Page:A Dissertation on Reading the Classics and Forming a Just Style.djvu/144

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The Purity

Years, after the Ladies and Beaux of Rome affected to speak Greek, and regarded nothing but the Softness and Effeminacy of that noble Language, they weakned and corrupted their own: And the monstrous Affectation of our travelled Ladies and Gentlemen to speak in the French Air, French Tone, French Terms, to dress, to cook, to write, to court in French, corrupted at once our Language and our Manners, and introduced an abominable Gallimaufry of French and English mixed together, that made the Innovators ridiculous to all Men of Sense. The French Tongue hath undoubtedly its

Graces