall
be quite unhappy without me.'
I am, SIR,

I was a little difconcerted at this behaviour, but was in fome measure re- E fieved by a meffage a few minutes after, chat dinner was upon the table. We were foon feated according to form; and as the converfation was upon general fubjects, or rather upon no fubject at all, and as the having fomething to fay enNovember, 1753.

A

Your humble fervant,

F. B.
Bath, Oct. 29, 1753.

Mr. FITZ ADAM,
MONG the many inventions of
this wife and polite age, I look up-
on the art of not knowing people, to be one
0 19 2

of

of the greatest. But for fear the term should
be a little too technical for many of your
readers, I thall explain it at large. What
I mean is, that perfons of diftinction
fhall meet their inferiors in publick places,
and either walk, fit, or ftand close at
their elbows, without having the leaft
recollection of them; whom but a week A
or a day before, they have been parti-
cularly intimate with, and for whom.
they have prefcffed the most affectionate
regard. As you have taken no notice
of this art, in all probability the pro-
feffors of it have efcaped you; but as
I have lately been the fubject of its fullest
exertion, I beg leave to trouble you with
a few words upon the occafion.

I am a clergyman of fome fortune, tho' no preferment; and knowing that I had many friends at Bath this feafon, I came hither last week to enjoy the pleasure of their converfation, The morning after my arrival I took a walk to the pumproom, where I had the honour of feeing a noble lord, a baronet, and fome ladies of quality, with whom I was very well acquainted; but to my great furprife, tho' I food at the diftance of only two or three yards from them, I did not perceive that any one of them knew me.' I have dined feveral times with his lordhip, have frequently drank tea with the ladies, and fpent two months this fum

mer with the baronet, and yet am throwing myself in their way every morning, am fitting next them in the rooms every evening, nay, playing at cards with them at the fame table, without their having the leaft remembrance of me. There is alfo a very genteel family in the place, in which I have been fo extremely intimate, that according to the fong,

I have drank with the father, have talk'd.

swith the mother, [with the brother, Have ropp'd with the fifier, bave gani`d but, for what reafon I know not, unlefs in imitation of the lord and ladies abovementioned, with whom they happen to be acquainted, I do not find that any one of them has the leaft knowledge of

me,

perfons of fashion, or a few very genteel
people who have ftudied under them,
can make themfelves mafters of. But it
is an art that will undo me, if a living'
which my friend the noble lord has been
fo good as to affure me of, thould hap-
pen to become void while I am in this
place; for how can I fuppofe that his
lord hip will give that to an entire ftran
ger, which he has long ago promised to
an intimate acquaintance?
I am, SIR,

Your humble fervant,
ABRAHAM ADAMS.

I have taken the first opportunity (fayı B Mr. Fitz Adam) of publishing these letters, not from a conviction that the writers of them have any caufe of complaint, but from a defire of removing falfe prejudices, and of doing juftice to the characters of great people. As for the fon of Sirach, whom the firft of my correfpondents has thought proper to quotes everybody knows that his writings are apocryphal; and as to the matter complained of, namely, that a private man cannot make himself heard among lards and great folks, it is a fault of nature, who it is well known has formed the ears of perfons of quality only for hearing one a nother. My other correfpondent, who is piqued at not being known, is equally unDreafonable; for he cannot but have ob ferved at the playhoufes and other publick places, from the number of glaffes used by people of fashion, that they are natu rally fhort-fighted. It is frem this visual defect, that a great man is apt to mistake fortune for honour, a fervice of plate for a good name, and his neighbour's wife E for his own. His memory is in many initances as defective as his fight. Benefits, promifes, and payment of debts, are things that he is extremely liable to for get. How then is it to be wondered at, that he should forget an acquaintance? But I have always obferved that there is a propensity in little people to fpeak evil of dignities; and that where real errors are wanting (which is the cafe at prefent) they will throw out their invectives againft natural defects, and quarrel with the deaf for not hearing them, and with the blind for nor feeing them.

I have looked in the glafs above a hundred times, from a fufpicion that my face must have undergone fome extraordinary change, to occation this total want of recollection in my friends; but I have the fatisfaction of finding that my eyes, nole and mouth are not only remaining, but G that they ftand, as near as I can guefs, in the very individual places, as when my friends knew me, and that their forgetfulness is altogether owing to this newinvented art, an art which it feems none but

I could go near to write a whole paragraph in praife of great men, if I was not reftrained by the confideration, that of all things in the world, they hate flattery.

