forbear showing my impatience (perhaps against the strict rules of de215 cency) by putting my finger frequently on my mouth, to signify that I wanted food. The Hurgo (for so they call a great lord, as I afterwards learnt) understood me very 220 well. He descended from the stage, and commanded that several ladders should be applied to my sides, on which above an hundred of the inhabitants mounted and walked to225 wards my mouth, laden with baskets full of meat, which had been provided and sent thither by the King's orders, upon the first intelligence he received of me. I observed there 230 was the flesh of several animals, but could not distinguish them by the taste. There were shoulders, legs, and loins, shaped like those of mutton, and very well dressed, but smaller than 235 the wings of a lark. I eat them by two or three at a mouthful, and took three loaves at a time, about the bigness of musket bullets. They supplied me as fast as they could, 240 showing a thousand marks of wonder and astonishment at my bulk and appetite. I then made another sign that I wanted drink. They found by my eating that a small quantity 245 would not suffice me; and being a most ingenious people, they slung up with great dexterity one of their largest hogsheads, then rolled it towards my hand, and beat out the 250 top; I drank it off at a draught, which I might well do, for it did not hold half a pint, and tasted like a small wine of Burgundy, but much more delicious. They brought me a 255 second hogshead, which I drank in the same manner, and made signs for more, but they had none to give me. When I had performed these wonders, they shouted for joy, and 260 danced upon my breast, repeating several times as they did at first, Hekinah degul. They made me a sign that I should throw down the two hogsheads, but first warning the people below to stand out of the 265 way, crying aloud, Borach mivola, and when they saw the vessels in the air, there was an universal shout of Hekinah degul. I confess I was often tempted, while they were pass- 270 ing backwards and forwards on my body, to seize forty or fifty of the first that came in my reach, and dash them against the ground. But the remembrance of what I had felt, 276 which probably might not be the worst they could do, and the promise of honour I made them (for so I interpreted my submissive behaviour) soon drove out these imaginations. 280 Besides, I now considered myself as bound by the laws of hospitality to a people who had treated me with so much expense and magnificence. However, in my thoughts, I could 285 not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of these diminutive mortals, who durst venture to mount and walk upon my body, while one of my hands was at liberty, without 290 trembling at the very sight of so prodigious a creature as I must appear to them. After some time, when they observed that I made no more demands for meat, there appeared 295 before me a person of high rank from his Imperial Majesty. His Excellency, having mounted on the small of my right leg, advanced forwards up to my face, with about a dozen 300 of his retinue. And producing his credentials under the Signet Royal, which he applied close to my eyes, spoke about ten minutes, without any signs of anger, but with a kind of 305 determinate resolution, often pointing forwards, which, as I afterwards found, was towards the capital city, about half a mile distant, whither it was agreed by his Majesty in council forwards, which, 310 that I must be conveyed. I answered in few words, but to no purpose, and made a sign with my hand that was loose, putting it to the other (but 315 over his Excellency's head for fear of hurting him or his train) and then to my own head and body, to signify that I desired my liberty. It appeared that he understood me well 320 enough, for he shook his head by way of disapprobation, and held his hand in a posture to show that I must be carried as a prisoner. However, he made other signs to let me 825 understand that I should have meat and drink enough, and very good treatment. Whereupon I once more thought of attempting to break my bonds; but again, when I felt the 330 smart of their arrows upon my face and hands, which were all in blisters, and many of the darts still sticking in them, and observing likewise that the number of my enemies increased, I 335 gave tokens to let them know that they might do with me what they pleased. Upon this the Hurgo and his train withdrew, with much civility and cheerful countenances. Soon 340 after I heard a general shout, with frequent repetitions of the words, Peplom selan, and I felt great numbers of people on my left side relaxing the cords to such a degree, 345 that I was able to turn upon my right. But before this, they had daubed my face and both my hands with a sort of ointment very pleasant to the smell, which in a few minutes 850 removed all the smart of their arrows. These circumstances, added to the refreshment I had received by their victuals and drink, which were very nourishing, disposed me to sleep. I 355 slept about eight hours, as I was afterwards assured; and it was no wonder, for the physicians, by the Emperor's order, had mingled a sleepy potion in the hogshead of wine. It seems that, upon the first mo- 360 ment I was discovered sleeping on the ground after my landing, the Emperor had early notice of it by an express, and determined in council that I should be tied in the manner 365 I have