But let us suppose one other case to be opened to the philosopher. Let
us now suppose it to be stated to him, that those who frequented these
monthly meetings, but particularly the females, had become habituated to
talk, for a day or two beforehand, of nothing but of how they should
dress themselves, or of what they should wear on the occasion: that some
time had been spent in examining and canvassing the fashions; that the
milliner had been called in for this purpose; that the imagination had
been racked in the study of the decoration of the person; that both on
the morning and the afternoon of the evening, on which they had publicly
met to dance, they had been solely employed in preparations for decking
themselves out; that they had been nearly two hours under one dresser
only, namely the hair-dresser; that frequently at intervals they had
looked at their own persons in the glass; that they had walked up and
down parading before it in admiration of their own appearance, and the
critical detection of any little fold in their dress, which might appear
to be out of place, and in the adjustment of the same--what would the
philosopher say in this new case?
He certainly could not view the case with the same complacent
countenance as before.
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