see, she may
possibly be his rival, but never his mistress. Yet Cynthio, the same
unhappy man whom I mentioned in my first narrative, pleases himself with
a vain imagination, that with the language of his eyes, now he has found
who she is, he shall conquer her, though her eyes are intent upon one
who looks from her; which is ordinary with the sex. It is certainly a
mistake in the ancients, to draw the little gentleman, Love, as a blind
boy; for his real character is, a little thief that squints. For ask
Mrs. Meddle, who is a confidante, or spy, upon all the passions in town,
and she will tell you, that the whole is a game of cross purposes. The
lover is generally pursuing one who is in pursuit of another, and
running from one that desires to meet him. Nay, the figure of this
passion is so justly represented in a squinting little thief (who is
always in a double action) that do but observe Clarissa next time you
see her, and you'll find, when her eyes have made their tour round the
company, she makes no stay on him they say she is to marry, but rests
two seconds of a minute on Wildair, who neither looks nor thinks on her,
or any woman else. However, Cynthio had a bow from her the other day,
upon which he is very much come to himself; and I heard him send his man
of an errand yesterday without any manner of hesitation; a quarter of an
hour after which he reckoned twenty, remembered he was to sup with a
friend, and went exactly to his appointment. I sent to know how he did
this morning, and I find he very perfectly remembers that he spoke to me
yesterday.

Will's Coffee-house, April 20.

This week[116] being sacred to holy things, and no public diversions
allowed, there has been taken notice of, even here, a little treatise,
called, "A Project for the Advancement of Religion; dedicated to the
Countess of Berkeley."[117] The title was so uncommon, and promised so
peculiar a way of thinking, that every man here has read it, and as
many as have done so, have approved it. It is written with the spirit of
one, who has seen the world enough to undervalue it with good breeding.
The author must certainly be a man of wisdom, as well as piety, and have
spent much time in the exercise of both. The real causes of the decay of
the interest of religion, are set forth in a clear and lively manner,
without unseasonable passions; and the whole air of the book, as to the
language, the sentiments, and the reasonings, show it was written