I know nothing of, only they say the
Dutchess of Montague has lately lost a bitch she call'd fidel, and has
had it cry'd."--(Peter Wentworth to Lord Raby; "Wentworth Papers," p.
97.)]

[Footnote 460: See Catullus, passim.]

No. 48. [STEELE.

From _Thursday, July 28_, to _Saturday, July 30_, 1709.

--Virtutem verba putant, et
Lucum ligna.
HOR., 1 Ep. vi. 31.

* * * * *

From my own Apartment, July 29.

This day I obliged Pacolet to entertain me with matters which regarded
persons of his own character and occupation. We chose to take our walk
on Tower Hill; and as we were coming from thence in order to stroll as
far as Garraway's,[461] I observed two men, who had but just landed,
coming from the waterside. I thought there was something uncommon in
their mien and aspect; but though they seemed by their visage to be
related, yet was there a warmth in their manner, as if they differed
very much in their sentiments of the subject on which they were talking.
One of them seemed to have a natural confidence, mixed with an ingenious
freedom in his gesture, his dress very plain, but very graceful and
becoming: the other, in the midst of an overbearing carriage, betrayed
(by frequently looking round him) a suspicion that he was not enough
regarded by those he met, or that he feared they would make some attack
upon him. This person was much taller than his companion, and added to
that height the advantage of a feather in his hat, and heels to his
shoes so monstrously high, that he had three or four times fallen down,
had he not been supported by his friend. They made a full stop as they
came within a few yards of the place where we stood. The plain gentleman
bowed to Pacolet; the other looked on him with some displeasure: upon
which I asked him, who they both were, when he thus informed me of their
persons and circumstances.

"You may remember, Mr. Isaac, that I have often told you, there are
beings of a superior rank to mankind, who frequently visit the
habitations of men, in order to call them from some wrong pursuits in
which they are actually engaged, or divert them from methods which will
lead them into errors for the future. He that will carefully reflect
upon the occurrences of his life, will find he has been sometimes
extricated out of difficulties, and received favours where he could
never have expected such benefits; as we