Court or a great man's levee.
The courtier coughed a little at the smoke of the pipe, and looked round
the room curiously, which was shabby enough, as was the owner in his worn
snuff-coloured suit and plain tie-wig.

"How goes on the _magnum opus_, Mr. Addison?" says the Court gentleman on
looking down at the papers that were on the table.

"We were but now over it," says Addison (the greatest courtier in the land
could not have a more splendid politeness, or greater dignity of manner);
"here is the plan," says he, "on the table; _hac ibat Simois_, here ran
the little river Nebel: _hic est Sigeia tellus_, here are Tallard's
quarters, at the bowl of this pipe, at the attack of which Captain Esmond
was present. I have the honour to introduce him to Mr. Boyle; and Mr.
Esmond was but now depicting _aliquo praelia mixta mero_, when you came
in." In truth the two gentlemen had been so engaged when the visitor
arrived, and Addison, in his smiling way, speaking of Mr. Webb, colonel of
Esmond's regiment (who commanded a brigade in the action, and greatly
distinguished himself there), was lamenting that he could find never a
suitable rhyme for Webb, otherwise the brigade should have had a place in
the poet's verses. "And for you, you are but a lieutenant," says Addison,
"and the Muse can't occupy herself with any gentleman under the rank of a
field-officer."

Mr. Boyle was all impatient to hear, saying that my Lord Treasurer and my
Lord Halifax were equally anxious; and Addison, blushing, began reading of
his verses, and, I suspect, knew their weak parts as well as the most
critical hearer. When he came to the lines describing the angel, that

Inspired repulsed battalions to engage,
And taught the doubtful battle where to rage,

he read with great animation, looking at Esmond, as much as to say, "You
know where that simile came from--from our talk, and our bottle of
burgundy, the other day."

The poet's two hearers were caught with enthusiasm, and applauded the
verses with all their might. The gentleman of the Court sprang up in great
delight. "Not a word more, my dear sir," says he. "Trust me with the
papers--I'll defend them with my life. Let me read them over to my Lord
Treasurer, whom I am appointed to see in half an hour. I venture to
promise, the verses shall lose nothing by my reading, and then, sir, we
shall see whether Lord Halifax has a right to complain that his friend's
pension is no longer paid." A