Clubs & Societies in British Guiana to 1844. 77 
although issuing certainly the two best newspapers 
in the West Indies, it must be observed that from 
the frequency of attacks, insinuations, sarcasms, tales 
of scandal and exposures to public ridicule, it was 
certain there were unhealthy sheep in the flock. '* Primi- 
tive" said he lived near the foot of the Andes and had 
not been in Georgetown for twenty years. Recollecting 
what it was and seeing the change, he could not help ex- 
claiming, what a contrast ! Bushes had been changed to 
houses, cotton and coffee pieces into roads and avenues, 
there was a population without bounds, horses innu- 
merable, and carriages beyond description. But what 
amused him most were the extremes of fashion. One 
had inexpressibles as tight as wax and thin as wafers, 
another's were of Kersey as impervious as a stone wall 
and shaped like coffee-bags ; some " clodded" it most 
clownishly in boots, others most gracefully skipped it in 
pumps ; some wore hats as big as umbrellas while others 
braved the sun in 'snippets" that scarce covered their 
noses; finally some wore short jackets they could hardly 
move in while the huge coats of the dashers would en- 
velope a cabbage tree. But above all came the spec- 
tacles — the rage for spectacles — in colours as diversified 
as the rainbow. What a change in the climate — no 
sooner landed than blind. Yes, every eye double and 
sometimes triple. il Unhappy creatures !" he said, when 
a friend told him not to waste his sympathy, as glasses 
were assumed for convenience if a Dun was coming, 
because bad sight was an excellent excuse; but on the con- 
trary when they went dunning, because they could not 
have too many eyes. A correspondent the year before 
suggested that advertisers should be more careful in their 
