Tom Trippit.
Mr. SPECTATOR,
Your Readers are so well pleased
with your Character of Sir ROGER DE
COVERLEY, that there appeared a sensible
Joy in every Coffee-house,
upon hearing the old Knight was come to
Town. I am now with a Knot of
his Admirers, who make it their joint
Request to you, that you would
give us publick Notice of the Window or
Balcony where the Knight
intends to make his Appearance. He
has already given great
Satisfaction to several who have seen
him at Squires Coffee-house.
If you think fit to place your short Face
at Sir ROGERS Left Elbow,
we shall take the Hint, and gratefully
acknowledge so great a Favour.
I am, Sir, Your most Devoted Humble Servant, C. D.
SIR,
Knowing that you are very Inquisitive
after every thing that is
Curious in Nature, I will wait on you
if you please in the Dusk of the
Evening, with my Show upon my Back,
which I carry about with me in a
Box, as only consisting of a Man, a Woman,
and an Horse. The two first
are married, in which State the little
Cavalier has so well acquitted
himself, that his Lady is with Child.
The big-bellied Woman, and her
Husband, with their whimsical Palfry,
are so very light, that when
they are put together into a Scale, an
ordinary Man may weigh down the
whole Family. The little Man is a
Bully in his Nature; but when he
grows cholerick I confine him to his Box
till his Wrath is over, by
which Means I have hitherto prevented
him from doing Mischief. His
Horse is likewise very vicious, for which
Reason I am forced to tie
him close to his Manger with a Pack-thread.
The Woman is a Coquet. She
struts as much as it is possible for a
Lady of two Foot high, and
would ruin me in Silks, were not the Quantity
that goes to a large
Pin-Cushion sufficient to make her a Gown
and Petticoat. She told me
the other Day, that she heard the Ladies
wore coloured Hoods, and
ordered me to get her one of the finest
Blue. I am forced to comply
with her Demands while she is in her present
Condition, being very
willing to have more of the same Breed.
I do not know what she may
produce me, but provided it be a Show
I shall be very well
satisfied. Such Novelties should
not, I think, be concealed from the
British Spectator; for which Reason
I hope you will excuse this
Presumption in