f him as of that sort of man who is
usually called a well-bred Fine Gentleman. To conclude his character,
where women are not concerned, he is an honest worthy man.

I cannot tell whether I am to account him whom I am next to speak of, as
one of our company; for he visits us but seldom, but, when he does, it
adds to every man else a new enjoyment of himself. He is a clergyman, a
very philosophic man, of general learning, great sanctity of life, and
the most exact good breeding. He has the misfortune to be of a very weak
constitution, and consequently cannot accept of such cares and business
as preferments in his function would oblige him to: he is therefore among
divines what a chamber-counsellor[32] is among lawyers. The probity of
his mind, and the integrity of his life, create him followers, as being
eloquent or loud advances others. He seldom introduces the subject he
speaks upon; but we are so far gone in years, that he observes when he is
among us, an earnestness to have him fall on some divine topic[33], which
he always treats with much authority, as one who has no interests in this
world, as one who is hastening to the object of all his wishes, and
conceives hope from his decays and infirmities. These are my ordinary
companions.

R.

FOOTNOTES:

[15] _Lord Rochester and Sir George Etherege._ Well-known leaders of
fashion and dissipation.

[16] _Bully Dawson._ A notorious swaggerer and sharper.

[17] _Dressed._ _I.e._, fashionably.

[18] _Quorum._ Panel of magistrates.

[19] _Game Act._ Laws dating from very early times and regulating the
licence to kill game.

[20] _Humoursome._ Capricious.

[21] _Aristotle and Longinus._ Aristotle's _Poetics_ and Longinus on the
_Sublime_ are classics of literary criticism.

[22] _Littleton or Coke._ Famous writers on law.

[23] _Demosthenes and Tully._ Demosthenes and M. Tullius Cicero, the
great orators of Athens and Rome respectively.

[24] _Wit._ Cleverness.

[25] _The Rose._ The Rose tavern was frequented by actors.

[26] _The world._ _I.e._, of public life.

[27] _Own vindication._ Self-assertion.

[28] _Civil._ Civilian.

[29] _Humorists._ Eccentrics.

[30] _Turned._ Shaped.

[31] _Habits._ Clothes; _i.e._, fashions.

[32] _Chamber-counsellor._ Barrister whose practice is confined to
consultations.

[33] _Divine topic._ Topic of divinity.

NO. 106. MONDAY, JULY 2

_Hinc tibi copia
Manabit ad plenum, beni