known a lady at fight fly to a red feather, and readily give her hand to a fringed pair of gloves. At another time I have feen the aukward appearance of her rural humble fervant move her indignation; fhe is jealous every time her rival hath a new fuit; and in a rage when her woman pins her mantua to difadvantage. Unhappy, unguarded woman! alas! what moving rhetoric has the often found in the feducing fullbottom? Who can tell the refiftleis eloquence of the embroidered coat, the gold fnuff-box, and the amber-headed cane?

I fhall conclude thefe criticisms with fome general remarks upon the Milliner, the Mantua-maker, and the Lady's Woman, thefe being the three chief on which all the circumstances of drefs de pend.

The Milliner muft be thoroughly verfed in phyfiognomy; in the choice of ribbands the muft have a particular regard to the complexion, and muft ever be mindful to cut the head-drefs to the dimenfions of the face. When the meets with a countenance of large diameter, the muft draw the dress forward to the face, and let the lace encroach a little upon the cheek, which cafts an agreeable fhade, and takes off from it's mafculine figure: the little oval face requires the diminutive commode, juft on the tip of the crown of the head. She muft have a regard to the feveral ages of women; the head-drefs muft give the mother a more fedate mien than the virgin; and age must not be made ridiculous with the flaunting airs of youth. There is a beauty that is peculiar to the feveral ftages of life; and as much propriety must be obferved in the drels of the old as the young.

The Mantua-maker must be an expert anatomift; and muft, if judiciously chofen, have a name of French termination; fhe must know how to hide all

the defects in the proportions of the body, and must be able to mould the fhape by the ftays, fo as to preferve the intellines, that while the corrects the body, the may not interfere with the pleasures of the palate.

The Lady's Woman must have all qualities of a critic in poetry; as her drefs, like the critic's learning, is at fecond hand, fhe muft, like him, have a ready talent at cenfure, and her tongue must be deeply verfed in defraction; the must be fure to afperfe the characters of the ladies of molt eminent virtue and beauty, to indulge her lady's fpleen: and as it hath been remarked, that cri tics are the moft fawning fycophants to their patrons, fo muft our female critic be a thorough proficient in flattery; the muft add sprightlinefs to her lady's air, by encouraging her vanity; give gracefulness to her step, by cherishing her pride; and make her how a haughty contempt of her admirers, by enumerating her imaginary conquefts, As a critic muft flock his memory with the names of all the authors of note, fhe must be no lefs ready in the recital of all the beaus and pretty fellows in vogue; like the male critic, fhe afferts, that the theory of any fcience is above the practice, and that it is not neceffary to be able to fet her own perfon off to advantage, in order to be a judge of the drefs of others; and befides all thofe qualifications, the must be endued with the gift of fecrecy, a taient very rarely to be met with in her profeffion.

By what I have faid, I believe my reader will be convinced, that notwithftanding the many pretenders, the per

fection of drefs cannot be attained without a genius; and fhall venture boldly to affirm, that in all arts and Sciences whatever, Epic poetry excepted, (of which I formerly fhowed the Knack or Mechanifin) a genius is abfolutely neceffary.

VIRG. GEORG. 4. V. 55.

Went the other day to vifit Eliza, is the mother of feveral children. She had a little prating girl upon her lap, who was begging to be very fine, that the might go abroad; and the indulgent mother, at her little daughter's request, had just taken the knots off her own head, to adorn the hair of the pretty trifler. "A fmiling boy was at the fame time careffing a lap-dog, which is their mother's favourite, because it pleafes the children; and the, with a delight in her looks which heightened her beauty, fo divided her converfation with the two pretty prattlers, as to make them both equally chearful.

As I came in, fhe faid with a blufh Mr. Ironfide, though you are an old batchelor, you must not laugh at my tenderness to my children. I need not tell my reader, what civil things I faid in anfwer to the lady, whofe matron-like behaviour gave me infinite fatisfaction; fince I myself take great pleafure in playing with children, and am feldom unprovided of plums or marbles, to make my court to fuch entertaining companions.

"Whence is it,' faid Ito myfelf when I was alone, that the affection of parents is fo intenfe to their offspring? Is it because they generally find fuch refemblances in what they have produced, as * that thereby they think themselves renewed in their children, and are willing to tranfmit themselves to future times? or is it, because they think themselves obliged, by the dictates of humanity, to nourish and rear what is placed fo ⚫ immediately under their protection; and what by their means is brought into this • world, the scene of mifery, of neceffity? Thefe will not come up to it. Is it not rather the good providence of that Being, who in a fuper-eminent degree protects and cherishes the whole race of mankind, his fons and creatures? How

DRYDEN.

fhall we, any other way, account for played throughout every fpecies of the animal creation, without which the courfe of nature would quickly fail, and every various kind be extinct? Inftances of tenderness in the moft favage brutes are fo frequent, that quotations of that kind are altogether unneffary.

