Dr. Parr's nature was highly social; and he almost always spent his
evenings in the company of his family and his domestic visiters, or in
that of some neighbouring friends. He was fond of the pleasures of the
table; and probably, in the course of the whole year, few days passed in
which he did not meet some social party, round the festive board, either
at home or abroad. At such times his dress was in complete contrast with
the costume of the morning, for he appeared in a well-powdered wig, and
always wore his band and cassock. On extraordinary occasions he was
arrayed in a full-dress suit of black velvet, of the cut of the old
times, when his appearance was imposing and dignified.
After dinner, but not often till the ladies were about to retire, he
claimed, in all companies, his privilege of smoking, as a right not to
be disputed; since, he said, it was a condition, "no pipe, no Parr,"
previously known, and peremptorily imposed on all who desired his
acquaintance. Speaking of the honour once conferred upon him, of being
invited to dinner at Carlton-house, he always mentioned, with evident
satisfaction, the kind condescension of his present Majesty, then Prince
of Wales, who was pleased to insist upon his taking his pipe as usual.
Of the Duke of Sussex, in whose mansion he was not unfrequently a
visiter, he used to tell, with exulting pleasure, that his Royal
Highness not only allowed him to smoke, but smoked with him. He often
represented it as an instance of the homage which rank and beauty
delight to pay to talents and learning, that ladies of the highest
stations condescended to the office of lighting his pipe. He appeared to
no advantage, however, in his custom of demanding the service of holding
the lighted paper to his pipe from the youngest female who happened to
be present; and who was, often, by the freedom of his remarks, or by the
gaze of the company, painfully disconcerted. This troublesome ceremony,
in his later years, he wisely discarded.
The reader will probably recollect, in the well-known story, his reply
to the lady by whom he had been hospitably entertained, but who refused
to allow him the indulgence of his pipe. In vain he pleaded that such
indulgence had always been kindly granted in the mansions of the highest
nobility, and even in the presence and in the palace of his sovereign.
"Madam," said Dr. Parr to the lady, who still remained inexorable,
"you must give me leave to tell you, you are the greatest--" whilst she,
fearful of what might follow, earnestly interposed, and begged that he
would express no rudeness--"Madam," resumed Dr. Parr, speaking loud,
and looking stern, "I must take leave to tell you, you are the
greatest--tobacco-stopper in England." This sally produced a loud laugh;
and having enjoyed the effects of his wit, he found himself obliged to
retire, in order to enjoy the pleasures of his pipe.
Dr. Parr was accustomed to amuse himself in the evening with cards, of
which the old English game of whist was his favourite. But no entreaties
could induce him to depart from a resolution, which he adopted early in
life, of never playing, in any company whatever, for more than a nominal
stake. Upon one occasion only, he had been persuaded, contrary to his
rule, to play with the late Bishop Watson for a shilling, which he won.
Pushing it carefully to the bottom of his pocket, and placing his hand
upon it, with a kind of mock solemnity, "There, my Lord Bishop," said
he, "this is a trick of the devil; but I'll match him: so now, if you
please, we will play for a penny;" and this was ever after the amount of
his stake. He was not, on that account, at all the less ardent in the
prosecution, or the less joyous in the success, of the rubber. He had a
high opinion of his own skill in this game, and could not very patiently
tolerate the want of it in his partner. Being engaged with a party, in
which he was unequally matched, he was asked by a lady how the fortune
of the game turned? when he replied, "Pretty well, Madam, considering
that I have three adversaries!"
Even ladies were not spared, who incurred his displeasure, either by
pertinacious adherence to the wrong in opinion, or by deficiency of
attention to the right and the amiable in conduct. To one, who had
violated, as he thought, some of the little rules of propriety, he said,
"Madam, your father was a gentlemen, and I thought that his daughter
might have been a lady." To another, who had held out in argument
against him, not very powerfully, and rather too perseveringly, and who
had closed the debate by saying, "Well, Dr. Parr, I still maintain my
opinion." He replied, "Madam, you may, if you please, _retain_ your
opinion, but you cannot _maintain_ it."
* * * * *