The Fine Ladys Airs | Page 4

lines as, "The Godly never go to Taverns, but get drunk every Night at one another's Houses," "Citizens are as fond of their Wives, as their Wives are of other People," and "Virtue's an Impossibility ... every Citizen's Wife pretends to't," are carefully expunged.]
[Footnote 4: E.g., Bloom to Mrs. Driver, "One moment into that Closet, if it be but to read the Practice of Piety" becomes "One Moment into that Closet, Dear, dear Creature; they say it's mighty prettily furnish'd," And in her aside, "I vow, I've a good mind; but Virtue--the Devil, I ne're was so put to't i' my Life," for the words "the Devil" are substituted the words "and Reputation."]
[Footnote 5: No. 50, Sept. 14; No. 61, Oct. 26.]
[Footnote 6: According to the impression I have of this "morbus" it was a skin-ailment particularly appropriated to beggars, who might contract it upon long exposure to filth and louse-bites. Even then, though there would doubtless be a certain amount "of discomfort about it, it would scarcely prove fatal.]
[Footnote 7: This and subsequent vital statistics as to Baker's university and clerical career are from the account of him in J. and J.A. Venn, Alumni Cantabrigienses, 1922 et sq.]
[Footnote 8: British Apollo, No. 49, Sept. 14, 1709.]
[Footnote 9: _Ibid._]
[Footnote 10: Both Paul Bunyan Anderson, "The history and authorship of Mrs. Crackenthorpe's Female Tatler," MP, XXVIII (1931), 354-60, and Walter Graham, "Thomas Baker, Mrs. Manley, and The Female Tatler," MP, XXXIV (1937), 267-72, think that some, at least, of the _F.T._ is from Baker's pen, but they disagree as to what part and how much. I am considering the matter and may have an opinion to express in future.]
[Footnote 11: Victoria History of Bedfordshire, II, 181 n.; III, 128.]

THE Fine Lady's Airs: OR, AN EQUIPAGE of LOVERS. A COMEDY.
As it is Acted at the THEATRE-ROYAL IN _DRURY-LANE._
Written by the Author of the Yeoman of Kent.
_LONDON_:
Printed for BERNARD LINTOTT at the _Cross-Keys_, between the Two Temple Gates in Fleetstreet.
Price 1_s._ 6d.

TO
Sir ANDREW FONTAINE
To Address a Man of your Character, gives me greater Concern than to finish the most Elaborate Play, and support the various Conflicts which naturally attend ev'ry Author; how the Town in general will receive it.
To harangue some of the First Quality, whose Titles are the greatest Illustration we can give 'em, is a sort of Common-Place Oratory; which Poets may easily vary in copying from one another; but, when I'm speaking to the most finish'd young Gentleman any Age has produced, whose distinguish'd Merits exact the nicest Relation, I feel my inability, and want a Genius barely to touch on those extraordinary Accomplishments, which You so early, and with so much ease, have made Your self perfect Master of.
But, when I reflect on the Affability of Your Temper, the generous and obliging Reception, You always gave me, and the ingaging Sweetness of Your Conversation, I'm the more incourag'd to pay my Duty to You in this Nature, fully persuading my self, You'll lay aside the Critick, by considering, in how many Respects, Your condescending Goodness has shown You are my Friend.
The vast stock of Learning You acquir'd in Your Non-age, has manifested to the World, that a Scholar, and a fine Gentleman are not Inconsistent, and rendered You so matchless an Ornament to the University of Oxford, particularly to _Christ-Church-_College, where You imbib'd it.
'Tis a Misfortune that attends many of our English Gentlemen to set out for Travel without any Foundation; and wanting a Tast of Letters, and the Knowledge of their own Country, the Observations they make Abroad, to reflect no further, are generally useless and impertinent.
But You so plentifully were furnish'd with all this Kingdom afforded, that Foreign Languages became Natural to You, and the unparallell'd Perfections You accumulated Abroad, particularly Your most Judicious and Critical Collection of Antiquities, made You so eminently Conspicuous, and justly Admir'd at the Great Court of Hannover, and since Your Return, have so cordially recommended You to the good Graces of the most Discerning Nobleman in the Kingdom.
Amongst other Degrees of Knowledge, I have heard You express some value for Poetry; which, cou'd one imitate Your right Tast of those less profitable Sciences, who permit it but at some Seasons, as a familiar Companion to relieve more serious Thoughts, and prevent an Anxiety, which, the constant Application, You have always been inclin'd to give harder Studies, might probably draw on You, is an Amusement worthy the greatest Head-piece. But 'tis so deluding a Genius, Dramatick Poetry especially, that many are insensibly drawn into to it, 'till it becomes a Business. To avoid that Misfortune, I'm now almost fix'd to throw it intirely by, and wou'd fain aim at something which may prove more serviceable to the Publick, and beneficial to my self.
Cou'd I have the Vanity to hope your Approbation of