 was
ever disposed to insult his inferiors and dependants. - Perhaps that report has
influenced my opinion of his looks - You know we are the fools of prejudice.
Howsoever that may be, I have as yet seen nothing but his favourable side; and
my uncle, who frequently confers with him in a corner, declares he is one of the
most sensible men he ever knew - He seems to have a reciprocal regard for old
Square-toes, whom he calls by the familiar name of Matthew, and often reminds of
their old tavern-adventures: on the other hand, Matthew's eyes sparkle whenever
Quin makes his appearance - Let him be never so jarring and discordant, Quin
puts him in tune; and, like treble and bass in the same concert, they make
excellent musick together - T'other day, the conversation turning upon
Shakespeare, I could not help saying, with some emotion, that I would give an
hundred guineas to see Mr. Quin act the part of Falstaff; upon which, turning to
me with a smile, »And I would give a thousand, young gentleman, (said he) that I
could gratify your longing.« My uncle and he are perfectly agreed in their
estimate of life; which, Quin says, would stink in his nostrils, if he did not
steep it in claret.
    I want to see this phenomenon in his cups; and have almost prevailed upon
uncle to give him a small turtle at the Bear. In the mean time, I must entertain
you with an incident, that seems to confirm the judgment of those two cynic
philosophers. I took the liberty to differ in opinion from Mr. Bramble, when he
observed, that the mixture of people in the entertainments of this place was
destructive of all order and urbanity; that it rendered the plebeians
insufferably arrogant and troublesome, and vulgarized the deportment and
sentiments of those who moved in the upper spheres of life. He said, such a
preposterous coalition would bring us into contempt with all our neighbours; and
was worse, in fact, than debasing the gold coin of the nation. I argued, on the
contrary, that those plebeians who discovered such eagerness to imitate the
dress and equipage of their superiors, would likewise, in time, adopt their
maxims and their manners, be polished by their conversation, and refined by
their example; but when I appealed to Mr. Quin, and asked if he did not think
that such an unreserved mixture would improve the whole mass? - »Yes, (said he)
as a plate of marmalade would improve a pan of
