may be raifed upon pillars, whofe ornaments shall bear a juft relation to the defign. Thus there may be an imitation of fringe carved in the bafe, a fort of appear ance of lace in the frieze, and a reprefentation of curling locks, with bows of ribbon floping over them, may fill up the work of the cornish. The infide may be divided into two apartments appropriated to each fex. The apartments may be filled with fhelves, on which boxes are to ftand as regularly as books in a library. Thefe are to have folding doors, which being opened you are to behold a baby dreffed out in fome fashion which has flourished, and standing upon a pedestal, where the time of its reign is marked down. For its farther regulation, let it be ordered, that every one who invents a fafhion fhall bring in his box, whofe front he may at pleasure have either worked or painted with fome amorous or gay device, that, like books with gilded leaves and covers, it may the fooner draw the eyes of the beholders. And to the end that these may be preserved with all due care, let there be a keeper appointed, who shall be a gentleman qualified with a competent knowledge in clothes; fo that by this means the place will be a comfortable fupport for fome beau who has spent his eftate in dreffing.

The reafons offered by which we expected to gain the approbation of the public, were as follow.

First, That every one who is confiderable enough to be a mode, and has any imperfection of nature or chance, which it is poffible to hide by the advantage of clothes, may, by coming to this repofitory, be furnished herself, and furnish all who are under the fame misfortune, with the most agreeable manner of concealing it ; and that on the other fide, every one who has any beauty in face or fhape, may also be furnished with the most agreeable manner of fhewing it.

Secondly, That whereas fome of our young gentlemen, who travel, give us great reafon to fufpect that they only go abroad to make or improve a fancy for drefs, a project of this nature may be a means to keep them at home, which is in effect the keeping of fo much money in the kingdom. And perhaps the balance of fashion in Europe, which now leans upon the

B 2

fide

fide of France, may be fo altered for the future, that it may become as common with Frenchmen to come to England for their finifhing ftroke of breeding, as it has been for Englishmen to go to France for it.

Thirdly, Whereas feveral great scholars, who might have been otherwife ufeful to the world, have spent their time in ftudying to defcribe the dreffes of the ancients from dark hints, which they are fain to interpret and support with much learning; it will from henceforth happen, that they fhall be freed from the trouble, and the world from ufelefs volumes. This project will be a registry, to which pofterity may have recourfe, for the clearing fuch obfcure paffages as tend that way in authors; and therefore we fhall not for the future fubmit ourfelves to the learning of etymology, which might perfuade the age to come, that the farthingal was worn for cheapnefs, or the furbelow for warmth.

Fourthly, Whereas they who are old themselves, have often a way of railing at the extravagance of youth, and the whole age in which their children live; it is hoped that this ill humour will be much fuppreffed, when we can have recourfe to the fashions of their times, produce them in our vindication, and be able to. fhew that it might have been as expenfive in Queen Elizabeth's time only to wash and quill a ruff, as it is now to buy cravats or neck handkerchiefs.

We defire alfo to have it taken notice of, that becaufe we would fhew a particular refpect to foreigners, which may induce them to perfect their breeding here.. in a knowledge which is very proper for pretty gentlemen, we have conceived the motto for the houfe in the learned language. There is to be a picture over the door with a looking glafs and a dreffing chair in the middle of it: then on one fide are to be feen, above one: another, patch-boxes, pin-cufhicns, and little bottles; on the other, powder-bags, puffs, combs, and brushes; - beyond thefe, fwords with fine knots, whofe points are hidden, and fans almoft clofed, with the handles downward, are to fland out interchangeably from the fides, until they meet at the top, and form a femicircle over

the

the rest of the figures: beneath all, the writing is to Fun in this pretty founding manner:

Adefte, O quotquot funt, Veneres, Gratiæ, Cupidines,

En vobis adjunt in promptu
Faces, vincula, Spicula;

Hinc eligite, fumite, regite.

