Portion on the fame Fortunate Thursday. On the contrary, there is Will. Crossgrain, who is a Perfon, you must know, that has read Hobbs and the Free-Thinkers; and fo fcorning to be ty'd down to particular Rules in his way of Management, rather chufing to appear the Reverse of Mankind than act like the reft of his Species, has not fucceeded in any one thing for twenty Years together. His manner was, as he confeffes, to begin the Week at the wrong End, in Defiance of Omens and Prefages, and fo fet about all matters of Importance on Saturday Morning Il Succefs and Dif appointments, which are the best Counfellors in the World, have at laft convinc'd him of his Error; and fince he has altered his Courfe, he owns to the Comfort of his Heart, that he has as good Luck as his Neighbours. It was with this Thought in his Head, that the honeft Fellow in Ben. Johnfon defired the Aftrologer to blot the Unlucky Days out of his Almanack. A Calendar thus reformed, for the use of the good People of Great Britain, would be of infinite more Advantage, than the trifling Prog-noftics of the Weather.

But these are but fmall Inftances of the Fatality and Felicity of particular Days. The graveft Hiftorians inform us, that Events of the greatest Confequence, and the Fate of whole Nations themselves, have turned upon this Hinge; and therefore among the wifeft People there have been fuch Days as we may term Good, or Bad, upon Record; and they have been treated with Refpect, or Difgrace, accordingly. It was impoffible to have got a Roman Cobler to have mended a Pair of Shoes on the Day the Battel of Canne was fought; as on the contrary, the moft covetous Man in Greece would not have refused to lend a Friend a Talent on the Return of the Day when the brave Defence was made at Thermopyla. Every one who has read my Lord Clarendon's Hiftory, knows that Friday was Cromwell's Fortunate Day; and the Enemies of England, as well as the Grand Seignior, would have had a fine Time of it, if they could have kept Sunday out of their Almanacks. It would have been worth more Mony to the late King of France, than the Chamber of Juftice will bring in to the Prefent, to have had that particular Day expunged out of his Accounts: As on the contrary, we

have all the Reafen in the World to have it in particular Veneration. I will not carry the Matter fo far as to propofe a Set of Privy-Counsellors in every Nation, to make Choice of proper Days for the beginning of all important Actions; though I am of Opinion, that it is much more useful than an Academy for fettling of Words and Phrases.

For my own Part, as I have long looked upon the Obfervation of particular Seafons as a thing of Moment, so I can safely fay, that I have had the Happiness o fingle out my Days much to my Satisfaction. I have put many of my Friends upon the fame Thought, and as they have either feconded, or raised thefe Impulfes, fo has been the Iffue Prosperous or Unfortunate. I know a poor Gentleman who has been miferable a long time, only because in Tranfgreffion of this Rule, he would run in the Teeth of Ill Luck, and marry the Day the high Wind happened.

But of all People, the Fraternity of Authors ought to have a facred Regard to the critical Days of Writing; and always endeavour to catch and improve the lucky Minutes. A famous Poet of the laft Age was fo much convinced of

this Maxim, that I have feen, under his own Hand, Notes upon his own Writings, with these remarkable Distinctiens; on all his Eminent Productions, Begun of a Tuesday, finished of a Thursday; on those of lefs Value, Writ this of a Wednesday, was fo unlucky as to publish thefe Verfes on a Friday. Now as this Winter is likely to be very fruitful of Authors, who will have little elfe to recommend them than the Choice of their Lucky Days; I have for their Benefit drawn together a few fhort Hints, which I defire they would punctually observe as they expect Succefs and Approbation. I call it a Scale or Table of Time for all Peets, Prefacers, Play-Wrights, Tranflators, as well Male as Female.

Monday, A good Day to begin Translations from the French only; Abftain carefully from Greek on this Day, feve ral Authors have fplit upon this Rock, for that Language will not be Tranflated on Monday.

Tuesday, if Fair, is a very Poetical Day; a Friend of mine wrote an excellent Epilogue lately on that Day; and another fucceeded very well in a Song to Chloris. Wednesday

Wednesday, a tolerable time for Murthers, Fires, and Three-Half Penny Sheets; it is good for nothing else.

Thursday, Both Profe and Verfe fucceed very well on this Day, and yet it is very bad for Sermons, and all kind of Latin Compofitions.

Friday, Take Phyfick, play at Picquet, in fhort, do any thing but Write this Day.

Saturday, It has done very well for Epic and Lyric Writers, Pamphlets, News, and all fort of Garlands.

Sunday, Write nothing, especially take care of medling wich Pen and Ink foon after Sermon.

I hope my Brother Writers will take thefe Hints kindly, 'till I have an Opportunity of giving them fuller Inftructions. I affure them that I ground the Profperity of my own Works on this Foundation, and that was the reason that I published my firft Paper on New-Year's Day.

Saturday,