The above is a well-known character in Durham, called “the philosopher:”
and were his literary attainments to be measured by the books he
peruses, they would far exceed those of any gentleman in the place.
Tommy reads every thing that he can borrow--legal, medical, theological,
historical--true narrative, or romance, it matters little to him;--but
Tommy has no recollection. On arriving at the last page of a work he is
just as wise as before he commenced. A friend of mine once lent him
Gibbon’s “Decline and Fall;” and when Tommy returned the last volume,
asked him how he liked it. “It is a _nice_ work.”--“Well, how did you
like that part about the boxing match between Crib and Molineux?”--“Oh,”
said he, “it was the _nicest_ part in the whole book!” Poor Tommy! I can
say this of thee; I have lent thee many a book, and have always had them
returned clean and unsoiled! I cannot say this of some of my book
borrowers.