Manners, and therefore think my self a proper Perfon for your Correfpondence. I have thoroughly examined the prefent State of Religion in Great Britain, and am able to acquaint you with the predominant Vice of every Market-Town in the whole Ifland. I 6 can tell you the Progrefs that Virtue has made in all our Cities, Boroughs, and Corporations; and know as well the evil Practices that are committed in Berwick or Exeter, as what is done in my own Family. In a Word, Sir, I have my Correspondents in the remoteft Parts of the Nation, who fend me up punctual Accounts from time to time of all the little Irregularities that fall under their Notice in their feveral Diftricts and Divifi

ons.

"I am no lefs acquainted with the particular Quarters and Regions of this great Town, than with the different Parts and Diftributions of the whole Nation. I can defcribe every Párifh by its Impieties, and can tell "you in which of our Streets Lewdnefs prevails, which Gaming has taken the Poffeffion of, and where Drunkenness has got the better of them

• both.

'both. When I am difpofed to raife a Fine for the Poor, I know the Lanes and Allies that are inhabited by C common Swearers. When I would encourage the Hofpital of Bridewell and improve the Hempen Manufa&ture, I am very well acquainted with all the Haunts and Reforts of Female "Night-walkers.

AFTER this fhort Account of my self, I must let you know, that the Defign of this Paper is to give you Information of a certain irregular Affembly which I think falls very properly under your Obfervation, efpecially fince the Perfons it is compofed of are Criminals too confiderable for the Animadverfions of our C Society. I mean, Sir, the Midnight C Mafque, which has of late been very frequently held in one of the most C confpicuous Parts of the Town, and which I hear will be continued with 'Additions and Improvements. As all 'the Perfons who compose this lawless Affembly are mafqued, we dare not attack any of them in our Way, left we should send a Woman of Quality C to Bridewell, or a Peer of Great Britain to the Counter: Befides that, their • Numbers

if

'Numbers are so very great, that I am afraid they would be able to rout our whole Fraternity, though we were accompanied with all our Guard of • Constables. Both thefe Reasons. which fecure them from our Authority, make them obnoxious to yours; 'As both their Disguise and their Numbers will give no particular Perfon Reason to think himself affronted by you.

IF we are rightly informed, the Rules that are obferved by this new Society are wonderfully contrived for the Advancement of Cuckoldom. 'The Women either come by themfelves, or are introduced by Friends, 'who are obliged to quit them, upon 'their first Entrance, to the Conver

fation of any Body that addreffes him'felf to them. There are feveral Rooms ❝ where the Parties may retire, and, if they please, fhew their Faces by • Confent. Whispers, Squeezes, Nods, and Embraces, are the innocent Free'doms of the Place. In short, the 'whole Design of this libidinous Af< sembly seems to terminate in Affignations and Intrigues; and I hope you will take effectual Methods, by

' your

C

4

your publick Advice and Admonitions, to prevent fuch a promifcuous • Multitude of both Sexes from meeting together in so clandeftine a Manner. I am

Your bumble Servant,

and Fellow-Labourer,

T. B.

NOT long after the Perufal of this Letter, I received another upon the fame Subject; which, by the Date and Stile of it, I take to be written by fome young Templer.

SIR,

WH

Middle-Temple, 17.

HEN a Man has been guilty of any Vice or Folly, I think the best Atonement he can make for it, is to warn others not to fall into the like. In order to this I muft acquaint you, that fome time in February laft I went to the Tuefday's Mafquerade. Upon my firft going in I was attacked by half a Dozen fe"male Quakers, who feemed willing to adopt me for a Brother; but upon a nearer Examination I found they were a Sifterhood of Coquets difguif

ed

"ed in that precife Habit. I was foon "after taken out to dance, and, as I fancied, by a Woman of the first Quality, for fhe was very tall, and moved gracefully. As foon as the "Minuet was over, we ogled one ano"ther through our Mafques; and as I am very well read in Waller, I repeated to her the four following Verles out of his Poem to Vandike;

The beedlefs Lover does not know
Whofe Eyes they are that wound him fo;
But confounded with thy Art,
Enquires her Name that has his Heart

I pronounced thefe Words with fuch a languishing Air that I had fome Reafon to conclude I had made a "Conqueft. She told me that the hoped my Face was not akin to my Tongue; and looking upon her Watch, I accidentally difcover'd the Figure of a Coronet on the back • Part of it. I was fo tranfported with the Thought of fuch an Amour, that I plied her from one Room to another with all the Gallantries I could invent; and at length brought things to fo happy an Iffue, that fhe gave

VOL. I.

し

D

me