ised that at his booth he would
speak an epilogue upon an elephant between nine and ten feet high,
arrived from Guinea, led upon the stage by six blacks.]

[Footnote 242: This may be either the Royal Exchange or the New
Exchange, in the Strand. There were shops for the sale of trinkets and
toys at both places.]

[Footnote 243: "Baby" was a term often applied to dolls.]

[Footnote 244: Mrs. Katherine Tofts sang in English to Nicolini's
Italian, in Buononcini's opera of "Camilla," but this absurdity was
forgiven on account of the charm of their voices. In 1709, in the height
of her beauty, Mrs. Tofts left the stage, owing to her intellect
becoming disordered; but afterwards she married Mr. Joseph Smith, a
gentleman who lived in great state; but his wife's mind again gave way,
and she spent hours walking and singing in a garden attached to a remote
part of the house. She died in 1760. See _Spectator,_ Nos. 18, 22 and
443, where there is a letter purporting to be from Mrs. Tofts, at
Venice.]

[Footnote 245: In act iii. sc. 2 of "The Rehearsal," Prince Volscius
falls in love at first sight with Parthenope, who says:

"My mother, sir, sells ale by the town-walls,
And me her dear Parthenope she calls;"

whereupon Volscius (repeating words from Davenant's "Siege of Rhodes")
replies:

"Can vulgar vestments high-born beauty shroud?
Thou bring'st the morning pictured in a cloud."
]

[Footnote 246: Edward Alleyn, the actor, who died in 1626, aged 61,
founded Dulwich Hospital.]

[Footnote 247: Mrs. Bracegirdle; see No. 1.]

[Footnote 248: "It is said that Monsieur Torcy, when he signed this
instrument broke into this exclamation: 'Would Colbert have signed such
a treaty for France?' On which a Minister present was pleased to say,
'Colbert himself would have been proud to have saved France in these
circumstances on such terms'" (folio).]

No. 21. [STEELE.

From _Thursday, May 26_, to _Saturday, May 28_, 1709.

* * * * *

White's Chocolate-house, May 26.

A gentleman has writ to me out of the country a very civil letter, and
said things which I suppress with great violence to my vanity. There are
many terms in my narratives which he complains want explaining, and has
therefore desired, that, for the benefit of my country readers, I would
let him know what I mean by a Gentleman, a Pretty Fellow, a Toast, a
Coquette, a Critic, a Wit, and all other appellations i