42 TfHE BEE, OR Jan. 1 2 



and infplres us ^vit!h different emotions, according to its 

 various afpefts; but here it is my intention, to limit 

 my views to fuch corporeal fingulurities, whether na- 

 tural or accidental, as confift in mere defe£l8,or redun- 

 dancies of form. 



In my younger years, to divert the languor of a fe- 

 dentary life, I applied myfelf to mufic. In thcfe days, 

 a ftranger who profefled that art, arrived in the town 

 where I lived : To him I prefcntly had recourfe as a 

 mafter; but he being nearly feven feet high, in all his 

 public appearances therefore, not only the multitude, 

 but even tliefe from whom better manners might have 

 been expefted, gaped, flared, and pointed him out as 

 a prodigious phenomenon in nature. This they con- 

 tinued to do, till the p'oor man, who was naturally 

 modeft, and flirunk from public obfervation, deter- 

 mined to leave the place, and return to his own coun- 

 try, where, though ftill extraordinary, he might ap- 

 pear lefs wonderfuh Thus he facrificed confiderablc 

 emoluments to his enormity of height : and the town, 

 by its culpable curibfity and indecent behaviour, loft a 

 better mailer than ever it could fmce boall. 



Not many years ago, a gentleman who had confi- 

 derablc hefitation in fpeaking, faw a beautiful lady of 

 his acquaintance on the ftreet, and eagerly ran to ad- 

 drefs herj but not being able to accoft her with fuffi- 

 cent promptitude, fhe rudely thus anticipated what he 

 had to fay : " I know, Sir, you want to afk me how I 

 do ; I will fave youthe trouble ; and fo, your humble fer- 

 vant. Sir." Speaking thus^ flie left him with accelerated 

 pace, whilfl he, cafting his eyes to the ground, flood 

 iixed in a momentary flupor ; then, breathing a deep 

 figh, flowly left the place. The lady had removed with 

 a loud laugh, which, in the enjoyment of confcious 

 v^it, flie continued : but wretched h the triumph even 

 of real wit, when it exults over difhdent humanity j 

 more wretched ftill, when an affedation of wit, as in 

 the cafe before U5, is elated with felf-approbation, at 



