CXXXVII. Letter from a Lady of Fashion, complaining of her Lord's pride in keep- CXXXVIII. On Conversation. The chief Pests of Society pointed out. Those who con- verse irrationally, considered as imitating the language of different animals. CXXXIX. Farewell-Letter from Mr. Village, giving an account of the reception which the Connoisseur has met with in the country. Mr. Town's reflections on the reception he has met with in London, considering himself in the Three-fold THE CONNOISSEUR. BY MR. TOWN, CRITIC AND CENSOR-GENERAL. No. CV. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1756. Gaudet equis, canibusque, et aprici gramine campi. To spring a covey, or unearth a fox, In rev'rend sportsmen, is right orthodox. HOR. MY Cousin Village, from whom I had not heard for some time, has lately sent me an account of a Country-Parson, which I dare say will prove entertaining to my town-readers; who can have no other idea of our clergy than what they have collected from the spruce and genteel figures which they have been used to contemplate here in doctors scarfs, puddingsleeves, starched bands, and feather-top grizzles. It will be found, from my cousin's description, that these reverend ensigns of orthodoxy are not so necessary to be displayed among rustics; and that, when they are out of the pulpit or surplice, the good pastors may without censure, put on the manners as well as dress of a groom or whipper-in. DEAR COUSIN, ........ Doncaster, Jan. 14, 1756. I AM just arrived here, after having paid a visit to our old acquaintance Jack Quickset, who is now become the Reverend Mr. Quickset, Rector of parish, in the North-Riding of this county; a living worth upwards of three hundred pounds per annum. As the ceremonies of ordination have occasioned no alteration in Jack's morals or behaviour, the figure he makes in the church is somewhat remarkable but as there are many other incumbents of country livings, whose clerical characters will be found to tally with his, perhaps a slight sketch, or, as I may say, rough draught of him, with some account of my visit, will not be unentertaining to your readers. : Jack, hearing that I was in this part of the world, sent me a very hearty letter, informing me, that he had been double-japanned (as he called it) about a year ago, and was the present incumbent of ........; where, if I would favour him with my company, he would give me a cup of the best Yorkshire Stingo, and would engage to shew me a noble day's sport, as he was in a fine open country, with plenty of foxes. I rejoiced to hear he was so comfortably settled, and set out immediately for his living. When I arrived within the gate, my ears were alarmed with such a loud chorus of No mortals on earth are so jovial as 'we,' that I began to think I had made a mistake; but its close neighbourhood to the church soon convinced me that this could be no other than the Parsonage-house. On my entrance, my friend (whom I found in the midst of a room full of fox-hunters in boots and bob wigs) got up to welcome me to ...... and embracing me, gave me the full flavour of his stingo by belching in my face, as he did me the honour of saluting me. He then introduced me to his friends; and placing me at the right hand of his own elbow chair, assured them that I was a very honest cock, and loved a chace of fiveand-twenty miles an end as well as any of them: to preserve the credit of which character, I was obliged to comply with an injunction to toss off a pint bumper of port, with the foot of the fox dipped and squeezed into it, to give a zest to the liquor. The whole economy of Jack's life is very different from that of his brethren. Instead of having a wife and a house full of children (the most common family of a country clergyman) he is single; unless we credit some idle whispers in the parish, that he is married to his housekeeper. The calm amusements of piquet, chess, and backgammon, have no charms for Jack, who sees his "dearest action in the field," and boasts, that he has a brace of as good hunters in his stable as ever leg was laid over. Hunting and shooting are the only business of his life; fox-hounds and pointers lay about in every parlour; and he is himself, like Pistol, always in boots. The estimation in which he holds his friends is rated according to their excellence as sportsmen; and to be able to make a good shot, or hunt a pack of hounds well, are the most recommending qualities. His parishioners often earn a shilling and a cup of ale at his house, by coming to acquaint him that they have found an hare sitting, or a fox in cover. One day, while I was alone with my friend, the servant came in to tell him, that the clerk wanted to speak with him. He was ordered in; but I could not help smiling, when (instead of giving notice of a burying, christening, or some other church business, as I expected) I found the honest clerk came only to acquaint his reverend superior, that there was a covey of partridges, of a dozen brace at least, not above three fields from the house. |