It is an inexpressible Pleasure to know a little of the World, and be
of no Character or Significancy in it. To be ever unconcerned, and
ever looking on new Objects with an endless Curiosity, is a Delight
known only to those who are turned for Speculation: Nay, they who
enjoy it, must value things only as they are the Objects of
Speculation, without drawing any worldly Advantage to themselves from
them, but just as they are what contribute to their Amusement, or the
Improvement of the Mind. I lay one Night last Week at _Richmond_; and
being restless, not out of Dissatisfaction, but a certain basic
Inclination one sometimes has, I arose at Four in the Morning, and
took Boat for _London_, with a Resolution to rove by Boat and Coach
for the next Four and twenty Hours, till the many different Objects I
must needs meet with should tire my Imagination, and give me an
Inclination to a Repose more profound than I was at that time capable
of. I beg People's Pardon for an odd Humour I am guilty of, and was
often that Day, which is saluting any Person whom I like, whether I
know him or not. This is a Particularity would be tolerated in me, if
they considered that the greatest Pleasure I know I receive at my
Eyes, and that I am obliged to an agreeable Person for coming abroad
into my View, as another is for a Visit of Conversation at their own
Houses.
The Hours of the Day and Night are taken up in the Cities of _London_
and _Westminster_ by People as different from each other as those who
are Born in different Centuries. Men of Six-a-Clock give way to those
of Nine, they of Nine to the Generation of Twelve, and they of Twelve
disappear, and make Room for the fashionable World, who have made
Two-a-Clock the Noon of the Day.
When we first put off from Shoar, we soon fell in with a Fleet of
Gardiners bound for the several Market-Ports of _London_; and it was
the most pleasing Scene imaginable to see the Chearfulness with which
those industrious People ply'd their Way to a certain Sale of their
Goods. The Banks on each Side are as well Peopled, and beautified with
as agreeable Plantations, as any Spot on the Earth; but the _Thames_
it self, loaded with the Product of each Shoar, added very much to the
Landskip. It was very easie to observe by their Sailing, and the
Countenances of the ruddy Virgins, who were Supercargos, the Parts of
the Town to which they were bound. There was an Air in the Purveyors
for _Covent-Garden_, who frequently converse with Morning Rakes, very
unlike the seemly Sobriety of those bound for _Stocks-Market_.
Nothing remarkable happened in our Voyage; but I landed with Ten Sail
of Apricock Boats at _Strand-Bridge_, after having put in at
_Nine-Elmes_, and taken in Melons, consigned by Mr. _Cuffe_ of that
Place, to _Sarah Sewell_ and Company, at their Stall in
_Covent-Garden_. We arrived at _Strand-Bridge_ at Six of the Clock,
and were unloading; when the Hackney-Coachmen of the foregoing Night
took their Leave of each other at the _Dark-House_, to go to Bed
before the Day was too far spent. Chimney-Sweepers pass'd by us as we
made up to the Market, and some Raillery happened between one of the
Fruit-Wenches and those black Men, about the Devil and _Eve_, with
Allusion to their several Professions. I could not believe any Place
more entertaining than _Covent-Garden_; where I strolled from one
Fruit-shop to another, with Crowds of agreeable young Women around me,
who were purchasing Fruit for their respective Families. It was almost
Eight of the Clock before I could leave that Variety of Objects. I
took Coach and followed a young Lady, who tripped into another just
before me, attended by her Maid. I saw immediately she was of the
Family of the _Vainloves_. There are a Sett of these, who of all
things affect the Play of _Blindman's-Buff_, and leading Men into Love
for they know not whom, who are fled they know not where. This sort of
Woman is usually a janty Slattern; she hangs on her Cloaths, plays her
Head, varies her Posture, and changes place incessantly, and all with
an Appearance of striving at the same time to hide her self, and yet
give you to understand she is in Humour to laugh at you. You must have
often seen the Coachmen make Signs with their Fingers as they drive by
each other, to intimate how much they have got that Day. They can
carry on that Language to give Intelligence where they are driving. In
an Instant my Coachman took the Wink to pursue, and the Lady's Driver
gave the Hint that he was going through _Long-Acre_ towards St.
_James's_: While he whipp'd up _James-Street_, we drove for _King
Street_, to save the Pass at St. _Martin's-Lane_. The Coachmen took
care to meet, justle, and threaten each other for Way, and be
intangled at the End of _Newport-Street_ and _Long-Acre_. The Fright,
you must believe, brought down the Lady's Coach Door, and obliged her,
with her Mask off, to enquire into the Bustle, when she sees the Man
she would avoid. The Tackle of the Coach-Window is so bad she cannot
draw it up again, and she drives on sometimes wholly discovered, and
sometimes half-escaped, according to the Accident of Carriages in her
Way. One of these Ladies keeps her Seat in a Hackney-Coach as well as
the best Rider does on a managed Horse. The laced Shooe on her Left
Foot, with a careless Gesture, just appearing on the opposite Cushion,
held her both firm, and in a proper Attitude to receive the next Jolt.
