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piece of pleasantry as one of the liberties which relations are too apt to think they may take with one another.

My correspondent, and perhaps others, may deny the non-existence of Old Women, in this way. They may argue that a certain number of years constitute what we call age, and that a woman who has attained those years is ipso facto an Old Woman. If the premises were good here, the conclusion might follow; but who shall determine what that certain number of years amounts to, and without such determination, how can we proceed? But independent of this, the present meaning and acceptation of words will only serve to render Old Women more scarce; for though some may be "a little advanced," and others "not absolutely young," yet I know not to what circles I can refer the curious for one who will allow that she is an Old Woman. It is, in truth, not a matter of calculation, but of opinion. Old Women, therefore, must either be extinct, or there must be something in the character of an Old Woman very bad, since it is shunned by those who are in the fairest way to attain it chronologically, and against whom the imputation may be brought, not only from looking-glasses, but parish-registers. And this last inference, I

humbly think, militates with much force against my Correspondent's argument; for it is an infallible maxim, that a thing cannot be made contemptible by others which is not contemptible in itself..

But, it may be said, if old women are not to be found, if they cannot be produced either as instances in themselves, or as examples to others, what becomes of the change my Correspondent alludes to, of Old Men into Old Women, a species of transmigration peculiar, we are told, to commanders, judges, divines, and physicians, at a certain time of life? In answer to this, I can only say, that we derive the imperfect ideas we have of Old Women from our ancestors, who had, we are taught to believe, many opportunities of seeing and conversing with such beings, and have described them very accurately. But as in the process of time the colours of these pictures have decayed, and the features have been altered by new coatings and daubings, the resemblance becomes more and more indistinct. The utmost we can now obtain, from observation or tradition, is a vague notion of certain outlines or appearances, which, we suppose, once constituted an Old Woman; and finding the character, we know not why, mentioned in our times with disrespect, we

enlist Old Women among our nick-names, and bestow it accordingly upon either sex, as it suit. Those who are for converting cermay tain aged gentlemen of the learned professions into Old Women, no doubt think they act very wittily on this occasion, although they are not able to give any rational account of the transformation, nor to say where the wig ends and the pinner begins; nor by what transition the silken cassock becomes the flannel petticoat.

I have already hinted that the contempt of old age in man and woman is nearly equal, a circumstance which likewise very considerably invalidates the plea that my Correspondent has set up, and in which he wishes me to join. There can be no doubt, that whatever number of women he may produce who endeavour to avoid the appearance of old age, an equal number of men may be produced who are not only employed in the same wise speculation, but who talk and act as if they had really attained the object. I would, therefore, advise such of my readers as have no inclination to give offence, to beware how they pronounce any gentleman who is absent to be old, unless he has nearly completed a century; and if such a person be present, they will find that no circumstances will justify them for paying him any

compliment, but that of a hale, hearty man, accompanied with praises of his vigour and agility, and compassion for the widows and virgins who may fall in his way.

Before I conclude this lucubration, my Correspondent, and probably some of my readers, may wish that I should produce other reasons for my belief that the race of Old Women is extinct, than I have yet offered. The subject will, doubtless, admit of farther illustration; and I might press into the service the opinions of naturalists, on the gradual decay and changes which take place in the breed of animals, but I must be brief. I am not only of opinion that Old Women are fast disappearing; but I think it may be proved, that there is a very natural reason to be found for it in the habits of life, which some people call dissipation, that have of late been adopted. If any person be years disposed to question whether this has not a necessary tendency to prevent the increase of Old Women, and consequently to rid the sex of the reproach and contempt my Correspondent complains of, I beg leave to refer him to any series of obituaries, or monumental inscriptions, he pleases to consult. At the same time it must be allowed, that there is something of generosity and self-denial in those who are ad

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vocates for a "short life and a merry one," since we find, that whatever objections they may have to the years of an Old Woman, they take considerable pains to exhibit her infir

mities.

THE PROJECTOR. No 5S.

"The very top

And dignity of Folly we attain

By studious search and labour of the brain."

ROCH.

June 1806.

ALTHOUGH we have considerable reason to be proud of the number of PROJECTORS which our Country has in former days produced, yet it must, on the other hand, be allowed, that of late years there has been a lamentable deficiency both in the boldness and utility of our Projects. Foreigners appear to understand the principles of innovation so much better than they are understood by us, that they will probably soon run away with all the honours due

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