His First Aim Is To Adorn His Own Person With
What He Calls Fine Cloaths, That Is The Frippery Of The Fashion.
It is no wonder that the heart of a female, unimproved by reason,
and untinctured with natural good sense, should flutter at the
sight of such a gaudy thing, among the number of her admirers:
This impression is enforced by fustian compliments, which her own
vanity interprets in a literal sense, and still more confirmed by
the assiduous attention of the gallant, who, indeed, has nothing
else to mind. A Frenchman in consequence of his mingling with the
females from his infancy, not only becomes acquainted with all
their customs and humours; but grows wonderfully alert in
performing a thousand little offices, which are overlooked by
other men, whose time hath been spent in making more valuable
acquisitions. He enters, without ceremony, a lady's bed-chamber,
while she is in bed, reaches her whatever she wants, airs her
shift, and helps to put it on. He attends at her toilette,
regulates the distribution of her patches, and advises where to
lay on the paint. If he visits her when she is dressed, and
perceives the least impropriety in her coeffure, he insists upon
adjusting it with his own hands: if he sees a curl, or even a
single hair amiss, he produces his comb, his scissars, and
pomatum, and sets it to rights with the dexterity of a professed
friseur. He 'squires her to every place she visits, either on
business, or pleasure; and, by dedicating his whole time to her,
renders himself necessary to her occasions.
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