Читать книгу The Tatler (Vol. 1-4) - Joseph Addison - Страница 127

A mail from Lisbon has brought advices of June the 12th, from the King of Portugal's army encamped at Torre Allegada, which inform us, that the general of the army called a court-martial on the 4th at the camp of Gerumhena, where it was resolved to march with a design to attempt the succour of Olivenza. Accordingly the army moved on the 5th, and marched towards Badajos. Upon their approach, the Marquis de Bay detached so great a party from the blockade of Olivenza, that the Marquis des Minas, at the head of a large detachment, covered a great convoy of provisions towards Olivenza, which threw in their stores, and marched back to the main army, without molestation from the Spaniards. They add, that each army must necessarily march into quarters within twenty days.

Whosoever can discover a surgeon's apprentice, who fell upon Mr. Bickerstaff's messenger, or (as the printers call him) devil, going to the press, and tore out of his hand part of his essay against duels, in the fragments of which were the words, "You lie," and "Man of honour," taken up at the Temple Gate; and the words, "Perhaps,"—"May be not,"—"By your leave, sir,"—and other terms of provocation, taken up at the door of Young Man's Coffee-house,³²⁵ shall receive satisfaction from Mr. Morphew, besides a set of arguments to be spoken to any man in a passion, which, if the said enraged man listens to, will prevent quarrelling.

Mr. Bickerstaff does hereby give notice, that he has taken the two famous universities of this land under his immediate care, and does hereby promise all tutors and pupils, that he will hear what can be said of each side between them, and to correct them impartially, by placing them in orders and classes in the learned world, according to their merit.³²⁶

311. See Nos. 25, 26, 28, 29.

312. Probably meant for Llanbadern Vawr, if not a name coined for the occasion.

313. Sir Anthony Fitzherbert's book was published in 1514.

314. See Nos. 28, 134.

315. See Selden, "De Duello" (1610), p. 19.

316. A prize-fighter mentioned in Lansdowne's epilogue to "The Jew of Venice."

317. "Æneid," v. 437 seq.

318. Suetonius, "Life of Nero," chap. 12.

319. An allusion to the rubrics in Roman missals.

320. The fields at the back of Montague House, Bloomsbury, were a favourite place for duels in the first half of the eighteenth century. Cf. Spectator, No. 91: "I shall be glad to meet you immediately in Hyde Park or behind Montague House, or attend you to Barn Elms, or any other fashionable place that's fit for a gentleman to die in."

321. It has been suggested, with some probability, that this letter is by Swift.

322. See No. 4.

323. Borago was a plant formerly used as a cordial.

324. See No. 21.

325. Young Man's Coffee-house at Charing Cross, had a back door into Spring Garden. It seems to have been specially frequented by officers.

326. "Mr. Bickerstaff has received the advices from Clay Hill, which, with all intelligence from honest Mr. Sturdy and others, shall have their place in our future story" (folio).