LETTER X.
LETTER X .
Taste and S PIRIT . — Mr. B — N — R — D commences
B EAU G ARCON .
So lively, so gay, my dear Mother, I'm grown,
I long to do something to make myself known;
For Persons of Taste and true Spirit , I find,
Are fond of attracting the Eyes of Mankind:
What Numbers one sees, who for that very Reason
Come to make such a Figure at Bath ev'ry Season!
'Tis This that provokes Mrs. S HENKIN A P -L EEK
To dine at the Ord'nary twice in a Week,
Tho' at Home she might eat a good Dinner in Comfort,
Nor pay such a cursed extravagant Sum fort:
But then her Acquaintance would never have known
Mrs. S HENKIN A P -L EEK had acquir'd a Bon Ton ;
Ne'er shewn how in Taste the A P -L EEKS can excel
The Dutchess of T RUFFLES , and Lady M ORELL ;
Had ne'er been ador'd by Sir P YE M ACRONI ,
And Count, V ERMICELLI , his intimate Crony;
Both Men of such Taste , their Opinions are taken
From an Ortolan down to a Rasher of Bacon.
What makes K ITTY S PICER , and little Miss S AGO
To Auctions and Milliners Shops ev'ry Day go;
What makes them to vie with each other and quarrel
Which spends the most Money for splendid Apparel?
Why Spirit — to shew they have much better Sense
Than their Fathers, who rais'd it by Shillings and Pence.
What sends Peter T EWKSBURY every Night
To the Play with such infinite Joy and Delight?
Why Peter 's a Critic, with true Attic Salt,
Can damn the Performers, can hiss, and find fault,
And tell when we ought to express Approbation,
By thumping, and clapping, and Vociferation;
So he gains our Attention, and all must admire
Young T EWKSBURY 's Judgment, his Spirit and Fire.
But J ACK D ILETTANTE despises the Play'rs,
To Concerts and musical Parties repairs,
With Benefit-Tickets his Pockets he fills,
Like a Mountebank Doctor distributes his Bills;
And thus his Importance and Interest shews,
By conferring his Favours wherever He goes:
He's extremely polite both to me and my Cousin,
For he often desires us to take off a Dozen:
He has Taste, without doubt, and a delicate Ear,
No vile Oratorios ever could bear;
But talks of the Op'ras and his Signiora,
Cries Bravo, Benissimo, Bravo, Encora !
And oft is so kind as to thrust in a Note
While old Lady C UCKOW is straining her Throat,
Or little Miss W REN , who's an excellent Singer,
Then he points to the Notes, with a Ring on his Finger,
And shews Her the Crotchet, the Quaver, and Bar,
All the Time that she warbles, and plays the Guitar .
Yet I think, tho' she's at it from Morning till Noon,
Her queer little Thingumbob's never in Tune.
Thank Heaven of late, my dear Mother, my Face is
Not a little regarded at all public Places;
For I ride in a Chair with my Hands in a Muff,
And have bought a Silk Coat and embroidered the Cuff;
But the Weather was cold, and the Coat it was thin,
So the Taylor advis'd me to line it with Skin:
But what with my Nivernois ' Hat can compare,
Bag-Wig, and lac'd Ruffles, and black Solitair?
And what can a Man of true Fashion denote,
Like an Ell of good Ribbon ty'd under the Throat?
My Buckles and Box are in exquisite Taste;
The one is of paper, the other of Paste;
And sure no Camayeu was ever yet seen,
Like that which I purchas'd at W ICKSTED 's Machine:
My Stockings of Silk, are just come from the Hosier,
For tonight I'm to dance with the charming Miss T OZIER :
So I'd have them to know when I go to the Ball,
I shall shew as much Taste as the best of them all:
For a Man of great Fashion was heard to declare
He never beheld so engaging an Air,
And swears all the World must my judgment confess,
My Solidity, Sense, Understanding in Dress,
My Manners so form'd, and my Wig so well curl'd,
I look like a Man of the very first World :
But my Person and Figure you'll best understand
From the Picture I've sent, by an eminent Hand:
Shew it young Lady B ETTY , by Way of Endearance,
And to give her a Spice of my Mien and Appearance:
Excuse any more, I'm in Haste to depart,
For a Dance is the Thing that I love at my Heart.
So now my dear Mother, &c.&c.&c.
