The Merry Past 



a nobleman celebrated for his high spirit and 

 strong attachment to the pleasures of life. He was 

 once much piqued by the remarks of a certain anti- 

 quated lady, well known for her strong predilection 

 for beauty and athletic form in her footmen, and in 

 consequence fixed upon the following comical mode 

 of revenge. A friend of his had an Irish servant, of 

 remarkably fine presence, with a great fund of native 

 humour. This man my lord borrowed, and instructed 

 to play the old lady off, who, the parties previously 

 knew, had advertised for a footman. It must be 

 observed, her ladyship either was, or affected to be, 

 of the most delicate and irritable system of nerves, 

 which could not endure the slightest disturbance or 

 noise. The new servant, handsomely dressed and 

 hien foudre, presented himself at the lady's door, 

 and his errand being announced, he was soon ushered 

 into her salon. My lady was alone, and after asking 

 the young man a variety of questions, the ready 

 answers to which seemed to be highly satisfactory, 

 her ladyship told him she liked his appearance much 

 as he stood, but she wished to see him walk, to know 

 whether he did that gracefully, a main point with her : 

 on this he walked up and down the room, the old 

 woman's eyes seeming to devour every part of him. 

 The man, it should be understood, was full six feet, and 

 very lusty. He was now ordered to turn on this side, 

 now on that, then to make his bow, then to carry 

 a fan and book ; last of all, to walk the length of the 

 room again. Here he was prepared to finish the joke. 

 Having walked the last time, he made a profound 

 M i6i 



