JOHN NEWALL."

A1 woman who lived in great apparent poverty died in March 1718 within the parish of St. Dunstan in the East. Those who prepared her for burial are said to have found 8000_l._ concealed in her bed.

2The malicious Miser deserves a niche in this temple of worthies. Such was Mr. Elderton, a farmer of Bow, who went by the name of the old Farmer of Newgate; where he was confined, and even died, because he had determined not to pay the assessments in common with his neighbours[406:A].

3Another worthy was Mr. Dyche, whose singularity is thus mentioned in the Whitehall Evening-Post for August 1619: "Yesterday died Mr. Dyche, late School-master to the Charity Children of St. Andrew Holborn. He was a strict Nonjuror, and formerly _amanuensis_ to the famous Sir Roger L'Estrange. It is said he wore a piece of the halter in which parson Paul was executed (in the rebellion of 1715, for carrying arms against the King) in his bosom; and some time before his death had made a solemn vow _not to shift his linen_ till the Pretender was seated on the Throne of these Realms."

4In the month of March 1720 an unknown lady died at her lodgings in James-street, Covent-garden. She is represented to have been a middle-sized person, with dark-brown hair and very beautiful features, and mistress of every accomplishment peculiar to ladies of the first fashion and respectability. Her age appeared to be between thirty and forty. Her circumstances were affluent, and she possessed the richest trinkets of her sex generally set with diamonds.

5A John Ward, Esq. of Hackney, published many particulars relating to her in the papers; and, amongst others, that a servant had been directed by her to deliver him a letter after her death; but as no servant appeared, he felt himself required to notice those circumstances, in order to acquaint her relations of her decease, which occurred suddenly after a masquerade, where she declared she had conversed with the King, and it was remembered that she had been seen in the private apartments of Queen Anne; though after the Queen's demise she had lived in obscurity. This unknown arrived in London from Mansfield in 1714, drawn by six horses.

6She frequently said that her father was a nobleman, but that her elder brother dying unmarried the title was extinct; adding that she had an uncle then living, whose title was his least recommendation.

7It was conjectured that she might be the daughter of a Roman Catholick who had consigned her to a Convent, whence a brother had released her, and supported her in privacy. She was buried at St. Paul's, Covent-garden.

8When some decay in the draw-bridge on London-bridge had rendered it necessary to prevent the passage of persons and vehicles, in order to its repair in April 1722; the silence and desolate appearance of a place so much frequented at all other times attracted the attention of some wealthy tradesmen, who entered into the whimsical resolution to have a table set in the midst of the street, where they sat drinking for an afternoon, that they might be enabled to say at a future period, "however crowded the bridge is at present, I have drank punch on it for great part of a day."

9An extraordinary method was adopted by a Brewer's servant in February 1723 to prevent his liability for the payment of the debts of a Mrs. Brittain whom he intended to marry. The lady made her appearance at the door of St. Clement Danes habited in her shift; hence her enamorato conveyed the modest fair to a neighbouring Apothecary's, where she was completely equipped with clothing purchased by him; and in these Mrs. Brittain changed her name at the church.

10Eccentricity is generally a source of ridicule, but rarely one of profit. An instance of the latter is recorded in the London Journal: a Mr. Morrisco, an eminent Weaver, and a man of vast possessions, resident in Spital-fields, had a bill drawn on him from abroad of 80,000_l._ which was held by an Ambassador at our Court, and sent for acceptance. When the old gentleman made his appearance, the messenger was appalled at his figure, which exhibited penury personified; he therefore hurried back to the Ambassador, full of doubts and fears whether it could be possible such a man should be capable of raising even 800_l._ The representative of Sovereignty, terrified at the idea of his probable loss, resolved to satisfy himself by personal inspection; which he had no sooner done than Morrisco divined his thoughts, and to ease them, and turn his doubts to present profit, he offered to pay the bill immediately for a valuable consideration; the offer was gladly accepted, and Morrisco fairly pocketed 4000_l._ the _produce of his shabby habiliments_.

