The adventures of a black coat : $b Containing a series of remarkable occurrences and entertaining incidentsAnonymous
General
The adventures of a black coat : $b Containing a series of remarkable occurrences and entertaining incidents
Anonymous
Coats -- Fiction; London (England) -- Fiction
in Kensington gardens, and various other places, and a small book of
ivory leaves, containing a short account of the art of intriguing, with
a select number of extraordinary good _excuses_ in case of _suspicion_,
and some excellent _salvos_ for _palpable discoveries_, wrote by your
ladyship’s own hand, and which is the book, I presume, says the doctor,
your ladyship enquired so particularly for.—It is, answered the lady,
and now pray, says she, inform me how I can get it back again.—The
doctor answered, he believed if her ladyship would advertise it with a
handsome reward she might recover it; the lady declared she would give
any thing for it, and putting two guineas into the doctor’s hand, said
she hoped she might rely upon his secrecy; the doctor assured her she
might, and then conducted her to a hackney coach waiting at the door
for her.
The next who came to consult the keeper of the book of knowledge,
continued Sable, was a young lady of a most engaging countenance, her
natural air and the taste of her dress, seemed to vie with each other,
in rendering her an object of love,—if it was possible for envy to
have fixed upon any thing that seemed imperfect, it must have been
rather too much levity, which her eyes expressed. This young lady
having informed the doctor, what he required to know, she told him she
had three lovers, who made their addresses to her; one, she said, was
a gentleman of the law, another was a lieutenant in the army, and the
third a gentleman of no profession, and desired to know which of them
she should have; the doctor having consulted his book, told her she
should marry neither of them; the young lady was a good deal surprized,
and desired if she should have neither of them,—to know who else would
be her lot.—I find, miss, says the doctor, you will have several
offers from tradesmen, whom you will reject; for though you have no
fortune, yet you will adhere to your darling hopes of marrying a
gentleman, but you will be deceived in your expectations. I have always
been told, says the lady, by people of your profession, and that by
more than one, that I should be marryed to a gentleman.—Those who have
told you so, replies the doctor, deceived you; they have injured many
young people, adds he, by flattering the passions of the credulous,
which has influenced the conduct of weak people, and laid the
foundation of their ruin.—Sir, says the lady, I believe it is a maxim
amongst _Fortune-tellers_, to speak ill of every one in the profession
besides themselves, but Sir, adds she, you have not told me who I am
to marry.—It is out of my power, madam, says the doctor, for though I
can frequently see you a _Votress_ at the _altar of Love_, yet I cannot
find that you will ever enter the _Hymeneal Temple_.—I must confess,
says the lady, you are the most discouraging foreteller of events
that I ever met with, and I have had my fortune told me by _Cards_,
_Coffee-grounds_, by inspecting the _lines_ of my _hand_, and by the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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