that our Posterity will be in a sweet P-ckle.  What does the Fool mean by his Pickle?  Why does not he write it at length, if he means honestly?  I have read over the whole Sentence, says I; but I look upon the Parenthesis in the Belly of it to be the most dangerous Part, and as full of Insinuations as it can hold.  But who, says I, is my Lady Q-p-t-s?  Ay, Answer that if you can, Sir, says the furious Statesman to the poor Whig that sate over-against him.  But without giving him Time to reply, I do assure you, says he, were I my Lady Q-p-t-s, I would sue him for Scandalum Magnatum. What is the World come to?  Must every Body be allowed to—? He had by this time filled a new Pipe and applying it to his Lips, when we expected the last Word of his Sentence, put us off with a Whiff of Tobacco; which he redoubled with so much Rage and Trepidation, that he almost stifled the whole Company.  After a short Pause, I owned that I thought the SPECTATOR had gone too far in writing so many Letters of my Lady Q-p-t-s’s Name; but however, says I, he has made a little Amends for it in his next Sentence, where he leaves a blank Space without so much as a Consonant to direct us?  I mean, says I, after those Words, The Fleet, that used to be the Terrour of the Ocean, should be Wind-bound for the sake of a—­; after which ensues a Chasm, that in my Opinion looks modest enough.  Sir, says my Antagonist, you may easily know his Meaning by his Gaping; I suppose he designs his Chasm, as you call it, for an Hole to creep out at, but I believe it will hardly serve his Turn.  Who can endure to see the great Officers of State, the B—­y’s and T—­t’s treated after so scurrilous a Manner?  I can’t for my Life, says I, imagine who they are the SPECTATOR means?  No! says he,—­Your humble Servant, Sir! Upon which he flung himself back in his Chair after a contemptuous Manner, and smiled upon the old lethargick Gentleman on his left Hand, who I found was his great Admirer.  The Whig however had begun to conceive a Good-will towards me, and seeing my Pipe out, very generously offered me the Use of his Box; but I declined it with great Civility, being obliged to meet a Friend about that Time in another Quarter of the City.

At my leaving the Coffee-house, I could not forbear reflecting with my self upon that gross Tribe of Fools who may be termed the Overwise, and upon the Difficulty of writing any thing in this censorious Age, which a weak Head may not construe into private Satyr and personal Reflection.