LIFE of the WOMAN of the Tow N, Continued. T is very common for every perfon to praife the times wherein them elves were young, and imagine people were handfomer, wittier, and much more clever, while they had fpirits and abilities to enjoy fuch qualifications; but after they are grown old, they are apt to fancy the times are always degenerated. However, this I mutt fay, that Covent garden, and its neighbourhood, is not the Covent-garden it was when I was young; and as a proof of it, I fhall infert a letter I met with by accident, which contains an abstract. - Covent-garden, once fo celebrated for its fun and fine women, is grown as dull as any city ward, and its ladies of pleafure, as vulgar and ugly, as fuperannuated cinder-fifters. All but LucyLucy Cooper, indeed, ftill keeps it up in the old way. She is all and every thing as formerly, altho' fhe needs no trumpet to found forth her praises, she has one, fhe has - but to pursue my former defign, which was to let you know what Covent-garden was, and what it is, as far as I can in the compafs of a letter, I will proceed. Formerly there were fuch beauties upon the town, as the Kitten, Bett Carelefs, Mrs. Steward, Mrs. Howell, Peg Defcription of WHAT COVENT-GAR- gy Yates, Sally King, Nanny Hall, and feveral more very fine, or very pretty women; then there was a house in Charles-ftreet, called the Field of blood, where the drole fellows ufed nightly to refort; and then Tom or Moil King's, a coffee-houfe fo called, and which food in the middle of the Coventgarden-market, was at midnight reforted to by all the Bucks, Bloods, Demireps and Choice Spirits in London. At Tom King's you might fee every evening, women of the town, the most celebrated, and drefled as elegant, as if to fet in the ftage box at an Opera. There you were fure alto of meeting every species of human-kind, that intemperance, idlenefs, neceffity, or curiofity could affemble together. In one of the rooms might be feen a group of grave looking tie-wig wearers, half muzzy, eyeing askance a poor fupperlefs ftrumpet, who lay fait afleep on the bench before them, her ragged handkerchief fallen from her neck, expofing her bofom bare, which thefe old letchers were gloting upon. Then you would see Tom King entering, rough as a Bridewell-whipper, roaring down the long room, and roufing all the fleepers, thufting them out of doors by the neck and shoulders, if they did not immediately call for fomething to drink; after he had fet his houfe to rights, three or four jolly fel lows, claret elevated, would enter and put it all into an uproar again; they would drink up one perfon's negus, overfet another's coffee, fnatch the leg of a goofe from a third, pull a fourth by the nose, kick a fifth's thins; till pell mell, higgle-de-piggle-de all the guests in the long room were at battle-royal together. In one of the little rooms, for there were two smaller or auxiliary drinkingrooms, befides what was called the long one, there it was common to have half a dozen ladies fcratching one another for the poffeflion of a man, whofe person they cared no more for, than a fexton for a dead body, except for the perquifites. In the next room there were as many men and women keeping it jollily, making a court there, and not heeding the next room's fray; for there, riots, bowls breaking, fhrieking, murder, and fuch like amufements were fo common, that I have known perfons fighting in one box, and at the fame time, in the box over against them, another company drinking and being merry among themfelves, and not thinking it even worth their while to pay any attention to the belligerants, fo common there then were fuch things as frays, fights and fcufles. comus One reason that battles were fo much in talle there, was owing to boxing be ing then in its meridian at Broughton's amphitheatre; and our young fellows then, instead of studying Hoyle, to know how to play a hand of cards, were daily practifing with the coachman, the barber and Broughton, how to manage their own hands. There was then no difputes between majority and minority, no betts on politics: no, it was only Smallwood against Dimmock, Hunt and Jack James; Taylor against George, or George against Jack. At this time the town fwarmed with three different förts of oddities, fome of which were called Clever Fellows; fome were called, Bold Fellows, and fome very Odd Fellows. Then was the cyder-cellar in Maiden-lane in great vogue; then Harry Hatfell, Sim Sloper, John George Cox, Bob Washburn, Harry Summers, Docter Barrowby, Jemmy Tafwel, Totty Wright, and a regiment more of frolicmaking and frolic-loving beings; and, like Falftaff, were not only witty themfelves, but the cause of keeping it alive in others. But the whole, face of affairs in and about the Garden are totally changed; the fine women now are defcended to street-walkers, and the only houfes now encouraged are those kept by people of the most ignominious difpofitions; fuch as the CAT, where every enormity is nightly practifed, that low-bred debauch and infamous ignominy can perform. Where impofition, with a moft ftupid vifage, grins in your face; and where bafe fawning vulgarity, waddles into the room, to fwill the liquor about, and most filthily fulfome to flatter you out of t'other bottle. The women that live in lodgings and jelly-fhops now, about the precincts of the Garden, are a set of most ignorant, offenfive difeafe-beaten prostitutes, whofe converfation is made up of the groffeft obfcenity, too rank to be heard by any but coal-porters. Thefe ftrumpets are the refuge of futtling-tents, and fea-ports, and what were formerly drummed out of camps and maritime towns, for infecting our fea and land fubalterns. And now palm their rottenneffes upon the London bucks