84 The TATLER. [N° 62. From Tuesday Aug. 30. to Thursday Sept. 1. 1709. THI White's Chocolate-Houfe, August 31. HIS Place being frequented by Persons of Condition, I am defired to recommend a Dog-kennel to any who fhall want a Pack. It lies not far from Suffolk-street, and is kept by Two who were formerly Dragoons in the French Service; but left Plundering for the more orderly Life of keeping Dogs: Befides that, according to their Expectation, they find it more profitable, as well as more conducing to the Safety of their Skin, to follow this Trade, than the Beat of Drum. Their Refidence is very convenient for the Dogs to whelp in, and bring up a right Breed to follow the Scent. The most eminent of the Kennel are Blood-hounds, which lead the Van, and are as follow: A Lift of the Dogs. Fowler, of a right Irish Breed, called Cap tain. Rockwood, of French Race, with long Hair, by the Courtesy of England called also Cap tain. Pompey, a tall Hound, kennelled in a Convent in France, and knows a rich Soil. Thefe Thefe Two last hunt in Couple, and are followed by, Ringwood, a French black Whelp of the fame Breed, a fine open-mouth'd Dog; and an old fick Hound, always in Kennel; but of the true Blood, with a good Nofe, French Breed. There is also an Italian Greyhound, with good Legs, and knows perfectly the Ground from Ghent to Paris. Ten Setting-Dogs, right English. Four Mongrels of the fame Nation. These Curs are so extremely hungry, that they are too keen at the Sport, and worry their Game before the Keepers can come in. The other Day a Wild-Boar from the North rushed into the Kennel, and at firft indeed defended himself against the whole Pack; but they proved at last too many for him, and tore 25 Pounds of Flesh from off his Back, with which they filled their Bellies, and made fo great a Noife in the Neighbourhood, that the Keepers are obliged to haften the Sale. That Quarter of the Town where they are kennell'd is generally inhabited by Strangers, whofe Blood the Hounds have often fucked in fuch a Manner, that many a German Count, and other Virtuofi, who came from the Continent, have loft the Intention of their Travels, and been unable to proceed on their Journey. If thefe Hounds are not very foon difpofed of to fome good Purchafer, as also thofe at the Kennels nearer St. James's, it is humbly propofed, that they may be all together transported to America, where the Dogs are few, and the Wild-Beasts many. Or, that during their Stay in these Parts, fome eminent Juftice of the Peace may have it in particular Direction to visit their Harbours; and that the Sheriff of Middlefex may allow him the Affiftance of the Common Hangman to cut off their Ears, or Part of them, for Diftinction-fake, that we may know the Blood-hounds from the Mongrels and Setters. Till these Things are regulated, you may inquire at an Houfe belonging to Paris at the upper End of Suffolk-ftreet, or an House belonging to Ghent, oppofite to the lower End of Pall-Mall, and know further. It were to be wished that these Curs were dif pofed of; for it is a very great Nufance to have them tolerated in Cities. That of London takes Care, that the Common Hunt, affifted by the Sergeants and Bailiffs, expel them wherever they are found within the Walls; though 'tis said, fome private Families keep them, to the Deftru&tion of their Neighbours: But it is defired, that all who know of any of thefe Curs, or have been bit by them, would fend me their Marks, and the Houfes where they are harboured, and I do not doubt but I fhall alarm the People fo well, as to have them ufed like mad Dogs wherever they appear. In the mean Time, I advise all fuch as entertain this Kind of Vermin, that if they give me timely Notice that their Dogs are difmiffed, I fhall let them go unregarded, otherwife am obliged to admonish my Fellow-Subjects in this Behalf, and inftru&t them how to avoid being worried, when they are going about their lawful Profeffions and Callings. There was lately a young Gentleman bit to the Bone; who has now indeed recovered his Health, but is as lean as a Skeleton. It grieved my Heart to fee a Gentleman's Son run among the Hounds; but he is, they tell me, as fleet and as dangerous as the best of the Pack. Will's Coffee-koufe, August 31. This Evening was spent at our Table in Difcourfe of Propriety of Words and Thoughts, which is Mr. Dryden's Definition of Wit; but a very odd Fellow, who would intrude upon us, and has a Brisknefs of Imagination more like Madness than regular Thought, faid, that Harry Jacks was the first who told him of the taking of the Citadel of Tournay, and (fays he) Harry deferves a Statue more than the Boy who ran to the Senate with a Thorn in his Foot to tell of a Victory. We were astonished at the Affertion; and Spondee asked him, What Affinity is there between that Boy and Harry, that you say their Merit resembles fo much as you just now told us? Why, (fays he) Harry you know is in the French Intereft, and it was more Pain to him to tell the Story of Tournay, than to the Boy to run upon a Thorn to relate a Victory which he was glad of, The Gentleman who was in the Chair upon the Subject of Propriety of Words and Thoughts, would by no Means allow, that there was Wit in this Comparison; and urged, that to have any Thing gracefully said, it must be natural; but that whatsoever was introduced in common Difcourfe with fo much Premeditation, was infufferable. That Critick went on G 4 Had Had Mr. Jacks (faid he) told him the Citadel was taken, and another had answered, He deferves a Statue as well as the Roman Boy, for he told it with as much Pain; it might have paffed for a sprightly Expreffion: But there is a Wit for Discourse, and a Wit for Writing. The Eafinefs and Familiarity of the first, is not to favour in the least of Study; but the Exactness of the other, is to admit of fomething like the Freedom of Difcourfe, efpecially in Treatifes of Humanity, and what regards the Belles Lettres. I do not in this allow, that Bickerstaff's Tatlers, or Dif courfes of Wit by Retail, and for the Penny, Thould come within the Description of Writing. I bowed at his Compliment, and—But he would not let me proceed. You fee in no Place of Conversation the Perfection of Speech fo much as in an accomplish'd Woman. Whether it be, that there is a Partiality irresistible when we judge of that Sex, or whatever it is, you may obferve a wonderful Freedom in their Utterance, and an eafy Flow of Words, without being diftracted (as we often are who read much) in the Choice of Dictions and Phrafes. My Lady Courtly is an Inftance of this: She was talking the other Day of Drefs, and did it, with fo excellent an Air and Gesture, that you would have fworn fhe had learned her Action from our Demofthenes. Befides which, her Words were fo particularly well adapted to the Matter fhe talked of, that tho' Drefs was a new Thing to us Men, fhe avoided the Terms of Art in it, and described an unaffected Garb and Manner in fo proper Terms, that she came up to that of |