1756. Simple Carriages.-Neat and clean Fires. which are thrown loose on a square axis, fixed fo tight to the wheels as to turn round with them, by means of a twisted goad which is not an inch diameter, and fixed in two holes which are augured in the fhafts for that purpose; when the borse begins to draw he drags the goad, 23 met eat fodden, and was at least a month or fix weeks pining after the roast beef of my old quarters, and I regret to this day the want of fuch coal in the city of London, and it is with all its other good qualities the cleanest and neatest, it not making the leaft litter or dirt; the cinders are thrown by, which makes a fuel either for which being intercepted by the axletree, A the poor or they make a very valuable B he forces forward the axletree, which gives motion to the wheels and turns round with them, being greased, clouted and rounded off. I could not but obferve, that there was lefs friction in this method than in the ordinary way, there being only one point of the curve affected by the friction, the whole weight resting on the cross bars which lie perpendicular over the axletree, fo that the wheels being very low and not above 14 inches diameter occafions a great flope up to the horfes withers, and takes off the whole weight of the burden, the fhafts being very short the load refts very near him, and being fo very near him he draws the eafier; fometimes the wheels flip from under the carriage by means of the goads Dipping out of the holes appointed; in this cafe one would think the whole machine dislocated, but it is only fixing in the goads again and they proceed as well as ever. This coal is very difficult to kindle, and fervants not acquainted with its natural properties are not able to light it at all; it is fo delicate as not to fuffer the bellows or the poker; if you offer to D ftir it or blow at any time of the day you are fure to put it out. The making thefe fires is a kind of mystery and study, the whole art of which confifts in well piling the coals in the grate, the fresh broken grain inwards and very close together, leaving a hollow in the middle for charcoal, and a chafm for the introduction of matches or a lighted candle; when you have waited fometimes an hour and half or two hours, your patience is fufficiently repaid by the fudden eruption of the brightest and most agreeable fire that can well be conceived, and your fireplace which a few minutes before is all gloomy and difmal, is fuddenly illuminated with one refulgent globe of fire, the coals being all red hot thro' and continue fo without being mended or stirred for eight or nine hours fucceffively, exhibiting a luftre of heat ten times more intenfe than any coal we have here in England. It is the most valuable fuel for the kitchen of any extant in the known world, giving G meat roafted by it a taste and flavour beyond conception. As I had a confiderable poft in the army, and was cantoned in that country, on my changing quarters into another, I thought all the meat I E culm for the burning of lime, which they fell for two fhillings a barrel. What relief would this coal be to thofe who live in the neighbourhood of furnaces, brewhoules, fmelting-houfes and fire-engines, their climate meliorated and no fmoke, I cannot but wonder that amongst many people of condition who have travelled into thofe parts none have obferved the fignal virtues of this Irish coal, which may be the faving the lives of many thou fands of children and others, but if this Irish coal cannot be obtained, why should not the stone coal out of Nottinghamshire and Wales be brought to London? Stone coal in general makes lefs fmoak: Why fhould not all flack be prohibited, which is only the refufe and dirt of the mines, extorting from the publick large fums, cheating them, and felling them dirt inftead of coal? This Irish coal lies not far from the river of Waterford, one of the finest rivers in Europe, and fhips of 100 guns can fail into it: What a fine nursery for feamen! Having enumerated fo many advantages which would accrue to the publick from the use of this coal, I hope you will give this a place in your next Magazine, being one of your constant readers and admirers. I am, Yours, &c. From the CRAFTSMAN, No 1365. ESENTMENT and revenge, tho R terms very diftin& in their fignifications, are yet frequently confounded, and indifcriminately applied. Refentment is the hafty fpark which flashes from a generous mind, indignant at affronts; revenge is the dark deliberate mifchief of an ignoble foul, which broods in filence over its injuries. The one, is the jealous guardian and affertor of conscious honour; the other, the flow avenger of loft reputation, which it has not power to protect. The one, is the becoming fpirit of a man; the other, is the gloomy delight of a fiend. It argues confcious unworthiness, to bear ill-treatment patiently: Honour in a man, is as estimable as chastity in a woman; and it is a duty which he owes to himself, to check defamatory, reflections with jealous indignation. If the ton 24 