and the necessity under which they lay of encountering in public business men of independent condition and minds trained by the discipline of commercial enterprise, lent a more robust and healthy tone to their society than characterised the fashionable circles of Paris. In Britain, too, the court and the capital were not, as in France, all in all. The unprivileged citizens and most remote provinces felt themselves of some consequence in the social league, and replied to the occasional sneers of the gay world by a broader ostentation of the very peculiarities which excited ridicule. The busy and stirring spirit which animated the land brought all ranks and the inhabitants of all districts into frequent collision, and, "as steel sharpens steel, so the wit of man sharpens the wit of man." If the novelists and dramatists of the period have left few works of worth, it was not for the want of numerous and strong-featured originals. Two years after the accession of George III. the London Chronicle furnishes us with a "History of Male Fashions," the more material parts of which we transcribe : "First Chapter; upon Hats.-Hats are now worn, upon an average, six inches and three-fifths broad in the brim, and cocked between quaker and kevenhuller. Some have their hats open before like a church spout, or the tin scale they weigh flour in some wear them rather sharper, like the nose of a greyhound, and we can distinguish by the taste of the hat the mode of the wearer's mind. There is the military cock and the mercantile cock; and, while the beaux of St. James's wear their hat under their arms, the beaux of Moorfields-mall wear theirs diagonally over their left or right eye. Sailors wear the side of their hats uniformly tacked down to the crown, and look as if they carried a triangular apple-pasty upon their heads. I hope no person will think us disaffected; but when we meet any of the new-raised infantry wearing the buttons of their hats bluff before, and the trefoil white worsted shaking as they step, we cannot help thinking of French figure-dancers. With the quakers, it is a point of their faith not to wear a not above half cover their heads, which is indeed of the turf. "Second Chapter; upon Wigs.-Imprimis, 675 the prentice minor-bob or hair-cap: this is always short in the neck, to show the stone stockbuckle, and nicely stroked from the face, to discover seven-eighths of the ears; and every smart we meet so headed seems, like Tristram Shandy, to have been skating against the wind, and his hair, by the sharpness of the motion, shorn from his face. Next, the citizen's Sunday buckle, or bob-major; this is a first rate, bearing several tiers of curls, disposed in upper, middle, and lower orders. Then the apothecary's bush, in which the hat seems sinking like a stone into a snow-heap. The physical and chirurgical ties carry much consequence in their foretops; and the depending knots fall fore and aft the shoulders with secundum artem' dignity. The scratch, or the blood's skull-covering, is combed over the forehead, untoupeed, to imitate a head of hair, because those gentlemen love to have everything natural about them. The Jehu's Jemmy, or white and all white, in little curls, like a fleece on a lamb's back, we should say something upon, were it not for fear of offending some gentlemen of great riches, who love to look like coachmen. "Third Chapter; Frocks, Coats, Surtouts, and length of his skirts, seems Dutch waisted, or like Walking-slicks. Every gentleman now, by the a Bridewell boy, with a garment down to mid-leg; From a Print by J. Bickham. 1762. and they are so much splashed sometimes behind that I have, when following in a dirty day one of these very fashionable frock-wearers, been tempted to call out, Pray, dear sir, pin up your petticoats.' Then their cuffs cover entirely their wrists, and only the edge of the ruffles is to be seen; as if they lived in the slovenly days of Lycurgus, when every one was ashamed to show clean linen. pathy to the leg; for by their high-topped shoes The mode-makers of the age have taken an antiand long trousers-like breeches, with a broad kneeband like a compress for the rotula, a leg in high tobacco-stopper. taste is not longer than a common-councilman's "Fine scarlet shag frocks were becoming while no person appeared in them but real gentlemen; but since tumblers, strolling players, and French figure-dancers dress themselves in such martial outsides, it is to be presumed every one else will quit this very lasting habiliment unless he has a mind to pass for one of those exotics above mentioned. "Blue Manchester velvets, with gold cords or rich button-holes, are generally the uniform of bumbailiffs, sleight-of-hand men, and money-droppers. But plain suits of those cottons of grave colours are the dress of shop-riders and country traders. Walking-sticks are now almost reduced to a useful size.. . . . Do not some of us strut about with walking-sticks as long as leaping-poles, as if we were pioneers to the troop of hickry-cutters; or else with a yard of varnished cane scraped taper, and bound at one end with wax thread, and the other tipped with a neat-turned ivory head, as big as a silver penny, which switch we hug under our arms so jemmy? . . Surtouts now have four laps on each side, which are called dog's ears; when these pieces are unbuttoned they flap backwards and forwards like so many supernumerary patches, just tacked on at one end; and the wearer seems to have been playing many bouts at backsword till his coat is cut to pieces. When they are buttoned up they appear like comb-cases or pacquets for a penny postman to sort his letters in. Very spruce smarts have no buttons nor holes upon the breast of these their surtouts save what are upon the ears; and their garments only wrap over their breasts, like a morning gown-a proof that dress may be made too fashionable to be useful." The rational change, adopted soon after, of wearing the natural hair instead of wigs, Malcolm tells us, produced a petition from "the master peruke-makers of the cities of London and West A MACCARONI. From a Print published by Bowles. 