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tune and a charming place; to be fure he is old and very ill tempered, and she cries fometimes, and wishes she had never feen him; but I know that must be all affectation, for fhe has the lovelieft carriage, and the fmartest liveries ever you faw. But why should I think of her, for it is just thinking of her that vexes me often; yet I once despised her.-Well, Mr Lounger, I was once happy myself, at least much happier than I am now. We lived in town always, except a month or two in the fummer, and even then I did not tire fo much as you would fuppofe; for we visited all our neighbours, and my brothers brought out their companions, and we had dances and parties of pleasure. But when winter came, how charming it was! To be fure one had vexations now and then. To fee other people better dreffed, or have better partners, or more tonish matrons, is horrible; but then, if one takes pains, and goes every where, they may foon be fashionable. Well, I went about constantly, and flirted, and danced, and played, and fung, and every mortal faid I was fo handsome, and fo lively, and fo accomplished, and so much the thing-Oh! why do people ever grow older? Then, as for lovers, I had I don't know how many. All the fmart men ufed to dance with me by turns, invite me to private balls, and tell me how much

they

they adored me; and though they did not juft afk me to marry them, yet I thought that queftion must follow, that there was no hurry, I might divert myself, and perhaps get a better husband than any I had feen yet. It is but fair to say I was not the least romantic. My mother warned me against that, and I had fense enough to be convinced, that if I got a fashionable man and a man of fortune, every thing else was nonfenfe. I made but one refolution; fince my fifter had married a Baronet, I would have nothing lower, and perhaps infift upon a Peer.-Good heavens to think I have got nobody!-Now, Mr Lounger, read what follows, and pity me: For fome years I was the most contented foul alive; but alas! misfortunes at laft began to come upon me. Silly baby-faced girls turned fashionable, and were taken notice of before me. Many of my companions were married, and could talk of their house, and their servants, and their carriage; the fine men turned ill-bred fools. short, I grew every day lefs comfortable, when, to add to all, my father died and left me just L. 1000. Then began mifery indeed. My eldeft brother married, the reft were difperfed; my mother and I were forced to live alone ; we have no carriage, no country-houfe, no large parties-was ever any creature fo unfortunate? I

find myself more unhappy every day. Affcmblies are deteftable; I may fit there two hours before any mortal afks me to dance; and then fome brute of a married man fays, if I can do no better, he'll be happy to have the honour. The playhouse is a degree more tolerable, though the horror of thinking who will hand one out, prevents one from being diverted. In company, I fee every body more attended to than myself. At home, I am miferable-What can I do? People talk of friends; one may get plenty of them; but unless they are fashionable, what the better are you? Befides, if one has no lovers to talk about, except to repeat fcandal, and that one can always get, I don't fee the ufe of them; for my part, I have tried a great many, but though we were always monftrously fond at first, we very foon tired of one another.

Now, Sir, if you have the least compaffion, tell me what to do; is there any scheme on earth by which I might be married? To fay the truth, I plot for every man I fee, but they never fucceed. If you could affift me, I would be the most grateful creature on earth. No matter who he is, if he is but genteel and decently rich. If I were married, I might foon make myself tonish, which is all I wish in the world. Never talk to me of giving up the rage for being fo, or of fettling my

mind, and amufing myself with working and reading. I tell you they don't amufe me. I have worked purfes, and painted trimmings for hours, without being the leaft diverted.

And as

for reading, what can I read? History I know perfectly, for we read an hour with the governefs every day; and as for novels, though I get all the new ones, and they are the only books I like, yet, after all, they are a provoking fort of reading: They always talk of youth and beauty and lovers; and the men now are fo different from what they fhould be, or what these books reprefent them, I cannot bear it. Now do, Sir, take pity on me and help me; but pray convey the advice, fo that nobody but myfelf can profit by it; for if the multitude in the fame fituation were all provided for, the world would grow intolerably good-natured, and I would have none to exult over. At prefent, I cry bitterly whenever I hear of a good marriage; it would be divine to think that 200 were doing fo at mine.Farewell, my dear Sir, forgive this trouble, and believe me your fincere friend, and I hope foon, Grateful fervant,

JESSAMINA.

N° 54. SATURDAY, Feb. 11. 1786.

Ils ne tardent a pas obeir a cette maladie generale qui precipite toute la jeunele de province vers l'abime de corruption. TABLEAU DE PARIS.

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O the hiftorian and the antiquary it is matter of curious investigation, to trace the progrefs of expence and luxury through the different stages of increafing wealth and advancing refinement in a country, and to obferve the war which for fome time is carried on between the refraining powers of graye and virtuous legiflators, and the diffipated inclinations of a rich and luxurious people. In this conteft, indeed, the inequality of the parties is easily discernible, and the effects of that inequality readily foreseen. The first fumptuary law that is paffed is the fignal of that growing opulence which is foon to overturn it; and the weak barriers of fucceffive restraints and regulations are in vain opposed to a force, which the progress of time and of manners daily renders more irrefiftible. Luxury, like a

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