AND how did the women fare? We have seen that among the middle classes the domestic virtues were encouraged and highly extolled, and to be a 'notable housewife' was a legitimate and proper ambition; but how did the fine-lady class spend their time? Were their lives more usefully employed than those of the beaus ? says that he remembers the time when ladies received visits in bed, and thus graphically describes the custom :[1]  ' It was then looked upon as a piece of Ill breeding for a Woman to refuse to see a Man, because she was not stirring; and a Porter would have been thought unfit for his Place, that could have made so awkward an Excuse. As I love to see everything that is new, I once prevailed upon my Friend Will Honeycomb to carry me along with him to one of these Travelled Ladies, desiring him at the same time, to present me as a Foreigner who could not speak English, so that I might not be obliged to bear a Part in the Discourse. The Lady, tho' willing to appear undrest, had put on her best Looks, and painted herself for our Reception. Her Hair appeared in a very nice Disorder, as the Night Gown which was thrown upon her Shoulders was ruffled with great Care.'

There is an amusing little pamphlet-not a chap book proper [2] --which, though undated, bears internal evidence

Virtually, these two different versions of how an idle woman passed her time agree remarkably well, and they let a whole flood of daylight into the inner life of the time-on what they breakfasted, when they dined, what time the opera began, etc. Apart from opera, the play, and cards, how were the females of the middle class to amuse themselves of an evening? Say they had been busy all day, the evenings had to be passed somehow. There was very little of that domesticity and home life of which we are so proud, for the men spent their evenings at their club, their coffee-house, the tavern, or the play, so they had to amuse themselves with such innocent games as hot cockles, questions and commands, mottoes, similes, cross purposes, blindman's buff, and a game called 'Parson has lost his Cloak,' or else 'Bouts rimes,' which consisted of giving four terminal words of any kind so that they rhymed, and then some one else filling up the blank lines, and making four lines of sensible poetry.[8]  In fact, just the same amusements that are now compelled to be resorted to as pastimes in a village home. The better class had musical evenings, for chamber music was popular, but the spinets and harpsichords were of moderate compass, and very slight in sound. They danced country dances too, any quantity of them; and there was the curse of the age-cards-as a never-failing resource.

The women did not walk much. seems to think they did; but then a little walking went a long way with him. He quite boasts of his walk from and to of a day, a good two-mile walk each way, as somewhat of a feat, and he

The Mall was the fashionable lounge, or the Parade, where smoking was not allowed.[10]  'From thence we walk'd into the Parade, which my Friend told me us'd, in a Morning, to be cover'd with the Bones of Red Herrings, and smelt as strong about Breakfast Times as a Wet Salter's Shop at Midsummer. But now, says he, its perfum'd again with English Breath; and the scent of Oroonoko Tobacco no more offends the Nostrils of our squeamish Ladies.' And there were the lucks to feed on the canal. But the Mall was the place. goes into ecstasies over it: never was there such a sight. 'From thence we went thro' the Pallace into the Park about the time when the Court Ladies raise their extended Limbs from their downy Couches, and Walk into the Mall to refresh their charming Bodies with the Cooling and Salubrious Breezes of the Gilded Evening. We could not possibly have chose a Luckier Minute to have seen the delightful Park in its greatest Glory and Perfection; for the brightest Stars of the Creation sure (that shine by no other Power than humane Excellence) were moving here with such awful State and Majesty that their Graceful Deportments bespoke 'em Goddesses,' etc.

Of course they paid visits-how could women live without a little gossip ? The invaluable takes a note of the practice. ' Persons of the first Quality visit one another in England as much as we do in France, generally about Evening; but the ordinary Sort of People have not that Custom. Among us all the little Shopkeepers, particularly the Women, go with their Gowns about their Heels to visit one another by Turns, either

Tea was then in its infancy, but it was an extremely fashionable beverage, in spite of its expense, and the teatable was the very centre of scandal and gossip.

How see we Scandal (for our sex too base), Seat in dread Empire in the Female Race, 'Mong Beaus and Women, Fans and Mechlin Lace, Chief seat of Slander, Ever there we see Thick Scandal circulate with right Bohea. There, source of black'ning Falshood's Mint of Lies, Each Dame th' Improvement of her Talent tries, And at each Sip a Lady's Honour dies; Truth rare as Silence, or a Negro Swan, Appears among those Daughters of the Fan.

