202 A FASHIONABLE LADY's DAY. 



The writer will not inquire minutely into the brilliant discourse 

 that usually obtains at these visits, but simply ask if the welfare of 

 the Nation, or any important measures before Parliament — if the 

 state of agriculture and trade — if the progress of science, litera- 

 ture or the fine arts are ever considered, or, whether fashion, 

 scandal and folly do not furnish invariable and constant topics ? 



If going-a-shopping be the attraction, they dangle about from 

 one shop to another, each endeavouring to surpass the other, in 

 dull unmeaningness, in airified manners, or in inane silliness ; — 

 are they curious to know how any one of the infinity of articles 

 used by them is manufactured? whether it is a vegetable, animal, 

 or mineral substance? what part of the world produces it? is 

 there an inquisitiveness as to the national consumption of it ? a 

 to its imports into, or exports from their country?— that country 

 to whose looms " the luxurious natives of the Earth, and the 

 ruder inhabitants of the African deserts" are alike indebted for 

 the necessaries and conveniences of life, no ! not a spark of lau^ 

 dahle curiosity, or desire to obtain information is evinced! 

 At length, having assiduously pestered the unfortunate shopmen 

 till they have satisfied their capricious wants, they arrive home, 

 of course, quite fatigued with the dreadful labours they have 

 undergone! and now comes the lunch, or the dinner; — at either 

 the unhappy mortal who is doomed to prepare aliment for their 

 fastidious tastes, is sure to get her share, directly or indirectly, 

 of those bitter and peevish ebullitions, which are the natural 

 result of indolence, ennui, and frivolity. 



At dinner, moreover, there is a grand opportunity for the 

 display of different tastes and opinions — viz., as to whether meat 

 is preferable when well roasted, or when red and juicy; as to 

 the vulgarity of beans and bacon, or the superiority of a farina- 

 ceous over a cereous potatoe! — but can they dress a leg of 

 mutton, boil a cabbage, or make a loaf? no, forsooth! bedizened 

 heads would be finely tossed, and haughty and scornful looks 

 would be venomously darted at any one who should presume to 

 tax them with the least cognizance of such vulgar — such de- 

 meaning attainments ! 



Evening at length arrives, it is spent at home — they have a 

 party, or go out to one. 



The evening without a party is probably the most disagreeable 

 and the most nauseous, because it is devoid of those transient and 

 frivolous amusements, which are so well adapted to feed them 

 to repletion on the useless and the silly, to the entire abandon- 



