Microcosmography: or, a Piece of the World Discovered; in Essays and CharactersEarle, John
General
Microcosmography: or, a Piece of the World Discovered; in Essays and Characters
Earle, John
Character sketches
P. 57. (_In the Bodleian, 2699, E. 21._) [This version is almost identical
with that in the Durham MS. till the last few sentences.] The variations
between the printed copy and Dr. Bright's MS. are so considerable, that
the latter text is here given entire. "A Gallant is a heavy loader of
himself, for he lays more upon his back than it is able to bear, and so at
last breaks it. His first care is his clothes, and the next his body, and
in the uniting of these two lyes his judgment. He is no singular man, for
he is altogether in the fashion, and his very look and beard are squared
to a figure conformable. His face and his boot are ruffled much alike, and
he takes great delight in his walk to hear his spurs gingle. Though his
life pass somewhat slidingly, yet he seems very carefull of the tyme, for
he is always drawing his watch out of his pocket, and spends part of his
hours in numbering them. His chiefest toil is how to spin out the day, and
get a match for cards or the bowl alley, and his worst companion is
himself, for then he is desperate and knows not what to do. The labour of
doing nothing had made him long since weary of his life, if tobacco and
drink did not out of charity employ him. He is furnished with jests, as
some wanderer with sermons, some three for all companies, and when these
are expired, his discourse survives in oaths and laughter. He addresses
himself to ladies with the wagging of his lock, and complements like
Euphues or the knights of the Sun; yet his phrase is the worst apparalled
thing about him, for it is plain fustian.[ED] His thigh is always well
apointed with a rapier, yet peaceable enough, and makes[EE] a wound in
nothing but the scabard, yet[EF] rather than point the field, hee'l pull
it out in the street. He is weaponed rather in the street, than the
highway, for he fears not a thief, but a serjeant. His clothes and himself
grow stale together, and the last act of his life is invisible, for he is
buried commonly before he dies, in the jail or the[EG] country."
The following Character may serve as an illustrative commentary on part of
Earle's character of an Attorney.
THE CHARACTER OF AN ATTORNEY.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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