Dryden and Otway were contemporaries, and lived, it is said, for some time opposite to each other in Fetter Lane. One morning the latter happened to call upon his brother bard about breakfast-time, but was told by the servant that his master was gone to breakfast with the Earl of Pembroke. "Very well," said Otway, "tell your master that I will call to-morrow morning." Accordingly he called about the same hour. "Well, is your master at home now?" "No, sir; he is just gone to breakfast with the Duke of Buckingham." "The d---- he is," said Otway, and, actuated either by envy, pride, or disappointment, in a kind of involuntary manner, he took up a piece of chalk which lay on a table which stood upon the landing-place, near Dryden's chamber, and wrote over the door,-- "Here lives Dryden, a poet and a wit." The next morning, at breakfast, Dryden recognised the handwriting, and told the servant to go to Otway and desire his company to breakfast with him. In the meantime, to Otway's line of "Here lives Dryden, _a poet and a wit_," he added,-- "This was written by Otway, _opposite_." When Otway arrived he saw that his line was linked with a rhyme, and being a man of rather petulant disposition, he took it in dudgeon, and, turning upon his heel, told Dryden "that he was welcome to keep his wit and his breakfast to himself." [Illustration: A MEETING OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY IN CRANE COURT (_see p. 106_).] A curious old book, a _vade mecum_ for malt worms _temp._ George I., thus immortalises the patriotism of a tavern-keeper in Fetter Lane:-- "Though there are some who, with invidious look, Have styl'd this bird more like a Russian duck Than what he stands depicted for on sign, He proves he well has croaked for prey within, From massy tankards, formed of silver plate, That walk throughout this noted house in state, Ever since _Englesfield_, in _Anna's_ reign, To compliment each fortunate campaign, Made one be hammered out for ev'ry town was ta'en." CHAPTER IX. FLEET STREET (TRIBUTARIES--CRANE COURT, JOHNSON'S COURT, BOLT COURT). Removal of the Royal Society from Gresham College--Opposition to Newton--Objections to Removal--The First Catalogue--Swift's jeer at the Society--Franklin's Lightning Conductor and King George III.--Sir Hans Sloane insulted--The Scottish Society--Wilkes's Printer--The Delphin Classics--Johnson's Court--Johnson's Opinion on Pope and Dryden--His Removal to Bolt Court--The _John Bull_--Hook and Terry--Prosecutions for Libel--Hook's Impudence.