time when fome of our well-bred Country-Women kept their Valet de Chambre, because, forfooth, a Man was much more handy about them than one of their own Sex. I my felf have feen one of thefe Male Abigails tripping about the Room with a Looking-Glafs in his Hand, and combing his Lady's Hair a whole Morning together. Whether or no there was any Truth in the Story of a Lady's being got with Child by one of these her Hand-maids I cannot tell, but I think at present the whole Race of them is extinct in our own Country.

ABOUT the Time that feveral of our Sex were taken into this kind of Service, the Ladies likewife brought up the Fashion of receiving Vifits in their Beds. It was then looked upon as a Piece of Ill Breeding for a Woman to refuse to see a Man, because he was not ftirring; and a Porter would have been thought unfit for his Place, that could have made fo aukward an Excufe. As I love to fee every thing that is new, I once prevailed upon my Friend WILL HONEYCOMB to carry me along with him to one of thefe Travelled Ladies, defiring him, at the fame time, to prefent me as a Foreigner who could not fpeak

fpeak English, that fo I might not be obliged to bear a Part in the Discourse. The Lady, tho' willing to appear undreft, had put on her beft Looks, and painted her felf for our Reception. Her Hair appeared in a very nice Disorder, as the Night-Gown which was thrown upon her Shoulders was ruffled with great Care. For my Part, I am fo fhocked with every thing which looks immodest in the Fair Sex, that I could not forbear taking off my Eye from her when fhe moved in her Bed, and was in the greatest Confufion imaginable every time The ftirred a Leg or an Arm. As the Coquets, who introduced this Custom, grew old, they left it off by degrees; well knowing that a Woman of Threefcore may kick and tumble her Heart out, without making any Impreffions.

SEMPRONIA is at prefent the most profest Admirer of the French Nation, but is fo modeft as to admit her Vifitants no farther than her Toilet. It is a very odd Sight that beautiful Creature makes, when fhe is talking Politicks with her Treffes flowing about her Shoulders, and examining that Face in the Glafs, which does fuch Execution upon all the Male Standers-by. How prettily

prettily does the divide her Discourse between her Woman and her Vifitants? What sprightly Tranfitions does the make from an Opera or a Sermon, to an Ivory Comb or a Pin-Cushion? How have I been pleased to see her interrupted in an Account of her Travels by a Meffage to her Footman? and holding her Tongue, in the midft of a Moral Reflection, by applying the Tip of it to a Patch?

THERE is nothing which expofes a Woman to greater Dangers, than that Gaiety and Airinefs of Temper, which are natural to most of the Sex. It fhould be therefore the Concern of every wife and virtuous Woman, to keep this Sprightlinefs from degenerating into Levity. On the contrary, the whole Difcourfe and Behaviour of the French is to make the Sex more Fantastical, or (as they are pleased to term it) more awakened, than is confiftent either with Virtue or Difcretion. To fpeak Loud in Publick Affemblies, to let every one hear you talk of Things that should only be mentioned in Private, or in Whisper, are looked upon as Parts of a refined Education. At the fame time, a Blush is unfashionable, and Silence

more

more ill-bred than any thing that can be fpoken. In fhort, Difcretion and Modefty, which in all other Ages and Countries have been regarded as the greatest Ornaments of the Fair Sex, are confidered as the Ingredients of narrow Conversation, and Family Behaviour.

SOME Years ago I was at the Tragedy of Mackbeth, and unfortunately placed my felf under a Woman of Quality that is fince Dead; who, as I found by the Noife the made, was newly returned from France. A little before the rifing of the Curtain, fhe broke out into a loud Soliloquy, When will the dear Witches enter? and immediately upon their firft Appearance, asked a Lady that fate three Boxes from her, on her Right Hand, if thofe Witches were not charming Creatures. A little after, as Betterton was in one of the fineft Speeches of the Play, fhe fhook her Fan at another Lady, who fate as far on the Left Hand, and told her with a Whisper, that might be heard all over the Pit, We must not expect to fee Balloon to-night. Not long after, calling out to a young Baronet by his Name, who fate three Seats before me, the asked him whether Mackbeth's Wife was

still alive; and before he could give an Anfwer, fell a talking of the Ghost of Banquo. She had by this time formed a little Audience to her felf, and fixed the Attention of all about her. But as I had a mind to hear the Play, I got out of the Sphere of her Impertinence, and planted my felf in one of the remoteft Corners of the Pit.

THIS pretty Childishness of Behaviour is one of the moft refined Parts of Coquetry, and is not to be attained in Perfection by Ladies that do not Travel for their Improvement. A natural and unconstrained Behaviour has fomething in it fo agreeable, that it is no wonder to fee People endeavouring after it. But at the fame time, it is fo very hard to hit, when it is not Born with us, that People often make themfelves Ridiculous in attempting it.

A very ingenious French Author tells us, that the Ladies of the Court of France, in his Time, thought it ill Breeding, and a kind of Female Pedantry, to pronounce an hard Word right; for which Reafon they took frequent occafion to use hard Words, that they might fhew a Politeness in murdering them. He further adds, that a Lady of

fome