THE BEE, No. II.

the republic of letters, unwilling to acknowledge | that all his life had been spent in erroneous philosophy, joined in the universal disapprobation, and the English philosophers seemed entirely unknown.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1759.

ON DRESS.

Maupertuis, however, made them his study; he thought he might oppose the physics of his country, and yet still be a good citizen; he defended our FOREIGNERS observe, that there are no ladies in countrymen, wrote in their favour, and at last, as he had truth on his side, carried his cause. Almost the world more beautiful, or more ill-dressed, than all the learning of the English, till very lately, was those of England. Our countrywomen have been conveyed in the language of France. The writings compared to those pictures, where the face is the of Maupertuis spread the reputation of his master, work of a Raphael, but the draperies thrown out Newton, and, by a happy fortune, have united his by some empty pretender, destitute of taste, and fame with that of our human prodigy. entirely unacquainted with design.

If I were a poet, I might observe, on this occasion, that so much beauty, set off with all the advantages of dress, would be too powerful an antagonist for the opposite sex, and therefore, it was wisely ordered that our ladies should want taste, lest their admirers should entirely want reason.

The first of his performances, openly, in vindication of the Newtonian system, is his treatise, entitled, Sur la figure des Astres, if I remember right; a work at once expressive of a deep geometrical knowledge, and the most happy manner of delivering abstruse science with ease. This met with But to confess a truth, I do not find they have a violent opposition from a people, though fond of greater aversion to fine clothes than the women novelty in every thing else, yet, however, in mat- of any other country whatsoever. I can not fancy, ters of science, attached to ancient opinions with that a shop-keeper's wife in Cheapside has a greater bigotry. As the old and obstinate fell away, the youth of France embraced the new opinions, and now seem more eager to defend Newton than even his countrymen.

tederness for the fortune of her husband than a citizen's wife in Paris; or that miss in a boardingschool is more an economist in dress than mademoiselle in a nunnery.

The oddity of character which great men are Although Paris may be accounted the soil in sometimes remarkable for, Maupertuis was not which almost every fashion takes its rise, its inentirely free from. If we can believe Voltaire, he fluence is never so general there as with us. They once attempted to castrate himself; but whether study there the happy method of uniting grace and this be true or no, it is certain, he was extremely fashion, and never excuse a woman for being awkwhimsical. Though born to a large fortune, when wardly dressed, by saying her clothes are made in employed in mathematical inquiries, he disregarded the mode. A French woman is a perfect architect his person to such a degree, and loved retirement in dress; she never, with Gothic ignorance, mixes so much, that he has been more than once put on the orders; she never tricks out a squabby Doric the list of modest beggars by the curates of Paris, shape with Corinthian finery; or, to speak without when he retired to some private quarter of the metaphor, she conforms to general fashion, only town, in order to enjoy his meditations without in- when it happens not to be repugnant to private terruption. The character given of him by one beauty.

of Voltaire's antagonists, if it can be depended Our ladies, on the contrary, seem to have no upon, is much to his honour. "You," says this other standard for grace but the run of the town. writer to Mr. Voltaire, "were entertained by the If fashion gives the word, every distinction of King of Prussia as a buffoon, but Maupertuis as a beauty, complexion, or stature, ceases. Sweeping philosopher." It is certain, that the preference trains, Prussian bonnets, and trollopees, as like which this royal scholar gave to Maupertuis was each other as if cut from the same piece, level all the cause of Voltaire's disagreement with him. to one standard. The Mall, the gardens, and the Voltaire could not bear to see a man whose talents playhouses, are filled with ladies in uniform, and he had no great opinion of preferred before him as their whole appearance shows as little variety of president of the royal academy. His Micromégas taste, as if their clothes were bespoke by the colowas designed to ridicule Maupertuis; and probably nel of a marching regiment, or fancied by the same it has brought more disgrace on the author than artist who dresses the three battalions of guards. the subject. Whatever absurdities men of letters But not only ladies of every shape and comhave indulged, and how fantastical soever the plexion, but of every age too, are possessed of this modes of science have been, their anger is still more unaccountable passion of dressing in the same `subject to ridicule. manner. A lady of no quality can be distinguished

from a lady of some quality, only by the redness of strous muff. I hate those odious muffs." I could her hands; and a woman of sixty, masked, might have patiently borne a criticism on all the rest of easily pass for her grandaughter. I remember, a my equipage; but as I had always a peculiar venefew days ago, to have walked behind a damsel, ration for my muff, I could not forbear being piqued tossed out in all the gaiety of fifteen; her dress was a little; and, throwing my eyes with a spiteful air loose, unstudied, and seemed the result of conscious on her bosom, "I could heartily wish, madam,” beauty. I called up all my poetry on this occasion, replied I, "that for your sake my muff was cut inand fancied twenty Cupids prepared for execution to a tippet."

in every folding of her white negligee. I had pre- As my cousin, by this time, was grown heartily pared my imagination for an angel's face; but what was my mortification to find that the imaginary goddess was no other than my cousin Hannah, four years older than myself, and I shall be sixtytwo the twelfth of next November.

