d elighted in a country life, he refolved o build a large commodious houfe for the reception of guefts, furrounded by fifteen hundred acres of his choiceft land, all laid out upon a regular plan of improvement, according to the new adopted mode of English gardening (which had fupplanted the bad Dutch tafte, brought in by king William) and of which he was the firft who fet the example in Ireland; nor was there any improvement of that fort then in England, which was comparable to his, either in point of beauty or extent. As this defign was formed early in life, in order to accomplith his point, without incurring any debt on his eftate, he retired to the continent for feven years, and lived upon fix hundred pounds a year, while the remaining in come of his eftate was employed in carrying on the great works he had plan ned there. When all was completed, he returned to his native country; and after fome time paffed in the metropo lis, to revive the old, and cultivate new acquaintance, he retired to his feat in Thomaftown, to pass the remainder of his days there. As he was one of the fineft gentlemen of the age, and poffeffed of fo large a property, be found no difficulty, during his refi dence in Dublin, to get accefs to all whole character, for talents or probity, made him defirous to cultivate their acquaintance, Out of thefe he felect ed fuch as were moft conformable to his tafte, inviting them to pass fuch leifure time as they might have upon their hands, at Thomaftown. As there was fomething uncommonly fingular in his mode of living, fuch as, I believe; was Dever carried into practice by any mortal before in an equal degree, I fancy the reader will not be difpleafed with an account of the particulars of it. 6 fhewed him his apartment, faying, This is your caftle, here you are to command as abfolutely as in your own houfe; you may breakfaft, dine, and fup here whenever you please, and invite fuch of the guefts to accompany you as may be moft agreeable to you.' He then thewed him the common parlour, where,' he faid, a daily ordinary was kept, at which he might dine when it was more agreeable to him to mix in fociety; but from this moment, you are never to know me as mafter of the houfe, and only to confider me as one of the guests. In order to put an end to all ceremony at meal time, he took his place at random at the table; and thus, all idea of precedence being laid afide, the guests feated themselves promifcuoufly, without any regard to difference of rank and quality. There was a large room fitted up exactly like a coffee houfe, where a barmaid and waiters attended to furnish refreshments at all times of the day. Here fuch as chofe it break afted at their own hour. It was furnished with chefs-boards, backgammon tables, news-papers, pamphlets, &c. in all the forms of a city coffee houfe. But the most extraordinary circumstance in his whole domeftic arrangement was that of a detached room in one of the extremities of the houfe, called the tavern. As he was himfelf a very temperate man, and many of his guefts were of the fame difpofition, the quantity of wine for the ufe of the common rooin was but mo derate; but as drinking was much in fathion in thofe days, in order to gratify fuch of his guefts as had indulged themselves in that cuftom, he had recourfe to the above mentioned contrivance; and it was the cuftom of all who loved a cheerful glafs, to adjourn to the tavern foon after dinner, and His houfe had been chiefly contrived leave the more fober folks to themselves. to answer the noble purpose of that Here a waiter in a blue apron attended confiant hofpitality which he intended (as was the fathion then), and all things to mantain there. It contained forty in the room were contrived fo as to hucommodious apartments for gueft, mour the illufion. Here every one calwith fuitable accommodations for their led for what liquor they liked, with as fervants. Each apartment was com- little retraint as it they were really in pletely furnished with every convenience a public-house, and to pay their thare that could be wanted, even to th minute of the reckoning, Here too the midtli article. When a guest arrived, he night orgies of Bacchus were often ceHib. Mag. Jan. 1796. lebrated lebrated with the fame noify mirth as is customary in his city temples, without in the leaft difturbing the repofe of the more fober part of the family. Games of all forts were allowed, but under fuch reftrictions as to prevent gambling, and fo as to answer their true end, that of amufement, without injury to the purfe of the players. There were two billiard tables, and a large bowlinggreen; ample provifion was made for all fuch as delighted in country fports, -fishing tackle of all forts,-variety of guns with proper ammunition, -a pack of buck-hounds, another of fox-hounds, and another of harriers. He