11The name of Don Saltero, the odd collector and exhibitor of natural and artificial curiosities at Chelsea, made its first appearance in the newspapers June 22, 1723, whence the following whimsical account of himself and his rarities are extracted:

12Sir, Fifty years since to Chelsea great From Rodnam on the Irish main I stroll'd, with maggots in my pate, Where much improv'd they still remain. Through various employs I've past: A scraper, vertuos', projector, Tooth-drawer, trimmer, and at last I'm now a gimcrack whim collector. Monsters of all sorts here are seen, Strange things in nature as they grew so; Some relicks of the Sheba Queen, And fragments of the fam'd Bob Cruso. Knick-knacks too dangle round the wall, Some in glass cases, some on shelf; But what's the rarest sight of all, Your humble servant shows himself. On this my chiefest hope depends. Now, if you will the cause espouse, In Journals pray direct your friends To my Museum Coffee-house; And in requital for the timely favour, I'll _gratis_ bleed, draw teeth, and be your shaver; Nay, that your pate may with my noddle tally, } And you shine bright as I do--marry, shall ye } Freely consult my revelation Molly; } Nor shall one jealous thought create a huff, For she has taught me manners long enough.

13DON SALTERO.

14_Chelsea Knackatory._

15Several frolicsome gentlemen hired a hackney-coach in 1724, to which they affixed six horses; the coachman and postillion they habited as kennel-sweepers or scavengers; and they placed as many shoe-boys as could cling to the vehicle behind as footmen, with their stools on their heads and baskets of implements by their sides. Thus equipped they drove to the Ring in Hyde-park, and there entertained the company with this species of eccentricity.

16There is a certain degree of whim in some of the wagers we find recorded in the newspapers, that, however absurd the bettors may appear, a smile is excited perforce.

17In the above year two gentlemen, full of money and destitute of wit, had a dispute respecting the quantity that might be eaten at one meal. This ended in a bet of 5_l._ proposed by one of them, that himself and _another_ would eat a bushel of tripe, and drink four bottles of wine, within an hour. The parties met at Islington, where the tripe was produced and the wine displayed; nothing remained but the introduction of the _another_; that _another_, gentle reader, proved a sharp-set Bear, who fully justified his friend's prognostick with the tripe diluted by three bottles of wine poured into it.

18Applebee's Original Weekly Journal for November 19, 1726, has the following curious article, which fills another niche in our Pantheon of Eccentrics: "For the entertainment of our brother _dumplineers_, we shall inform them of a curiosity contrived for their accommodation at the Sun Tavern in St. Paul's Church-yard; which is the invention of Mr.

19Johnston, the master of the house; being a larder erected in the middle of his yard, which stands upon four pedestals, in a perfect round twelve feet in circumference, in the lower part whereof is three round shelves with cylindrical doors to open and shut; the same is covered with a curious slab of black and white marble three feet in diameter, and a direct circular figure, from whence the four pedestals are carried up, between each of which are two sliding sashes with convex glasses: the four pillars are adorned with curious iron-work and other ornaments, as well for beauty as use, and a shelf runs round the inside for containing proper provent for the stomach.

20In the midst hangs a crown of iron painted and gilt, and the top rises into a dome twelve feet in height, in the same manner as that of St. Paul's, which is leaded over with four round or port holes covered with wire for the conveniency of admitting the air and keeping out the flies. On the top of the dome is a globe, upon which sits Bacchus astride upon a tun, to signify his Godship is willing to lay a good foundation, that he may be the better able to contain his liquor; on his head is the Sun dispersing his rays; from the four sides are four sliding shelves which draw out for the accommodation of such dumplineers as desire to drink their wine at the fountain-head, or next the cellar door. The whole is neatly painted and gilt."

21There is sometimes a degree of eccentricity blended with revenge; an instance of which occurred in 1727. The pastor of the parish of St. Andrew Undershaft had differed with a female of his flock to a very violent degree; in consequence, the lady renounced his spiritual governance while living, and solemnly declared her corpse should not receive the rites of burial from his lips when dead. This resolution was communicated by the executors to the undertaker, who provided a Clergyman to officiate at the funeral. As the Priest of the parish had notice of this strange proceeding, he determined to prevent the intruded Priest from performing the ceremony; but the latter, equally tenacious, insisted on his right, in compliance with the lady's will. A violent dispute succeeded, which terminated by both parties reading the burial service.

22After this shameful scene of impiety, the Parish Priest retired to the Vestry-room, and enquired of the Clerk whether he had provided him a ticket for hat-bands and gloves, as usual. The Clerk replying in a surly manner that he had not, the Priest wreaked dire vengeance on his body by a thorough beating[414:A]. In short the offending Clerk by his

23Ecclesiastick Was beat with fist instead of a stick.

