or Orinda's, than a Tory will be seen at the coffee-house of St. James's. The Scots go generally to the British, and a mixture of all sorts to the Smyrna. There are other little coffee-houses much frequented in this neighbourhood. Young Man's, for officers; Old Man's, for stock-jobbers, paymasters, and courtiers; and Little Man's, for sharpers.' In another place some account is given of the most important of an infinity of clubs, or societies for the improvement of learning, and keeping up good humour and mirth;' as the Kit-catt, the Hanover, the October, and the several mug-house clubs. "After the plays, the best company generally go to Tom's and Will's, near adjoining, where there is playing at piquet, and the best of conversation, till midnight. Here you will see blue and green ribands and stars sitting familiarly with private gentlemen, and talking with the same freedom as if they had left their quality and degrees of distance at home; and a stranger tastes with pleasure the universal liberty of speech of the English nation. Or, if you like rather the company of ladies, there are assemblies at most people of qualities' houses. In all the coffee-houses you have not only the foreign prints, but several English ones with the foreign occurrences, besides papers of morality and party disputes. "Tom's coffee-house, No. 17 Great Russell-street, Covent Garden, was well known in 1713. There is now in existence two of the old card-tables, of plain solid mahogany, covered with green baize, the pools being marked off by green tape at the corners. On the hearth-stone of the fire-place is a deep indentation, worn, if not like the steps of Becket's shrine at Canterbury, by the devotees themselves, yet by their faithful and ever-attendant minister, who watched the happy moments when the bubbling coffee and the simmering chocolate had arrived at that state which rendered them most palatable and acceptable."* DUELS. "Embrace, embrace, my sons! be foes no more, WHEN the lance and the battle-axe were laid aside, the rapier and dagger came into use in the reign before this; and the duello, or modern duel, now became the customary mode of ་ * Gentleman's Magazine, vol. xvi. deciding the differences among gentlemen. In these encounters, which, as at present, arose not only out of private and personal quarrels, but also out of the great exciting public questions of the day, it would sometimes happen that the parties, though of high rank, belaboured each other stoutly with cudgels before proceeding to more knightly extremities. But even in the regular duel it was not unusual for unfair advantages of various kinds to be attempted to be taken by one or both parties, till the practice of appointing seconds in all cases was resorted to, in order to guard against such treacheries. Combatants also, before they encountered, sometimes searched each others' clothes, or, for better assurance, stripped and fought in their shirts. Yet, when a duel was a grave and premeditated affair, and between men of nice honour and punctilio, the stately ceremonials of ancient chivalry were carefully observed. If the chalenge was delivered orally, it was with hat in hand, profound congees, and fervent protestations of respect; and if by letter, the length of the chalenger's sword was specified and the terms of the combat prescribed. If the party chalenged demurred at the invitation, the bearer gravely stuck the cartel upon the point of his sheathed rapier, and again tendered it; but if it was still refused, the weapon was gradually lowered, until the paper fell at the recusant's feet.* James, in his character of peace-maker, (and herein he deserves great praise,) found ample employment in composing the quarrels or preventing the duels of his nobles and courtiers. When the civil war broke out, there was fighting enough; and when that was over, the parliament put a final stop to it for a period. They were obliged, by law, to consider the maxim of Terence: "The falling out of faithful friends, the renewing is of friendship ;" and thus they composed their difficulties for a time. In 1654 there were laws against duels, (and prohibiting cockfighting matches ;) duellists were to be imprisoned six months, and find bonds for good behaviour for one year after. When the profligate, Charles II., came, and had innoculated with fresh virus the still dormant licentiousness, no wonder that the cruel and reckless duelling again sprouted forth. Perhaps one of the most reckless instances ever on record was perpetrated during this reign it was the duel fought by the Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of Shrewsbury. The vile duke, having wounded the earl in " that nice point" which none but wittols quietly bear, encountered off-hand, and slew the earl; the viler countess standing by, disguised as a page, and holding the horse of her paramour, after whose fall she wel * Life of Lord Herbert of Cherbury. comed, with an unblushing face and open arms, the unbloody, blood-stained murderer of her husband. Well has it been said, “that in hatred, as in love, woman knows no measure.” Though equal pains her peace of mind destroy, I will give another case from the descriptive Pepys, in his own words : "Here Creed did tell us," he says, "the story of the duel last night in Covent Garden, between Sir H. Bellasis and Tom Porter. It is worth remembering the silliness of the quarrel, and is a kind of emblem of the general complexion of this whole kingdom. The two dined yesterday at Sir Robert Carr's, where, it appears, people do drink high, all that come. It happened that these two, the greatest friends in the world, were talking together; and Sir H. Bellasis talked a little louder than ordinary to Tom Porter, giving of him some advice. Some of the company, standing by, said,What, are they quarrelling, that they talk so high? Sir H. Bellasis, hearing it, said, 'No; I would have you know I never quarrel, but I strike; and take that as a rule of mine!' 