Mifs

-, by my referved behaviour yesterday. You may remember, when the left the country, fhe was a little, thin, red-haired, puny girl; but mark what metamorphofes one winter in London produces! Not Ovid, nay, nor Circe herfelf, could effect what lead-combs, paint, and powder atchieve in that mart of vanity, and School of deceit. I was furprised to be addressed yesterday, on coming out of church, by a ftranger, in a manner fo vulgarly familiar, as quite fhock'd me. It was a tall, rofy, brifk, bourgeois figure, with dark eye-brows and chefnut hair; and whom I fhould juft as foon have taken for the cham of Tartary as Miss

Pray, my dear, do you think in your confcience, that one is obliged to know one's friends under fuch difguiles? who shall hereafter pretend to determine on identity of perfon, when it is in the power of the milliner, mantua-maker, perfumer, and frifeur, to new model and make us juft what they please?

You have drawn fuch a true, but fhocking picture of fashionable life, that I am terrified with the view of it; and now, being heartily fick of this world, and not yet quite ready for a better, you muft pofitively reconcile me to my allotted station here, by giving me, in oppofition to the unnatural, ridiculous, difingenuous, and criminal character of a woman of fashion,' a juft representation of what you deem a natural, proper, agreeable, and virtuous tenor of conduct; in other words, the picture of an unfashionable woman.

Having fucceeded so happily in your portrait of a fine lady, I muit infift on immediately feeing her counterpart-a lifelefs, fober, infipid dowdy, I fuppofe commonly called a good fort of woman;' but, in my opinion, the worst woman in the world who tires one to death with narrating facts which every body knows-affirming truths which nobody difputes-defcanting on characters which nobody cares for and proving herfelf beyond difpute a woman good for nothing but plain work, cookery, and breeding.

ticipating the temperate pleasures and important duties of the commencing one. Its firft moments are devoted as due to that Being' whom the regards with filial love, gratitude, and reverence; and whom the approaches, not with the lifeless proftrations of fear, but with the devout and cheerful homage of the heart. Before engaging in domeftic cares, the prepares her mind for meeting with firmnes, or bearing with patience, the little rubs and vexations of the day: fhe plans a thousand schemes of benevolence and utility; and the good the cannot perform, but generously intends, is recorded in heaven as virtue. The time neceffarily spent at her toilette, is fhort; it is, however, rendered pleafing by the delightful hope of becoming, by means of its adventitious aids, more agreeable in the eyes of a husband, whom she loves too tenderly to omit a fingle opportunity of complying with his tafte, or confirming his esteem.Books, work, and, above all, the impor tant duty of impreffing the infant minds of her children with that love of goodnes which infenfibly leads to the practice of it, fill up the reft of the morning. Through the day fhe checks the little fallies of her own temper, and, unobferved, fteals from others, by the influence of her good humour, every difquieting care. To them her time her tafte, are often facrificed; but confcious benevolence does more than repay her. Her converfation, equally remote from chilling referve and petulant loquacity, has no aim, but to inftruct or amufe; and in her care to please others, the feems wholly to forget herself. Her elegant, yet frugal board, prefents a striking emblem of her mind. There, plenty is feen without profufion, and neatness without oftentation.Good-tafte, good-breeding, good-sense, and mild complacency, teach her guefts to forget they are strangers, and to feel they are friends. Her husband beholds her with mingled pride and pleafure; and his approbation, though filent, diffufes joy through her heart, and cheerfulness through her converfation. The evening is spent amidst the ehofen circle, with whom he knows no referves, and whose accumulated happiness becomes her own. Conversation, it useful or agreeable, is encouraged; if dull, relieved by the aids which the fine arts fupply to those who cultivate them. Mufic, dancing, cards, are occafionally called in; and even those amufements for which fhe has no

relish herself, the cheerfully adopts, in the Xx

hope of contributing to the enjoyment of others. Public diverfions are fometimes vifited, but always tend, with the reafonable woman, to increase her love of focial and domeftic pleasures. When in public, fhe appears with propriety and modefty. She envies not beauty, the covets not grandeur, the feeks not to engage attention; for in the pleafing confcioufnefs of difcharging her duty, in the love of her husband, and efteem of her friends, the finds complete happiness. Such is a reasonable Woman! The very oppofite of a fashionable one.

An Account of certain English People, who, in the Year 1569, making a Voyage to the Eaft Indies, were caft away, and wrecked upon an uninhabited Island, near the Coaf of Terra Auftralis Incognita, and all drowned except one Man and four Wo

men.

Given by Cornelius Van Sloetten, Captain of a Dutch Ship, which was driven there by foul Weather, in the Year 1667, who found their Pofterity (speaking good Englib) to the Amount of ten or twelve thoufand Seuls.

