Female Fashions for 1799

A form, as any taper, fine ;         A head like half-pint bason ;     Where golden cords, and bands entwine,         As rich as fleece of

ON.     A pair of shoulders strong and wide,         Like country clown enlisting ;     Bare arms long dangling by the side,         And shoes of ragged listing !    Cravats like towels, thick and broad,       Long tippets made of bear-skin,   Muffs that a

AN might applaud,       And rouge to spoil a fair skin.   Long petticoats to hide the feet,       Silk hose with clocks of scarlet ;   A load of perfume, sick'ning sweet,       Bought of

AN

ET.   A bush of hair, the brow to shade,       Sometimes the eyes to cover ;   A necklace that might be display'd       By

AN lover !   A bowl of straw to deck the head,       Like porringer unmeaning ;   A bunch of

ES flaming red,       With motly ribands streaming.   Bare ears on either side the head,       Like wood-wild savage

YR ;   Tinted with deep vermilion red,       To shame the blush of nature.   Red elbows, gauzy gloves, that add       An icy cov'ring merely ;   A wadded coat, the shape to pad,       Like Dutch-women — or nearly.   Such is

CE ! but, lovely kind !       Oh ! let each mental feature   Proclaim the labour of the mind,       And leave your charms to

RE.