Days with Sir Roger de Coverley.docx
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Days with Sir Roger de Coverley.docx
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DayswithSirRogerdeCoverley
DAYSWITHSIRROGERDECOVERLEY
byJosephAddisonandRichardSteeleCONTENTS.
SIRROGER'SFAMILY.
MR.WILLWIMBLE.
THEPICTUREGALLERY.
ACOUNTRYSUNDAY.
THEWIDOW.
THECHASE.
THECOUNTYASSIZES.
THESPECTATOR'SRETURNTOTOWN.
SIRROGER'SFAMILY.
HavingoftenreceivedaninvitationfrommyfriendSirRogerdeCoverleytopassawayamonthwithhiminthecountry,Ilastweekaccompaniedhimthither,andamsettledwithhimforsometimeathiscountry-house,whereIintendtoformseveralofmyensuingSpeculations.SirRoger,whoisverywellacquaintedwithmyhumour,letsmeriseandgotobedwhenIplease,dineathisowntableorinmychamberasIthinkfit,sitstillandsaynothingwithoutbiddingmebemerry.Whenthegentlemenofthecountrycometoseehim,heonlyshewsmeatadistance.AsIhavebeenwalkinginhisfieldsIhaveobservedthemstealingasightofmeoveranhedge,andhaveheardtheKnightdesiringthemnottoletmeseethem,forthatIhatedtobestaredat.
IamthemoreateaseinSirRoger'sfamily,becauseitconsistsofsoberandstaidpersons;forastheKnightisthebestmasterintheworld,heseldomchangeshisservants;andasheisbelovedbyallabouthim,hisservantsnevercareforleavinghim;bythismeanshisdomesticksareallinyears,andgrownoldwiththeirmaster.Youwouldtakehisvaletdechambreforhisbrother,hisbutlerisgray-headed,hisgroomisoneofthegravestmenthatIhaveeverseen,andhiscoachmanhasthelooksofaprivy-counsellor.Youseethegoodnessofthemasterevenintheoldhouse-dog,andinagraypadthatiskeptinthestablewithgreatcareandtendernessoutofregardtohispastservices,tho'hehasbeenuselessforseveralyears.
Icouldnotbutobservewithagreatdealofpleasurethejoythatappearedinthecountenanceoftheseancientdomesticksuponmyfriend'sarrivalathiscountry-seat.Someofthemcouldnotrefrainfromtearsatthesightoftheiroldmaster;everyoneofthempress'dforwardtodosomethingforhim,andseemeddiscouragediftheywerenotemployed.AtthesametimethegoodoldKnight,withthemixtureofthefatherandthemasterofthefamily,temperedtheenquiriesafterhisownaffairswithseveralkindquestionsrelatingtothemselves.Thishumanityandgood-natureengageseverybodytohim,sothatwhenheispleasantuponanyofthem,allhisfamilyareingoodhumour,andnonesomuchasthepersonwhomhedivertshimselfwith.Onthecontrary,ifhecoughs,orbetraysanyinfirmityofoldage,itiseasyforastander-bytoobserveasecretconcerninthelooksofallhisservants.
Myworthyfriendhasputmeundertheparticularcareofhisbutler,whoisaveryprudentman,and,aswellastherestofhisfellow-servants,wonderfullydesirousofpleasingme,becausetheyhaveoftenheardtheirmastertalkofmeasofhisparticularfriend.
Mychiefcompanion,whenSirRogerisdivertinghimselfinthewoodsorthefields,isaveryvenerablemanwhoiseverwithSirRoger,andhaslivedathishouseinthenatureofachaplainabovethirtyyears.Thisgentlemanisapersonofgoodsenseandsomelearning,ofaveryregularlifeandobligingconversation.
HeheartilylovesSirRoger,andknowsthatheisverymuchintheoldKnight'sesteem,sothathelivesinthefamilyratherasarelationthanadependent.
Ihaveobservedinseveralofmypapers,thatmyfriendSirRoger,amidstallhisgoodqualities,issomethingofanhumorist;andthathisvirtues,aswellasimperfections,areasitweretingedbyacertainextravagance,whichmakesthemparticularlyHIS,anddistinguishesthemfromthoseofothermen.
Thiscastofmind,asitisgenerallyveryinnocentinitself,soitrendershisconversationhighlyagreeable,andmoredelightfulthanthesamedegreeofsenseandvirtuewouldappearintheircommonandordinarycolours.AsIwaswalkingwithhimlastnight,heaskedmehowIlikedthegoodmanwhomIhavejustnowmentioned?
andwithoutstayingformyanswertoldme,ThathewasafraidofbeinginsultedwithLatinandGreekathisowntable;forwhichreasonhedesiredaparticularfriendofhisattheUniversitytofindhimoutaclergymanratherofplainsensethanmuchlearning,ofagoodaspect,aclearvoice,asociabletemper,and,ifpossible,amanthatunderstoodalittleofbackgammon.Myfriend,saysSirRoger,foundmeoutthisgentleman,who,besidestheendowmentsrequiredofhim,is,theytellme,agoodscholar,tho'hedoesnotshewit.Ihavegivenhimtheparsonageoftheparish;andbecauseIknowhisvalue,havesettleduponhimagoodannuityforlife.Ifheoutlivesme,heshallfindthathewashigherinmyesteemthanperhapshethinksheis.Hehasnowbeenwithmethirtyyears;andtho'hedoesnotknowIhavetakennoticeofit,hasneverinallthattimeaskedanythingofmeforhimself,tho'heiseverydaysolicitingmeforsomethinginbehalfofoneorotherofmytenantshisparishioners.Therehasnotbeenalaw-suitintheparishsincehehasliv'damongthem.Ifanydisputearisestheyapplythemselvestohimforthedecision;iftheydonotacquiesceinhisjudgment,whichIthinkneverhappenedaboveonceortwiceatmost,theyappealtome.Athisfirstsettlingwithme,ImadehimapresentofallthegoodsermonswhichhavebeenprintedinEnglish,andonlybegg'dofhimthateverySundayhewouldpronounceoneoftheminthepulpit.Accordingly,hehasdigestedthemintosuchaseries,thattheyfollowoneanothernaturally,andmakeacontinuedsystemofpracticaldivinity.
