“This evening I was with a couple of young ladies; one of them has the character of the prettiest company, yet really I thought her but silly; the other, who talked a great deal less, I observed to have understanding.  The lady who is reckoned such a companion among her acquaintance, has only, with a very brisk air, a knack of saying the commonest things:  the other, with a sly serious one, says home things enough.  The first (Mistress Giddy) is very quick; but the second (Mrs. Slim) fell into Giddy’s own style, and was as good company as she.  Giddy happens to drop her glove; Slim reaches it to her:  ‘Madam,’ says Giddy, ‘I hope you’ll have a better office.’  Upon which Slim immediately repartees, and sits in her lap, and cries, ’Are you not sorry for my heaviness?’ This sly wench pleased me to see how she hit her height of understanding so well.  We sat down to supper.  Says Giddy, mighty prettily, ‘Two hands in a dish and one in a purse’:  says Slim, ’Ay, madam, the more the merrier; but the fewer the better cheer.’  I quickly took the hint, and was as witty and talkative as they.  Says I,

    “’He that will not when he may,
    When he will he shall have nay;’

and so helped myself.  Giddy turns about, ’What, have you found your tongue?’ ‘Yes,’ says I, ’it is manners to speak when I am spoken to; but your greatest talkers are little doers, and the still sow eats up all the broth.’  ‘Ha! ha!’ says Giddy, ’one would think he had nothing in him, and do you hear how he talks when he pleases.’  I grew immediately roguish and pleasant to a degree in the same strain.  Slim, who knew how good company we had been, cries, ’You’ll certainly print this bright conversation.’”

It is so; and hereby you may see how small an appearance the prettiest things said in company, make when in print.

St. James’s Coffee-house, June 20.

A mail from Lisbon has brought advices of June the 12th, from the King of Portugal’s army encamped at Torre Allegada, which inform us, that the general of the army called a court-martial on the 4th at the camp of Gerumhena, where it was resolved to march with a design to attempt the succour of Olivenza.  Accordingly the army moved on the 5th, and marched towards Badajos.  Upon their approach, the Marquis de Bay detached so great a party from the blockade of Olivenza, that the Marquis des Minas, at the head of a large detachment, covered a great convoy of provisions towards Olivenza, which threw in their stores, and marched back to the main army, without molestation from the Spaniards.  They add, that each army must necessarily march into quarters within twenty days.

Whosoever can discover a surgeon’s apprentice, who fell upon Mr. Bickerstaff’s messenger, or (as the printers call him) devil, going to the press, and tore out of his hand part of his essay against duels, in the fragments of which were the words, “You lie,” and “Man of honour,” taken up at the Temple Gate; and the words, “Perhaps,”—­“May be not,”—­“By your leave, sir,”—­and other terms of provocation, taken up at the door of Young Man’s Coffee-house,[325] shall receive satisfaction from Mr. Morphew, besides a set of arguments to be spoken to any man in a passion, which, if the said enraged man listens to, will prevent quarrelling.