Anne Ford it was considered controversial for a woman to play the "masculine" viola da gamba, referred to at the time as the "viol di gambo". Ford gave a performance at Spring Gardens in 1761, "English airs". accompanying herself on the musical glasses. She also wrote a published work, "Instructions for Playing on the Musical Glasses". The instrument was comparable to the glass harp of Richard Pockrich consisting of individual glass goblets tuned with water, and preceded the 1761 mechanized armonica (Glass harmonica) invention of Benjamin Franklin and played by Marianne Davies. Ford's accomplishments risked being complicated by an infatuated lover, the
Paris in the 18th century 18th century were both always short of cash. While the nobles tended to dress in rich and elaborate costumes and bright colors, the bourgeois wore rich fabrics but dark and sober colors. The bourgeois played a very active role in each neighborhood; they were the leaders of the religious "confréries" which organized charitable and religious activities for each profession, managed the finances of the parish churches, and ran the corporations which governed each profession in Paris. Some professions were able to advance up the professional and social scale. At the beginning of the 18th century, doctors were members of the