-house, which
afforded wine, punch, or beer, suitable to the purse or inclination of every
individual, who separately paid for his own choice: and here was our hero
introduced, in the midst of twenty strangers, who, by their looks and equipage,
formed a very picturesque variety. He was received with a most gracious
solemnity, and placed upon the right hand of the president, who having commanded
silence, recited aloud his introductory ode, which met with universal
approbation. Then was tendered to him the customary oath, obliging him to
consult the honour and advantage of the society, as far as it should lie in his
power, in every station of life: and this being taken, his temples were bound
with a wreath of laurel, which was kept sacred for such inauguration.
    When these rites were performed with all due ceremony, the new member cast
his eyes around the place, and took a more accurate survey of his brethren;
among whom he observed a strange collection of periwigs, with regard to the
colour, fashion, and dimensions, which were such as he had never seen before.
Those who sat on each side, nearest the president, were generally distinguished
by venerable tyes, the foretops of which exhibited a surprising diversity; some
of them rose slanting backwards, like the glacis of a fortification; some were
elevated in two distinct eminences, like the hills Helicon and Parnassus; and
others were curled and reflected, as the horns of Jupiter Ammon. Next to these,
the majors took place, many of which were mere succedanea, made by the
application of an occasional rose to the tail of a lank bob; and in the lower
form appeared masses of hair, which would admit of no description.
    Their cloaths were tolerably well suited to the furniture of their heads,
the apparel of the upper bench being decent and clean, while that of the second
class was thread-bare and soiled; and at the lower end of the room, he perceived
divers efforts made to conceal rent breeches and dirty linen: nay, he could
distinguish by their countenances, the different kinds of poetry in which they
exercised the muse; he saw Tragedy conspicuous in a grave solemnity of regard,
Satire louring in a frown of envy and discontent, Elegy whining in a funereal
aspect, Pastoral dozing in a most insipid languor of face, Ode-writing
delineated in a distracted stare, and Epigram squinting with a pert sneer.
Perhaps our hero refined too much in his penetration, when he affirmed, that
over and above these discoveries, he could plainly perceive the state of every
one'
