out of each troop of dragoons and company of foot in the garrison of Tournay, to make up the reinforcement which was ordered to join Marshal Villars; but upon advice that the Allies were marching towards Tournay, they endeavoured to return into the town; but were intercepted by the Earl of Orkney, by whom that whole body was killed or taken.  These letters add, that 1200 dragoons (each horseman carrying a foot-soldier behind him) were detached from Mons to throw themselves into Tournay; but upon appearance of a great body of horse of the Allies, retired towards Conde.  We hear, that the garrison does not consist of more than 3500 men.  Of the sixty battalions designed to be employed in this siege, seven [sic] are English, viz., two of Guards, and the regiments of Argyle, Temple, Evans and Meredith.

[Footnote 355:  See Nos. 79, 140; and Swift’s “Journal to Stella,” Nov. 3, 1711.  A correspondent begged the Spectator (No. 344) to “take notice of an impertinent custom the women, the fine women, have lately fallen into, of taking snuff.”]

[Footnote 356:  It has been suggested that Steele here alludes to Mrs. De la Riviere Manley.]

[Footnote 357:  Lord Hinchinbroke married Elizabeth, only daughter of Alexander Popham, Esq.  See Nos. 1, 5, 22.]

[Footnote 358:  This was one of Steele’s own letters to Miss Scurlock.  (See “Correspondence,” 1809, vol. i. p. 93.) “Mrs. Lucy” is “Mrs. Warren” in the original.]

[Footnote 359:  “Hamlet,” act iii. sc. 2.]

[Footnote 360:  See No. 32.]

[Footnote 361:  This letter is printed in Scott’s edition of Swift’s works.]

[Footnote 362:  See No.  II.]

No. 36. [?  STEELE.[363]

By Mrs. JENNY DISTAFF, half-sister to Mr. BICKERSTAFF.

From Thursday, June 30, to Saturday, July 2, 1709.

* * * * *

From our own Apartment, June 30.

Many affairs calling my brother into the country, the care of our intelligence with the town is left to me for some time; therefore you must expect the advices you meet with in this paper to be such as more immediately and naturally fall under the consideration of our sex:  history therefore written by a woman, you will easily imagine to consist of love in all its forms, both in the abuse of, and obedience to that passion.  As to the faculty of writing itself, it will not, it is hoped, be demanded, that style and ornament shall be so much consulted, as truth and simplicity; which latter qualities we may more justly pretend to beyond the other sex.  While therefore the administration of our affairs is in my hands, you shall from time to time have an exact account of all false lovers, and their shallow pretences for breaking off; of all termagant wives who make wedlock a yoke; of men who affect the entertainments and manners suitable only to our sex, and women who pretend to the conduct of such affairs as are only within the province of men.  It is necessary further to advertise the reader, that the usual places of resort being utterly out of my province or observation, I shall be obliged frequently to change the dates of places, as occurrences come into my way.  The following letter I lately received from Epsom.[364]