Difference between Refentment and Revenge. tongue of calumny and reproach dares Such conduct may ferve to correct his mistake, and induce him to conceive kinder fentiments in our favour. He may live to revere that virtue he has offended, and be as forward to publish the worth which he has approved and experienced, as he was rafh in paffing a precipitate and mistaken cenfure. But the worthlefs have no fuch hopes E to entertain They are fenfible, that the longer they are known, their infamy will become more publick; and therefore they purfue those with unremitting vengeance, who expofe them to detection, and wound them with the fling of honeft (tho' perhaps incautious) veracity, Both are moved at reproaches, but they are af fected from different motives. The one, left they should prejudice his fame, which he is anxious to preferve; the other, left they proclaim his dithonour, which he is careful to conceal If I am rightly ir formed concerning the laws of England, they are in these cafes thamefully defective. I have been D; F Jan. the injured to corporal or pecuniary punishment, or lofs of life (except in cafes of fcandalum magnatum.) If you call a tradefman a cheat, or any man a thief, the law has furnished them with a remedy against you. But you may with impunity give any one the lie; which in all ages has been confidered as the ultimate of opprobium, and to imply the most deadly defiance. You may revile another in the most bitter and taunting terms of contumely; you may tell him, that it is a vice to know him-that he is a difgrace to human nature-you may fting him with reproachful invectives even to madness, and he can have no redrefs for fuch grievous wrongs, unlefs he puts himself in a state of nature, and acts both as judge and executioner ; and then the law will condemn him for defending that reputation, which itself refufes to protect. Nay, I have been told by men of gravity and eminence in their profeffion, that you may call a woman a whore, and that the can obtain no remedy for the abuse, unlefs the can prove that the has sustained particular damage from the shocking imputation of incontinence. Are fuch laws calculated for the good regulation of civilized focieties, which regard our fame no farther than its prejudice affects our interest? The primary ob. ject of all laws, fhould be to inspire a love and veneration of honour and virtue. Expreffions, which difturb our peace of mind, expofe us to contempt, and torture us on the rack of shame, ftrike more horror to a feeling generous foul, than poverty or death. If those who use an unbecoming licence of fpeech, or were found guilty of obloquy and detraction, were branded with infamy, and obliged to make fome fervile fubmiffion to the party offended; and if under pain of fome heavy penalty, men were compelled to submit their private refentments to publick decifion, fuch regulations would contribute greatly to promote an amendment of manners, and prevent the mifchiefs which proceed from the hafty fury of virtuous pride, which difdains to appeal to others, to redrefs its wrongs. Of TINMOUTH CASTLE, with a VIEW roid, that a regard for a man's reputation, G T Tinmouth, the Tunnocellum of the is one of their principal and avowed objects. But upon a minute inquiry, I find that it protects reputation no further, than the injury it fuftains may prove detrimental to worldly intereft, or fubject I Romans, tho' in decay, challenge the attention of travellers, and look venerable in ruin. It stands upon a high promontory, which overlooks the fea, and thofe dangerous rocks, the Black Middins; to prevent 1756. SERVANTS Spoiled by their Superiors, prevent mifchief from which, two lighthoufes are erected by the Trinity-House at Newcastle; and near them Clifford Fort, built in 1672, which effectually commands all vetfels that enter the Tine. 25 of their dreffes and occupations. Hence were derived the flapped hat, and cropped hair, the green frock, the long staff, and buckskin breeches: Hence, amongst the ladies, the round-eared cap, the stuff night-town, white apron, and black leather hoe: And hence many perfons of the highest rank daily employ themselves in riding matches, driving coaches, or in running before them, in order to convince their domefticks how greatly they are inferior to them in the execution of thefe honourable offices. Since then we make use of fo much art to corrupt our fervants, have we reafon to be angry with their concurrence? Since we take fo much pains to inform them of their fuperiority, and our weakness, can we be furprized that they defpife us, or difpleased with their infolence and impertinence ? tho' by this exception I have incurred the contemptuous fmiles of many a wife face, and the indignant frowns of many a pretty one, yet I fhall here venture to fhew, that the pride and laziness of our fervants, from whence their profligacy, infolency, and extravagance, muft una-deed, if there is any characteristick pecu. voidably proceed, are entirely owing, not only to our example, but to our cultivation, and are