to plead for that, which makes so much work for the Chimny-Sweeper; Since I am secure of the Learned and Ingenuous, and whole Fortunes are not built on Smoake, or raised by a universal Calamity; such as I esteem to be the Nuisances, I have here reproved: I do not hence infer, that I shall be any way impatient of a just and civil Reply, which I shall rather esteem for an honour done me, because I know, that a witty aud a Learned man is able to discourse upon any Subject whatsoever; some of them having with praise, written even of the praise of Diseases themselves, for so Favorinus of old, and Menapius since commended a Quartan Ague, Pirckhemierus the Gout, Gutherius celebrated Blindnesse, Hiensius the Louse, and to come nearer our Theam, Majoragius the nasty Dirt; Not I suppose that they affected these pleasant things, De materiis insamibus quae Græci ἁδοξυς appelant. Noct. Att. L 27 c. 12.but as A. Gellius has it exercendi gratia, and to shew their Wits; for as the Poet,
Sunt etiam Musis sua ludicra, mista Camænis
Otia sunt:———
But to proceed, I do farther affirm, that it is not the dust and Ordure which is daily cast out of their Houses, much lesse what is brought in by the Feet of Men and Horses; or the want of more frequent and better conveyances, which renders the Streets of London dirty even to a Proverb: but chiefly this continual Smoake, which ascending in the day-time, is, by the descending Dew, and Cold, precipitated again at night: And this is manifest, if a peice of clean Linnen be spread all Night in any Court or Garden, the least infested as to appearance; but especially if it happen to rain, which carries it down in greater proportion, not only upon the Earth, but upon the Water also, where it leaves a thin Web, or pellicule of dust, dancing upon the Surface of it; as those who go to bathe in the Thames (though at some Miles distance from the City) do easily discern and bring home upon their Bodies: How it sticks on the Hands Faces, and Linnen of our fair Ladies, and nicer Dames, who reside constantly in London (especially during Winter) the prodigious wast of Almond-power for the One, Soap and wearing out of the Other, do sufficiently manifest.
Let it be considered what a Fuliginous crust is yearly contracted, and adheres to the Sides of our ordinary Chymnies where this grosse Fuell is used; and then imagine, if there were a solid Tentorium, or Canopy over London, what a masse of Soote