hing which concerns their Happiness or Quiet. The Repose of a
married Woman is consulted in the first of the following Letters, and
the Felicity of a Maiden Lady in the second. I call it a Felicity to
have the Addresses of an agreeable Man: and I think I have not any where
seen a prettier Application of a Poetical Story than that of his, in
making the Tale of _Cephalus_ and _Procris_ the History-Picture of a Fan
in so gallant a manner as he addresses it. [1] But see the Letters.

_Mr_. SPECTATOR,

'Tis now almost three months since I was in Town about some Business;
and the Hurry of it being over, took Coach one Afternoon, and drove to
see a Relation, who married about six Years ago a wealthy Citizen. I
found her at home, but her Husband gone to the _Exchange_, and
expected back within an Hour at the farthest. After the usual
Salutations of Kindness, and a hundred Questions about Friends in the
Country, we sat down to Piquet, played two or three Games, and drank
Tea. I should have told you that this was my second time of seeing her
since Marriage, but before she lived at the same Town where I went to
School; so that the Plea of a Relation, added to the Innocence of my
Youth, prevailed upon her good Humour to indulge me in a Freedom of
Conversation as often, and oftner, than the strict Discipline of the
School would allow of. You may easily imagine after such an
Acquaintance we might be exceeding merry without any Offence, as in
calling to mind how many Inventions I had been put to in deluding the
Master, how many Hands forged for Excuses, how many times been sick in
perfect Health; for I was then never sick but at School, and only then
because out of her Company. We had whiled away three Hours after this
manner, when I found it past Five; and not expecting her Husband would
return till late, rose up, told her I should go early next Morning for
the Country: She kindly answered she was afraid it would be long
before she saw me again; so I took my leave and parted. Now, Sir, I
had not been got home a Fortnight, when I received a Letter from a
Neighbour of theirs, that ever since that fatal Afternoon the Lady had
been most inhumanly treated, and the Husband publickly stormed that he
was made a Member of too numerous a Society. He had, it seems,
listened most of the time my Cousin and I were together. As jealous
Ears always hear double, so he heard enough to make hi