The De Coverley Papers, From 'The Spectator'Steele, Richard, Sir
General
The De Coverley Papers, From 'The Spectator'
Steele, Richard, Sir
English essays
[178] _Pyrrhus._ Son of Achilles, to whom Hector's widow, Andromache,
had fallen as his share of the plunder of Troy.
[179] _Pyrrhus his._ This use is due to a wrong idea that the possessive
termination is an abbreviation of _his_.
[180] _Astyanax._ Son of Hector and Andromache (and subject of one of
the most touching passages in Homer).
[181] _Smoke._ A slang word, equivalent to the modern _rag_.
NO. 383. TUESDAY, MAY 20
_Criminibus debent hortos._
JUV. _Sat._ i. ver. 75.
A beauteous garden, but by vice maintain'd.
As I was sitting in my chamber and thinking on a subject for my next
_Spectator_, I heard two or three irregular bounces[182] at my landlady's
door, and upon the opening of it, a loud cheerful voice inquiring whether
the Philosopher was at home. The child who went to the door answered very
innocently, that he did not lodge there. I immediately recollected[183]
that it was my good friend Sir Roger's voice; and that I had promised to
go with him on the water to Spring Garden[184], in case it proved a good
evening. The Knight put me in mind of my promise from the bottom of the
staircase, but told me that if I was speculating[185] he would stay below
till I had done. Upon my coming down I found all the children of the
family got about my old friend, and my landlady herself, who is a notable
prating gossip, engaged in a conference with him; being mightily pleased
with his stroking her little boy upon the head, and bidding him be a good
child, and mind his book.
We were no sooner come to the Temple stairs, but we were surrounded with
a crowd of watermen offering us their respective services. Sir Roger,
after having looked about him very attentively, spied one with a wooden
leg, and immediately gave him orders to get his boat ready. As we were
walking towards it, "You must know," says Sir Roger, "I never make use of
any body to row me, that has not either lost a leg or an arm. I would
rather bate him a few strokes of his oar[186] than not employ an honest
man that has been wounded in the Queen's service. If I was a lord or a
bishop, and kept a barge, I would not put a fellow in my livery that had
not a wooden leg."
[Illustration: I found all the Children of the Family got about my old
Friend]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account