fhould happen to be the cafe, it will be in vain for us to hope for any new performance in the dramatic way that will be worth our feeing.

It seems, however, extremely strange that it should be a crime to represent on the flage, thofe transactions which are in history, and every body has the privilege of reading and commenting on in any other kind of writing.

But it may be thought impertinent by fome, and too arrogant by others, in me to pretend to argue on a matter equally impoffible to account for, as to remedy; I shall therefore forbear any farther discourse upon it, and proceed to the next let. ter on the table.

To the FEMALE SPECTATOR.

"MADAM,

" AS I look upon you to be a perfon who' "knows the world perfectly well, and has the " happiness of your own fex very much at heart, " I wonder you have never yet thought fit to throw " out some admonitions concerning the immode" rate use of tea; which, however innocent it " may seem to those who practise it, is a kind of " debauchery no less expensive, and perhaps even " more pernicious in its consequences, than those " which the men, who are not professed rakes, ،، are generally accused of.

"THIS, at first sight, may be looked upon as " too bold an assertion; but, on a near examina"tion, I am perfuaded will be found no more than " reasonable, and will undertake to prove that the " tea-table, as managed in some families, costs " more to support, than would maintain two chil" dren

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"dren at nurse.---Yet is this by much the leaft part of the evil ;---it is the utter deftruction of "all economy ;---the bane of good housewifery, " and the fource of idleness, by engrossing those " hours which ought to be employed in an honest " and prudent endeavour to add to, or preserve "what fortune, or former industry has bestowed. "Were the folly of wasting time and money in "this manner confined only to the great, who "have enough of both to spare, it would not fo " much call for public reproof; but all degrees of " women are infected with it, and a wife now " looks upon her tea-cheft, table, and its imple"ments, to be as much her right by marriage as " her wedding-ring.

"THO' you cannot, madam, be insensible that "the trading part of the nation must suffer greatly " on this fcore, especially those who keep shops,. "I beg you will give me leave to mention fome < few particulars of the hardships we husbands of " that class are obliged to bear.

"THE first thing the too genteel wife does after "opening her eyes in the morning, is to ring the "bell for the maid, and ask if the tea-kettle boils. " If any accident has happened to delay this im"portant affair, the house is sure to echo with re"proaches; but if there is no disappointment in "the cafe, the petticoats and bed-gown are hastily " thrown over the shoulders, madamrepairs to her "easy-chair, sits down before her table in querpo, " with all her equipage about her, and fips, and "pauses, and then sips again, while the maid at-"tends affiduoustoreplenith, as often as called for, " the drained vehicle of that precious liquor.

" An hour is the least that can be allowed to " break

" breakfast, after which the maid carries all the " utenfils down into the kitchen, and fits down to "the remains of the tea (or it is probable some " fresh she has found opportunity to purloin) with "the same state as her mistress, takes as much " time, and would think herself highly injured "should any one call her away, or attempt to " interrupt her in it: so that between both, the " whole morning is elapsed, and it is as much as "the poor husband can do to get a bit of dinner "ready by two or three o'clock.

"DINNER above and below is no fooner over, "than the tea-table must be again set forth :--" a friendly neighbour comes in to chat away an "hour-two are no company, and the maid being " very busy in cutting bread and butter, one 'pren" tice is called out of the shop to run this way and " fetch Mrs. Such-a-one, and another that way to " fetch Mrs. Such-a-one, so that the husband mate " be his own man; and if two customers chance " to come at the same time, he frequently loses " one for want of hands to serve them.

" IT often happens, that when the tea-drinking " company have almost finished their regale, and "the table is going to be removed, a fresh visitor " arrives, who must have fresh tea made for her; "after her another, who is always treated with " the fame compliment; a third, perhaps a fourth, " or more, till the room is quite full, and the en"tertainment prolonged a confiderable time after "the candles are lighted, when the days are of a " moderate length.

"THIS is sufficient to shew the lofs of time, " both as to the mistress and servants, and how " much the regularity of the tea-table occafions. E 4

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a want of regularity in every thing besides; but, "madam, there is yet another, and more mif"chievous effect attends the drinking too much " of this Indian herb.

"WHAT I mean is too notorious a fact not to "be easily guessed at; but left it should be mif" conftrued by any of your readers, I shall venture " to explain it.

"TEA, whether of the Green or Bohea kind, "when taken to excess, occafions a dejection of "spirits and flatulency, which lays the drinkers of "it under a kind of neceffity of having recourse to "more animating liquors. The most temperate

and fober of the sex find themselves obliged to "drink wine pretty freely after it; none of them now-a-days pretend to entertain with the one "without the other; and the bottle and glass are " as fure an appendix to the tea-table as the flop"bafon.

"HAPPY are those who can content themselves. " with a refreshment, which, tho' not to be had " in any perfection in England, is yet infinitely " less destructive to the human system than some " others too frequently substituted in its place, "when it is found too weak to answer the end "proposed by taking it.

"BRANDY, rum, and other spirituous liquors, "being of a more exhilarating nature, at least for "the present, are becoine a usual suppleinent to " tea; and I am forry to fay, by their frequent use,

grow fo familiar to the palate, that their intoxi"cating qualities are no longer formidable; and "the vapours, colic, a bad digestion, or fome " other complaint, serves as an excuse for drink" ing

"ing them in a more plentiful degree, than the " best constitution can for any length of time " support.

" HENCE ensue innumerable maladies, doctors " fees, apothecaries bills, Bath, Tunbridge, the Spa, " and all that can destroy the wretched husband's " peace, or impoverish him in his fortune.

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"THE more is his affection for a wife, who " takes so little care of his interest and happiness, " and of her own health and reputation, the more " will his affection be; and the less will the be " able to forgive herself, when brought by a too " late and fad experience to a right way of think"ing.

"THAT you will therefore use your endea"vours that so great an enemy to the felicity of " the meaner fort of people may be banished from " their houses, is the unanimous defire of all huf" bands, and most humbly petitioned for by him, “ who is,

"Withthegreatest admiration of your writings, MADAM,

Friday-ftreet,

Nov. 2, 1744.

Your most humble and moft obedient servant,

JOHN CAREFUL."

I DARE say, one half of my readers will expect me to be very angry at this declaration againit an amusement my sex are generally fo fond of; but it is the firm refolution of our club to maintain ftrict impartiality in these lucubrations; and were day of us ever to deeply affected by the fatire, (which

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