Mark how the animal seizes his
glass,--by heavens he will break it into a thousand fragments! See how
he bows his lubberly head to meet half way the glorious cargo; how he
slobbers the beverage over his unmeaning gullet, and chucks down the
glass so as almost to break its stem after he has emptied it of its
contents as if they had been jalap or castor-oil! Call you that taking a
glass of wine? Sir, it is putting wine into your gullet as you would put
small beer into a barrel,--but it is not--oh, no! it is not taking, so
as to enjoy, a glass of red, rich port, or glowing, warm, tinted,
beautiful caveza!
A newly married couple are invited to a wedding dinner. Though the lady,
perhaps, has run off with a person below her in rank and station, see
when they enter the room, how differently they behave.--How gracefully
she waves her head in the fine recover from the withdrawing curtsy, and
beautifully extends her hand to the bald-pated individual grinning to
her on the rug! While the poor spoon, her husband, looks on, with the
white of his eyes turned up as if he were sea-sick, and his hands dangle
dangle on his thighs as if he were trying to lift his own legs. See how
he ducks to the lady of the house, and simpers across the fire-place to
his wife, who, by this time is giving a most spirited account of the
state of the roads, and the civility of the postilions near the Borders.
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