but the natural productions of the fame imperfections in ourselves. In the first place then, pride has put it into our heads, that it is moft honourable to be waited on by gentlemen and ladies; and all, who are really fuch by birth or education, having alfo too much of the D fame pride, however neceffitous, to fub. mit to any fervitude however easy, we are obliged to take the lowest of the people, and convert them by our own ingenuity into the genteel perionages we think proper fhould attend us. Hence our very footmen are adorned with gold and filver, with bags, toupees, and ruffles: The valet de chambre cannot be distinguished from his mafter, but by being better dreft; and Joan, who ufed to be but as good as my lady in the dark, is now by no means her inferior in the day-light. In great families I have frequently intreated the maitre d'Hotel to go before me, and have pulled a chair for the butler, imagining them to be part, and not the leaft gen- F teel part of the company. Their diverfions too are no lefs polite than their appearance; in the country they are sportfmen, in town they frequent plays, operas, and taverns, and at home have their routs and their gaming-tables. But left thus exalting our fervants to an equality with ourselves fhould not fuf-G ficiently augment their pride, and destroy all fubordination, we take another method ftill more effectually to compleat the werk, which is, debafing ourselves to their meanne's by a ridiculous imitation January, 1756. As the pride of fervants thus proceeds from the pride, fo does their laziness from the laziness of their masters: And in liar to the young people of fashion of the 26 Inconveniencies from the prefent Race of Servants. Jan. drunkenness, and extravagance. The last of thefe is an evil of fo gigantick a fize, fo conducive to the universal corruption of the lower part of this nation, and fo entirely deftructive of all family order, decency, and œconomy, that it well deferves the confideration of a legislature, who are not themfelves under the influence of their fervants, and can pay them their wages without any inconvenience. From what has been faid it plainly appears, that every man in this country is ill ferved in proportion to the number and dignity of his fervants; the parfon, or tradesman, who keeps but two maids, and a boy not exceeding twelve years old, is ufually very well waited on; the private gentleman infinitely worfe; but perfons of great fortunes or quality, afraid of the idols of their own fetting up, are neglected, abused and impoverished by their dependants; and the king himself, as is due to his exalted ftation, is more impofed on, and worfe attended, than any Cone of his fubjects. I could produce innumerable inftances, minute indeed and unobserved, but well worthy obfervation, of the encroachments of our fervants on our eafinefs and indolence, in the introduction of moft of the fashions that have prevailed for feveral years past in our equipages, and domettick economy; all which are entirely calculated for their pleasure, ease, or advantage, in direct contradiction to our own. To mention but a few: Our coaches are made uneafy, but light, that they may whirl us along with the utmoft D rapidity, for their own amufement. Glaffes before are laid afide, and we are immured in the dark, that the coachman may no longer be under our inspection, but be drunk or afleep without any obfervation. Family liveries are difcarded, because badges of fcurrility, which might give information to whom their wearers E belonged, and to whom complaints might be addreifed of their enormities. By their careletfnefs and idlenefs they have obliged us to hire all our horfes, and fo have got rid of the labour of looking after them. By their impofitions on the road they have forced us into poft-chaifes, by which means they are at liberty to travel by themfelves, as it best fuits their own eafe and convenience. By their impertinence, which we have not patience to endure, nor refolution to reprefs, they have reduced us to dumb-waiters, that is, to wait upon ourselves; by which means they have thaken off the trouble and condefcenfion of attending us. By their protution and mifmanagement in houfe- G keeping, they have compelled us to allow them board wages, by which means they have obtained a confiant excufe to loiter at publick-houses, and money in their pockets to fquander there in gaming, F From the CONNOISSEUR, Jan. 8, M R. Fitzworm, a correfpondent of Mr. Town's, after ridiculing heraldry, and the boasts of ancestry, fays, "The pride of ancestry, and the defire of continuing our lineage, when they tend to an incitement of virtuous and noble actions, are undoubtedly laudable; and I fhould perhaps have indulged myfelf in the pleasing reflection, had not a particular flory in a French novel, which I lately met with, put a stop to all vain glories that can poffibly be deduced from a long race of progenitors. A nobleman of an ancient houfe, of very high rank, and great forture, fays the Novellift, died fuddenly, and without being