_P.S._ I omitted to say, that the _Maconoise_ female peasants wear black hats, in the form of the English straw or chip hats; and when they are tied on, under the chin, it gives them with the addition of their round-eared laced cap, a decent, modest appearance which puts out of countenance all the borrowed plumage, dead hair, black wool, lead, grease, and yellow powder, which is now in motion between _Edinburgh_ and _Paris_. It is a pity that pretty women, at least, do not know, that the simplicity of a Quaker's head-dress, is superior to all that art can contrive: and those who remember the elegant _Miss Fide_, a woman of that persuasion, will subscribe to the truth of my assertion. And it is still a greater pity, that plain women do not know, that the more they adorn and _artify_ their heads, the more conspicuous they make their natural defects. LETTER XLVIII. At _Challons sur la Soane_, (for there is another town of the same name in _Champaigne_) I had the _honor_ of a visit from _Mons. le Baron Shortall_, a gentleman of an ancient family, _rather in distress at this time_, by being _kept out_ of six and thirty thousand a year, his legal property in Ireland; but as the Baron made his visit _ala-mode de capuchin Friar_, without knocking, and when only the female part of my family were in the apartment, he was dismissed _rather abruptly_ for a man of _his high rank_ and _great fortune in expectation_. This dismission, however, did not dismay him; he rallied again, with the reinforcement of _Madame la Baroness_, daughter, as he positively affirmed, of _Mons. le Prince de Monaco_; but as I had forbad his being _shewn up_, he desired me to _come down_, a summons curiosity induced me to obey. Never, surely, were two people _of fashion_ in a more pitiable plight! he was in a _russet brown black_ suit of cloaths; Madame _la Baroness_ in much the same colour, wrapt up in a tattered black silk capuchin; and I knew not which to admire most, their folly or their impudence; for surely never did an _adventurer_ set out with less _capabilities_ about him; his whole story was so flagrant a fib, that in spite of the _very respectable certificates of My Lord Mayor, John Wilkes, and Mr. Alderman Bull_, I was obliged to tell him plainly, that I did not believe him to be a gentleman, nor his wife to be a relation of the Prince of _Monaco_. All this he took in good part, and then assured me they were both very hungry, and without meat or money; I therefore ordered a dinner at twenty _sols_ a head; and, as I sat by while they eat it, I had reason to believe that he told me _one plain truth_, for in truth they eat as if they had never eaten before. After dinner the Baron did me the honour to consult with me _how_ he should get down to _Lyons_? I recommended to him to proceed by _water_; but, said he, my dear Sir, I have no money;--an evil I did not chuse to redress; and, after several unsuccessful attempts at my purse, and some