As my cousin had not put on all this finery for nothing, she was at that time sallying out to the Park, when I had overtaken her. Perceiving, however, that I had on my best wig, she offered, if I would 'squire her there, to send home the footman. Though I trembled for our reception in public, yet I could not with any civility refuse; so, to be as gallant as possible, I took her hand in my arm, and thus we marched on together.

ashamed of her gentleman-usher, and as I was never very fond of any kind of exhibition myself, it was mutually agreed to retire for a while to one of the seats, and from that retreat remark on others as freely as they had remarked on us.

After the transports of our first salute were over, When seated, we continued silent for some time, I could not avoid running my eye over her whole employed in very different speculations. I regardappearance. Her gown was of cambric, cut short ed the whole company, now passing in review bebefore, in order to discover a high-heeled shoe, fore me, as drawn out merely for my amusement. which was buckled almost at the toe. Her cap, if For my entertainment the beauty had all that eap it might be called that cap was none, consisted morning been improving her charms, the beau had of a few bits of cambric, and flowers of painted put on lace, and the young doctor a big wig, merepaper stuck on one side of her head. Her bosom, ly to please me. But quite different were the senthat had felt no hand, but the hand of time, these timents of cousin Hannah; she regarded every twenty years, rose suing, but in vain, to be press- well-dressed woman as a victorious rival, hated ed. I could, indeed, have wished her more than a every face that seemed dressed in good-humour, or handkerchief of Paris net to shade her beauties; wore the appearance of greater happiness than her for, as Tasso says of the rose bud, Quanto si mos- own. I perceived her uneasiness, and attempted tra men tanto è più bella, I should think her's to lessen it, by observing, that there was no commost pleasing when least discovered. pany in the Park to-day. To this she readily as sented, "and yet," says she, "it is full enough of scrubs of one kind or another." My smiling at this observation gave her spirits to pursue the bent of her inclination, and now she began to exhibit her skill in secret history, as she found me disposed to listen. "Observe," says she to me, "that old woman in tawdry silk, and dressed out even be yond the fashion. That is Miss Biddy Evergreen, Miss Biddy, it seems, has money, and as she conWhen we made our entry at the Park, two an- siders that money was never so scarce as it is now, tiquated figures, so polite and so tender as we seem- she seems resolved to keep what she has to herself. ed to be, soon attracted the eyes of the company. She is ugly enough you see; yet I assure you she As we made our way among crowds who were has refused several offers to my own knowledge, out to show their finery as well as we, wherever within this twelvemonth. Let me see, three gentlewe came, I perceived we brought good-humour in men from Ireland, who study the law, two waiting our train. The polite could not forbear smiling, captains, a doctor, and a Scotch preacher, who had and the vulgar burst out into a horse-laugh at our like to have carried her off. All her time is passed grotesque figures. Cousin Hannah, who was per- between sickness and finery. Thus she spends fectly conscious of the rectitude of her own appearance, attributed all this mirth to the oddity of mine; while I as cordially placed the whole to her account. Thus, from being two of the best natured creatures alive, before we got half-way up the mall, we both began to grow peevish, and, like two "There goes Mrs. Roundabout, I mean the fat mice on a string, endeavoured to revenge the im- lady in the lutestring trollopee. Between you pertinence of others upon ourselves. "I am amazed, and I, she is but a cutler's wife. See how she's cousin Jeffery," says miss, "that I can never get dressed, as fine as hands and pins can make her, you to dress like a Christian. I knew we should while her two marriageable daughters, like bunhave the eyes of the Park upon us, with your great ters, in stuff gowns, are now taking sixpennywig so frizzed, and yet so beggarly, and your mon-worth of tea at the White-Conduit-House. Odious

the whole week in a close chamber, with no other company but her monkey, her apothecary, and cat; and comes dressed out to the Park every Sunday, to show her airs, to get new lovers, to catch a new cold, and to make new work for the doctor.

