is incapable of thinking. For some people suddenly break out into
violent spasms, ha, ha, ha! and then without any gradation, change
at once into downright stupidity; as for example-[_Here shews the
example._]
In speaking about faces, we shall now exhibit a bold face. [_Shews the
head. _]
This is Sir Whisky Whiffle. He is one of those mincing, tittering,
tip-toe, tripping animalculae of the times, that flutter about fine women
like flies in a flower garden; as harmless, and as constant as their
shadows, they dangle by the side of beauty like part of their watch
equipage, as glittering, as light, and as useless; and the ladies suffer
{6}such things about them, as they wear soufflee gauze, not as things of
value, but merely to make a shew with: they never say any thing to the
purpose; but with this in their hands [_takes up an eye-glass_] they
stare at ladies, as if they were a jury of astronomers, executing a writ
of inquiry upon some beautiful planet: they imagine themselves possessed
of the power of a rattle-snake, who can, as it is said, fascinate by a
look; and that every fine woman must, at first sight, fall into their
arms.--"Ha! who's that, Jack? she's a devilish fine woman, 'pon honour,
an immensely lovely creature; who is she? She must be one of us; she
must be comeatable, 'pon honour."--"No, Sir," replies a stranger, that
overheard him, "she's a lady of strict virtue."--"Is she so? I'll look
at her again--ay, ay, she may be a lady of strict virtue, for, now I
look at her again, there is something devilish un-genteel about her."
{7}_Wigs_, as well as _books_, are furniture for the head, and both
_wigs_ and _books_ are sometimes equally voluminous. We may therefore
suppose this wig [_shews a large wig_] to be a huge quarto in large
paper; this is a duodecimo in small print [_takes the knowing head_];
and this a jockey's head, sweated down to ride a sweepstakes. [_Takes
the jockey's head._] Now a jockey's head and a horse's head have great
affinity, for the jockey's head can pull the horse's head on which side
of the post the rider pleases: but what sort of heads must those people
have who know such things are done, and will trust such sinking
funds with their capitals? These are a couple of heads which, in the
{8}Sportsman's Calendar, are called a brace of knowing ones; and, as a
great many people about London affect to be thought knowing ones, they
dress themselves in these fashions, as if it could add to t
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