To the young ladies
of the
United kingdom of great Britain
and Ireland;
also
the young ladies
of
the principality of Wales,
and likewise
the young ladies
resident in the Isles of
Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, and
Sark,
the humble dedication of their
devoted admirer,
SHEWETH, —
That your Dedicator has perused, with feelings
of virtuous indignation, a work purporting to be ‘Sketches
of Young Ladies;’ written by Quiz, illustrated
by Phiz, and published in one volume, square twelvemo.
That after an attentive and vigilant perusal
of the said work, your Dedicator is humbly of opinion
that so many libels, upon your Honourable sex, were
never contained in any previously published work,
in twelvemo or any other mo.
That in the title page and preface to the said
work, your Honourable sex are described and classified
as animals; and although your Dedicator is not at
present prepared to deny that you are animals,
still he humbly submits that it is not polite to call
you so.
That in the aforesaid preface, your Honourable
sex are also described as Troglodites, which, being
a hard word, may, for aught your Honourable sex or
your Dedicator can say to the contrary, be an injurious
and disrespectful appellation.
That the author of the said work applied himself
to his task in malice prepense and with wickedness
aforethought; a fact which, your Dedicator contends,
is sufficiently demonstrated, by his assuming the
name of Quiz, which, your Dedicator submits, denotes
a foregone conclusion, and implies an intention of
quizzing.
That in the execution of his evil design, the
said Quiz, or author of the said work, must have betrayed
some trust or confidence reposed in him by some members
of your Honourable sex, otherwise he never could have
acquired so much information relative to the manners
and customs of your Honourable sex in general.
That actuated by these considerations, and further
moved by various slanders and insinuations respecting
your Honourable sex contained in the said work, square
twelvemo, entitled ’Sketches of Young Ladies,’
your Dedicator ventures to produce another work, square
twelvemo, entitled ‘Sketches of Young Gentlemen,’
of which he now solicits your acceptance and approval.
