eep: it takes the mind
down from its abstractions, leads it into the familiar traces[79] of
thought, and lulls it into that state of tranquillity, which is the
condition of a thinking man when he is but half awake. After this, my
reader will not be surprised to hear the account which I am about to
give of a club of my own contemporaries, among whom I pass two or three
hours every evening. This I look upon as taking my first nap before I go
to bed. The truth of it is, I should think myself unjust to posterity,
as well as to the society at the Trumpet,[80] of which I am a member,
did not I in some part of my writings give an account of the persons
among whom I have passed almost a sixth part of my time for these last
forty years. Our club consisted originally of fifteen; but partly by the
severity of the law in arbitrary times, and partly by the natural
effects of old age, we are at present reduced to a third part of that
number: in which however we have this consolation, that the best company
is said to consist of five persons. I must confess, besides the
aforementioned benefit which I meet with in the conversation of this
select society, I am not the less pleased with the company, in that I
find myself the greatest wit among them, and am heard as their oracle in
all points of learning and difficulty.

Sir Jeoffrey Notch, who is the oldest of the club, has been in
possession of the right-hand chair time out of mind, and is the only man
among us that has the liberty of stirring the fire. This our foreman is
a gentleman of an ancient family, that came to a great estate some years
before he had discretion, and run it out in hounds, horses, and
cock-fighting; for which reason he looks upon himself as an honest
worthy gentleman who has had misfortunes in the world, and calls every
thriving man a pitiful upstart.

Major Matchlock is the next senior, who served in the last civil wars,
and has all the battles by heart. He does not think any action in Europe
worth talking of since the fight of Marston Moor;[81] and every night
tells us of his having been knocked off his horse at the rising of the
London apprentices;[82] for which he is in great esteem amongst us.

Honest old Dick Reptile is the third of our society: he is a
good-natured indolent man, who speaks little himself, but laughs at our
jokes, and brings his young nephew along with him, a youth of eighteen
years old, to show him good company, and give him a taste of the