If we, who have no particular concern in them, take a fecret delight in obferving the gentle dawn of reafon in babes; if our ears are foothed with their half forming and aiming at articulate founds; if we are charmed with their pretty mimicry, and furprifed at the unexpected ftarts of wit and cunning in thefe miniatures of man; what transport may we imagine in the breafts of those into whom natural inftin& hath poured tenderness and fondnefs for them! How amiable is fuch a weak nefs in human nature! or rather, how great a weaknefs is it, to give humanity fo reproachful a name! The bare confideration of paternal affection fhould methinks create a more grateful tenderness in children toward their parents than we generally fee; and the filent whispers of nature be attended to, though the laws of God and man did not call aloud.

Thefe filent whispers of nature have had a marvellous power, even when their caufe hath been unknown. There are feveral examples in story of tender friendships formed betwixt men who knew not of their near relation. Such accounts confirm me in an opinion I have long entertained, that there is a fympathy betwixt fouls, which can not be explained by the prejudice of edu cation, the fenfe of duty, or any other human motive.

The memoirs of a certain French nobleman, which now he before me, furnish me with a very entertaining inftance of this fecret attraction, implanted by Providence in the human foul.

It will be neceffary to inform the reader, that the perfon whofe ftory I am going to relate, was one whofe roving and romantic temper, joined to a difpofition fingularly amorous, had led him through a vaft variety of gallantries and amours. He had, in his youth, attended a princess of France into Poland, where he had been entertained by the king her hufband, and married the daughter of a grandee. Upon her death he returned into his native country; where his intrigues and other misfortunes having confumed his paternal eftate, he now went to take care of the fortune his de

I verily believe that the conftant fight of this charming maid, and the pleasure I received from her careful attendance, contributed more to my recovery than ail the medicines the

physicians gave me. In short, my

fever left ine, and I had the fatisfaction to fee the lovely creature over

his journey he was robbed before he reached Warfaw, and lay ill of a fever, when he met with the following adventure; which fhall be related in his own words.

I had been in this condition for four days, when the Countefs of Venofki paffed that way. She was informed that a ftranger of good fashion lay fick, and her charity led her to fee me. I remembered her, for I had ⚫ often seen her with my wife, to whom fhe was nearly related; but when I ⚫ found the knew me not, I thought fit to conceal my name. I told her. I was a German; that I had been robbed; and that if he had the charity to fend me to Warfaw, the queen would acknowledge it; I having the honour to be known to her majesty. The countess had the goodness to take compaffion of me; and ordering me to be put in a litter, carried me to Warfaw, where I was lodged in her houfe until my health fhould allow me to wait on the queen.

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" My fever increased after my journey was over, and I was confined to

my bed for fifteen days. When the countess firft faw me, the had a young lady with her about eighteen years of age, who was much taller and better fhaped than the Polish women generally are. She was very fair, her skin ⚫ exceeding fine, and her air and shape inexpreffibly beautiful. I was not fo ⚫ fick as to overlook this young beauty; and I felt in my heart fuch emotions at the first view, as made me fear that all my misfortunes had not armed me fufficiently against the charms of the fair-fex. The amiable creature feem⚫ed afflicted at my fickness; and she appeared to have fo much concern

fee me oftener as I grew better; and I already felt a stronger and more tender affection for her than I ever bore to any woman in my life: when I began to perceive that her conftant care of me was only a blind, to give her an opportunity of feeing a young Pole whom I took to be her lover. He feemed to be much about her age, of

a brown complexion, very tall, but 'finely fhaped. Every time the came to fee me the young gentleman came to find her out; and they ufually retired to a corner of the chamber, where they feemed to converfe with great earneftnefs. The afpect of the youth pleafed me wonderfully; and if I had not fufpected that he was my rival, I fhould have taken delight in his perfon and friendship.

One

They both of them often asked me if I were in reality a German; which when I continued to affirm, they feemed very much troubled. day I took notice, that the young lady and gentleman, having retired to a window, were very intent upon a picture; and that every now and then they caft their eyes upon me, as if < they had found fome refemblance hetwixt that and my features. I could not forbear to ask the meaning of it; upon which the lady answered, that if I had been a Frenchman, the should have imagined that I was the perfon for whom the picture was drawn, be'cause it fo exactly refembled me. I defired to fee it. But how great was my furprize! when I found it to be the very painting, which I had fent to the queen, five years before, and which the commanded me to get drawn to be given to my children. After I had viewed the piece, I caft my eyes upon

upon the young lady, and then upon ⚫ the gentleman I had thought to be her lover. My heart beat, and I felt a ⚫ fecret emotion which filled me with ⚫ wonder. I thought I traced in the two young perfons fome of my own features, and at that moment I faid to • myself-"Are not these my children?” The tears came into my eyes, and I was about to run and embrace them; but constraining myself with pain, I afked whofe picture it was. The maid, perceiving that I could not

6

fpeak without tears, fell a weeping. 'Her tears absolutely confirmed me in my opinion, and falling upon her neck Ah, my dear child!" faid I, yes, I am your father." I could fay no more. The youth feized my hands ' at the fame time, and kiffing, bathed them with his tears. Throughout my life, I never felt a joy equal to this; and it must be owned, that nature in'fpires more lively motions and pleafing tenderness, than the paffions can poffibly excite.'