Naturally, when out walking they did a little shopping, or what passed as such; for then, as now, many

'I am,

dear Sir, one of the top China Women about Town; and though I say it, keep as good Things and receive as fine Company as any o' this End of the Town, let the other be who she will. In short I am in a fair Way to be easy, were it not for a Club of Female Rakes who, under pretence of taking their innocent rambles, forsooth, and diverting the Spleen, seldom fail to plague me twice or thrice a day to cheapen Tea, or buy a Skreen. What else should they mean ? as they often repeat it. These Rakes are your idle Ladies of Fashion, who having nothing to do employ themselves in tumbling over my Ware. One of these No Customers (for, by the way, they seldom or never buy anything) calls for a set of Tea Dishes, another for a Bason, a third for my best Green Tea, and even to the Punch bowl; there's scarce a piece in my Shop but must be displaced, and the whole agreeable Architecture disordered, so that I can compare 'em to nothing but to the Night Goblins that take a Pleasure to overturn the Disposition of Plates and Dishes in the kitchens of your housewifely Maids. Well, after all this Racket and Clutter, this is too dear, that is their Aversion; another thing is Charming, but not wanted. The Ladies are cured of the Spleen, but I am not a Shilling the better for it.'

One famous place for shopping was the New Exchange, in , which must have been something like our arcades; and many are the allusions, in contemporary literature, to the dangerous allurements of the Exchange shopgirls. 'Did you buy anything? Some Bawbles. But my choice was so distracted among the Pretty Merchants and their Dealers, I knew not where to run first. One little lisping Rogue, Ribbandths, Gloveths, Tippeths. Sir, cries another, will you buy a fine Sword Knot; then a third, pretty voice and Curtsie, Does not your Lady want Hoods, Scarfs, fine green silk Stockings. I went by as if I had been in a Seraglio, a living Gallery of Beauties-staring from side to side, I bowing, they laughing; so made my escape.' [13] 

This was the universal description of the New Exchange, and the character of their wares has been immortalised in a song by :-

Fine Lace or Linnen, Sir,

Good Gloves or Ribbons here;

What is't you please to Buy,

Sir?

Pray what d'ye ask for this ?

Ten Shillings is the Price;

It cost me, sir, no less,

I Scorn to tell a Lye, Sir.

Madam, what is't you want,

Rich Fans of India paint ?

Fine Hoods or Scarfs, my Lady?

Silk Stockings will you buy,

In Grain or other Dye ?

Pray, Madam, please your Eye;

I've good as e'er was made ye.

My Lady, feel the Weight,

They're Fine, and yet not Slight;

I'd with my Mother trust 'em.

For Goodness and for Wear,

Madam, I Vow and Swear.

I show'd you this same Pair

In hopes to gain your Custom.

Pray tell me in a Word,

At what you can afford,

With Living Gain to sell 'em:

The price is one Pound five,

And as I hope to Live,

I do my Profit give,

Your Honour's very welcome.

Knives, Penknives, Combs or

Scissors,

Tooth Pickers, Sirs, or Tweesers;

Or Walking Canes to Ease ye.

Ladies, d'ye want fine Toys,

For Misses or for Boys ?

Of all sorts I have Choice,

And pretty things to please ye.

I want a little Babye,

As pretty a one as may be,

With Head dress made of Feather:

And now I think again,

I want a Toy from Spain,

You know what 'tis I mean:

Pray send 'em home together.

Another female practice, then, was to go to daily service at church especially-and , , was a very fashionable church at which to worship, or ogle the beaus. [14]  'This Market and that Church,' says my friend, 'hides more faults of kind Wives and Daughters among the Neighbouring Inhabitants than the pretended Visits either to my Cousin at t'other end of the Town, or some other distant Acquaintance; for if the Husband asks, Where have you been, Wife ? or the Parent, Where have you been, Daughter ? the Answer, if it be after Eleven in the forenoon, or between Three and Four in the Afternoon, is, At Prayers. But, if early in the Morning, then their excuse is, I took a walk to Market, not being very well, to refresh myself with the scent of the Herbs and Flowers; Bringing a Flower, or a Sprig of Sweet Bryar, home in her Hand, and it confirms the matter.'

