the miscellaneous writings and speeches-1-第20部分

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droll　fellow。　　Above　all；　there　was　Charley；　the　publican；　a　jolly；　fat；　honest　lad；　a　great　favourite　with　the　women；　who；　if　he　had　not　been　rather　too　fond　of　ale　and　chuck…farthing；　would　have　been　the　best　fellow　in　the　neighbourhood。

〃My　boys；〃　said　Charley；　〃this　is　exceedingly　well　for　Madam　North；not　that　I　would　speak　uncivilly　of　her；　she　put　up　my　picture　in　her　best　room；　bless　her　for　it！　　But；　I　say；　this　is　very　well　for　her；　and　for　Lord　Caesar；　and　Squire　Don；　and　Colonel　Von；but　what　affair　is　it　of　yours　or　mine？　　It　is　not　to　be　wondered　at；　that　gentlemen　should　wish　to　keep　poor　people　out　of　their　own。　　But　it　is　strange　indeed　that　they　should　expect　the　poor　themselves　to　combine　against　their　own　interests。　　If　the　folks　at　St　Dennis's　should　attack　us　we　have　the　law　and　our　cudgels　to　protect　us。　　But　why；　in　the　name　of　wonder；　are　we　to　attack　them？　　When　old　Sir　Charles；　who　was　Lord　of　the　Manor　formerly；　and　the　parson；　who　was　presented　by　him　to　the　living；　tried　to　bully　the　vestry；　did　not　we　knock　their　heads　together；　and　go　to　meeting　to　hear　Jeremiah　Ringletub　preach？　　And　did　the　Squire　Don；　or　the　great　Sir　Lewis；　that　lived　at　that　time；　or　the　Germains；　say　a　word　against　us　for　it？　　Mind　your　own　business；　my　lads：　　law　is　not　to　be　had　for　nothing；　and　we；　you　may　be　sure；　shall　have　to　pay　the　whole　bill。〃

Nevertheless　the　people　of　St　George's　were　resolved　on　law。　They　cried　out　most　lustily；　〃Squire　Guelf　for　ever！　　Sweet　William　for　ever！　　No　steel　traps！〃　　Squire　Guelf　took　all　the　rascally　footmen　who　had　worn　old　Sir　Lewis's　livery　into　his　service。　　They　were　fed　in　the　kitchen　on　the　very　best　of　everything；　though　they　had　no　settlement。　　Many　people；　and　the　paupers　in　particular；　grumbled　at　these　proceedings。　　The　steward；　however；　devised　a　way　to　keep　them　quiet。

There　had　lived　in　this　parish　for　many　years　an　old　gentleman；　named　Sir　Habeas　Corpus。　　He　was　said　by　some　to　be　of　Saxon；　by　some　of　Norman；　extraction。　　Some　maintain　that　he　was　not　born　till　after　the　time　of　Sir　Charles；　to　whom　we　have　before　alluded。　　Others　are　of　opinion　that　he　was　a　legitimate　son　of　old　Lady　Magna　Charta；　although　he　was　long　concealed　and　kept　out　of　his　birthright。　　Certain　it　is　that　he　was　a　very　benevolent　person。　　Whenever　any　poor　fellow　was　taken　up　on　grounds　which　he　thought　insufficient；　he　used　to　attend　on　his　behalf　and　bail　him；　and　thus　he　had　become　so　popular；　that　to　take　direct　measures　against　him　was　out　of　the　question。

The　steward；　accordingly；　brought　a　dozen　physicians　to　examine　Sir　Habeas。　　After　consultation；　they　reported　that　he　was　in　a　very　bad　way；　and　ought　not；　on　any　account；　to　be　allowed　to　stir　out　for　several　months。　　Fortified　with　this　authority；　the　parish　officers　put　him　to　bed；　closed　his　windows；　and　barred　his　doors。　　They　paid　him　every　attention；　and　from　time　to　time　issued　bulletins　of　his　health。　　The　steward　never　spoke　of　him　without　declaring　that　he　was　the　best　gentleman　in　the　world；　but　excellent　care　was　taken　that　he　should　never　stir　out　of　doors。

