forward with a scheme of mathematical figures in his hand; among which I observed a cone or cylinder. 1 Seeing this table full, I desired my guide for variety to lead me to the fabulous apartment, the roof of which was painted with gorgons, chimeras, and centaurs, with many other emblematical figures, which I wanted both time and skill to unriddle. The first table was almost full. At the upper end sat Hercules, leaning an arm upon his club. On his right hand were Achilles and Ulysses, and between them Eneas. On his left were Hector, Theseus, and Jason. The lower end had Orpheus, Æsop, Phalaris, and Musæus. The ushers seemed at a loss for a twelfth man, when methought, to my great joy and surprise, I heard some at the lower end of the table mention Isaac Bickerstaff; but those of the upper end received it with disdain, and said, if they must have a British worthy, they would have Robin Hood. While I was transported with the honour that was done me, and burning with envy against my competitor, I was awakened by the noise of the cannon, which were then fired for the taking of Mons. I should have been very much troubled at being thrown out of so pleasing a vision on any occasion; but thought it an agreeable change to have my thoughts diverted from the greatest among the dead and fabulous heroes, to the most famous among the real and the living." No. 86. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1709. From my own Apartment, October 25. WHEN I came home last night, my servant delivered me the following letter: "SIR, Oct. 24. I have orders from Sir Harry Quickset, of Staffordshire, Bart., to acquaint you, that his honour Sir Harry himself, Sir 1 Fabulous apartment, the roof of which, &c.] Read and point thus: "Fabulous apartment. The roof of it was," &c. 2 To lean, rest, &c., are neutral, not transitive verbs. It should be, "leaning with an arm upon his club," or rather, "leaning upon his club." 3 This last paragraph was written by Sir R. Steele. T. Giles Wheelbarrow, Knt., Thomas Rentfree, Esq the quorum, Andrew Windmill, Esq., and M Doubt of the Inner Temple, Sir Harry's grandso upon you at the hour of nine to-morrow morn Tuesday the 25th of October, upon business whicl. will impart to you by word of mouth. I though to acquaint you before-hand so many persons came, that you might not be surprised therewit concludes, though by many years' absence since I Stafford, unknown, 'Sir, your most humble servant, I received this message with less surprise that Mr. Thrifty imagined; for I knew the good co well to feel any palpitations at their approach: bu very great concern how I should adjust the cerem demean myself to all these great men, who perha seen anything above themselves for these twenty past. I am sure that is the case of Sir Harry which, I was sensible that there was a great point in my behaviour to the simple squire, so as to give faction, and not disoblige the justice of the quorur The hour of nine was come this morning, and sooner set chairs (by the stewards' letter) and fixe equipage, but I heard a knock at my door, which wa but no one entered; after which followed a lon which was broke at last by, "Sir, I beg your pardon I know better:" and another voice, "Nay, good Sir I looked out from my window, and saw the good co with their hats off, and arms spread, offering the each other. After many offers, they entered with lemnity, in the order Mr. Thrifty was so kind as them to me. But they are now got to my cham and I saw my old friend Sir Harry enter. I met all the respect due to so reverend a vegetable; to know, that is my sense of a person who remain the same place for half a century. I got him with cess into his chair by the fire, without throwing d of my cups. The knight-bachelor told me, he ha respect for my whole family, and would, with my lea himself next to Sir Harry, at whose right hand he h for every quarter-sessions this thirty years, unless he was sick. The steward in the rear whispered the young Templar, "That is true to my knowledge." I had the misfortune, as they stood cheek by jole, to desire the squire to sit down. before the justice of the quorum, to the no small satisfaction of the former, and resentment of the latter: but I saw my error too late, and got them as soon as I could into their seats. "Well, (said I,) gentlemen, after 1 have told you how glad I am of this great honour, I am to desire you to drink a dish of tea." They answered, one and all, that "They never drank tea in a morning." "Not in a morning!" said I, staring round me. Upon which the pert jackanapes Nick Doubt tipped me the wink, and put out his tongue at his grandfather. Here followed a profound silence, when the steward in his boots and whip proposed that we should adjourn to some public-house, where everybody might call for what they pleased, and enter upon the business. We all stood up in an instant, and Sir Harry filed off from the left very discreetly, counter-marching behind the chairs towards the door: after him, Sir Giles in the same manner. The simple squire made a sudden start to follow; but the justice of the quorum whipped between upon the stand of the stairs. A maid going up with coals made us halt, and put us into such confusion, that we stood all in a heap, without any visible possibility of recovering our order: for the young