Trump, brings in his thirteenth Club. Since, therefore, this fcience is attended with fo moch difficulty, the noceffity of a School for Whift is very evident: and if the plan of education, above proposed, was put into execution, I will venture to pronounce, that young Jadies, who can now fearce be trusted at any game beyond One and Thirty Bane-Ace, or Beat the Knave out of Doors with the maid fervants, would be qualified at twelve years old to make one anycard-tablem town; and would even excel their manmas, wao have not had the fame advantage of education. Many an husband, and many a parent, I am fure, have had reason to lament, that their wives and daughters have not had the happiness of fo carly an instruction in this branch of female knowledge: and I make no doubt, but several boarding-schools will be fet up, where young ladies may be taught Whift, Brag, and all kinds of Card-work. How many ladies, for want of fuch a fchool, are at present shut out from the best company, because they know no more of the game than what is called Whitechapel play! In order therefore to remedy this deficiency as far as poffible, I would further recommend it to Mr. Hoyle, or fome other eminent artist, (in imitation of Meffieurs Hart and Dukes, who profefs to teach Grown Gentlemen to dance) to advertise, that Grown Gentlewomen may be taught to play at Weift in the moit private and expeditious manner; fo that any lady, who never before took a card in hand, may be enabled in a very short time to play a rubber at the most fashionable routs and affemblies. No LXI. THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1755. COELUM IPSUM PETIMUS STULTITIA. ---- HOR. T is obferved by the French, that a Car, a Prieft, and an old Woman, are fufficient to constitute a religious fect in England. So univerfally, it feems, are learning and genius diffused through this ifland, that the lowelt plebeians are deep cafuifts in matters of faith as well as politics; and fo many and wonderful are the new lights continually breaking in upon us, that we daily make fresh difcoveries, and strike out unbeaten paths to future happiness. The above obfervation of our neighbours is in truth rather too full: for a priest is fo far from neceffary, that a new fpecies of doctrine would be better received by our old women, and other well difpofed good people, from a layman. The molt exfraordinary tenets of religion are very fuccefstully propagated under the fanc tion of the leathern apron, instead of the caflock: every corner of the town has a barber, mafon, bricklayer, or fome other handicraft teacher; and there are almost as many fects in this metropolis, as there are parish-churches. As to the Old Women, fince the paf⚫fions of females are ftronger in youth, W and their minds weaker in age, than thofe of the other fex, their readiness in embracing any principles of religion preffed on them with particular carneftnefs and vehemence, is not very wonderful. They hope, by the most rigid demeanor in the decline of life, to make amends for that unbounded loofe given to their paffions in their younger years. The fame violence, however, commonly accompanies them in religion, as formerly actuated them in their pleasures; and their zeal entirely eats up their charity. They look with a malevolent kind of pity on all who are still employed in worldly undertakings, carry prayer books in their pockets,' and piously damn all their relations and acquaintance with texts of Scripture. I know an old gentlewoman of this caft, who has formed herfelf as a pattern of ftaid behaviour; and values herself for having given up at three core the vanities of fixteen. She denounces heavy judgments on all frequenters of public diverfions, and forehodes the worst confequences from every party of pleasure. I have known her foretel the ruin of her ន niece niece from a country-dance: nay, fie cam perceive irregular defires flaming from a gay coloured top-knot, and has even defcried adultery itfelf lurking beneath the thin veil of a worked apron, or beaming from a diamond girdlebuckle. But we might perhaps fuffer a few good Old Ladies to go to heaven their own way, if thefe fects were not pernicious on many other accounts. Such strange doctrines are very apt to unfettle the minds of the common people, who often make an odd transition from infidelity to enthusiasm, and become bigots from arrant free-thinkers. Their faith, however it may be well imagined, is not a faving faith; as they are worked up to an adoration of the Creator, from the fame flavish principle that induces the Indians to worship the Devil. It is amazing, how strongly fear operates on thefe weak creatures, and how