characters are drawn* ;" and, from the prefent mode of giving routs, we have, I think, acquired a more accurate estimate of merit than formerly, when the character of a Lady of Fashion depended on certain accomplishments or virtues, about which no two people in the world are agreed.

But now, Sir, when the prize of univerfal admiration, and all the honours of the highest ton, are adjudged to the fortunate fair-one who gives the most crowded rout, we may truly be faid to eftimate the merit of a Fine Lady upon mathematical principles, and decide upon her virtues from the rules of menfuration. It is not the capacity of the owner, but of the house, which is the criterion of fashion; and friends are no longer determined by quality but by quantity.

Hence, if I were defirous to form an opinion of any Lady just started into high life, I would not, as formerly, confult those who are nearest her perfon or who fuperintended her education, nor thruft myself into her confidential conversation; but I would, in a plain and workmanlike manner, take the height, breadth, and length of her rooms, and calculate how many perfons they are capable of receiving on her nights. Perhaps, in a cafe of rivalry, I might apply to fome learned Member of the Committee on the Carrying Bill, to know to a nicety whether the flaves of Fafbion might not be content with as few fquare inches as thofe of Trade.By thus acquiring the dimenfions of her Juite of rooms, the exact place on the scale of Fashion which every Lady ought to occupy is afcertained with the utmost precision.

This mode, you will perceive, is of infinite fervice in adjusting the degree of refpect to be paid to the givers of routs.-A Lady of 30 feet by 20 must not

* Pope.

expect the fame attention as one of 50 by 35; and thofe who know how to meafure folid contents will readily be able to diftinguith the etiquette due to perfons of different forms, and know precifely what is ɔwing to a square and what to an oblong, and wherein the bow in a femicircle ought to differ from the refpect paid to right angles.

Should any doubts yet remain to whom the palm of fashionable celebrity is due, we may call in another aid no less certain. If menfuration fails, we have the powers of arithmetic; and the merit of a perfon of the haut ton may be adjusted, like a Parliamentary queftion, by numbers.-Let the Houfe be counted, and compared with its rival, and the majority will always determine what may be left doubtful when estimated according to cubic calculation.

Should any thing ftill be wanting to adjust points of rivalfhip-should the dimenfions of Mrs. A. and Mrs. B. be the fame to an inch-and fhould numbers be nearly equal, the quantity of inconvenience crowded together may be taken into the account; and this, I humbly propofe, might be afcertained with great correctness by having a thermometer in the room-the degree of Fashion to be confequently determined by that of heat. No Lady could have any pretenfions to even City gentility who did not raife her guests above temperate; and in the prefent inclement feafon fummer. beat would be no bad proof of ton, but a Barbadoes broil would certainly prove that-" all the world was there!"

Thus it is, Sir, that in matters of fashion, as well as in politics, we are getting into a mechanical train; that all our virtues, accomplishments, and whatever are the subjects of admiration, are neither more nor lefs than the dimenfions of our houfes; and that, in fome cafes, the hammer of the Carpenter precedes that of the Auctioneer. I am, Sir, yours, OLIVER OLD-STYLE. ROUTS

אן

ROUTS verfus LIBRARIES.

MR. EDITOR,

[From the fame.]

N common with many of your readers, I have been very much entertained with the little epigrammatic touches you have frequently given us on the fashionable manners of the day, and particularly on the routs of ladies of ton. A newspaper is feldom better employed than in adverting to fuch matters; but as juftice is not justice, if it be not equal, I hope you will permit me to obferve, that there feldom appears a foible in one fex which has not fomething to correfpond with it in the other; and however different books may be from people of fashion, there is fomething in the construction of a modern library, which approaches very near to a modern rout. If there is an ambition among the ladies to have routs of vifitors without friendship, the gentlemen are no less ambitious to be poffeffed of libraries which they do not read.

