The fubject I now mean to enter into being a delicate one, permit me here to close my letter; thus affording you a fhort respite, and myself a little time for confideration on the propriety of fubmitting my ideas (as you feem determined all thofe I fend you shall be) to public notice. I am, Dear Friend, Yours. LETTER LETTER XLIV. "Set woman in his eye, and in his walk, Expert in amorous arts, inchanting tongues: "And sweet allay'd, yet terrible to approach; "At will, the manlieft resoluteft breast." MILTON'S Samfon Agonistes. DEAR FRIEND, IN my last I expreffed fome diffidence respecting the propriety of committing to paper my thoughts on a particular fubject; I have fince weighed it with due caution, and the confideration of my having during the long course of my epiftolary corDd refpondence fentiments refpondence always declared my freely on every fubject, foon determined me not to degrade myself by fhrinking back, now it is fo near drawing to a conclufion. The subject then is that bright lovely part of the creation, WOMAN!-the fource of all our joys, the affuagers of all our griefs; deprived of whofe powerful and attractive charms, man would be a wretch indeed. But alas! the utmost efforts of my abilities are far inadequate to do justice to their merits; happily that pleafing theme has engaged the attention of the ableft and worthieft of men, from the remoteft period down to the prefent time; and I trust ever will, nay must, so long as a spark of virtue remains to dwell in the human breast. And when I reflect, that 66 They are not only FAIR, but just as fair," I have nought to fear. I therefore proceed with cheerfulness to fay, that in Edinburgh, Glafgow, Stir ling, &c. there are more really fine women to be found than in any place I ever vifited. I do not mean to infer, we have not as many handsome women in England; but the idea I wish to convey is, that we have not fo many in proportion: that is, Go to any public place where a number of ladies are affembled, in either of the above towns, and then go to any place in England where an equal number are met, and you will notice a greater number of fine women among the former, than among the latter. It must be obvious that in making this declaration, I allude to the genteeler part; for among the lower claffes of women in Scotland, by being more exposed to the inclemency of the weather, the majority are very homely, and the want of the advantages of apparel, (which those in a higher sphere can avail themselves of, and know how to apply) together with their fluttish and negligent appearance, does not tend in the leaft to heighten their charms. Having both read and heard much related of the manner of washing their linen, which I must confefs I would not credit without having ocular demonftration, during my continuance at Glafgow, curiofity led me to the mead by the river fide. For the poor women here, instead of the water coming to them, as in London, are obliged to travel loaded with their linen to the water; where you may daily fee great numbers washing, in their way; which if feen by fome of our London prudes, would incline them to form very unjust and uncharitable ideas of the modefty of these Scottish laffes. Many of them give a trifle to be accommodated with the ufe of a large wash-house near the water, where about a hundred may be furnished with every convenience for their purpose. But by far the greatest part make fires, and heat the water in the open air, and as they finish their linen, they fpread it on the grafs to dry; which is the universal mode of drying throughout Scotland. Here the "Maidens bleach their fummer fmocks." |