The New Hampshire Gazette

PORTS MO U T H.

To the Publisher, &c.

Your giving this a Place in your next may oblige a Number of your Readers. Yours, &c.

As Yeoman Youth shews himself too much the disappointed Person for our Sex to deal with that Severity toward him that he deserves, could we think his Seriousness proceeded from real Ill Nature, or we should judge he highly merited the Punishment he pointed out for his Answerer. Most Youths even of sound Judgments, are apt to discover themselves when they advance any Thing against such Canterbury Stories ; their Ideas being commonly confused, therefore for the first Time we may forgive him, as under Five and Twenty, Disappointments don't digest kindly with many Constitutions : And yet I fancy even his Favourite Author Mr. Osborne forgave us whenever we were the Occasion, and never condemned us for baiting our Fly Traps to the Palate of the Game we chose. If this Pious Youth expects Forgiveness From our Sex, or to escape the Mirth of a Number of Frolicsome Girls if he is found out, advise him to carry an Apology constantly about him, with as little Satire in it as his Nature will admit of; or treat him with that Friendship,the Spectator did one of his Correspondents ( if he should rashly attempt a further Provocation, for if the same Humour continues. 'tis ten to one if some of the Letters of his Name an't found out:, and then perhaps he may not find the Consequence of our Displeasure so relishing as even that of Matrimony) " My Wellwisher Van Nath, ( Says he) is very arch, but not quite cunning enough to appear in Print." It's left to our Friends the Batchelors that are better acquainted with us, or the married Men who know the Good of us. to treat Mr. Youth with Candor, and then Justice may be done to Merit, and he probably reform'd. These Hints may serve as a Specimen of our Generosity to the distrest young Man, which he ought to esteem a Favour.

CLARISSA.