74 



Bruce, for suffering a gaming-table (called a billiard-table, where 

 people commonly frequent and game) to be kept in his house.' 

 At the 'Globe,' in 17 17, was shown Matthew Buckinger, a German 

 dwarf, born in 1674, without hands, legs, feet,'^or thighs; twenty- 

 nine inches high ; yet can write, thread a needle, shuffle a pack of 

 cards, play skittles, etc. In 1822, the exhibition of a mermaid 

 here was put a stop to by the Lord Chamberlain." 



Sir John Hawkins, in his life of Dr. Johnson, describes a night's 

 festivity in which the celebrated lexicographer and his friends 

 joined. Sir John tells us, " One evening at the Ivylane Club, 

 Dr. Johnson proposed to us celebrating the birth of Mrs. Lennox's 

 first literary child, as he called her book, by a whole night spent 

 in festivity. The place appointed was the "Devil" tavern, and 

 there about the hour of eight Mrs. Lennox and her husband, and 

 a lady of her acquaintance now living (1785), as also the club and 

 friends to the number of near twenty, assembled. Our supper was 

 elegant, and Johnson had directed that a magnificent hot apple-pie 

 should make a part of it ; and this he would have stuck with bay 

 leaves, because, forsooth, Mrs. Lennox was an authoress, and had 

 written verses ; and further, he had prepared for her a crown of 

 laurel, with which, but not until he had invoked the muses by some 

 ceremonies of his own invention, he encircled her brows. The 

 night passed, as must be imagined, in pleasant conversation and 

 harmless mirth, intermingled at different periods with refreshments 

 of coffee and tea. About five, Johnson's face shone with meridian 

 splendour, though his drink had only been lemonade ; but the far 

 greater part of us had deserted the colours of Bacchus, and were 

 with difficulty rallied to partake of coffee, which was scarcely ended 

 when the day began to dawn. This phenomenon began to put us 

 in mind of our reckoning, but the waiters were so overcome with 

 sleep that it was two hours before we could get a bill, and it was 

 not till near eight the creaking of the street door gave the signal 

 for departure." 



Dr. Johnson's was an age when heavy drinking was fashionable, 

 and he recommended "port for men, sherry for women, and 

 brandy for heroes." But he was not a toper,' being very fond of 



