The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 2 (of 2) — John Shaqi
The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 2 (of 2)Paltock, Robert
Science
The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 2 (of 2)
Paltock, Robert
Adventure stories; Fantasy fiction
By this time I was come up, and after paying due compliments, says
Youwarkee--"My father did not know you, my dear, you are so altered
in your other wig; and I told him in your country they not only
change wigs, but their whole clothing, two or three times a day
sometimes."--"Son," says my father, "if it be so, I cannot guess at the
design of a man's making himself unlike himself."--"Oh, sir," says I,
"it is owing to the different functions he is to perform that day: as,
suppose, in the morning he is to pursue business with his inferiors, or
meet at our coffee-houses to hear and chat over the news of the day, he
appears in a light easy habit proper for despatch, and comes home dirty;
then, perhaps, he is to dine with a friend at mid-day, before whom, for
respect's sake, not choosing to be seen in his dirty dress, he puts on
something handsomer; and after spending some time there, he has, it may
be, an appointment at court, at play, or with his mistress, in all which
last cases, if he has anything better than ordinary, it is a part of
good breeding to appear in that; but if the very best was to be used in
common, it might soon become the worst, and not fit for a nice man to
stir abroad in."--"The different custom of countries you have told me
of," says my father, "is surprising: here are we born with our clothes
on, which always fit, be we ever so small or large; nay, are never
the worse for constant wearing; and you must be eternally altering and
changing colour, shape, and habit. But," says he, "where do they get all
these things? Does every man make just what he likes?"--"No," says I,
"there are a particular set of men whose business it is to make for all
the rest."--"What!" says he, "I suppose their lasks make them?"--"No,
sir, they are filgays," says I. "It is their trade, they do it for a
livelihood, being paid by them they work for. A suit of their clothes,"
says I, taking up the flap of my coat, "will cost what we call twelve
or fourteen pounds in money."--"I don't understand you," says he.--"Why,
sir," says I, "that is as much as will provide one moderate man with all
the necessary things of life for two months."--"Then," says he, "these
nice men must be very rich."--"No, sir," said I, "there you are under
a mistake; for if a man, very rich, and who is known to be so, neglects
his habit, it is taken to be his choice; but one who is not known to be
rich, and is really not so, is, by appearing gay sometimes, thought to
be so; for he comes little abroad, and pinches miserably at home, first
to get that gay suit, and then acts on the same part to preserve it,
till some lucky hit may help him to the means of getting another, as it
frequently happens, by a good marriage; for though he is but seldom seen
in public, yet always appearing so fine when he is, the ladies, whose
fancies are frequently more tickled with show than sense, admitting him
only at first as a companion, are at last, if worth anything, taken in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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