permitted to stop at purgatory, was fent down immediately into hell. He had not been long there, before he met with his coachman Thomas, who, like his noble mafter, was gnashing his teeth among the damned. Thomas, furprized to behold his lordship amidst the fharpers, thieves, pickpockets, and all the Canaille of hell, ftarted and cried out in a tone of admiration, Is it poffible that I fee my late mafter among Lucifer's tribe of beggars, rogues, and pilferers? How much am I aftonished to find your lordship in this place? Your lordship! whofe generofity was fo great, whofe affluent housekeeping drew fuch crowds of nobility, gentry, and friends to your table, and within your gates, and whose fine tafle employed fuch numbers of poor in your gardens, by building temples and obelifks, and by forming lakes of water, that 1756. PEDIGREE of a FOOTMAN. that feemed to vie with the largest oceans Mr. TOWN adds, B C 27 This family is therefore related to the moft illuftrious Maitres d'hotel and Val t de Chambre of that kingdom. Jaques had iffue two fons, viz. Robert and Paul; of whom Paul the youngest was invested with the purple before he was eighteen, and made a bishop, and foon after became an archbishop. Robert, the elder, came to be a duke, but died without iffue : Paul, the archbishop, left behind him an only daughter, Barbara, bafe-born, who was afterwards maid of honour; and inter-marrying with a lord of the bedchamber, had a very numerous iffue by him, viz. Rebecca, born a week after their marriage, and died young; Jofeph, first a 'fquire, afterwards knighted, high fheriff of a county, and colonel of the militia; Peter, raised from a cabin-boy, to a lord of the Admiralty; William, a faggot in the first regiment of guards, and a brigadier; Thomas, at first an earl's eldest son, and afterwards lord mayor of the city of London. The feveral branches of this family were no less diftinguished for their illuftrious progeny. Jaques the founder, first quartered lace on his coat, and Robert added the shoulder. knot. Some of them, indeed, met with great trouble: Archbishop Paul loft his fee for getting a cook-maid with child; Barbara, the maid of honour, was dif miffed with a big belly; brigadier WilD liam was killed by a chairman in a pitched battle at an ale-houfe; the lord of the Admiralty was tranfported for feven years; and duke Robert had the misfor tune to be hanged at Tyburn. I must agree with my correfpondent, that the ftudy of heraldry is at present in very little repute among us; and our nobility are more anxious about preferving the genealogy of their horfes, than of their own family. Whatever value their progenitors may have formerly fet upon their blood, it is now found to be of no value, when put into the fcale and weighed against folid Plebeian gold: Nor would the moft illuftrious defcendant from Cadwallader, or the Irish kings, fcruple to debafe his lineage by an alliance with the daughter of a city-plumb, tho' all her ancestors were yeomen, and none of her family ever bore arms. Titles of quality, when the owners have no other merit to recommend them, are of no more eftimation, than those which the courtesy of the vulgar have beftowed on the deformed: And when I look over a long tree of defcent, I fometimes fancy I can difcoverthe real characters of Sharpers, Reprobates, and Plunderers of their Country, E concealed under the titles of Dukes, Earls, and Viscounts. It is well known, that the very fervants, in the abfence of their mafters, affume the fame titles; and Tom or Harry, the butler or groom of his grace, is always my Lord Duke in the kitchen or stables. For this reafon I have thought proper to prefent my reader with the pedigree of a footman, drawn up in the Tame founding titles, as are fo pompously displayed on these occafions: And I dare fay it will appear no lefs illuftrious, than the pedigrees of many families, which are neither celebrated for their actions, nor diftinguished by their virtues. F The family of the Skips, or Skip-ken- G nels, is very ancient and noble. The tounder of it Maitre Jaques, came into England with the dutchefs of Mazarine. He was fon of a prince of the blood, his mother one of the Mesdames of France: T is my fortune to be married to a lady, who is an extraordinary good housewife, and is cried up by all the good women of her acquaintance, for being the neatest body in her boufe they ever knew. This, Sir, is my grievance: This fuperabundant neatness is so very troublesome and difgufting to me, that I proteft I had rather lodge in a carrier's inn, or take up my abode with the horses in the ftables. It must be confeffed, that a due regard to neatness and cleanlinefs is as neceffary to be observed in our habitations, as our perfons: But tho' I should not chufe to have my hands begrimed like a chimneyfweeper's, I would not, as among the fuperftitious Mahometans, wash them fix times a day: And tho' I should be loth to roll in a pig-ftye, yet I do not like to have my house rendered ufelef to me under the pretence of keeping it clean. |