Lady's Magazine; O R, Entertaining Companion for the FAIR SEX, appro- This Number is embellished with the following Copper-Plates, viz. 1. A fuperb and elegant Frontispiece, defigned and engraved by an eminent Artift, 2. An engraved Title-Page. 3. A beautiful new Fancy Pattern. And, 4. A new LONDON: Printed for G. Robinfon, No. 15, Paternofter-Row, where Favours WE Το our CORRESPONDENTS. E cannot with any propriety omit our thanks to our fair correfpondents for their repeated favours during the coarfe of the laft year, as well as for the copious, the generous, the elegant fupply we are honoured with to commence the present month. Our liberal correfpondent, Henrietta R, claims our acknowledgments for the fatiguing undertaking fhe has affumed in our favour, for the punctuality fhe has obferved in all her contributions. Her last supply was a seasonable, a large, and a defirable one. The hiftory of the various alterations in Female Dress, which is now refumed, muft afford fuch of the fex as refide at a diftance from the metropolis, no fmall pleasure and we wifh that our correfpondent in that department will do us the honour to fupport us in our holding out to our fair patroneffes the pleafing hopes of punctuality for the future. The author of Leonidas will fee that we embrace every opportunity of fhewing our cagerness to oblige; and we hope that the rest of our correfpondents, who find themselves included in the fame defcription, will be animated to refume their pens, and rival the rest of their competitors in the fields of learning. The kind intimations given us by G. H. fhall be properly attended to; and the advice he prescribes is, and fhall be likewife regarded. The pieces mentioned by our friend Bob Short, did not feem to coincide with the plan of the Female Reformer, were not originals, and therefore were fuppreffed. Amidft a great variety of other articles in profe, we are honoured with, The Unfortunate Frenchman, by The Teft of Friendship, by M. H-. Conjugal Felicity, a moral Tale, by E. N. Enigmatical Lift of Young Ladies in Chelmsford, Effex, continued from page 604, vol. XI. by Amator Cd. Ladies Names in King-Street St. James's, by Angelina. Ladies Names at Wotton, Norfolk, by Flora and Leab. Ladies at Wells, Norfolk, by Felici. List of Beafts, by GL Solution to a Lift of Young Ladies in Chelmsford, 1. Effex, by W. M. &c. In verse we are favoured with Lines to the Author of the Elegy on the Death of two Sifters, page 661, vol. XI. by Arabella. Elegiac Verfes to N. S—, by F. On her Grace the Duchefs of Norfolk, by A new Correfpondent. Miranda, by Philetus. On Valentine's Day, and the Widow's Prayer, by B. K. G. J. To a Young Lady with fome poetical Pieces, which she asked the Author to tranfcribe for her; and On a Robin's finging in Chelmsford-Church on a Sunday, during the time of divine Service, by Amator Cd. On the Death of a young Lady, by a Friend. The Apology, addreffed to Mr. J. O; Love realized; Advice to Delia; To Mifs B on her Birth-Day, and the Decifion, addressed to the Grub-Streets of the Day, all by Solitarius. Winter, an Elegy, by E. D. Rebus, by Sonnet, addrefled to a Lady with Owen of Carron, by C. J. A Christmas Tale, by "Eawin Lancaftrienfis. Verfes by a Lady on the Death of a little favourite Indian Boy, who died in the fifth Year of his Age, &c. The Author of the Tranflation of Le Diffipakur, will give us credit till next month, as his copy did not come time enough for infertion. TO THE PU U B L I C. T is with pleasure that we begin the enfuing Collection; the many elegant and improving pieces we have been favoured with, feem to infure us fuccefs in our endeavours to entertain, to please, and to improve. The partiality which has been fhewn us by the Sex, for whofe improvement and entertainment alone this work was originally planned, at once illuftrates their generofity and their judgment. Our Magazine has, for a series of eleven years, continually increased in reputation and in fale; but how could it do otherwife? when the Editors were only the gentlemen-ufhers to introduce the productions of the Sex to the notice of the Public. If any praife, if any encouragement be due, it muft concenter only in our Female Correfpondents. They have abundantly convinced the world that no Salique law can be introduced in the Republic of Letters; they have not only afpired to the laurel, but have even fnatched it from the temples of those who call themselves the Lords of the Creation, and by their fuperior merit have established their claim to wear it. It is faid of the Galaxy or Milky-way, that its effulgence is owing to the innumerable multitude of ftars which compofe it; the obfervation applies ftrongly to this Repofitory, in which the literary productions of the Sex fhine with rival glory, and engage by the most pleasing variety. We are therefore to exprefs our gratitude to the Sex, not only for their patronage, but likewife for their literary productions, for the kind intimations we have received for the extenfion and improvement of our plan, and for the hopes we have forge reafon to entertain of clefing the fucceeding year with as B 2 much much honour, with as much fuccefs, with as much information as any of the former. Gratitude for favours already received, will animate us with a ftrong defire to fhew that we are not unworthy of them; and those who have led us with honour through the circles of the polite and ingenious arts, will still vindicate the character of a Collection which is fupplied entirely by Female Pens, and has no other end in view, than to cherish Female ingenuity, and to conduce to Female improvement. XPLANAΤΙΟΝ of the FRONTISPIECE. figure of Truth dictating to the Genius of the Lady's who is compiling the Work, and is represented as beck of Time, to fignify its periodical nature, of Wisdom is directing her votaries to the peercury, as an emblem of Trade, Eloquence, &c. THE Lady's Magazine ; For JANUARY, 1781. The FORTUNATE SEQUEL; OR, The ADVENTURES of ELLA A NOVEL. In a Series of Letters. By a LADY. (Continued from Vol. XI. Page 677.) LETTER XIX. Mifs TASTY to Mifs BETSEY of the paint fhould be pernicious to my health. I accepted the excufe, and returned to good humour: but his frequent abfence fince we have been here, raised a thousand diftracting doubts. Mrs. Spencer, who accompanied us to London, endeavoured to laugh me out of them, and, to divert me from melancholy, introduced me to feveral of her acquaintance, (who by the bye appear no better than they fhould be, if one may judge from their flaunty drefs, and confident behaviour). We went with two of them to CoventGarden, and just as we had seated ourfelves in the box, who fhould enter Greek-Street, the house but my lord himself? whom Betfey! I fhall die with anger I had been made to believe was out of and vexation-the bafe, deceit- town on fome bufinefs of great imful, cruel-hearted man! You may fee portance. - Important indeed it was, by the place from whence this is for he was accompanied by a young dated, I am not where I thought I lady, I have fince found, he is shortshould be, when I wrote my laft.-ly to be married to.-At fight of him No, no, that honour is referved for one his fickle difpofition thinks more worthy. a When I expreffed my furprize at being brought to a lodging at. a grocer's, with only two rooms on floor, and a closet for my maid, the deceiving man told me it was only a temporary refource, while his houfe in Cavendish-Square was ornamenting and repairing, which he fhould have carried me to, but for fear that the fmell I turned pale as ashes, and with much ado kept from fainting; but I was determined, if poffible, to ftay, that I might be witnefs of his falsehood. My patience however would not hold out longer than the third act, and, bursting with vexation, I took the arm of Mrs. Spencer, and, excufing myself to her friends, ftepped into the first coach which offered. No fooner were we alone, than I gave way to the bitteruefs of my grief in |