jackanapes seemed to make a jest of this matter, and had so contrived, by pressing amongst us under pretence of making way, that his grandfather was got into the middle, and he knew nobody was of quality to stir a step, till Sir Harry moved first. We were fixed in this perplexity for some time, till we heard a very loud noise in the street; and Sir Harry asking what it was, I, to make them move, said it was fire. Upon this, all run down as fast as they could, without order or ceremony, till we got into the street, where we drew up in very good order, and filed off down Sheer Lane, the impertinent Templar driving us before him, as in a string, and pointing to his acquaintance who passed by. I must confess, I love to use people according to their own sense of good breeding, and therefore whipped in between the justice and the simple squire. He could not properly take this ill; but I overheard him whisper the steward, "That he thought it hard that a common conjurer should take place of him, though an elder squire." In th marched down Sheer Lane, at the upper end of whi When we came to Temple Bar, Sir Harry and Si over; but a run of coaches kept the rest of us on th street: however, we all at last landed, and drew good order before Ben. Tooke's shop, who favour lying with great humanity. From hence we procee till we came to Dick's Coffee-house, where I d carry them. Here we were at our old difficulty, up the street upon the same ceremony. We through the entry, and were so necessarily kept in the situation, that we were now got into the coffe self, where, as soon as we arrived, we repeated ou to each other; after which, we marched up to the which has an ascent to it enclosed in the middle of The whole house was alarmed at this entry, made sons of so much state and rusticity. Sir Harry ca mug of ale, and Dyer's Letter. The boy brought an instant but said, they did not take in the Lett (says Sir Harry,) then take back your mug; we ar deed to have good liquor at this house." Here the tipped me a second wink, and if I had not looked v upon him, I found he was disposed to be very fam me. In short, I observed after a long pause, that tlemen did not care to enter upon business till a morning draught, for which reason I called for a mum; and finding that had no effect upon them, a second, and a third: after which, Sir Harry rea to me, and told me in a low voice, that the place public for business; but he would call upon me morrow morning at my own lodgings, and bring sc friends with him. [Sir Richard Steele assisted in this paper.' T.] One sees this by the pertness of the manner in which ma it are composed. The scene described is, however, pleasar but why so much pains here, and elsewhere, to throw contem Knights and Squires? a set of men better stationed on their o than in courts and great cities; and more estimable, by far, wi rusticities, and (what offended Mr. Addison and his coadjutor: all their party prejudices, at that time about them, than their whose good-breeding hath eaten out every other virtue, and 1 too polite to endure the country air, or the conversation of t bours and tenants. AYS No. 88. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1709. From my own Apartment, October 31. I was this morning awakened by a sudden shake of the house; and as soon as I had got a little out of my consternation, I felt another, which was followed by two or three repetitions of the same convulsion. I got up as fast as possible, girt on my rapier, and snatched up my hat, when my landlady came up to me, and told me that the gentlewoman of the next house begged me to step thither; for that a lodger she had taken in was run mad, and she desired my advice; as indeed everybody in the whole lane does upon important occasions. I am not, like some artists, saucy, because I can be beneficial, but went immediately. Our neighbour told us, she had the day before let her second floor to a very genteel, youngish man, who told her he kept extraordinary good hours, and was generally at home most part of the morning and evening at study; but that this morning he had for an hour together made this extravagant noise which we then heard. I went upstairs with my hand upon the hilt of my rapier, and approached this new lodger's door. I looked in at the key-hole, and there I saw a well-made man look with great attention on a book, and on a sudden jump into the air so high, that his head almost touched the ceiling. He came down safe on his right foot, and again flew up, alighting on his left; then looked again at his book, and holding out his right leg, put it into such a quivering motion, that I thought he would have shaked it off. He used the left after the same manner; when on a sudden, to my great surprise, he stooped himself incredibly low, and turned gently on his toes. After this circular motion, he continued bent in that humble posture for some time, looking on his book. After this he recovered himself by a sudden spring, and flew round the room in all the violence and disorder imaginable, till he made a full pause for want of breath. In this interim my woman asked what I thought: I whispered, that I thought this learned person an enthusiast, who possibly had his first education in the peripatetic way, which was a sect of philosophers who always studied when walking. |