an art that necessarily implies
a sense of decorum, and a delicacy of sentiment. These are qualities,
of which (as far as I have been able to observe) a Frenchman has no
idea; therefore he never can be deemed polite, except by those persons
among whom they are as little understood. His first aim is to adorn his
own person with what he calls fine cloaths, that is the frippery of the
fashion. It is no wonder that the heart of a female, unimproved by
reason, and untinctured with natural good sense, should flutter at the
sight of such a gaudy thing, among the number of her admirers: this
impression is enforced by fustian compliments, which her own vanity
interprets in a literal sense, and still more confirmed by the
assiduous attention of the gallant, who, indeed, has nothing else to
mind. A Frenchman in consequence of his mingling with the females from
his infancy, not only becomes acquainted with all their customs and
humours; but grows wonderfully alert in performing a thousand little
offices, which are overlooked by other men, whose time hath been spent
in making more valuable acquisitions. He enters, without ceremony, a
lady's bed-chamber, while she is in bed, reaches her whatever she
wants, airs her shift, and helps to put it on. He attends at her
toilette, regulates the distribution of her patches, and advises where
to lay on the paint. If he visits her when she is dressed, and
perceives the least impropriety in her coeffure, he insists upon
adjusting it with his own hands: if he sees a curl, or even a single
hair amiss, he produces his comb, his scissars, and pomatum, and sets
it to rights with the dexterity of a professed friseur. He 'squires her
to every place she visits, either on business, or pleasure; and, by
dedicating his whole time to her, renders himself necessary to her
occasions. This I take to be the most agreeable side of his character:
let us view him on the quarter of impertinence. A Frenchman pries into
all your secrets with the most impudent and importunate curiosity, and
then discloses them without remorse. If you are indisposed, he
questions you about the symptoms of your disorder, with more freedom
than your physician would presume to use; very often in the grossest
terms. He then proposes his remedy (for they are all quacks), he
prepares it without your knowledge, and worries you with solicitation
to take it, without paying the least regard to the opinion of those
whom you have chosen to take car