1773. minster to the king's most excellent majesty," which is printed in the London Chronicle of Febru ary 14, 1763; but, notwithstanding his majesty's gracious answer, that he should at all times use his endeavours to promote the real welfare of his pecple, and of the wig-makers of course amongst them, (and which by the way he did as far as example went by wearing a wig himself to the time of his last melancholy seclusion), false heads of hair gradually lost ground with the gentlemen. In 1772 a toupee and tail distinguished a maccaroni. In 1775 gold-laced hats became again general, and in 1778 were adopted by many to give them a military air, and so escape the pressgangs that were remarkably busy in that year. Round hats began to be worn in the morning shortly after that date. Stockings ceased to be drawn up over the knees of the breeches from the close of the reign of George II. Shoes were worn with longer quarters and larger buckles. In 1777 the buttons of the coat and the buckles on the shoes were worn of an enormous size, and formed the subjects of a caricature of that day, as did also the fashion of wearing steel buttons. With regard to the ladies, to begin, as in duty bound, with the sovereign, her majesty Queen Charlotte landed in England in 1761, wearing "a gold brocaded" dress with "a white ground," a 66 stomacher ornamented with diamonds," and " a fly cap with richly laced lappets ;" which we are told was then the female British dress, and adopted by her majesty in compliment to her royal consort's subjects. In the "London Chronicle," to which we are indebted for our account of the male fashions of 1762, we find the following detail of the habits of the ladies: "The French Nightcap. Our fine women have, by covering their cheeks with this fashion, put their faces into eclipse. Each lady when dressed in this mode can only peep under the lace border; perhaps they are intended, like blinds to The unpowdered wig which his majesty wore with a round hat is still known by the name of " a brown George." WALKING DRESS. From a Print of Ranelagh, 1764. is clouted about the head, then crossed under the chin, and brought back to fasten behind, the two ends hanging down like a pair of pigeon's tails. This fashion was copied from the silk handkerchiefs which market-women tie over their ears, roll about their throats, and then pin up to the nape of their necks. They were first worn in the inner square of Covent Garden Market, among the greenstalls; it was from thence introduced into the outward square or piazzas amongst the stalls there. The Mary Queen of Scots Cap, edged down the face with French beads, was very becoming to some complexions,; but, as the cap was made of black gauze, and saved washing, it has too much good housewifery in it ever to be immense taste. The Fly Cap. This is fixed upon the forehead, forming the figure of an overgrown butterfly, resting upon its head, with outstretched wings; it is much worn at present, not that it either adds to the colour or outline of the face; but, as these caps are edged with garnets, topazes, or brilliants, they are very sparkling; and a side-box appearance is not now altogether the consultation of elegance, but ornament. . . . It is become a very interesting dispute among the connoisseurs in general whether the present turban-roll, which is now worn round the Mecklenburgh caps, was taken from the Egyptian fillet, the Persian tiara, or the wreath round the eldest Faustina's temples? By way of postscript we may add that the ladies, as to their shoeheels, go just as they did-no fixed manner-some as broad as a teacup's brim, some as narrow as the china circle the cup stands upon. Bell-hoops, blond-laces, pompoons, necklaces as usual. Modesty bits (a sort of tucker) out of fashion, and hats are trimmed as every person pleases." We also copy from Malcolm the following advertise and petticoat; a white and silver sack; a red satin fly petticoat, with a broad silver orrice at the bottom; a quilted red silk petticoat; and a blue and gold Turkey silk sack and petticoat." Another advertisement ran as follows:-" A brocaded lustring sack with a ruby-coloured ground and white tobine stripes, trimmed with floss; a black satin sack, flowered with red and white flowers, trimmed with white floss; a pink and white striped tobine, sack, and petticoat, trimmed with white floss; and a garnet-coloured lustring nightgown with a tobine stripe of green and white, trimmed with floss of the same colour and lined with straw-coloured lustring." In 1772 the head-dress " à la maccaroni," mentioned in our notice of male fashions, was also worn by the ladies. This was followed by the very high powdered head-dress which lasted from about 1776 till 1783, when a change seems to have taken place; and, from being combed up in front to an enormous height, it became frizzed out on each side with three immense curls upon the shoulders. With regard to the Military Costume of this period, the following information may be sufficient for the general reader. On the 1st of July, 1751, a warrant bearing the sign manual of George II. was issued regulating the uniform colours and standards of the regiments of the line. The breeches and