C

ERTAIN English merchants, encouraged by the great advantages arifing from the Eaftern commodities, in the year 1569, having obtained queen Elizabeth's royal licence, furnished out for the Eaft Indies four fhips, of which English was chofen factor; who embarked on the 3d of April, O. S. with his wife and family, confifting of a fon of twelve years old, a daug ter of fourteen, two maid fervants, a female negro flave, and George Pine his bookkeeper, on board one of the faid fhips, called the Eaft India Merchant, of four hundred and fifty tons, being provided with all man mer of neceffaries and conveniences, in order to fettle a factory there.

By the 14th of May, they were in fight of the Canaries; and foon after arrived at the Cape de Verd Inlands, where they took in fome provifions for their voyage, and fteering their courfe fouth and a point eaft, about the Ift of Auguft came to the island St. Helena; and having taken in some fresh water, fet forward for the Cape of Good Hope, where, by God's blefling, they arrived fafe, having hitherto met with no tempeftuous or difagreeable failing weather.

But it pleafed God, when they were almoft in fight of St. Laurence (faid to be one of the largeft islands in the world) they were overtaken by a great ftorm of wind, which feparated them from the reft of the hips, and continued with fuch violence for many days, that, being driven out of their know ledge, they loft all hopes of fafety.

The ift of October, about break of day,

themselves.

Mr. Pine getting together fome rotten wood, by the affiftance of a tinder-box he had in his pocket, made a fire, by which they dried themfelves; and then, leaving the females, he went to fee if he could find any of the fhip's company that poffibly might have escaped, but could find none. At length, it drawing towards evening, he, with what he could get from the wreck, returned to his fellow-fufferers, who were very much trou bled for want of him, he being now all their fupport in this loft condition.

They were afraid that the wild people of the country (if there were any) might find them out; but could diftinguifh neither footfteps nor paths. And the woods around a bout them being full of briers and brambles, they apprehended too there might be wild beafts to annoy them, though they faw no marks of any. But above all, for want of food, they were afraid of being starved to death; but God had otherwife provided for them.

The wreck of the ship furnished them with many neceffaries; for, getting toge ther fome broken pieces of boards and planke, fails and rigging, with the help of poe they made themselves tents; and having got wood for firing, and three or four fea-gowns to cover them, making the negro their cen try, they flept foundly all night, having been without fleep for several nights before.

The next day, after being well refreshed with fleep, the wind ceafing, and the wea ther being warm, they went down from the rocks on the fands at low-water, where they found a great part of the fhip's lading, either

до

1986.

on fhore or floating near it. Mr. Pine, with the help of his companions, dragged moft of it on fhore: and what was too heavy for them, they broke; and, unbinding the cafks and chefts, and taking out the goods, they fecured all; fo that they wanted neither cloaths, nor other neceffaries for house-keeping. But the falt water had fpoiled all the victuals except one cafk of bifcuit, which be ing lighter, and perhaps better fecured than the reft, was undamaged: this served them for bread a while; and a fowl, about the bignefs of a fwan, very heavy and fat, which by reafon of its weight could not fly, ferved them for their prefent fubfiftence. The poultry of the fhip, by fome means getting afhore, bred exceedingly, and were a great help to them. They found alfo in the flags, by a little river, plenty of eggs of fowl, much like our ducks, which were very nourishing food, fo that they wanted for nothing to keep them alive.

Mr. Pine being now lefs apprehenfive of any thing to difturb him, looked out for a convenient place to build a hut to shelter him and his family from the weather: and, in about a week's time, made a room large enough to hold them all, and their goods; and put up hammocks for his family to fleep

in.

Having lived in this manner full four months, without feeing or hearing any thing to disturb them, they found the land they were in poffeffion of, to be an island disjoined, and out of fight of any other land, uninhabited by any but themfelves, and that there was no hurtful beaft to annoy them. But, on the contrary, the country was very pleafant, being always clothed in green, and full of agreeable fruits, and variety of birds, ever warm, and never colder than in England in September; fo that this place (had it the culture that skilful people might be flow on it) would prove a paradife.

The woods afforded them a fort of nuts as big as large apples; whofe kernel being pleafant and dry, they made ufe of instead of bread, together with the fowl before mentioned, and a fort of water-fowl like ducks, and their eggs; and a beaft about the fize of a goat, and almoft like fuch a creature, which brought forth two young ones at a time, and that twice a year, of which the lowlands and woods are very full; and being harmless and tame, they could eafily take and kill them: fifh alfo, efpecially fhell-fish, were in great plenty: fo that, in effect, they wanted nothing of food for fubfiftence.

After being in poffeffion of this country full fix months, nature put them in mind of the great command of the Almighty to our firft parents, as if they had been conducted thither by the hand of Providence, to peo

347

ple a new world; and in this refpect they proved not unfruitful, for, in lefs than twelvemonth from their first arrival in this ifland, the females proved all to be with child, and coming at different feasons, they were a great help to one another. The women had all their teemings annually, and the children proved ftrong and healthy. Their family increafing, they were now well fatiffied with their condition, for there was nothing to hurt them. The warmth of the climate made it agreeable for them to go abroad fometimes, and they repofed themselves on moffy banks fhaded by trees. Mr. Pine made feveral pleasant arbours for him and his women to fleep in during the heat of the day, and in these they paffed their time together, the females not liking to be out of his company.

