I am credibly informed, that even in the hottest time of the war, the sex made several efforts, and raised large contributions towards the importation of this wooden Mademoiselle. Whether the vessel they set out was lost or taken, or whether its cargo was seized on by the officers of the custom-house as a piece of contraband goods, I have not yet been able to learn; it is, however, certain, their first attempts were without success, to the no small disappointment of our whole female world; but as their constancy and application in a matter of so great importance, can never be sufficiently commended, I am glad to find, that in spite of all opposition, they have at length carried their point, of which I received advice by the two following letters. 'MR. SPECTATOR, 'I AM so great a lover of whatever is French 'that I lately discarded an humble admirer, because he neither spoke that tongue, nor drank claret. I have long bewailed, in secret, the calamities of my 'sex during the war, in all which time we have laboured under the insupportable inventions of English tire-women, who, though they sometimes ( copy indifferently well, can never compose with 'that goût they do in France. I was almost in despair of ever more seeing a ' model from that dear country, when last Sunday I • overheard a lady in the next pew to me, whisper • another, that at the Seven Stars in King Street, 'Covent Garden, there was a Mademoiselle com'pletely dressed just come from Paris. I was in the utmost impatience during the re'maining part of the service; and as soon as ever it was over, having learnt the milliner's address, I 'went directly to her house in King Street, but was told that the French lady was at a person of qua 'lity's house in Pall-Mall, and would not be back ' again until very late that night. I was therefore 'obliged to renew my visit early this morning, and had then a full view of the dear moppet from head 'to foot. You cannot imagine, worthy Sir, how ridicu lously I find we have been trussed up during the war, and how infinitely the French dress excels ours.. The mantua has no leads in the sleeves, and I 'hope we are not lighter than the French ladies, so as to want that kind of ballast; the petticoat has " no whalebone, but sits with an air altogether gal'lant and degagé; the coiffure is inexpressibly 'pretty, and, in short, the whole dress has a thou'sand beauties in it, which I would not have as yet 'made too public. 'I thought fit, however, to give this notice, that 'you may not be surprised at my appearing á la ' mode de Paris on the next birth-night. 'I am, SIR, your most humble servant, TERAMINTA.' Within an hour after I had read this letter, I received another from the owner of the puppet. SIR, 'On Saturday last, being the 12th instant, there 'arrived at my house in King Street, Covent-Garden, 'a French baby for the year 1712. I have taken the ⚫utmost care to have her dressed by the most cele'brated tire-women and mantua-makers in Paris, and 'do not find that I have any reason to be sorry for 'the expence I have been at in her cloaths and im'portation: however, as I know no person who is so 'good a judge of dress as yourself, if you please to 'call at my house in your way to the city, and take a view of her, I promise to amend whatever you L 'shall disapprove in your next paper, before I exhibit Your most humble admirer, As I am willing to do any thing in reason for the service of my countrywomen, and had much rather prevent faults than find them, I went last night to the house of the above-mentioned Mrs. Cross-stitch. As soon as I entered, the maid of the shop, who, I suppose, was prepared for my coming, without asking me any questions, introduced me to the little damsel, and ran away to call her mistress. The puppet was dressed in a cherry-coloured gown and petticoat, with a short working apron over it, which discovered her shape to the most advantage. Her hair was cut and divided very prettily, with several ribbons stuck up and down in it. The milliner assured me, that her complexion was such as was worn by all the ladies of the best fashion in Paris. Her head was extremely high, on which subject having long since declared my sentiments, I shall say nothing more to it at present. I was also offended at a small patch she wore on her breast, which I cannot suppose is placed there with any good design. Her necklace was of an immoderate length, being tied before in such a manner, that the two ends hung down to her girdle; but whether these supply the place of kissing-strings in our enemy's country, and whether our British ladies have any occasion for them, I shall leave to their serious consideration. After having observed the particulars of her dress, as I was taking a view of it altogether, the shop-maid, who is a pert wench, told me that Madamoiselle had something very curious in the tying of her garters; but as I pay a due respect even to a pair of sticks when they are under petticoats, I did not examine into that particular. Upon the whole, I was well enough pleased with the appearance of this gay lady, and the more so because she was not talkative, a quality very rarely to be met with in the rest of her country women. As I was taking my leave, the milliner farther informed me, that with the assistance of a watchmaker, who was her neighbour, and the ingenious Mr. Powel, she had also contrived another puppet, which by the help of several little springs to be wound up within it, could move all its limbs, and that she had sent it oyer to her correspondent in Paris to be taught the various leanings and bendings of the head, the risings of the bosom, the courtesy and recovery, the genteel trip, and the agreeable jet, as they are now practised at the court of France. She added that she hoped she might depend upon having my encouragement as soon as it arrived; but as this was a petition of too great importance to be answered extempore, I left her without reply, and made the best of my way to Will Honeycomb's lodgings, without whose advice I never communicate any thing to the public of this nature. X. No. CCLXXVIII. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18. ............Sermones ego mallem 1 rather choose a low and creeping style. MR. SPECTATOR, HOR. SIR..... Your having done considerable services in this great city, by rectifying the disorders of families, and several wives having preferred your advice and directions to those of their husbands, 'emboldens me to apply to you at this time. I am a shop-keeper, and though but a young man, I find by experience, that nothing but the utmost diligence both of husband and wife, among trading people, can keep affairs in any tolerable order. My wife ' at the beginning of our establishment shewed her'self very assisting to me in my business as much 'as could lie in her way, and I have reason to be• lieve it was with her inclination; but of late she has got acquainted with a schoolman, who values himself for his great knowledge in the Greek 'tongue. He entertains her frequently in the shop with discourses of the beauties and excellencies of that language; and repeats to her several passages out of the Greek poets, wherein he tells her, there is unspeakable harmony and agreeable sounds that all other languages are wholly unacquainted with. He has so infatuated her with his jargon, that instead of using her former diligence in the shop, 'she now neglects the affairs of the house, and is wholly taken up with her tutor in learning by heart ( scraps of Greek, which she vents upon all occasions. She told me some days ago, that whereas I use ( some Latin inscriptions in my shop, she advised me with a great deal of concern to have them changed into Greek; it being a language less un เ |