to help me, has as many to break through to
come at me, as I have to come to him: Therefore he will conclude, that
the Man who would make a Figure, especially in a military Way, must
get over all false Modesty, and assist his Patron against the
Importunity of other Pretenders, by a proper Assurance in his own
Vindication. He says it is a civil Cowardice to be backward in
asserting what you ought to expect, as it is a military Fear to be
slow in attacking when it is your Duty. With this Candour does the
Gentleman speak of himself and others. The same Frankness runs through
all his Conversation. The military Part of his Life has furnish'd him
with many Adventures, in the Relation of which he is very agreeable to
the Company; for he is never overbearing, though accustomed to command
Men in the utmost Degree below him; nor ever too obsequious, from an
Habit of obeying Men highly above him.

But that our Society may not appear a Set of Humourists unacquainted
with the Gallantries and Pleasures of the Age, we have among us the
gallant WILL. HONEYCOMB, a Gentleman who according to his Years should
be in the Decline of his Life, but having ever been very careful of
his Person, and always had a very easie Fortune, Time has made but
very little Impression, either by Wrinkles on his Forehead, or Traces
in his Brain. His Person is well turn'd, of a good Height. He is very
ready at that sort of Discourse with which Men usually entertain
Women. He has all his Life dressed very well, and remembers Habits as
others do Men. He can smile when one speaks to him, and laughs easily.
He knows the History of every Mode, and can inform you from which of
the _French_ King's Wenches our Wives and Daughters had this Manner of
curling their Hair, that Way of placing their Hoods; and whose Vanity
to show her Foot made Petticoats so short in such a Year. In a Word,
all his Conversation and Knowledge has been in the female World: As
other Men of his Age will take Notice to you what such a Minister said
upon such and such an Occasion, he will tell you when the Duke of
_Monmouth_ danced at Court such a Woman was then smitten, another was
taken with him at the Head of his Troop in the _Park_. In all these
important Relations, he has ever about the same Time received a Glance
or a Blow of a Fan from some celebrated Beauty, Mother of the Present
Lord such-a-one. This way of Talking of his very much enlivens the
Conversation among us of a more sedate Turn;