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THE WIT's. MAGAZINE.ufe, namely, by boxing; of which we fnall prefently fhew you an in-rtance.Our boa: was now, with fome difficulty, clofe to the landing-place; for there was agreat crowd of boats, every one of which, in/lead of making way for us, fe.-ved to endeavour to keep us out. Upon this occafion many hundred curfes palfed between our watermen and their fellows, and not a few affronts were call on us, efpe-rially as we were dr e/Ted after the manner of our country.At Iaft we arrived fafe on. {hore, where we paid our watermen, who grumbled at our notgiving them fomc-thing to drink, (for all the labouring people of this country apply their hire only to eatables) for which reafon they expefl fomething over and above to drink.As we walked towards the Strand, a drayman ran his whipdirely into iny friend's face, perhaps with no de-'fignof doing this, but at the fame time without any defign of avoiding it. My friend, who is impatient of an affront, immediately firuck the carter with his fill, who attempted to return the favour with his whip; but Monfieur Bellair, who is extremely ftrong and aftive, and who hath learnt to box in this country, prefen tlyclofcd in with him, and tript up his heels.The mob now affembled round us, and being pleafed with my friend for rot having drawn his fword, inclined vifibly to his iide, and commended many blows which he gave his advcr-fary, and other feats of aflivity which he difplayed during the combat, that lalted fome minutes; at the end of which, the drayman yielded up the vidlory, crying with a fneer—‘ D—n* you! you have been on the llage, or* 1 am miftaken.'The mob now gave a huzza in myfriend’s favour, and fufficientfy upbraided his antagonift; who, they faid, was well enough ferved for affronting ntlemstn.onfieur Bellair had, on the beginning of the fcuffle, while the enemy lay on the ground, delivered his fword to one of the by-ftanders; which perfon had unluckily walked off in in the crowd, without remembering to reflore it.Upon this the mob raged violently, and fwore vengeance againlt the thief, if he could be difcovered; but, as this could not be done, he was obliged at length to fubmit to the Iofs.When we began to depart, feveral of our friends demanded of us fomething to drink; but, as we were more out of humour with the lofs, than pleafed with the glory obtained, we could not be prevailed on to open our purfes.The company were inccnfed at this. We were faluted with the titles of Mounlhire, and other contemptuous appellations; feveral miffile weapons, fuch as dirt, Sec. began likewife to play on us, and we were both challenged to fight by feveral, who told my friend. Though he beat the drayman, he was not above half a man. .We then made the bell of our way, and foon efcaped into a hackney-coach.Thus I have fent you a particular account of this voyage; from fome parts of which you may perhaps conclude,that the meaneft rank of people are in this country better provided for than their fupcriors; and that the gentry, at leaft thofe of the lower cla fs of that order, fare full as well in other places: for, to fay the truth,it appears tome, that an Englifhman in that fla-tion is liable to be oppreffed by all above him,-andinfuked by all below him.CHARACTERS
Newspaper Details
Wits Magazine
London, Middlesex, GB
Fri, Apr 01, 1785
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
David L.
WI, USA 15 Jun 2017
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