
Daughter is a Woman grown, but we must not mention her Age. A Marriage was
proposed to her the other Day with a young Fellow of a good Estate, but she
never would see him more than once; »for Dr. Harrison,« says she, »told me he
was illiterate, and I am sure he is ill natured.« The second Girl is three Years
younger than her Sister, and the others are yet Children.
    Amelia is still the finest Woman in England of her Age. Booth himself often
avers she is as handsome as ever. Nothing can equal the Serenity of their Lives.
Amelia declared to me the other Day, that she did not remember to have seen her
Husband out of Humour these ten Years; and upon my insinuating to her, that he
had the best of Wives, she answered with a Smile, that she ought to be so, for
that he had made her the happiest of Women.
 

                                     Notes

1 Opus est Interprete. By the Laws of England abusive Words are not punishable
by the Magistrate; some Commissioners of the Peace therefore, when one Scold
hath applied to them for a Warrant against another, from a too eager Desire of
doing Justice, have construed a little harmless Scolding into a Riot, which is
in Law an outragious Breach of the Peace, committed by several Persons, by three
at the least, nor can a less Number be convicted of it. Under this Word rioting,
or riotting (for I have seen it spelt both ways) many thousands of old Women
have been arrested and put to Expence, sometimes in Prison, for a little
intemperate Use of their Tongues. This Practice began to decrease in the Year
1749.
 
2 A Cant Term for Robbery on the High-way.
 
3 Another Cant Term for Pilfering.
 
4 By removing the Indictment by Certiorari into the King's Bench, the Trial is
so long postponed, and the Costs are so highly encreased, that Prosecutors are
often tired out, and some incapacitated from pursuing. Verbum sapienti.
 
5 A cant Word for a Prison.
6 Tho' last, not least.
 
7 A Cant Word, meaning to swear, or rather to perjure yourself.
 
8 The Burden becomes light by being well born.
 
9 To look down on all human Affairs as Matters below his Consideration.
 
10 A Set of beggarly Philosophers, who diverted Great Men at their Table with
burlesque Discourses on Virtue.
 
11 The Art of getting Wealth is so called by Aristotle in his Politics.
 
12 To do a Kindness to a bad Man, is like sowing your Seed in the Sea.