for new faces, by the help of much white-lead daubings, carmine, tally-womens faith, and milliners frippery, they appear like fresh painted feftoons upon monuments, tawdry coverings to corruption. We no more meet cafually with fome hearty and really jolly drole fellows, with whom even prudence would now and then forgive our fetting up late; but the Town is now peftered with a crew of 'Prentice-boys, Rakes, and Baby-bucks; fuch an unripened fet of profligates, that put even finning out of countenance; oaths fet aukward upon them, yet they are moft terrible fwearers, One night's drinking thatters their constitutions; yet they are always for gorging bumpers, they are for running any body through the body over night at the bawdy houses; but the next day in their fhops, fall down on their knees trembling, if their master shakes his cane or rattan over them. I am, dear Friend, Your's fincerely, &c. &c. When I left Jenny Douglafs I fet up for myself in the fnug way. I hired a very convenient house in the city, with a back-door that opened into a churchyard; and there I received company, but extremely private, many and many a good grave cuftomer have I had ftep in after he has been at evening-lecture. But it is an old faying, that if you can but once make the world believe you are good, you have no occafion to be fo. This I used to fee verified by my cuftomers, who I took care should be very refponfible people, masters of great fortune and large families, and what both at the court end of the town, and in the city, were looked upon to be the most religious and most virtuous men in it. As to their virtue, if the meaning of that term was to be confined to chaftity, they were strictly virtuous, through the impotency of age or bodily infirmi ties; but as libidinous in their minds as drunken fatires-faugh, I can hardly forbear spitting at their memories, when I reflect of the old Goatih Dotardstheir vanities their lufts-their meannefs, and what feems a paradox, their prodigalities. They would fpare no expence upon the woman, who would gratify them in their loathfome defires, and yet would be pleafed if they could pay half a guinea fhort in the reckoning.. In both these defpicable taftes did I indulge them, I suffered my person to be at their fervice now and then, and would often caft up a reckoning nine or ten fhillings fhort, and they would chuckle; I have feen their spectacles totter upon their pinched in noses, as they have giggled inwardly at my mistake, as they thought it, which they never would tell me of, but paid the bill immediately. One old gallant I then had, was looked upon to be a moft covetous wretch, and was so to all the world but me. He was the worst of husbands, and the worst of mafters to work for; he has made feveral of his manufacturers make away with themselves, he fo diftreffed them. For his way was to order fuch and fuch goods, and when the poor labouring people had near fi nifhed them, pretend his orders from abroad where countermanded; that he did not want the goods, and if they would not take half price for their work, they might lay upon their hands. By this means he accumulated a minifterial fortune, and his labourers perished. They could not fue him for not paying them, as he fet them at work-for this I know, from my own observation, that although the English laws are most excellent, they never yet sheltered the induftrious poor from purfe-proud oppreffion. Yet this man to me was profufe; but what is it that vice cannot draw money from. I was looked upon then to have a very handfome leg and foot, and he would make me ftand upon the stairs for half an hour at a time, while he ftood below me, looking at them. How I How did I use to curfe him in my heart for confining me fo long in fo infipid a manner; then he would undrefs my feet and legs, and kifs my footfies, as he used to call them: and this was all the familiarity he ever thought proper to make ufe of with me; but I was always obliged to fup with him, and he made me feed him, as if he was a baby. He payed very dear for the fatigues he gave me; I abhored him, but he was rich; and I, as a true whore, confidered money as the first principle of all things. I had another, who was in the commiffion, and a mighty severe man against ftrumpets and street-walkers; and he would, when he visited me, which was generally upon a Sunday-evening, at his return from the evening lecture, which he used to go to at the church clofe to which my houfe ftood, for the conveniency of stealing in at my backdoor-to so good a purpose did he dedicate his religion. Then he would repeat his fpeech that he made at feffions, or veftry, or hall, and I was obliged to hear all his haranguing against the licentioufnefs of the age, and the debaucheries and vices, and rebellious principles of the nation; and that it was a fhame the English should have any liberty, fince they only made ufe of it to fly in their fuperiors faces; that no people but rich folks could be great folks; and no body but fuch great folks, could be judges of any thing. Then he talked to me about neconomy, and how proper it was at this juncture to fet about a reformation of manners; and that passive obedience was what ought to be inculcated among all ranks of people. God help me; I was indeed forced with him to how paffive obedience, which I detefted, but he made me great prefents, and therefore it was worth my while once a week, I thought, to endure him in bed with me for an hour, as to enjoyment, as I never expected it from him, I was never deceived, for he only would teize me, and pretend to fondle me, and fuch pieces of unfatis, fying folly. I had a third gallant, who gave me five guineas, besides bringing me fome pretty presents at every turn; and