designed to govern by the same method.  This man knew her little arts, and resolved to break through all tenderness, and be absolute master, as soon as occasion offered.  One day it happened, that a discourse arose about furniture:  he was very glad of the occasion, and fell into an invective against china,[261] protesting, he would never let five pounds more of his money be laid out that way as long as he breathed.  She immediately fainted—­he starts up as amazed, and calls for help—­the maids ran to the closet—­he chafes her face, bends her forwards, and beats the palms of her hands:  her convulsions increase, and down she tumbles on the floor, where she lies quite dead, in spite of what the whole family, from the nursery to the kitchen, could do for her relief.

While every servant was thus helping or lamenting their mistress, he, fixing his cheek to hers, seemed to be following her in a trance of sorrow; but secretly whispers her, “My dear, this will never do:  what is within my power and fortune, you may always command, but none of your artifices:  you are quite in other hands than those you passed these pretty passions upon.”  This made her almost in the condition she pretended; her convulsions now came thicker, nor was she to be held down.  The kind man doubles his care, helps the servants to throw water in her face by full quarts; and when the sinking part of the fit came again, “Well, my dear,” said he, “I applaud your action; but I must take my leave of you till you are more sincere with me.  Farewell for ever:  you shall always know where to hear of me, and want for nothing.”  With that, he ordered the maids to keep plying her with hartshorn, while he went for a physician:  he was scarce at the stairhead when she followed; and pulling him into a closet, thanked him for her cure; which was so absolute, that she gave me this relation herself, to be communicated for the benefit of all the voluntary invalids of her sex.

From my own Apartment, May 31.

The public is not so little my concern, though I am but a student, as that I should not interest myself in the present great things in agitation.  I am still of opinion, the French king will sign the preliminaries.  With that view, I have sent him by my familiar the following epistle, and admonished him, on pain of what I shall say of him to future generations, to act with sincerity on this occasion.

#"London, May 31.#

#"Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq., of Great Britain, to Lewis XIV. of France.#

“The surprising news which arrived this day, of your Majesty’s having refused to sign the treaty your Ministers have in a manner sued for, is what gives ground to this application to your Majesty, from one whose name, perhaps, is too obscure to have ever reached your territories; but one who, with all the European world, is affected with your determinations.  Therefore, as it is mine and the common cause of mankind, I presume to expostulate with you on this occasion.