eatily a canting, whining rafcal, can mould them to his purpofe. I have known many a rich tradefman wheedled and threatened out of his fubfiftence, and himself and unhappy family at last lectured into the work-houfe. Thus do thete vile hypocrites turn a poor convert's head to fave his foul; and deprive him of all happiness in this world, under pretence of fecuring it to him eternally in the next. Nothing can do religion more injury than thefe folemn mockeries of it. Many of these sects conft almost entirely of battered proftitutes, and perfons of the most infamous character. Reformation is their chief pretence: wherefore the more abandoned those are, of whom they make profelytes, the more they pride themselves on their converfion. I remember a debauched young fellow, who pretended a fudden amendment of his principles, in order to repair his fhattered fortune. He turned Methodist, and foon began to manifeft a kind of fpiritual fondness for a pious fifter. He wooed her according to the directions of the rubric, fent her fermons instead of billet-doux, greeted her with an holy kifs, and obtained his miftrefs by appearing in every respect a thorough devote. But alas! the good gentleman could never be prevailed on to comply with religious ordinances, or appear any more at church or meeting after the performance of the marriage eremony. The loweft of the vulgar, alfo, for their particular ends, frequent ly become fectaries. They avail them felves of a mock convertion to redeem their loft characters; and, like criminals at Rome, make the church a fanctuary for villainy. By this artifice they recommend themfelves to the charity of weak but well-meaning Chriftians, and often infinuate themselves as fervants into Methodist families. Le Sage, with his ufual humour, reprefents Gil Blas as wonderfully charmed with the feeming fan&tity of Ambrofe de Lamela, when he took him into his fervice; and Gil Blas is even not offended at Ins remifines the very first night, when his new fervant tells him, that it was owing to his attending his devotions: but it foon appears, that this fly valet had been employed in concerting the robbery of his matter. A due attention to religion is fo rare a quality in all ranks of people, that I am far from blaming it in fervants: but when I fee their religion fhewing itself in laziness, and oblerve them neglecting their com on business under the pretext of performing acts of fupererogation, I an apt to question their incerity, and to take every fervant of that kind for a mere St. Ambrofe. An old Moravian aunt of mine, of whom I have formerly made worthy mention, would never have any fervants, who did not belong to the fociety of the United Brethren. But fo little did the good lady's endeavours to preferve virtue and a tpirit of devotion in her house fucceed, that the generality of the men fell into evil courfes, and most of the pious fifterhood left the family with big bellies. I would not be thought to deny any fellow-fubjects full liberty of confcience, and all the benefits of the Telerationact; yet I cannot help regarding these weak, if not ill-meant divifions from the established church, as a dangerous kind of Free thinking, not fo fhocking indeed, as the impious avowal of atheism and infidelity, but often attended with the fame bad confequences. A religion, founded on madnets and enthusiasm, is almost as bad as no religion at all; and what is wort, the unhappy errors of particular fects expofe the pureft religion in the world to the icoffs of unbelievers. Shallow witlings exercife their little talents for ridicule on matters of religion, and fall into atheifin and blafphemy in order to avoid bigotry and enthusiasm. ་ thufiafm. The abfurdities of the fecta- In the glorious reign of Queen Eliza- bets, fword, fire, and faggot. Inftead of chearfulness, the introduced gloom was perpetually croffing herself with holy water; and, to avert the terrible judg ments of which the was hourly in fear, the compiled a new almanack, in which fhe wonderfully multiplied the number of red letters. After a miferable life he died melancholy mad, but left a will behind her, in which the bequeathed a very confiderable fum to build an hofpital for religious lunatics; which I am informed, will speedily be built on the fame ground, where the Foundery, that celebrated Methodist meetinghoufe, now stands. SUPERSTITION left behind her a fon called ATHEISM, begot on her by a Moravian teacher at one of their Lovefeafts, ATHEISM foon fhewed himfelf to be a molt profligate abandoned fellow. He came very early upon town, and was a remarkable Blood. Among his other frolics he commenced author, and is faid to have written