“I, who am at the coffee-house at six in the morning,” Dick writes on,[A] “know that my friend Beaver the haberdasher has a levee of more undissembled friends and admirers than most of the courtiers or generals of Great Britain.  Every man about him has, perhaps, a newspaper in his hand; but none can pretend to guess what step will be taken in any one court of Europe, till Mr. Beaver has thrown down his pipe, and declares what measures the allies must enter into upon this new posture of affairs.  Our coffee-house is near one of the inns of court, and Beaver has the audience and admiration of his neighbours from six till within a quarter of eight, at which time he is interrupted by the students of the house; some of whom are ready dressed for Westminster at eight in a morning, with faces as busy as if they were retained in every cause there; and others come in their night gowns to saunter away their time, as if they never designed to go thither.

[Footnote A:  Spectator, No. 49.]

“I do not know that I meet in any of my walks, objects which move both my spleen and laughter so effectually as those young fellows at the Greecian, Squire’s, Searle’s, and all other coffee-houses adjacent to the law, who rise early for no other purpose but to publish their laziness.  One would think these young virtuosos take a gay cap and slippers, with a scarf and party-coloured gown, to be ensigns of dignity; for the vain things approach each other with an air which shews they regard one another for their vestments.  I have observed that the superiority among these proceeds from an opinion of gallantry and fashion.  The gentleman in the strawberry sash, who presides so much over the rest, has, it seems, subscribed to every opera this last winter, and is supposed to receive favours from one of the actresses."[A]

[Footnote A:  Come, says my Friend, let us step into this Coffee House here; as you are a Stranger in the Town, it will afford you some Diversion.  Accordingly in we went, where a parcel of Muddling Muckworms were as busy as so many Rats in an old Cheese Loft; some Going, some Coming, some Scribling, some Talking, some Drinking, some Smoaking, others Jangling:  and the whole Room stinking of Tobacco, like a Dutch Scoot or a Boatswain’s Cabbin.  The Walls being hung with Gilt Frames, as a Farriers shop with Horse shoes; which contain’d abundance of Rarities viz.  Nectar and Ambrosia, May Dew, Golden Elixirs, Popular Pills, Liquid Snuff, Beautifying Waters, Dentifrisis Drops, Lozenges, all as infallible as the Pope,

  Where every one above the rest
  Deservedly has gain’d the Name of Best

(as the famous Saffold has it).—­WARD.]