There Are But Few Cider-Houses About London, Though This Be Liquor
Of English Growth, Because It Is Generally Thought Too Cold For The
Climate, And To Elevate The Spirits Less Than Wine Or Strong Beer.
The four grand distinctions of the people are these:- (1) The
nobility and gentry; (2) the merchants and first-rate tradesmen; (3)
the lawyers and physicians; and (4) inferior tradesmen, attorneys,
clerks, apprentices, coachmen, carmen, chairmen, watermen, porters,
and servants.
The first class may not only be divided into nobility and gentry,
but into either such as have dependence on the Court, or such as
have none. Those who have offices, places, or pensions from the
Court, or any expectations from thence, constantly attend the levees
of the prince and his ministers, which takes up the greatest part of
the little morning they have. At noon most of the nobility, and
such gentlemen as are members of the House of Commons, go down to
Westminster, and when the Houses do not sit late, return home to
dinner. Others that are not members of either House, and have no
particular business to attend, are found in the chocolate-houses
near the Court, or in the park, and many more do not stir from their
houses till after dinner. As to the ladies, who seldom rise till
about noon, the first part of their time is spent, after the duties
of the closet, either at the tea-table or in dressing, unless they
take a turn to Covent Garden or Ludgate Hill, and tumble over the
mercers' rich silks, or view some India or China trifle, some
prohibited manufacture, or foreign lace.
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