conftantly kept twenty choice hunters in his ftables, for the ufe of thofe who were not properly mounted for the chafe. It may be thought that his income was not fufficient to fupport fo expenfive an eftablishment; but when it is confidered, that eight thousand a year at that time was fully equal to double that fum at prefent,-that his large demefne, in fome of the richeft foil of Ireland, furnished the house with every neceffary except groceries and wine, it may be fuppofed to be eafily practicable, if under the regulation of a ftrict economy, of which no man was a greater mafter. I am told his plan was fo well formed, and he had fuch checks upon all his domeftics, that it was impoffible there could be any wafte, or that any article from the larder, or a fingle bottle of wine from the cellar, could have been purloined, without immediate detection. This was done partly by the choice of faithful stewards, and clerks of approved integrity, but chiefly by his own fuperintendance of the whole, as not a day paffed without having all the accounts of the preceding one laid before him. This he was enabled to do by his early rifing; and the bufinefs being finished before others were out of their beds, he always appeared the moft difengaged man in the houfe, and feemed to have as little conduct of it as any of the guefts. And, indeed, to a ftranger he might pafs for fuch, as he made it a point, that no one fhould confider him in the light of matter of the house, nor pay him the leaft civilities on that score; which he car ried fo far, that he fometimes went abroad without giving any notice, and ftaid away feveral days, while things went on as ufual at home; and, on his return, he would not allow any gratulations to be made him, nor any other notice to be taken of him, than if he had not been abfent during that time. The arrangements of every fort were fo prudently made, that no multiplicity of guefts, or their domeftics, ever occafioned any diforder; and all things were conducted with the fame eafe and regularity as in a private family.-There was one point which feemed of great difficulty, that of eftablishing certain fignals, by which each fervant might know when he was fummoned to his mafter's apartment. For this purpose there was a great hall appropriated to their ufe, where they always affembled when they were not upon duty. Along the wall, bells were ranged in order, one to each apartment, with the number of the chamber marked over it; fo that when any one of them was rung, they had only to turn their eyes to the bell, and fee what fervant was called. He was the firft who put an end to that inhospitable cuftom of giving vails to fervants, by making a fuitable addition to their wages, at the fame time affuring them, that if they ever took any afterwards, they fhould be discharged with difgrace: and, to prevent temptation, the guests were informed, that Mr. Matthew would confider it as the highest affront, if any offer of that fort were made. As Swift had heard much of the place from Dr. Sheridan, who had been often a welcome gueft there, both on account of his companionable qualities, and as being preceptor to the nephew of Mr. Matthew, he was defirous of feeing with his own eyes, whether the report of it were true; which he could not help thinking to have been much exaggerated. Upon receiving an intimation of this from Dr. Sheridan, Mr. Mathew wrote a polite letter to the dean, requefting the honour of a vifit, in company with the doctor, on his next school vacation. They fet out accordingly on horfeback, attended by a gentleman who was a near relation of Mr. Mat thew, ་ 1 · thew, and from whom I received nearly my guefts while I ftay: for I think I the whole of the following account. fhall hardly be tempted to mix with They had scarce reached the inn the mob below.' Three days were pafwhere they were to pafs the firft night, fed in riding over the demefne, and and which, like most of the Irish inns at viewing the feveral improvements, that time, afforded but miserable enter- without ever seeing Mr. Matthew or any tainment, when a coach and fix ar- of his guefts; nor were the company rived, fent to convey them the remain- below much concerned at his abfence, der of their journey to Thomaftown; as his very name used to inspire those and, at the fame time, bringing ftore of who did not know him, with awe; and the choiceft viands, wine, and other li- they were afraid his prefence would put quors, for their refreshment. Swift was an end to that eafe and cheerfulness' highly pleafed with this uncommon which reigned among them. On the mark of attention paid him; and the fourth day, Swift entered the room circumftance of the coach proved par where the company were affembled beticularly agreeable, as he had been a fore dinner, and addreffed Mr. Matthew good deal fatigued with his day's jur- in