to think it presaged any dignity that I should arrive at in my
future life, though that was the interpretation which the neighbourhood
put upon it. The gravity of my behaviour at my very first appearance in
the world, and all the time that I sucked, seemed to favour my mother's
dream: for, as she has often told me, I threw away my rattle before I was
two months old, and would not make use of my coral until they had taken
away the bells from it.

As for the rest of my infancy, there being nothing in it remarkable, I
shall pass it over in silence. I find, that, during my nonage[5], I had
the reputation of a very sullen youth, but was always a favourite of my
schoolmaster, who used to say, that my parts[6] were solid, and would
wear well. I had not been long at the University, before I distinguished
myself by a most profound silence; for during the space of eight years,
excepting in the public exercises[7] of the college, I scarce uttered the
quantity of an hundred words; and indeed do not remember that I ever
spoke three sentences together in my whole life. Whilst I was in this
learned body, I applied myself with so much diligence to my studies, that
there are very few celebrated books, either in the learned or the modern
tongues, which I am not acquainted with.

Upon the death of my father, I was resolved to travel into foreign
countries, and therefore left the University, with the character of an
odd unaccountable fellow, that had a great deal of learning, if I would
but show it. An insatiable thirst after knowledge carried me into all the
countries of Europe, in which there was anything new or strange to be
seen; nay, to such a degree was my curiosity raised, that having read the
controversies of some great men concerning the antiquities of Egypt, I
made a voyage to Grand Cairo, on purpose to take the measure of a
pyramid: and, as soon as I had set myself right in that particular,
returned to my native country with great satisfaction.

I have passed my latter years in this city, where I am frequently seen in
most public places, though there are not above half a dozen of my select
friends that know me; of whom my next paper shall give a more particular
account. There is no place of general resort, wherein I do not often make
my appearance; sometimes I am seen thrusting my head into a round of
politicians at Will's[8], and listening with great attention to the
narratives that are made in those little circular audiences.