puss! how she waddles along, with her train two robberies are not so much as heard of? for my yards behind her! She puts me in mind of my part, I have not in the whole country seen a gibLord Bantam's Indian sheep, which are obliged to bet or a gallows. They pay an infinite respect to have their monstrous tails trundled along in a go- their ecclesiastics, whom they suppose to be the cart. For all her airs, it goes to her husband's privy counsellors of Providence, who, on their part, heart to see four yards of good lutestring wearing turn this credulity to their own advantage, and against the ground, like one of his knives on a manage their parishioners as they please. In genegrindstone. To speak my mind, cousin Jeffery, Iral, however, they seldom abuse their sovereign never liked tails; for suppose a young fellow should authority. Hearkened to as oracles, regarded as be rude, and the lady should offer to step back in the dispensers of eternal rewards and punisha fright, instead of retiring, she treads upon her ments, they readily influence their hearers into train, and falls fairly on her back; and then you justice, and make them practical philosophers withknow, cousin, her clothes may be spoiled. out the pains of study.

"Ah! Miss Mazzard! I knew we should not As to their persons, they are perfectly well miss her in the Park; she in the monstrous Prus- made, and the men particularly have a very ensian bonnet. Miss, though so very fine, was bred gaging air. The greatest part of the boys which a milliner, and might have had some custom if she I saw in the country had very white hair. They had minded her business; but the girl was fond of were as beautiful as Cupids, and there was somefinery, and instead of dressing her customers, laid thing open and entirely happy in their little chubout all her goods in adorning herself. Every new by faces. The girls, on the contrary, have neither gown she put on impaired her credit: she still how- such fair, nor such even complexions, and their ever, went on improving her appearance, and les- features are much less delicate, which is a circumsening her little fortune, and is now, you see, be- stance different from that of almost every other come a belle and a bankrupt." country. Besides this, it is observed, that the My cousin was proceeding in her remarks, which women are generally afflicted with the itch, for were interrupted by the approach of the very lady which Scania is particularly remarkable. I had she had been so freely describing. Miss had per- an instance of this in one of the inns on the road. ceived her at a distance, and approached to salute The hostess was one of the most beautiful women her. I found, by the warmth of the two ladies' I have ever seen; she had so fine a complexion, protestations, that they had been long intimate that I could not avoid admiring it. But what was esteemed friends and acquaintance. Both were so my surprise, when she opened her bosom in order pleased at this happy rencounter, that they were to suckle her child, to perceive that seat of delight resolved not to part for the day. So we all crossed all covered with this disagreeable temper. The the Park together, and I saw them into a hackney- careless manner in which she exposed to our eyes coach at the gate of St. James's. I could not, so disgusting an object, sufficiently testifies that however, help observing, "That they are generally most ridiculous themselves, who are apt to see most ridicule in others."

SOME PARTICULARS RELATIVE TO
CHARLES XII. NOT COMMONLY
KNOWN.

SIR,

Stockholm.

they regard it as no extraordinary malady, and seem to take no pains to conceal it. Such are the remarks, which propably you may think trifling enough, I have made in my journey to Stockholm, which, to take it all together, is a large, beautiful, and even a populous city.

The arsenal appears to me one of its greatest curiosities; it is a handsome, spacious building, but however, scantily supplied with the implements of war. To recompense this defect, they have alI CAN NOT resist your solicitations, though it is most filled it with trophies, and other marks of their possible I shall be unable to satisfy your curiosity. former military glory. I saw there several chamThe polite of every country seem to have but one bers filled with Danish, Saxon, Polish, and Ruscharacter. A gentleman of Sweden differs but sian standards. There was at least enough to little, except in trifles, from one of another coun-suffice half a dozen armies; but new standards are try. It is among the vulgar we are to find those more easily made than new armies can be enlisted. distinctions which characterise a people, and from I saw, besides, some very rich furniture, and them it is that I take my picture of the Swedes. some of the crown jewels of great value; but what Though the Swedes, in general, appear to lan-principally engaged my attention, and touched me guish under oppression, which often renders others with passing melancholy, were the bloody, yet prewicked, or of malignant dispositions, it has not, how-cious spoils of the two greatest heroes the North ever, the same influence upon them, as they are ever produced. What I mean are the clothes in faithful, civil, and incapable of atrocious crimes. which the great Gustavus Adolphus, and the intreWould you believe that, in Sweden, highway pid Charles XII., died, by a fate not unusual to

