Jane Douglas (1761)
Humanity was not the foible of Jane D––s, so that when the poor girls, whom she had drawn in to their perdition, became old faces, and were estimated at a guinea; she rigorously insisted upon five shillings, by way of poundage, as the phrase is.
And when these unhappy wretches could no longer please her customers, she, without the least remorse, turned them out of doors, which reduced them to the necessity of becoming common street-walkers.
Jenny, upon these occasions, always alleged hard taxes and great rent; but her real motive for thus clearing the house from time to was, to make room for new faces in order to bring grist to her mill.
Old Jenny was perfect mistress of the art of conciliating the affections of young gentlemen. It was customary with her to call them her dear children. And this tender appellation so far gained their hearts, that they generally addressed her by the name of Dear Mother. She became so serviceable to them, in their pleasures, that most of them had a much greater esteem for her, than for their real mothers; and Jenny knew very well how to avail herself of this. She often made them promise her a piece of plate, when they should come of age in return for her tender care of them, and this promise, she took particular care to remind them of.
In this manner, Jane procured to the value of a thousand pounds' worth of plate or upwards, by the kind contributions of her affectionate sons, and this treasure she was possessed of, at the time of her death.