I was just telling Charlot, that you was not a whit the worse for the loss. Sir LUKE. The worse! much the better, my dear. Consider, I can have neither strain, splint, spavin, or gout; have no fear of corns, kibes, or that another man should kick my shins, or tread on my toes. SERJEANT. Right. Sir LUKE. What d'ye think I would change with Bill Spindle for one of his drumsticks, or chop with Lord Lumber for both of his logs? SERJEANT. No! Sir LUKE. No, damn it, I am much better.--Look there--Ha!--What is there I am not able to do? To be sure I am a little aukward at running; but then, to make me amends, I'll hop with any man in town for his sum. SERJEANT. Ay, and I'll go his halves. Sir LUKE. Then as to your dancing, I am cut out at Madam Cornelly's, I grant, because of the croud; but as far as a private set of six couple, or moving a chair-minuet, match me who can. CHARLOT. A chair-minuet! I don't understand you. Sir LUKE. Why, child, all grace is confined to the motion of the head, arms, and chest, which may sitting be as fully displayed, as if one had as many legs as a polypus.--As thus--tol de rol--don't you see? SERJEANT. Very plain. Sir LUKE. A leg! a redundancy! a mere nothing at all. Man is from nature an extravagant creature. In my opinion, we might all be full as well as we are, with but half the things that we have. CHARLOT. Ay, Sir Luke; how do you prove that? Sir LUKE. By constant experience.--You must have seen the man who makes and uses pens without hands. SERJEANT. I have. Sir LUKE. And not a twelvemonth agone, I lost my way in a fog, at Mile-End, and was conducted to my house in May-Fair by a man as blind as a beetle. SERJEANT. Wonderful! Sir LUKE. And as to hearing and speaking, those organs are of no manner of use in the world. SERJEANT. How! Sir LUKE. If you doubt it, I will introduce you to a whole family, dumb as oysters, and deaf as the dead, who chatter from morning till night by only the help of their fingers. SERJEANT. Why, Charlot, these are cases in point. Sir LUKE. Oh! clear as a trout-stream; and it is not only, my little Charlot, that this piece of timber answers every purpose, but it has procured me many a bit of fun in my time. SERJEANT. Ay! Sir LUKE. Why, it was but last summer, at Tunbridge, we were plagued the whole season by a bullet-headed Swiss from the canton of Bern, who was always boasting, what, and how much he dared do; and then, as to pain, no Stoic, not Diogenes, held it more in contempt.--By gods, he vas no more minds it dan notings at all--So, foregad, I gave my German a challenge. SERJEANT. As how!--Mind, Charlot. Sir LUKE. Why to drive a corkin pin into the calves of our legs. SERJEANT. Well, well. Sir LUKE. Mine, you may imagine, was easily done--but when it came to the Baron-- SERJEANT. Ay, ay. Sir LUKE.