related (which was done in the night while I slept), that plenty of meat and drink should be sent to me, and a machine prepared to carry me to the capital city. 370 This resolution perhaps may appear very bold and very dangerous, and, I am confident, would not be imitated by any prince in Europe on the like occasion; however, in my 375 opinion, it was extremely prudent, as well as generous; for supposing these people had endeavoured to kill me with their spears and arrows while I was asleep, I should certainly have 380 awaked with the first sense of smart, which might so far have roused my rage and strength, as to have enabled me to break the strings wherewith I was tied; after which, as they 385 were not able to make resistance, so they could expect no mercy. These people are most excellent mathematicians, and arrived to a great perfection in mechanics by the 390 countenance and encouragement of the Emperor, who is a renowned patron of learning. This prince hath several machines fixed on wheels for the carriage of trees and other 395 great weights. He often builds his largest men-of-war, whereof some are nine foot long, in the woods where the timber grows, and has them carried on these engines three 400 or four hundred yards to the sea. Five hundred carpenters and engineers were immediately set at work to prepare the greatest engine they had. It was a frame of wood raised 405 three inches from the ground, about seven foot long and four wide, moving upon twenty-two wheels. The shout I heard was upon the arrival 410 of this engine, which it seems set out in four hours after my landing. It was brought parallel to me as I lay. But the principal difficulty was to raise and place me in this vehicle. 415 Eighty poles, each one foot high, were erected for this purpose, and very strong cords of the bigness of packthread were fastened by hooks to many bandages, which the work420 men had girt round my neck, my hands, my body, and my legs. Nine hundred of the strongest men were employed to draw up these cords by many pulleys fastened on the poles, 425 and thus, in less than three hours, I was raised and slung into the engine, and there tied fast. All this I was told; for, while the whole operation was performing, I lay in a profound 430 sleep, by the force of that soporiferous medicine infused into my liquor. Fifteen hundred of the Emperor's largest horses, each about four inches and a half high, were employed to draw 435 me towards the metropolis, which, as I said, was half a mile distant. About four hours after we began our journey, I awaked by a very ridiculous accident; for the carriage 440 being stopped a while to adjust something that was out of order, two or three of the young natives had the curiosity to see how I looked when I was asleep; they climbed up into 445 the engine, and advancing very softly to my face, one of them, an officer in the guards, put the sharp end of his half-pike a good way up into my left nostril, which tickled my 450 nose like a straw and made me sneeze violently; whereupon they stole off unperceived, and it was three weeks before I knew the cause of my awaking so suddenly. We made 455 a long march the remaining part of that day, and rested at night with five hundred guards on each side of me, half with torches, and half with bows and arrows, ready to shoot me if I should offer to stir. The next 460 morning at sun-rise we continued our march, and arrived within two hundred yards of the city gates about noon. The Emperor, and all his court, came out to meet us; but his great officers 465 would by no means suffer his Majesty to endanger his person by mounting on my body. At the place where the carriage stopped, there stood an ancient temple, 470 esteemed to be the largest in the whole kingdom; which, having been polluted some years before by an unnatural murder, was, according to the zeal of those people, looked upon as 475 profane, and therefore had been applied to plied to common uses, and all the ornaments and furniture carried away. In this edifice it was determined I should lodge. The great gate front- 480 ing to the north was about four foot high, and almost two foot wide, through which I could easily creep. On each side of the gate was a small window not above six inches 485 from the ground; into that on the left side the King's smiths conveyed fourscore and eleven chains, like those that hang to a lady's watch in Europe and almost as large, 490 which where locked to my left leg with six and thirty padlocks. Over against this temple, on t'other side of the great highway, at twenty foot distance, there was a turret at least 495 five foot high. Here the Emperor ascended, with many principal lords of his court, to have an opportunity of viewing me, as I was told; for I could not see them. It was reckoned 500 that above an hundred thousand inhabitants came out of the town upon the same errand; and, in spite of my guards, I believe there could not be fewer than ten thousand at several 510 times, who mounted my body by the help of ladders. But a proclamation was soon issued to forbid it upon pain of death. When the workmen 515 found it was impossible for me to break loose, they cut all the strings that bound me; whereupon I rose up, with as melancholy a disposition as ever I had in my life. But the 520 noise and astonishment of the people RIC at seeing me rise and walk, are not SIR RICHARD STEELE. ICHARD STEELE (1672-1729) was born of English parents at