* * * * *

Printed for W. BOREHAM, at the Angel in Pater-Noster-Row, where Advertisements and Letters from Correspondents are taken in.

Numb.  XXIII

THE

THEATRE.

By Sir JOHN FALSTAFFE.

To be Continued every Tuesday and Saturday.

Price Two-pence.

    Est genus hominum, qui esse primos se omnium rerum volunt,
    Nec sunt:—­

    Ter.

Tuesday, May 3. 1720.

I find by a long Conversation with the World, and from Remarks I have made on different Times and Sexes, that there is a Desire, or rather an Ambition, implanted in all humane Creatures of being thought agreeable; but ’tis no unpleasant Study to observe what different Methods are taken of obtaining this one universal End.  The Ladies seem to have laid it up as a Maxim on their Side, that their Beauty is to be the greatest Merit; for which Reason no Art, or Industry, is wanting to cultivate that Jewel; and there is so great an Adoration paid to it by all Mankind, that ’tis no Wonder they should neglect the Qualifications of the Mind, Things merely speculative, for those Graces and Ornaments which command Respect, and whose Dominion is owned as soon as seen.  Upon the Foot of this Observation, some of our Sex, who are of the Order of the Beau Garcons, being equal to the Ladies in their Understandings, employ all their Care and Capacity in decorating the Outside; and have a Notion that he’s the most ingenious Man, who makes the cleanest Figure, and is best dress’d for the Assembly or Drawing-Room.  Among these pretty Triflers, a good Embroidery on their Clothes, or a Sword Knot of a new Invention, raises more Emulation than a Piece of new Wit does among the bad Poets; in their View of Things, a Man of Sense is a very insignificant Creature; and if, with the Eclat of their Dress, or Equipage, they can draw the Eyes of the Vulgar, they are in That arrived at the Top of their Glory; since all they wish for is to be taken Notice of.

There is another Order of fine Gentlemen among Us, who study other Accomplishments than That of Dress, by which they labour to recommend themselves to Company.  The prevailing Artifice of their Conduct is, in every Stage of Action, to appear Great, and insinuate themselves to be thought the Favourites only of the Great.  These nice Oeconomists, being equipped with one Thread-bare Suit, a German Wig, guilty of few or no Curls, and happy in a single Change of Linnen, seem to despise all superfluous Ornaments of Garniture, and have no Time on their Hands, but what is spent in devising how to get rid, as they would have you suppose, of a Multitude of Engagements.  There is a certain veteran Beau of my Acquaintance, who is highly caressed upon the Credit of his Intimacy with Persons of Quality