Page:An authentic narrative of the extraordinary career of James Allen, the female husband.djvu/13

 of weakness is not only aimed at their bodily strength, but is also levelled at the mind; it is also well known that the ladies are charged with possessing unbounded curiosity: if ancient and modern history did not furnish us with innumerable instances to the contrary, the history of would be at least one contradiction to the favourite but erroneous opinions continually promulgated. As we have to treat of this singular personage during the period she assumed the character and habits of a man, we shall of course treat of her in that character, and apply the masculine term throughout this memoir, which we deem necessary, not only to render the story as intelligible as possible, but to avoid confounding the two associates together in the detail.

Abigail Naylor is the daughter of Mr. Naylor, many years resident in the Borough Mint, where he now carries on the business of a bedstead-maker. Having lost her mother in the early part of her life, she left home to seek a livelihood by servitude; being a girl cheerful in disposition, industrious, and of cleanly habits, she was recommended to the establishment of Mr. Ward, a gentleman of property, residing at No. 6, Camberwell Terrace, Camberwell, where she filled for a considerable time the situation of housemaid. In this gentleman's house she first met with the heroine of this narrative, under the assumed name of James Allen, then acting as groom to Mr. Ward, who had hired him from the service, and upon the recommendation, of a Mr. Munroe, with whom James had also lived in a similar capacity: he was at this time his 18th year, and in manners, features and person, remarkably prepossessing; his features were small, but clear and ruddy; he was above the middle size, straight, and well proportioned; his manners were of that generally obliging kind as to win alike the regard of his superiors and equals; his habits were strictly moral; and his person so