1753.

KING'S SPEECH, ADDRESSES, &c.

called them together as early as their at-
endance, upon their private affairs would
admit; and he was confident, they were
all met with the beft difpofitions, to give
fuch application and difpatch to the bufi-
nefs of this feffion, as may be most con-
ducive to the publick utility: That the
events of this year had not made it necef- A
fary for him to offer any thing in particu-
lar to their confideration, relating to fö-
reign affairs: That the continuance of
the publick tranquillity, and the general
ftate of Europe, remained upon the fame
foot as when they laft parted; and they
might be affured of his fteadiness in pur-
fuing the most effectual meatures to pre-
ferve to his people the bleffings of peace. B

Then his majefty acquaints the com-
mons, that he had nothing to ask of them,
but the neceffary fupplies for the ordinary
fervices of the enfuing year; and fuch as
had already been under their confiderati-
on: That he had ordered eflimates to be
laid before them; and from the experience
he had had of their conftant regard for his C
honour, and the fecurity, as well as ease,
of their fellow fubjects, he entertained no
doubt of their making the proper provisions
for thefe purposes.

D

Then his majefty, fpeaking to both houfes, concludes thus: I am forry to be obliged again to mention to you a fubject, which reflects dishonour upon the nation, as well as creates great danger and mifchief to my good fubjects. It is with the utmost regret I obferve, that the horrid crimes of robbery and murder are, of late, rather encreafed than diminished. I am fenfible, that works of reformation are not to be effected at once; but every body should contribute their best endeavours: And let me earneftly recommend it to you, to continue your ferious atten- E tion to this important object. Whatfoever fhall be found expedient, either in this, or any other refpect, for the welfare and happinefs of my people thill meet with my hearty concurrence and fupport.

The LORDS ADDRESS, prefented on Friday,

Nov. 16.

Met Gracious Sovereign,

W loyal fubject, the lords fpiritual

E your majefty's moft dutiful and

and temporal in parliament affembled, beg leave to return your majesty our humble thanks for your most gracious fpeech from the throne.

F

Every opportunity of approaching your G facred perfon furnishes us with new matter for acknowledging your majesty's contant and unwearied attention to the welfare of your kingdoms; which is in ag

493

inftance more confpicuous than in your vigilance to preferve to them the bleffings of peace. Our juft confidence in your majesty's purfuing the most effectual mea fures for this purpofe is equal to those grateful fentiments with which our hearts are filled on this occafion. The honour

and fecurity of the nation, both at home and abroad, the maintenance of our religion and liberty, the protection and extenfion of our commerce, and every branch of the national happiness, are the objects of your royal care, wifely and fteadily exerted for the common good of your people.

It gives us the utmost concern, that it fhould be neceffary for your majefty again

to take notice of the increase of thote horrid crimes of robbery and murder, which are arrived at fo great a height. We are duly fenfible, that your majesty's justice is never wanting to protect the innocent and punish the guilty; and it thall be our conftant endeavour to inforce, and add vigour to, the laws for bringing fuch auda cious and obftinate offenders to punishment. Your majefty, like a true father to your people, has often graciously rea commended to us the falutary work of rea formation; which, though it proceeds too flowly, we will not fail to promote to the utmost of our power.

Nothing fhall be wanting on our part to anfwer your majefty's juft expectations, that the publick utility fhall be our rule in carrying on the bunnefs of this feflion. And we humbly entreat your majesty to accept our ftrongeft affurances, that as the continuance of your precicus life is the fubject of our ardent wishes and prayers; fo the fupport of your government, the glory of your aufpicious reign, and the prefervation of the Proteftant fucceffion in your royal family, are, and that be the invariable principles and aim of our conduct.

His MAJESTY's most gracious ANSWER..
My Lords,

N

OTHING can be more agreeable to me than this very dutiful and affectionate addrefs. I thank you for it: And, as my great aim is your lafting profperity, be affured, that the confidence you repofe in me thall be made use of for the honour and true interest of the nation.