one of the finest complimental ney. When they came within fight of fpeeches that ever was made; in which the houfe, the dean, aftonished at its he expatiated on all the beauties of his magnitude, cried out, What, in the improvements, with the skill of an artist, name of God, can be the use of such a and taste of a connoiffeur. He fhewed vaft building? Why, Mr. dean, re- that he had a full comprehenfion of the plied their fellow traveller before men- whole of the plan, and of the judicious tioned, there are no lefs than forty adaption of the parts to the whole,apartments for guests in that house, and and pointed out feveral articles which all of them probably occupied at this had efcaped general obfervation. Such time, except what is referved for us.' an addrefs, from a man of Swift's chaSwift, in his ufual manner, called out racter, could not fail of being pleafing to the coachman to ftop, and bade him to the owner, who was at the fame time turn about, and drive him back to Dub- the planner of these improvements; and lin, for he could not think of mixing fo fine an eulogium, from one who was with fuch a croud. Well,' said he af. fuppofed to deal more in fatire than terwards, fuddenly, there is no reme- panegyric, was likely to remove the dy: I muft fubmit; but I have loft a prejudice entertained against his chafortnight of my life. Mr. Matthew re- racter, and prepoffefs the reft of the ceived him at the door, with uncom- company in his favour. He concluded mon marks of refpect; and then, con- his fpeech by faying,' And now, ladies ducting him to his apartment, after and gentlemen, I am come to live fome compliments, made him his ufual among you; and it fhall be no fault of fpeech, acquainted him with the cuftoms mine if we do not pafs our time agreeof the houfe, and retired, leaving him ably. After dinner, being in high in poffeffion of his caftle. Soon after fpirits, he entertained the company the cook appeared with his bill of fare, with feveral pleasantries. Dr. Sheridan to receive his directions about fupper; and he played into one another's hands; and the butler, at the fame time, with a they joked, they punned, they laughed, lift of wines and other liquors. And and a general gaiety was diffufed is all this really fo? faid Swift; and through the whole company. In a may I command here as in my own fhort time all constraint on his account boufe? The gentleman before menti- difappeared. He entered readily into oned affured him he might; and that all their little fchemes of promoting nothing could be more agreeable to the mirth, and every day, with the affift owner of that manfion, than that all ance of his coadjutor, produced fome under his roof fhould live conformably new one, which afforded a good deal of to their own inclinations, without the fport and merriment. Never were fuch leaft reftraint. Well, then,' faid Swift, joyous fcenes known there before; for, 'I invite you and Dr. Sheridan to be when to eafe and cheerfulness there is fuperadded E 2. fuperadded, at times, the higher zeft of coffee-houfe, faying that he had pur gay wit, lively fancy, and droll humour, nothing can be wanting to the perfection of the focial pleasures of life. When the time came which obliged Dr. Sheridan to return to his fchool, the company were fo delighted with the dean, that they earneftly entreated him to ftay there fome time longer; and Mr. Matthew himfelf for once broke through his rule of never foliciting the ftay of any gueft, (it being the establish ed cuftom of the house, that all might depart when they thought proper, without any ceremony of leave-taking) by joining in the requeft. Swift found himfelf fo happy in his fituation there, that he readily yielded to their folicita tions; and inftead of the fortnight which he had originally intended, paffed four months there, much to his own fatisfaction, and that of all thofe who wifited the place during that time. Having given an account of the owner of this happy manfion, I fhall now relate an adventure he was engaged in, of fo fingular a kind, as deferves well to be recorded. pofely offered this infult to the gentleman, who had not the spirit to refent it. There happened to be prefent a particular friend of Mr. Matthew's, of the name of Macnamara, a man of tried courage, and reputed the best fencer in Ireland. He immediately took up the quarrel, and faid he was fure Mr. Maithew did not fuppofe the affront intended, otherwife he would have chaftifed him on the spot; but if the major would let him know where he was to be found, he should be waited on immediately on his friend's return, who was to dine that day a little way out of town. The major faid he should be at the tavern over the way, where he and his companion would wait their commands. Immediately on his arrival, Matthew being made acquainted with what had paffed, went from