waistcoats appear to have been ordered to be of the colour of the facings of the coats, and the officers were commanded to wear a crimson silk sash over the left shoulder. Quartermasters alone were to wear the sash round the waist. Three-cornered cocked hats were general, and all were ordered to wear a black cockade with a metal loop corresponding with the lace of the uniform. The cavalry all wore the heavy boot of jacked leather and gauntlets of buff. Shortly after the accession of George III. the heavy boots were exchanged for some of lighter construction (17641765); and in 1769 cavalry officers were directed to wear their sashes with the fringe upon the right side, and the infantry officers upon the left; and the officers of the regiments of horse were directed to wear sword-belts across the right shoulder, over the waistcoat and under the coat; alterations were also made in the colours of the breeches and waistcoats, and they now frequently varied from that of the facings. CHAPTER VII. HISTORY OF THE CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE. HE preceding chap- | ter has placed before the reader what may be called the outside life of the various classes of the English people during the first quarter of a century of the reign of George III., in other words, so much of their way of living as might be supposed to show itself for the most part to a mere observer or looker-on; but there are various particulars of another description, more properly constituting or entering into the economical condition of the mass of the population, which still remain to be stated. These particulars, not being obvious to view, or to be arrived at without considerable inquiry, and sometimes an elaborate comparison of many different statements, have always been the most imperfectly recorded, and indeed have rarely been collected or preserved in a satisfactory manner. T A considerable body of this kind of information, however, in relation to the earlier portion of the present period, is to be found in the two works by Arthur Young to which we have been frequently indebted in preceding chapters:-his Six Weeks' Tour through the Southern Counties of England and Wales, published, in one volume, in 1768; and his Six Months' Tour through the North of England, published, in four volumes, in 1770. His Southern Tour extended over a circuit of about 600 miles, through the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Middlesex, Buckingham, Oxford, Gloucester, Monmouth, Glamorgan, Somerset, Wilts, and Hants; and wherever he found himself in the course of his journey he directed his attention, not only to the state of agriculture, but to the prices of provisions and the wages of labourthe two elements that may be almost said to make up the physical condition of the mass of the community. Wheaten bread was by no means, even at this late date, the only sort used in the parts of the kingdom which he visited ;* but he takes notice, as far as we can find, of no other; and the price of this he found to be, both in the metropolis and the country generally, 2d. per lb.; See Pict. Hist. of Eng., iv. 850. except in Essex, where it was but 1d., and in one place rather less; in Hampshire, where it was no more than 1d.; and in the neighbourhood of Gloucester, where it rather exceeded 2d. "I was not surprised," he says, "to find this article upon a general level; for wheat, being a commodity easily transported, will certainly be eat at London as cheap as in the extremities of the kingdom. Indeed I know not how to reconcile the accounts I met with in newspapers, of wheat selling so much dearer in the western markets than the eastern ones, and at places where the measure was only nine gallons; for I have often observed 10s., 15s., and even 20s. a-quarter difference between the Norfolk and the West of England prices, whereas bread is of the same price everywhere. There must be some unknown cirumstances, or mistakes, to occasion such a seeming variation." But in fact the difference in the prices of bread which his own accounts show, amounting to a halfpenny or more per pound, is quite sufficient to bear out any of the newspaper statements to which he refers; a difference of a halfpenny on the pound of bread is very nearly equivalent to a difference of 20s. on the price of a quarter of wheat, that grain being taken to weigh about 58 lbs. per bushel. That the price of corn at this time varied considerably in different parts of the kingdom there can be no doubt; the system of transport was as yet far from being such as to permit the plenty of one district always to flow freely for the supply of the scarcity of another; indeed, even in the present day, with our vastly improved roads, canals, and river navigation, and all our other facilities for the transference of heavy goods from almost any one locality to any other, neither the price of corn nor that of bread is perfectly equalized over the whole country. It may have been, however, as Young asserts, that the price of bread did not vary, like that of some other articles, according to the distances of places from the great market of the metropolis. He attributes this to the circumstance of wheat being" a commodity that may be moved with the greatest ease:" with butter, on the other hand, he observes, this is not the case; that article he describes, somewhat strangely, as" the only commodity which cannot be transported from a distance to London ;" "and consequently," he adds, "it shows the proportional influence of that capital better than any other article." At London, and for twenty miles round, he found the mean price of butter to be 8d. per lb.; at the distance of from |