CUSTOMS AND MANNERS. 



241 



which he does not attend ; and at the same time he dins the 

 house with his cries, if I venture half a real in the lottery. 

 From morning till night he has the cigarre in his mouth, and 

 a pinch of snufF in his fingers ; insomuch that his lips and 

 nostrils are constantly begrimed ; and, notwithstanding, he 

 dares to tax me with being guilty of a scandalous indecency, 

 when he sees me with a few jasmines on the head, or a small 

 bunch of mixed flowers in the bosom. 



He has given into the mania of wishing to see me dressed 

 according to his ridiculous taste. A bright yellow, a deep 

 flesh colour, and a pea green, are his favourite colours, and 

 he is desirous that I should not depart from them in the choice 

 of my faldellins. He says that it affords him great delight 

 when he sees me with a- Turkey-blue petticoat. Permit me to 

 ask you, gentlemen, w^hat a husband can have to do with the 

 colour of his wife's dress ? Ought it not to suffice that we are 

 clad modestly, and with economy ? The carriage-mules are 

 not paired ; the calash creaks like an overloaded cart ; and 

 the coachman has a splendid livery, but occasionally goes bare- 

 foot. The fore-court is unpaved ; the parlour stools are crazy 

 and falling in pieces ; and whenever I touch on the reform of 

 these absurdities, he assails me with a thousand impertinences, 

 calling me a prodigal and an ideot ; and concludes with this 

 threat : '* go to ; I will have thee published in the Mer- 

 cury." 



I should never have done, if I were to enter into a detailed 

 explanation of all the simplicities of my husband, without 

 speaking of the suspicions he has given me ; for I am told he 

 has purchased several articles of old furniture, nearly sufficient 

 to furnish a small house. lam surprized that you, gentle- 



li men. 



