great a Figure in the Law.  Affairs of Consequence having brought me to Town, I had the Curiosity t’other day to visit Westminster-Hall; and having placed my self in one of the Courts, expected to be most agreeably entertained.  After the Court and Counsel were, with due Ceremony, seated, up stands a learned Gentleman, and began, When this Matter was last stirr’d before your Lordship:  The next humbly moved to quash an Indictment; another complain’d that his Adversary had snapp’d a Judgment; the next informed the Court that his Client was stripp’d of his Possession; another begg’d Leave to acquaint his Lordship, that they had been saddled with Costs.  At last up got a grave Serjeant, and told us his Client had been hung up a whole Term by a Writ of Error.  At this I could bear it no longer, but came hither, and resolv’d to apply my self to your Honour to interpose with these Gentlemen, that they would leave off such low and unnatural Expressions:  For surely tho’ the Lawyers subscribe to hideous French and false Latin, yet they should let their Clients have a little decent and proper English for their Money.  What Man that has a Value for a good Name would like to have it said in a publick Court, that Mr. such-a-one was stripp’d, saddled or hung up?  This being what has escaped your Spectatorial Observation, be pleas’d to correct such an illiberal Cant among profess’d Speakers, and you’ll infinitely oblige Your humble Servant, Philonicus.

  Joe’s Coffee-house,
  Novemb. 28.

* * * * *

No. 552.  Wednesday, December 3, 1712.  Steele.

  ’—­Quae praegravat artes
  Infra se positas extinctus amabitur idem.’

  Hor.

As I was tumbling about the Town the other Day in an Hackney-Coach, and delighting my self with busy Scenes in the Shops of each Side of me, it came into my Head, with no small Remorse, that I had not been frequent enough in the Mention and Recommendation of the industrious Part of Mankind.  It very naturally, upon this Occasion, touched my Conscience in particular, that I had not acquitted my self to my Friend Mr. Peter Motteux. [1] That industrious Man of Trade, and formerly Brother of the Quill, has dedicated to me a Poem upon Tea.  It would injure him, as a Man of Business, if I did not let the World know that the Author of so good Verses writ them before he was concern’d in Traffick.  In order to expiate my Negligence towards him, I immediately resolv’d to make him a Visit.  I found his spacious Warehouses fill’d and adorn’d with Tea, China and Indian Ware.  I could observe a beautiful Ordonnance of the whole; and such different and considerable Branches of Trade carried on, in the same House, I exulted in seeing dispos’d by a Poetical Head.  In one place were exposed to view Silks of various Shades and Colours, rich Brocades, and the wealthiest Products of foreign Looms.