the palm among literary ladies. Up to this time there were few lady
humorists, and none of an altogether respectable description. But Mrs.
Lennox appeared as a harbinger of that refined and harmless pleasantry
which has since sparkled through the pages of our best authoresses. She
wrote a comedy, poems, and novels, her most remarkable production being
the Female Quixote. Here a young lady who had been reading romances,
enacts the heroine with very amusing results. In plan the work is a
close imitation of Don Quixote but the character is not so natural as
that drawn by Cervantes.

CHAPTER VII.

Dodsley--"A Muse in Livery"--"The Devil's a Dunce"--"The Toy
Shop"--Fielding--Smollett.

Robert Dodsley was born in 1703. He was the son of a schoolmaster in
Mansfield, but went into domestic service as a footman, and held several
respectable situations. While in this capacity, he employed his leisure
time in composing poetry, and he appropriately named his first
production "A Muse in Livery." The most pleasant and interesting of
these early poems is that in which he gives an account of his daily
life, showing how observant a footman may be. It is in the form of an
epistle:--

"Dear friend,
Since I am now at leisure,
And in the country taking pleasure,
It may be worth your while to hear
A silly footman's business there;
I'll try to tell in easy rhyme
How I in London spent my time.
And first,
As soon as laziness would let me
I rise from bed, and down I sit me
To cleaning glasses, knives, and plate,
And such like dirty work as that,
Which (by the bye) is what I hate!
This done, with expeditious care
To dress myself I straight prepare,
I clean my buckles, black my shoes,
Powder my wig and brush my clothes,
Take off my beard and wash my face,
And then I'm ready for the chase.
Down comes my lady's woman straight,
'Where's Robin?' 'Here!' 'Pray take your hat
And go--and go--and go--and go--
And this and that desire to know.'
The charge received, away run I
And here and there, and yonder fly,
With services and 'how d'ye does,'
Then home return well fraught with news.
Here some short time does interpose
Till warm effluvias greet my nose,
Which from the spits and kettles fly,
Declaring dinner time is nigh.
To lay the cloth I now prepare
With uniformity and care;
In order knives and forks are laid,
With folded napkins, salt, and bread:
The