When not walking, ladies used either a coach or a sedan chair, and but seldom rode on horseback; but, when they did so, they generally preferred the pillion to the side-saddle, as

In the country, horse exercise was much more in vogue, and repeatedly alludes to, and reminds Stella of, her riding. When riding, ladies very frequently wore masks to protect the countenance from the rays of the sun.

Frequent allusions are made to a lady's pets, her lap-dog or her parrot; but very few people know the very wide range of choice she had in the selection of those pets. Needless to say there were monkeys, both Marmoset and other kinds; there were paroquets, paroquets of Guinea, cockatoos and macaws, scarlet nightingales from the West Indies, lorries or lurries, canaries, both ash and lemon colour, white and grey turtle doves from Barbary, white turtle doves, and the turtle doves from Moco, no bigger than a lark, spotted very fine. There were milk-white peacocks, white and pyed pheasants, bantams, and furbelow fowls from the East Indies, and

An innocent amusement, of which they were very fond, was dancing. And of dances there were a considerable quantity: country dances and jigs, of which there was an infinite variety, and minuets, rigadoons, and other more stately and stagey dances, as the 'Louvre and the French Brittagne.' These latter were elaborate, and absolutely inaugurated

The effect of learning by this method is whimsically given by . [15]  'I was this morning awakened by a sudden

'I looked in at the keyhole, and there I saw a well made man look with great attention on a book, and on a sudden jump into the air so high, that his head almost touched the ceiling. He came down safe on his right foot, and again flew up, alighting on his left; then looked again at his book, and holding out his right leg, put it into such a quivering motion, that I thought he would have shaked it off. He then used the left after the same manner, when on a sudden, to my great surprise, he stooped himself incredibly low, and turned gently on his toes. After this circular motion, he continued bent in that humble posture for some time, looking on his book. After this, he recovered himself with a sudden spring, and flew round the room in all the violence and disorder imaginable, until he made a full pause for want of breath.

'In this interim, my women asked "what I thought." I whispered, " that I thought this learned person an enthusiast, who possibly had his first education in the Peripatetic way, which was a sect of Philosophers, who always studied when walking." But observing him much out of breath, I thought it the best time to master him if he were disordered, and knocked at his door. I was surprized to find him open it, and say with great civility and good mien, " that he hoped he had not disturbed us." I believed him in a lucid interval, and desired "he would please to let me see his book." He did so, smiling. I could not make anything of it, and therefore asked " in what language it was writ." He said, "it was one he studied with great application; that it was his profession to teach it, and he could not communicate his knowledge without a consideration." I answered " that I hoped he would hereafter keep his thoughts to himself, for his meditation this morning had cost me three coffee dishes, and a clean pipe." He seemed concerned at that, and told me " he was a dancing master, and had been reading a dance or two before he went out, which had been written by one who had been taught at an Academy in France." He observed me at a stand, and

The public dancers were utilised in rather a curious way, if we may credit -who certainly ought to know. She says, in 'Love at a Venture,' ' Sir Paul Cautious, Go to the Play House, and desire some of the Singers and Dancers to come hither,' and the servant, later on in the play, announces 'The Singers and Dancers are come, Sir. (Here is songs and dances.)'

[1] Spectator, No. 45.

[2] The English Lady's Catechism. I have seen the original edition, dated 1703.-J. A.

[3] This settles the date as being early in Anne's reign, as the galleons were captured at Vigo in 1702, and everything from Vigo was fashionable.

[4] Spectator, No. 323.

[5] By Dryden.

[6] The heroine in Aurenzebe.

[7] Duncan Campbell, who pretended to tell fortunes by second sight.

[8] See Spectator, No. 60.

[9] Journal to Stella, letter 23.

[10] The London Spy.

[11] The Works of ThomasBrown, ed. 1708, vol. iii p. 86.

[12] Spectator, No. 337.

[13] The Lying Lover.

[14] The London Spy.

[15] The Tatler, No. 88.