mmediately concerted,
in consequence of which they met by accident at her grace's table.
Pickle having staid all the forepart of the evening, and sat out all the
company, except the misanthrope and a certain widow lady who was said
to be in the secrets of my lady duchess, went away on pretence of an
indispensable engagement, that Crabtree might have a proper opportunity
of making him the subject of conversation.

Accordingly, he had scarce quitted the apartment, when this cynic,
attending him to the door with a look of morose disdain, "Were I an
absolute prince," said he, "and that fellow one of my subjects, I would
order him to be clothed in sackcloth, and he should drive my asses
to water, that his lofty spirit might be lowered to the level of his
deserts. The pride of a peacock is downright self-denial, when compared
with the vanity of that coxcomb, which was naturally arrogant, but is
now rendered altogether intolerable, by the reputation he acquired at
Bath, for kicking a bully, outwitting a club of raw sharpers, and divers
other pranks, in the execution of which he was more lucky than wise.
But nothing has contributed so much to the increase of his insolence and
self-conceit, as the favour he found among the ladies; ay, the ladies,
madam: I care not who knows it: the ladies, who, to their honour be it
spoken, never fail to patronize foppery and folly, provided they solicit
their encouragement. And yet this dog was not on the footing of those
hermaphroditical animals, who may be reckoned among the number of
waiting-women, who air your shifts, comb your lap-dogs, examine your
noses with magnifying glasses, in order to squeeze out the worms, clean
your tooth-brushes, sweeten your handkerchiefs, and soften waste
paper for your occasions. This fellow Pickle was entertained for more
important purposes; his turn of duty never came till all those lapwings
were gone to roost; then he scaled windows, leaped over garden walls,
and was let in by Mrs. Betty in the dark. Nay, the magistrates of Bath
complimented him with the freedom of the corporation, merely because,
through his means, the waters had gained extraordinary credit; for every
female of a tolerable appearance, that went thither on account of her
sterility, got the better of her complaint, during his residence at
Bath. And now the fellow thinks no woman can withstand his addresses.
He had not been here three minutes, when I could perceive, with half
an eye, that he