It was the fashion to walk in the aisles of St. Paul's Church, which
became a general rendezvous for business or pleasure. A facetious
writer of the time, instructing a young gallant how to procure his
clothes, and to show them off to the best advantage, gives an amusing
picture of the prevailing vanity and foppery. "Bend your course
directly in the middle line, that the whole body of the church may
appear to be yours; where, in view of all you may publish your suit in
what manner you affect most * * * and then you must, as 'twere in anger,
suddenly snatch at the middle of the inside, if it be taffeta at the
least; and so, by that means, your costly lining is betrayed. * * * But
one note, by the way, do I especially woo you to, the neglect of
which makes many of our gallants cheap and ordinary, that by no means
you be seen above four times; but in the fifth make yourself away,
either in some of the semsters' shops, the new tobacco office, or among
the booksellers, where, if you cannot read, exercise your smoke, and
enquire who has writ against this divine weed. * * * After dinner you
may appear again, having translated yourself out of you English cloth
into a light Turkey grogram, if you have that happiness of shifting;
and then be seen for a turn or two to correct your teeth with some
quill or silver instrument, and to cleanse your gums with a wrought
handkerchief; it skills not whether you dined or no; that is best known
to your stomach; or in what place you dined; though it were with cheese
of your own mother's making, in your chamber or study. * * * If, by
chance, you either encounter, or aloof off throw your inquisitive eye
upon any knight or squire, being your familiar, salute him, not by his
name, Sir such a one, or so; but call him Ned, or Jack, etc. This will
set off your estimation with great men; and if, though there be a dozen
companies between you, 'tis the better, he call aloud to you, for that
is most genteel, to know where he shall find you at two o'clock; tell
him at such an ordinary, or such; and be sure to name those that are