All ye Venus's, Graces, and Cupids, attend:
See prepared to your hands'

Darts, torches, and bands:

Your weapons here choofe, and your empire extend. I am, SIR,

Your most humble Servant,

A. B,

The propofal of my correfpondent I cannot but look upon as an ingenious method of placing perfons (whofe parts make them ambitious to exert themselves in frivolous things) in a rank by themselves. In order to this, I would propofe that there be a board of directors of the fashionable fociety; and because it is a matter of too much weight for a private man to determine alone, I fhould be highly obliged to my correfpondents if they would give in lifts of perfons qualified for this truft. If the chief coffee-houses, the converfations of which places are carried on by perfons, each of whom has his little number of followers and admirers, would name from among themselves two or three to be inferted, they should be put up with great faithfulness. Old beaus are to be prefented in the firft place; but as that feet, with relation to drefs, is almost extinct, it will, I fear, be abfolutely neceffary to take in all time-fervers, properly fo deemed; that is, fuch as, without any conviction of confcience or view of intereft, change with the world, and that merely from a terror of being out of fashion. Such alfo, who from facility of temper, and too much obfequioufnefs, are vicious against their will, and follow leaders whom they do not approve, for want of courage to go their own way, are capable perfons for this fuperintendency. Thofe who are loth to grow old, or would do any thing contrary to the courfe and order

;

of things, out of fondness to be in fashion, are proper candidates. To conclude, those who are in fashion without apparent merit, must be fuppofed to have latent qualities, which would appear in a poft of direction and therefore are to be regarded in forming these lists. Any who fhall be pleafed according to thefe, or what farther qualifications may occur to himself, to fend a lift, is defired to do it within fourteen days after this date.

N. B. The place of the phyfician to this fociety, according to the laft mentioned qualification, is already engaged.

T

N° 479

Tuesday, September 9.

·Dare jura maritis. Hor. Ars Poet, ver. 398.

To regulate the matrimonial life.

M

Any are the epiftles I every day receive from hufbands, who complain of vanity, pride, but above all ill-nature, in their wives. I cannot tell how it is, but I think I fee in all their letters that the caufe of their uneafinefs is in themselves; and indeed I have hardly ever obferved the married condition unhap py, but for want of judgment or temper in the man. The truth is, we generally make love in a file, and with fentiments very unfit for ordinary life: they are half theatrical, half romantic. By this means we raife our imaginations to what is not to be expected in human life ; and because we did not beforehand think of the creature we are enamoured of, as fubject to difhonour, age, fickness, impatience or fullennefs, but altogether confidered her as the object of joy, human nature itself is often imputed to her as her particular imperfection or defect.

I take it to be a rule proper to be obferved in all occurrences of life, but more especially in the domeftic

or

or matrimonial part of it, to preferve always a difpofition to be pleased. This cannot be fupported but by confidering things in their right light, and as nature has formed them, and not as our own fancies or appetites would have them. He then who took a young Lady to his bed, with no other confideration than the expectation of fcenes of dalliance, and thought of her (as I faid before) only as fhe was to adminifter to the gratification of defire; as that defire flags, will, without her fault, think her charms and her merit abated: from hence must follow indifference, diflike, peevishness, and rage. But the man who brings his reason to support his paffion, and beholds what he loves, as liable to all the calamities of human life both in body and mind, and even at the belt what must bring upon him new cares and new relations; fuch a lover, I fay, will form himfelf accordingly, and adapt his mind to the nature of his circumftances. This latter perfon will be prepared to be a father, a friend, an advocate, a fteward for people yet unborn, and has proper affections ready for every incident in the marriage ftate. Such a man can hear the cries of children with pity inftead of anger; and when they run over his head, he is not disturbed at their noife, but is glad of their mirth and health. Tom Trafty has told me, that he thinks it doubles his attention to the moft intricate affair he is about, to hear his children, for whom all his cares are applied, make a noife in the next room: on the other fide, Will Sparkif cannot put on his perriwig, or adjuft his cravat at the glafs, for the noife of thofe damned nurfes and fqualling brats; and then ends with a gallant reflection upon the comforts of matrimony, runs out of the hearing,

and drives to the chocolate-house.

According as the hufband is difpofed in himself, every circumftance of his life is to give him torment or pleasure. When the affection is well placed, and fupported by the confiderations of duty, honour, and friendhip, which are in the highest degree engaged in this alliance, there can nothing rife in the common course of life, or from the blows or favours of fortune, in which a man will not find matters of fome delight unknown to a fingle condition.