d to
the dress of a {36}head or the flounce of a petticoat; that government,
in peace and war, was as much their province as the other sex, nay more;
with regard to peace, very little was to be expected where women did not
rule with absolute sway; in respect to war, she insisted, at least, upon
an equivalent, and quoted the examples of many heroines, from the days
of Boadicea, who headed her own armies, down to Hannah Snell, who served
in the ranks; she appealed to her auditors if, notwithstanding their
plumes, that assembly had not as warlike an appearance as half the
officers of the guards, and doubted not but they'd prove to have full as
much courage, if ever put to their shifts. "In history and politics,"
continued she, "have not we a Macaulay? in books of entertainment, a
Griffiths? and in dramatic works an author that, in the last new comedy
of '_Which is the Man_,' disputes the bays with the genius of Drury?
Ladies, were it possible to find a man that would dispute the eloquence
of our tongues, I am sure he must readily yield to the superior
eloquence of our eyes." The gallery cried 'Bravo!' the assembly joined
in general plaudit; and Miss Susannah Cross-stich was chosen nem. con.
perpetual president.

{37}Before I put these heads on one side, I shall give a derivation of
their title. Moderator is derived from _mode_, the fashion, and _rate_,
a tax; and, in its compound sense, implies that Fashion advised these
two to lay their heads together, in order to take advantage of the
passion of the public for out-of-the-way opinions, and out-of-the-way
undertakings. This head seems to be of that order that should inculcate
the doctrine of charity, meekness, and benevolence: but, not finding his
labours in the vineyard sufficiently rewarded, according to the value he
sets upon himself, is now (like many of his functions) an apostate from
grace to faction; and, with a political pamphlet in his hand, instead of
a moral discourse, the pulpit is now become (as Hudibras expresses it)
a drum ecclesiastic, and volunteers are beat up for in that place, where
nothing should be thought of but proselytes to truth.

{38}Among the many heads that have played upon the passions of the
public, this is one [_takes the head'_] that did cut a capital figure in
that way. This is the head of Jonas, or the card-playing conjuring Jew.
He could make matadores with a snap of his fingers, command the four
aces with a whistle, and get odd tricks.