Page:Manners and customs of ye Englyshe.djvu/17



INDING Fault with my Wife, for that ſhe do not uſe enough Exerciſe; whence her continual Headach, and, the 'Potticary his Bill of £5. She replying that I would never take her out, I ſaid I would, whenever ſhe liked; whereupon, we agreed to go a Walk forthwith, and my Wife did propoſe Regent Street. So we thither, pleating ourſelves with obſerving the Paſſers-by and the Carriages, and the Streets blazing with fine Ladies and flaming Liveries. Going by, my Wife's Eye taken with a Scarf in the Window, and would ſtop to look at it with a Crowd of other Women gazing at the Finery, which Mr. do call Baits, and a Draper's Shop a Lady-Trap. Preſently fhe recollected that ſhe wanted a Collar; ſo we into the Shop, where ſome ſixty or eighty Ladies fitting before the Counters, examining the Wares, buſy as Blue-Bottle Flies at a Sugar Caſk. Behind the Counters the Shopmen and Aſſiſtants, ſhowing off the Goods, and themſelves alſo, with mighty dainty Airs, every one of them, almoſt, his Image. But I fear me they owe their pale delicate Looks and languid Ways in Part to the Want of ſufficient Air and Exerciſe; which is a ſad Conſideration. One of theſe dapper young Sirs did help my Wife to her Collar, coſt 3s. 6d.; when ſhe thought ſhe had better get another while about it, coſt 3s. 6d. more. Then,