the confumption of the prefent war by fea and land in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, in the German and Indian Oceans, in Old France, New France, North America, the Leeward Islands, Germany, Africa, and Afia, we may fairly ftate the lofs of men during the war at one hundred thoufand. If this be the cafe, there must be a fuperplus of the other fex amounting to the fame number, and this fuperplus will confift of women able to bear arms; as I take it for granted, that all those who are fit to bear children are likewife fit to bear arms. Now as we have seen the nation governed by old women, I hope to make it appear that it may be defended by young women; and furely this fcheme will not be rejected as unneceffary at such a juncture *, when our armies in the four quarters of the globe are in want of recruits; when we find ourfelves entangled in a new war with Spain, on the eve of a rupture in Italy, and indeed in a fair way of being obliged to make head against all the great Potentates of Europe.

But, before I unfold my defign, it may be neceffary to obviate, from experience as well as argument, the objections which may be made to the delicate frame and tender difpofition of the female fex, rendering them incapable of the toils, and infuperably averfe to the horrors of war. All the world has heard of the nation of Amazons, who inhabited the banks of the river Thermodoon in Cappadocia ; who expelled their men by force of arms, defended themfelves by their own prowefs, managed the reins of government, profecuted the operations in war, and held the other fex in the utmost contempt. Wo are informed by Homer, that Penthefilea, queen of the Amazons, acted as auxiliary to Priam, and fell valiantly fighting in his caufe before the walls of Troy. Quintus Curtius tells us, that Thaleftris

brought one hundred armed Amazons in a prefent to Alexander the Great. Diodorus Siculus expreffly fays, there was a nation of female warriors in Africa, who fought against the Lybian Hercules. We read in the Voyages of Columbus, that one of the Caribbee Islands was poffeffed by a tribe of female warriors, who kept all the neighbouring Indians in awe ; but we need not go farther than our own age and country to prove, that the fpirit and conftitution of the fair fex are equal to the dangers and fatigues of Every novice who has read the authentic and important History of the Pirates, is well acquainted with the exploits of two heroines, called Mary Read and Anne Bonny. I myself have had the honour to drink with Anne Caffier, alias Mother Wade, who had diftinguished herself among the Buccaneers of America, and in her old age kept a punch-house in Port-Royal of Jamaica. I have likewife converfed with Moll Davis, who had ferved as a dragoon in all queen Anne's wars, and was admitted on the penfion of Chelsea. The late war with Spain, and even the prefent, hath produced inftances of females enlifting both in the land and fea fervice, and behaving with remarkable bravery in the difguife of the other fex. And who has not heard of the celebrated Jenny Cameron, and fome other enterprifing ladies of NorthBritain, who attended a certain Adventurer in all his expeditions, and headed their refpective clans in a military character? That ftrength of body is often equal to the courage of mind implanted in the fair fex, will not be denied by thofe who have feen the waterwomen of Plymouth; the female drudges of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland; the fifhwomen of Billingfgate; the weeders, podders, and hoppers, who fwarm in the fields; and the bunters who iwagger in the streets of London; not to mention the indefatigable trulls who follow the camp, and keep up

with the line of march, though loaded with bantlings and other baggage.

There is fcarcely a ftreet in this metropolis without one or more viragos, who difcipline their hufbands and domineer over the whole neighbourhood. Many months are not elapfed fince I was witnefs to a pitched battle between two athletic females, who fought with equal fkill and fury until one of them gave out, after having fuftained feven falls on the hard ftones. They were both stripped to the underpetticoat; their breafts were carefully fwathed with handkerchiefs, and as no veftiges of features were to be feen in either when I came up, I imagined the combatants were of the other fex, until a bystander affured me of the contrary, giving me to underftand, that the conqueror had lain-in about five weeks of twin-baftards, begot by her fecond, who was an Irish chairman. When I fee the avenues of the Strand befet every night with troops of fierce Amazons, who, with dreadful imprecations, ftop and beat and plunder paffengers, I cannot help wifhing, that fuch martial talents were converted to the benefit of the public; and that those who are so loaded with temporal fire, and fo little afraid of eternal fire, should, instead of ruining the fouls and bodies of their fellow-citizens, be put in a way of turning their deftructive qualities against the enemies of the nation.

Having thus demonftrated that the fair fex are not deficient in ftrength and refolution, I would humbly propofe, that as there is an excefs on their fide in quantity to the amount of one hundred thousand, part of that number may be employed in recruiting the army, as well as in raifing thirty new Amazonian regiments, to be commanded by females, and ferve in regimentals adapted to their fex. The Amazons of old appeared with the left breaft bare, an open jacket

and

and trowfers, that defcended no farther than the knee; the right breaft was deftroyed, that it might not impede them in bending the bow, or darting the javelin; but there is no occafion for this cruel excifion in the present difcipline, as we have feen inftances of women who handle the mufquet, without finding any inconvenience from that protuberance.

As the fex love gaiety, they may be cloathed in vefts of pink fatin and open drawers of the fame, with bufkins on their feet and legs, their hair tied behind and floating on their fhoulders, and their hats adorned with white feathers: they may be armed with light carbines and long bayonets, without the incumbrance of fwords or fhoulder-belts. I make no doubt but many young ladies of figure and fashion will undertake to raife companies at their own expence, provided they like their colonels; but I muft infift upon it, if this scheme fhould be embraced, that Mr. Henriquez's feven bleffed daughters may be provided with commiffions, as the project is in fome measure owing to the hints of that venerable patriot. I moreover give it as my opinion, that Mrs. Kitty Fisher* fhall have the command of a battalion, and the nomination of her own officers, provided she will warrant them all found, and be content to wear proper badges of diftinction.

A female brigade, properly difciplined and accoutred, would not, I am perfuaded, be afraid to charge a numerous body of the enemy, over whom they would have a manifeft advantage; for if the barbarous Scythians were afhamed to fight with the Amazons who invaded them, furely the French, who pique themselves on their fenfibility and devotion to the fair fex, would not act upon the offenfive against a band of female warriors, arrayed in all the charms of youth and beauty.

* A celebrated Courtezan of that time.

ESSAY

ESSAY XI.

As I am one of that fauntering tribe of mortals, who spend the greatest part of their time in taverns, coffee-houses, and other places of public refort, I have thereby an opportunity of observing an infinite variety of characters, which, to a perfon of a contemplative turn, is a much higher entertainment than a view of all the curiofities of art or nature. In one of these my late rambles, I accidentally fell into the company of half a dozen gentlemen, who were engaged in a warm difpute about fome political affair; the decifion of which, as they were equally divided in their fentiments, they thought proper to refer to me, which naturally drew me in for a fhare of the converfation.

Amongst a multiplicity of other topics, we took occafion to talk of the different characters of the feveral nations of Europe; when one of the gentlemen, cocking his hat, and affuming fuch an air of importance as if he had poffefled all the merit of the English nation in his own perfon, declared that the Dutch were a parcel of avaricious wretches; the French a fet of flattering fycophants; that the Germans were drunken fots, and beaftly gluttons ; and the Spaniards proud, haughty, and furly tyrants; but that in bravery, generofity, clemency, and in every other virtue, the English excelled all the reft of the world.

This very learned and judicious remark was received with a general fmile of approbation by all the company-all, I mean, but your Humble Servant; who, endeavouring to keep my gravity as well as I could, and reclining my head upon my arm, con