I was this morning surprised with a great knocking at
the door, when my landlady's daughter came up to me
and told me that there was a man below desired to
speak with me. Upon my asking her who it was, she
told me it was a very grave, elderly person, but that she (10)
did not know his name. I immediately went down to
him, and found him to be the coachman of my worthy
friend, Sir Roger de Coverley. He told me that his master
came to town last night, and would be glad to take a turn
with me in Gray's Inn Walks. As I was wondering in (15)
myself what had brought Sir Roger to town, not having
lately received any letter from him, he told me that his
master was come up to get a sight of Prince Eugene,
and that he desired I would immediately meet him.
I was not a little pleased with the curiosity of the old
knight, though I did not much wonder at it, having heard
him say more than once in private discourse that he
looked upon Prince Eugenio--for so the knight always
calls him--to be a greater man than Scanderbeg. (186: 5)
I was no sooner come into Gray's Inn Walks, but I
heard my friend upon the terrace hemming twice or
thrice to himself with great vigour, for he loves to clear
his pipes in good air, to make use of his own phrase,
and is not a little pleased with any one who takes notice (10)
of the strength which he still exerts in his morning hems.
I was touched with a secret joy at the sight of the good
old man, who before he saw me was engaged in conversation
with a beggar-man that had asked an alms of him.
I could hear my friend chide him for not finding out (15)
some work; but at the same time saw him put his hand
in his pocket and give him sixpence.
Our salutations were very hearty on both sides, consisting
of many kind shakes of the hand, and several affectionate
looks which we cast upon one another. After (20)
which the knight told me my good friend his chaplain
was very well, and much at my service, and that the
Sunday before he had made a most incomparable sermon
out of Doctor Barrow. "I have left," says he, "all my
affairs in his hands, and being willing to lay an obligation (25)
upon him, have deposited with him thirty marks, to be
distributed among his poor parishioners."
He then proceeded to acquaint me with the welfare of
Will Wimble. Upon which he put his hand into his fob
and presented me, in his name, with a tobacco stopper,
telling me that Will had been busy all the beginning of
the winter in turning great quantities of them, and that
he made a present of one to every gentleman in the
country who has good principles and smokes. He added (187: 5)
that poor Will was at present under great tribulation, for
that Tom Touchy had taken the law of him for cutting
some hazel sticks out of one of his hedges.
Among other pieces of news which the knight brought
from his country-seat, he informed me that Moll White (10)
was dead; and that about a month after her death the
wind was so very high that it blew down the end of one
of his barns. "But for my own part," says Sir Roger,
"I do not think that the old woman had any hand in
it." (15)
He afterwards fell into an account of the diversions
which had passed in his house during the holidays; for
Sir Roger, after the laudable custom of his ancestors,
always keeps open house at Christmas. I learned from
him that he had killed eight fat hogs for this season, that (20)
he had dealt about his chines very liberally amongst his
neighbours, and that in particular he had sent a string of
hog's-puddings[140] with a pack of cards to every poor family
in the parish. "I have often thought," says Sir Roger,
"it happens very well that Christmas should fall out in (25)
the middle of the winter. It is the most dead, uncomfortable
time of the year, when the poor people would
suffer very much from their poverty and cold if they had
not good cheer, warm fires, and Christmas gambols to
support them. I love to rejoice their poor hearts at this
season, and to see the whole village merry in my great
hall. I allow a double quantity of malt to my small beer,
and set it a running for twelve days to every one that calls (188: 5)
for it. I have always a piece of cold beef and a mince-pie
upon the table, and am wonderfully pleased to see my
tenants pass away a whole evening in playing their innocent
tricks, and smutting one another. Our friend Will
Wimble is as merry as any of them, and shows a thousand (10)
roguish tricks upon these occasions."
[140] Sausages.
I was very much delighted with the reflection of my old
friend, which carried so much goodness in it. He then
launched out into the praise of the late Act of Parliament
for securing the Church of England, and told me, (15)
with great satisfaction, that he believed it already began
to take effect, for that a rigid Dissenter, who chanced to
dine at his house on Christmas day, had been observed to
eat very plentifully of his plum-porridge.
After having dispatched all our country matters, Sir (20)
Roger made several inquiries concerning the club, and
particularly of his old antagonist, Sir Andrew Freeport.
He asked me with a kind of smile whether Sir Andrew
had not taken advantage of his absence to vent among
them some of his republican doctrines; but soon after, (25)
gathering up his countenance into a more than ordinary
seriousness, "Tell me truly," says he, "don't you think
Sir Andrew had a hand in the Pope's Procession?" But
without giving me time to answer him, "Well, well," says
he, "I know you are a wary man, and do not care to talk
of public matters."
The knight then asked me if I had seen Prince Eugenio,
and made me promise to get him a stand in some convenient
place, where he might have a full sight of that (189: 5)
extraordinary man, whose presence does so much honour
to the British nation. He dwelt very long on the praises
of this great general, and I found that, since I was with
him in the country, he had drawn many observations
together out of his reading in Baker's _Chronicle_, and (10)
other authors who always lie in his hall window, which
very much redound to the honour of this prince.
Having passed away the greatest part of the morning
in hearing the knight's reflections,[141] which were partly
private and partly political, he asked me if I would smoke (15)
a pipe with him over a dish of coffee at Squire's. As I
love the old man, I take delight in complying with everything
that is agreeable to him, and accordingly waited on
him to the coffee-house, where his venerable figure drew
upon us the eyes of the whole room. He had no sooner (20)
seated himself at the upper end of the high table, but he
called for a clean pipe, a paper of tobacco, a dish of
coffee, a wax candle, and the _Supplement_, with such an
air of cheerfulness and good humour that all the boys in
the coffee-room--who seemed to take pleasure in serving (25)
him--were at once employed on his several errands;
insomuch that nobody else could come at a dish of tea
till the knight had got all his conveniences about him.
[141] Correct the careless grammar. L.