LETTER X .
Taste and S PIRIT . — Mr. B — N — R — D commences
B EAU G ARCON .
So lively, so gay, my dear Mother, I'm grown,
I long to do something to make myself known;
For Persons of Taste and true Spirit , I find,
Are fond of attracting the Eyes of Mankind:
What Numbers one sees, who for that very Reason
Come to make such a Figure at Bath ev'ry Season!
'Tis This that provokes Mrs. S HENKIN A P -L EEK
To dine at the Ord'nary twice in a Week,
Tho' at Home she might eat a good Dinner in Comfort,
Nor pay such a cursed extravagant Sum fort:
But then her Acquaintance would never have known
Mrs. S HENKIN A P -L EEK had acquir'd a Bon Ton ;
Ne'er shewn how in Taste the A P -L EEKS can excel
The Dutchess of T RUFFLES , and Lady M ORELL ;
Had ne'er been ador'd by Sir P YE M ACRONI ,
And Count, V ERMICELLI , his intimate Crony;
Both Men of such Taste , their Opinions are taken
From an Ortolan down to a Rasher of Bacon.
What makes K ITTY S PICER , and little Miss S AGO
To Auctions and Milliners Shops ev'ry Day go;
What makes them to vie with each other and quarrel
Which spends the most Money for splendid Apparel?
Why Spirit — to shew they have much better Sense
Than their Fathers, who rais'd it by Shillings and Pence.
What sends Peter T EWKSBURY every Night
To the Play with such infinite Joy and Delight?
Why Peter 's a Critic, with true Attic Salt,
Can damn the Performers, can hiss, and find fault,
And tell when we ought to express Approbation,
By thumping, and clapping, and Vociferation;
So he gains our Attention, and all must admire
Young T EWKSBURY 's Judgment, his Spirit and Fire.
But J ACK D ILETTANTE despises the Play'rs,
To Concerts and musical Parties repairs,
With Benefit-Tickets his Pockets he fills,
Like a Mountebank Doctor distributes his Bills;
And thus his Importance and Interest shews,
By conferring his Favours wherever He goes:
He's extremely polite both to me and my Cousin,
For he often desires us to take off a Dozen:
He has Taste, without doubt, and a delicate Ear,
No vile Oratorios ever could bear;
But talks of the Op'ras and his Signiora,
Cries Bravo, Benissimo, Bravo, Encora !
And oft is so kind as to thrust in a Note
While old Lady C UCKOW is straining her Throat,
Or little Miss W REN , who's an excellent Singer,
Then he points to the Notes, with a Ring on his Finger,
And shews Her the Crotchet, the Quaver, and Bar,
All the Time that she warbles, and plays the Guitar .
Yet I think, tho' she's at it from Morning till Noon,
Her queer little Thingumbob's never in Tune.
Thank Heaven of late, my dear Mother, my Face is
Not a little regarded at all public Places;
For I ride in a Chair with my Hands in a Muff,
And have bought a Silk Coat and embroidered the Cuff;
But the Weather was cold, and the Coat it was thin,
So the Taylor advis'd me to line it with Skin:
But what with my Nivernois ' Hat can compare,
Bag-Wig, and lac'd Ruffles, and black Solitair?
And what can a Man of true Fashion denote,
Like an Ell of good Ribbon ty'd under the Throat?
My Buckles and Box are in exquisite Taste;
The one is of paper, the other of Paste;
And sure no Camayeu was ever yet seen,
Like that which I purchas'd at W ICKSTED 's Machine:
My Stockings of Silk, are just come from the Hosier,
For tonight I'm to dance with the charming Miss T OZIER :
So I'd have them to know when I go to the Ball,
I shall shew as much Taste as the best of them all:
For a Man of great Fashion was heard to declare
He never beheld so engaging an Air,
And swears all the World must my judgment confess,
My Solidity, Sense, Understanding in Dress,
My Manners so form'd, and my Wig so well curl'd,
I look like a Man of the very first World :
But my Person and Figure you'll best understand
From the Picture I've sent, by an eminent Hand:
Shew it young Lady B ETTY , by Way of Endearance,
And to give her a Spice of my Mien and Appearance:
Excuse any more, I'm in Haste to depart,
For a Dance is the Thing that I love at my Heart.
So now my dear Mother, &c.&c.&c.