rom these natural openings of his heart, and
disburdening of his thoughts to a wife. He has written several other
letters to the same person, but none with so great passion as these of
which I have given the foregoing extracts.

It would be ill-nature not to acquaint the English reader, that his wife
was successful in her solicitations for this great man, and saw her
husband return to the honours of which he had been deprived, with all
the pomp and acclamation that usually attended the greatest triumph.

[Footnote 201: No. 149.]

[Footnote 202: "Epist." xiv, 1-4.]

No. 160. [ADDISON AND STEELE.

From _Saturday, April 15_, to _Tuesday, April 18, 1710_.

* * * * *

_From my own Apartment, April 17._

A common civility to an impertinent fellow often draws upon one a great
many unforeseen troubles; and if one does not take particular care, will
be interpreted by him as an overture of friendship and intimacy. This I
was very sensible of this morning. About two hours before day, I heard a
great rapping at my door, which continued some time, till my maid could
get herself ready to go down and see what was the occasion of it. She
then brought me up word, that there was a gentleman who seemed very much
in haste, and said he must needs speak with me. By the description she
gave me of him, and by his voice, which I could hear as I lay in my bed,
I fancied him to be my old acquaintance the upholsterer,[203] whom I met
the other day in St. James's Park. For which reason, I bid her tell the
gentleman, whoever he was, that I was indisposed, that I could see
nobody, and that, if he had anything to say to me, I desired he would
leave it in writing. My maid, after having delivered her message, told
me that the gentleman said he would stay at the next coffee-house till I
was stirring, and bid her be sure to tell me, that the French were
driven from the Scarp, and that Douay was invested. He gave her the name
of another town, which I found she had dropped by the way.

As much as I love to be informed of the success of my brave countrymen,
I do not care for hearing of a victory before day, and was therefore
very much out of humour at this unseasonable visit. I had no sooner
recovered my temper, and was falling asleep, but I was immediately
startled by a second rap; and upon my maid's opening the door, heard the
same voice ask her if her master was yet