N° 534. Wednesday, November 12. Rarus enim fermè fenfus communis in illâ Mr. SPECTATOR, I Juv. AM a young Woman of Nineteen, the only Daughter of very wealthy Parents; and have my whole Life been used with a Tendernefs which did me no great Ser'vice in my Education. I have perhaps an uncommon Defire for Knowledge of what is fuitable to my Sex and Quality; but, as far as I can re'member, the whole Difpute about me has been, whether fuch a thing was proper for the Child to do, or not? Or whether fuch or fuch Food ⚫ was the more wholesome for the young Lady to eat? This was ill for my Shape, that for my Complection, and 't'other for my Eyes. I am not extravagant when I tell you, I do not know that I have trod upon the very Earth VOL. XIV. C H • fince fince I was ten Years old: A Coach or Chair I am obliged to for all my • Motions from one place to another ever fince I can remember. All who had to do to inftruct me, have ever 'been bringing Stories of the notable things I have faid and the Womanly • Manner of behaving my felf upon 'fuch and fuch an Occafion. This has 'been my State, till I came towards Years of Womanhood; and ever fince I grew towards the Age of Fifteen, I have been abused after another manner. Now, forfooth, I am fo killing, no one can fafely fpeak to me. Our 'House is frequented by Men of Sense, ' and I love to ask Questions when I • fall into fuch Conversation; but I am 'cut short with fomething or other a'bout my bright Eyes. There is, Sir, a Language particular for talking to 'Women in; and none but those of the very first good Breeding (who are very few, and who feldom come into my way) can speak to us without regard to our Sex. Among the generality of those they call Gentlemen, it is impoffible for me to fpeak upon any Subject whatfoever, without provoking fomebody to fay, Oh! to be fare fine Mr. fuch-a-one must be very particularly acquainted with all that; all "the World will contribute to her Enter'tainment and Information. Thus, Sir, 'I am fo handsome, that I murder all 'who approach me; fo wife, that I want no new Notices; and fo well bred, that I am treated by all that know me like a Fool, for no one will anfwer as if I were their Friend or Companion. Pray, Sir, be pleased to take the part of us Beauties and Fortunes into your Confideration, and do not let us be thus flattered out of our Sen'fes. I have got an Huffey of a Maid, who is moft craftily given to this ill Quality. I was at first diverted with a certain Abfurdity the Creature was guilty of in every thing the faid: She is a Country Girl, and in the Dialect of the Shire fhe was born in, would. tell me that every body reckon'd her Lady had the pureft red and white in the World: Then fhe would tell me, 'I was the moft like one Sifly Dobfon in their Town, who made the Miller make away with himself, and walk afterwards in the Corn-Field where they used to meet. With all this, H 2 ❝ this this cunning Huffey can lay Letters in my way, and put a Billet in my Gloves, and then stand in it she knows nothing of it. I do not know from my Birth to this Day, that I have been ever treated by any one as I ought; and if it were not for a few Books which I delight in, I should be at this Hour a Novice to all common Sense. Would it not be worth your while to lay down Rules for Behaviour in this Cafe, and tell People, that we Fair-ones expect honeft plain Anfwers as well as other People? Why must I, good " Sir, because I have a good Air, a fine Complection, and am in the Bloom of my Years, be mif-led in all my Actions? and have the Notions of Good and Ill confounded in my Mind, for no other Offence, but because I have the Advantages of Beauty and Fortune? Indeed, Sir, what with the filly Homage which is paid us by the fort of People I have above fpoken of, and the utter Negligence which others have for us, the Converfation of us young Women of Condition is no other than what must expose us to Ig⚫ norance and Vanity, if not Vice. All this 'this is humbly fubmitted to your Spectatorial Wifdom, by, SIR, Your bumble Servant, Mr. SPECTATOR, PRA Sharlot Wealthy. Will's Coffee-houses AY, Sir, it will ferve to fill up a Paper, if you put in this; which is only to ask whether that Copy of "Verses which is a Paraphrase of Isaiah, in one of your Speculations, is not 'written by Mr. Pope? Then you get on another Line, by putting in, with proper Distances, as at the end of a 'Letter, I am, SIR, Your humble Servant, Mr. Dapperwit, Am glad to get another Line for ward, by faying that excellent Piece is Mr. Pope's; and fo, with proper 'Distances, I am, SIR, Your humble Servant, H3 Sr. Mr. |