The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

ANONYMOUS.

From the South Carolina Gazette, of Oct. 5, 1769.

The ladies are certainly much obliged to the PEDLAR ECONOMIST, for recommending the distaff and spinning wheel to them: and he may be assured, they would follow his advice with the utmost cheerfulness, provided his own sex would be made to co-operate with them; in bringing about a general plan of Economy.

But women think, it would tend to but very little good purpose, were they to card and spin, whilst the MEN are racking their brains, in contriving how to dissipate their time and money, in what they call PARTIES OF PLEASURE.

There is not one night in the week, in which they are not engaged with some club or other at the tavern, where they injure their fortunes by GAMING in various ways, and impair their healths by the intemperate use of Spirituous liquors, and keeping late hours, or rather spending whole nights, sometimes, in these disgraceful and ruinous practices, so that nothing more remains about them of the human species, but that they still retain the form of man.

Another sort of gaming also prevails to the greatest excess, which is what they call HORSE-RACING: By which, inconceivable large sums are lost; yet, so fond are the men of wasting money in this manner, that for many months before the day of trial comes, they promote this way of draining their own pockets, with the most anxious diligence, tho' their flattering hopes may be baffled by the most trifling accidents, either to the horse or rider; and even supposing they should sometimes win the bet, in this case the honor of it is wholly due to the horse; for they who lay the wagers, can have no claim to it.

Nay, further the men will even risk large sums on the chance stroke of a cock's heel: So addicted are they to extravagant dissipations, which they falsely call pleasure.

The reverse of all these prodigalities is the case with WOMEN; whose utmost expectations are, to go sometimes to a ball or an assembly, or to spend a few hours in the evening with an acquaintance or two, after having carefully attended the concerns of their families in the preceeding part of the day. These innocent amusements only serve to relax their minds for a small time, and also to support a friendly sociality between friends; nor are such meetings ever attended with any expence that can hurt one's fortune; whereas the men throw away hundreds, nay thousands of pounds, in one evening, without the least remorse, however their helpless infants may suffer for the future by their present imprudencies.