-Curtains; after which I found their
Musick not disagreeable.
    I had learned in my Youth to play a little upon the Spinet; Glumdalclitch
kept one in her Chamber, and a Master attended twice a Week to teach her: I call
it a Spinet, because it somewhat resembled that Instrument, and was play'd upon
in the same Manner. A Fancy came into my Head, that I would entertain the King
and Queen with an English Tune upon this Instrument. But this appeared extremely
difficult: For, the Spinet was near sixty Foot long, each Key being almost a
Foot wide; so that, with my Arms extended, I could not reach to above five Keys;
and to press them down required a good smart stroak with my Fist, which would be
too great a Labour, and to no purpose. The Method I contrived was this. I
prepared two round Sticks about the Bigness of common Cudgels; they were thicker
at one End than the other; and I covered the thicker End with a Piece of a
Mouse's Skin, that by rapping on them, I might neither Damage the Tops of the
Keys, nor interrupt the Sound. Before the Spinet, a Bench was placed about four
Foot below the Keys, and I was put upon the Bench. I ran sideling upon it that
way and this, as fast as I could, banging the proper Keys with my two Sticks;
and made a shift to play a Jigg to the great Satisfaction of both their
Majesties: But, it was the most violent Exercise I ever underwent, and yet I
could not strike above sixteen Keys, nor, consequently, play the Bass and Treble
together, as other Artists do; which was a great Disadvantage to my Performance.
    The King, who as I before observed, was a Prince of excellent Understanding,
would frequently order that I should be brought in my Box, and set upon the
Table in his Closet. He would then command me to bring one of my Chairs out of
the Box, and sit down within three Yards Distance upon the Top of the Cabinet;
which brought me almost to a Level with his Face. In this Manner I had several
Conversations with him. I one Day took the Freedom to tell his Majesty, that the
Contempt he discovered towards Europe, and the rest of the World, did not seem
answerable to those excellent Qualities of Mind, that he was Master of. That,
Reason did not extend itself with the Bulk of the Body: On the contrary, we
observed in our Country, that the tallest Persons were usually least provided