Juv. SAT. I. v. 42.

TO THE GUARDIAN.

OLD NESTOR,

Believe you distance me not fo much

and therefore, fince you have gained fo deferved a reputation, I beg your affistance in correcting the manners of an untoward lad, who perhaps may liften to your admonitions, fooner than to all the fevere checks and grave reproofs of a father. Without any longer preamble, you must know, Sir, that about two years ago, Jack, my eldest fon and heir, was fent up to London, to be admitted of the Temple, not fo much with a view of his ftudying the law, as a defire to improve his breeding. This was done out of complaifance to a coufin of his, an airy lady, who was continually teazing me, that the boy would fhoot up into a mere country booby, if he did not fee a little of the world. She herself was bred chiefly in town, and fince the was married into the country, neither looks, nor talks, nor dresses like any of her neighbours, and is grown the admiration of every one but her husband. The latter end of last month, fome important bufinefs called me up to town, and the first thing I did, the next morning about ten, was to pay a vifit to my fon at his chambers; but as I began to knock at the door, I was interrupted by the bedmaker in the ftair-cafe, who told me her

mafter feldom rofe till about twelve, and about one I might be fure to find him drinking tea. I bid her fomewhat Haftily hold her prating, and open the door,

thing I obferved upon the table was the fecret amours of -, and by it stood a box of pills; on a chair lay a fnuff-box with a fan half broke, and on the floor a pair of foils. Having feen this furniture, I enterell his bed-chamber, not without some noife; whereupon he began to fwear at his bed-maker (as he thought) for disturbing him so soon, and was turning about for the other nap, when he difcovered fuch a thin, pale, fickly vifage, that had I not heard the voice, I fhould never have gueffed him to have been my fon. How different was this countenance from that ruddy, hale complexion, which he had at parting with me from home! After I had waked him, he gave me to understand, that he was but lately recovered out of a violent fever; and the reason why he did not acquaint me with it was, left the melancholy news might occafion too many tears among his relations, and be an unfupportable grief to his mother. To be fhort with you, old Neftor, I hurried my young fpark down into the country along with me, and there am endeavouring to plump him up, fo as to be no difgrace to his pedigree, for I affure you it was never known in the

memory

memory of man, that any one of the family of the Ringwoods ever fell into a confumption, except Mrs. Dorothy Ringwood, who died a maid at fortyfive. In order to bring him to himself, and to be one of us again, I make him go to bed at ten, and rife half an hour paft five; and when he is puling for bohea tea and cream, I place upon a table a jolly piece of cold roaft beef, or well-powdered ham, and bid him eat and live; then take him into the fields to obferve the reapers, how the harvest goes forwards. There is nobody pleased with his prefent conftitution, but his gay coufin, who fpirits him up, and tells him he looks fair, and is grown wellhaped; but the honest tenants fhake their heads, and cry-Lack-a-day, how thin is poor young mafter fallen!" The other day, when I told him of it, he had the impudence to reply- I hope, Sir, you would not have me as fat as Mr.. Alas! what would then become of me? how would the ladies pifh at such a great monitrous thing?' If you are truly what your title imports, a Guardian, pray, Sir, be pleafed to confider what a noble generation must in all probability enfue from the lives which the town-bred gentlemen too often lead. A friend of mine not long ago, as we were complaining of the times, repeated two ftanzas out of Lord Rofcommon, which I think may here be applicable.

my

'Twas not the fpawn of fuch as thefe, That dy'd with Punick blood the conquer'd feas,

And quafh'd the ftern acides: Made the proud Afian monarch feel How weak his gold was against Europe's fteel;

Fore'd e'en dire Hannibal to yield; And won the long-difputed world at Zama's 'fatal field.

But foldiers of a rustic mould, Rough, hardy, season'd, manly, bold,

Either they dug the ftubborn ground, Or thro' hewn woods their weighty ftrokes did found:

And after the declining fun

Had changed the fhadows, and their talk was done;

Home with their weary team they took their way,

And drown'd in friendly bowls the labours of the day.

I am, Sir, your very humble fervant,
JONATHAN RINGWOOD."

P.S. I forgot to tell you, that while I waited in my fon's anti-chamber, I found upon the table the following bill:

Sold to Mr. Jonathan 1. s. d. Ringwood, a plain muflin ( head and ruffles, with col⚫ bertine lace

Six pair of white kid' gloves for Madam Salley Three handkerchiefs for • Madam Salley

I 18 6

14

T

HERE is no rule in Longinus which I more admire than that wherein he advises an author who would attain to the fublime, and writes for

VIRG. N. 4. v.99.

eternity, to confider, when he is engaged in his compofition, what Homer or Plato, or any other of thofe heroes in the learned world, would have faid or thought

upon