as desired on all
sorts of abstruse and absurd points--some scriptural, others referring
to natural philosophy, or to matters of social interest.

_Question._ Messieurs. Pray instruct your Petitioner how he shall
go away for the ensuing Long Vacation, having little liberty, and
less money. Yours, SOLITARY.

_Answer._ Study the virtues of patience and abstinence. A right
judgment in the theory may make the practice more agreeable.

_Ques._ Gentlemen. I desire your resolution of the following
question, and you will oblige your humble servant, Sylvia. Whether
a woman hath not a right to know all her husband's concerns, and in
particular whether she may not demand a sight of all the letters he
receives, which if he denies, whether she may not open them
privately without his consent?

_Ans._ Gently, gently, good nimble-fingered lady, you run us out of
breath and patience to trace your unexampled ambition. What! break
open your husband's letters! no, no; that privilege once granted,
no chain could hold you; you would soon proceed to break in upon
his conjugal affection, and commit a burglary upon the cabinet of
his authority. But to be serious, although a well-bred husband
would hardly deny a wife the satisfaction of perusing his familiar
letters, we can noways think it prudent, much less his duty, to
communicate all to her; since most men, especially such as are
employed in public affairs, are often trusted with important
secrets, and such as no wife can reasonably pretend to claim
knowledge of.

_Ques._ Apollo say,
Whence 'tis I pray,
The ancient custom came,
Stockins to throw
(I'm sure you know,)
At bridegroom and dame?

_Ans._ When Britons bold
Bedded of old,
Sandals were backward thrown,
The pair to tell,
That ill or well,
The act was all their own.

_Ques._ Long by Orlinda's precepts did I move,
Nor was my heart a foe or slave to love,
My soul was free and calm, no storm appeared,
While my own sex my love and friendship shared;
The men with due respect I always used,
And proffered hearts still civilly refused.
This was my state when young Alexis came
With all the expressions of an ardent flame,
He baffles all the objections I can make,
And slights superior matches f