commodiously situated next the Fields in a good
Air; where she teaches all sorts of Birds of
the loquacious Kinds, as Parrots, Starlings,
Magpies, and others, to imitate human Voices in
greater Perfection than ever yet was practis’d.
They are not only instructed to pronounce Words
distinctly, and in a proper Tone and Accent,
but to speak the Language with great Purity and Volubility
of Tongue, together with all the fashionable Phrases
and Compliments now in use either at Tea-Tables
or visiting Days. Those that have good
Voices may be taught to sing the newest Opera-Airs,
and, if requir’d, to speak either Italian
or French,
paying something extraordinary
above the common Rates. They whose Friends
are not able to pay the full Prices may be taken
as Half-boarders. She teaches such as are design’d
for the Diversion of the Publick, and to act
in enchanted Woods on the Theatres, by the Great.
As she has often observ’d with much Concern
how indecent an Education is usually given these innocent
Creatures, which in some Measure is owing to
their being plac’d in Rooms next the Street,
where, to the great Offence of chaste and tender
Ears, they learn Ribaldry, obscene Songs, and immodest
Expressions from Passengers and idle People,
and also to cry Fish and Card-matches, with
other useless Parts of Learning to Birds who
have rich Friends, she has fitted up proper and neat
Apartments for them in the back Part of her said
House; where she suffers none to approach them
but her self, and a Servant Maid who is deaf
and dumb, and whom she provided on purpose to prepare
their Food and cleanse their Cages; having found
by long Experience how hard a thing it is for
those to keep Silence who have the Use of Speech,
and the Dangers her Scholars are expos’d to
by the strong Impressions that are made by harsh Sounds
and vulgar Dialects. In short, if they
are Birds of any Parts or Capacity, she will
undertake to render them so accomplish’d in the
Compass of a Twelve-month, that they shall be
fit Conversation for such Ladies as love to
chuse their Friends and Companions out of this
Species.
R.
* * * *
*
No. 37. Thursday, April 12, 1711.
Addison.
... Non illa
colo calathisve Minervae
Foemineas assueta
manus ...
Virg.
Some Months ago, my Friend Sir Roger, being in the
Country, enclosed a Letter to me, directed to a certain
Lady whom I shall here call by the Name of Leonora,
and as it contained Matters of Consequence, desired
me to deliver it to her with my own Hand. Accordingly
I waited upon her Ladyship pretty early in the Morning,
and was desired by her Woman to walk into her Lady’s
Library, till such time as she was in a Readiness
to receive me. The very Sound of a Lady’s
Library gave me a great Curiosity to see it; and
as it was some time before the Lady came to me, I
had an Opportunity of turning over a great many of
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