kings. The first, if I remember, is a sort of a buff for some time in the school of affliction; who waistcoat, made antique fashion, very plain, and weigh happiness against glory, and teach their roywithout the least ornaments; the second, which al pupils the real value of fame; who are ever was even more remarkable, consisted only of a showing the superior dignity of man to that of coarse blue cloth coat, a large hat of less value, a royalty: that a peasant who does his duty is a noshirt of coarse linen, large boots, and buff gloves bler character than a king of even middling repumade to cover a great part of the arm. His saddle, tation. Happy, I say, were princes, could such his pistols, and his sword, have nothing in them men be found to instruct them; but those to whom remarkable; the meanest soldier was in this respect such an education is generally intrusted, are men no way inferior to his gallant monarch. I shall who themselves have acted in a sphere too high to use this opportunity to give you some particulars know mankind. Puffed up themselves with the of the life of a man already so well known, which ideas of false grandeur, and measuring merit by I had from persons who knew him when a child, adventitious circumstances of greatness, they geneand who now, by a fate not unusual to courtiers, rally communicate those fatal prejudices to their spend a life of poverty and retirement, and talk pupils, confirm their pride by adulation, or increase over in raptures all the actions of their old victo- their ignorance by teaching them to despise that rious king, companion, and master. wisdom which is found among the poor.

Courage and inflexible constancy formed the ba- But not to moralize when I only intend a story, sis of this monarch's character. In his tenderest what is related of the journeys of this prince is no years he gave instances of both. When he was less astonishing. He has sometimes been on yet scarcely seven years old, being at dinner with horseback for four-and-twenty hours successively, the queen his mother, intending to give a bit of and thus traversed the greatest part of his kingbread to a great dog he was fond of, this hungry dom. At last none of his officers were found caanimal snapped too greedily at the morsel, and bit pable of following him; he thus consequently his hand in a terrible manner. The wound bled rode the greatest part of his journeys quite alone, copiously, but our young hero, without offering to without taking a moment's repose, and without cry, or taking the least notice of his misfortune, any other subsistence but a bit of bread. In one endeavoured to conceal what had happened, lest of these rapid courses he underwent an adventure his dog should be brought into trouble, and wrap- singular enough. Riding thus post one day, all ped his bloody hand in the napkin. The queen, alone, he had the misfortune to have his horse fall perceiving that he did not eat, asked him the reason. dead under him. This might have embarrassed He contented himself with replving, that he thanked an ordinary man, but it gave Charles no sort of her, he was not hungry. They thought he was taken uneasiness. Sure of finding another horse, but ill, and so repeated their solicitations; but all was in vain, though the poor child was already grown pale with the loss of blood. An officer who at tended at table at last perceived it; for Charles would sooner have died than betrayed his dog, who he knew intended no injury.

not equally so of meeting with a good saddle and pistols, he ungirds his horse, claps the whole equipage on his own back, and thus accoutred marches on to the next inn, which by good fortune was not far off. Entering the stable, he here found a horse entirely to his mind; so, without further ceremony, At another time, when in the small-pox, and his he clapped on his saddle and housing with great case appeared dangerous, he grew one day very composure, and was just going to mount, when uneasy in his bed, and a gentleman who watched the gentleman who owned the horse was apprised him, desirous of covering him up close, received of a stranger's going to steal his property out of from the patient a violent box on his ear. Some the stable. Upon asking the king, whom he had hours after, observing the prince more calm, he never seen, bluntly, how he presumed to meddle entreated to know how he had incurred his dis- with his horse, Charles coolly replied, squeezing in pleasure, or what he had done to have merited a his lips, which was his usual custom, that he took blow. A blow, replied Charles, I don't remember the horse because he wanted one; for you see, any thing of it; I remember, indeed, that I thought continued he, if I have none, I shall be obliged to myself in the battle of Arbela, fighting for Darius, carry the saddle myself. This answer did not where I gave Alexander a blow which brought him seem at all satisfactory to the gentleman, who into the ground. stantly drew his sword. In this the king was not What great effects might not these two qualities much behind-hand with him, and to it they were of courage and constancy have produced, had they going, when the guards by this time came up, and at first received a just direction. Charles, with testified that surprise which was natural to see proper instructions, thus naturally disposed, would arms in the hand of a subject against his king. have been the delight and the glory of his age. Imagine whether the gentleman was less surprisHappy those princes who are educated by men ed than they at his unpremeditated disobedience. who are at once virtuous and wise, and have been His astonishment, however, was soon dissipated by

the king, who, taking him by the hand, assured They who, like him, can place themselves on him he was a brave fellow, and himself would that side of the world, in which every thing sp take care he should be provided for. This pro- pears in a ridiculous or pleasing light, will find mise was afterwards fulfilled, and I have been as-something in every occurrence to excite their good sured the king made him a captain.

