"Full many a chance, or dire mishap,
Oft'times between the lip, and cup, is;
The Tax, that should have hung our Dogs,
Excuses them, and falls on Puppies."
—(Times, Mar. 11, 1795.)
"A tax on Dogs would certainly have been unobjectionable, as well as expedient, in a two-fold degree; first in creating a revenue, and secondly, in lessening the number of them. At the present period particularly, a tax on Dogs would have a good effect, as it is a well known fact, that the coarser parts of meat are scarcely to be had by the poor, because the rich can afford to buy them for their dogs."—(Times, Apr. 11, 1795.)
"The Tax on Powdered Heads is calculated to produce £450,000 per annum, though the Minister has only calculated it at £200,000. Some Gentlemen are said to have made an offer to farm it at £400,000."—(Times, Mar. 25, 1795.)
"Hair Powder Tax."
"An Annual Certificate to be taken out by every person wearing hair-powder, price one-guinea: every sort, or composition, of powder worn as an article of dress, to be deemed within the meaning of the Act. The Royal Family, and their immediate Servants; Clergymen, whose annual income is under £100; Subaltern, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Privates of the Army, Militia, Marines, and Fencible Corps; Officers of the Navy, under the rank of Commander; Officers, and Privates, in Corps of Yeomanry, or Volunteers; Dissenting Preachers in holy orders, or pretended holy orders, whose annual income is under £100, are exempted. Persons having more than two daughters unmarried, to pay only for two.
"Persons wearing Powder without a Certificate, to forfeit £20. Persons selling, transferring, or using, a Certificate, with intent to defraud the revenue, to forfeit £30."—(Times, May 7, 1795.)
"The Powder Tax has already produced three hundred thousand pounds to Government. The term is to be extended by Act of Parliament, and, according to the most probable conjectures, the final amount will be double that sum.
"The Duke of Devonshire has paid five and thirty guineas for his family. The Duchess of Northumberland, a single guinea for herself: powder is under interdiction among the rest of that family: though not from motives of disaffection. Her Grace assigns a more justifiable motive; namely, a scruple of contributing, in any unnecessary way, to the present scarcity."—(Times, June 12, 1795.)
"Hair Powder Tax. The Caricaturists, who generally paint so plain, that those who run may read, have whimsically described the two orders of beings, who do, and do not, pay. The first are aptly enough termed Guinea Pigs—the latter, Pigs without a Guinea!"—(Times, July 1, 1795.)