I shall entertain my Reader with two very curious Letters.  The first of them comes from a chimerical Person, who I believe never writ to any Body before.

  SIR,

’I am descended from the Ancient Family of the Blanks, a Name well known among all Men of Business.  It is always read in those little white Spaces of Writing which want to be filled up, and which for that Reason are called blank Spaces, as of right appertaining to our Family:  For I consider my self as the Lord of a Mannor, who lays his Claim to all Wastes or Spots of Ground that are unappropriated.  I am a near Kinsman to John a Styles and John a Nokes; and they, I am told, came in with the Conquerour.  I am mentioned oftner in both Houses of Parliament than any other Person in Great Britain.  My Name is written, or more properly speaking, not written, thus, .  I am one that can turn my Hand to every thing, and appear under any Shape whatsoever.  I can make my self Man, Woman, or Child.  I am sometimes metamorphosed into a Year of our Lord, a Day of the Month, or an Hour of the Day.  I very often represent a Sum of Mony, and am generally the first Subsidy that is granted to the Crown.  I have now and then supplied the Place of several Thousands of Land Soldiers, and have as frequently been employed in the Sea Service.

  ’Now, Sir, my Complaint is this, that I am only made use of to serve a
  Turn, being always discarded as soon as a proper Person is found out
  to fill up my Place.

’If you have ever been in the Play-house before the Curtain rises, you see most of the Front Boxes filled with Men of my Family, who forthwith turn out and resign their Stations upon the Appearance of those for whom they are retained.

’But the most illustrious Branch of the Blanks are those who are planted in high Posts, till such time as Persons of greater Consequence can be found out to supply them.  One of these Blanks is equally qualified for all Offices; he can serve in time of Need for a Soldier, a Politician, a Lawyer, or what you please.  I have known in my Time many a Brother Blank that has been born under a lucky Planet, heap up great Riches, and swell into a Man of Figure and Importance, before the Grandees of his Party could agree among themselves which of them should step into his Place.  Nay, I have known a Blank continue so long in one of these vacant Posts, (for such it is to be reckoned all the Time a Blank is in it) that he has grown too formidable and dangerous to be removed.

’But to return to my self, since I am so very commodious a Person, and so very necessary in all well-regulated Governments, I desire you will take my Case into Consideration, that I may be no longer made a Tool of, and only employed to stop a Gap.  Such Usage, without a Pun, makes me look very blank.  For all which Reasons I humbly recommend my self to your Protection, and am Your most obedient Servant,

  ’Blank.