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Degraded man each virtue shall expel,
And robes of modesty bedeck the whore.

THE POET'S CHORUS TO FOOLS.

Come, trim the boat, row on each Rara Avis*, Crowds flock to man my Stultifēra † Navis.

took his idea of the present work; it appears evident that he did not think fit to alter the same, as throughout all his sections no other word is applied to denote that he sends his advice to the several classes of fools, concerning whom he treats in this book.

* As these words are usually adverted to in speaking of any individual pre-eminent in wisdom or excellence, the poet has, it is conjectured, conceived himself licensed in using them, while treating of those who are equally prominent in folly.

↑ It is hoped that the poetic licence of the bard, in having lengthened the syllable fe as above will be forgiven, as the word should certainly be pronounced thus, stultifera. Even the great and classic Mr. Pope has not scrupled to take a liberty more unclassical in abbreviat ing the pronunciation of the English word satellites, which, if properly read, would render his line short and inharmonious; but if regarded as Latin, even then the poet is wrong, as it should be, according to grammatical rules, satellita.

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Jove's satellites are less than Jove."

This, however, is not the only instance, as similar liberties have been taken by most of our poetical writers, and on that plea the annotator grounds his hope, that the public will excuse the license taken by the present bard.

(7)

SECTION II.

OF NEW FASHIONS, AND FOOLS THAT WEAR DISGUISED GARMENTS.

Ad populum phaleras, ego te intus et in cute novi.

Go hide thy face, dame Decency, while I Descant on fashions and our ladies' dress; Their modes are folly, and their drapery One yard of gauze to cover nakedness.

With lawn transparent are their bosoms bound,
Alluring ev'ry eye to view the sight;
While stomach, taper waist, and contour round,
Are visible thro' cambric twin'd so tight.

* It is absolutely impossible to walk the streets of London, without witnessing the truth of this remark; as the ladies, not contented with parading all but naked, must needs heighten the scene, by grasping tightly round them the small portion of drapery they have, whereby the whole contour from the waist downwards, is just as per ceptible, as if they had no covering at all.

One petticoat or drawers* of muslin thin,

From heav'n's rude blast protects the fragile

MAID;

Maid did I say-What diff'rence in the sin,
The harlot's act, or limbs by lust array'd?

Or view the milliner's inventive art,
In hips elastic, and full swell behind;

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Stays a la Je ne sçais quoi," at once impart, That nature's naught without such modes re

fin'd.

* As a trifling effort of Boreas might elevate, or the rude push of a passenger cause a rent in the thin petticoat or chemise, whereby a total exposure would be inevitable, the expedient of wearing drawers of muslin has been resorted to, which, in some instances, are converted by Dashers into trowsers, with the addition of a deep fringe of lace, which is carefully displayed by the shortness of the petticoat dangling about the ancles. So much for decency!

+ This article of dress, not only obviates any pressure upon the bosom, but, if necessity requires it, substitutes, by cotton wadding, any deficiency. With respect to the stomach, and Butler's renowned seat of honour, the wadding is also continued to that part, with the addition of whalebone, so as to compress the devant, and give elas

*

Naught was the swelling Pad compar'd to this,
Indeed, for beauty it was ne'er design'd;
But that a woman still might seem a miss,
A single hour before she was confin'd.

Tight let the Grecian tresses bind the head,

And countless ringlets, "A la Recamiere †,"

ticity and rotundity to the derriere, by which means, should the rude touch of an inebriated carman chance to come in contact with honour's throne, the grasp would not be felt, and that much redoubted seat of majesty, would consequently escape insult.

* This convenient appendage to the stomach, levelled at once all distinctions with single and married ladies, excepting, that what was artificial in the mother, was frequently natural in the daughter.

†This appellation was derived from the Parisian lady who gave the ton to a vast profusion of cork-screw curls, ranged upon the forehead like rows of twisted wires, similar to what are placed near the cranks of bells to give them elasticity. In order to produce the thin glossy appearance which constitutes the beauty of these tresses, (not unlike the love locks in the time of Charles the First) it is necessary, after curling with the irons, to divide and subdivide each ringlet, which is then passed through the fingers of the dressing woman, who has previously wetted them with some sweet scented oil.

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