"As to gaming-houses; such numbers of persons of all ranks have brought themselves, some to the greatest distresses, and others to most shameful and ignominious ends, by frequenting these houses, where gentlemen, sharpers, highwaymen, tradesmen, their servants, nay, often their apprentices, are mixed together; that, when I mention the very name of a gaming-house, I am persuaded that it conveys to your minds such ideas of mischief to society, that you will not suffer any of them to escape that come to your knowledge: and by a particular attention to the last-mentioned offences, you may be the happy means of preventing frauds, thefts, and robberies;
most of which take their rise from these impure fountains of extravagance."
What the Justice, speaking of the manner of the enquiry, remarks with regard to the contempt of oaths, is but too just, and alarming:
"When I mention the word Oath; where shall I find language to express the hearty concern I feel, when I consider with what shameful insensibility this great defence of our lives, this barrier of our liberties, this security of our properties, an oath, is treated by the lower rank of the community! I too much fear, that one of the principal causes of this contempt is the slovenly manner in which this solemn obligation is administered; which does not only take off the awe, but even the very idea, of the presence of Almighty God."
A facetious writer presented the following observations to the Editor of the London Chronicle, in June 1765. I think the Reader will find they promote the object of this work.
"It is common with the old men to assert, that times alter for the worse, and that every age increases in ignorance and folly. At the Theatres, they will tell you, that Garrick and Mrs. Cibber are tolerable performers, but they will not allow them to be equal to Booth and Mrs. Oldfield. 'When I was a boy, things were otherwise,' is their common expression. Now,
Mr. Printer, in despite of all this, I affirm, that instead of altering for the worse, we daily improve, not only in Commerce, but also in Manners and the Polite Arts. Think not by the Polite Arts I mean only the Exhibitions in Spring-gardens and Maiden-lane. No, Sir, my inference is a general one; I include artists of every denomination, from the genteel Mr. Pencil, the Portrait-painter, to honest Brush, the Sign-painter; both Mr. Heeltap, the Shoemaker of St. James's, and plain Crispin, the Cobler of London-house-yard. And that we only began to improve of late years, is evident from the sarcastic sneer of a shop-keeper at Epping, who, about ten years ago, had painted over his door, 'All sorts of Manchester stuffs sold here; also cardinals, nails, and hats.' The force of the witticism is too plain to need an explanation. This, I imagine, gave rise to the number of Dancing-masters, who have of late filled England; and that we are, since that time, greatly polished, no one, I dare say, will attempt to deny; but that it may not be thought that I assert what I am unable to prove, I will only remind your readers of the revolution that common things have undergone in their names. Have we now any shops? Are they not all turned into warehouses? Have we not the English warehouse, the Scotch warehouse, the Irish warehouse, the shirt warehouse, the stocking warehouse, the shoe warehouse, the hat
warehouse, nay, even the buckle and button warehouse? In like manner our drinking-houses are refined: they no longer go under the vulgar denominations of gin-houses, purl-houses, ale-houses, and porter-houses, but are all turned into coffee-houses without coffee, taverns without wine, and inns without a stable-yard. Not content with this, they even left off the showy sign-post and exuberant sign, which formerly distinguished the best-accustomed houses: convinced of their own merit, they have come to a right understanding of the words simplex munditiis; and therefore only put up a black board with the name of their quondam sign upon it. But I would just hint to them, that it would be something more grammatical, if, instead of 'This is the Boar's-head,' they were to say, 'This was the Boar's-head.' Indeed I cannot help thinking, that a very great improvement might be made by one of these alehouse innkeepers on the Essex road, who has a board with a large punch-bowl painted on it, and under it these words: 'The Boar's-head Inn.' Surely he would have more custom, if (like the man at Bath, who changed his sign of the Royal Oak into that of the Owl in the Ivy-bush, and wrote under it, 'This is not the Royal Oak') he would say under his punch-bowl, 'This is not the Punch-bowl Inn.'"
The impropriety and folly of employing young and vigorous men to serve female customers with
articles of dress, and those silly catch-pennies idly supposed ornaments to the person now so prevalent, is by no means a new trait in our customs; that it should be continued, though severely reprehended even so long since as 1765, is astonishing. At that time the antient sisterhood of tire-women were almost extinct; but now what head can be dressed fit to be seen without the assistance of a smart male hair-dresser? or what lady will purchase her bandeaus, her ribbands, gloves, &c. &c. from the hands of a young woman, when the same shop contains—a young man? Unfortunately this is a fatal custom to many fine blooming females, who, thus consigned to idleness and temptations, often fall victims to seduction.