other sex, that they should be denied the opportunity of exerting them. The remarkable tendency in our politest ladies," to talk, though they have nothing to say," and the torrent of eloquence, that pours (on the most trivial occasions) from the lips of those females, called scolds, give abundant proofs of that command of words, and flow of eloquence, which so few men have been able to attain. Again, if action is the life and soul of an oration, how many advantages have the ladies in this particular? The waving of a snowy arm, artfully shaded with the enchanting slope of a double ruffle, would have twenty times the force of the stiff see-saw of a male orator: and when they come to the most animated parts of the oration, which demand uncommon warmth and agitation, we should be vanquished by the heaving breast, and all those other charms, which the modern dress is so well calculated to display.

:

Since the ladies are thus undeniably endued with these and many other accomplishments for oratory, that no place should hitherto have been opened for their exerting them, is almost unaccountable. The lower order of females have, indeed, long ago in stituted an academy of this kind at the other end of the town, where oysters and eloquence are in equal perfection but the politer part of the female world have hitherto had no further opportunity of exercising their abilities, than the common occasions which a new cap or petenlair, the tea or the card-table, have alforded them. I am therefore heartily glad, that a plan is at length put in execution, which will encourage their propensity to talking, and enlarge their topics of conversation: but I would more particularly recommend it to all ladies of a clamorous disposition, to attend at Macklin's; that the impetuous stream of eloquence, which, for want of another vent, has long

been poured on their servants or husbands, may now be carried off by another more agreeable channel.

I could not have thought it possible, that this undertaking would have subsisted two nights, without setting all the female tongues from St. James's to Temple-Bar in motion. But the ladies have hitherto been dumb; and female eloquerice seems as unlikely to display itself in public as ever. Whether their modesty will not permit them to open their mouths in the unhallowed air of Covent-Garden, I know not: but I am rather inclined to think, that the questions proposed have not been sufficiently calculated for the female part of the assembly. They might perhaps be tempted to debate," whether Fanny Murray or Lady were the properest to lead the fashion;' "to what lengths a lady might proceed without the loss of her reputation ;" or "whether the beautifying lotion or the royal washball were the most excellent cosmetics." It might also be expected, in complaisance to the fair sex, that the Inquisitor should now and then read a dissertation on natural and artificial beauty; in which he might (with that softness and delicacy peculiar to himself) analyse a lady's face, and give examples of the ogle, the simper, the smile, the languish, the dimple, &c. with a word or two on the use and benefit of paint.

59

But these points I shall leave to Mr. Macklin's consideration: In the mean time, as it is not in my power to oblige the public with a lady's speech, I shall fll up the remainder of my paper with an oration, which my correspondent is desirous should appear in print, though he had not sufficient confidence to deliver it at the Inquisition.

QUESTION.

Whether the Stage might not be made more conducive to virtue and morality?

MR. INQUISITOR,

THE ancient drama had, we know, a religious as well as political view; and was designed to inspire the audience with a reverence to the gods and a love of their country. Our own stage, upon particular occasions, has been made to answer the same ends. Thus we may remember during the last rebellion, besides the loyalty of the fiddles in the orchestra, we were inspired with a detestation of the Pope and Pretender by the Nonjuror, the Jesuit Caught, Perkin Warbeck, or the Popish Impostor, and such other politico-religious dramas.

But there is a species of the drama, which has not yet been mentioned by any of the gentlemen who have spoke to the question, and which is very deficient in point of moral: I mean, pantomimes. Mr. Law has been very severe on the impiety of representing heathen gods and goddesses before a truly Christian audience: and to this we may add, that Harlequin is but a wicked sort of a fellow, and is always running after the girls. For my part I have often blushed to see this impudent rake endeavouring to creep up Columbine's petticoats, and at other times patting her neck, and laying his legs upon her lap. Nobody will say, indeed, that there is much virtue or morality in these entertainments: though it must be confessed to the honour of our neighbouring house here, that the Necromancer and the Sorcerer, after having played many unchristian pranks upon the stage, are at last fairly sent to the devil. I would therefore recommend it to our pantomime-writers, that instead of the Pantheon, or lewd comedies, they would take their subjects

from some old Garland, moral ballad, or penny history book. Suppose, for example, they were to give us the story of Patient Grizzle in dumb shew: setting forth, as how a noble lord fell in love with her, as he was hunting; and there you might have the scene of the spinning wheel, and the song of the Early horn ;and as how, after many trials of her patience, which they might represent by machinery, this lord at last married her; and then you may have a grand temple and a dance. The other house have already revived the good old story of Fortunatus's wishing cap; and as they are fond of introducing little children in their entertainments, suppose they were to exhibit a pantomine of the Three Children in the Wood ;-'twould be vastly pretty to see the paste-board robin-redbreasts let down by wires upon the stage to cover the poor innocent babes with paper leaves. But if they must have fairies and genii, I would advise them to take their stories out of that pretty little book, called the Fairy Tales. I am sure, instead of ostriches, dogs, horses, lions, monkeys, &c. we should be full as well pleased to see the Wolf and little red RidingHood; and we should laugh vastly at the adventures of Puss in Boots. I need not point out the excellent moral, which would be inculcated by representations of this kind; and I am confident they would meet with the deserved applause of all the old women and children in both galleries.

N° 48. THURSDAY DECEMBER 26, 1754.

-Age, libertate Decembri,
Quando ita majores voluerunt, utere.-

HOR.

Come, let us, like our jovial sires of old,
With gambols and mince-pies our Christmas hold.

AT this season of the year it has always been cus

tomary for the lower part of the world to express their gratitude to their benefactors; while some of a more elevated genius among them clothe their thoughts in a kind of holiday dress, and once in the year rise into poets. Thus the bellman bids good night to all his masters and mistresses in couplets; the news-carrier hawks his own verses; and the very lamp-lighter addresses his worthy customers in rhyme. As a servant to the public, I should be wanting in the due respect to my readers, if I also did not take this earliest opportunity of paying them the compliments of the season, and (in the phrase of their barbers, tailors, shoemakers and other tradesmen) wish them a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Those old-fashioned mortals, who have been accustomed to look upon this season with extraordinary devotion, I leave to con over the explanation of it in Nelson It shall at present be my business to shew the different methods of celebrating it in these kingdoms. With the generality, Christmas is looked upon as a festival in the most literal sense, and held sacred by good eating and drinking. These, indeed, are the most distinguishing marks of Christmas: The revenue from the malt-tax and the duty upon wines, &c. on account of these twelve days, has always been found