N°102. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1709.

From my own Apartment, December 2.

A CONTINUATION OF THE VISION.

THE male world were dismissed by the goddess of justice, and disappeared, when on a sudden the whole plain was covered with women. So charming a multitude filled my heart with unspeakable pleasure; and as the celestial light of the mirror shone upon their faces, several of them seemed rather persons that descended in the train of the goddess, than such who were brought before her to their trial. The clack of tongues, and confusion of voices, in this new assembly, were so very great, that the goddess was forced to command silence several times, and with some severity, before she could make them attentive to her edicts. They were all sensible that the most important affair among woman-kind was then to be settled, which every one knows to be the point of place. This had raised innumerable disputes among them, and put the whole sex into a tumult. Every one produced her claim, and pleaded her pretensions. Birth, beauty, wit, or wealth, were words that rung in my ears from all parts of the plain. Some boasted of the merit of their husbands; others of their own power in governing them. Some pleaded their unspotted virginity; others their numerous issue. Some valued themselves as they were the mothers, and others as they were the daughters, of considerable persons. There was not a single accomplishment unmentioned, or unpractised. The whole congre

gation was full of singing, dancing, tossing, ogling, ing, smiling, sighing, fnning, frowning, and all tho inesistibic arts which women put in practoc, to captivate the hearts of reasonable creatures, The goddess, to end this depute, caused it to be prodhimed, "that every one should ta, e piace acCording as she was more or less beautful” This decimation pave great sati faction to the whole gasembly, which immediately bridled up, and appe ared in all its beauties, Such as believed themselves graceful in their motion found an occasion of falling back, advancing forward, or making a false step, that they might show their persons in the most be coming air. Such as had time necks and bosoms were wonderfully curious to look over the heads of the multitude, and obscive the most distant parts of the assembly. Several clapt their hands on their foreheads, as helping their sight to look upon the glories that surrounded the goddess, but in reality to shew fine hands and arms, The ladies were yet better pleased, when they heard that, in the decision of this great controversy, each of them should be her own judge, and take her place according to her own opinion of herself, when she consulted her looking-glans."

The goddess then let down the mirror of truth in a golden chain, which appeared larger in proportion as it desconded and approached nearer to the eyes of the beholders. It was the particular property of this looking-glass, to banish all false appearances, and shew people what they are. The whole woman was represented, without regard to the usual external features, which were made entirely conformable to their real characters, La short, the most accomplished, taking in the whole circle of female perfecLons, were the most beautiful, and the most des fective, the most deformed. The goddess so varied

the motion of the glass, and placed it in so many different lights, that each had an opportunity of seeing herself in it.

It is impossible to describe the rage, the pleasure, or astonishment, that appeared in each face upon its representation in the mirror; multitudes started at their own form, and would have broke the glass if they could have reached it. Many saw their blooming features wither as they looked upon them, and their self-admiration turned into a loathing and abhorrence. The lady who was thought so agreeable in her anger, and was so often celebrated for a woman of fire and spirit, was frightened at her own image, and fancied she saw a Fury in the glass. The interested mistress beheld a Harpy, and the subile jilt a Sphinx. I was very much troubled in my own heart, to see such a destruction of fine faces; but at the same time had the pleasure of seeing several improved, which I had before looked upon as the greatest master-piece of nature. I observed, that some few were so humble as to be surprized at their own charms, and that many a one, who had lived in the retirement and severity of a Vestal, shined forth in all the graces and attractions of a Siren. I was ravished at the sight of a particular image in the mirror, which I think the most beautiful object that my eyes ever beheld. There was something more than human in her countenance: her eyes were so full of light, that they seemed to beautify every thing they looked upon. Her face was enlivened with such a florid bloom, as did not so properly seem the mark of health, as of immortality. Her shape, her stature, and her mien, were such as distinguished her even there, where the whole fair sex was assembled.

I was impatient to see the lady represented by so divine an image, whom I found to be the person that stood at my right hand, and in the same point

ition was full of singing, dining, foering, ogling, s que sking, smedling, sighing, 1 nming, frowning, and all thou wawatibic cats which women put in prac for, the plate the hearts of reasonable credit Tes, The goddess, to end this d' pote, Gaped it to be proclaimed, “ that every one should ta, e pace, Ma Cording as she was mon or less bombfol ̈ T$ decim Bion gave great sahi buction to the whole ase

mmbly, which manediately bridled up, and appeared ta all its be 19tics, Such as believed themselves graceful in their motion found an occasion of failing back, advancing forward, or making a false step, that they might shew their persons in the most bez Coming air, Such as bad bure necks and bosoms were wonderfully curious to look over the heads of the multitude, and observe the most distant parts of the assembly. Several clapt their hands on their for beads, as helping their sight to look upon the glories that surrounded the goddess, but in reality to shew line hands and arms, The Ladies were yet better plead, when they heard that, in the deci tion of this great controversy, each of them should be her own judge, and take her place according to her own opinion of herself, when she consulted her looking glass,"

T

The goddess then let down the mirror of truth in a golden chain, which appeared lager in proportion as it descended and approached nearer to the eyes of the beholders. It was the particular property of this looking glass, to banish all false appearances, and shew people what they are. The whole woman was #presented, without regard to the usual external features, which were made entirely conformable to their real characters. In short, the most accomplcbed, taking in the whole circle of female perfs etoms, were the most beautiful, and the most de fective, the most deformed. The goddess so varied

the motion of the glass, and placed it in so many different lights, that each had an opportunity of seeing herself in it.

It is impossible to describe the rage, the pleasure, or astonishment, that appeared in each face upon its representation in the mirror; multitudes started at their own form, and would have broke the glass if they could have reached it. Many saw their blooming features wither as they looked upon them, and their self-admiration turned into a loathing and abhorrence. The lady who was thought so agreeable in her anger, and was so often celebrated for a woman of fire and spirit, was frightened at her own image, and fancied she saw a Fury in the glass. The interested mistress beheld a Harpy, and the subile jilt a Sphinx. I was very much troubled in my own heart, to see such a destruction of fine faces; but at the same time had the pleasure of seeing several improved, which I had before looked upon as the greatest master-piece of nature. I observed, that some few were so humble as to be surprized at their own charms, and that many a one, who had lived in the retirement and severity of a Vestal, shined forth in all the graces and attractions of a Siren. I was ravished at the sight of a particular image in the mirtor, which I think the most beautiful object that my eyes ever beheld. There was something more than human in her countenance: her eyes were so full of light, that they seemed to beautify every thing they looked upon. Her face was enlivened with such a florid bloom, as did not so properly seem the mark of health, as of immortality. Her shape, her stature, and her mien, were such as distinguished her even there, where the whole fair sex was assembled.

I was impatient to see the lady represented by so divine an image, whom I found to be the person that stood at my right hand, and in the same point