AsSirRogerwasgoingoninhisstory,thegentlemanweweretalkingofcameuptous;andupontheKnight'saskinghimwhopreachedtotomorrow(foritwasSaturdaynight)toldus,theBishopofSt.Asaphinthemorning,andDr.Southintheafternoon.Hethenshewedushislistofpreachersforthewholeyear,whereIsawwithagreatdealofpleasureArchbishopTillotson,BishopSaunderson,Dr.Barrow,Dr.Calamy,withseverallivingauthorswhohavepublisheddiscoursesofpracticaldivinity.Inosoonersawthisvenerablemaninthepulpit,butIverymuchapprovedofmyfriend'sinsistinguponthequalificationsofagoodaspectandaclearvoice;forIwassocharmedwiththegracefulnessofhisfigureanddelivery,aswellaswiththediscourseshepronounced,thatIthinkIneverpassedanytimemoretomysatisfaction.Asermonrepeatedafterthismanner,islikethecompositionofapoetinthemouthofagracefulactor.
Icouldheartilywishthatmoreofourcountry-clergywouldfollowthisexample;andinsteadofwastingtheirspiritsinlaboriouscompositionsoftheirown,wouldendeavourafterahandsomeelocution,andallthoseothertalentsthatarepropertoenforcewhathasbeenpennedbygreatermasters.Thiswouldnotonlybemoreeasytothemselves,butmoreedifyingtothepeople.
MR.WILLWIMBLE.
IwasyesterdaymorningwalkingwithSirRogerbeforehishouse,acountry-fellowbroughthimahugefish,which,hetoldhim,Mr.
WilliamWimblehadcaughtthatverymorning;andthathepresentedit,withhisservicetohim,andintendedtocomeanddinewithhim.Atthesametimehedeliveredaletterwhichmyfriendreadtomeassoonasthemessengerlefthim.
"SirRoger,"Idesireyoutoacceptofajack,whichisthebestIhavecaughtthisseason.Iintendtocomeandstaywithyouaweek,andseehowtheperchbiteintheBlackRiver.Iobservedwithsomeconcern,thelasttimeIsawyouuponthebowling-green,thatyourwhipwantedalashtoit;IwillbringhalfadozenwithmethatItwistedlastweek,whichIhopewillserveyouallthetimeyouareinthecountry.Ihavenotbeenoutofthesaddleforsixdayslastpast,havingbeenatEatonwithSirJohn'seldestson.Hetakestohislearninghugely.
"Iam,Sir,yourhumbleservant,"WillWimble."Thisextraordinaryletter,andmessagethataccompaniedit,mademeverycurioustoknowthecharacterandqualityofthegentlemanwhosentthem;whichIfoundtobeasfollows.WillWimbleisyoungerbrothertoabaronet,anddescendedoftheancientfamilyoftheWimbles.Heisnowbetweenfortyandfifty;butbeingbredtonobusinessandborntonoestate,hegenerallyliveswithhiselderbrotherassuperintendentofhisgame.Hehuntsapackofdogsbetterthananymaninthecountry,andisveryfamousforfindingoutahare.Heisextremelywellversedinallthelittlehandicraftsofanidleman:
hemakesaMayflytoamiracle;andfurnishesthewholecountrywithangle-rods.Asheisagood-natur'dofficiousfellow,andverymuchesteem'duponaccountofhisfamily,heisawelcomeguestateveryhouse,andkeepsupagoodcorrespondenceamongallthegentlemenabouthim.Hecarriesatulip-rootinhispocketfromonetoanother,orexchangesapuppybetweenacoupleoffriendsthatliveperhapsintheoppositesidesofthecounty.Willisaparticularfavouriteofalltheyoungheirs,whomhefrequentlyobligeswithanetthathehasweaved,orasetting-dogthathehasmadehimself.Henowandthenpresentsapairofgartersofhisownknittingtotheirmothersorsisters;andraisesagreatdealofmirthamongthem,byenquiringasoftenashemeetsthemhowtheywear!
Thesegentlemen-likemanufacturesandobliginglittlehumoursmakeWillthedarlingofthecountry.
SirRogerwasproceedinginthecharacterofhim,whenwesawhimmakeuptouswithtwoorthreehazel-twigsinhishandthathehadcutinSirRoger'swoods,ashecamethroughthem,inhiswaytothehouse.IwasverymuchpleasedtoobserveononesidetheheartyandsincerewelcomewithwhichSirRogerreceivedhim,andontheother,thesecretjoywhichhisguestdiscover'datsightofthegoodoldKnight.Afterthefirstsaluteswereover
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