the coffeehoufe to the tavern accompanied by Macnamara. Being fhewn into the room where the two gentlemen were, after having fecured the door, without any expoftulation, Matthew and Pack drew their fwords; but Macnamara It was towards the latter end of queen ftopped them, faying, he had fomething Anne's reign when Mr. Matthew re to propofe before they proceeded to acturned to Dublin, after his long refi- tion. He faid, in cafes of this nature, dence abroad. At that time party ran he could never bear to be a cool fpecvery high, but raged no where with fuch tator: So, fir,' addreffing himself to violence as in that city; infomuch that Creed, if you pleafe, I shall have the duels were every day fought there on honour of entertaining you in the fame that score. There happened to be, at manner. Creed, who defired no better that time, two gentlemen in London fport, made no other reply than that of who valued themselves highly on their inftantly drawing his fword; and to fkill in fencing; the name of one of work the four champions fell, with the them was Pack, the other Creed, the fame compofure, as if it were only a former a major, the latter a captain, in fencing-match with foils. The conflict the army. Hearing of thefe daily ex- was of fome duration, and maintained ploits in Dublin, they refolved, like two with great obftinacy by the two officers, knights-errant, to go over in queft of notwithstanding the great effufion of adventures. Upon inquiry, they learned blood from the many wounds they had that Mr. Matthew, lately arrived from received. At length, quite exhaufted, France, had the character of being one they both fell, and yielded the victory of the first fwordimen in Europe. Pack to the fuperior fkill of their antagonists. rejoiced to find an antagonist worthy of Upon this occafion Matthew gave a rehim, refolved, the firft opportunity, to markable proof of the perfect compopick a quarrel with him, and meeting fure of his mind during the action. him as he was carried along the fireets Creed had fallen the firft: upon which in his chair, jofiled the fore-chairman. I ack exclaimed, Ah, poor Creed ! are Of this Matthew took no notice, as fup- you gone?' 'Yes,' faid Mathew, very pofing it to be accidental. But Pack compofedly, and you fhall inftantly afterwards boafted of it in the public pack after him,' at the fame time mak ing a home thruft quite through his body, which threw him to the ground. This was the more remarkable, as he was never in his life, either before or after, known to have aimed at a pun. The number of wounds received by the vanquished parties was very great; and what feems almoft miraculous, their opponents were untouched. The fur geons, feeing the defperate ftate of their patients, would not fuffer them to be removed out of the room where they fought, but had beds immediately conreyed into it, on which they lay many hours in a ftate of infenfibility. When they came to themselves, and faw where they were, Pack, in a feeble voice, faid to his companion, Creed, I think we are conquerors, for we have kept the field of battle. For a long time their lives were defpaired of; but, to the aftonishment of every one, they both recovered. When they were able to fee company, Matthew and his friend atunded them daily; and a clofe intimacy afterwards enfued, as they found them men of probity, and of the belt difpofitions, except in the Quixotic idea of duelling, whereof they were now perfectly cured. The fellowing is a genuine Copy of a Letter fent fome Tears ago to the Directors of the Eaft-India Company. GENTLEMEN, AM a clergyman of Ely, in the county of Cambridge; I have a parcel of fine boys, but not much cash to provide for them. My eldeft fon I intended for a pillar of the church with this view I gave him a fuitable education at fchool, and a:terwards entered him at Cam b-dge, where he has refided the ufual time, and laft christmas took his degree with fome reputation to himself; but I muft at the fame time add, that to an account as an affair of honour, &c Black Bull Inn, Bishopsgate-fireet, The above letter was read, and an appointment ordered for him as a Cadet. History and Defcription of the Cape of land be is more likely to kick a church down THE Cape of Good Hope has been than to fupport one. He is of a very generally esteemed the most foutheccentric genius-he had no notion of erly point of Africa, though it is not raint to chapel gates, lectures, &c. truly fo. In Philips's voyage to Botaand when rebuked by his mafter, tutor, ny Bay, we are told, that t . for want of obedience to their rules, be treated them in the contemptible light of not being gentlemen, and feemed to intimate that he should call them which projects fartheft to the fouth is a point to the eaft of it, called by the English Cape Lagallus; a name corrupted from the original Portuguefe das |