1671-1729
[Sidenote: Thackeray’s _English Humourists_.]
“Dennis, who ran a-muck at the literary society of his day, falls foul
of poor Steele, and thus depicts him: ‘Sir John Edgar, of the County
of ---- in Ireland, is of a middle stature, broad shoulders, thick
legs, a shape like the picture of somebody over a farmer’s chimney; a
short chin, a short nose, a short forehead, a broad, flat face, and a
dusky countenance. Yet with such a face and such a shape, he discovered
at sixty that he took himself for a beauty, and appeared to be more
mortified at being told that he was ugly, than he was by any reflection
made upon his honour or understanding.’”
[Sidenote: _Dublin University Magazine_, 1858. *]
“The interior of a coffee-house at Hyde Park Corner. Here in a room
small and meanly furnished, sit two men who have just arrived in a
handsome carriage, which is at this moment driving from the door. One
of these is Richard Savage; the other, who is fully twenty years his
senior, is a _beau_ and a _militaire_, being a Captain in Lord Lucas’s
regiment of Fusileer Guards. With a somewhat diminutive stature and
a long dress sword; he has laced ruffles in abundance on his shirt
sleeves and at his bosom, but not a shadow on his smiling face; with an
air at that time styled ‘genteel,’ in these days called _distingué_.
Around this gentleman’s agreeable face and person there is a brilliant
atmosphere of life and animation, for the three Celtic characteristics
are his--vivacity, volatility, and versatility,--by turns the curse
and advantage, the obstacle and ornament of his nation,--for he is an
Irishman, and his name is Sir Richard Steele.”
[Sidenote: Swift’s _Works_.]
“He has naturally a downcast foreboding aspect, which they of the
country hereabouts call a hanging look, and an unseemly manner of
staring, with his mouth wide open, and under-lip propending, especially
when any ways disturbed.... He takes a great deal of pains to persuade
his neighbours that he has a very short face, and a little flat nose
like a diminutive wart in the middle of his visage.... His eyes are
large and prominent, too big of all conscience for the conceited
narrowness of his phiz.... His back, though not very broad, is well
turned, and will bear a great deal; I have seen him myself, more
than once, carry a vast load of timber. His legs also are tolerably
substantial, and can stride very wide upon occasion; but the best thing
about him is a handsome pair of heels, which he takes especial pride
to show, not only to his friends, but even to the very worst of his
enemies.”