THE WORLD. N° 105. THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 1755. As I am desirous of beginning the new year well, I shall devote this paper to the service of my fair countrywomen, for whom I have so tender a concern, that I examine into their conduct with a kind of parental vigilance and affection. I sincerely wish to approve, but at the same time I am determined to admonish and reprimand, whenever, for their sakes, I may think it necessary. I will not, as far as in me lies, suffer the errors of their minds to disgrace those beautiful dwellings in which they are lodged: nor will I, on the other hand, silently and quietly allow the affectation and abuse of their persons to reflect contempt and ridicule upon their understandings. Native, artless beauty has long been the peculiar distinction of my fair fellow-subjects. Our poets have long sung their genuine lilies and roses, and our painters have long endeavoured, though in vain, to imitate them; beautiful nature mocked all their art. But I am now informed by persons of unquestioned truth and sagacity, and indeed I have observed but too many instances of it myself, that a great number of those inestimable originals, by a strange inversion of things, give the lie to their poets, and servilely copy their painters; degrading and dis guising themselves into worse copies of bad copies of themselves. It is even whispered about town of that excellent artist, Mr. Liotard, that he lately refused a fine woman to draw her picture, alleging that he never copied any body's works but his own and God Almighty's. I have taken great pains to inform myself of the growth and extent of this heinous crime of selfpainting (I had almost given it a harder name); and I am sorry to say, that I have found it to be extremely epidemical. The present state of it, in its several degrees, appears to be this: The inferior class of women, who always ape their betters, make use of a sort of rough-cast, little superior to the common lath and plaster, which comes very cheap, and can be afforded out of the casual profits of the evening. The class immediately above these, paint occasionally, either in size or oil, which at sixpence per foot square, comes within a moderate weekly allow ance. The generality of women of fashion make use of a superfine stucco, or plaster of Paris highly glazed, which does not require a daily renewal, and will, with some slight occasional repairs, last as long as their curls, and stand a pretty strong collision. As for the transcendent and divine pearl powder, with an exquisite varnish superinduced to fix it, it is by no means common, but it is reserved for ladies not only of the first rank, but of the most considerable fortunes; it being so very costly, that few pin-monies can keep a face in it, as a face of condition ought to be kept. Perhaps the same number of pearls whole, might be more acceptable to some lovers, than in powder upon the lady's face. I would now fain undeceive my fair countryan error, which, gross as it is, they too fondly entertain. They flatter themselves that this artificial is not discoverable, or distinguishable from native white. But I beg leave to assure them, that however well prepared the colour may be, or however skilful the hand that lays it on, it is immediately discovered by the eye at a considerable distance, and by the nose upon a nearer approach; and I overheard the other day at the coffee-house Captain Phelim M'Manus complaining, that when warm upon the face it had the most nauseous taste imaginable. Thus offensive to three of the senses, it is not, probably, very inviting to a fourth. Talking upon this subject lately with a friend, he said, that in his opinion, a woman who painted white, gave the public a pledge of her chastity, by fortifying it with a wall, which she must be sure that no man would desire either to batter or scale. But I confess I did not agree with him as to the motive, though I did as to the consequences; which are, I believe, in general, that they lose both operam et oleum. I have observed that many of the sagacious landlords of this great metropolis who let lodgings, do at the beginning of the winter new vamp, paint, and stucco the fronts of their houses, in order to catch the eyes of passengers, and engage lodgers. Now to say the truth, I cannot help suspecting that this is rather the real motive of my fair countrywomen, when they thus incrust themselves. But alas! those outward repairs will never tempt people to inquire within. The cases are greatly different; in the former they both adorn and preserve, in the latter they disgust and destroy. In order therefore to put an effectual stop to this enormity, and save, as far as I am able, the native carnations, the eyes, the teeth, the breath, and the reputations, of my beautiful fellow-subjects, I here give notice, that if after one calendar month from any consumpauthentic the date hereof (I allow that time for the tion of stock in hand), I shall receive testimonies (and I have my spies abroad) of this sophistication and adulteration of the fairest works of nature, I am resolved to publish at full length the names of the delinquents. This may perhaps at first sight seem a bold measure; and actions of scandal and defamation may be thought of: but I go upon safe ground; for before I took this resolution, I was determined to know all the worst possible consequences of it to myself, and therefore consulted one of the most eminent counsel in England, an old acquaintance and friend of mine, whose opinion I shall here most faithfully relate. When I had stated my case to him as clearly as I was able, he stroked his chin for some time, picked his nose, and hemmed thrice, in order to give me his very best opinion. By publishing the names at full length in your paper, I humbly conceive,' said he, that you avoid all the troublesome consequences of innuendoes. But the present question, if I apprehend it right, seems to be, whether you may thereby be liable to any other action, or actions, which, for brevity sake, I will not here enumerate. Now by what occurs to me off-hand, and without consulting my books, I humbly apprehend that no action will lie against you; but, on the contrary, I do conceive, and indeed take upon me to affirm, that you may proceed against these criminals, for such I will be bold to call them, either by action or indictment: the crime being of a public and a heinous nature. Here it is not only the suppressio veri, which is highly penal, but the crimen falsi too. An action popular, or of qui tam, would certainly lie; but, however, I should certainly prefer an indictment upon the statutes of forgery, 2 Geo. II. chap. 25, and 7 Geo. II. chap. 22; for forgery, I maintain it, it is. The fact, |