Mr. Pine's family was increased, after he had lived in this inland fixteen years, to forty-feven children: for his firft wife brought him thirteen; his fecond, seven; his mafter's daughter, who feemed to be his greateft favourite, fifteen; and the negro, twelve, which was all the produce of the first race of mortals in this island.

Thinking it expedient to provide for another generation, he gave his eldeft fon a mate; and took care to match the rest as faft as they grew up and were capable. And, left they fhould incommode one another, he appointed his fons habitations at fome diftance from him; for, growing in years, he did not like the wanton annoyance of young company.

After having lived to the fixtieth year of his age, and the fortieth of his being in pof feffion of this island, he fummoned his whole people together, children, grand-children, and great-grand-children; amounting to five hundred and fixty-five of all forts. He took the males of one family, and married them to the females of another, not permitting any to marry their fifters, as they did at first out of neceffity.

Having taught fome of his children to read, he laid them under an injunction to read the Bible once a month at their general meetings.

Three of his wives being dead, viz. the negro woman, and the other two who had been maid-servants to his master, fhe who was his master's daughter, furvived them twelve years. They were buried in a place he had fet afide on purpose, fixing for his own interment the middle part, fo that two of his wives might lie on one fide of him and two on the other, with his chief favourites, one of each fide, next to him.

Arriving to the eightieth year of his age, and fixtieth of coming to this ifland, he called his people together a fecond time, the number of which amounted then to one

Xx 2

thousand

miffed them.

He called this ifland the Ifle of Pines, and gave the people defcended from him, the name of the English Pines, diftinguishing the tribes of the particular defcendants by his wives names, the Englishes, the Sparkfes, the Trevors, and the Phills, Phillippa being the name of the negro.

Being now very old and his fight decaying, he gave his habitation and furniture that was left, to his eldest fon after his deceafe; made him king and governor of the reft; and delivered him the hiftory of thefe tranfactions written with his own hand, commanding him to keep it; and if any Aranger fhould come hither by any accident, to let them fee it, and take a copy of it alfo if they pleased, that the name of his people might not be loft from off the earth.

It happened in the year 1667, Cornelius Van Sloetten, captain of a Dutch ship, called the Amfterdam, was driven by foul weather to this ifland, where he found the pofterity of Mr. Pine, fpeaking good English, and amounting, as it was fuppofed, to ten or twelve thousand perfons.

The narrative, from which this account is taken, was given by Mr. Pine's grandfon to the Dutch captain. Hrinted in London, be ing licensed June 27, 1668.

Hiftories of the Tête-à-Téte annexed; or, Memoirs of Lord Crop, and the Meretri.

cious Fair.

F

ment, but has deviated from the mildness of its doctrines by ftimulating its profeffors to acts of perfecution. It would be fuperfiuous to enter into a detail of the horrors produced by the fanaticifm of this young nobleman and his fanguinary followers. It is fufficient to say that the conftitution was invaded, the laws trampled upon, houses and

mitted in the street, and many hundreds of lives loft by the perfecuting spirit which they raised against the Roman Catholics, under pretence of doing honour to God, and good to their own fouls.

This conduct, however, did not terminate with impunity. The noble lord was himfelf brought to trial upon a charge of high treafon, and very narrowly escaped conviction. Many of the deluded populace fuffered execution upon gibbets, and not a few were put to death by the foldiery, called out to fupprefs the riotous fanatics.

At prefent his lordfhip ftands in a very extraordinary predicament, having suffered judgment of excommunication to go againft him, for refusing to obey an ecclefiaftical fummons, and being now liable to imprisonment for life unless he submits to mother church.

It has been remarked, by a great adept in the knowledge of the human heart, that all paffions are tyrants, and love tyrannizes over all other paffions. The conduct of lord Crop illuftrates this pofition, for in love he has been found as violent and perfevering as in religion, both being the effects of an over heated imagination.

Except in his connection with the Meretricious Fair, whofe portrait graces this téteà-tête, his lordship's amours have not only been tranfitory, but have mingled among

the lower order of liberal-hearted females, even fo low as to the vulgar and vicious tribes of Hedge-lane. This degeneracy, or depraved tafte, was probably owing to the difficulties he found in feeking for a mind congenial with his own, and which he at laft happily discovered in Mifs E, the lady being like her paramour ardent in every purfuit Her conftitution is fanguine, with a ftimulating eve, and a fet of features ftrongly marked like those we fee on the an cient medals of the Roman empreffes. She looks capable of inspiring every tranfgreffion proved upon or imputed to the noble lord, and in her arms were generated those ideas which, when brought into action, fet the metropolis in a flame, threatened the kingdom with anarchy, and the conftitution with ruin. Her face is fafcinating though not delicate, her perfon defirable though ro buft, and her converfation pleafing though vulgar, but this vulgarity is not from want of fenfe, but from deficiency of education.