1

their turn; as these increase, the people will become still more refembling, till the difference be scarce perceptible, and all distinction loft, like the force of two oppofite currents becoming one by the prevalency of the strongest, or blue and yellow falling into one uniform colour of green. It is impoffible but that an univerfal language would have effected an univerfal famenefs of behaviour and customs, long before this, by the vast intercourse which the chriftian religion and commerce, have made amongst men.

To this variety of tongues it is owing, that. the Laplander thinks happiness no where to be found, but on the other fide the artic circle, and prefers his whale oil to the juice of the Burgundian grape; and the Arabian die unrepining, a land which denies him even water, to flake that thirft which it creates; this is the boundary which preferves the different climates of the earth inhabited, and scatters the human being uncomplaining, amidst funs, and fnows, on fands and mountains, infufferable to men brought forth in happier climes.

THIS then, seems to be the great use, and final caufe, of various language: the world would have been made in vain, if three parts had been left unpeopled, and contentment found no where in man, but in the few felected and paradifaic fpots of this vaft globe; eternal feuds and mifery to man had been the confequence, and mountains, rivers, feas, feparated kingdoms ineffectually.

HAVE probably tired you by this time, in this research. I am,

Your most obedient fervant.

LET

LETTER LIII.

To the Marchioness of

at Rome.

Madam,

T is not an eafy thing to refolve the question

which you ask me; the ladies of England do and do not paint; that is, there are many who exclaim with great acrimony against that villainous custom, whilft the rouge is blushing on their cheeks; probably there are not three women in the kingdom who would openly avow it, as the ladies of Paris do without the leaft hesitation. From this prefent fhyness in the affair, it is only used as an art to help nature at a dead lift, after nocturnal riots, and the emotions of thofe gentle paffions, which attend a run of ill luck at cards; at which time the husband is fure of having a double potion of her choicest spirit of gall, and her face a double quantity of enlivening red.

THIS fashion will probably gain ground in this kingdom, as that kind of life which makes

it neceffary, is in a very thriving way, and a duchefs will very foon be diftinguished by her complexion, as eafily as an inn-keeper's wife, or by the coronet on her coach, till. the face becomes one entire red, fpreading like the colour on the nectarine, and growing higher by more funfhine and time; or like the light of the moon beginning on one edge, extend till it covers the whole orb..

THE ladies of England do not understand the art of decorating their perfons, fo well as thofe of Italy; they generally increase the volume of the head by a cap, which makes it much bigger than nature, a fault which should be always avoided in adorning that part.

FEMALES as fquare at the shoulders as the ftatue of the Farnefian Hercules, not long fince covered the whole bofom, with a great white handkerchief spreading over the fhoulders, which that part the air of a new kettle-drum; gave and this because a celebrated beauty, tall and flender, appeared well in it, and gave it the name of a vandyke: we frequently fee the hoop which is too big for a lady of fix foot high, tied on about the waste of a woman of four;

by

four, by which means he has reduced the diameter to be twice as long as the perpendicular height, and all proportion destroyed; a full drest woman takes up as much breadth as is to be found in many streets, and will with difficulty pass through the old triumphal arch of Titus, without brushing the fides.

THEY wear their petticoats too fhort behind, and not imitating the moft graceful birds, as the ladies of Italy and France, in a trail of their robes upon the ground, lose the greatest grace which drefs can impart to a female.

NOTHING is fo various as the habits of English ladies and gentlemen, the waxing, waning moon, is no fimile for their changing; they not only vary the colours and defigns of their filks and velvets, as the French do every year, but the garb is cut different in every month, from the great to the little сар, from the long to the fhort fleeve, fo that the head. fhall be loft this month in a cloud of white linnen, and the next as bare as the fhorn pate of a capuchin; in like manner the hair itself, from the antique plat, which gives grace to the

VOL. II.

head