When　this　obstacle　was　removed；　the　Squire　and　the　steward　kept　the　parish　in　excellent　order；　flogged　this　man；　sent　that　man　to　the　stocks；　and　pushed　forward　the　law…suit　with　a　noble　disregard　of　expense。　　They　were；　however；　wanting　either　in　skill　or　in　fortune。　　And　everything　went　against　them　after　their　antagonists　had　begun　to　employ　Solicitor　Nap。

Who　does　not　know　the　name　of　Solicitor　Nap？　　At　what　alehouse　is　not　his　behaviour　discussed？　　In　what　print…shop　is　not　his　picture　seen？　　Yet　how　little　truth　has　been　said　about　him！　Some　people　hold　that　he　used　to　give　laudanum　by　pints　to　his　six　clerks　for　his　amusement。　　Others；　whose　number　has　very　much　increased　since　he　was　killed　by　the　gaol　distemper；　conceive　that　he　was　the　very　model　of　honour　and　good…nature。　　I　shall　try　to　tell　the　truth　about　him。

He　was　assuredly　an　excellent　solicitor。　　In　his　way　he　never　was　surpassed。　　As　soon　as　the　parish　began　to　employ　him；　their　cause　took　a　turn。　　In　a　very　little　time　they　were　successful；　and　Nap　became　rich。　　He　now　set　up　for　a　gentleman；　took　possession　of　the　old　manor…house；　got　into　the　commission　of　the　peace；　and　affected　to　be　on　a　par　with　the　best　of　the　county。　He　governed　the　vestries　as　absolutely　as　the　old　family　had　done。　　Yet；　to　give　him　his　due；　he　managed　things　with　far　more　discretion　than　either　Sir　Lewis　or　the　rioters　who　had　pulled　the　Lords　of　the　Manor　down。　　He　kept　his　servants　in　tolerable　order。　　He　removed　the　steel　traps　from　the　highways　and　the　corners　of　the　streets。　　He　still　left　a　few　indeed　in　the　more　exposed　parts　of　his　premises；　and　set　up　a　board　announcing　that　traps　and　spring　guns　were　set　in　his　grounds。　　He　brought　the　poor　parson　back　to　the　parish；　and；　though　he　did　not　enable　him　to　keep　a　fine　house　and　a　coach　as　formerly；　he　settled　him　in　a　snug　little　cottage；　and　allowed　him　a　pleasant　pad…nag。　　He　whitewashed　the　church　again；　and　put　the　stocks；　which　had　been　much　wanted　of　late；　into　good　repair。

With　the　neighbouring　gentry；　however；　he　was　no　favourite。　　He　was　crafty　and　litigious。　　He　cared　nothing　for　right；　if　he　could　raise　a　point　of　law　against　them。　　He　pounded　their　cattle；　broke　their　hedges；　and　seduced　their　tenants　from　them。　He　almost　ruined　Lord　Caesar　with　actions；　in　every　one　of　which　he　was　successful。　　Von　Blunderbussen　went　to　law　with　him　for　an　alleged　trespass；　but　was　cast；　and　almost　ruined　by　the　costs　of　suit。　　He　next　took　a　fancy　to　the　seat　of　Squire　Don；　who　was；　to　say　the　truth；　little　better　than　an　idiot。　　He　asked　the　poor　dupe　to　dinner；　and　then　threatened　to　have　him　tossed　in　a　blanket　unless　he　would　make　over　his　estates　to　him。　　The　poor　Squire　signed　and　sealed　a　deed　by　which　the　property　was　assigned　to　Joe；　a　brother　of　Nap's；　in　trust　for　and　to　the　use　of　Nap　himself。　　The　tenants；　however；　stood　out。　　They　maintained　that　the　estate　was　entailed；　and　refused　to　pay　rents　to　the　new　landlord；　and　in　this　refusal　they　were　stoutly　supported　by　the　people　in　St　George's。