'How!' said Tom Porter; 'strike! I would I could see the man in England that durst give me a blow!' With that, Sir H. Bellasis did give him a box of the ear, and so they were going to fight there, but were hindered. By and by Tom Porter went out, and, meeting Dryden the poet, told him the business, and that he was resolved to fight Sir H. Bellasis presently-for he knew that if they did not, they should be friends to-morrow, and then the blow would rest upon him, which he would prevent-and desired Dryden to let him have his boy to bring him notice which way Sir H. Bellasis goes. By and by he is informed that Sir H. Bellasis's coach was coming; so Tom Porter went down out of the coffee-house, where he stayed for the tidings, and stopped the coach, and bade Sir H. Bellasis come out. Why,' says Bellasis, you will not hurt me coming out, will you?' No,' said Tom Porter; so out he went, and both drew; and Bellasis, having drawn, flung away his scabbard. Tom Porter asked him whether he was ready; the other answering he was, they fell to fight, some of their acquaintances being by. They wounded one another, and Bellasis so much that it is feared he will die; and, finding himself severely wounded, he called to Tom Porter and kissed him, and bade him shift for himself; ' For,' said he, 'Tom, thou hast hurt me, but I will make shift to stand on my legs till thou mayest withdraw, and the world will not take notice of you, for I would not have thee troubled for what thou hast done.' And so, whether he did fly or not, I cannot tell; but Tom Porter showed Bellasis that he was wounded too, and they are both very ill; but Bellasis to fear of life." He died ten days after, lamentably illustrating the following two lines: "He strives for trifles, and for toys contends, And then in earnest what he says defends." There was also another singular duel, and with a very singular character-the celebrated dwarf, Jeffrey Hudson, who, when seven years old, was scarcely eighteen inches high. He was once served up to Charles I. in a cold pie. In the civil wars this tiny man was a captain of horse, and, after that monarch's death, accompanied the queen to France. While there, he had the misfortune to get into a dispute with Mr. Crofts, a brother of Lord Crofts, who, accounting him an object, not of anger, but of contempt, accepted the chalenge to fight a duel, yet coming armed only with a squirt. This little creature was so enraged-for he came "big with daring determination," that a real duel ensued; and, the appointment being on horseback, with pistols, Jeffrey, with his first shot, killed his antagonist. He died in 1632, and was only three feet nine inches in height. This little object felt in full force the dire effects of his pugnacity, so well expressed in the following lines on boxing, by Anstey : "Now, fighting is itself an action By those who've thoroughly been basted." Lord Byron says: "Assassination is the origin of duelling and wild justice, as Lord Bacon calls it. It is the fount of the modern point of honour: is what the laws cannot or will not reach. Every man is liable to it more or less, according to circumstance or place." These affairs were, until lately, settled with swords. The duels in which the brilliant Sheridan was engaged in 1772, in consequence of his marriage with Miss Linley, who, according to Bishop Jackson, of Exeter, "seemed to him the connecting link between woman and angel,"* "were with swords, though they had pistols. * Mrs. Sheridan's singing was so beautiful, it was likened to Egyptian enbalming, "extracting the brain through the ear." "None knew her but to love her, 147 TEA, COFFEE, AND CHOCOLATE. "-Grin, and give ye, for the vine's pure blood, Dash't with diurnals and the books of news.' "9 1663. THESE articles, which now form so important a part of commerce, are all of modern introduction into Europe. Which of them were first introduced, or whether the English, Dutch, or Spaniards first introduced them, are questions difficult to solve. They may be considered as novelties of the seventeenth century, and speedily engaged the pens of various writers, who seem to have been in great consternation on their account. Few articles have produced such great changes as these in the domestic family arrangement-such as the immense amount of money constantly in circulation in purchasing the articles to be consumed, and the various tackling to prepare them. The social tea-table is a marked feature of the present age, where fly the jokes and jibes of all parties, all ages, sexes, sizes, and conditions. Here may often be heard the counsels of wisdom, putting one in mind of the xxv. chap. of Proverbs, ver. 12: "As an ear-ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear." But sometimes is it also the medium of scandal; which reminds one "that a froward man soweth strife, and a whisperer separateth chief friends." "Again, some friend is a companion at thy table, but will not continue in the days of thy affliction." Eccles. 6: 10. I have often thought that our tea-cups, saucers, dishes, and plates might easily be turned into the means of imparting much instruction, if a judicious selection of these divine maxims were imprinted on them; and thus might the art of lettering and gilding, in the language of Roscommon, "be mixed with profit and delight." From D'Israeli and others I learn that John Bull's government soon turned tea, coffee, and chocolate to account, by enumerating them among other articles in the excise acts. About 1660, every gallon of coffee paid four pence; every gallon of tea, chocolate, and sherbet, eight pence; and these sums were levied on the makers. Pepys, in his Diary, 25th September, 1661, writes: "I sent for a cup of tea, a Chinese drink I never drank before." Queen Catherine, according to Waller the poet, brought it into fashion in 1662. In 1664 the East India Company could only procure two pounds two ounces, at the cost of forty shillings the pound. In 1666 they paid fifty shillings per |