Amelia once applying to him for one dance more, after he had given the fignal to withdraw, he affured her royal highness, that the established rules of Bath refembled the laws of Lycurgus, which would admit of no alteration, without an utter fubverfion of all his authority. He was not less strict with regard to the dreffes, in which ladies and gentlemen were to appear. He had the strongest averfion to a white apron, and abfolutely excluded all who ventured to appear at the affembly dreffed in that manner. I have known him on a ball night strip even the dutchefs of 2, and throw her apron at one of the hinder benches among the ladies women; obferving, that none but Abigails appeared in white aprons. This from another would be infult, in him it was confidered as a juft reprimand; and the good-natured dutchefs acquiefced `in his cenfure. But he found more difficulty in attacking the gentlemens irregularities; and for fome fome time strove, but in vain, to prohibit the use of fwords. Difputes arifing from love or play, were fometimes attended with fatal effects. To ufe his own expreffion, he was refolved to hinder people from doing, what they had no mind to, but for fome time without effect. However, there happened about that time, a duel between two gamefters, whofe names were Taylor and Clarke, which helped to promote his peaceable intentions. They fought by torch-light in the grove; Taylor was run through the body, but lived feven years after, at which time his wound breaking out afresh, it caufed his death. Clarke from that time pretended to be a Quaker, but the orthodox brethren never cordially received him among their number; and he died at London, about eighteen years after, in poverty and contrition. From that time it was thought neceffary to forbid the wearing of fwords at Bath, as they often tore the ladies cloaths, and frighted them, by sometimes appearing upon trifling occafions. Whenever therefore Nash heard of a challenge given, or accepted, he inftantly D 3 instantly had both parties arrefted. The gentlemen's boots alfo made a very defperate stand against him, the country 'fquires were by no means fubmiffive to his ufurpations; and probably his authority alone would never have carried him thro', had he not reinforced it with ridicule. He wrote a fong upon the occafion, which, for the honour of his poetical talents, the world shall see. FRONTINELLA's invitation to the Affembly. Come, one and all, to Hoyden Hall, For there's the affembly this night; None but prude fools, Mind manners and rules; We Hoydens do decency flight. Come Trollops and Slatterns, As Hogs-Norton 'fquires in boots. The keennefs, feverity and particularly the good rhymes of this little morceau, which was at that time highly relished by many of the nobility at Bath, gained him a temporary triumph. But to push his victories, he got up a puppet fhew, in which punch came in booted and fpurred, in the character of a country 'fquire. He was introduced as courting his mistress, and having obtained her confent to comply with his wishes, upon going to bed, he is defired to pull off his boots. My boots, replies punch, why, madam, you may as well bid me pull off my legs. I never go without boots, I never ride, I never dance without them; and this piece of politeness is quite the thing at Bath. We always dance at our town in boots, and the ladies often move minuets in riding-hoods. Thus he goes on, till his mistress, grown impatient, kicks him off the stage. From that time few ventured to appear at the affemblies in Bath in a riding-drefs; and whenever any gentleman, thro' ignorance, or hafte, appeared in the rooms in boots, Nash would make up to him, and D 4 bow bowing in an arch manner, would tell him, that he had forgot his horfe. Thus he was at last completely victorious. Dolifq; coacti Quos neque Tydides nec Lariffaus Achilles He began therefore to reign without a rival, and like other kings had his miftreffes, flatterers, enemies and calumniators; the amusements of the place however wore a very different afpect from what they did formerly. Regularity repreffed pride, and that leffened, people of fortune became fit for fociety. Let the morofe and grave censure an attention to forms and ceremonies, and rail at thofe, whofe only bufiness it is to regulate them; but tho' ceremony is very different from politeness, no country was ever yet polite, that was not first ceremonious. The natural gradation of breeding begins in favage disgust, proceeds to indifference, improves into attention, by degrees refines into ceremonious obfervance, and the trouble of being cere'monious at length produces politeness, elegance |