But, in spite of this opposition on the part of the leading Whigs, there stilled remained energetic supporters of powder and the minister; amongst these were to be numbered all the elderly ladies, who naturally enough patronised a habit that made the young and old appear equally gray. Their exertions, however, were fruitless; and the Treasury was amusingly charged with entertaining the idea of taxing the substitute which eventually replaced their powder, and, to make up for the unlooked-for deficiency in the tax, it was proposed that a return should be made of false hair, whether worn in scratches or fronts; but the perruquiers defied Nature, and the plan, if ever contemplated, was relinquished.

But at the time Brummell left the Tenth, it was highly desirable that the use of powder should be countermanded in the army; for a scarcity of corn. was seriously felt, and the following calculation, made when the powder-tax was first imposed, shows how much of this invaluable article of food was uselessly consumed in that service alone. The military force of the United Kingdom and our Colonies at this period, including foot, horse, militia, and fencibles, amounted to two hundred and fifty thousand men; each of whom was supposed to use a pound of flour per week : this made no less a sum than six thousand five hundred tons weight a year; a quantity sufficient to make three millions, fifty-nine thousand, three hundred and fifty-three quartern loaves, and to supply fifty thousand persons with bread for that period. The scarcity

two years after Brummell's retirement, viz., in July 1800, was so great, that the consumption of flour for pastry was prohibited in the Royal Household, rice being used instead; the distillers left off malting, hackney-coach fares were raised twenty-five per cent., and Wedgewood made dishes to represent pie-crust.

But to return to Brummell, though probably he was sufficiently annoyed at being obliged to wear powder when it was going out of fashion, his principal reason for leaving the profession was, his objection to being quartered in a manufacturing town; at all events, it was the one that he chose to assign. It appears his regiment was at Brighton when they suddenly and unexpectedly received an order to march for Manchester. The news arrived late one evening, and early the next morning Brummell, according to the account he gave me, made his way to the Prince, who expressed some surprise that he should be favoured with a visit from him at such an unusual hour, when the Beau, after due apology, said "Why the fact is, your Royal Highness, I have heard that we are ordered to Manchester. Now you must be aware, how disagreeable this would be to me; I really could not go-think, your Royal Highness, Manchester! Besides," and here was an instance of his tact, "you would not be there. I have, therefore, with your Royal Highness's permission, determined to sell out."-" Oh! by all means, Brummell," said the Prince, "do as you please, do as you please." And

accordingly he resigned with the most perfect indifference, and before he was of age, his troop in the Tenth-at that time the most dashing regiment in the army!1

1 "This conversation about Manchester," observes Brummell's friend Jack Robinson, "is utterly unworthy of him and impossible; he was incapable of it." All I can say is that Brummell told the anecdote to my friend Wells and other persons at Caen. But it is possible his reason for leaving the Tenth was that the expense exceeded his means, and that he wanted the money with which he purchased his commissions.

CHAPTER IV.

Brummell attains his Majority, though not in the Tenth-Establishes himself in Chesterfield Street-His Figure and Countenance-His Style of Dress-A French Author's Opinion of him-The Dandies, English and Indian-Wraxall's description of Dress in 1794— Brummell's Cravat-His method of tying it—His Condemnation of the Duke of Bedford's Coat-The Beau's Tailors-" Superfine" and "Bath Coating"-The Prince of Wales's Wardrobe-Brummell's Dress at the cover side.

BUT the profession of arms was decidedly not Brummell's proper vocation, and the service did not suffer severely by his resignation; the least restraint or compulsory exertion was perfectly repugnant to his nature, and the trifling inconveniences of a soldier's life, even in England, were in the last degree unlikely to suit a young man who seemed created on purpose to personify elegant idleness. A year after he left the army he came into possession of his fortune, which having accumulated during his minority, amounted to thirty thousand pounds.

Being now master of his time as well as of his money, he determined to devote himself to a life of pleasure, and the first step he took towards the accomplishment of his design, was to establish himself, with all the means and appliances of comfort, in

No. 4 Chesterfield Street, May Fair; in which street, by the by, George Selwyn also resided. There, with the assistance of a man-cook, who formed one item in his small but recherché ménage, he gave some excellent little dinners; his guests were congenial spirits, and on the authority of a noble duke, I can say, that even the Prince honoured them with his presence.

But while he preserved all the appearances necessary to support the position he had acquired in society, there was nothing outrageously extravagant in his general routine of expenditure: at this time, he was wise enough not to play, and his stud consisted only of a couple of horses to enable him to air himself in the Park.

It has already been observed, that Brummell's figure was well set off by his hussar uniform, but it should be clearly understood that it derived no other advantage from it; the reverse of which is the case with so many young men who hide a bad one under the attractive shelter of regimentals. Nature had indeed been most liberal to him in this respect; he was about the same height as the Apollo, and the just proportions of his form were remarkable; his hand was particularly well-shaped, and, had he been inclined to earn his livelihood after his flight from London, he would readily have found an engagement as a lifesitter to an artist, or got well paid to perambulate France from fair to fair, to personate the statuary of the ancients.