About　the　same　time　Nap　took　it　into　his　head　to　match　with　quality；　and　nothing　would　serve　him　but　one　of　the　Miss　Germains。　　Lord　Caesar　swore　like　a　trooper；　but　there　was　no　help　for　it。　　Nap　had　twice　put　executions　in　his　principal　residence；　and　had　refused　to　discharge　the　latter　of　the　two　till　he　had　extorted　a　bond　from　his　Lordship　which　compelled　him　to　comply。

THE　END　OF　THE　FIRST　PART。

。。。


A　CONVERSATION　BETWEEN　MR　ABRAHAM　COWLEY　AND　MR　JOHN　MILTON；　TOUCHING　THE　GREAT　CIVIL　WAR。

SET　DOWN　BY　A　GENTLEMAN　OF　THE　MIDDLE　TEMPLE。

（August　1824。）

〃Referre　sermones　Deorum　et　Magna　modis　tenuare　parvis。〃Horace。

I　have　thought　it　good　to　set　down　in　writing　a　memorable　debate；　wherein　I　was　a　listener；　and　two　men　of　pregnant　parts　and　great　reputation　discoursers；　hoping　that　my　friends　will　not　be　displeased　to　have　a　record　both　of　the　strange　times　through　which　I　have　lived；　and　of　the　famous　men　with　whom　I　have　conversed。　　It　chanced　in　the　warm　and　beautiful　spring　of　the　year　1665；　a　little　before　the　saddest　summer　that　ever　London　saw；　that　I　went　to　the　Bowling　Green　at　Piccadilly；　whither；　at　that　time；　the　best　gentry　made　continual　resorts。　　There　I　met　Mr　Cowley；　who　had　lately　left　Barnelms。　　There　was　then　a　house　preparing　for　him　at　Chertsey；　and　till　it　should　be　finished；　he　had　come　up　for　a　short　time　to　London；　that　he　might　urge　a　suit　to　his　Grace　of　Buckingham　touching　certain　lands　of　her　Majesty's；　whereof　he　requested　a　lease。　　I　had　the　honour　to　be　familiarly　acquainted　with　that　worthy　gentleman　and　most　excellent　poet；　whose　death　hath　been　deplored　with　as　general　a　consent　of　all　Powers　that　delight　in　the　woods；　or　in　verse；　or　in　love；　as　was　of　old　that　of　Daphnis　or　of　Callus。

After　some　talk；　which　it　is　not　material　to　set　down　at　large；　concerning　his　suit　and　his　vexations　at　the　court；　where　indeed　his　honesty　did　him　more　harm　than　his　parts　could　do　him　good；　I　entreated　him　to　dine　with　me　at　my　lodging　in　the　Temple；　which　he　most　courteously　promised。　　And；　that　so　eminent　a　guest　might　not　lack　a　better　entertainment　than　cooks　or　vintners　can　provide；　I　sent　to　the　house　of　Mr　John　Milton；　in　the　Artillery　Walk；　to　beg　that　he　would　also　be　my　guest。　For；　though　he　had　been　secretary；　first　to　the　Council　of　State；　and；　after　that；　to　the　Protector；　and　Mr　Cowley　had　held　the　same　post　under　the　Lord　St　Albans　in　his　banishment；　I　hoped；　notwithstanding　that　they　would　think　themselves　rather　united　by　their　common　art　than　divided　by　their　different　factions。　　And　so　indeed　it　proved。　　For；　while　we　sat　at　table；　they　talked　freely　of　many　men　and　things；　as　well　ancient　as　modern；　with　much　civility。　Nay；　Mr　Milton；　who　seldom　tasted　wine；　both　because　of　his　singular　temperance　and　because　of　his　gout；　did　more　than　once　pledge　Mr　Cowley；　who　was　indeed　no　hermit　in　diet。　　At　last；　being　heated；　Mr　Milton　begged　that　I　would　open　the　windows。　〃Nay；〃　said　I；　〃if　you　desire　fresh　air　and　coolness；　what　should　hinder　us；　as　the　evening　is　fair；　from　sailing　for　an　hou