Thanks, Alan, for the "Wapping Alice" reference.  I'd argue, though, that
even
if the cross-dressing *were* a comic technique, it would still be worthy of
analysis.

But, then, I'd been thinking that cross-dressing was an odd motif to be
showing up in 19th-century literature.  You are suggesting that it
isn't--this
is food for thought.  Thanks.

And, then, too--there's always _1601_ to thinking about!

Susan Reed