[186] Bate him a few strokes of his oar. Excuse his rowing slowly.
[187] Trimmed. Balanced.
[188] The fifty new churches. Voted by Parliament in 1711 for the western suburbs.
[189] Knight of the shire. M.P. See p. 44.
[190] Put. Rustic, boor.
[191] Hung. Salted or spiced.
No. 517. Thursday, October 23
Heu pietas! heu prisca fides!
Virg. Æn. vi. ver. 878.
Mirror of ancient faith!
Undaunted worth! Inviolable truth!
Dryden.
We last night received a piece of ill news at our club, which very sensibly[192] afflicted every one of us. I question not but my readers themselves will be troubled at the hearing of it. To keep them no longer in suspense, Sir Roger de Coverley is dead. He departed this life at his house in the country, after a few weeks’ sickness. Sir Andrew Freeport has a letter from one of his correspondents in those parts, that informs him the old man caught a cold at the country sessions, as he was very warmly promoting[193] an address of his own penning, in which he succeeded according to his wishes. But this particular comes from a Whig justice of peace, who was always Sir Roger’s enemy and antagonist. I have letters both from the chaplain and Captain Sentry, which mention nothing of it, but are filled with many particulars to the honour of the good old man. I have likewise a letter from the butler, who took so much care of me last summer when I was at the Knight’s house. As my friend the butler mentions, in the simplicity of his heart, several circumstances the others have passed over in silence, I shall give my reader a copy of his letter, without any alteration or diminution.