ed for
that service. Their dress is likewise very barbarous, for they almost
strangle themselves about the neck, and bind their bodies with many
ligatures, that we are apt to think are the occasion of several
distempers among them which our country is entirely free from. Instead of
those beautiful feathers with which we adorn our heads, they often buy up
a monstrous bush of hair, which covers their heads, and falls down in a
large fleece below the middle of their backs; with which they walk up and
down the streets, and are as proud of it as if it was of their own
growth.

"We were invited to one of their public diversions, where we hoped to
have seen the great men of their country running down a stag or pitching
a bar, that we might have discovered who were the men of the greatest
perfections in their country;[7] but instead of that, they conveyed us
into an huge room lighted up with abundance of candles, where this lazy
people sat still above three hours to see several feats of ingenuity
performed by others, who it seems were paid for it.

"As for the women of the country, not being able to talk with them, we
could only make our remarks upon them at a distance. They let the hair of
their heads grow to a great length; but as the men make a great show with
heads of hair that are none of their own, the women, who they say have
very fine heads of hair, tie it up in a knot and cover it from being
seen. The women look like angels, and would be more beautiful than the
sun, were it not for little black spots[8] that are apt to break out in
their faces, and sometimes rise in very odd figures. I have observed that
those little blemishes wear off very soon; but when they disappear in one
part of the face, they are very apt to break out in another, insomuch
that I have seen a spot upon the forehead in the afternoon, which was
upon the chin in the morning."

The author then proceeds to shew the absurdity of breeches and
petticoats, with many other curious observations, which I shall reserve
for another occasion. I cannot however conclude this paper without taking
notice, that amidst these wild remarks there now and then appears
something very reasonable. I cannot likewise forbear observing, that we
are all guilty in some measure of the same narrow way of thinking which
we meet with in this abstract of the Indian journal; when we fancy the
customs, dresses, and manners of other countries are ridiculous and
extravagant, if they do