he ufed to visit me twice a week, only to comb my head of hair out. It was very long, and a very fine bright auburn colour; thus would fet employing himfelf for an hour, and then take his leave-this man was one of the richest men in 'Change-alley, and one of so barbarous a temper, that he fuffered his only fon to perish in the Marshalsea-prifon, because the young man had married an unportioned young lady of extraordinary merit, against the old fellow's content. I dare not ftain the paper with those enormous scenes of fuperannuated debauchery, that I have been, much againft my will, an eye-witness to. I was a prostitute, an avaritious postitute, and for money fuffered men to poffefs my person, though I despised them; yet hypocrify taught me to be submissive to my patrons, to those who were fo lavifh of their presents to me. Yet in this was I worse than the generality of the world? I am fure, if we look among the majority of mankind, and examine into the origin of many equipages, many ettates, and many pre miums and preferments, fhall we not find, that feveral of the poffeffors obtained thofe luxuries by proflitution.I could, if I dare, mention fome names, who now hold their heads very high, and are greatly ftared at, who owe all their advancement to their meanness; and if they had not been the most vile, would never have been *********. Bufinefs began to encrease fo faft, I was obliged to look out for a lady to affift me. I vifited a particular and a tried friend, told her my scheme of bringing her into to be partners with me; fhe was overjoyed at my propofal, and next day came to live with me. During my refidence in this house, I admitted no young fellows to vifit me; no man under forty stepped over my threshold, as a guest. I knew the danger of fuffering youth to indulge themfelves in any licentioufnefs, they were proud of making it a parade; while, on on the contrary, I had a ftaid demure fet of old impotent gallants, who altho' they were as wicked as 'twas poffible for vice to contrive, yet wore fuch a ceremonious fanctity, were reputed fuch good, pious and chafte men, that they were as much afraid of being difcovered as I could be. But what aftonished me was, that thefe old fellows, who were looked upon as wife men among one another, and I fometimes read their names in the news-papers, concerned in works of confequence, or being elected to confider about affairs of importance, and yet I ever found them men of weak intellects, perfons of uneven, very uneven minds, and the sense which they had, greatly overbalanced by folly and impotent paffions. I could not reconcile to myfelf, how men in public should appear of fuch confequence in their understandings, and yet in private be but drivellers. I knew they were not wife men, and I could not guess by what legerdemain and fineffe they could palm themselves as fages upon the rest of the world. Wrinkled, chop-fallen, blear-eyed, and broken-winded, with hamtrembling gait, and gouty-legs, they would fuffer me to praise them, they would believe me when I told them they look, ed comely and healthful, that they were grown young again, that they had fine fpirits, and had strong constitutions; nay, I have perfuaded men of fixty to drefs like boys of 16, and have their full buckled bobs new made with bag wig fronts to them. Certainly I thought to myself, that this phrafe of being a man of fenfe is a cant term, and not a title that people deserve to whom it is generally given; or that there is a great deal of common place, or mechanical methods in what is called wisdom. I wanted to be fatis. fied, I had often dreffed myself in men's cloaths-I was eafy in them-I pro cured me a fuit with a furtout, and boots, and dreffed like a country man, I called upon a gentleman, an old acquaintance of mine, told him what I wanted to be fatisfied about, and request ed him to introduce me to fome clubs, that he frequented at the taverns. He very readily agreed to pilot me among them, he said, but he laughed at my fcheme, and told me the more I converfed with men, the lefs I should admire their understandings; and that if I expected to meet with men of even common fenfe among the evening par ties, I fhould be terribly disappointed; for intereft, vanity, or intemperances, totally have fubverted a regular way of thinking, and a juft way of acting among mankind. I had told my elderly vifitors I was going out of town for a week, and leaving my house in the truft of a lady that I could confide in, I began my travels along with the guide I had pitched upon. We went the first evening into the city to a very noted tavern, and where I faw one or two faces, who were now and then vilitors to me.-Before supper was ferved in, there was nothing faid, I thought, worth attending to; one told us about a hurt he had got in his ankle, another how far his horfe trotted with him, another gave us a lecture on the national debt, all talkers, few hearers. After the cloth was taken away, and two or three toasts drank, which I wonder men are not afhamed among one another to propose; how can they keep each other in coun→ tenance, and yet what is fo common, and at the fame time what is fo vulgar. I foon grew fick of this fet, whò, while they continued fober, were dull; and as they grew drunk, were mad. The next evening I was brought a mong a set of geniuffes, jolly-dogs, and damn'd high fellows, as they called themselves; but these jolly dogs, I found to be the faddeft dogs I ever be fore converfed with. We went to Comus's-court, as they called it, to one Jack Speed's, White horfe, Fetter-lane, where these very high humourists were to affemble that evening.. When we took our seats, and I had once or twice looked round the room, and examined the many persons who |