The Works of Henry Fielding, vol. 12Fielding, Henry
General
The Works of Henry Fielding, vol. 12
Fielding, Henry
English literature -- 18th century
the chair, addressed in the following speech: "My good friends, Mr
Boots, I tell you plainly that, if you plague me so damnably as you
did yesterday morning, by G-- I'll commit you to the flames; stap my
vituals! as my lord Huntingdon says in the play." He then looked full
in my face, and asked the landlord if he had ever been at Drury-lane
playhouse; which he answered in the negative. "What!" says he, "did
you never hear talk of Mr Garrick and king Richard?" "No, sir," says
the landlord." By G--," says the gentleman, "he is the cleverest
fellow in England." He then spouted a speech out of King Richard,
which begins, "Give me an horse," &c. "There," says he, "that, that is
just like Mr Garrick." Having pleased himself vastly with this
performance, he shook the landlord by the hand with great good-humour,
and said," By G-- you seem to be an honest fellow, and good blood; if
you'll come and see me in London, I'll give you your skinful of wine,
and treat you with a play and a whore every night you stay. I'll show
you how it is to live, my boy. But here, bring me some paper, my girl;
come, let us have one of your love-letters to air my boots." Upon
which the landlord presented him with a piece of an old
newspaper. "D--n you!" says the gent, "this is not half enough; have
you never a Bible or Common Prayer-book in the house? Half a dozen
chapters of Genesis, with a few prayers, make an excellent fire in a
pair of boots." "Oh! Lord forgive you!" says the landlord; "sure you
would not burn such books as those?" "No!" cries the spark; "where was
you born? Go into a shop of London and buy some butter or a quartern
of tea, and then you'll see what use is made of these books." "Ay!"
says the landlord, "we have a saying here in our country that 'tis as
sure as the devil is in London, and if he was not there they could not
be so wicked as they be." Here a country fellow who had been standing
up in one corner of the kitchen eating of cold bacon and beans, and
who, I observed, trembled at every oath this spark swore, took his
dish and pot, and marched out of the kitchen, fearing, as I afterwards
learnt, that the house would fall down about his ears, for he was
sure, he said, "That man in the gold-laced hat was the devil." The
young spark, having now displayed all his wit and humour, and exerted
his talents to the utmost, thought he had sufficiently recommended
himself to my favour and convinced me he was a gentleman. He therefore
with an air addressed himself to me, and asked me which way I was
travelling? To which I gave him no answer. He then exalted his voice;
but, at my continuing silent, he asked the landlord if I was
deaf. Upon which the landlord told him he did not believe the
gentleman was dunch, for that he talked very well just now. The man
of wit whispered in the landlord's ear, and said, "I suppose he is
either a parson or a fool." He then drank a dram, observing that a man
should not cool too fast; paid sixpence more than his reckoning,
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