Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne, Taken from Original SourcesAshton, John
History
Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne, Taken from Original Sources
Ashton, John
Great Britain -- History -- Anne, 1702-1714; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
Mrs. _Dowdy_. We'l, we'l la you now, la you now, Shour and Shour
you'l Gally me.
_Turnup._ Here's your Ladyships Manto and Petticoat.
Mrs. _Dowdy_. Ladyship, why what a main difference is here
between this Town and the Country. I was never call'd above
Forsooth in all my Life. Mercy on me, why you ha spoil'd my
Petticoat, mum: zee, _Peeper_, she has cut it in a Thousand Bits.
_Peeper._ Oh, that's the Fashion, these are Furbelows Madam--'tis
the prettiest made Coat.
Mrs. _Dowdy_. Furbelows, a murrain take 'em, they spoil all the
Zilk. Good strange, shour London Women do nothing but study
Vashions, they never mind their Dairy I warrant 'em.
_Turnup._ Ladies have no other employment for their Brain--and
our Art lies in hiding the defects of Nature. Furbelows upwards,
were devised for those that have no hips, and too large ones,
brought up the full bottom'd Furbelows.
_Milliner._ And a long Neck and a hollow Breast, first made use
of the Stinkirk--and here's a delicate one for your Ladyship. I
have a Book in my pocket just come from _France_, Intituled, _The
Elements of the Toylet_.
Mrs. _Dowdy_. Elements, mercy on me! what do they get up in the
Sky now?
_Peeper._ A Learned Author to be sure,--let me see that, Mrs.
_Wheedle_.
_Milliner._ Here, Mrs. _Peeper_, 'tis the Second Volume; the
first only shews an Alphabetical Index of the most notable Pieces
which enter into the Composition of a Commode.
Mrs. _Dowdy_. Well, I shall ne'er mind these hard Names; Oh Sirs,
_Peeper_, what swinging Cathedral Headgeer is this?
_Peeper._ Oh, Modish French Night Clothes; Madam, what's
here--all sorts of dresses painted to the Life. Ha, ha, ha, head
cloaths to shorten the Face. Favourites to raise the Forehead--to
heighten flat cheeks flying Cornets--four Pinners to help narrow
Foreheads and long Noses, and very forward, to make the Eyes look
Languishing.
Mrs. _Dowdy_. Ay--that, _Peeper_, double it down, I love
Languishing.
_Peeper._ Take it and read it at your leisure, Madam.
Mrs. _Dowdy_. I shall never ha done shour zeeing all my vine
things. Hy day, what's these two pieces of Band Box for?
_Turnup._ 'Tis Past board, Madam, for your Ladyship's Rump.[218]
[Footnote 218: The extremely _bouffée_ furbelows were called
rumpt furbelows, and the brooches inserted in the centre
were called rump jewels or rumphlets.]
Mrs. _Dowdy_. A Rump, ho, ho, ho, has Cousin _Isbel_ a Rump,
_Peeper_?
_Peeper._ Certainly Madam.
Mrs. _Dowdy_. If Cousin has one, as I hope to be kiss'd, I'll
have it, Mrs. Turnup.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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