Ten Thousand Wonderful Things: Comprising whatever is marvellous and rare, curious, eccentric and extraordinary in all ages and nations
History
Ten Thousand Wonderful Things: Comprising whatever is marvellous and rare, curious, eccentric and extraordinary in all ages and nations
Curiosities and wonders; Encyclopedias and dictionaries; Folklore
In her exterior, she was extremely grotesque, wearing a bag wig, a
large cocked hat, three or four folio books under one arm, and an
umbrella under the other, her pockets completely filled with small
volumes, and a stick in her right hand. She had a good knowledge of
English books; many persons entertained her for her advice relative
to purchasing them. She obtained a comfortable subsistence from
teaching and translating foreign languages, and by selling books
chiefly in foreign literature. She taught the Duke of Portland the
German language, and was always welcomed to his house, the Prussian
Ambassador to our Court received from her a knowledge of the English
language; and several distinguished noblemen she frequently visited
to instruct them in the French tongue; she also taught Edward Gibbon,
the celebrated Roman Historian, the German language, previous to his
visiting that country. This extraordinary female has never been known
to have appeared in any other but the male dress, since her arrival in
England, where she remained upwards of thirty years; and upon occasions
she would attend court, decked in very superb attire; and was well
remembered about the streets of London; and particularly frequent in
attending book auctions, and would buy to a large amount, sometimes a
coachload. Here her singular figure generally made her the jest of the
company. Her general purchase at these sales was odd volumes, which she
used to carry to other booksellers, and endeavour to sell, or exchange
for other books. She was also a considerable collector of medals
and foreign coins of gold and silver; but none of these were found
after her decease. She frequented the Furnival's Inn Coffee-house,
in Holborn, dining there almost every day; she would have the first
of every thing in season, and was as strenuous for a large quantity,
as she was dainty in the quality of what she chose for her table.
At times, it is well-known, she could dispense with three pounds of
solid meat; and we are very sorry to say, she was much inclined to the
dreadful sin of drunkenness. Her death was occasioned by falling down
stairs, and she was, after much affliction, at length compelled to make
herself known to a German physician, who prescribed for her, when the
disorder she had, turned to a dropsy, defied all cure, and finished the
life of so remarkable a female.
DRIVING STAGS LIKE CATTLE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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