opened backwards into a very pleasant garden, kept in
excellent order; and, indeed, I saw none of the outward signs of
authorship either in the house or the landlord, who is one of those
few writers of the age that stand upon their own foundation, without
patronage, and above dependence. If there was nothing characteristic
in the entertainer, the company made ample amends for his want of
singularity.

"At two in the afternoon, I found myself one of ten messmates seated
at table; and I question if the whole kingdom could produce such
another assemblage of originals. Among their peculiarities, I do not
mention those of dress, which may be purely accidental. What struck
me were oddities originally produced by affectation, and afterwards
confirmed by habit. One of them wore spectacles at dinner, and
another his hat flapped; though (as Ivy told me) the first was noted
for having a seaman's eye, when a bailiff was in the wind; and the
other was never known to labour under any weakness or defect of
vision, except about five years ago, when he was complimented with a
couple of black eyes by a player, with whom he had quarrelled in his
drink. A third wore a laced stocking, and made use of crutches,
because, once in his life, he had been laid up with a broken leg,
though no man could leap over a stick with more agility. A fourth
had contracted such an antipathy to the country, that he insisted
upon sitting with his back towards the window that looked into the
garden; and when a dish of cauliflower was set upon the table, he
snuffed up volatile salts to keep him from fainting; yet this
delicate person was the son of a cottager, born under a hedge, and
had many years run wild among asses on a common. A fifth affected
distraction: when spoke to, he always answered from the purpose.
Sometimes he suddenly started up, and rapped out a dreadful oath;
sometimes he burst out a-laughing; then he folded his arms, and
sighed; and then he hissed like fifty serpents.

"At first, I really thought he was mad; and, as he sat near me,
began to be under some apprehensions for my own safety; when our
landlord, perceiving me alarmed, assured me aloud that I had nothing
to fear. 'The gentleman,' said he, 'is trying to act a part for
which he is