Though our chief design is to instruct, we intend likewise to entertain the reader, in order to render these memoirs agreeable to every taste. But lest we should be thought to imitate some modern writers, whose works often consist entirely of preface and introduction, we shall immediately enter upon our history.

            John D––s a negro by complexion, though born in these kingdoms, having in his early youth an inclination to a military life constantly associated with soldiers, and at last by one of those turns of fortune, which the French call Tours de Baton, was raised to the honourable place of a kettle-drummer.

            Susanna A––n, who had long followed the army, though inferior to Desdemona both in beauty and chastity, resembled her in an affection for blacks; and seizing the visage of her beloved Othello in her mind, received his proffered love as readily as Desdemona did that of the Venetian general.

            They were all their lives looked upon as man and wife, though many have doubted, and not without reason, whether they were ever married according to the ritual of the church. Many authors are of opinion that the ceremony was performed in the military manner, namely, that John leapt over a drum, and Jane followed; for among soldiers the nuptial knot is quickly tied, 'tis only leap rogue and follow whore, and the business is done.

            Though the kettle-drummer and his spouse agreed in the main, and had an equal propensity to drinking strong beer, gin and brandy, smoking, swearing, &c. Yet they sometimes had differences, and their conjugal endearments were frequently interrupted by broils which were generally productive of black and blue marks upon the back and shoulders of Susanna, though as she was of a more robust constitution than the ladies at court who sip tea, and never meddle with strong liquor, she often revenged herself by scratching him in such a manner that the streams of blood, which flowed from his face, converted his dusky hue into a fine vermilion.

            Tis said likewise, that neither man nor wife adhered very scrupulously to the laws of conjugal fidelity, so that some have doubted whether Jane the subject of this history, was the daughter of John D––s the kettle drummer, or of some of the soldiers and grenadiers, who frequented his house; for John kept a sort of a. public house, which was frequented by the gentlemen soldiers, and the conversation at their merry meetings consisted almost entirely of swearing, talking obscenely, bawling, &c.

            In this school of virtue was born the illustrious Jane D––s, whilst her parents resided at Aberdeen in Scotland, but tis apprehended, that that city will never boast of being the place her birth, as the seven cities of Greece took pride in supposition, that one or other of them had given birth to the immortal Homer.

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