24The St. James's Evening Post of January 1728 mentions a nameless oddity, who kept open house in his _own way_ during the holidays at a Tavern near St. James's-market: "He treats all the company that comes, provided they appear fit for a gentleman to keep company with; pays his reckoning twice a day, and thinks no expence too great that their eating and drinking can put him to. He never quits his room, or changes his linen. The house has already received some hundreds of pounds from him, and is likely to receive many more, if his constitution can but do its duty. He proposes to hold it for three months; and it is said, this is not the first time he has done so."

25Abraham Simmonds, a tobacconist, who retired to enjoy a handsome independence at Lewisham, died in 1728. His widow and executrix found, to her utter dismay, upon opening his will, that he had directed his body to be buried in his own orchard, wrapped in a blanket, without any of the usual religious ceremonies; and that his favourite dog after his natural decease should be deposited in the same grave. The lady seems to have been a sagacious wife, and a good hand at a quibble. She strictly complied with the eccentric wishes of Mr. Simmonds; but, as that gentleman neglected to say his body must _remain_ in the Orchard, she had it conveyed into a handsome coffin, and thence to the church-yard, where the Parish Priest performed the burial rites.

26Orator Henley, who is said to have restored the antient eloquence of the pulpit, was frequently mentioned in the Newspapers _circa_ 1724 as appointed to preach Charity Sermons. He appears however in 1726 to have entered into the true spirit of eccentricity, and frequently advertised in the following style:

27"On Sunday July 31 the Theological Lectures of the Oratory begin in the French Chapel in Newport-market, on the most curious subjects in Divinity. They will be after the manner and of the extent of the Academical Lectures. The first will be on the Liturgy of the Oratory, without derogating from any other, at half an hour after three in the afternoon. Service and Sermon in the morning will be at half an hour after ten. The subjects will be always new, and treated in the most natural manner. On Wednesday next, at five in the evening, will be an Academical Lecture on Education antient and modern. The chairs that were forced back last Sunday by the crowd, if they would be pleased to come a very little sooner, would find the passage easy.

28As the town is pleased to approve of this undertaking, and the institutor neither does nor will act nor say any thing in it that is contrary to the laws of God and his country; he depends on the protection of both, and despises malice and calumny." One of the writers of the Weekly Journal says, the fame of Henley led him to visit the Oratory, and adds, "About the usual hour of the Orator's entering the public scene of action, a trap-door gave way behind the pulpit, as if forced open by some invisible hand; and at one large leap the Orator jumped to the desk, where he at once fell to work. I eyed the person of the Orator thoroughly, and could point out in every lineament of his face the features and muscles of a Jew, with a strong tincture of the Turk.

29But, to come to his oration, which turned on the important subject of Education antient and modern--I had entertained hopes of meeting with something curious at least, if not just, on the great theme he had made choice of; though, instead of it, I heard nothing but a few common sentiments, phrases, and notions, beat into the audience with hands, arms, legs, and head, as if people's understandings were to be courted and knocked down with blows, and gesture and grimace were to plead and atone for all other deficiencies." The price of admission was one shilling.

30Mr. Henley issued his notice of intended lectures in November 1728 in the ensuing strange manner: "At the Oratory in Newport-market, to-morrow, at half an hour after ten, the Sermon will be on the Witch of Endor. At half an hour after five the Theological lecture will be on the Conversion and Original of the Scottish Nation, and of the Picts and Caledonians; St. Andrew's relicks and panegyrick, and the character and mission of the Apostles.

31"On Wednesday at six, or near the matter, take your chance, will be a medley Oration on the History, Merits, and Praise of Confusion, and of Confounders in the road and out of the way.

32"On Friday will be that on Dr. Faustus and Fortunatus and conjuration; after each the Chimes of the Times, No. 23 and 24. N. B. Whenever the prices of the seats are occasionally raised in the week-days, notice will be given of it in the prints. An account of the performances of the Oratory from the first to August last is published, with the discourse on Nonsense; and if any Bishop, Clergyman, or other subject of His Majesty, or the subject of any foreign Prince or state, can at my years, and in my circumstances and opportunities, without the least assistance or any patron in the world, parallel the study, choice, variety, and discharge, of the said performances of the Oratory by his own or any others, I will engage forthwith to quit the said Oratory.