Dublin, where his father was a well-to-do attorney. He was only a few weeks older than Addison, with whom he maintained a lifelong friendship, which was begun when they both entered Charterhouse School (then still at London), and firmly established when they met again as students in Oxford. In 1694 Steele entered the army as a cadet, in which he rose to the rank of captain (1702). While still a lieutenant, he surprised his comrades by the publication of a devotional manual, The Christian Hero (1701), and a sentimental comedy, The Funeral; or, Grief à la Mode (1701), which won him the favour of the Court. In 1707 Captain Steele became Gazetteer, or editor of the official newspaper, and afterwards held several official appointments, as, for instance, the lucrative supervisorship of the Royal Theatre at Drury Lane. Under the new Hanoverian dynasty, whose succession he had advocated in a pamphlet, he received the honour of knighthood (1715). The later years of his life he spent in retirement, mainly in Wales, where his second wife had left him a small property near Carmarthen. Steele wrote some occasional verses, many political pamphlets, and four comedies. But his fame rests wholly on his delightful short essays, which he wrote for several periodicals started by himself. The first of these periodicals was The Tatler, which appeared three times a week from 12 April 1709 to 2 Jan. 1711 and was written in the character of an imaginary Mr. Isaac Bickerstaff (a pseudonym made famous by Swift). This paper comprised political news as well as entertainment for the general reader; but the news element gradually made room for the entertaining part of the essays, when Steele's friend Addison had become a contributor. Two months after the cessation of the Tatler, Steele and Addison brought out another paper, The Spectator, which appeared daily from 1 March 1711 to 6 Dec. 1712 and professedly abstained from all political questions. It was supposed to be written by the twelve members of an imaginary Spectator Club, in which Sir Roger de Coverley, the type of a Tory country-gentleman, and Will Honeycomb, a fashionable elderly bachelor, were the most conspicuous figures. The paper contained vivid descriptions of contemporary manners and fashions, mild attacks upon the follies of the age, literary criticism, character-sketches, and short tales; but everything was prompted by the sincere desire to bring about a literary, social, and moral reformation. The Spectator was succeeded by the short-lived Guardian (March to Oct. 1718) and by seven other periodicals, all started by Steele, but more or less political and polemic. THE TRUMPET CLUB. [From The Tatler, No. 132, 1710] Habeo senectuti magnam gratiam, quæ mihi sermonis aviditatem auxit, potionis et cibi sustulit. After having applied my mind with more than ordinary attention to my studies, it is my usual custom TULL. De Senect. to relax and unbend it in the conversation of such as are rather easy than shining companions. This I find particularly necessary for me before I retire to rest, in order to draw my slumbers upon me by degrees, and 10 fall asleep insensibly. This is the particular use I make of a set of heavy honest men, with whom I have passed many hours with much indolence, though not with great plea15 sure. Their conversation is a kind of preparative for sleep: it takes the mind down from its abstractions, leads it into the familiar traces of thought, and lulls it into that state 20 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 26 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 30 should think myself unjust to posterity, as well as to the society at the Trumpet, of which I am a member, did not I in some part of my writings give an account of the persons 35 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 40 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 45 said to consist of five persons. I must confess, besides the afore-mentioned benefit which I meet with in the conversation of this select society, I am not the less pleased with the 50 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 Jeoffery Notch, who is the 55 oldest of the club, has been in pos session 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, 60 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 looks upon himself as an honest, 65 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, 70 and has all the battles by heart. He does not think any action in Europe worth talking of since the fight of Marston Moor; and every night tells us of his having been knocked off 75 his horse at the rising of the London apprentices; for which he is in great esteem among us. Honest old Dick Reptile is the third of our society. He is a good- so 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 85 give him a taste of the world. This young fellow sits generally silent; but whenever he opens his mouth, or laughs at any thing that passes, he is constantly told by his uncle, after a jocular manner, 'Ay, ay, Jack, you young men think us fools; but we old men know you are.' 90 The greatest wit of our company, next to myself, is a bencher of the 95 neighbouring Inn, who in his youth frequented the ordinaries about Charing Cross, and pretends to have been intimate with Jack Ogle. He has about ten distichs of Hudibras with- 100 out book, and never leaves the club until he has applied them all. If any modern wit be mentioned, or any town frolic spoken of, he shakes |