sketches of young gentlemen-第11部分

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ladies'　dresses；　he　had　evinced　as　much　knowledge　as　if　he　had　been

born　and　bred　a　milliner。



As　such　of　the　fat　people　who　did　not　happen　to　fall　asleep　after

dinner　entered　upon　a　most　vigorous　game　at　ball；　we　slipped　away

alone　into　a　thicker　part　of　the　wood；　hoping　to　fall　in　with　Mr。

Balim；　the　greater　part　of　the　young　people　having　dropped　off　in

twos　and　threes　and　the　young　ladies'　young　gentleman　among　them。

Nor　were　we　disappointed；　for　we　had　not　walked　far；　when；　peeping

through　the　trees；　we　discovered　him　before　us；　and　truly　it　was　a

pleasant　thing　to　contemplate　his　greatness。



The　young　ladies'　young　gentleman　was　seated　upon　the　ground；　at

the　feet　of　a　few　young　ladies　who　were　reclining　on　a　bank；　he　was

so　profusely　decked　with　scarfs；　ribands；　flowers；　and　other　pretty

spoils；　that　he　looked　like　a　lamb　…　or　perhaps　a　calf　would　be　a

better　simile　…　adorned　for　the　sacrifice。　　One　young　lady

supported　a　parasol　over　his　interesting　head；　another　held　his

hat；　and　a　third　his　neck…cloth；　which　in　romantic　fashion　he　had

thrown　off；　the　young　gentleman　himself；　with　his　hand　upon　his

breast；　and　his　face　moulded　into　an　expression　of　the　most　honeyed

sweetness；　was　warbling　forth　some　choice　specimens　of　vocal　music

in　praise　of　female　loveliness；　in　a　style　so　exquisitely　perfect；

that　we　burst　into　an　involuntary　shout　of　laughter；　and　made　a

hasty　retreat。



What　charming　fellows　these　young　ladies'　young　gentlemen　are！

Ducks；　dears；　loves；　angels；　are　all　terms　inadequate　to　express

their　merit。　　They　are　such　amazingly；　uncommonly；　wonderfully；

nice　men。







CONCLUSION







As　we　have　placed　before　the　young　ladies　so　many　specimens　of

young　gentlemen；　and　have　also　in　the　dedication　of　this　volume

given　them　to　understand　how　much　we　reverence　and　admire　their

numerous　virtues　and　perfections；　as　we　have　given　them　such　strong

reasons　to　treat　us　with　confidence；　and　to　banish；　in　our　case；

all　that　reserve　and　distrust　of　the　male　sex　which；　as　a　point　of

general　behaviour；　they　cannot　do　better　than　preserve　and　maintain

…　we　say；　as　we　have　done　all　this；　we　feel　that　now；　when　we　have

arrived　at　the　close　of　our　task；　they　may　naturally　press　upon　us

the　inquiry；　what　particular　description　of　young　gentlemen　we　can

conscientiously　recommend。



Here　we　are　at　a　loss。　　We　look　over　our　list；　and　can　neither

recommend　the　bashful　young　gentleman；　nor　the　out…and…out　young

gentleman；　nor　the　very　friendly　young　gentleman；　nor　the　military

young　gentleman；　nor　the　political　young　gentleman；　nor　the

domestic　young　gentleman；　nor　the　censorious　young　gentleman；　nor

the　funny　young　gentleman；　nor　the　theatrical　young　gentleman；　nor

the　poetical　young　gentleman；　nor　the　throwing…off　young　gentleman；

nor　the　young　ladies'　young　gentleman。



As　there　are　some　good　points　about　many　of　them；　which　still　are

not　sufficiently　numerous　to　render　any　one　among　them　eligible；　as

a　whole；　our　respectful　advice　to　the　young　ladies　is；　to　seek　for

a　young　gentleman　who　unites　in　himself　the　best　qualities　of　all；

and　the　worst　weaknesses　of　none；　and　to　lead　him　forthwith　to　the

hymeneal　altar；　whether　he　will　or　no。　　And　to　the　young　lady　who

secures　him；　we　beg　to　tender　one　short　fragment　of　matrimonial

advice；　selected　from　many　sound　passages　of　a　similar　tendency；　to

be　found　in　a　letter　written　by　Dean　Swift　to　a　young　lady　on　her

marriage。



'The　grand　affair　of　your　life　will　be；　to　gain　and　preserve　the

esteem　of　your　husband。　　Neither　good…nature　nor　virtue　will　suffer

him　to　ESTEEM　you　against　his　judgment；　and　although　he　is　not

capable　of　using　you　ill；　yet　you　will　in　time　grow　a　thing

indifferent　and　perhaps　contemptible；　unless　you　can　supply　the

loss　of　youth　and　beauty　with　more　durable　qualities。　　You　have　but

a　very　few　years　to　be　young　and　handsome　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；

and　as　few　months　to　be　so　in　the　eyes　of　a　husband　who　is　not　a

fool；　for　I　hope　you　do　not　still　dream　of　charms　and　raptures；

which　marriage　ever　did；　and　ever　will；　put　a　sudden　end　to。'



From　the　anxiety　we　express　for　the　proper　behaviour　of　the

fortunate　lady　after　marriage；　it　may　possibly　be　inferred　that　the

young　gentleman　to　whom　we　have　so　delicately　alluded；　is　no　other

than　ourself。　　Without　in　any　way　committing　ourself　upon　this

point；　we　have　merely　to　observe；　that　we　are　ready　to　receive

sealed　offers　containing　a　full　specification　of　age；　temper；

appearance；　and　condition；　but　we　beg　it　to　be　distinctly

understood　that　we　do　not　pledge　ourself　to　accept　the　highest

bidder。



These　offers　may　be　forwarded　to　the　Publishers；　Messrs。　Chapman

and　Hall；　London；　to　whom　all　pieces　of　plate　and　other

testimonials　of　approbation　from　the　young　ladies　generally；　are

respectfully　requested　to　be　addressed。











The　End