can see nothing shocking in it; for tho she has not a Face like a _John-Apple_, yet as a late Friend of mine, who at Sixty-five ventured on a Lass of Fifteen, very frequently, in the remaining five Years of his Life, gave me to understand, That, as old as he then seemed, when they were first married he and his Spouse [could [1]] make but Fourscore; so may Madam _Hecatissa_ very justly allege hereafter, That, as long-visaged as she may then be thought, upon their Wedding-day Mr. SPECTATOR and she had but Half an Ell of Face betwixt them: And this my very worthy Predecessor, Mr. Sergeant _Chin_, always maintained to be no more than the true oval Proportion between Man and Wife. But as this may be a new thing to you, who have hitherto had no Expectations from Women, I shall allow you what Time you think fit to consider on't; not without some Hope of seeing at last your Thoughts hereupon subjoin'd to mine, and which is an Honour much desired by, Sir, Your assured Friend, and most humble Servant, Hugh [Gobling, [2]] Præses.' The following Letter has not much in it, but as it is written in my own Praise I cannot for my Heart suppress it. SIR, 'You proposed, in your SPECTATOR of last _Tuesday_, Mr. _Hobbs's_ Hypothesis for solving that very odd Phænomenon of Laughter. You have made the Hypothesis valuable by espousing it your self; for had it continued Mr. _Hobbs's_, no Body would have minded it. Now here this perplexed Case arises. A certain Company laughed very heartily upon the Reading of that very Paper of yours: And the Truth on it is, he must be a Man of more than ordinary Constancy that could stand it out against so much Comedy, and not do as we did. Now there are few Men in the World so far lost to all good Sense, as to look upon you to be a Man in a State of Folly _inferior to himself_. Pray then how do you justify your Hypothesis of Laughter? Thursday, the 26th of the Month of Fools. Your most humble, Q. R.' SIR, 'In answer to your Letter, I must desire you to recollect yourself; and you will find, that when you did me the Honour to be so merry over my Paper, you laughed at the Idiot, the _German_ Courtier, the Gaper, the Merry-Andrew, the Haberdasher, the Biter, the Butt, and not at Your humble Servant, The SPECTATOR.' [Footnote 1: could both] [Footnote 2: Goblin] * * * * * No. 53. Tuesday, May 1, 1711. Steele. ... Aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus. Hor. My Correspondents grow so numerous, that I cannot avoid frequently inserting their Applications to me. Mr SPECTATOR,