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 fo gallant a manner as he addreffes it. But fee the Letters. Mr. SPECTATOR, 'TIS now almoft three Months fince I was in Town about fome • Business; and the Hurry of it being over, took Coach one Afternoon, and drove to fee a Relation, who married a •bout fix 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 ufual Salutations of Kindness, and a hundred Questions about Friends in the Country, we fat down to Picquet, played two or three Games, and drank Tea. I fhould have told you that this was my fecond time of feeing her fince Marriage, but before the lived at the fame Town where I went to School; fo that the Plea of C a Relation, added to the Innocence of my Youth, prevailed upon her good Humour to indulge me in a freedom • of 1 • of Conversation as often, and oftner, than the ftrict Discipline of the School would allow of. You may easily i6 magine after fuch an Acquaintance we might be exceeding merry without any Offence, as in calling to mind how C many Inventions I had been put to in 6 deluding the Mafter, how many Hands forged for Excufes, how many times been fick in perfect Health; for I was then never fick 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 rofe up, told her I fhould go early next Morning for the Country: She kindly answered fhe was afraid it would be long before fhe faw me again; fo I took my leave and parted. Now, Sir, I had not been got home a Fortnight, when I received a LetC ter from a Neighbour of theirs, that < ever fince that fatal Afternoon the Lady had been moft inhumanly treated, and the Husband publickly ftormed that he was made a Member of a too numerous Society. He had, it seems, • liftened liftned most of the time my Coufin and I were together. As jealous Ears always hear double, fo he heard enough to make him mad; and as jealous Eyes always fee through Magnifying Glaffes, fo he was certain it 'could not be I whom he had seen, a beardless Stripling, but fancied he faw a gay Gentleman of the Temple, ten Years older than my felf; and for that Reason, I prefume, durft not come in, nor take any Notice when I went C out. He is perpetually asking his 'Wife if she does not think the time 'long (as fhe said she should) till fhe fee her Coufin again. Pray, Sir, what can be done in this Cafe? I have writ to him to affure him I was at his • House that afternoon expecting to fee him: His Answer is, 'tis only a Trick ← of hers, and that he neither can nor ❝ will believe me. The parting Kifs I find mightily nettles him, and con'firms him in all his Errors. Ben John fon, as I remember, makes a Foreigner in one of his Comedies, admire the ' defperate Valour of the bold English, who let out their Wives to all Encounters. The general Cuftom of Saluta 'tion fhould excuse the Favour done me, VOL. XIV. F or or you should lay down Rules when fuch Diftinctions are to be given or • omitted. You cannot imagine, Sir, how troubled I am for this unhappy Lady's Misfortune; and beg you • would infert this Letter, that the HusC. band may reflect upon this Accident coolly. It is no fmall Matter the Eafe of a virtuous Woman for her whole • Life: I know fhe will conform to any Regularities (tho' more ftrict than the common Rules of our Country require) to which his particular Temper fhall incline him to oblige her. This Accident puts me in mind, how generously Pififratus the Athenian Tyrant behayed himself on a like Occafion, when he was inftigated by his Wife to put to death a young Gentleman, becaufe, being paffionately fond of his Daughter, he had kiffed her in publick as he met her in the Street; What (faid he) shall we do to those who are our Enemies, if we do thus to thofe who are our Friends? I will not trouble you much longer, but am exceed-> ingly concern'd left this Accident may caufe a virtuous Lady to lead a mifer-. able Life with a Husband, who has no "Grounds for his Jealoufy but what I • have C too, have faithfully related, and ought to . be reckon'd none. "Tis to be fear'd if at laft he fees his Miftake, yet People will be as flow and unwilling in disbelieving Scandal, as they are quick and forward in believing it. I C fball endeavour to enliven this plain honeft Letter, with Ovid's Relation about Cybele's Image. The Ship wherein it was aboard was ftranded at the Mouth of the Tyber, and the Men were unable to move it, till Claudia, a Virgin, but fufpected of Unchaftity, by a flight Pull hawled it in. The Story is told in the fourth Book of the Fafti. Parent of Gods, began the weeping Fair, 3 Follow'd in Triumph, and adorn'd her Guide; While |