an 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[27]. He says it is a civil[28] 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 furnished 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 humorists[29], 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 easy fortune, time has made but a very
little impression, either by wrinkles on his forehead, or traces in his
brain. His person is well turned[30], 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[31] 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 ladies
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 that part
of the dress so short in such a year. In a word, all his conversation and
knowledge have 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 kind 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; and I find there is not one of the company, but myself, who
rarely speak at all, but speaks o