in concert with Lord Bolingbroke. After having fquandered a large fortune, he turned gamefter, then pimp, and then highwayman; in which laft occupation he was foon detected, taken, and thrown into Newgate. He behaved very impudently in the Condemned Hole, We are told by a certain falhionable abufed the Ordinary whenever that genauthor, that there were formerly two tleman attended him, and encouraged men in a mad-houfe at Paris, one of all his fellow prifoners, in the Newgate whom imagined him felf the FATHER, phrafe, to die hard. When he came to and the other the SON. In like man- the gallows, inftead of the pfalin he fung her, no fooner did the good Lady RE- a bawdy catch, threw away the book, LIGION difappear, but he was per- and bid Jack Ketch tuck him up like a fonated by a crazy old beldam, called gentleman. Many of his relations were SUPERSTITION. But the cheat was prefent at the execution, and shook their instantly difcovered: for, instead of the heads, repeating the words of Mat in mild difcipline, with which her prede. the Beggar's Opera- Poor fellow! we reffor ruled her family, the governed are forry for you; but it is what we entirely by feverity, racks, wheels, gib-mult all come to." H N° LXII, THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1755 QUALEM CERERIS VULT ESSE SACERDOS. Juv. WHAT FEMALE, THOUGH TO PAPAL MODES THEY RUN, AVING lately informed my readers, that the Female Parbament is now fitting, I fhall proceed to lay before them the fubftance of a debate that happened in the Committee to meet, though it was adjourned immediately: but one day there being more members prefent than ufual, the Chairwoman was no fooner in the chair, than the lady abovementioned addreffed her in the following speech. MADAM, IT is with no lefs furprife than concern, that I reflect on the danger to which the greater part of my fex, either through ignorance or choice, are now expofed; and I have the ftrongest reafons to believe, that nothing but the vigorous and timely refolutions of this wife Affembly can prevent them from changing their religion, and becoming ROMAN CATHOLICS. What fubject can be more interefting and important to Us, whether we confider ourfelves as a Committee of Religion, a Parliament of Woimen, or an Affembly of Proteftants? Was fuch a defign to be carried into execution, the free ufe of our tongues would be taken away; we should never be fuffered perhaps to fpeak to the other fex, but through grates and bars; and this place of our Affembly would probably be the abode of Nuns and Friars. But left you fhould think me thus alarmed without reafon, I fhall now lay before you the grounds of my complaint; that, if it is not too late, we may prevent the evil, or, if it is, we may remove it. My fears are grounded on thofe remarks that have long been made on the Drefs of the fex. Conftant as the men have tiled us to the love of change, little have they imagined, that Popery was invariably the object to which every innovation was defigned to lead. So long ago as when, to the honour of our fex, a Queen was upon the throne, it was the fashion, as we may learn from Pope, for the ladies to wear upon their breafts a flaming CROSS. The fame fafhion has been tranfmitted to the prefent times. What, Madam, is this but downright Popery? In the Catholic countries they are contented with erecting Crucifixes in their roads, and churches; but alas! in this Proteftant kingdom Croffes are alike to be seen in places facred and profane, the court, the play-houfe and (pardon me ladies) this venerable Affembly itself is not without them. I am apt to fufpect, that this heterodox introduction of the Crofs into the female drefs had an higher original than the days of Queen Anne, whofe affection for the Church was very well known, It seems rather to have been imported among us, together with the Jefuits, by the Popish conforts of the firit or fecond Charles or perhaps the ladies first wore it in complaifance to the English Pope Joan, Queen Mary. This much is certain, that at the fame time our pious reformer, Queen Elizabeth, expelled the Crofs from our altars, the effectually fecured the necks of our ladies from this fuperftition, by the introduction of the Ruf The next part of our drefs that I fhall mention, which favours of Popery, is the Capuchin. This garment in truth has a near refemblance to that of the Friar'whofe name it bears. Our grandmothers had already adopted the Hood; their daughters by a gradual advance introduced the reft; but far greater improvements were fill in ftore for Us, We all of us remember, for it is not above two years ago, how all colours were neglected for that of Purple. In