ace about him; for I am knight of the shire, and
represent you all." I wish the heralds would know as well as this man
does, in his way, that they are to act for us in the case of our arms
and appellations: we should not then be jumbled together in so
promiscuous and absurd a manner. I design to take this matter into
further consideration, and no man shall be received as an esquire, who
cannot bring a certificate, that he has conquered some lady's obdurate
heart; that he can lead up a country dance, or carry a message between
her and her lover, with address, secrecy and diligence. A squire is
properly born for the service of the sex, and his credentials shall be
signed by three toasts, and one prude, before his title shall be
received in my office.

Will's Coffee-house, May 23.

On Saturday last was presented, "The Busy Body," a comedy, written (as I
have heretofore remarked) by a woman.[233] The plot and incidents of the
play are laid with that subtlety of spirit which is peculiar to females
of wit, and is very seldom well performed by those of the other sex, in
whom craft in love is an act of invention, and not, as with women, the
effect of nature and instinct.

To-morrow will be acted a play, called, "The Trip to the Jubilee."[234]
This performance is the greatest instance that we can have of the
irresistible force of proper action. The dialogue in itself has
something too low to bear a criticism upon it: but Mr. Wilks enters into
the part with so much skill, that the gallantry, the youth, and gaiety
of a young man of a plentiful fortune, is looked upon with as much
indulgence on the stage, as in real life, without any of those
intermixtures of wit and humour, which usually prepossess us in favour
of such characters in other plays.

St. James's Coffee-house, May 23.

Letters from the Hague of the 23rd instant, N.S., say, Mr. Walpole[235]
(who is since arrived) was going with all expedition to Great Britain,
whither they doubted not but he carried with him the preliminaries to a
treaty of peace. The French Minister, Monsieur Torcy, has been observed
in this whole negotiation to turn his discourse upon the calamities sent
down by Heaven upon France, and imputed the necessities they were under
to the immediate hand of Providence, in inflicting a general scarcity of
provision, rather than the superior genius of the generals, or the
bravery of the armies against them. It would be impious not to
acknowledge the i