used where speech rather should be employed, it may come into consideration in the same chapter:  for Mr. Bellfrey being at a visit where I was, viz., his cousin’s (Lady Dainty’s) in Soho, was asked, what entertainments they had in the country?  Now Bellfrey is very ignorant, and much a clown; but confident withal.  In a word, he struck up a fox-chase:  Lady Dainty’s dog, Mr. Sippet, as she calls him, started and jumped out of his lady’s lap, and fell a barking.  Bellfrey went on, and called all the neighbouring parishes into the square.  Never was woman in such confusion as that delicate lady.  But there was no stopping her kinsman.  A room full of ladies fell into the most violent laughter:  my lady looked as if she was shrieking; Mr. Sippet in the middle of the room, breaking his heart with barking, but all of us unheard.  As soon as Bellfrey became silent, up gets my lady, and takes him by the arm to lead him off:  Bellfrey was in his boots.  As she was hurrying him away, his spurs takes hold of her petticoat; his whip throws down a cabinet of china:  he cries, “What! are your crocks rotten?  Are your petticoats ragged?  A man can’t walk in your house for trincums.”  Every county of Great Britain has one hundred or more of this sort of fellows, who roar instead of speaking.  Therefore if it be true, that we women are also given to greater fluency of words than is necessary, sure one that disturbs but a room or a family is more to be tolerated, than one who draws together parishes and counties, and sometimes (with an estate that might make him the blessing and ornament of the world around him) has no other view and ambition, but to be an animal above dogs and horses, without the relish of any one enjoyment, which is peculiar to the faculties of human nature.  But I know it will here be said, that talking of mere country squires at this rate, is, as it were, to write against Valentine or Orson.  To prove anything against the race of men, you must take them as they are adorned with education, as they live in Courts, or have received instructions in colleges.

But I was so full of my late entertainment by Mr. Bellfrey, that I must defer pursuing this subject to another day; and waive the proper observations upon the different offenders in this kind, some by profound eloquence, on small occasions, others by degrading speech upon great circumstances.  Expect therefore to hear of the whisperer without business, the laugher without wit, the complainer without receiving injuries, and a very large crowd, which I shall not forestall, who are common (though not commonly observed) impertinents, whose tongues are too voluble for their brains, and are the general despisers of us women, though we have their superiors, the men of sense, for our servants.[376]

St. James’s Coffee-house, July 4.