HAPPINESS, IN A GREAT MEASURE,
DEPENDENT ON CONSTITUTION.

humour. The most calamitous events, either to themselves or others, can bring no new affliction; the whole world is to them a theatre, on which comedies only are acted. All the bustle of heroism, or the rants of ambition, serve only to heighten the absurdity of the scene, and make the humour more poignant. They feel, in short, as little WHEN I reflect on the unambitious retirement anguish at their own distress, or the complaints in which I passed the earlier part of my life in the of others, as the undertaker, though dressed in country, I can not avoid feeling some pain in think-black, feels sorrow at a funeral.

when he found one lady cruel, he generally fell in love with another, from whom he expected a more favourable reception; if she too rejected his addresses, he never thought of retiring into deserts,

ing that those happy days are never to return. In Of all the men I ever read of, the famous Carthat retreat all nature seemed capable of affording dinal de Retz possessed this happiness of temper pleasure I then made no refinements on happi- in the highest degree. As he was a man of gal ness, but could be pleased with the most awkward lantry, and despised all that wore the pedantic apefforts of rustic mirth; thought cross-purposes the pearance of philosophy, wherever pleasure was to highest stretch of human wit, and questions and be sold he was generally foremost to raise the auccommands the most rational amusement for spend- tion. Being a universal admirer of the fair sex, ing the evening. Happy could so charming an illusion still continue! I find age and knowledge only contribute to sour our dispositions. My pre sent enjoyments may be more refined, but they are infinitely less pleasing. The pleasure Garrick or pining in hopeless distress: he persuaded himgives can no way compare to that I have received self, that instead of loving the lady, he only fanfrom a country wag, who imitated a quaker's ser- cied he had loved her, and so all was well again. The music of Matei is dissonance to what When fortune wore her angriest look, when he at I felt when our old dairy-maid sung me into tears last fell into the power of his most deadly enemy, with Johnny Armstrong's Last Good Night, or Cardinal Mazarine, and was confined a close prithe cruelty of Barbara Allen. soner in the castle of Vincennes, he never attemptWriters of every age have endeavoured to show ed to support his distress by wisdom or philosothat pleasure is in us, and not in the objects offer-phy, for he pretended to neither. He laughed at ed for our amusement. If the soul be happily dis- himself and his persecutor, and seemed infinitely posed, every thing becomes a subject of entertain-pleased at his new situation. In this mansion of ment, and distress will almost want a name. distress, though secluded from his friends, though Every occurrence passes in review like the figures denied all the amusements, and even the conveof a procession: some may be awkward, others ill-dressed, but none but a fool is for this enraged with the master of the ceremonies.

mon.

niences of life, teased every hour by the impertinence of wretches who were employed to guard him, he still retained his good-humour, laughed at I remember to have once seen a slave in a forti- all their little spite, and carried the jest so far as to fication in Flanders, who appeared no way touch-be revenged, by writing the life of his gaoler. ed with his situation. He was maimed, deformed, All that philosophy can teach, is to be stubborn and chained; obliged to toil from the appearance or sullen under misfortunes. The cardinal's exof day till nightfall, and condemned to this for life; ample will instruct us to be merry in circumstances yet, with all these circumstances of apparent of the highest affliction. It matters not whether wretchedness, he sung, would have danced, but our good-humour be construed by others into inthat he wanted a leg, and appeared the merriest, sensibility, or even idiotism; it is happiness to ourhappiest man of all the garrison. What a prac-selves, and none but a fool would measure his satistical philosopher was here! a happy constitution faction by what the world thinks of it. supplied philosophy, and though seemingly desti- Dick Wildgoose was one of the happiest silly tute of wisdom, he was really wise. No reading fellows I ever knew. He was of the number of or study had contributed to disenchant the fairy those good-natured creatures that are said to do no land around him. Every thing furnished him harm to any but themselves. Whenever Dick fell with an opportunity of mirth; and though some thought him from his insensibility a fool, he was such an idiot as philosophers might wish in vain to imitate.

into any misery, he usually called it seeing life. If his head was broke by a chairman, or his pocket picked by a sharper, he comforted himself by imitating the Hibernian dialect of the one, or the