These lines will serve to enforce the moral of _The Harlot's Progress_, while they aim at the illustration of a single circumstance in _Marriage à la Mode_; where if this female is introduced at all, it seems to be in the character of an opulent procuress, either threatening the peer for having diseased her favourite girl, or preparing to revenge herself on the quack whose medicines had failed to eradicate his lordship's disorder. That heroine must have been notorious, who could at once engage the pencil of _Hogarth_ and the pens of _Loveling_ and _Fielding_, who in the sixth chapter of the first book of _Amelia_ has the following story: "I happened in my youth to sit behind two ladies in a side-box at a play, where, in the balcony on the opposite side was placed the inimitable _Betty Careless_, in company with a young fellow of no very formal, or indeed sober, appearance. One of the ladies, I remember, said to the other--'Did you ever see any thing look so modest and so innocent as that girl over the way? What pity it is such a creature should be in the way of ruin, as I am afraid she is, by her being alone with that young fellow!' Now this lady was no bad physiognomist; for it was impossible to conceive a greater appearance of modesty, innocence, and simplicity, than what nature had displayed in the countenance of that girl; and yet, all appearances notwithstanding, I myself (remember, critic, it was in my youth) had a few mornings before seen that very identical picture of those engaging qualities in bed with a rake at a bagnio, smoaking tobacco, drinking punch, talking obscenity, and swearing and cursing with all the impudence and impiety of the lowest and most abandoned trull of a soldier." We may add, that one of the mad-men in the last plate of _The Rake's Progress_ has likewise written "charming _Betty Careless"_ on the rail of the stairs, and wears her portrait round his neck. Perhaps between the publication of _The Rake's Progress_ and _Marriage à la Mode_, she sunk from a wanton into a bawd. Mrs. _Heywood's Betsey Thoughtless_ was at first entitled _Betsey Careless_, but the name was afterwards changed for obvious reasons. _The London Daily Post, Nov._ 28, 1735, contains the following advertisement from this notorious female: "Mrs. _Careless_, from the _Piazza_ in _Covent-Garden_, not being able to make an end of her affairs so soon as she expected, intends on _Monday_ next to open a coffee-house in _Prujean's-Court_, in _The Old Bailey_, where she hopes her friends will favour her with their company, notwithstanding the ill situation of the place; since her misfortunes oblige her still to remain there. "N. B. It is the uppermost house in the court, and coaches and chairs may come up to the door."