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present to a widow gentlewoman who has five daughters, defiring fhe would make each of them a petticoat out of it, and fend back the remainder, which I defign to cut into ftomachers, caps, facings of my waistcoat-fleeves, and other garnitures fuitable to my age and quality.

I would not be understood, that, while I discard this monftrous invention, I am an enemy to the proper ornaments of the fair fex. On the contrary, as the hand of nature has poured on them fuch a profufion of charms and graces, and fent them into the world more amiable and finished than the rest of her works, so I would have them bestow upon themfelves all the additional beauties that art can fupply them with, provided it does not interfere with, disguise, or pervert those of

nature.

I confider woman as a beautiful romantic animal, that may be adorned with furs and feathers, pearls and diamonds, ores and filks. The lynx shall cast its skin at her feet to make her a tippet; the peacock, parrot, and fwan fhall pay contributions to her muff; the sea shall be searched for shells, and the rocks for gems, and every part of nature furnish out its share towards the embellishment of a creature that is the most confummate work of it. All this I fhall indulge them in; but as for the petticoat I have been speaking of, I neither can nor will allow it.

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MR. BICKERSTAFF FINDS IT EXPEDIENT ΤΟ ALTER HIS TACTICS AND WINK AT OFFENDERS, BUT EXPECTS HUSHMONEY FOR THE BREACH OF HIS SUMPTUARY LAWS, AND IN CONSIDERATION OF HIS POWERS OF DIVINATION.

R. BICKERSTAFF gives notice to all perfons that drefs themselves as they please, without regard to decorum (as with blue and red stockings in mourning, tucked cravats, and night-cap wigs, before people of the first quality), that he has yet received no fine for indulging them in that liberty, and that he expects their compliance with this demand, or that they go home immediately and shift themfelves. This is further to acquaint the town that the report of the hofiers, toymen, and milliners, having compounded with Mr. Bickerstaff for tolerating fuch enormities is utterly falfe and fcandalous.

When an engineer finds that his guns have not had their intended effect, he changes his batteries. I am forced at prefent to take this method; and instead of continuing to write against the fingularity fome are guilty of in their habit and behaviour, I shall henceforward defire them to perfevere in it; and not only fo, but fhall take it as a favour of all the coxcombs in the town if they will fet marks upon themselves, and by fome particular in their drefs, fhow to what clafs they belong. It would be very obliging in all fuch perfons, who feel in themselves that they are not of found understanding, to give notice of it, and fpare mankind the trouble of finding them

out. A cane upon the fifth button shall from henceforth be the type of a Dapper; red-heeled shoes and a hat hung upon one fide of the head, shall fignify a Smart; a good periwig made into a twist, with a brisk cock, shall speak a Mettled Fellow; and an upper lip covered with fnuff denote a Coffee-houfe Statefman. But as it is required that all coxcombs hang out their figns, it is on the other hand expected that men of real merit should avoid anything particular in their drefs, gait, or behaviour. For as we old men delight in proverbs, I cannot forbear bringing out one on this occafion, "That good wine needs no bush." I must not leave this subject without reflecting on several perfons I have lately met, who at a distance seem very terrible, but upon stricter inquiry into their looks and features, appear as meek and harmless as any of my own neighbours. These are country gentlemen who of late years have taken up a humour of coming to town in red coats, whom an arch wag of my acquaintance used to describe very well by calling them " sheep in wolves' clothing." I have often wondered that honeft gentlemen, who are good neighbours, and live quietly in their own poffeffions, fhould take it into their heads to frighten the town after this unreasonable manner. fhall think myself obliged, if they perfift in fo unnatural a dress, notwithstanding any posts they may have in the militia, to give away their red coats to any of the foldiery who may think fit to ftrip them, provided the faid foldiers can make it appear that they belong to a regiment where there is a deficiency in the clothing.

I'

About two days ago I was walking in the park, and accidentally met a rural 'fquire, clothed in all the types abovementioned, with a carriage and behaviour made entirely out of his own head. He was of a bulk and stature larger than ordinary, had a red coat, flung open to fhew a gay calamanco waistcoat. His periwig fell in a very confiderable bush upon each fhoulder. His arms naturally fwung at an unreasonable distance from his fides, which, with the advantage of a cane that he brandifhed in a great variety of irregular motions, made it unfafe for any one to walk within several yards of him. In this manner he took up the whole Mall, his fpectators moving

on each fide of it, whilst he cocked up his hat and marched directly for Westminster. I cannot tell who this gentleman is, but for my comfort may fay with the lover in Terence who loft fight of a fine young lady, "Wherever thou art, thou canft not be long concealed.”

Abfolute princes make people pay what they please in deference to their power. I do not know why I should not do the same, out of fear or respect to my knowledge; and if I have not left at Mr. Morphew's, directed to me, bank bills for two hundred pounds, on or before this day fe'nnight, I shall tell how Tom Cash got his estate. I expect three hundred pounds of Mr. Soilett, for concealing all the money he has lent to himself and his landed friend bound with him, at thirty per cent. at his fcrivener's. I always preferve decorums and civilities to the fair fex, therefore, if a certain lady who left her coach at the New Exchange door in the Strand, and whipt down Durham-yard into a boat with a young gentleman for Vauxhall, I fay, if she will send me word that I may give the fan, which she dropped and I found, to my fifter Jenny, there shall be no more faid of it. I expect hufh-money to be regularly fent for every folly or vice any one commits in this whole town, and hope I may pretend to it better than a chambermaid or valet de chambre; they only whisper it to the little fet of their companions, but I can tell it to all men living or who are to live. Therefore I defire all my readers to pay their fines or mend their lives.

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MR. BICKERSTAFF PROFESSES PHYSIC QUACKS AND IMPOSTORS OF THE TIME-THE WIDOW AND DUMB FORTUNE-TELLER.

Ad populum phaleras.

Shew your trappings to the mob.

PERS.

DO not remember that in any of my lucubrations I have touched upon that useful fcience of phyfick, notwithstanding I have declared myself more than once a profeffor of it. I have indeed joined the study of aftrology with it, because I never knew a physician recommend himself to the publick who had not a fifter art to embellish his knowledge in medicine. It has been commonly obferved, in compliment to the ingenious of our profeffion, that Apollo was god of verfe as well as phyfick; and in all ages the moft celebrated practitioners of our country were the particular favourites of the mufes. Poetry to phyfick is indeed like the gilding to a pill; it makes the art fhine, and covers the severity of the doctor with the agreeableness of the companion.

The very foundation of poetry is good fenfe, if we may allow Horace to be a judge of the art

Scribendi recte fapere eft et principium et fons

And if fo, we have reafon to believe that the fame man who

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