I shall never forget once that I was at Lady Arthur's; and a
footman happened to stumble, and let fall a fine china dish, and broke it
all to pieces: It was grievous to see the uneasiness it gave the poor
lady: And she was so sincere in it, that she suffered it to spread all
over the company; and it was a pretty large one too; and not a person in
it but turned either her consoler, or fell into stories of the like
misfortunes; and so we all became, for the rest of the evening, nothing
but blundering footmen, and careless servants, or were turned into broken
jars, plates, glasses, tea-cups, and such like brittle substances. And
it affected me so much, that, when I came home, I went to bed, and
dreamt, that Robin, with the handle of his whip, broke the fore glass of
my chariot; and I was so solicitous, methought, to keep the good lady in
countenance for her anger, that I broke his head in revenge, and stabbed
one of my coach-horses. And all the comfort I had when it was done,
methought, was, that I had not exposed myself before company; and there
were no sufferers, but guilty Robin, and one innocent coach-horse.
I was exceedingly diverted with the facetious hints, and the pleasant
manner in which he gave them; and I promised to improve by the excellent
lessons contained in them.
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