Page:Political history of the devil upon two sticks.pdf/8

 by little and little evaporated, and converted itself into a thick smoke; which dissipating all at once the amazed student beheld the figure of a man in a cloak, about two feet and a half high, resting on two crutches. This diminutive lame monster had goats legs, a long visage, sharp chin, a yellow and black complexion, and very flat nose; his eyes, which seemed very little, resembled two lighted coals; his mouth was extremely wide, above which were two wretched red whiskers, edged with a pair of unparallel'd lips.

This charming Cupid's head was wrapt up in a sort of turban of red crape, set off with a plume of cock's and peacock's feathers. About his neck he wore a yellow linen collar, on which were drawn several models of necklaces, and ear-rings. He was dressed in a short white sattin coat, and girt about with a girdle of virgin parchment, marked with talismanical characters. On this coat were printed several pair of women's stays, very advantageously fitted for the discovery of their breasts; scarves, party-coloured aprons, new fashioned head dresses of various sorts, each more extravagant than the other.

But all these were nothing compared with his cloak, the ground of which was also of white sattin: on it with Indian ink, were drawn an infinite number of figures, with so much freedom and such masterly strokes, that it was natural to think the devil had a hand in itː on one side appeared a Spanish lady covered with her vail, teazsing a stranger as they were walking; and on the other a French one practising new airs in her class, in order to try them at a young patched and painted abbot who appeared at her chamber door. Here a parcel of Italian cavaliers were singing and playing on the guitar under their mistresses balconies; and there a company of Germans all in confusion and unbuttoned, more intoxicated with wine and begrimed with snuff than your conceited French fops, surrounding a table