artifans in printing, and find business for great numbers of indigent perfons.

Our paper-manufacture takes into it feveral mean materials which could be put to no other ufe, and affords work for feveral hands in the collecting of them, which are incapable of any other employment. Thofe poor retailers, whom we fee fo bufy in every street, deliver in their refpective gleanings to the merchant. The merchant carries them in loads to the paper-mill, where they pafs through a fresh fet of hands, and give life to another trade. Thofe, who have mills on their eftates, by this means confiderably raife their rents, and the whole nation is in a great measure fupplied with a manufacture, for which formerly fhe was obliged to her neighbours.

The materials are no fooner wrought into paper, but they are diftributed among the preffes, where they again fet innumerable artifts at work, and furnish bufinefs to another mystery. From hence, accordingly as they are ftained with news or politics, they fly through the town in Poftmen, Poft-boys, Daily Courants, Reviews, Medleys, and Examiners. Men, women, and children, contend who fhall be the first bearers of them, and get their daily Tuftenance by spreading them. In fhort, when I trace in my mind a bundle of rags to a quire of Spectators, I find fo many hands employed in every step they take through their whole progrefs, that while I am writing a Spectator, I fancy myfelf providing bread for a multitude.

If I do not take care to obviate fome of my witty readers, they will be apt to tell me, that my paper, after it is thus printed and published, is ftill beneficial to the public on feveral occafions. I muft confefs I have lighted my pipe with my own works for this twelvemonth pait: my landlady often fends up her little daughter to defire fome of my old Spectators, and has frequently told me, that the paper they are printed on is the best in the world to wrap fpice in. They likewife make a good foundation for a mutton pie, as I have more than once experienced, and were very much fought for last Christmas by the whole neighbourhood.

It is pleasant enough to confider the changes that a linen fragment undergoes, by paffing through the feveral hands above mentioned. The finest pieces of holland, when worn to tatters, affume a new whiteness more beautiful than their

first, and often return in the fhape of letters to their native country. A lady's fhift may be metamorphofed into billetsdoux, and come into her poffeffion a fecond time. A beau may perufe his cravat after it is worn out, with greater pleafure and advantage than ever he did in a glais. In a word, a piece of cloth, after having officiated for fome years as a towel or a napkin, may by this means be raised from a dunghill, and become the moft valuable piece of furniture in a prince's

cabinet.

The politeft nations of Europe have endeavoured to vie with one another for the reputation of the finest printing: abfolute governments, as well as republics, have encouraged an art which feems to be the nobleft and most beneficial that ever was invented among the fons of men. The prefent king of France, in his purfuits after glory, has particularly diftinguifhed himself by the promoting of this ufeful art, infomuch that feveral books have been printed in the Louvre at his own expence, upon which he fets so great a value, that he confiders them as the nobleft prefents he can make to foreign princes and ambassadors. If we look into the commonwealths of Holland and Venice, we fhall find that in this particular they have made themselves the envy of the greatest monarchies. Elzevir and Aldus are more frequently mentioned than any penfioner of the one or doge of the other.

The feveral preffes which are now in England, and the great encouragement which has been given to learning, for fome years laft paft, has made our nation as glorious upon this account, as for it's late triumphs and conquefts. The new edition which is given us of Cæfar's Commentaries, has already been taken notice of in foreign Gazettes, and is a work that does honour to the Englifh prefs. It is no wonder that an edition fhould be very correct, which has paffed through the hands of one of the most accurate, learned, and judicious writers this age has produced. The beauty of the paper, of the character, and of the feveral cuts with which this noble work is illuftrated, makes it the finest book that I have ever feen; and is a true inftance of the English genius, which, though it does not come the firft into any art, generally carries it to greater heights than any other country in the world. I am particularly glad that this author

SIR,

you

PARIS, APRIL 18, 1712. IT is fo many years fince you left your native country, that I am to tell the characters of your nearest relations as much as if you were an utter ftranger to them. The occafion of this is to give you an account of the death of Madam de Villacerfe, whofe departure out of this life I know not whether a man of your philofophy will call unfortunate or not, fince it was attended with fome circumftances as much to be, defired as to be lamented. She was her whole life happy in an uninterrupted health, and was always honoured for an evenness of temper and greatnefs of mind. On the 10th inftant that lady was taken with an indifpofition which confined her to her chamber, but was fuch as was too flight to make her take a fick bed, and yet too grievous to admit of any fatisfaction in being out of it. It is notoriously known that fome years ago Monheur Fefteau, one of the molt confiderable furgeons in Paris, was

defperately in love with this lady: her quality placed her above any application to her on the account of his paffion: but as a woman always has fome regard to the perfon whom the believes to be her real admirer, the now took it in her head (upon advice of her phyficians to lofe fome of her blood) to fend for Monfieur Fefteau on that occafion. I happened to be there at that time, and my near relation gave me the privilege to be prefent. As foon as her arm was ftripped bare, and he began to prefs it in order to raife the vein, his colour changed, and I obferved him feized with a fudden tremor, which made me take the liberty to speak of it to my coufin with fome apprehenfion: the fmiled and faid, the knew Mr. Feßteau had no inclination to do her injury. He feemed to recover himself, and fmiling also, proceeded in his work. Immediately after the operation he cried out that he was the most unfortunate of all men, for that he had opened an artery instead of a vein. It is as impoffible to exprefs the artist's distraction as the patient's compofure. I will not dwell on little circumstances, but go on to inform you, that within three days time it was thought neceffary to take off her arm. She was fo far from ufing Fetteau, as it would be natural for one of a lower fpirit to treat him, that the would not let him be abfent from any 5 B confultation