[181] This letter was by John Hughes.
[182] Horace, 4 Od., ix. 29.
[183] There was a public-house called the George and Dragon at
Billingsgate.
[184] "Julius Cæsar," act ii. sc. 1 ("Let's carve," &c.).
[185] _Cf._ the story of Mr. Thomas Charlton in the "Memoirs of
Gamesters," &c., p. 150. Tickell alludes to this letter in his verses
to the _Spectator_, printed in No. 532:--
"From felon gamesters the raw squire is free,
And Britain owes her rescued oaks to thee."
[186] The original handbill in the British Museum (Harl. MSS.,
Badford's Coll. 5996) shows that the real names of the two candidates,
called in the _Tatler_ Sir Arthur de Bradly and Sir Humphry Greenhat,
were Sir Ambrose Crowley and Sir Benjamin Green. The name of Crowley's
agent, and those of his witnesses, are only marked by Steele with their
initial and final letters. In every other respect, dates not excepted,
the papers are word for word the same. The candidates were Sir Ambrose
Crowley and Deputy Gough on one side; and Sir Benj. Green and Deputy
Tooley on the other. On Sept. 23, 1709, the majority was declared for
the two latter without a poll. (_Post Boy_, Sept. 22-24, 1709.)
[187] John Midgley. The witnesses were James Hallet, Jeremy Gough, and
Edward Davis (Harl. MSS., 5996).
[188] By Queen Elizabeth.
No. 74. [STEELE.
From _Tuesday, Sept. 27_, to _Thursday, Sept. 29, 1709_.
_Whites Chocolate-house, Sept. 28._
The writer of the following letter has made a use of me, which I did
not foresee I should fall into. But the gentleman having assured me,
that he has a most tender passion for the fair one, and speaking his
intentions with so much sincerity, I am willing to let them contrive an
interview by my means.
"SIR,
"I earnestly entreat you to publish the enclosed; for I have no
other way to come at her, or return to myself. A. L.
"_P.S._--Mr. Bickerstaff,
"You can't imagine how handsome she is: the superscription of my
letter will make her recollect the man that gazed at her. Pray put
it in."
I can assure the young lady, the gentleman is in the true trammels of
love: how else would he make his superscription so very much longer
than his billet? He superscribes:
"To the younger of the two ladies in mourning (who sat in
the hindmost seat of the middle box at Mr. Winstanley's
water-works,[189] on Tuesday was fortnight, and had with them a
brother, or some acquaintance that was as careless of that pretty
creature as a brother; which seeming brother ushered them to their
coach), with great respect. Present.
"MADAM,
"I have a very good estate, and wish myself your husband. Let me
know by this way where you live, for I shall be miserable till we
live together.