'You have already obliged the World with a Discourse upon Grinning,
and have since proceeded to Whistling, from whence you [at length came
[1]] to Yawning; from this, I think, you may make a very natural
Transition to Sleeping. I therefore recommend to you for the Subject
of a Paper the following Advertisement, which about two Months ago was
given into every Body's Hands, and may be seen with some Additions in
the Daily Courant of August the Ninth.
'Nicholas Hart, [2] who slept last Year in St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, intends to sleep this Year at the Cock and Bottle in
Little-Britain.'
Having since inquired into the Matter of Fact, I find that the
above-mentioned Nicholas Hart is every Year seized with a periodical
Fit of Sleeping, which begins upon the Fifth of August, and ends on
the Eleventh of the same Month: That
On the First of that Month he grew dull;
On the Second, appeared drowsy;
On the Third, fell a yawning;
On the Fourth, began to nod;
On the Fifth, dropped asleep;
On the Sixth, was heard to snore;
On the Seventh, turned himself in his Bed;
On the Eighth, recovered his former Posture;
On the Ninth fell a stretching;
On the Tenth about Midnight, awaked;
On the Eleventh in the Morning called for a little Small-Beer.
This Account I have extracted out of the Journal of this sleeping
Worthy, as it has been faithfully kept by a Gentleman of
_Lincoln's-Inn_, who has undertaken to be his Historiographer. I have
sent it to you, not only as it represents the Actions of _Nicholas
Hart_, but as it seems a very natural Picture of the Life of many an
honest _English_ Gentleman, whose whole History very often consists of
Yawning, Nodding, Stretching, Turning, Sleeping, Drinking, and the
like extraordinary Particulars. I do not question, Sir, that, if you
pleased, you could put out an Advertisement not unlike [the [3]]
above-mentioned, of several Men of Figure; that Mr. _John_ such-a-one,
Gentleman, or _Thomas_ such-a-one, Esquire, who slept in the Country
last Summer, intends to sleep in Town this Winter. The worst of it is,
that the drowsy Part of our Species is chiefly made up of very honest
Gentlemen, who live quietly among their Neighbours, without ever
disturbing the publick Peace: They are Drones without Stings. I could
heartily wish, that several turbulent, restless, ambitious Spirits,
would for a while change Places with these good Men, and enter
themselves into _Nicholas Hart's_ Fraternity. Could one but lay asleep
a few busy Heads which I could name, from the First of _November_ next
to the First of _May_ ensuing, [4] I question not but it would very
much redound to the Quiet of particular Persons, as well as to the
Benefit of the Publick.
But to return to _Nicholas Hart_: I believe, Sir, you will think it a
very extraordinary Circumstance for a Man to gain his Livelihood by
Sleeping, and that Rest should procure a Man Sustenance as well as
Industry; yet so it is that Nicholas got last Year enough to support
himself for a Twelvemonth. I am likewise informed that he has this
Year had a very comfortable Nap. The Poets value themselves very much
for sleeping on Parnassus, but I never heard they got a Groat by it:
On the contrary, our Friend Nicholas gets more by Sleeping than he
could by Working, and may be more properly said, than ever Homer was,
to have had Golden Dreams. Fuvenal indeed mentions a drowsy Husband
who raised an Estate by Snoring, but then he is represented to have
slept what the common People call a Dog's Sleep; or if his Sleep was
real, his Wife was awake, and about her Business. Your Pen, [which
[5]] loves to moralize upon all Subjects, may raise something,
methinks, on this Circumstance also, and point out to us those Sets of
Men, who instead of growing rich by an honest Industry, recommend
themselves to the Favours of the Great, by making themselves agreeable
Companions in the Participations of Luxury and Pleasure.
I must further acquaint you, Sir, that one of the most eminent Pens in
Grub-street is now employed in Writing the Dream of this miraculous
Sleeper, which I hear will be of a more than ordinary Length, as it
must contain all the Particulars that are supposed to have passed in
his Imagination during so long a Sleep. He is said to have gone
already through three Days and [three] Nights of it, and to have
comprised in them the most remarkable Passages of the four first
Empires of the World. If he can keep free from Party-Strokes, his Work
may be of Use; but this I much doubt, having been informed by one of
his Friends and Confidents, that he has spoken some things of Nimrod
with too great Freedom.