Thus have I prefented to the Reader's View, an Enumeration of the feveral Qualities which conftitutě A PRETTY GENTLEMAN. From whence it is eafy to collect the true Notion of Genuine Elegance; which, without any Apprehenfion of being difproved, I do not hesitate to define thus "Elegance is the Abfence or Debilitation of Maf "culine Strength and Vigor,—Or rather, The Happy. "Metamorphofis,-Or, The Gentleman turned La dy; that is, Female Softnefs adopted into the "Breaft of a Male, difcovering itself by outward "Signs and Tokens in Feminine Expreffions, Ac66 cent, Voice, Air, Gesture, and Looks. Or, as the "French more clearly define it, A je ne fçai quoi." And now I appeal to the Judgment of the Impartial, whether This be a Character, which deferves that Contempt and Ridicule fome rude and undif ciplined Spirits have endeavoured to throw upon it? It is impoffible that any ferious Person can entertain fuch a Thought. I call therefore upon the Wisdom of the Nation: I call upon the L-ds, K-ts, and B-s, now affembled in P-t, to interpofe in this important Caufe, this truly National Concern. The Queftion is, Whether we shall become more than Men, that is, Pretty Gentlemen; or worse than Brutes, Brutes, i. e. Masculine, Robuft Creatures with unfoftened Manners. The latter will infallibly be the Cafe, if an effectual Stop be not put to that licentious Raillery, which would laugh out of Countenance the generous Endeavours of a Race of virtuous Youths, to polish our Afperity, mollify us into gentle Obfequioufnefs, and give us a true Relifh of all the dulcet Elegancies of Life? I will speak without Reserve : Should not the Theatres be abfolutely demolished? We have already in vain tried the lenient Measures of Reftriction. Why then should we not now have Recourse to the laft Remedy, and cut down the Tree, which, after all our Pruning and Culture, ftill continues to produce poisonous Fruit? The indulgent Reader, I dare fay, will approve the Method I prescribe. But perhaps fo many Difficulties may arise to his Imagination, that he will conclude it impracticable. Difficulties there are, no doubt; but One there is, which, if He can furmount, I myself will undertake to remove all the reft. Here lies the grand Impediment! How can we expect the Favour of the Learned, or the Protection of the State, to cherish and support This Refinement, when its most inveterate Enemy is the very Man, who has always been the Standard of Taste with the former; and is now raised to a Post, which gives him fuch an unhappy Influence in the latter? Unhappy indeed for the Sons of Elegance! For what can the moft Sanguine expect from one, who has made it the 4 Business Business of his Life, to bring into Repute the false Refinements of ancient Greece and Rome? Will a Perfon of his Mafculine Talents become the Patron of soft and dulcified Elegance? Will He give up that Attic Wit, which has gained him such high Applause, and made him the Delight of a mif-judging World, to cultivate Qualities, in which he is not formed to excel? What then remains, but that the Sons of Elegance wait with Patience (for they are too gentle to use any violent Methods) till the kind Fates fhall remove this implacable Adverfary out of the World. And then, my foreboding Heart affures me, true Politeness will thrive and profper, and spread her sweet mollifying Influences over the Land, till nothing fhall be heard of or feen, but Softnefs and Complaifance, Prettiness and Elegance, Infantine Prattle, Lullaby Converfation, and gentle Love; and every well educated Male amongst us shall become Mollis & parum Vir; A PRETTY GENTLEMAN. THE THE POLITE PHILOSOPHER: OR, An ESSAY on that ART which makes a Man happy in himself, and agreeable to others. He who intends t'advise the young and gay, Let Parfons tell what dreadful Ills will fall First Printed in the Year 1734. |