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"I must confess, indeed, that I am much lefs in vogue amongst people in high life than I was formerly; and am feldom feen at the court end of the town, except by the Marchioness of B-, the Countess of C—, Mrs. M---, and a few more ladies of superior sense, and of a literary turn. Nay, I am forry to say that of late I meet with but little refpect even in the city, except by fome of the lowest and most industrious of the inhabitants; so that I now spend most of my time amongst the honeft laborious peasants in the country; who, I hope, for their own fake as well as that of the community, will continue to regard me.”

I liftened with attention to her difcourfe; and, notwithstanding the few fallies of refentment, which only added spirit to her features, I was charmed with the character of native sweetness which appeared in her countenance; and having now recollected fomething of her perfon, I said, with fome confufion, "that I was forry I had fo long been deprived of her visits, and should be happy to renew my acquaintance; and added, that I now remembered having often seen her in my youth, and that my mother used to call her her dear Aurora;' but having unhappily got acquainted with the widow Hecatiffa in town, I owned fhe had engroffed too much of my time and attention; that for the future, howeyer, I hoped to see her often, and would take effectual

care

care to have her admitted, whenever fhe would condefcend to honour me with her visits."

I was going on, when a glow of splendour, like the rifing of the fun, shone around her, and flashed in my face; and fhe vanished from my fight.

I drew my curtains more closely round me; turned from the window; went to fleep again—till noonand have not seen the fair Aurora fince.

THE

GRAND PROCESSION!

CEDENT ARMA TOGE!

ETURNING lately from a tour to the Lakes

RE

in Cumberland, I slept at a great manufacturing town in the North; and the next morning, having viewed every thing which was thought curious in the place, I ordered my horfes to proceed on my journey; when my landlord afked me, if I would not stay to fee the proceffion? What proceffion, said I?" Why, fir, there has lately been established here a fociety, called the true and respectable Taylors; and to-day they have their first grand feast, and walk in proceffion to hear a fermon at the great church." "What is the intention. of this fociety?' faid I to my hoft? "Why, fir, partly to raise a fund for the fupport of their decayed brethren of the thimble; and partly to rescue their profeffion from the contempt and ridicule, which is so

often,

often, and fo unjustly, levelled at so useful a branch of the community.

As I fuppofed this to be an humble imitation of the Society of Free-Mafons, of which I have the honour to be an unworthy member, I thought there might be fomething humorous in fuch a cavalcade, and accordingly stayed to see it.

At the head of the proceffion there walked a very young divine in his canonicals; whom, I found, they had chofen in preference to the rector, because his name was Taylor. On his left hand walked the prefident, a portly figure! dreffed more like a general officer than a mafter-taylor; having an immenfe hat on, cocked with an air of terror and defiance; his coat, with oldfashioned stiffened fkirts and large fleeves, lined with crimson filk, and adorned with gold buttons. After them walked the whole fraternity; but intermixed, as I was told, with fome few woollen-drapers, as between them and the taylors there is generally fuppofed to be a fympathetick connexion, or fellow-feeling. In the midst of the cavalcade walked the standard-bearer, with the flag painted with the arms of the merchant-taylors; namely, a tent between two mantles, lined with ermine; a lion in chief, to fhew that even a taylor can be valiant on occafion; but a lamb for their creft, to denote the general

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general meeknefs and 'pacifick character of their pro

feffion. The camels for their fupporters, probably

allude to the materials formerly made use of for but

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tons, called mohair, which is chiefly the hair of theory migh

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to be told thus it happe

When we came to the church, the young curate had
felected pfalms and leffons proper for the occation, and Barrow
had taken his text from St. Paul's epiftle to the Ro-hd at
mans: "Aremnant fhall be faved." As this was merchant

the first sermon preached before the Company, it was Daylos,
chiefly historical; but I was forry to hear the preacher, ale his
before a society founded on brotherly love and charity, lent was to
begin with sarcastical reflections on our much more re-
a
spectable society of "free and accepted Mafons." He & Umnant
faid, there was a certain upstart, pragmatical fet of peo-mag
besave
ple, called Free-Masons, who pretended to claim the
precedence, in point of antiquity, to the respectable make
body of Taylors; but if any of them could read, (faid am ents
the pedantick prig) let them look into the very begin-wond
ning of their bible, and they will find that Adam made
breast
use of a needle for fewing many ages before we hear any alii.
thing of trowels or building. And as for their Temple

gave offe

agui

Gratti of Solomon, which they fo profanely introduce on all the usual occafions; have they never heard how many years the Jews worshipped in tents or tabernacles, before the Temple of Solomon had any existence?—He proceeded Text was let him that has stolp Steal no more - This did not much mond the matter

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