Purple we glowed from the hat to the fhoe; and in fuch request were the ribbands and filks of that favourite colour, that neither the milliner, mercer, nor dyer himself, could answer the demand. Who but muft think that this arofe from Popish principles? And though it may be urged, that the admired Fanny, who firit introduced it, is no Nun, yet you all may remember, that the Church of Rome herself has been tiled the Scarlet, or, as fome render it, the Purple Whore. But to prove indifputably our manifeft approaches to Popery, let me now refer you to that fashionable cloak, which (forry I am to fee it) is wore by the far greater part even of this Affembly, and which indeed is with great propricty filed the Cardinal. For were his Holinefs the Pope to be introduced among us, he would almost fancy himfelf in his own conclave: and were I not too well acquainted with my fifters principles, I myfelf fhould be induced to think, that to thofe in fuch grave at tire nothing but a cloyfter and a grate was wanting, As to thofe of gayer colours, you need not be told, that there are White and Grey Friars abroad as well as Black; and as the English are fo remarkable for improving on their originals, we fhall not then be furprifed at the variety of colours that appear among us. It has been whifpered too, that fome of my fifters have been fo fond of the Monkish aufterities, as to have their heads fhaved. This I do not aver of my own knowledge; but, if it is fo, they ftill condefcend to wear artificial locks; though it would not be at all ftrange, if they alfo fhould foon be laid afide, as they are already prepared for it by leaving off their caps. I thall only defire you till farther to reflect, how fashionable it is for the ladies to fhine with borrowed faces; and then I believe you will readily allow, that their votaries, the men, are in great danger alfo of being feduced to Popery; fince do they not already, by the compliments they pay to a painted face, address an Image and adore a Picture? What has now been faid will induce you, I hope, to pay a proper regard to the following Refolutions; which, I humbly move, may be agreed to by this Committee, and reprefented to the Houle. RESOLVED, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that, in order to prevent the growth of Popery, no garments fhall for the future be imported, of Popish make, or diftinguished by Popish names. RESOLVED, That in order to enforce a due ohedience, every one thall be obliged to practise the austerities of the fect they imitate; fo that, for example, the CarZinals shall be compelled to lead a fingle life, and the Capuchins to go bare-foot. LASTLY, It is recommended that, as a farther fanction to the bill propofed, every of fender, who fhall be deemed incorrigible, fhall be banished from all routs, and tranfported to her country-feat for feven winters. This motion was ftrongly feconded by Lady Mend'em; who urged in it's fupport, that to her certain knowledge, many of the fex very frequently affembled at one another's houfes, and parti cularly on the Sabbath, where Mafe Books were actually laid before them, and the warmest adoration paid to fome finall pictures, or painted images, which, fe was told, refembled fome kings and queens that had been long canonized:' and the offerings, that were conftantly made at their fhrines, would (the faid) be found, on a moderate computation, to exceed thofe that were formerly made at the tomb of Thomas à Becket. She' added, that, after the Catholic cuftom, they always fafted on those nights, or, if they fupped at all, it was soniy on FISH. The chief fpeaker on the other fide of the question was Lady Smart, one of the reprefentatives for Grosvenor Square; who, by the bye, was strongly fufpected of being a prejudiced perfon, her enemies not denying that he had charms, which could almoft fanctify error itself. Nobody, the faid, could fufpect the fex of inclining to Popery, who obferved the averfion they all difcovered to a fingle life. The ufes of the obnoxious garments were allowed to be many; the names at leaft were innocent: and the cry against them, the was fure, could only be raifed by the old and the ugly fince nothing could be fo fantaftic, as not to become a pretty woman. Her ladyfhip was joined by the Beanties prefent; but they being few, their objections were over-ruled, and the motion was carried. The next day the Houfe, on receiving the Report, after fome debate agreed to the Refolutions, and a Bill was ordered to be prepared and brought in accordingly. Though at the fame time they were of opinion. Nem. Con. that, if the FIG-LEAF Bill took place, thefe restrictions would be quite needles, N° |