In neither cafe is any attention paid to intrinfic value. Vifitors are efteemed for rank and equipage, as books are for binding and gilding; and there cannot be more respect fhown to Right Honourable friends in cut velvets and rich laces, than to books in Morocco leather with gilt leaves. As much affection is expected from the one as inftruction from the other; for no farther acquaintance is cultivated, than with the external appearance of the vifitor, and the title-page of the

volume.

Now, Sir, furely the foibles of the fexes may be faid to approximate, when the heart of the one is entirely fet upon drefs, and the other upon binding; when the one acquires an eclat in the world from the labours of the taylor, the mantua-maker, and the milliner, and the other is indebted for literary fame to the printer, the hot-preffer, and the book-binder.

Both

Both are guided by Fashion, whofe omnipotence hath declared, that the fpirit of fociety lies entirely in multitude, and all the ufe of a library in the fplendours of gold leaf, wire-wove paper, and Morocco leather. It is not of more confequence for a Lady to be introduced by a Foreign Ambaffador, than for a claffic to be bound by Roger Payne. The name of the ambassador and of the bookbinder is a fufficient passport to respect; and no one inquires if the Lady be a woman of character, and no one fcruples the merit of an author who makes his entrée" fplendidly bound in green morocco, gilt leaves."

And, Sir, let me obferve, that all the gradations of rank are observed in our libraries as well as in our routs. As it would be equally vulgar to try our friends as to read our books (both being intended for show, and to get a name in the world), it is highly proper that fuch ideas of fubordination fhould prevail, as ferve in the arrangements of the ball-room by a master of the ceremonies. Nothing under the rank of Cor. Ruff. fuperb. compact. can claim any rank. Calf extra may do for the city, but will not be received into the politer circles of Cor. Mauritan. lin. rubris, fol. deaurat. And as to plain calf, if Homer, Virgil, Milton, or Shakspeare, were to appear in fuch dreffes, they would be turned over to the housekeeper's room as poor relations!

From Ruffia leather, which, like Baronets' daughters, is the lowelt on the fcale of precedency, we rise to Morocco, red, blue, and green, correfponding to the orders of Knighthood, and in equal estimation. Yet even among them there are gradations: marble leaves muft not pretend to rank with gilt, nor must gilt leaves prefume too much in the prefence of Etrufcan ornaments. Higher than either of these are a class esteemed for their gigantic fize. Thefe are the large paper quality, who, like perfons of illuftrious rank, are extremely

tremely fcarce, and confequently extremely valuable, It is not of more confequence to have the princes of the blood at one's rout, than to be able to exhibit a fhelf or two of the Chart. max. fplendidly bound, gilt leaves, and gold borders; beyond which borders, the proprietor himself seldom attempts to pass.

There is yet one step higher, which, like our fcale of ranks in the ftate, approaches to monarchy. This is the poffeffion of a work, not because it is of intrinfic value, because it is much read, or worth reading, but because it is unique-not another copy in the kingdom! This of courfe takes precedence of all others; and fhould another appear, every connoiffeur in outfides is up in arms; and unless the intruder is able to make out a good cafe, and prove his hereditary right, he is deemed a pretender, and treated accordingly. A little be low the uniques rank a class well known by the titles of rari. and not mentioned by Ames." There are cer tain magical words, as Caxton, Wynkin de Worde, Richard Pinfon, &c. on the first or last leaf of these books, which are faid to have fo much virtue in them, as not to render it neceffary to read any farther.

I might specify fome other ranks and gradations, as the MSS. which have often the fingular merit of being valued highly because they are illegible: but I have advanced enough to convince the ladies, that we are nearly as wife in our felection of books as they are in their choice of company; that there is a clofe refemblance between the eclat of a rout and that of a library; and that the fame which in the one cafe is derived from fplendid furniture, fuperb hangings, and coloured lamps most tastefully difplayed, is in the other derived from rich bindings, gilded leaves, and variegated leather; nor let them be ashamed of productions of the hot-boufe while we owe fo much of our character for tafte to the hot-presser.

I am, Sir, your humble fervant,

SECOND-HAND, NEAT.