84 SMEATON'S PRIVATE LIFE PART VI. 



to Mr. Smeaton, " Sir, I do not know who you are or 

 what you are ; but so strongly do you resemble my poor 

 dear Gray (the poet), that we must be acquainted. You 

 shall go home and sup with us ; and if the minds of the 

 two men accord, as do the countenances, you will find 

 two cheerful old folks, who can love you well ; and I 

 think (or you are a hypocrite) you can as well deserve 

 it." Mr. Smeaton and his wife accepted the invitation, 

 and it proved the commencement of one of his most 

 pleasant London friendships. It happened that the 

 Duke and Duchess had a great love of card-playing, 

 which Smeaton detested. But his good-nature would 

 not permit him to hold aloof when asked to take a hand. 

 He played, however, like a boy, his attention never 

 following the game. On one occasion, when it was 

 Pope Joan, and the stake in "Pope" had accumulated 

 to a considerable sum, it became Mr. Smeaton's turn by 

 the deal to double it. Regardless of his cards, he took 

 up a scrap of paper, made some calculations on it, and 

 laid it on the table. The Duchess eagerly asked what 

 it was. He replied, " Your Grace will recollect that the 

 field in which my house at Austhorpe stands may be 

 about five acres, three roods, and seven perches, which, 

 at thirty years' purchase, will be just my stake ; and if 

 your Grace will make a Duke of me, I presume the 

 winner will not dislike my mortgage." The hint thus 

 given in a joke was kindly taken, and from that time 

 they never played but for the merest trifle. 



In his own home he was beloved and revered. His 

 wife died in 1784, after which his two daughters kept 

 house for him until his own death. The eldest has left 

 on record a charming picture of his domestic character, 

 which we cannot do better than transcribe : " Though 

 communicative on most subjects," she says, " and stored 

 with ample and liberal observations on others, of himself 

 he never spoke. In nothing does he seem to have stood 

 more single than in being devoid of that egotism which 