As she was an excellent Coach-Woman, many were the Glances at each
other which we had for an Hour and an Half in all Parts of the Town by
the Skill of our Drivers; till at last my Lady was conveniently lost
with Notice from her Coachman to ours to make off, and he should hear
where she went. This Chace was now at an End, and the Fellow who drove
her came to us, and discovered that he was ordered to come again in an
Hour, for that she was a Silk-Worm. I was surprized with this Phrase,
but found it was a Cant among the Hackney Fraternity for their best
Customers, Women who ramble twice or thrice a Week from Shop to Shop,
to turn over all the Goods in Town without buying any thing. The
Silk-Worms are, it seems, indulged by the Tradesmen; for tho' they
never buy, they are ever talking of new Silks, Laces and Ribbands, and
serve the Owners in getting them Customers, as their common Dunners do
in making them pay.
The Day of People of Fashion began now to break, and Carts and Hacks
were mingled with Equipages of Show and Vanity; when I resolved to
walk it out of Cheapness; but my unhappy Curiosity is such, that I
find it always my Interest to take Coach, for some odd Adventure among
Beggars, Ballad-Singers, or the like, detains and throws me into
Expence. It happened so immediately; for at the Corner of
_Warwick-Street_, as I was listening to a new Ballad, a ragged Rascal,
a Beggar who knew me, came up to me, and began to turn the Eyes of the
good Company upon me, by telling me he was extream Poor, and should
die in the Streets for want of Drink, except I immediately would have
the Charity to give him Six-pence to go into the next Ale-House and
save his life. He urged, with a melancholy Face, that all his Family
had died of Thirst. All the Mob have Humour, and two or three began to
take the Jest; by which Mr. _Sturdy_ carried his Point, and let me
sneak off to a Coach. As I drove along it was a pleasing Reflection to
see the World so prettily chequered since I left _Richmond_, and the
Scene still filling with Children of a new Hour. This Satisfaction
encreased as I moved towards the City; and gay Signs, well disposed
Streets, magnificent publick Structures, and Wealthy Shops, adorned
with contented Faces, made the Joy still rising till we came into the
Centre of the City, and Centre of the World of Trade, the _Exchange_
of _London_. As other Men in the Crowds about me were pleased with
their Hopes and Bargains, I found my Account in observing them, in
Attention to their several Interests. I, indeed, looked upon my self
as the richest Man that walked the _Exchange_ that Day; for my
Benevolence made me share the Gains of every Bargain that was made. It
was not the least of the Satisfactions in my Survey, to go up Stairs,
and pass the Shops of agreeable Females; to observe so many pretty
Hands busie in the Foldings of Ribbands, and the utmost Eagerness of
agreeable Faces in the Sale of Patches, Pins, and Wires, on each Side
the Counters, was an Amusement, in which I should longer have indulged
my self, had not the dear Creatures called to me to ask what I wanted,
when I could not answer, only _To look at you_. I went to one of the
Windows which opened to the Area below, where all the several Voices
lost their Distinction, and rose up in a confused Humming; which
created in me a Reflection that could not come into the Mind of any
but of one a little studious; for I said to my self, with a kind of
Punn in thought, _What Nonsense is all the Hurry of this World to
those who are above it?_ In these, or not much wiser Thoughts, I had
like to have lost my Place at the Chop-House; where every Man,
according to the natural Bashfulness or Sullenness of our Nation, eats
in a publick Room a Mess of Broth, or Chop of Meat, in dumb Silence,
as if they had no Pretence to speak to each other on the Foot of being
Men, except they were of each other's Acquaintance.
I went afterwards to _Robin's_ and saw People who had dined with me at
the Five-Penny Ordinary just before, give Bills for the Value of large
Estates; and could not but behold with great Pleasure, Property lodged
in, and transferred in a Moment from such as would never be Masters of
half as much as is seemingly in them, and given from them every Day
they live. But before Five in the Afternoon I left the City, came to
my common Scene of _Covent-Garden_, and passed the Evening at _Will's_
in attending the Discourses of several Sets of People, who relieved
each other within my Hearing on the Subjects of Cards, Dice, Love,
Learning and Politicks. The last Subject kept me till I heard the
Streets in the Possession of the Bell-man, who had now the World to
himself, and cryed, _Past Two of Clock_. This rous'd me from my Seat,
and I went to my Lodging, led by a Light, whom I put into the
Discourse of his private Oeconomy, and made him give me an Account of
the Charge, Hazard, Profit and Loss of a Family that depended upon a
Link, with a Design to end my trivial Day with the Generosity of
Six-pence, instead of a third Part of that Sum. When I came to my
Chambers I writ down these Minutes; but was at a Loss what Instruction
I should propose to my Reader from the Enumeration of so many
Insignificant Matters and Occurrences; and I thought it of great Use,
if they could learn with me to keep their minds open to Gratification,
and ready to receive it from any thing it meets with. This one
Circumstance will make every Face you see give you the Satisfaction
you now take in beholding that of a Friend; will make every Object a
pleasing one; will make all the Good which arrives to any Man, an
Encrease of Happiness to your self.
_Steele._