It was the singularity in
S--'s conduct, on this occasion, that reconciled him to the
yellow-gloved philosopher, who owned he had some genius, and from
that period cultivated his acquaintance.
Curious to know upon what subjects the several talents of my
fellow-guests were employed, I applied to my communicative friend
Dick Ivy, who gave me to understand, that most of them were, or
had been, understrappers, or journeymen, to more creditable
authors, for whom they translated, collated, and compiled, in the
business of bookmaking; and that all of them had, at different
times, laboured in the service of our landlord, though they had
now set up for themselves in various departments of literature.
Not only their talents, but also their nations and dialects were
so various, that our conversation resembled the confusion of
tongues at Babel. We had the Irish brogue, the Scotch accent, and
foreign idiom, twanged off by the most discordant vociferation;
for, as they all spoke together, no man had any chance to be
heard, unless he could bawl louder than his fellows. It must be
owned, however, there was nothing pedantic in their discourse;
they carefully avoided all learned disquisitions, and endeavoured
to be facetious; nor did their endeavours always miscarry -- some
droll repartee passed, and much laughter was excited; and if any
individual lost his temper so far as to transgress the bounds of
decorum, he was effectually checked by the master of the feast,
who exerted a sort of paternal authority over this irritable
tribe.
Pages:
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236