zen times every morning.

A third whom I have in my eye is a young fellow, whose lunacy is such,
that he boasts of nothing but what he ought to be ashamed of. He is vain
of being rotten, and talks publicly of having committed crimes, which he
ought to be hanged for by the laws of his country.

There are several others whose brains are hurt with pride, and whom I
may hereafter attempt to recover; but shall conclude my present list
with an old woman, who is just dropping into her grave, that talks of
nothing but her birth. Though she has not a tooth in her head, she
expects to be valued for the blood in her veins, which she fancies is
much better than that which glows in the cheeks of Belinda,[60] and sets
half the town on fire.

[Footnote 55: "Eunuchus," II. ii. 23. See No. 208.]

[Footnote 56: Bedlam.]

[Footnote 57: In Shire Lane. See No. 132.]

[Footnote 58: "Perhaps the most consummately drawn of all his characters
is introduced in the Essay, No. 127.... We have a portrait of that kind
which, though produced by a few apparently careless touches, never
ceases to charm, and is a study for all succeeding time and painters"
(Forster's Essay on Steele). "This character," wrote Leigh Hunt, "is one
of the finest that ever proceeded from his pen. It shows his contempt of
that absurdest of all the passions of mortality--pride. The reader will
take notice of the exquisite expression 'insolent benevolence,' and the
'very insignificant fellow, but exceeding gracious'" ("A Book for a
Corner," ii. 78-9).]

[Footnote 59: Bring down from its state of superiority.]

[Footnote 60: Nichols suggests an allusion to Mary Ann, daughter of
Baron Spanheim, the Bavarian ambassador. She married the Marquis de
Montandre in April 1710, and was a Kit-Cat toast. The reference--if
there is any personal reference at all--may equally well be to any one
of the beauties of the time.]

No. 128. [STEELE.

From _Tuesday, Jan. 31_, to _Thursday, Feb. 2, 1709-10_.

----Veniunt a dote sagittae.--JUV., Sat. vi. 139.

* * * * *

_From my own Apartment, February 1._

This morning I received a letter from a fortune-hunter, which being
better in its kind than men of that character usually write, I have
thought fit to communicate to the public:

"_To Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq._
"SIR,

"I take the boldness to recommend to your care the en