aught to read, write, and cast accompts, and so put
out to trades, in order to live another day; then we will give for one
year, two or three (if we well like the design, and prudent management of
it,) once a year, the sum below mentioned," &c. The projector of this good
work was the subject of my present note; and after thus introducing it, the
worthy "woollen-draper, at the sign of the Golden Boy, Maiden Lane, Covent
Garden," for such he was, goes on to recommend and enforce its importance
in a variety of cajolling addresses, or, as he calls them, "charity-school
sticks," to the great and wealthy; ostensibly the production of the boys,
but in reality the concoctions of Mr. Blake, and in which he pleads
earnestly for his _hobby_. In _An Essay, or Humble Guess, how the Noble
Ladies may be inclined to give to and encourage their Charity-school at
Highgate_, Mr. Blake farther humorously shows up the various dispositions
of his fair friends:--"And first," says he, "my lady such-a-one cryed,
Come, we will make one purse out of our family;" and "my lady such-an-one
said she would give for the fancy of the Roll and charity stick. My lady
such-an-one cryed by her troth she would give nothing at all, for she had
waies enough for her money; while another would give five or six stone of
beef every week." Again, in trying to come at the great citizen-ladies, he
magnifies, in the following characteristic style, the city of London; and,
by implication, their noble husbands and themselves:--"There is," says Mr.
Blake, "the Tower and the Monument; the old Change, Guild-Hall, and
Blackwall-Hall, _which some would fain burn again_; there is Bow steeple,
the _Holy Bible_, _the Silver Bells of Aaron_, _the godly-outed ministers_;
the melodious musick of the Gospels; Smithfield martyrs yet alive; and the
best society, the very best in all the world for civility, loyalty, men,
and manners; with the greatest cash, bulk, mass, and stock of all sorts of
silks, cinnamon, spices, wine, gold, pearls, Spanish wooll and cloaths;
with the river _Nilus_, and the stately ships of _Tarshish_ to carry in and
out the great merchandizes of the world." In this the city dames are
attacked collectively. Individually, he would wheedle them thus into his
charitable plans:--"Now pray, dear madam, speak or write to my lady out of
hand, and tell her how it is with us; and if she will subscribe a good
_gob_, and get the young ladies to do so too; and then put in altog