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"cousin Jeffery," says miss," that I can never get you "to dress like a christian. I knew we should have "the eyes of the Park upon us, with your great wig so "frizzed, and yet so beggarly, and your monstrous “muff. I hate those odious muffs." I could have patiently borne a criticism on all the rest of my equipage; but as I had always a peculiar veneration for my muff, I could not forbear being piqued a little; and throwing my eyes with a spiteful air on her bosom, "I could "heartily wish, madam," replied I," that, for your "sake, my muff was cut into a tippet.”

As my cousin by this time was grown heartily ashamed of her gentleman usher, and as I was never very fond of any kind of exhibition myself, it was mutually agreed to retire for a while to one of the seats, and from that retreat remarked on others as freely as they had remarked on us.

When seated we continued silent for some time, employed in very different speculations. I regarded the whole company, now passing in review before me, as drawn out merely for my amusement. For my entertainment the beauty had all that morning been improving her charms, the beau had put on lace, and the young doctor a big wig, merely to please me. But quite different were the sentiments of cousin Hannah; she regarded every well-dressed woman as a victorious rival, hated every face that seemed dressed in good-humour, or wore the appearance of greater happiness than her own. I perceived her uneasiness, and attempted to lessen it, by observing that there was no company in the park to-day. To this she readily assented; " and yet," says she," it is full enough of "scrubs of one kind or another." My smiling at this observation gave her spirits to pursue the bent of her inclination, and now she began to exhibit her skill in secret history, as she found me disposed to listen. "Observe," says she to me," that old woman in

"tawdry silk, and dressed out even beyond the fashion. "That is miss Biddy Evergreen. Miss Biddy, it seems, "has money, and as she considers that money was never "so scarce as it is now, she seems resolved to keep "what she has to herself. She is ugly enough you see; yet I assure you, she has refused several offers to my 66 own knowledge, within this twelvemonth.

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66 see, three gentlemen from Ireland who study the law, "two waiting captains, her doctor, and a Scots preacher, "who had like to have carried her off. All her time "is passed between sickness and finery. Thus she "spends the whole week in a close chamber, with no "other company but her monkey, her apothecary, and "cat, and comes dressed out to the park every Sunday, "to show her airs, to get new lovers, to catch a new "cold, and to make new work for the doctor.

"There goes Mrs. Roundabout; I mean the fat "lady in the lutestring trollopee. Between you and "I, she is but a cutler's wife. See how she's dressed

as fine as hands and pins can make her, while her "two marriageable daughters, like bunters, in stuff 66 gowns, are now taking six pennyworth of tea at the "White-conduit-house. Odious puss! how she wad"dles along, with her train two yards behind her! "She puts me in mind of my lord Bantam's Indian "sheep, which are obliged to have their monstrous "tails trundled along in a go-cart. For all her airs, it (6 goes to her husband's heart to see four yards of good "lutestring wearing against the ground, like one of his "knives on a grindstone. To speak my mind, cousin "Jeffery, I never liked tails; for suppose a young "fellow should be rude, and the lady should offer to “step back in a fright, instead of retiring, she treads 66 upon her train, and falls fairly on her back; and then you know, cousin ....her clothes may be spoiled. "Ah!

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miss Mazzard! I knew we should not "miss her in the park; she in the monstrous Prussian

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"bonnet. Miss, though so very fine, was bred a mil“liner, and might have had some custom if she had "minded her business; but the girl was fond of finery, " and instead of dressing her customers, laid out all her 66 goods in adorning herself. Every new gown she 66 put on impaired her credit; she still, however, went << on improving her appearance, and lessening her little "fortune, and is now, you see, become a belle and a "bankrupt."

My cousin was proceeding in her remarks, which were interrupted by the approach of the very lady she had been so freely describing. Miss had perceived her at a distance, and approached to salute her. I found, by the warmth of the two ladies' protestations, that they had been long intimate esteemed friends and acquaintance. Both were so pleased at this happy rencounter, that they were resolved not to part for the day. So we all crossed the park together, and I saw them in a hackney coach at the gate of St. James's. I could not, however, help observing, "That they are generally most ridiculous themselves, who are apt to 46 see most ridicule in others."

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SOME PARTICULARS RELATIVE TO

CHARLES XII,

NOT COMMONLY KNOWN,

Stockholm.

SIR,

I CANNOT resist your solicitations, though it is possible I shall be unable to satisfy your curiosity. The polite of e racter. A gentleman

every

but one cha

Country 'seem to have but little,

except in trifles, from one of

m one of any other country. It is among the vulgar we are to find those distinctions which characterize a people, and from them it is that I take my picture of the Swedes.

Though the Swedes in general appear to languish under oppression, which often renders others wicked, or of malignant dispositions, it has not, however, the same influence upon them, as they are faithful, civil, and incapable of atrocious crimes. Would you believe that in Sweden highway robberies are not so much as heard of? For my part I have not in the whole country seen a gibbet or a gallows. They pay an infinite respect to their ecclesiastics, whom they suppose to be the privy counsellors of Providence, who, on their part, turn this credulity to their own advantage, and manage their parishioners as they please. In general, however, they seldom abuse their sovereign authority. Hearkened to as oracles, regarded as the dispensers of eternal rewards and punishments, they readily influence their hearers into justice, and make them practical philosophers without the pains of study.

As to their persons they are perfectly well made, and, the men particularly, have a very engaging air. The greatest part of the boys which I saw in the country had very white hair. They were as beautiful as Cupids, and there was something open and entirely happy in their little chubby faces. The girls, on the contrary, have neither such fair, nor such even complexions, and their features are much less delicate, which is a circumstance different from that of almost every other country. Besides this, it is observed that the women are generally afflicted with the itch, for which Scania is particularly remarkable. I had an instance of this in one of the inns on the road. The hostess was one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen; she had so fine a complexion, that I could not avoid admiring it. But what was my surprize, when she opened her bosom in order to suckle her child, to perceive that seat of delight all covered with this disagreable distemper. The careless manner in which she exposed to our eyes so disgusting an object, sufficiently testifies that they regard it as no very extraordinary malady, and seem to take no pains to conceal it. Such are the remarks, which probably you may think trifling enough, I have made in my journey to Stockholm, which, to take it all together, is a large, beautiful, and even a populous city.

The arsenal appears to me one of its greatest curiosities; it is a handsome spacious building, but however scantily supplied with the implements of war. To recompense this defect, they have almost filled it with trophies, and other marks of their former military glory. I saw there several chambers filled with Danish, Saxon, Polish, and Russian standards. There was at least enough to suffice half a dozen armies; but new standards are more easily made than new armies can be enlisted. I saw, besides,, some very rich furniture, and some of the crown jewels of great value; but what

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